I am posting a lot faster than I am writing. I only have about 7 or 8
chapters written. I think I should go and write more rather than
concentrating on these author's notes! I am always grateful for any
feedback that you can give me, it encourages me!!! Thanks again to
everyone and let me know if you like this story!
Chapter 4
Quidditch Practice
Vera was in a fitful sleep when a very disheveled Alicia Spinnet shook her awake. "What's wrong?" asked Vera immediately, though rather groggily.
"Wood wants us for," Alicia paused as a particularly loud yawn broke through, "For Quidditch."
Grumbling about the ungodly hour, Vera ran a brush through her hair as she searched one handed for her Quidditch robes. Pulling on the scarlet robes and then covering them with a cloak for warmth, Vera yawned again as she stumbled out of the room with her broom, a Cleansweep Six, clasped in her hand.
Angelina and Alicia were waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs and the three set off for the Quidditch field in silence. Vera glanced ruefully at those that were sleeping in the portraits, wishing she could still be in her warm bed, awake or not.
The three girls yawned simultaneously as they shuffled into the locker room. Wood greeted them with a grin. "No one is going to be starting training as early as we are, we're going to catch them off guard."
Vera paused as Angelina and Alicia slouched into seats and stared at Wood. "You are insane, you know that? If you weren't our captain, I'd hit you over the head with my broom and go back to sleep."
Wood grinned again as Vera sat down, leaning back to rest on the wall. Fred and George appeared a few moments later, grumbling and glaring at Wood as they sat down. When Harry showed up, looking slightly hassled, Wood launched into descriptions of the boards that he had brought with him, diagrams of moves and plays that they were going to use on the Quidditch field.
Vera tried to pay attention, but couldn't help but fall off to sleep as Wood continued to talk about what he expected out of them this year. His voice penetrated her dreams every now and then, though not enough to fully bring her back to awareness.
A sharp pain in her side brought her back as her head shot up. Wood was apparently finishing his speech and Harry was elbowing her in the side. She smiled gratefully over at him before returning her attention to an excited Wood who seemed ready to run onto the field. "So this year we train harder than ever before.. Okay, let's go and put our new theories into practice!"
Wood seized his broom and led the way out of the locker room. The other glanced at each other, stifled yet another yawn, and followed. They had only been flying for a few minutes when Wood noticed the small boy in the stands taking pictures.
"What's going on? Why's that first year taking pictures? I don't like it. He could be a Slytherin spy, trying to find out about our new training program."
"He's in Gryffindor," replied Harry quickly.
"And Slytherins don't need a spy, Oliver," said George.
"What makes you say that?" said Wood testily.
"Because they're here in person," said George, pointing.
"I don't believe it!" Wood hissed in outrage. "I booked the field for today! We'll see about this!"
As Wood shot toward the ground, yelling at Flint, the three female chasers were only starting to see what was going on. "What in the world is Slytherin doing here?" asked Alicia.
"Well, whatever it is, Oliver isn't happy about it," replied Angelina. "Let's go see what's going on." The three quickly landed on the field and came to stand next to Wood.
Flint grinned at the Chasers as they set down on the field, Vera in particular. She tried to swallow the bile that was rising in her throat at the look in his eye as she turned to focus on Wood. "But I booked the field!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage, half catching the way that the Slytherin captain looked at Vera. "I booked it!"
"Ah," said Flint. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. We're allowed to train our new seeker."
"You've got a new seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where?" A boy who was easily hidden by the rest of the Quidditch team stepped out in the open. He smirked at the Gryffindors watching him. It was none other than Draco Malfoy.
"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike.
Vera's eyes widened as she stopped listening to the voices around her. Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy. She remembered that name. And she remembered all the horrible things that came with it. Desperately trying to forget all that had arisen in her mind by the mention of one name, she focused on the boy in front of her in time to hear his last word: Mudblood.
Vera's own voice was risen in indignation, but it was Ron Weasely who acted on it. Pulling out his wand, a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end as he fell backwards.
The Gryffindors surrounded him as Hermione Granger tried to help him while avoiding the slugs that were coming from his mouth. As the Slytherins howled with laughter in the background, Harry and Hermione helped Ron over to Hagrid's hut, which wasn't too far away.
As the three faded out of sight, Vera turned around and stopped as Flint stepped in front of her. "I don't like how you've been ignoring me."
Vera rolled her eyes. "You probably think you're terribly clever with managing to get new brooms and all."
"Clever enough to get you to go with me."
Vera glared at him. "You are only clever enough to mask your true ignorance. Now get out of my way."
She pushed past him, but he reached out a hand to stop her, clasping it around her arm. The rest of the Gryffindor team came over. Wood was quite beyond rage at this point; with Malfoy's comment, the new brooms, and the fact that Flint wouldn't leave Vera alone was setting off his temper in ways he didn't think possible.
With one great shove, Wood knocked Flint away from Vera. "You've had your fun, all of you have. Clear out Flint, or I'll make you."
Flint glared at Wood. "No. This is our field now, we will leave when we are good and ready." His hand was hovering over his wand, daring Wood to make him use it.
Angelina carefully put a restraining hand on Wood's shoulder. "Oliver, let it go. We can practice later."
Wood glared daggers at Flint for several more moments before turning and stalking off the field. As the rest of the Gryffindor team followed their captain to the locker room, Flint chuckled. He watched the scarlet clad figures disappear before grinning maliciously. He wouldn't be outdone.
~*~*~*~
October arrived and a slew of colds along with it. Madam Pomfery, the nurse, was quite frequently distributing her Pepperup potion that worked instantly. As none of the Quidditch team had caught the cold, Wood continued on with practices. Which is why Vera jogged into the locker room soaking wet and muddy one Saturday afternoon, a few days before Halloween.
"Oliver, I am soaked straight through," complained Vera, wringing water from her hair.
"You may hate me now, but you'll love me later," Wood replied, shaking water out of his eyes. "We have our first match against Slytherin in two weeks. We're going to be prepared."
Vera sighed and shook her head, black strands of hair sticking to her face. She opened her mouth to reply, but was overcome by a stint of sneezes. "Of all the times for me to get sick."
Wood frowned and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Come on it's up to Madam Pomfery with you. You could stand for some of her potion."
Vera pulled away and grabbed her broom. "I don't need it."
Wood took her hand and pulled her back outside up towards the castle. "I will not have you getting sick." They battled the growing gale and eventually squelched into the hospital wing, Vera sneezing furiously.
Madam Pomfery looked up and immediately frowned. "No wonder you're sick, soaked clean through. Here, both of you sit here."
"Madam Pomfery, Vera is the only one who is sick," protested Wood.
"Thank you Mr. Wood, but you don't look particularly healthy either," replied Madam Pomfery. "Now sit down while I go get the potion."
Vera snickered as she and Wood both sat down. "I said I wasn't sick and this is what you get for not believing in me. Now we'll both have smoke coming out of our ears."
Wood smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she sneezed. "I'll take it so that you will."
Vera chuckled and looked up at him. "You forget that you don't have a choice." Their eyes locked as they both paused. Wood reached over and brushed some wet strands of hair away from her face. He then leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. A soft, sweet kiss ensued, disrupted only by the oncoming footsteps.
"Now, now," said Madam Pomfery, bustling up with two steaming goblets. "None of that in here. Drink this entire potion and then get out of those wet clothes. You'll also have smoke coming out of your ears for several hours, so be warned."
She moved off to go check on some of her other patients. The two Gryffindor Quidditch players choked down their dose of Pepperup potion before standing up. They hardly glanced at each other as they left the hospital wing, their hands tightly clasped together.
~*~*~*~
Now that that is done with, I'm stirring things up a bit in the next chapter. If you've ever read any of my stories you know that no couple will ever stay happy, hehe. Anyway, next chapter: Attack. So, please review so that I can post that next chapter! ~ Alexandra
Chapter 4
Quidditch Practice
Vera was in a fitful sleep when a very disheveled Alicia Spinnet shook her awake. "What's wrong?" asked Vera immediately, though rather groggily.
"Wood wants us for," Alicia paused as a particularly loud yawn broke through, "For Quidditch."
Grumbling about the ungodly hour, Vera ran a brush through her hair as she searched one handed for her Quidditch robes. Pulling on the scarlet robes and then covering them with a cloak for warmth, Vera yawned again as she stumbled out of the room with her broom, a Cleansweep Six, clasped in her hand.
Angelina and Alicia were waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs and the three set off for the Quidditch field in silence. Vera glanced ruefully at those that were sleeping in the portraits, wishing she could still be in her warm bed, awake or not.
The three girls yawned simultaneously as they shuffled into the locker room. Wood greeted them with a grin. "No one is going to be starting training as early as we are, we're going to catch them off guard."
Vera paused as Angelina and Alicia slouched into seats and stared at Wood. "You are insane, you know that? If you weren't our captain, I'd hit you over the head with my broom and go back to sleep."
Wood grinned again as Vera sat down, leaning back to rest on the wall. Fred and George appeared a few moments later, grumbling and glaring at Wood as they sat down. When Harry showed up, looking slightly hassled, Wood launched into descriptions of the boards that he had brought with him, diagrams of moves and plays that they were going to use on the Quidditch field.
Vera tried to pay attention, but couldn't help but fall off to sleep as Wood continued to talk about what he expected out of them this year. His voice penetrated her dreams every now and then, though not enough to fully bring her back to awareness.
A sharp pain in her side brought her back as her head shot up. Wood was apparently finishing his speech and Harry was elbowing her in the side. She smiled gratefully over at him before returning her attention to an excited Wood who seemed ready to run onto the field. "So this year we train harder than ever before.. Okay, let's go and put our new theories into practice!"
Wood seized his broom and led the way out of the locker room. The other glanced at each other, stifled yet another yawn, and followed. They had only been flying for a few minutes when Wood noticed the small boy in the stands taking pictures.
"What's going on? Why's that first year taking pictures? I don't like it. He could be a Slytherin spy, trying to find out about our new training program."
"He's in Gryffindor," replied Harry quickly.
"And Slytherins don't need a spy, Oliver," said George.
"What makes you say that?" said Wood testily.
"Because they're here in person," said George, pointing.
"I don't believe it!" Wood hissed in outrage. "I booked the field for today! We'll see about this!"
As Wood shot toward the ground, yelling at Flint, the three female chasers were only starting to see what was going on. "What in the world is Slytherin doing here?" asked Alicia.
"Well, whatever it is, Oliver isn't happy about it," replied Angelina. "Let's go see what's going on." The three quickly landed on the field and came to stand next to Wood.
Flint grinned at the Chasers as they set down on the field, Vera in particular. She tried to swallow the bile that was rising in her throat at the look in his eye as she turned to focus on Wood. "But I booked the field!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage, half catching the way that the Slytherin captain looked at Vera. "I booked it!"
"Ah," said Flint. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. We're allowed to train our new seeker."
"You've got a new seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where?" A boy who was easily hidden by the rest of the Quidditch team stepped out in the open. He smirked at the Gryffindors watching him. It was none other than Draco Malfoy.
"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike.
Vera's eyes widened as she stopped listening to the voices around her. Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy. She remembered that name. And she remembered all the horrible things that came with it. Desperately trying to forget all that had arisen in her mind by the mention of one name, she focused on the boy in front of her in time to hear his last word: Mudblood.
Vera's own voice was risen in indignation, but it was Ron Weasely who acted on it. Pulling out his wand, a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end as he fell backwards.
The Gryffindors surrounded him as Hermione Granger tried to help him while avoiding the slugs that were coming from his mouth. As the Slytherins howled with laughter in the background, Harry and Hermione helped Ron over to Hagrid's hut, which wasn't too far away.
As the three faded out of sight, Vera turned around and stopped as Flint stepped in front of her. "I don't like how you've been ignoring me."
Vera rolled her eyes. "You probably think you're terribly clever with managing to get new brooms and all."
"Clever enough to get you to go with me."
Vera glared at him. "You are only clever enough to mask your true ignorance. Now get out of my way."
She pushed past him, but he reached out a hand to stop her, clasping it around her arm. The rest of the Gryffindor team came over. Wood was quite beyond rage at this point; with Malfoy's comment, the new brooms, and the fact that Flint wouldn't leave Vera alone was setting off his temper in ways he didn't think possible.
With one great shove, Wood knocked Flint away from Vera. "You've had your fun, all of you have. Clear out Flint, or I'll make you."
Flint glared at Wood. "No. This is our field now, we will leave when we are good and ready." His hand was hovering over his wand, daring Wood to make him use it.
Angelina carefully put a restraining hand on Wood's shoulder. "Oliver, let it go. We can practice later."
Wood glared daggers at Flint for several more moments before turning and stalking off the field. As the rest of the Gryffindor team followed their captain to the locker room, Flint chuckled. He watched the scarlet clad figures disappear before grinning maliciously. He wouldn't be outdone.
~*~*~*~
October arrived and a slew of colds along with it. Madam Pomfery, the nurse, was quite frequently distributing her Pepperup potion that worked instantly. As none of the Quidditch team had caught the cold, Wood continued on with practices. Which is why Vera jogged into the locker room soaking wet and muddy one Saturday afternoon, a few days before Halloween.
"Oliver, I am soaked straight through," complained Vera, wringing water from her hair.
"You may hate me now, but you'll love me later," Wood replied, shaking water out of his eyes. "We have our first match against Slytherin in two weeks. We're going to be prepared."
Vera sighed and shook her head, black strands of hair sticking to her face. She opened her mouth to reply, but was overcome by a stint of sneezes. "Of all the times for me to get sick."
Wood frowned and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Come on it's up to Madam Pomfery with you. You could stand for some of her potion."
Vera pulled away and grabbed her broom. "I don't need it."
Wood took her hand and pulled her back outside up towards the castle. "I will not have you getting sick." They battled the growing gale and eventually squelched into the hospital wing, Vera sneezing furiously.
Madam Pomfery looked up and immediately frowned. "No wonder you're sick, soaked clean through. Here, both of you sit here."
"Madam Pomfery, Vera is the only one who is sick," protested Wood.
"Thank you Mr. Wood, but you don't look particularly healthy either," replied Madam Pomfery. "Now sit down while I go get the potion."
Vera snickered as she and Wood both sat down. "I said I wasn't sick and this is what you get for not believing in me. Now we'll both have smoke coming out of our ears."
Wood smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she sneezed. "I'll take it so that you will."
Vera chuckled and looked up at him. "You forget that you don't have a choice." Their eyes locked as they both paused. Wood reached over and brushed some wet strands of hair away from her face. He then leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. A soft, sweet kiss ensued, disrupted only by the oncoming footsteps.
"Now, now," said Madam Pomfery, bustling up with two steaming goblets. "None of that in here. Drink this entire potion and then get out of those wet clothes. You'll also have smoke coming out of your ears for several hours, so be warned."
She moved off to go check on some of her other patients. The two Gryffindor Quidditch players choked down their dose of Pepperup potion before standing up. They hardly glanced at each other as they left the hospital wing, their hands tightly clasped together.
~*~*~*~
Now that that is done with, I'm stirring things up a bit in the next chapter. If you've ever read any of my stories you know that no couple will ever stay happy, hehe. Anyway, next chapter: Attack. So, please review so that I can post that next chapter! ~ Alexandra