Chapter 10
Christmas
"I'll be fine, I promise," said Vera as she stood with Wood on the train platform. "Nothing is going to happen to me. You go home and have a good Christmas."
Wood looked at her worriedly, ignoring the calls of the train ready to leave for London. "I'm not going to stop worrying about you."
Vera sighed animatedly. "Oliver. Look, the sooner you go, the sooner you'll be able to come back. I'll be okay."
Wood nodded. He leaned forward and kissed her slowly and thoroughly, stopping only when the train signaled it was about to leave the station. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too," responded Vera. "Now hurry up or you'll miss the train."
Wood smiled. Glancing down at the cat sitting at Vera's feet, he pointed at her. "You watch after Vera." Athena blinked her emerald eyes at him. Wood hurriedly kissed Vera again before running onto the train, moments before it left. He leaned out and waved at her, not stopping till the train had rounded the corner out of sight.
"Straight from the movies, right Athena?" Vera asked the black cat as she picked her up. Athena yowled as she perched on the sixth year's shoulder. Vera laughed. "All right, let's go. It's going to be a hard walk back to the castle with all this snow."
~*~*~*~
A light tapping on the window was what woke Vera up on Christmas morning. Wishing to keep sleeping, she ignored it until a loud hoot was heard. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes and looked out the window to see a large barn owl sitting there.
Opening up the window curiously, the owl swooped in and held out its foot to her, showing her a small package and a letter tied to him. She recognized Wood's scrawl on the letter and smiled to herself.
Letting the owl back out, Vera looked at the foot of her bed and saw several packages there, bringing an even larger smile to her face. Picking up one of the larger packages, she unwrapped it hurriedly.
It was a Nimbus 2001, nearly gleaming in the morning light. She read the note to see who it was from: Vera, I hope that you like this new broom. I think that you'll find it to be a tad faster than your old Cleansweep. Happy Christmas, Your Loving Aunt.
Reminding herself to thank her aunt later, she ripped open the other presents, not caring how she looked, as she was the only one in the room. When she was surrounded by nothing but wrapping paper and the gifts of some of her newly acquired friends, something caught her eye. Pushing away the box of Canary Creams that Fred and George had given her, she picked up the small package that had come in with the owl.
Opening the letter that was attached, her eyes quickly scanned the message that was written in Wood's nearly illiterate scrawl. 'Vera, I wish that I could be there with you. I will just have to settle with thinking that I'll be back with you soon. I miss you. Oliver.'
Vera grinned and ripped off the wrapping paper like a spoilt child. A small box was all that was left. Opening the lid, she gasped in delight. Dangling from a silver chain was a crystal shaped like a teardrop. Light reflected off of the jewel as it twirled and Vera looked closely at it. If she stared straight into the center, she could make out an image.
Vera couldn't help but smile when she was able to tell what she could see within the crystal. It was a picture of her and Wood, asleep together on the couch. Clasping the chain around her neck, she made a mental note to ask him where he had gotten that picture.
Nearly beaming with joy, she dressed and headed down to the Great Hall, prepared to spend most of the day with her friends.
~*~*~*~
Wood had to restrain himself from running up the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower when he arrived back at Hogwarts. Grinning to himself, he exchanged quick greetings with those he saw in the hall, his ultimate goal being the common room. When the portrait swung open, he entered with a flourish only to find that the one person he was looking for apparently wasn't looking for him.
Frowning, he wondered if something had happened when Athena jumped onto his shoulder, her claws digging into his skin. "Ouch! Geez Athena, you couldn't have just rubbed against my leg or something could you?" He gently pulled the cat off his shoulder and set her on the ground. "Where's Vera?"
Athena blinked at him before turning and leading him to a secluded area of the common room. Vera was sitting at one of the tables, asleep on her Potions textbook. Wood chuckled softly before taking a seat next to her. He saw that she was wearing the necklace that he had given her and smiled.
He picked up one of the ink bottles that had overturned, spilling its contents onto the clean sheet of parchment. Reaching over, he brushed a strand of raven hair away from her face. "Vera," he whispered. "Vera, love, wake up."
Vera stirred and opened her eyes, staring at him blearily. "Oliver?" she asked, wondering if she were still asleep. When her eyes focused on him, she immediately sat up in surprise. "Oliver!" She leaned forward and threw her arms around him. Pulling away, she kissed him deeply, assuring herself that he was indeed real. "I'm so glad you're back!"
Wood grinned as she pulled away. Thanks to the overturned ink bottle, she had a long streak of black across her cheek. He started to chuckle, but bit the inside of his cheek. "I see that you got my present."
Vera fingered the chain around her neck tenderly. "I love it. Where did you get the picture?"
"It was compliments of Fred and George. Now would you mind telling me why you're asleep on your books? Did you get any sleep while I was gone?"
Vera nodded. "I've been fine. It's just I completely forgot about that essay that Snape assigned us before the holiday and I was up all night researching it. I figured I'd write it while the rest were in bed. I didn't get too far."
Wood nodded solemnly before he started to laugh. Vera looked at him in confusion and he reached over to wipe his hand across her cheek. "You do know that you have ink on your face, don't you?"
Vera's eyes widened before closing in humiliation. "That's just great. What a lovely trait, don't you think?"
Wood laughed again. "Anything is lovely on you." He had the pleasure of watching her blush before she bent her head to busy herself with her papers.
~*~*~*~
I know this chapter is fairly short, but trust me when I say I had to do that because the next one is very long. The next chapter is called: Valentine's Day. I have to say that right now I am in a very depressing mood and seeing all of these wonderful reviews really helps cheer me up. Just so you know, I don't have much more to write, there's only a few more chapters left! So clicking on the magical button on the bottom will really get me writing faster! Kinda. (Not that you care, but the surprise birthday party I was planning fell apart at the seams when the birthday girl decided not to come. So I've got four cases of pop in my basement right now, all caffeinated. Therefore, I already have three cans in me and I am quick hyper for being depressed. Yeah. Like I said, not that you care.) *Starts slamming head against table with renewed vigor* ~ Alexandra
Christmas
"I'll be fine, I promise," said Vera as she stood with Wood on the train platform. "Nothing is going to happen to me. You go home and have a good Christmas."
Wood looked at her worriedly, ignoring the calls of the train ready to leave for London. "I'm not going to stop worrying about you."
Vera sighed animatedly. "Oliver. Look, the sooner you go, the sooner you'll be able to come back. I'll be okay."
Wood nodded. He leaned forward and kissed her slowly and thoroughly, stopping only when the train signaled it was about to leave the station. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too," responded Vera. "Now hurry up or you'll miss the train."
Wood smiled. Glancing down at the cat sitting at Vera's feet, he pointed at her. "You watch after Vera." Athena blinked her emerald eyes at him. Wood hurriedly kissed Vera again before running onto the train, moments before it left. He leaned out and waved at her, not stopping till the train had rounded the corner out of sight.
"Straight from the movies, right Athena?" Vera asked the black cat as she picked her up. Athena yowled as she perched on the sixth year's shoulder. Vera laughed. "All right, let's go. It's going to be a hard walk back to the castle with all this snow."
~*~*~*~
A light tapping on the window was what woke Vera up on Christmas morning. Wishing to keep sleeping, she ignored it until a loud hoot was heard. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes and looked out the window to see a large barn owl sitting there.
Opening up the window curiously, the owl swooped in and held out its foot to her, showing her a small package and a letter tied to him. She recognized Wood's scrawl on the letter and smiled to herself.
Letting the owl back out, Vera looked at the foot of her bed and saw several packages there, bringing an even larger smile to her face. Picking up one of the larger packages, she unwrapped it hurriedly.
It was a Nimbus 2001, nearly gleaming in the morning light. She read the note to see who it was from: Vera, I hope that you like this new broom. I think that you'll find it to be a tad faster than your old Cleansweep. Happy Christmas, Your Loving Aunt.
Reminding herself to thank her aunt later, she ripped open the other presents, not caring how she looked, as she was the only one in the room. When she was surrounded by nothing but wrapping paper and the gifts of some of her newly acquired friends, something caught her eye. Pushing away the box of Canary Creams that Fred and George had given her, she picked up the small package that had come in with the owl.
Opening the letter that was attached, her eyes quickly scanned the message that was written in Wood's nearly illiterate scrawl. 'Vera, I wish that I could be there with you. I will just have to settle with thinking that I'll be back with you soon. I miss you. Oliver.'
Vera grinned and ripped off the wrapping paper like a spoilt child. A small box was all that was left. Opening the lid, she gasped in delight. Dangling from a silver chain was a crystal shaped like a teardrop. Light reflected off of the jewel as it twirled and Vera looked closely at it. If she stared straight into the center, she could make out an image.
Vera couldn't help but smile when she was able to tell what she could see within the crystal. It was a picture of her and Wood, asleep together on the couch. Clasping the chain around her neck, she made a mental note to ask him where he had gotten that picture.
Nearly beaming with joy, she dressed and headed down to the Great Hall, prepared to spend most of the day with her friends.
~*~*~*~
Wood had to restrain himself from running up the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower when he arrived back at Hogwarts. Grinning to himself, he exchanged quick greetings with those he saw in the hall, his ultimate goal being the common room. When the portrait swung open, he entered with a flourish only to find that the one person he was looking for apparently wasn't looking for him.
Frowning, he wondered if something had happened when Athena jumped onto his shoulder, her claws digging into his skin. "Ouch! Geez Athena, you couldn't have just rubbed against my leg or something could you?" He gently pulled the cat off his shoulder and set her on the ground. "Where's Vera?"
Athena blinked at him before turning and leading him to a secluded area of the common room. Vera was sitting at one of the tables, asleep on her Potions textbook. Wood chuckled softly before taking a seat next to her. He saw that she was wearing the necklace that he had given her and smiled.
He picked up one of the ink bottles that had overturned, spilling its contents onto the clean sheet of parchment. Reaching over, he brushed a strand of raven hair away from her face. "Vera," he whispered. "Vera, love, wake up."
Vera stirred and opened her eyes, staring at him blearily. "Oliver?" she asked, wondering if she were still asleep. When her eyes focused on him, she immediately sat up in surprise. "Oliver!" She leaned forward and threw her arms around him. Pulling away, she kissed him deeply, assuring herself that he was indeed real. "I'm so glad you're back!"
Wood grinned as she pulled away. Thanks to the overturned ink bottle, she had a long streak of black across her cheek. He started to chuckle, but bit the inside of his cheek. "I see that you got my present."
Vera fingered the chain around her neck tenderly. "I love it. Where did you get the picture?"
"It was compliments of Fred and George. Now would you mind telling me why you're asleep on your books? Did you get any sleep while I was gone?"
Vera nodded. "I've been fine. It's just I completely forgot about that essay that Snape assigned us before the holiday and I was up all night researching it. I figured I'd write it while the rest were in bed. I didn't get too far."
Wood nodded solemnly before he started to laugh. Vera looked at him in confusion and he reached over to wipe his hand across her cheek. "You do know that you have ink on your face, don't you?"
Vera's eyes widened before closing in humiliation. "That's just great. What a lovely trait, don't you think?"
Wood laughed again. "Anything is lovely on you." He had the pleasure of watching her blush before she bent her head to busy herself with her papers.
~*~*~*~
I know this chapter is fairly short, but trust me when I say I had to do that because the next one is very long. The next chapter is called: Valentine's Day. I have to say that right now I am in a very depressing mood and seeing all of these wonderful reviews really helps cheer me up. Just so you know, I don't have much more to write, there's only a few more chapters left! So clicking on the magical button on the bottom will really get me writing faster! Kinda. (Not that you care, but the surprise birthday party I was planning fell apart at the seams when the birthday girl decided not to come. So I've got four cases of pop in my basement right now, all caffeinated. Therefore, I already have three cans in me and I am quick hyper for being depressed. Yeah. Like I said, not that you care.) *Starts slamming head against table with renewed vigor* ~ Alexandra