CHAPTER ONE
Sparkling sapphire eyes met chocolate brown ones as she looked up from her place on the grass.
Wow she thought, giggling to herself. He's pretty cute
Try Drop Dead Bloody Gorgeous
"Can I help you?" she asked him, stifling a grin, at her swooning thoughts.
^I've never seen eyes so blue before. I wonder who she is^ he thought.
"Hello? What do you want?" she asked again.
"I- Uh. Oh yeah. You need to get off the Quidditch Pitch, we have practice."
"Its five am, the sun hasn't even come up over the horizon, and your captain dragged you guys down here for Quidditch Practice?"
"Well, uh..."
"Geez, if I was on the team, I would've locked him in a broom closet, by now, if he tried to get me up before dawn. The guy must be a fanatic"
Just then a third voice piped up behind them, "Funny you should mention that,"
^Damn those Weasley's^ Oliver thought ^I'm going to kill those Twins, I don't care if they are good beaters^ Oliver turned and glared at the Twins, who just grinned back.
Fred and George Weasley were renowned for their pranks and jokes. The pair of them made as much trouble as they could, and it looked like they were brewing some now.
Casually, they walked up to Oliver and the stranger, who was still lying in the middle of the Quidditch Pitch.
"Who's your new friend?""Yeah, Wood, introduce us," the twins asked.
"Wha- Huh? I don't know her either"^Smooth, Wood, Very Impressive^ Oliver thought, mentally slapping himself.
"Are you guys going to keep on talking about me as if I'm not here, or can I introduce myself?"
All three looked down and stared at her. She held out a hand, and waited, waving it after a while until they got the message, and fumbled to help her up. Oliver was the closest. Grasping her wrist tightly, he swept her off the ground in one smooth movement, strong from years of playing the Keeper in Gryffindor Quidditch matches, and seemingly over his initial awkwardness.
"Thanks," she said as she brushed herself off, "Ivy McDougal, at your service," she gave a mock bow and looked pointedly at the dark-haired one who had helped her up.
When he remained silent after several moments, she said to him, "Ok, I've gathered that you're called Wood, but I'm going to need a real name,"
"Oh, Oliver. My name is Oliver"
"Pleased to meet you."
She turned to the two redheads who were still standing there, and raised an eyebrow. "Lemme guess, you two are twins?"
"Good call," said George with a lopsided grin, "Name's George,"
"And that would make me, Fred," Said his brother.
"Great, so now that introductions are over, I think I'll vacate the area, before your captain chucks a hissy fit." And with that, Ivy strode off towards the lake, obviously intending on a swim before watching the sunrise.
Fred and George had identical smirks on their faces and laughed at Oliver, who was openly staring at Ivy's retreating back (and behind). "Gonna chuck a hissy fit, dear captain?" Fred taunted. Oliver snapped out of his daze and glared at the twins.
"I would so love to kill you two, right now," he said, "But that would leave me two beaters short…and speaking of beaters, get up there, we've lost enough time this morning."
Oliver stormed off to get the practice balls and his broomstick, casting on last look back at Ivy, who had now reached the lake and taken off her robes to reveal a pink two-piece that fitted her curves perfectly. As she dived in, Oliver was physically shaken out of his reverie. He had tripped over the Quidditch Ball Chest.
Barely five minutes later, Fred and George were smacking the Bludgers between them, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell, the Gryffindor chasers were trying out complex new manoeuvres and trying to score against Oliver, and Harry Potter, the seeker, zoomed around on his Nimbus 2000, chasing the golden snitch.
Katie had just passed the ball to Oliver so he could show them another play, when a shrill scream tore through the air.
*Thud* the ball hit Oliver square in the chest as he froze. ^Oh God!^ He thought, ^The Giant squid. No one told her about the Squid!^
Oliver flew off towards the lake and hovered about 20 meters off the surface, while his eyes darted over the water. ^Oh, No, No, No. Where is she?^
Oliver whipped out his wand. "Accio Ivy" he cried out, waving the wand wildly, at the lake.
At first nothing happened, then Ivy's still body rose from the depths, breached the surface and kept coming. Oliver flew down to her. As soon as she was in reach, grabbed her around the waist and flew back to solid ground, where the rest of the team were waiting, each one of them wearing an expression of worry on their faces.
As soon as he landed, Oliver laid Ivy down on the grass and checked for signs that she was alive.
Angelina turned to Harry, "Harry, go get Madame Pomfrey. Quickly." Harry, who had the fastest broom by far, flew off towards the castle.
"Oh, please be alive," Oliver whispered, to himself more than anyone else. He didn't know any medical magic, but he had been taught the Muggle way, before he had come to Hogwarts.
Tilting her head, he bent down and had almost pressed his mouth to hers, when Ivy coughed hard, spitting swallowed lake water, back out. Oliver helped her sit up, and patted her on the back as she coughed up all the water.
The group sighed a breath of relief, and Oliver smiled at Ivy as she slowly got her breath back. "Are you alright?" he asked, with a wrinkled brow, clearly still worried. He didn't get the reaction he was expecting.
"Of course I'm not bloody-well alright!" Ivy exploded, "I just get pulled down by something while I'm swimming, half drown, swallow a gallon of lake water, and all you can say is 'Are you alright?' What do you think?!?"
She panted, having used up all her breath, on this flood of words. She caught the hurt expression that crossed his face, and felt ashamed.
"Oliver, I'm s-uhh" Ivy's eyes widened and she didn't get a chance to finish, as she fainted dead away. Looking back towards the lake, Oliver saw a large tentacle waving above the water.
Oliver, who had caught her as she fell back, laid her softly on the grass. Getting out his wand again, he waved it at Ivy, muttering "Mobilicorpus," and walked up towards the castle, Ivy floating along in front of him.
Madam Pomfrey reached them halfway. She gave Ivy a quick check before turning to a still worried Oliver, "Well done, Mr Wood. Ten points to Gryffindor. I'll take her now," And with that, briskly walked off, with a still unconscious Ivy in tow.
Oliver watched after them until they reached the castle, then sighed and turned to see the rest of the Quidditch Team staring at him knowingly, with the twins sniggering too. "What?!?" he asked them. The girls just giggled and took off towards the showers.
Fred and George walked over to him, and slung their arms over his shoulders. In unison, they announced to him, "Oliver, Welcome to the Baffling World of Women," and together, they walked off to the showers.