Oliver found it very hard not to walk right up to Adrianna and kiss her
when they passed in the corridors. He wanted to so badly, but they had
agreed that it was best not to show any displays of affection in front of
the students. They spent as much time together as possible. They sat next
to each other at every meal, and if they weren't teaching or preparing
their lessons they were visiting each other. They spent a lot of time
talking but probably an equal amount of time making out or cuddling in
front of the fire.
On Thursday night Oliver was stretched out on his couch, his back resting against the cushioned arm. Adrianna was sitting on his lap, leaning back against him with her head resting on his shoulder. Oliver wrapped his arms around her and rested his hands on her stomach.
"Adrianna, what are you doing tomorrow night?" She turned slightly so that she could see his face.
"Nothing that I'm aware of, but I have a feeling that's about to change."
Oliver smiled. "Do you want to go on a date with me?"
"I'd love to. What did you have in mind?"
"I can't tell you. It's a surprise."
"I like surprises." She kissed him softly on the lips. Oliver returned her kiss with a slightly more passionate one, and then pulled back.
"I have a confession to make." Adrianna looked straight into his eyes.
"Oh really? What is it?"
"I don't know how to dance. Not slow or fast. And I want to dance with you at the Yule Ball, but I don't want to be an embarrassment to both of us."
"Well, that's nothing to worry about. I heard that Professor Dumbledore is quite the ballroom dancer. I'm sure he would be glad to teach you. And you're already pretty good at fast dancing when you're intoxicated. You've just got to loosen up a little bit when you're sober and you'll be fine."
"Can't you teach me how to slow dance?" Oliver asked hopefully.
Adrianna laughed. "I don't know how to ballroom dance. I can follow if a guy leads, but I'm afraid I'm not good enough to teach you. I think Dumbledore is your best bet."
Oliver feigned an annoyed sigh. "Well, if you insist."
"So what am I supposed to wear tomorrow night?" "Wear something nice, but not dress robes."
"Oh, that really narrows it down, thanks," she teased.
"What time should I be ready by?"
"I'll pick you up at your rooms at six. Don't go to dinner tomorrow."
"Alright, I can't wait," said Adrianna with a smile. Oliver leaned in and kissed her. Their kiss soon turned into another make-out session.
The next day after his second-year flying class, Oliver got ready for his date with Adrianna and changed into a set of nice black robes. He figured that if he wore black he couldn't clash too badly with her. He grabbed a map of London so that he could show Adrianna where they would apparate, and then left his rooms. He felt surprisingly calm as he walked down the corridor to Adrianna's rooms. He moved a very thick hollow book on the bookshelf, which revealed a door knocker, and knocked loudly. Adrianna opened the door and smiled at him.
"Come on in, have a seat. I'm almost ready," she said.
Oliver took a seat on the couch and waited for her to finish getting ready. She was wearing the set of royal blue dress robes that she had been wearing when they were introduced for the first time in Hogsmeade. She had taken time to do her makeup instead of just wearing her usual eyeliner and had put small, gold hoop earrings in her pierced ears. She wore her long, wavy blonde hair down and had pulled the front sections back with barrettes. At the moment she had the part that was pulled back with a barrette wrapped around her wand. She said an incantation and pulled her wand away, leaving the section of hair in a loose curl. She did the same thing with the section of hair on the other side and then walked quickly into her bedroom. She reemerged a moment later wearing black leather boots with thick platform heels.
"How do I look?" she asked with a hint of nervousness in her voice.
"Perfect." Adrianna noticed the map that Oliver had in his hand.
"What's that?"
"It's a map of London. I thought I would show you where we're going to apparate." Adrianna suddenly looked very uncomfortable.
"What's the matter?" Oliver asked with concern.
"I can't apparate. I never learned how to. I heard the stories about people who tried to apparate and left half of themselves behind, and I was scared to learn. I like my body all in one piece, thanks."
Oliver felt very stupid. He had just assumed that Adrianna knew how to apparate. "Well, there are other means of transportation. We could use floo powder but then we'd be all covered in soot when we get there... how about if we use a portkey?"
Adrianna looked very relieved. "A portkey sounds great."
Oliver transfigured an empty glass bottle into a portkey to Diagon Alley. "I set it to take us exactly one minute from now," he said, holding the bottle by its base. Adrianna gripped the neck of the bottle. They stood next to each other, waiting for the familiar jerk behind the navel followed by the feeling of rushing unimpeded through the air. A minute later, Oliver and Adrianna were standing just outside of the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley," Oliver said, offering Adrianna his arm.
Adrianna looked around, drinking in her surroundings. She took his arm and they walked together down the cobblestone street. Oliver stopped in front of a classy-looking restaurant called Weatherbys' Inn and held the door open for Adrianna. He stepped inside the foyer right behind her, and the hostess greeted them.
"Reservation for Wood," he told the hostess.
"Right this way," she replied. She led them into the dining room of the restaurant, which was lit with fancy candelabras at every table. Soft music came from a grand piano in the corner that had been bewitched to play itself. She seated them at a table for two near the back of the restaurant and gave them each a menu. Adrianna looked around her for a few moments, and then looked straight into Oliver's eyes.
"Oliver, this is amazing. Thank you so much."
"My pleasure," he replied. He looked around the room and could barely believe what he saw. A few tables away, at a table for four, sat Fred and George Weasley, Angelina Johnson, and another girl that Oliver had never seen before. He assumed that Fred and George were on a double date. Angelina and Fred were facing Oliver's table, and Angelina looked up and saw Oliver looking in her direction. She waved at him and motioned for him to come over.
"Adrianna, how would you like to meet some of my friends?" he asked.
"That would be fun. When?"
"Right now." He stood up and led her by the hand to Fred and George's table. Fred looked up and put down the glass of champagne that he was sipping.
"Oliver Wood! Imagine seeing you in a place like this!"
"Do my eyes deceive me, or is that a girl you've got with you? Don't tell me you've finally taken an interest in the opposite sex," teased George.
Oliver blushed slightly at their good-natured teasing. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend Adrianna. Adrianna, this is Fred, George, Angelina, and..."
"Stephanie," George finished for Oliver. There was an echo of "pleased-to- meet-you" around the table. Oliver shook hands with Stephanie, a beautiful girl with long, sleek, chocolate-brown hair. Adrianna shook hands with everyone else. George picked up on Adrianna's American accent immediately. He looked as though something was clicking in his brain as he shook Adrianna's hand.
"Wait a minute... your name is Adrianna... you wouldn't be Adrianna Brighton would you?"
"Yes, actually."
"Wow, I can't believe I'm really talking to you! You're a bloody brilliant quidditch player!"
"Our sister tells us you're an amazing teacher as well," added Fred.
"Aw, you guys are too sweet," she said with a grin. "Who's your sister?"
"Ginny Weasley," they replied in unison.
"Yes, now that you mention it I can see the resemblance."
"Stephanie, what do you do?" asked Oliver.
"I'm an artist. And please, call me Steph."
"What kind of work do you do, Steph?"
"I have a series of comic books called The Adventures of Flamma."
Oliver laughed. "That's great. You and George should get along well then." He turned to Adrianna. "We should probably get back to our table. Our waitress will be back any minute."
"Nice to meet you guys," said Adrianna as they turned to go back to their table. Their waitress returned within a few minutes. Oliver and Adrianna placed their orders and then talked while they waited for their food.
"Oliver, what's you most embarrassing moment?" asked Adrianna with a mischievous smile.
"That's a tough question. I have a lot of embarrassing moments. But think the worst one was my very first quidditch match. I was so excited. I had adrenaline pumping through my veins. I took my position as keeper and watched the field intently for the quaffle. But I never got to block a shot that game. In fact, I didn't even see much of the game. I woke up in the hospital wing a week later. Turns out I took a bludger to the head two minutes into the game. I never even saw it coming. It took awhile for me to live that one down."
Adrianna chuckled. "That's not so bad. You were young and inexperienced. It could have happened to anyone."
"So what about you? What's your most embarrassing moment?"
"Oh geez, I don't know if I can pick just one. Does falling in the lake count?"
"No! That was just plain scary."
"Oh alright, I got one. When I was in college I went to a football game with a couple of friends...."
"Football?"
"It's a muggle sport, mainly popular in America. Anyhow, it was homecoming so the stadium was packed. One of my friends had to work at a booth on the other side of the field, so rather than walking around the stadium we decided that we would cut through the field. So we snuck over the fence at the end of the field, figuring that no one would see us. But what we didn't realize was that the flagpole was at that end of the field. And at the beginning of a sporting event in America, the national anthem is sung and everyone stands and faces the flag. As we were crossing the field, everyone looked right in our direction and the national anthem was playing! So I figured that if we kept walking, it might not look so bad but one of my friends was so shocked that she just froze where she was and put her hand over her heart. Well, we couldn't leave her there alone so we all stood there right behind the flagpole with everyone staring at us, and people that knew us recognized us! I could have died of shame," she finished, laughing.
Oliver laughed as well. "That's pretty funny. I think that one beats mine."
Just then, the waitress returned with their meals. They ate their dinner and sipped champagne while they chatted. When they were finished, they stepped outside into the street and took a portkey back to Hogwarts. Oliver and Adrianna found themselves in Adrianna's living room, at the same spot that they had left from.
"Thank you so much, Oliver. I had a great time tonight."
"What, you're saying goodnight already? The night is young and our date's not over yet," Oliver said with a sly grin.
"Oh? What else did you have in mind?" she asked, looking intrigued.
"You'll see," said Oliver with an air of mystery as he took her by the hand and led her out of her rooms.
They walked through several corridors and up a few flights of stairs, and finally reached a tall narrow, winding staircase. Oliver led Adrianna to the top of the tower and through a door, and suddenly the full moon was shining down on them. They were standing on a large outdoor platform and there were some telescopes set up.
"This is the astronomy tower," said Adrianna, looking around and wrapping her arms tightly around herself for warmth. Her breath made little clouds in the cold December night air. With a wave of his wand and a few words, Oliver made a pile of warm blankets appear. He picked one up and wrapped it around himself and Adrianna.
"I thought you might enjoy gazing at the stars with me," he explained softly, slipping an arm around her waist and kissing her on the cheek.
"Well, I would love to if we could see anything. But the moon is so bright, it dims all but the very brightest stars tonight," she replied, looking up at the sky.
Oliver looked up and realized that she was right. Feeling disappointed, he was about to lead her back inside when he was struck with a brilliant idea. He pulled out his wand.
"Accio Firebolt," he said firmly, and within moments his broomstick was hovering beside him, ready for him to ride.
He noticed Adrianna pull her wand out of her robes as well, but put out a hand to stop her. Without a word he mounted his broom and helped Adrianna on behind him. She wrapped her arms around him and placed her hands on his chest. He kicked off from the platform, and soon they were soaring through the air in the light of the full moon. Oliver felt like they were in their own world where nothing else existed, flying around the countryside of Scotland. The sensation of her breath on his neck and the warmth of her body so close to his mesmerized him. She was all that mattered.
Eventually they made their way back to Hogwarts and landed on the platform by the astronomy tower. They walked back down the spiral stairs and through the corridors in comfortable silence. It seemed that neither of them wanted to disturb the moment. They were back in Adrianna's rooms all too soon. Still without a word, Oliver leaned in and kissed Adrianna softly, then returned to his own rooms and fell asleep with visions of Adrianna dancing in his head.
On Thursday night Oliver was stretched out on his couch, his back resting against the cushioned arm. Adrianna was sitting on his lap, leaning back against him with her head resting on his shoulder. Oliver wrapped his arms around her and rested his hands on her stomach.
"Adrianna, what are you doing tomorrow night?" She turned slightly so that she could see his face.
"Nothing that I'm aware of, but I have a feeling that's about to change."
Oliver smiled. "Do you want to go on a date with me?"
"I'd love to. What did you have in mind?"
"I can't tell you. It's a surprise."
"I like surprises." She kissed him softly on the lips. Oliver returned her kiss with a slightly more passionate one, and then pulled back.
"I have a confession to make." Adrianna looked straight into his eyes.
"Oh really? What is it?"
"I don't know how to dance. Not slow or fast. And I want to dance with you at the Yule Ball, but I don't want to be an embarrassment to both of us."
"Well, that's nothing to worry about. I heard that Professor Dumbledore is quite the ballroom dancer. I'm sure he would be glad to teach you. And you're already pretty good at fast dancing when you're intoxicated. You've just got to loosen up a little bit when you're sober and you'll be fine."
"Can't you teach me how to slow dance?" Oliver asked hopefully.
Adrianna laughed. "I don't know how to ballroom dance. I can follow if a guy leads, but I'm afraid I'm not good enough to teach you. I think Dumbledore is your best bet."
Oliver feigned an annoyed sigh. "Well, if you insist."
"So what am I supposed to wear tomorrow night?" "Wear something nice, but not dress robes."
"Oh, that really narrows it down, thanks," she teased.
"What time should I be ready by?"
"I'll pick you up at your rooms at six. Don't go to dinner tomorrow."
"Alright, I can't wait," said Adrianna with a smile. Oliver leaned in and kissed her. Their kiss soon turned into another make-out session.
The next day after his second-year flying class, Oliver got ready for his date with Adrianna and changed into a set of nice black robes. He figured that if he wore black he couldn't clash too badly with her. He grabbed a map of London so that he could show Adrianna where they would apparate, and then left his rooms. He felt surprisingly calm as he walked down the corridor to Adrianna's rooms. He moved a very thick hollow book on the bookshelf, which revealed a door knocker, and knocked loudly. Adrianna opened the door and smiled at him.
"Come on in, have a seat. I'm almost ready," she said.
Oliver took a seat on the couch and waited for her to finish getting ready. She was wearing the set of royal blue dress robes that she had been wearing when they were introduced for the first time in Hogsmeade. She had taken time to do her makeup instead of just wearing her usual eyeliner and had put small, gold hoop earrings in her pierced ears. She wore her long, wavy blonde hair down and had pulled the front sections back with barrettes. At the moment she had the part that was pulled back with a barrette wrapped around her wand. She said an incantation and pulled her wand away, leaving the section of hair in a loose curl. She did the same thing with the section of hair on the other side and then walked quickly into her bedroom. She reemerged a moment later wearing black leather boots with thick platform heels.
"How do I look?" she asked with a hint of nervousness in her voice.
"Perfect." Adrianna noticed the map that Oliver had in his hand.
"What's that?"
"It's a map of London. I thought I would show you where we're going to apparate." Adrianna suddenly looked very uncomfortable.
"What's the matter?" Oliver asked with concern.
"I can't apparate. I never learned how to. I heard the stories about people who tried to apparate and left half of themselves behind, and I was scared to learn. I like my body all in one piece, thanks."
Oliver felt very stupid. He had just assumed that Adrianna knew how to apparate. "Well, there are other means of transportation. We could use floo powder but then we'd be all covered in soot when we get there... how about if we use a portkey?"
Adrianna looked very relieved. "A portkey sounds great."
Oliver transfigured an empty glass bottle into a portkey to Diagon Alley. "I set it to take us exactly one minute from now," he said, holding the bottle by its base. Adrianna gripped the neck of the bottle. They stood next to each other, waiting for the familiar jerk behind the navel followed by the feeling of rushing unimpeded through the air. A minute later, Oliver and Adrianna were standing just outside of the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley," Oliver said, offering Adrianna his arm.
Adrianna looked around, drinking in her surroundings. She took his arm and they walked together down the cobblestone street. Oliver stopped in front of a classy-looking restaurant called Weatherbys' Inn and held the door open for Adrianna. He stepped inside the foyer right behind her, and the hostess greeted them.
"Reservation for Wood," he told the hostess.
"Right this way," she replied. She led them into the dining room of the restaurant, which was lit with fancy candelabras at every table. Soft music came from a grand piano in the corner that had been bewitched to play itself. She seated them at a table for two near the back of the restaurant and gave them each a menu. Adrianna looked around her for a few moments, and then looked straight into Oliver's eyes.
"Oliver, this is amazing. Thank you so much."
"My pleasure," he replied. He looked around the room and could barely believe what he saw. A few tables away, at a table for four, sat Fred and George Weasley, Angelina Johnson, and another girl that Oliver had never seen before. He assumed that Fred and George were on a double date. Angelina and Fred were facing Oliver's table, and Angelina looked up and saw Oliver looking in her direction. She waved at him and motioned for him to come over.
"Adrianna, how would you like to meet some of my friends?" he asked.
"That would be fun. When?"
"Right now." He stood up and led her by the hand to Fred and George's table. Fred looked up and put down the glass of champagne that he was sipping.
"Oliver Wood! Imagine seeing you in a place like this!"
"Do my eyes deceive me, or is that a girl you've got with you? Don't tell me you've finally taken an interest in the opposite sex," teased George.
Oliver blushed slightly at their good-natured teasing. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend Adrianna. Adrianna, this is Fred, George, Angelina, and..."
"Stephanie," George finished for Oliver. There was an echo of "pleased-to- meet-you" around the table. Oliver shook hands with Stephanie, a beautiful girl with long, sleek, chocolate-brown hair. Adrianna shook hands with everyone else. George picked up on Adrianna's American accent immediately. He looked as though something was clicking in his brain as he shook Adrianna's hand.
"Wait a minute... your name is Adrianna... you wouldn't be Adrianna Brighton would you?"
"Yes, actually."
"Wow, I can't believe I'm really talking to you! You're a bloody brilliant quidditch player!"
"Our sister tells us you're an amazing teacher as well," added Fred.
"Aw, you guys are too sweet," she said with a grin. "Who's your sister?"
"Ginny Weasley," they replied in unison.
"Yes, now that you mention it I can see the resemblance."
"Stephanie, what do you do?" asked Oliver.
"I'm an artist. And please, call me Steph."
"What kind of work do you do, Steph?"
"I have a series of comic books called The Adventures of Flamma."
Oliver laughed. "That's great. You and George should get along well then." He turned to Adrianna. "We should probably get back to our table. Our waitress will be back any minute."
"Nice to meet you guys," said Adrianna as they turned to go back to their table. Their waitress returned within a few minutes. Oliver and Adrianna placed their orders and then talked while they waited for their food.
"Oliver, what's you most embarrassing moment?" asked Adrianna with a mischievous smile.
"That's a tough question. I have a lot of embarrassing moments. But think the worst one was my very first quidditch match. I was so excited. I had adrenaline pumping through my veins. I took my position as keeper and watched the field intently for the quaffle. But I never got to block a shot that game. In fact, I didn't even see much of the game. I woke up in the hospital wing a week later. Turns out I took a bludger to the head two minutes into the game. I never even saw it coming. It took awhile for me to live that one down."
Adrianna chuckled. "That's not so bad. You were young and inexperienced. It could have happened to anyone."
"So what about you? What's your most embarrassing moment?"
"Oh geez, I don't know if I can pick just one. Does falling in the lake count?"
"No! That was just plain scary."
"Oh alright, I got one. When I was in college I went to a football game with a couple of friends...."
"Football?"
"It's a muggle sport, mainly popular in America. Anyhow, it was homecoming so the stadium was packed. One of my friends had to work at a booth on the other side of the field, so rather than walking around the stadium we decided that we would cut through the field. So we snuck over the fence at the end of the field, figuring that no one would see us. But what we didn't realize was that the flagpole was at that end of the field. And at the beginning of a sporting event in America, the national anthem is sung and everyone stands and faces the flag. As we were crossing the field, everyone looked right in our direction and the national anthem was playing! So I figured that if we kept walking, it might not look so bad but one of my friends was so shocked that she just froze where she was and put her hand over her heart. Well, we couldn't leave her there alone so we all stood there right behind the flagpole with everyone staring at us, and people that knew us recognized us! I could have died of shame," she finished, laughing.
Oliver laughed as well. "That's pretty funny. I think that one beats mine."
Just then, the waitress returned with their meals. They ate their dinner and sipped champagne while they chatted. When they were finished, they stepped outside into the street and took a portkey back to Hogwarts. Oliver and Adrianna found themselves in Adrianna's living room, at the same spot that they had left from.
"Thank you so much, Oliver. I had a great time tonight."
"What, you're saying goodnight already? The night is young and our date's not over yet," Oliver said with a sly grin.
"Oh? What else did you have in mind?" she asked, looking intrigued.
"You'll see," said Oliver with an air of mystery as he took her by the hand and led her out of her rooms.
They walked through several corridors and up a few flights of stairs, and finally reached a tall narrow, winding staircase. Oliver led Adrianna to the top of the tower and through a door, and suddenly the full moon was shining down on them. They were standing on a large outdoor platform and there were some telescopes set up.
"This is the astronomy tower," said Adrianna, looking around and wrapping her arms tightly around herself for warmth. Her breath made little clouds in the cold December night air. With a wave of his wand and a few words, Oliver made a pile of warm blankets appear. He picked one up and wrapped it around himself and Adrianna.
"I thought you might enjoy gazing at the stars with me," he explained softly, slipping an arm around her waist and kissing her on the cheek.
"Well, I would love to if we could see anything. But the moon is so bright, it dims all but the very brightest stars tonight," she replied, looking up at the sky.
Oliver looked up and realized that she was right. Feeling disappointed, he was about to lead her back inside when he was struck with a brilliant idea. He pulled out his wand.
"Accio Firebolt," he said firmly, and within moments his broomstick was hovering beside him, ready for him to ride.
He noticed Adrianna pull her wand out of her robes as well, but put out a hand to stop her. Without a word he mounted his broom and helped Adrianna on behind him. She wrapped her arms around him and placed her hands on his chest. He kicked off from the platform, and soon they were soaring through the air in the light of the full moon. Oliver felt like they were in their own world where nothing else existed, flying around the countryside of Scotland. The sensation of her breath on his neck and the warmth of her body so close to his mesmerized him. She was all that mattered.
Eventually they made their way back to Hogwarts and landed on the platform by the astronomy tower. They walked back down the spiral stairs and through the corridors in comfortable silence. It seemed that neither of them wanted to disturb the moment. They were back in Adrianna's rooms all too soon. Still without a word, Oliver leaned in and kissed Adrianna softly, then returned to his own rooms and fell asleep with visions of Adrianna dancing in his head.