Chasing Oliver

~By: Pixie~

**now with .HTML**

Chapter 3 – Flying By.

I'm no angel, but please don't think that I won't try and try


I'm no angel, but does that mean that I can't live my life


I'm no angel, but please don't think that I can't cry


I'm no angel, but does that mean that I won't fly


I know I'm not around each night


And I know I always think I'm right


I can believe that you might look around.

~I'm No Angel- Dido, No Angel~

Running a hand through his shortish brown hair, Oliver Wood made his way out to the Quidditch pitch, which was magically illuminated. The Heads of the houses had decided that if the teams had the night times to train, there'd be less arguments over booking the pitch. But that wasn't what was bothering him. Nope, that would be the issue surrounding Caoilin Mac Brádaigh. Not that there was much of an issue, he's only spoken to her a bit, and fleetingly at that. But even being the pretentious captain he was, Oliver just couldn't help thinking if not telling Caoilin about training was the best way to go about eliminating her from the team. After all, slackers shouldn't be in the House team, no matter what Mc Gonagal said.

The rest of the team would be out on the pitch soon, Oliver thought, as he noted it was almost the end of dinner. Carrying his precious pieces of parchment with elaborate diagrams on them, he finally got to the pitch only to note there was an invader. Well, not really, she had every right to be there. Just she wasn't meant to know that. Caoilin Mac Brádaigh was out on foot, running laps around the pitch.

Little did Oliver know, but she'd previously done nine laps of the quidditch pitch on foot, and about every Chaser drill she knew that she could do by herself that she'd learnt at an Irish training camp, twice. But now even the extremely well trained Caoilin was starting to show some signs of exhaustion. From the distance, Oliver could note how her strides became more cramped and tired as she approached him.

Pushing her pony tail of light brown hair out of her eyes, angry at it for bobbing around all the time, Caoilin narrowed her eyes. Running just ahead of Professor Snape, Oliver Wood was ranked highest on her 'people I'd really really love to cover in honey and put on an ants nest' list.

"What do you think you're doing out here?" Oliver demanded as she stopped running in front of him, thinking that she was in dire need of some fitness training.

"Training, like we are meant to be doing," Caoilin panted.

"We?"

"The Gryffindor Quidditch Team, or wait, did you forget, Oh Gracious Captain?" Caoilin's voice was dipped in sarcasam.

"What's your problem Mac Brádaigh?"

"What's yours?" She countered, drawing on all her height of 5 foot 5 "I've been out here training for, five hours and (she consulted her pocket watch) ten minutes now, and you didn't even have the decency to tell me training was on!"

"Why is this my fault, you didn't have to train for that long," Oliver stated, secretly impressed with her drive but he'd never admit it. Yet. "And it's not my fault Mc Gonagal put you in our team without a try out first. Perhaps then I'd have been more receptive." Even as he said the words, he realized the folly of them.

Caoilin snorted undignifiedly "As if. Minerva only placed me in your team because apparently I'm the best Chaser in Ireland. Didn't she tell you that?"

"No." Oliver wrinkled his nose, how could he have been so stupid? Of course Mc Gonagal had picked Caoilin for a reason, after all she had spotted Harry out for them.

"Well I suppose that shouldn't make any difference really, but you'll find Oliver, that you have to believe before you see sometimes." She shook her head dismissively.

Oliver simply shrugged in response. Caoilin noticed the rest of the team coming over his shoulder.

"Well then," she said "I'm going back in. Have fun." And with that she stalked back off to the castle, ignoring the fact that she felt faint from lack of food.

#%#%#%#%#%#

Caoilin made it all the way up into the Gryffindor Common room and to her bed before she collapsed. It was pretty hard to believe that just under a week ago, the small girl had been running through the fields by the sea in the county of Kerry. Being an only child had its perks, especially when you lived in an isolated area. But more often than not, it got lonely though Caoilin had learnt not to depend on people too much. Being involved with the Ministry as they were, her parents would be away from Ireland for months at a time.

"Caoilin?" Hermione had came back to the dorms early, to get her Transfiguration book for homework "Are you alright?" Remembering she hadn't seen the Irish girl at dinner, she quickly moved to the side of her bed to check if she was ill.

"I'm alright," Caoilin mumbled "just need some food."

Hermione raised an eye brow, she certainly didn't look "alright". Hermione rustled through her trunk, searching for a chocolate frog or two that she'd got on the train but forgotten to eat.

"There you go," she said, putting two on the bed next to Caoilin's hand "I'll get you some water, just a minute."

While Hermione was gone, Caoilin sat up and ate, very very grateful for her younger friend. She sighed. If only Oliver would accept her, then she wouldn't have to do these stupid things to gain respect. Although, she mused wickedly his Scottish accent does sound rather nice when he exclaims my name.

"Thank you so much," Caoilin said as Hermione came back in, bearing a large glass of water.

Hermione shook her head, brushing off the thanks as she handed over the water "No problem, no decent person would let you just lay there starving."

"Well, it's mostly my fault. I was training for ages this afternoon to get back at Wood for not telling me about training-but I think it hurt me more than them." Caoilin said after she drained the glass in one gulp.

"Do you have to be in the team?" Hermione asked "It seems a big deal over nothing, I mean Quidditch is very important to most people around here, but how are you going to get good grades if you're running yourself ragged?"

Caoilin chuckled "Quidditch is everything to me. Always has been. I'm an only child see, and it's one of my parents great expectations of me. Either that or I become a Potions teacher."

"You like Potions?" the other girl exclaimed, aghast.

"Yes, I like Potions, I don't believe even your infamous Professor Snape will be able to ruin that," Caoilin said "But I do not have to play on the House Team. Perhaps that will show the 'great' Oliver Wood."

"At any rate, you should really get some sleep," Hermione said "I better go do my homework."

"Thanks again Hermione, and good night," Caoilin said sleepily.

"Good night," Hermione replied, leaving. Before she exited the room she turned, and said rather thoughtfully "Don't let Oliver get to you, I'm sure he doesn't hate you as much as you think he does."

But the other girl didn't hear. She was already asleep.

~~**~~ ~~**~~ ~~**~~

End of Chapter Three.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed,

The reviews kind of inspired me to drag this fic out of the trash

And start writing it again.

Read and Review, I'll get the next chapter out quicker if

Reviews come in, if not, probably by Saturday.

Chapter Four:

Caoilin and Oliver CLASH, and our little Irish girl looses her patience,

And says some things that probably shouldn't have been said. . .

~Pixie.