I opened the door without looking to see who it was first and found a determined Oliver on the other side. He wasted no time in shutting the door behind us and pinning me to the wall inside his strong arms. His mouth crashed down on mine and I was in too much of a daze to do anything but welcome him.

After he had thoroughly explored my mouth, he pulled back, resting his forehead against mine but still holding me tight.

There was an edge to his features that didn't appear often and it had me worried. And then I noticed the bruise forming on his jaw.

"Oliver, what happened?"

He sighed heavily and backed up. "Sorry about that. Alvarez and I had a few choice words after game night. It's nothing to worry about."

I pushed him back further before taking his hand and leading him to the sitting room. Ginny was fanning herself but I didn't have time to be embarrassed. After I pushed him onto the chair, I made my way to the bedroom and gathered my portable medical kit.

"This isn't like you, Oliver." I said as I took a picture of his forming injuries and notated his file. This would leave a parchment trail if Alvarez attacked again. "What could have possibly happened to cause a fist fight between you?"

His jaw tightened and he considered Ginny for a moment before his gaze came back to me. Deflating a little, he began to talk. "Game night was going as usual, but Alvarez was angry about something. I told him to chill out and relax. That was apparently the wrong thing to say. He got in my face and told me I've ruined his life. That there was no reason for his captain position to be taken away and given to someone like me who hadn't even earned their place on the team. Then, he just hit me. I backed off and tried to get him to calm down trying to figure out where in merlin all his anger was coming from so suddenly. Then he started talking about Sophia and how it was ok that I have captain this season but that she was an example that I can't hang on to anything worthwhile and it's only a matter of time before he's captain again. That he is better than me and that's why Sophia wants him instead."

Oliver had been starting to relax, but now was fired up again. "Then he told me that he gives it a month before you wised up and left me for him."

His gaze dropped to his lap in shame. I knew he was embarrassed about the way he had acted and that he had to come to me to heal his injuries. It also showed me another side of him. One that told me he was actually afraid of losing me.

"Oh, Oliver. I can't believe you fell for that." He didn't look up as I spoke. Just continued to stare down as I fixed him up. "You know I have to mark this in both your files." He nodded. "Something is clearly going on with him. I'll see what I can find out at his evaluation this week. We can't have teammates attacking each other. And more importantly, I can't have him causing this doubt in you. We clearly have some things to discuss as well, but maybe now isn't the time."

Oliver who seemed to have been lost in his story, suddenly remembered we weren't alone. "Oh, shite. I'm sorry, darling. I completely forgot you had company tonight." He turned to Ginny. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

She shook her head. "It's ok. I played too, remember? I know the pressure all too well and also what it's like to have a shitty teammate."

Before he could respond, there was another knock at my door and Oliver froze.

I sighed and answered it knowing it was likely Alvarez. My suspicions were correct.

"Will you behave while I examine you?"

He nodded and crossed the entry. Without saying anything, I led him to a seat and preformed my evaluation of his injuries. Inside, I cheered on Oliver. He clearly had the upper hand in that fight.

I marked a few things on a piece of parchment. "I need you to confirm that you instigated this altercation and that Oliver was acting in defense of your actions."

Alvarez sneered, but said nothing.

"Allow me to remind you that if I get conflicting stories, I am allowed to use veritserum."

Anger flashed on his face, but through clenched teeth he said, "I can confirm that. Though he deserved to be taken down a notch."

I kept my features neutral, though inside I was itching to get a in good hit in myself. "I'll make note of your concern. A copy of my report will be sent to Garrett. You will be scheduled for a meeting with the two of us in the next few days to discuss what happened. You may go."

Without saying a word, he bustled from my flat.

I sat down, deflated, trying to wrap my head around the altercation when Ginny spoke up.

"Now seems like a good time for dessert. Why don't you join us, Oliver?"

Oliver looked at me, trying to decide if he should go. "I really don't want to intrude. I want you to be able to have time with your friends too."

Ginny cut in again. "Nonsense. We've already had our alone time. Since it seems like you're not going anywhere any time soon, I'd really like to get to know you better. Hermione means a lot to me, so that means you mean a lot to me."

In the end, Oliver stayed and we chatted for another couple hours before Ginny finally called it a night.

I turned to my boyfriend with a quirked brow. "Seems we have a few things to talk about."

He let out a large sigh and pulled me close. "Standing here with you, I have no doubt that everything is fine. But when he was standing there, saying all those things to me, he played right into my biggest fears – losing you and failing at quidditch. That bastard knew he was doing it too."

I nodded in agreement. "We need to consider that the injuries you sustained from him at the beginning of the season were intentional."

That seemed like a lifetime ago.

"I didn't even think of that." He ran a hand tiredly down his face. "I better meet with Coach in the morning."

"We also need to talk about how easy it was for him to convince you I could ever leave you." My tone was stern. I needed him to know how hurt that made me.

"I promise I know how you feel about me. It's just that he poked all the right spots. I don't ever want to lose you. Especially to an arse hat like him."

"You don't ever have to worry about that. I love you. We're connected in the best way possible and I don't want anyone else. So, no more fights over me. Got it?"

"I can probably agree to that if you come to bed with me."

There was a bit of his usual twinkle returning in his eye and I was happy to see even a trace amount of his happiness return.

"Let's go then."

The rest could wait for tomorrow.