COMH 2
Chapter TwoThe Gryffindor common room was bustling with life. Apparently, since the match, they hadn't been able to compose themselves for the rest of the afternoon. Now, as the Weasley twins tossed candies into the crowd, Oliver watched them party on. He was sitting on a comfortable chair near the fire, nursing a butterbeer. Katie and Angelina were off to the side, giggling as Lee Jordan told them something funny. The younger years were no less energetic about the party than the Weasley twins. "Speech!" one of the students said. The rest took their cue and began shouting as well. "Speech! Speech!"
Oliver tried to shrink away, but Fred and George materialized out of nowhere. "Hope you've got a chance to think about what you've got to say mate." George mischievously whispered into his ear as they vaulted him off his feet. Fred jumped on top of a table whistled through his fingers at the crowd. "Attention everyone! Attention please!" George then took over. "As we all know, the reason we're having it large right now is because we have beaten Ravenclaw twenty times in a row. This feat would not have been possible, without our superb team," he said, in a mocking solemn voice. The common room burst into cheers and applause. "And who could tell us about the team and how they managed to pull this win off without cracking, better than the top banana of the team himself, Oliver Wood? Ladies and gentlemen… and the not so gentlemen, I give you, Oliver Wood!" Fred said, sweeping Oliver into the spotlight.
Hundreds of eyes looked at Oliver, who was now blushing like mad on top of the table. "Um, first of all, I am not solely responsible for the win of this team. It was a joint effort, really. Uh, I had a really great set of players to begin with, and it was really easy to get the strategies with them. Our Chasers are really, uh, fast at going after the Quaffle. The Beaters can sense the Bludgers coming, even if they are a mile away. ("Hear, hear!" one of the Weasley twins shouted from the crowd, bringing on a bout of giggles.) "And our Seeker is the best one Hogwarts has ever had. We wouldn't have won any games actually, if it hadn't been for your support for us and for the game. Thanks." He said. "Oh come on Oliver, we all know that you're an excellent Keeper. Why, it's because of you that we hadn't become the laughingstock of the school. A round of love and applause please for Oliver Wood!" Angelina interjected.
The party went on into the night, and it was only when Percy came barreling from his dormitory and threatened each one of them with promises of detention that the party ended. Finally. Wood thought. When the last bottle of butterbeer had been consumed, the fire in the grate went out, leaving Oliver Wood in darkness. His mind had recurring images of the Quidditch match, and of Mae. Her face had torn at his heart when he had thrown that wisecrack at her. And now she may refuse to talk to you forever. Nice going Wood. He mentally chided himself. What he wouldn't give to be able to talk to Mae and straighten out himself out with her.
"Oliver?" a voice called out from the darkness. "Yes?" he asked. "Um, it's me Katie. Can I talk to you a sec?" she nervously asked from the doorway of her dormitory. He came closer, and he saw that she was looking really tense. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Well, it as something my friend told me. She said that you said something to her during the match, and she told me that you're an insensitive ass. But I didn't want to tell you, because I think you're completely opposite, see. I kinda noticed that you were staring at her during the match today, and I was wondering if you said that because you liked her, or if you just wanted to tease her…" she bubbled. Oliver's cheeks flared. Katie had probably seen him, and he knew her well enough to know that she would patch things up between people if given the chance. "Well, you see Katie, it's nothing like that. I just wanted to tease…" "I think you like her. Angelina and Lee think so too." Katie blurted out.
Wood's whole body was suddenly on fire. This was too embarrassing for words. "Why do you say that?" he asked, as calmly as he knew how. "Well, we kinda noticed that you were always looking at her." Katie grinned. Oliver knew that he was done for. He couldn't squirm his way out of this one. "Just don't tell anyone Katie. It's really important that nobody knows." He pleaded with her. "On one condition. That you let me straighten you out with Mae, because I know how seriously nuts you are with girls." She grinned. "OK, OK, just don't grass me up." "Deal. Now go get some sleep." She said, yawning.
Oliver quickly scurried away to his dormitory, where it was full of snoring students. He quickly took a shower, changed into his pajamas, and lay down on his bed where the moon was shining on his face. Lee Jordan gave a loud snort on the next bed, followed by an "Ooof!" when the person on the next bed flopped him on the face with a pillow. Oliver smiled. Maybe he'd get through this one alright. Just maybe.
