Title: Resisting the Inevitable
Author: Miss Anthrope
Rating: M for Magnificent
Reason 1: The fact that I curse like a pirate (probably more and may perhaps even make one blush in shame) is reflected greatly here.
Warning(s): I would, but as always, that'll just ruin this story, which sadly for you, is a favorite of mine.
Genre(s): A Romance/Drama from little emo me.
Author's Note: Due to my extreme disliking to being pigeonholed, I have taken it upon myself to steer away from my more comfortable waters of angst and such, and back to something I usually centered upon in my earliest days. I have also made it a point to enumerate the reasons why this story is under the Rating M as opposed to my usual T somewhere above this line.
Dedication(s): To K, S, A, and M who constantly make my life even more screwy than any fanfiction-- parodies included. Also, to Fizzing Whizbeez who had been kind enough to help me out with this story and am forever grateful for. Also, star-gatherer who had so kindly graced me with her gramatical skills and beta-ed this chapter for me.
Summary: Taking care of Oliver Wood is about as frustrating as babysitting your prissy four-year-old sister. With Katie as his personal assistant, there's quite a chance of her eventually fancying him-- that is if she doesn't murder him first.
So, the weather...
Do you ever get those days when it just seems like the whole world just somehow decided to turn against you?
Yeah? Well today just seems to be the mother of all bad days.
As soon as I woke up, I realized that I had actually forgotten to set my alarm clock the night before and was already half an hour late for an important appointment without a second to spare for a quick shower or even just to change my clothes. So here I was now, tearing down Hogsmeade like some crazed lunatic in a pair of soiled jeans and a hoodie over my night's top, no make-up, my hair thrashing everywhere, and most likely, smelling like dragon dung.
Wow, I'm sure gonna make a great first impression.
…Right.
Finally, I had managed to stop in front of The Three Broomsticks breathless and with a numbing cramp shooting up both legs. I leaned heavily upon the door with the intent of taking a small break and maybe spare a moment or two to make myself appear more civil or at the least human. It was just my luck when some elderly wizard on the other side had simultaneously pulled it open, my already pained back soon colliding onto the floor with a loud THUMP.
'The day just keeps getting better and better...'
"Miss, are you alright?" The aged man slowly began to approach me with a concerned look on his face. "I am so sorry, Miss. I really didn't mean to—"
"No, no sir, it's okay. It doesn't hurt at all." I really don't know whom I was bloody kidding with that line since I had already begun bending my back this way and that just trying to find the most comfortable position for it without breaking or cracking anything.
"Are you sure, Miss?" It really took me a lot of effort to hide my huge grimace and replace it with a grin to reassure him that I was supposedly in no pain at all.
"Alright then. Take care now."
I carefully began backing away from the doorway and made space for the man to move out. I waited for the door to once more swing shut before letting out a low groan as another shot of pain coursed through my back. For a minute or so I had already forgotten why I was even there in the first place until an angered growl from a booth not too far away snapped me back to reality.
'Bloody hell, what was I supposed to do here again?' I quickly strained my memory after a few moments before I suddenly remembered that I was supposed to meet someone here…'It would be so much easier if Jean had actually told me whom I was going to meet here!'
Making my way through the popular pub, I scanned through the different aisles of stalls one by one and testing my luck to see if this method could possibly help me find whoever it was I was supposed to meet here over forty five minutes ago instead of being just a waste of time. Not too long afterwards, I had found myself standing in front of the farthest.
'Great, just great. Now instead of being just a clumsy and tardy idiot, I'm now an unemployed, clumsy, and tardy idiot who's probably gonna get killed by Jean on Monday. Whoopee…'
I didn't even care anymore what was happening around me as I signaled Madame Rosmerta for a mug of butterbeer before dumping myself on one of the seats.
"Maybe I could run away and join some freak circus before Jean realizes I'm gone…"
I was just about to take a sip when another voice jolted me out of my silent ramblings and nearly scared the trousers, or sweats in this case, off me.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE WHOEVER THE HELL IT IS DIDN'T EVEN SHOW UP…"
It was only when I had looked up did I realize that there was actually another person sitting across me, and from what I heard, apparently really angry with someone. Judging by his rather large masculine build (Hey, I can't help it if my eyes seem to stray once in a while…), I really don't want to get in this guy's bad side.
'Wow, I actually feel bad for whoever he was supposed to meet. What a coincidence, he was waiting to meet someone and I was also supposed to meet someone here…in The Three Broomsticks…'
"WAITED FOR A BLOODY HOUR…"
'Holy shit.'
I could practically feel my eyes bulge and my body freeze as I realized that he was supposed to be the one I was going to meet. Is it just me or can someone else hear the funeral march playing somewhere?
'I take that back then, I'd probably be dead even before Jean could ever get her hands on me…unless…he doesn't know that it's me.' The idea quickly began building in my mind as I kept a discreet eye on the man in front of me, who fortunately was lost in his world of ranting. 'Maybe it isn't too late for me to slowly slide out of this booth, and before he even notices I was here in the first place, make a run for the door. Sound like a good plan to me!'
Stealthily, I slowly but surely inched my bum out of the couch and making sure that I do no sudden moves that might attract the attention of anyone.
Slowly…slowly…almost there…
"Excuse me, Miss?"
'I'm dead.'
I tried as best I could to hide 'deer caught in the headlights' look from my face and instead replace it with a more casual glance.
'Just be breezy. Act cool. C'mon you can do it…'"I'm sorry, but are you here with someone else?"
'Cool. Remember not to say anything stupid or may imply that you are the metaphorical peg that he's going to crush…'
But the thing was that despite these instructions looping in my head, my body didn't seem to catch on. Instead of starting off perhaps with some small talk or a simple "Yes, actually.", I just seemed to loose all ability to talk. I watched dreadfully as I saw his eyes narrow slightly and began studying me.
And soon enough he asked me the dreaded question: "Are you the person Jean sent to meet me here?"
Tick…tick…tick…tick…'Maybe I should tell him and get this over with…No! And get yourself squashed like a bug even before the age of twenty-five? Urgh, this would be so much easier if I didn't hear him talking before. Wait, get a hold of yourself woman! You are from Gryffindor! You must be strong, brave, courageous-'
"Well actually no…well yes…but then again I really didn't think about anything I said, so I guess it's really just a matter of—"
Yep, cool and collected, just like I said.
"I'll take that as a yes then."
Tick…tick…tick…tick…
I hate loud clocks! They just make those uncomfortable silences even worse.
For the lack of anything better to say, I decided that I might as well start the conversation and get this meeting started. "So, the weather?"
"Right. Not really good with conversations, are you?" I returned his amused stare as he continued to look at me with an eyebrow quirked up and the sides of his mouth twitching slightly as though holding back a smirk just to make him at the least a bit polite. "Anyway, I really don't have much time to stay here any longer, so I guess I'll just have to get right onto the point."
"Which is that Jean wants me to be your manager."
"Right. I really don't understand why she wants me to have one, not that there's anything wrong with you, I suppose."
Can we say 'stuck up arse'?
"Well she is your representative to Puddlemere and I do think that they always want the best for their players, especially in Jean's case since she was really the one who really helped you boost your media exposure."
Ah, the feeling of superiority never ceases to amaze me.
"Yes, well like you said, straight onto business. So being your personal assistant I am here to plan out you basic day to day schedule, inform you of all events you are to attend, act as your representative in any case to Puddlemere whenever you feel the need to, and of course, in some cases provide advice and other moral support, blah blah." I couldn't help but hide my own smirk as I caught him looking astounded at me from the corner of my eye as I pretended to busy myself with looking at other more important things…if looking at that bright 'SALE' sign across the street counted. "So, any questions or clarifications?"
"No." that damn bastard is pretty good in covering up, I must say. He goes from Captain Confused right back to Mister In-Charge-With-Large-Ego. "But since you'll be working for me, it is required that I do know your name."
"Katherine. And you are?"
This time, he was quick to go back to becoming Captain Confused as he looked at me dead on with a surprised on look on his surprisingly handsome yet familiar face.
Must've seen him in a magazine or something…"You don't recognize me?"
"No." I am really getting good at this!
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, why should I know you?"
"I— uh, well I am…" I can happily say that for a few moments he was silenced, the astonished look still on his face. "Er, Oliver Wood."
'OH! SO THAT'S WHY I RECOGNIZE— oh.'"OLIVER WOOD?"
"Shh, do you want other people to know I'm here?" I couldn't help but smile despite his rather aloof and superior aura as he quickly ducked behind a menu as a few heads turned to our direction before slowly going back to their own business.
"Yeah, now you remember. I play for Puddlemere United as a keeper."
"Yeah, yeah I know that!" I began leaning over the table excitedly; an act that must've made Oliver uncomfortable judging by the way he was backing away from me. "But I also know you from Hogwarts. Don't you remember me?"
"Katherine…no wonder you looked a bit familiar to me…" Expectantly, I continued watching him as he began trying to remember who I was.
…
…Ten minutes late and still nothing.
Nope.
…
Nada.
…
Zilch.
"You know, Katie Bell? I played chaser with Angelina and Alicia."
"KATIE BELL?"
And just as I suspected, no one even bothered to look behind even just to see if the person who screamed it out was off his rocker. Well anyway, nothing new…
"I've always wondered what happened to you all after I left— minus Harry of course since he was in the newspaper practically everyday."
"Well you really didn't miss much aside from the Triwizard Tournament. But then again you would have probably died without the quidditch. So the Twins have finally opened up their prank shop and is really doing well, Angelina got married to Fred and is now a Mediwitch, Alicia is still going out with George and is still training to be an auror."
"What about you? When did you become a sports manager? Last time I checked, you were really doing well as a chaser in the team."
"Yeah, well things changed and I just realized that I was pretty good at taking care of other people's business."
…
…
Why won't anyone start speaking?
…
"So, the weather?"
Any thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Violent reactions? Cookies? All are welcomed!
Sam (aka. Miss Anthrope)