Chapter twenty nine.

"Hey Ayla, you got a drink?" Richard Hill shouted across the bar.

"Yeah thanks Rich!"

Ayla was in the bar of the Griffin's treasure, a small pub not far from the wizarding village of Hogsmeade. The Puddlemere team had decided to throw Oliver another surprise party. His leaving their last get together had put a dampener on the festivities. Their plan to invite everyone Oliver knew in order to prevent him from leaving once again was working so far. So many people were eager to congratulate the young Keeper that he would have to literally fight his way out should he want to escape.

The pub was heaving with bodies, many of whom had attended Hogwarts. Ayla had yet to speak to Oliver, she had been far too busy catching up with old friends to even look for him. She and Sarah were currently speaking to a Ravenclaw girl from the year above them. The conversation had recently turned to the topic of Sarah's newborn. Ayla took this as her signal that she could leave. She loved little Geraldine to bits, but she had already heard every story Sarah had. She was pretty sure she could tell them just as well herself.

"I'm just going to get another drink Sar' you want one?"

"No thanks darling."

"Jo?"

"Cheers Ayla but I'm good."

"Ok be right back."

Ayla made her way to the bar, passing the majority of her graduating year in the process. Though of course the Slytherin's were not present. It was so strange, seeing all these people again. Many of whom she was unsure of their names. There were many she remembered, obviously, and a few she wished she didn't. Including her ex-boyfriend Adam.

"Hey baby. Want me to get you a drink?" he asked, a smarmy grin on his face.

"No thank you. I can get my own." she made sure her tone was icy.

"Oh come on now baby, don't be like that."

"Like what? Like you tried to Imperio me on New Years Eve?"

"Look that was a mistake. You know I didn't mean it."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Baby, I don't see what the problem is. Not like you're with anyone is it? Why can't I buy you a drink?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but there is someone. And I've told you I can get my own drink."

Ayla waved at the bartender in an attempt to place an order. The wizard however was resolutely ignoring Ayla, or at least seemed to be.

"So, who are you with?"

"I told you it's none of your business Adam. Just back off ok."

"It's Wood right? Or at least you think the two of you are together?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" tone was icy and short now. Ayla was losing patience fast.

"Well it means that he hasn't talked to you all night. He's barely talked to you since your little get together."

The colour drained from Ayla's face. What was happening? He couldn't know, could he? How on earth could he know?

"Seems like he's forgotten all about you baby. I mean look, he's surrounded by willing witches. I doubt he's even noticed you're here. Just forget about him and come back to me baby."

Ayla couldn't believe she was actually hearing this. She did the only thing she could think of. She slapped Adam and walked away as fast as she could. There was no possible way Adam could know they had slept together. He must have just been guessing. Although it was a scarily accurate guess. Now she really needed to talk to Oliver. She had to know if he had talked about her, and what he might have said. She spotted him in the crowd and headed straight for him. It was now or never. She'd drag him off to a quiet space and …talk.

"Here you go Olly, your drink."

A falsely sweet voice met Ayla's ears. It was the one voice she hated.

"Thanks Kate! Oh Ayla you made it. That's awesome. Hey do you know Kate?"

Oliver was grinning like a maniac, and Ayla couldn't help but let her expression soften a little. He really was adorable. His boyish face lit up with excitement.

"Yeah, yeah I know Kate."

"Ayla sweetie, how are you?"

"Fine thanks. You?"

"Oh you know me."

"Yup you're not wrong there." Ayla turned to Oliver, desperate to get away from Kate. "Can I talk to you? In private."

"Oh yeah sure. I'll be back in a bit ok?"

"Oh sure, I'll get you some food Olly." Kate said, a sugar sweet smile plastering her face.

Ayla headed away from the crowd, knowing Oliver would soon follow. She really wasn't sure how she was going to start this conversation, other than coming straight out with it. Merlin, who knew sleeping with someone could cause so much trouble?

As she passed Adam at the bar he winked at her, Ayla felt her stomach quickly turn to slush. Could what he said be true? Surely Oliver wasn't the type to brag. He seemed just as awkward as she was about the whole thing. The air outside was cold, but it was the only place that they could speak freely. This wasn't a conversation Ayla wanted to have in front of her peers. Or anyone else for that matter. It was a few short minutes before Oliver joined her, looking slightly harassed but still grinning.

"Look there's something I need to ask you, and there's no easy way other than to just say it so "

"Olly!" Kate's voice peeled through the air like a church bell. "Honestly, you'll catch your death out here. I've got your cloak. What's the point in being on the National team if you're too sick to play? And here's some food too. You really should eat something."

She was beaming at him, playing the concerned friend. Ayla just wanted to slap the smile from her cousin's face.

"I'm sorry Ayla, I didn't know which cloak was yours. Would you like me to get you some food too? It's really no trouble."

Liar, thought Ayla, the only reason you'd ever get me food would be in the hope that I'd choke on it.

"No thanks Kate. I just want to talk to Oliver. Alone."

"Ok then. But I don't know why it has to be out here in the cold. Very cloak and dagger you know. See you inside Olly. Oh try the sausage rolls, I could simply fall in love with them!"

"She's such a sweet girl." Oliver said as he waved at Kate.

"Oh yeah, she's a real angel that one. Look Oliver, did you tell anyone about us? Sleeping together?"

He choked on the sausage roll he had just bitten into.

"No. No of course not. What makes you ask that?"

"Oh nothing I just heard some people talking earlier. Just being a bit silly I guess."

"Yeah, just a bit. Look I really need to get back to Kate. She's right about these sausage rolls. Mind she's right about most things, isn't she? See you!"

He walked away before Ayla could say anything. She stood and watched him go, knowing that something wasn't quite right. But what?

"See baby, I told you he didn't want you." an irritatingly familiar voice cut through the silence.

"Drop dead Adam."

"I don't get why you're wasting your time on him. When you could have me."

"You didn't really know about us did you?"

"Sort of. You forget that I know you too well"

"There you are! Sweetie do you mind if we go now? I miss Bubba."

Ayla knew there was a reason she had kept Sarah around all these years. Her impeccable sense of timing.

"No, it's fine Sarah. I don't think much of the company anyway. Let's get out of here."

Turning her back on Adam, Ayla joined Sarah. She'd had more than enough 'fun' for one night.