Author's Note: Once again thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who read, reviewed or liked/followed my story and sorry for the terribly long break. Time really does fly by faster than I can keep track of these days. Anyways I'll keep trying at it. As always feel free to drop me a review and let me know what you think! :)

Chapter 4: The Pitch

After breakfast the two men had parted ways. Terrance had run off to check out the potions closet and his classroom, and Oliver went to do the same. He headed back to his room grabbing his broom and a few pads that he wanted to keep near the pitch.

As he made his way to the locker rooms of the Quidditch teams, a feeling of nostalgia washing over him as he walked down the halls and he trailed his hands over the player cubbies. He checked the equipment locker and was surprised to see how worn everything looked in comparison to the pristine balls he had gotten familiar to playing with as a professional Quidditch player.

Not that he had noticed as a student. He had just wanted to play and didn't care with what, but the difference of having companies practically giving you their newest and best versions had spoiled his idea of normalcy over the past few year. He checked the inflation of the quaffles and noted some of the bludgers. Unacceptable, these kids won't be learning to play with such shoddy equipment.

He made a list of some of the items that were in such disrepair that he was determined to either ask for the school to replace or use his own personal funds to do so. He looked into the coach's office. His office now, and was brought back to the many times he'd been called in there by the cat-eyed Madam Hooch during his time at Hogwarts.

He opened his personal cabinet in the office and started hanging up his personal pads and jerseys that he'd brought along. He noted the empty shelves and spaces on the wall thinking about which of his memorabilia and trophies he'd like to put up and where he'd place them. He was torn between how proud or modest to be with his achievements, but he still had plenty of time to figure out the arrangement of this things in the coming week. He was eager to get out to inspect the new Quidditch pitch, the old one having been destroyed in the final battle at Hogwarts. He grabbed his broom making his way to the field.

As he walked down the tunnel to the pitch the bright light shining down the halls. He heard the faint sounds of a familiar laugh coming from just beyond. His heart stopped for a bit as his ears quickly recognized the laugh belonging to Cho. He stepped out onto the pitch he saw the owner of the laugh herself sitting a top a broom hovering a few feet over the field, just beyond her was the faint silvery blue shape of a boy in what looked like a variation of a Quidditch uniform, also atop a broom, though both boy and broom were little more than an apparition.

For a second Oliver felt torn. Should he turn around? It felt as though he was walking in on some secret rendezvous, but then again he had every right to be out there as he was going to be the new flying instructor and Quidditch coach. Plus now I have a chance to finally meet the ghost I've been jealous about. Oliver thought to himself as he shook his head of his silliness and continued to walk towards the pair.

Cedric noticed him first and gave a nod to Cho who had her back to him at the time. She turned her head looking over her shoulder to see what Cedric was addressing.

"Oh! Oliver! I'm sorry I didn't know you were coming out this way?" She said giving him a welcoming smile. She landed her broom and walked over to greet him, the ghost of Cedric doing the same.

Oliver was thankful her welcome was so warm and didn't make him feel as though he were intruding. "Aye I was coming to take a look at the new pitch. I haven't really seen it since it was built."

"Of course!" Cho looked between the two and nodded to Cedric. "Oliver this is Cedric Diggory, you might have remembered him from your time at Hogwarts." Cho said politely introducing him to her companion.

"Yes, I remember. It's good to see you again Cedric." Lord he hasn't changed at all. He looked at the youthful ghost before him. Yes, he couldn't have been more than 16 or so at the time of his death. The boy's features were still only partially developed his face caught between those of a child's and those of an adults. His form which was tall, yet still maintained a lean gangliness had yet to develop into those of a full adults. It was funny that though Oliver didn't feel old, and to be sure at only 29 he hardly was, he surely felt he must look it when next to this ghost of an adolescent.

"Oliver." Cedric smiled politely and nodded back. "Cho was just telling me that you were being brought on as Madam Hooch's replacement. Congratulation!"

"Thank you." Oliver replied in return. Cedric was obviously looking Oliver up and down a strange expression on his face that Oliver wasn't sure exactly it was. Perhaps he was jealous? Remorseful? What would a ghost feel when meeting someone who got to live on. Especially someone who's age was not that different from his own, perhaps he was curious what he would have looked like at the same age, had he had a chance to grow up. Hell, this isn't depressing at all.

Oliver suddenly felt terrible that he envied a ghost, when thinking how this boy's poor soul was forever trapped at 16. He was suddenly brought out of his thoughts by Cedric's face lighting up an exclaiming, "Is that the Firebolt Supreme V?" Cedric now had his face inches from Oliver's broom. "Oh my god, it is?!" He said as he read the letters along the shaft of Oliver's broomstick. "Cho. You have to see this."

Oliver took a blush and held up his broom for the pair to inspect. Cedric's face was alight with a huge smile, and Oliver was again reminded that he was still and forever 16. Cho looked at Oliver past the ghostly figure inspecting his broom, and gave him a smile. Oliver couldn't help but feel she was used to these moments where Cedric's age was made glaringly apparent. "Cho. Come look!" Cedric said again waving her over when he realized she wasn't giving the broom the expected attention.

Cho made her way closer to Oliver and the broom. Though she did seem interested and impressed with the broom she didn't show it in the same manner as her friend. She leaned in looking at the stirrups and admiring the shape and color of the wood. Oliver couldn't stop himself from watching Cho as she was now so close in her observation. She had pulled back her hair, and more of the ivory of her shoulder and neck was exposed as she looked over the broom in his hands. He caught a whiff of a hint of jasmine coming from her and the proximity of her was starting to make his heart beat faster. "Isn't it amazing?" Cedric continued. "The photos hardly do it justice!"

"Aye, it's a beauty." Cho said in agreement. Oliver couldn't help but thinking the same thing about the speaker.

Finally Oliver caught himself staring and spoke up. "Would you like to try it?" He said to Cedric, as it was obvious the boy was enthralled.

"Would I ever!" But he gave out a huge sigh. "But unfortunately I can't really touch anything. Ghost and all that."

"Oh," said Oliver apologetically. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's alright," Cedric replied though the disappointment on his face was clear. "Cho, you should try it out! That is if it's okay with you Wood." Cedric looked between the two.

Oliver shook his head "No of course not." He held out the broom to Cho. "Would you like to give it a go?" Cho looked up from the broom her eyes sparkling in delight. His breathe caught in his throat looking into those dark eyes smiling back at him.

"Really? You're sure that's okay?" She asked tentatively holding her hand out inches from the Firebolt.

"Of course!" Oliver insisted pushing the broom into her hands and holding out his other hand to take hers from her. He watched as she gracefully threw her leg over the broom and carefully gripped the smooth polished wood, all with a smile and slight look of reverie on her face. Oliver smiled because even though she wasn't as obvious in her interest in the broom earlier her face now gave away her excitement. She looked back at Oliver who gave her a nod before she pushed off from the ground. He and Cedric watched from below as she rose up vertically, she did a few aerial flips and turns to get familiar with the brooms capabilities. He noted approvingly that she was a very competent and graceful flier, but he supposed that was to be expected of a seeker. He was just about to shout out that she could do more when the broom bolted leaving a shock wave from the burst into near mach speeds.

"WHOO-HOO!" Cedric let out in a hoot next to him waving his own broom around in excitement. Oliver smiled too, impressed that she seemed to not have any qualms holding back when flying. "Incredible." Cedric now turned to him, the both of them no longer able to see where Cho had taken the broom beyond their sight from within the pitch. "I am so envious. I wish I could be up there on that thing. I'm stuck with this old Comet. Doesn't seem fair, I guess it's what I had at the time I died. I mean I don't understand why, if I'm no longer living, I can't just imagine an updated broom or something. I'm stuck in these Tri-wizard Tournament clothes too, not even my Quidditch uniform." He let out another loud sigh. "Oh well, Cho tells me I should be thankful I even have a broom at all, since I technically didn't die with one. Guess I loved it too much to let it go."

Oliver gave him a smile and couldn't help but feel sorry for the younger ghost. He hated to admit they were so similar in that respect. While they waited for Cho's test flight of his broom Oliver answered some of Cedric's questions regarding his professional career. Cedric had apparently been keeping up with all the professional games since his death, and often watched them with Cho, and sometimes Terrance. He invited Oliver around too. Oliver was slightly irked that the Hufflepuff's Golden boy was seemingly as nice as he had heard during his days at Hogwarts. He was finding it much harder to dislike his competition when they were all turning out to be so polite.

A little while later Cho entered the pitch again, she did a few more aerial weaves in and out of the stands before doing a run inside the framework of the bleachers, then came out straight through the middle goal. Finally she descended swiftly in a beautifully executed stop and dismount before the Oliver and Cedric. Her hair was slightly disheveled and loose strands freed in the wind were falling about her face. Her cheeks were flushed from the cool air and she was laughing with delight an infectious smile that reached her eyes. Oliver felt completely floored at this moment. He wished he could capture this look forever, he thought she had been pretty before but he found her breathtakingly beautiful in this instant.

"Oh my god. That was amazing!" She handed Oliver back his broom before taking her own from his hands. "Thank you so much! I can't believe how fast that thing can go!" She looked at her own broom. It was a Nimbus, but a couple versions older than the latest. She gave it a little frown. "This poor thing definitely can't compare."

Cedric held up his own Comet in commiseration. "Least yours is still better than mine!" She gave him a little smile and apologized.

"Well I'm sorry we've completely been holding up your inspection of the pitch." She said to Oliver suddenly remembering why he was out there.

"Oh no that's quite alright. I'm not in any rush."

They all talked for a little more before Cho remembered she was supposed to be meeting Madam Pince soon and had to excuse herself. Cedric politely did the same and kind of just dissolved into some mist. He'd seen other ghosts do it often while at Hogwarts but never given it much thought. Now he was curious as to what happened when they did that, was Cedric now off in some limbo. Was he really gone, or was he just now no longer visible to the living? If so what did he spend his time doing, was he following Cho around. He shook his head at the last thought. That would just be plain creepy. He quickly mounted his broom and tried to distract himself from thinking about Cho while looking over the pitch. But his mind would constantly flashback to that image of her just returning from her flight, the sparkle in her eyes and the flush on her face. God, Oliver, you are falling, and falling hard.

Sorry for the short chapter. I think this was more of break back into writing my version of these character. So sorry if it seems a little redundant. I'll try and have more new and exciting things happen. I find I get so caught up in writing out the entirety of a scene. I have no idea how to kind of skip/skim over events to make time pass by faster, but I'll try and be better about it so people don't get bored! At this pace I don't know when we'd make it out of the first week, sheesh! Also I am aware Cedric was seventeen at the time of his death, according to Goblet rules, but Oliver doesn't know that. :)