Gwen closed her eyes more tightly when a bright light flooded in from somewhere. She turned over when the light persisted and buried her face in something warm.
"What's going on?" Oliver asked sleepily, awakened by the light and Gwen's burrowing into his chest.
"I was going to ask the same thing, Wood." The male voice was familiar, but in her comatose state of sleepiness, it did not register to Gwen.
"Well, Fred, I'd say they're catching a little shut-eye." Both Gwen's and Oliver's eyes snapped open and they sat up quickly, nearly bumping heads. "They both appear to be clothed and the sheets aren't very messy, so I don't know why they're so tired." George was smirking in a way Gwen didn't like at the moment. She felt her cheeks go pink, and she was sure that Oliver's were, too. Instead of trying to change the twins' impression, he attempted to change the subject.
"What time is it?" he asked, shielding his eyes as the twins opened the heavy curtain further.
"About noon," Fred answered. "Angelina and Alicia went to wake Gwen, but it looks like we've done the job for them." Nope, not getting off so easily.
Speaking of the two Chasers, the girls walked into the room. They seemed confused at first, probably because Gwen was not in her bed, but then they noticed her in the bed behind Fred and George.
"Gwen! What would your mother think?" Angelina said, absolutely shocked.
"Really! I know you two are going into your sixth year, but don't you think you're still too young-" Alicia began before Gwen cut her off.
"Whoa! Just to clarify, nothing happened! I had a really bad nightmare, couldn't sleep, so I came to Oliver. No big deal! I ended up falling asleep here instead of going back to my room." This didn't seem to be enough of an explanation for them, but that was all Gwen would say. One of the twins started on something about comforting in a low voice, and Gwen didn't think she really wanted to hear.
"It's true," Oliver affirmed. "She was shaking and breaking out in a cold sweat. She hasn't told me about it yet, but it seemed pretty bad."
"But what if your mother finds out?" Alicia repeated.
"Well, our parents are weird about it. They let us sleep on the couch at home all the time... I don't see how this is any of your business, anyway," Oliver said finally, signaling an end to the conversation. The twins caught his tone and raised their hands in resignation. The girls opened their mouths in protest, but before either could say a word, the house elf poked her head in the door.
"Forgive me, Mistress, but your mother says brunch is ready, Mistress." Her large eyes blinked nervously and her ears flapped as she bobbed a curtsy in her pristine pillowcase. She would never accept clothes, even if it meant she could stay and work in the house.
"Thank you, Pinkie." Glad to escape her questioners, if only for a few minutes, Gwen got out of bed and slipped past them to the bathroom. When she entered the dining room, she saw Oliver had put on a shirt and sat next to him. The other four raised their eyebrows but Gwen rolled her eyes.
"Hello, sleepy heads," her mother said cheerily as she walked in, several plates floating ahead of her. The plates slowly lowered to rest in front of everyone at the table.
Hoping to escape questioning, Gwen crammed a piece of toast into her mouth and Oliver started inhaling his scrambled eggs. Gwen's mother, at the head of the table, gave their table manners a quizzical look, and their friends were flat-out staring at them.
"Well?" Fred said.
"Do we get to hear about the infamous nightmare?" George asked. Gwen held up a finger to signal "wait a minute" and started eating more slowly. Very slowly. She didn't want to talk about that just yet. When they saw she wasn't going to start talking, one by one her friends start eating. About twenty minutes later, she was the last to finish eating. Everyone looked at her expectantly, including Oliver, though his face was a little softer. The dream spilled from her lips, every detail she remembered. By the end, the twins were staring at her soberly, the girls open-mouthed, and her mother looked paler than usual.
"That explains the shaking and the cold sweat," Oliver said gently, rubbing Gwen's back. She was shaking a bit again, so he pulled her into a one-armed hug, kissing the top of her head. She recalled the bright green light in her mind and clung to him, his other arm moving around her in a tighter embrace.
"Could you see what his attacker looked like?" Her mother's voice attempted a nonchalant tone, but she sat stiffly with a firm grip on her orange juice glass.
Her face half-buried in Oliver's chest, Gwen tried to answer her. "No, it was dark. And his hood was up." Why would she ask that? Her grandfather had been dead seven years. Did it really matter anymore? It was hard enough to deal with then and Gwen didn't see a reason to bring it up.
She nodded her head as though she expected that answer and gave a tight, "Just curious."
"So you don't mind if they sleep together?" Angelina blurted out. Mrs. Pennington raised an eyebrow.
"As long as they are sleeping." Suddenly she laughed lightly, relaxing a bit. "No, they know better than to do otherwise. And I would know if they did." Gwen didn't doubt that.
"In the same bed?" Alicia said disbelievingly, clearly not understanding that some people can sleep together without "sleeping together." Why is everyone in my business? As the thought finished, Gwen's hands tightened on Oliver's shoulders and her empty glass shattered. Luckily, the shards didn't go flying. The girls shrieked, the twins pushed their chairs back, and Oliver held her more tightly. Gwen's mother simply looked at her and repaired the glass.
"I think that's enough questions about Gwen." Her eyes didn't leave Gwen's face as she spoke. "I think that dream put her under a great deal of stress."
After the glass breaking, the mood was more than subdued. Gwen reclined on the couch, nestled between Oliver's legs as his right hand idly played with her hair. Angelina and Alicia were on the other couch, and the twins were in chairs. Everyone's attention was directed at the television screen. Gwen popped in The Princess Bride since no one seemed to want to talk, especially not to her. She didn't want everyone to be afraid of her just because she broke a glass. Oliver's left arm around her waist gave her a quick, comforting squeeze. How does he always know?
Not even one of her favorite lines could bring a smile to her face right then.
"No more rhyming now, I mean it!"
"Anybody want a peanut?"
Gwen rested her head on Oliver's chest and sighed, so he moved his right arm around her waist with his left and placed a soft kiss on her temple. "Don't worry about it," he whispered in her ear.
She tried to follow his advice and concentrated on the movie, pushing thoughts of her dream out of her head. Before she knew it, it was Inigo's famous scene.
"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
Not long after that, the movie ended. The mood lightened thanks to the film, and a murmur of comments broke out, along with some quotes.
"That was awesome!"
"So funny!"
"Humperdink! Humperdink! Humperdink!"
"Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!"
Finally, Gwen relaxed and smiled.
"That's better," Oliver said, kissing her cheek.
Time came for Angelina and Alicia to go home, so they gathered their things. Standing by the fireplace, Gwen thanked them for coming and the gifts they gave before they disappeared in two flashes of green flames.
"I think I'm going to take a shower," Gwen announced to no one in particular. It may have been three in the afternoon, but she really didn't care.
Half an hour later, a knock sounded on the bathroom door. Gwen slipped into her white tank top, the last item of clothing, and called for the knocker to enter. Oliver's head appeared around the door, eyes closed.
"I'm dressed," she laughed, hanging up her towel and picking up a comb. He looked like he had had a shower, too. His eyes opened and he stepped into the large bathroom.
"You look cute," he said. Gwen paused her combing briefly and smiled at him in the mirror. A plain white talk top and knee-length shorts are cute? Okay.
"Thanks." She resumed combing her hair, parting it for pigtails.
"Is something bothering you?" he asked carefully, closing the door.
"I guess I'm still a little shaken about that dream. Why?"
"Well, the glass..."
"I was just upset about everyone being in our business. We're not doing anything, and they wouldn't need to know if we were." While she talked, Gwen braided one section of her hair and wrapped a pony tailer around the end. Oliver nodded in agreement.
"All right. It's just..." He trailed off and she turned to face him, braiding the other half of her hair.
"Just what?" she asked softly, getting the feeling that he wasn't going to say what she sensed was bothering him.
"Just... your mother has a surprise for you outside." Finishing her hair, Gwen gave him a small smile and a soft kiss on the cheek before following him to the back yard. She walked barefoot through the grass.
Before they got all the way around the house, Oliver went behind her and covered her eyes, guiding her the rest of the way. Suddenly the grass under Gwen's feet turned to sun-warmed cement. I don't remember any cement out here...
Oliver removed his hands and Gwen blinked back the sunlight reflecting off water. Water?
"Surprise!" her mother exclaimed, standing a few feet away on the side of a large, rectangular swimming pool. "I thought you might like a swimming pool to go with your house."
"Wow! Thanks, Mum! I love it!" Gwen gave her a huge hug. The twins already wore their swimming trunks, making their way to the five-foot diving board.
Gwen ran upstairs to change into her bathing suit, a regular bikini, black with a white hibiscus print. She headed back down the hall and pushed open Oliver's door without thinking. His back was to her, his swimming trunks just above his knees. Gwen squeezed her eyes shut and quickly closed the door, but not before she got a good look at his rear end. When he opened the door, Gwen was leaning against the opposite wall, trying to stop giggling.
"May I help you?" he asked in a tone of mock annoyance. "What's so funny?"
"Nice ass." Gwen took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. Oliver's jaw dropped in shock.
"You saw...!" His mouth worked soundlessly.
"Just the back!" Gwen covered her mouth and the next round of giggles.
"Well, if you enjoyed the view, why are you laughing?" he smirked. "And you do realize that you now owe me?" Gwen stopped laughing and eyed him fearfully.
"Owe you what?"
"You saw mine, so I deserve a look at yours." Oh, no, one of those mischievous smirks. Those were always dangerous with him.
"Now! But it was an accident!" Gwen slowly backed away down the hall.
"Whether you meant to or not, the fact remains. But I'll let you decide when to repay your debt." He walked past her, that grin still playing on his lips. Were his fingers crossed? He wouldn't...
Back outside, the twins waited in the pool.
"Took you long enough!" Fred said.
"Going for a roll in the hay, were you?"
"Don't be ridiculous, George," Gwen responded. "We don't keep hay in the house." Let them think of that what they would.
Wand in hand, Gwen conjured a volleyball net across the pool and a ball, of course. This magic at home stuff is great. She set her wand on a poolside table and slipped into the water where Oliver awaited her on the side of the net opposite the twins. Come on, Gwen, don't stare at his gorgeous chest, she told herself. Another voice answered, He should tell himself the same about you. Damn cold water. Oliver seemed to give himself a small shake before turning to face the twins.
"So what do we have to do?" George asked.
"It's simple," Gwen answered. "Just keep hitting the ball to our side of the net, and we'll hit it back." She was not going to go into any technicalities. She tossed the ball into the air to serve, hitting it over the net when it came back down. Apparently, she hit it a little too hard; the twins ducked. "Our point," she grinned. "Toss it back." Her second serve was easier on them, and George smacked it back.
After a full hour of spiking and diving, the twins decided they needed a break.
"It's definitely more fun with four people," Oliver said. "And it's nice to be on the winning side of the net for once." He stuck his tongue out at Gwen.
She climbed out of the pool and toweled off before resting on a lounge chair to catch some rays. Pinkie came out of the house with a tray of lemonade and handed a glass to everyone. She also had Gwen's sunglasses. "Thanks, Pinkie," she smiled. Every time Gwen said her name, she felt the urge to exclaim "Narf!" She missed that cartoon. Gwen sipped from her glass, enjoying the perfect balance between sweet and sour. The world somewhat darkened by her shades, she tried not to think about her unnerving dream. Suddenly she felt fingers on her arm, and she looked left to see Oliver with a furrowed brow. Does it show on my face? Is it written on my forehead? She smiled at him, and after a moment, he returned the gesture.
Stretching out on her lounge chair, Gwen closed her eyes and sighed. Just a short doze... Someone shook her gently. No, not someone: Oliver. She knew it before she opened her eyes. By the light, it appeared to be late afternoon, or early evening. How long have I been asleep? Am I sun burnt? Wait, what's this? Something's shadow covered her. Tilting her head back, she saw a large umbrella.
"When you fell asleep, I thought I'd leave you for a while," Oliver said. "I figured you needed the rest after last night. And I didn't want you to get burnt, so I put an umbrella over you."
Gwen smiled at him and sat up. "That was very sweet of you." She reached out and rested a hand on his cheek, her thumb gliding across his lips. He started to lean in.
"Oy! Dinner!" Oliver closed his eyes and muttered something under his breath. He was annoyed. His hand lightly grabbed Gwen's wrist, since her hand was still on his cheek.
"We'd better go in." She lowered her hand and he nodded, helping her out of her chair.
"What time is it?" Gwen asked while walking toward the house, combing her hair with her fingers.
"Around six," Oliver replied. "You slept about two hours. I figured I had to bring you inside some time." He flashed her a cheeky grin and threw an arm around her waist, pulling her close. He still wore only his swimming trunks, and she was a little shocked by how much of her skin touched his. He seemed to notice too and let go.
Before dinner, Gwen threw on her clothes from earlier, the black Bermuda shorts and white tank top. When the meal finished, the twins headed home with the promise of returning next month for Oliver's birthday.
"Thanks for coming," Gwen said as she hugged George. Then came Fred's turn. "And tell your mum I said thanks for the gifts."
"Aye, aye, cap'n!" they affirmed with a salute before disappearing in a whirl of green flames.
"They have got to be the weirdest guys I know," Gwen laughed.
"Yeah, but they're excellent Beaters," Oliver agreed. She cocked her head to the side and looked at him.
"When you picture people in your head, are they always wearing Quidditch uniforms?"
"Not everyone. Not you." His face turned pink, but before Gwen could ask him what he meant, she heard a pop behind her.
"How are things going?" her mother asked.
"Fine," Gwen answered. "Fred and George just left."
"Have you eaten yet?"
"Yeah. There's still some cake left, so I think I'm going to have a piece." Gwen headed toward the kitchen. "Do you want a piece?" Oliver and her mother followed, so she cut three slices. Chocolate with a homemade butter cream frosting. Grandma Wendy's recipe. "Where's Daddy?"
"Working late at the office again," Mary sighed. "They hardly let him sleep anymore. Are you two staying here again?"
"Uh... I guess," Gwen said, wondering about the sudden change of subject. She looked to Oliver for confirmation, but he just shrugged. "Sure."
"All right, then. I'd better be going. I'll let your parents know, Oliver." She gave Gwen a quick hug before Disapparating.
"That was... odd," Gwen said.
"As always. Let's go for a swim. And try not to fall asleep again."
Gwen stuck her tongue out at him and headed outside, her suit still under her clothes. Standing by the side of the pool, she removed her tank top and started pulling her shorts down.
"Hey, Gwen!" Oliver called. "Nice ass!"
Horrified, she checked her suit only to discover that the bottoms were firmly in place.
"Ha ha ha, very funny, Mr. Wood." She stuck her tongue out at him again, but he just laughed.
"I certainly thought so, Miss Pennington."
The net was still up, so they started a game of volleyball. Oliver hit the ball high up and over the net, and Gwen jumped up and spiked it. It came down hard and hit Oliver in the face, possibly the nose, causing him to yowl in pain. Gwen gasped and magicked the net away to hurry over to him. When Gwen got close, she tried to move his hands out of the way, but he wouldn't let her see. Suddenly, just when she turned away, Oliver grabbed her waist and pulled her close against him.
"Tricked you," he smirked.
"I thought you were hurt!" Gwen exclaimed, not trying to get away.
"I know; that was the point." Another grin. "I managed to deflect that killer spike of yours and still make it look like I got hit. Oh, the cleverness of me."
"Why would you pretend to be hurt?" Her hands snaked around to the back of his neck.
"Why? To get you over here, of course." Under the water, his hands slid to her lower back.
"Couldn't you think of a nicer way to get me over here?" She tilted her head a tiny bit.
"I don't think it matters how I got you over here, as long as you're over here." Oliver leaned in to make up for his height, though it was only a few inches difference, and Gwen smiled as their lips met. The sky darkened as the sun set and the lights in the pool came on, but neither of them noticed. Her fingers crawled up to tangle in his hair as the kiss deepened, his tongue sliding between her parted lips. Again, his hands moved, but this time around and down to cradle her hips. He pulled her lower body tight against his. Gwen's eyes snapped open and she pulled her head back just enough to speak.
"Hello, Mr. Wood."
"Hi," Oliver said, eyes still half-closed. He started leaning in again, but then he realized to what exactly she was referring. "Oh, Merlin! Sorry!" His cheeks went red and he backed away, hurrying out of the pool. Gwen opened her mouth to stop him, but he ran toward the door, leaving a trail of wet footprints behind him. Pinkie would not like that.
Gwen took her time getting out of the pool and toweling off, since she knew he would need a moment to collect himself. She really didn't think he should be so embarrassed. It was a natural reaction. And they had known each other forever. She walked down the hall to his room and stood outside the door for a minute.
"I don't want to talk right now!" he called. It sounded like he had buried his face in a pillow.
"I figured. I just wanted to say... you shouldn't be so embarrassed... and whenever you're ready to talk again, I'll be in my room." There was nothing but silence on the other side, so Gwen went to her room. She waited up for him in the tower for a while, but at twelve o' clock, she finally went to bed.