Chapter 34

Tiannah and Hestia were sitting at the edge of the Black Lake, their toes just skimming the surface. It was a sunny, breezy day, and the two girls decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather, which was a good distraction from their studying. Hestia brushed a curl from her eyes and smiled at her best friend. In many ways, Tiannah and Hestia were opposites. Hestia was short, blonde, green-eyed, girly and tanned. Tiannah was tall, brunette, blue-eyed, more of a tomboy than a girly-girl and light-skinned. As for their personalities, Tiannah was sporty and Hestia wasn't; she preferred reading, creating and writing. The blonde wasn't what one would consider to be a nerd, but she wasn't unintelligent, either. It was their differences that made their friendship so strong.

"So," Tiannah began, "do you still want to be a fashion designer?"

Hestia giggled and nodded. She remembered when she and her friend discussed what they wanted to be when they were eleven year olds. Nothing had changed: Hestia wanted to be a fashion designer and Tiannah wanted to play professional Quidditch.

"Yeah, I do. Not like my parents are," she added, "but I want to incorporate muggle and magical clothing together. That's the opposite of what my parents would have wanted."

"But is it what you want?"

"Yes! Besides, I find muggle clothing to be much more flattering than wizarding clothing."

Tiannah rolled her eyes as Hestia's green eyes lit up.

"I find these exams to be incredibly pointless," Tiannah complained, changing the subject.

"I only really need muggle studies," Hestia said, "y'know, if I'm going to be working with muggles with fashion."

"Oliver says that I need to know basic healing, in case I injure myself. So that comes under charms. And also, potions would also be useful for that. As long as my marks are acceptable and I'm not a complete dumbass, I'm fine," Tiannah said, smiling slightly.

"You're not a dumbass," Hestia said, with complete honestly. Tiannah rolled her eyes.

"Oliver said the same thing."

A slightly awkward silence ensued, which was broken by Hestia.

"Do you want to know how much money I took from my parents?"

"Okay."

"Three thousand galleons."

Tiannah turned around and looked at her friend, horrified.

"They'll know it was you! You'll be in so much trouble! Hest, what if you go to Azkaban..."

Hestia burst into laughter, as her friend looked comically panicked.

"Calm your farm, Tia! They are billionaires in both muggle and magical money, remember? They won't notice three thousand galleons missing. Wow, maybe you really are a dumbass..."

"Oh, shut up," Tiannah muttered, feeling very relieved.

"So, how are you and Ollie?"

"Friends," Tiannah replied nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders.

Hestia bit her lip. "I'll buy you a house if you get back together!"

Tiannah and Hestia burst into simultaneous laughter.

"Hilarious," Tiannah said dryly, smiling slightly.

"I'm serious, Tia."

"Hest..."

"Okay, fine. I'll buy you a house anyway. We'll live in it together! And we'll go furniture shopping, you'll make dinner every night, because you know I'll blow everything up, and it'll be fun!"

Tiannah looked at her friend seriously. It didn't seem like such a bad idea, she reckoned. An odd feeling formed in the pit of her stomach as she realised that she was an adult, who was a mere three months away from graduating. It seemed strange that she had been friends with Hestia for seven years now, and even stranger that they had remained friends. From wide-eyed girls in America, to two women, talking about their future.

"No matter what, we're sisters, right?"

"Of course," Hestia replied, wrapping an arm around Tiannah.

With Quidditch training, NEWT studying and keeping on top of homework, Tiannah was understandably exhausted. One night, she found that drifting off to sleep was impossible. Despite her fatigue, her mind was racing with Quidditch moves that Oliver insisted she learn and facts about every subject she was cramming for, thus she found it very difficult to sleep. Tiannah walked down to the common room, expecting it to be empty, but instead finding Oliver staring into the fire. She sat next to him and smiled.

"You look terrible, Tia," he said, smiling.

"I know. Can't sleep," she explained.

"Neither."

Tiannah smiled at her oldest friend, who smiled back.

"Do you want a massage?" she offered. "They always help me sleep."

Oliver nodded and took off his shirt. Tiannah found that she couldn't tear her eyes away from the hard ridges of muscle that stretched across his chest and stomach, leading down to his sharp hipbones, noticeable due to his low-swung sweatpants.

Tiannah kneaded his back, finding that he had knots clenched deep within his muscles that stiffened his whole body. A groan of pleasure escaped his lips as Tiannah kneaded a particularly tense spot in his back, as his head lulled to the side. Her lips curled in satisfaction as he groaned again.

"Man, Tiannah, if being a professional Quidditch player doesn't work out for you, you could always be a professional masseur."

Tiannah giggled and continued to massage his tense back.

"I wouldn't have to be a masseur if idiots like yourself didn't sleep on beds made of nails," she joked.

"Wow. Your humour astounds me," he said sardonically. In retaliation, she raked her nails down his back. It didn't hurt Oliver; on the contrary, it made him moan again in arousal. Tiannah blushed and muttered an apology.

"Doesn't matter," he murmured, his cheeks also red from embarrassment.

Oliver turned around, and Tiannah's hands, which were on his back, ended up on his chest. She took them off and blushed again.

"Your turn."

"No-no... I don't think-"

"Come off it, Tia. It's only fair."

"Does my shirt have to come off?" she questioned.

"Well, it would be better if it did."

Tiannah rolled her eyes and took off her shirt, leaving herself in only a green crop top. Oliver stared at her long and hard, causing Tiannah to shiver slightly.

"Oliver."

"Sorry," he hummed, tearing his eyes away from her chest.

Tiannah lay on her stomach as Oliver gently began to massage her back.

It was pretty much the worse torture Tiannah had ever experienced.

Oliver was gentle; his fingers glided across her back, kneading the tense areas when needed. The slow, rhythmic movement was enough to send Tiannah's hormones into overdrive; half the time she was biting her lip to stop any embarrassing noises from escaping her lips. He rubbed down her back and found a particularly tense spot: the small of her back. Tiannah squeezed her eyes shut and reflexively arched her back upwards, willing for his kneading to spread down just a few inches... that was all she needed...

Oliver stopped and gently whispered her name, which only added to how sensual the whole experience was. Tiannah turned around and faced Oliver, her face bright red and her lips bloody from biting down on them so hard.

"Thank you, Oliver," she said.

Oliver's brows were furrowed, his lips puckered in a slight frown. He almost looked puzzled.

"No problem, Tia. Sleep well."

"You too."

Tiannah woke up in the morning, feeling considerably more relaxed. It was a Thursday morning, and the weather was cool and breezy: Tiannah's favourite. Even better, there was Quidditch practice in the afternoon. It only heightened Tiannah's happy spirits. She sat next to Oliver and Hestia at breakfast, when Cedric Diggory approached her, smiling slightly. It slightly hindered Tiannah's happy spirits, but she asked what he wanted.

"Could I have a word?"

Tiannah glanced at Oliver, who was scowling at his breakfast, to Hestia, who was looking at Cedric with distaste.

"Yeah, sure," she said. After all, she knew the truth about what had happened, thus she had nothing to be afraid of.

Tiannah followed Cedric out of the hall and into an empty classroom.

"Tiannah, I really don't know what happened when we broke up-"

"I do. It is a long story, but basically Flint confunded you to get to Oliver, and by extension, the Quidditch team. I'm sorry you were caught up in it. It was straight after you asked me out, by the way."

Cedric looked a little puzzled, but there was also the expression of dawning comprehension on his face.

"So what exactly did I do?"

"You said that I was a bitch, who was only a hot girl with Quidditch skills," she said deprecatingly.

"Merlin, I'm so sorry," he said, his eyes widening. Tiannah waved her hand impatiently.

"It wasn't you, it was Flint. I was furious at the time, but I'm not anymore. I don't blame you in the slightest. Flint has always had a hatred for Oliver and an attraction to me. I guess he just wanted to win, but did it in the worst way possible."

Cedric gave Tiannah a quick hug, which she returned. Cedric was a sweet and thoughtful guy, in Tiannah's opinion. It wasn't fair how Flint had used him in such a horrible way, but Tiannah knew that people like Flint would go to any means to get what they wanted.

"I would go and give Flint a piece of my mind, but I'm sure you can do that," Cedric said, smiling. "Smash Slytherin in the next match, won't you?"

Tiannah smiled and made to leave the room, but before doing so, she replied with, "Sure will."

After the training session, Tiannah and Oliver stayed down at the pitch, as per usual. Tiannah chest-passed the Quaffle to Oliver, who spoke first, throwing the Quaffle back.

"What did Diggory want?"

"To apologise, sort of. I told him what really happened with Flint. He did have a right to know," she added, noting the expression of displeasure on his face.

"I suppose so. You're not getting back together, right?" he said, looking uneasy.

"Oliver, there really are no dating cards at the table. I don't fancy Cedric," she said honestly, passing the Quaffle back.

"He's the reason we broke up," Oliver said softly.

"No, he isn't. I broke up with you because you didn't trust me. Besides, I believe we work better as friends."

"I disagree," Oliver snapped.

"Tough luck. You'll get over me," Tiannah snapped back, feeling slightly embarrassed and flattered.

"Fat chance. Anyway, I should go and shower," he grumbled, throwing the Quaffle particularly hard at Tiannah and walking into the change rooms.

"-And then he says fat chance, and walks away! What am I supposed to do?" Tiannah moaned to Hestia, who sat at the edge of the bed.

"You want my honesty? I think that you are being incredibly silly. He's crazy about you, Tia!"

"Yeah, but like I said, we work better as friends."

"So could you honestly say that you could be happily married to someone else?"

Tiannah felt her throat clog slightly as she thought about marrying someone else, Oliver marrying someone else; starting a family... she didn't want to think about it.

"I don't know. It's more the fact that I don't want to lose him if we fight and break up. Maybe maintaining friendship is the better option. We seem to be getting along just fine for now."

Hestia didn't even bother to argue with Tiannah's defective logic.

The Gryffindor Quidditch match would take place on the first Saturday after the Easter Holidays. Tiannah and Oliver decided to go home for Easter. Well, a day before they were due to go home, Oliver backed out. Tiannah forced him to go home.

"You need to stop obsessing. Take a break!" she said.

"Tia!" he whined.

"Oliver James Wood, I will murder you in your sleep if you don't come home. Or," she said, her blue eyes twinkling beautifully, "I will tear your broomstick to shreds."

Oliver growled and lifted Tiannah up.

"PUT ME DOWN!"

He carried her bridal style into his dormitories, smiling. He set her down on his bed and Tiannah huffed like a five year old, glaring.

"You will not do that again. Fine, I will not threaten to murder you or your broomstick again. But please come home!"

Oliver frowned, the dim lighting of the room sending shadows across his sharp cheekbones and the hollows of his cheeks.

"Why are you so insistent?"

"I miss it just being us," Tiannah admitted, a vacant feeling in her stomach as she remembered their childhood.

"Oh," Oliver exclaimed. He gently ran a thumb over Tiannah's cheek. "I'll come home."

Tiannah and Oliver arrived at the latter's house the day before Easter. James greeted Tiannah with the usual; "Hello, gorgeous" and Meredith engulfed her goddaughter in hugs and kisses.

After Tiannah and Oliver went for a quick fly, she apparated home for a while. Benny ran up to Tiannah and attempted to lift her up, which, sadly, failed.

"Hey, little bro," Tiannah said, ruffling his hair.

"Hello, banana face," he said, grinning.

"Banana face?" Tiannah laughed.

"Yes. Hello banana face!"

Tiannah chuckled and greeted her parents.

Oliver came over on Easter Sunday, as the two families, including Monica and her husband, Mark, gathered at Tiannah's house. Benny insisted that Tiannah and Oliver wear bunny ears, so, as they did with the reindeer costumes, they gave in to Benny and his adorable green eyes very quickly. Monica smirked cruelly at Tiannah, and she glared back.

"I loathe your sister," Tiannah murmured into Oliver's ear.

"She's just jealous of how pretty you are," Oliver responded.

"Yeah, right. Your sister is gorgeous."

It was true: Monica had curly brown hair that fell down to her waist, chocolate brown eyes and golden skin. Tiannah thought that she was very unattractive in comparison.

"Tia, so are you," he whispered back. "More gorgeous. Beautiful. Stunning."

"Stop it," she whispered, squirming pleasurably from the compliments.

"Seriously, she admitted it to me. Trust me."

Tiannah nodded and looked down at her food, not wanting Oliver to see her bright pink cheeks.

After dinner, Oliver was sitting on Tiannah's bed, smirking. She had just gotten out of the shower, thus she was only in a towel. Her lips parted in mortification and she hugged the towel closer to her body.

"Ollie! Get out!"

"Nope."

She looked like a vision of perfection to Oliver: parted lips, pink cheeks, wet hair falling down her shoulders, and a very nice view of her long legs.

"Fine. Could you please avert your eyes?"

Oliver rolled his eyes and nodded, looking away.

"If you look I will castrate you."

Oliver knew better than to look at Tiannah. He knew that threatening tone of voice all too well.

When she was dressed, she asked Oliver as to why he was in her bedroom. He pulled something out of his pocket. Tiannah recognised it as a muggle camera.

"Ken gave it to me. Camera. Put those bunny ears back on," he said, smirking as he put his own on. Tiannah rolled her eyes and grabbed the bunny ears from her dressing table and sat on the bed with Oliver.

"Tia, whatever happens, we will always be friends."

Tiannah was brought back to a memory when she was eight years old.

Oliver landed his broomstick and walked over to Tiannah, who was looking at him enviously.

"I wish I was as good as you," she grumbled, folding her arms over her chest.

"I'm not that good. I think you are, though!"

Tiannah grinned, but it slipped as suddenly as it formed.

"I bet that you'll be accepted into Puddlemere when you are older. I won't be accepted into any team."

"Yes you will! And anyway, even if I do and you don't, we'll always be friends!"

"I know," Tiannah said, wiping her eyes. Goodness, she thought, I really am becoming a nostalgic sap!

"Say cheese."

A tear trailed down Tiannah's right cheek and she pulled a face, just as Oliver kissed her left cheek.

With a snap, the moment was captured forever.

The evening before the match was one of the most nervous ones of Tiannah and Oliver's lives.

Oliver was sitting in a corner of the common room, with a model of a Quidditch pitch in a corner, muttering to himself and prodding the little figures. He wouldn't even let Tiannah go near him. Besides, he was a little irritated at her. The day before, she had gotten into a duel with Flint, which resulted in a detention. Hence, she missed their second last Quidditch practice.

Tiannah sat by herself, her stomach writhing. She had never experienced nerves to this magnitude before, but she couldn't imagine how Oliver was feeling. After what seemed like an eternity, Oliver stood up and said, "Team! Bed!"

Tiannah got up early in the morning, wearing bike pants and a sports bra. She woke up Oliver. It was custom for the two of them to go for a run before Quidditch matches. Today was like any other.

"Ollie," she whispered, gently shaking him. "Come on. Wake up."

He stirred and opened his eyes. They had a panicked quality to them.

"The match! Have I missed it?"

"No," she said soothingly. "No, it's okay. We have to go for our run, remember?"

"Oh, okay. Thank Merlin."

Tiannah let Oliver get dressed and met him at the bottom of the Boy's Dormitory staircase. His eyes flickered up and down her body, then again, stopping in certain places.

"Permission to stare," Tiannah said, rolling her eyes.

He sheepishly stopped, however.

"Tia... the Quidditch scouts are coming today."

That sent Tiannah into overdrive. "Oh my god, shit! Ollie... what if I don't get on a team! What if I completely fail! What if they don't come! What if they were attacked by... unicorns!"

Oliver burst into laughter. Tiannah found that there was nothing to laugh about. Her stomach flipped nervously, as she knew that today was the day that she had to put in all of her thirteen years of Quidditch playing into action. Thirteen years. Thirteen was an unlucky number! Tiannah panicked again, but common sense doused it. It had been a good thirteen years. There had been losses, but also victories. The victories outweighed the losses. She had been trained well. Coach Wayland, the leader of the league formed by Puddlemere, said that Tiannah had natural talent. He had trained her from ages five to ten. Then there was Theo. He had taught Tiannah the bulk of the tricky moves that she needed, and the ones that just looked good.

But Oliver was her true trainer. They trained each other. Without Oliver, it was unlikely that she would be as good of a Quidditch player as she was. Oliver wrapped an arm around her waist, smiling.

"I'll love you for life if I get on a team," she joked.

"I'll love you anyway."

Tiannah stepped away from Oliver. It wasn't the time for proclamations of love.

"Oliver... it isn't the time..."

"No," Oliver roughly grabbed Tiannah's face and looked her in the eye. "I love you, you idiot. I fucking love you. I want you, Tia. I want you back."

Tiannah looked away from his intense gaze as her pulse rate picked up. No, she refused to lose focus today.

"Oliver, stop. There are more important things to worry about today. We'll talk about this later, I promise. Just- just push this from your mind for now. I've learnt from experience that if you aren't focused, you won't achieve your goal. I want this as much as you do, Ollie. I want to win."

Oliver nodded and Tiannah grinned.

"Well, let's go for our run!"

At breakfast that morning, the team entered and an applause from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw ensued. From Slytherin, however, there were boos and hisses. Tiannah and Oliver ignored them and sat down, their stomachs writhing. They refused to eat, but insisted that everyone else eat. Katie mumbled something about them being hypocrites but ate her bacon under Tiannah's furious glare.

Oliver led the team out onto the pitch and looked at the conditions.

"Okay... no wind to speak of... sun's a bit bright, that could impair your vision, watch out for it... grounds fairly hard, good, that'll give us a fast kick off..."

Oliver paced the pitch, until he saw the rest of Hogwarts spill out of the Great Hall.

"Changing rooms," he said tersely.

Tiannah had to calm down her breathing and close her eyes, trying to focus herself. It's okay. It's the same as any other match. Don't think about how winning this is Oliver's dream OR the fact that this is the last game you ever play as a student, before you could be drafted off into the Quidditch league. Also, don't think about the Quidditch league. Okay, Tiannah, you are hopeless. Just get dressed and play as well as you can.

Tiannah pulled on her scarlet robes, as her stomach writhed again. She glanced at Oliver, who nodded at her. His brown eyes, just as warm as ever, comforted her nerves slightly.

"Okay. It's time. Let's go."

Disclaimer: I own the plotline. And Tiannah. Not Oliver :(