Chapter 47

"I'm so nervous," Tiannah whispered, pacing her and Oliver's bedroom. The anticipated Harpies VS The Tornadoes match was that evening, and Tiannah had tried everything to calm her nerves.

She glanced at Oliver, who was biting his lip. He knew that Tiannah neglected important things, such as food, when she was nervous, and it was a habit that he wished she would break, however hypocritical he sounded. In fact, he was rather nervous too, not just for Tiannah. The next day, he had an interview with Puddlemere, who were prepared to take him on as a Keeper on the team, no reserves involved. They did things very differently at Puddlemere than at the Harpies, as Tiannah didn't need to have an interview to secure her place on the team.

Said girl had plonked herself down on her bed, closing her eyes tightly. In less than six-hours, her dream was about to become a reality: playing for the Harpies. After almost fifteen years of fantasising about the moment, no amount of dreams could depict what the magnitude of her nerves were like. Not only would she be crushing her dreams if she lost, she had a team to play for. Sure, she wasn't the Seeker, who had the highest expectations thrust upon, but it was her first game; her first opportunity to make a lasting impression, an impression that would affect her career.

She fiddled with her necklace, a habit that had developed over time when she was nervous. Oliver sat down next to her and faced her, a stern, furious look in his eyes.

"Tia, listen to me and listen good. You have been playing Quidditch since you were five years old. You have dreamed about playing for the Harpies since you were four. I wouldn't be half as good as I am if it weren't for you. You just have to remember to stay focused, stay calm and eyes on the prize. Don't think about the worst possible outcome; only think of the best. Your perception is what will affect the result."

Slowly, Tiannah nodded. Everything that Oliver said was true, and she knew it, but that didn't stop her from being incredibly nervous. The butterflies in her stomach reached an all time peak, so much so that she was afraid that she might throw up. Her teeth chattered involuntarily, even though it was a fairly warm autumns day. Instinctively, Oliver wrapped his arms around Tiannah and hugged her tightly, as her fingers curled on his chest.

"You'll be watching me, won't you?"

"Of course I will. I wouldn't miss it for the world, Tia."

"Do you think we have time for... an interesting activity? Y'know, it might take my mind off things," Tiannah suggested, quirking an eyebrow.

"I've been waiting for you to say that all day," Oliver whispered into her ear, before his lips pressed upon hers.

"Alright," Gwenog began, pacing. "The Tornadoes have won the league for the last two years running. Sure, they have strong players, but we do too. All I'm going to say to you is this: don't let yourself be distracted by their teasing, for the Tornadoes have a tendency to tease the opposing team. I know that some of you," Gwenog's eyes flickered over Tiannah for a moment, "can let your temper get the better of you, but please don't do so tonight."

Tiannah felt her gut turn as she heard the dull chanting of the crowd over the pounding of blood in her ears. She closed her eyes and pulled on the yellow and black robes, as she repeated Oliver's words over and over in her head. Gwenog announced that it was time, smiling comfortingly at Tiannah in particular, for it was her first match.

As the team mounted their brooms to tumultuous applause, Tiannah heard the commentator begin to speak. She had become an expert at blocking the commentator out, as they were usually very biased. All she could hear was Oliver's words, whirling around her head. The ref's whistle seemed a world away, as Tiannah's nerves developed into something new: fierce determination.

She swerved her broom to the right to dodge a bludger sent by the opposing team, causing the team to 'ooh' in response. It was a narrow escape, and Tiannah knew it. However, she also knew that less than a minute into the game, she had proven that she was worthy as anyone on the team, despite the fact that it was her first match.

The Chasers of the Tornadoes, Mitchell Phelps, Electra Winter and Emma Woodley were very good, and Tiannah knew that her work would be cut out for her.

Tiannah dodged another bludger sent by Chuck Grint, one of the large and burly beaters from the Tornadoes. She bit back the urge to make a rude hand gesture at him, because she knew that he was targeting the new girl to see if she was any good. So far, she had proven so.

Tiannah accelerated and swiped the Quaffle from Emma Woodley, causing many to whoop from the crowd, but just as many to boo. Gwenog signalled for Tiannah to throw it to her, and she did so, the Quaffle narrowly escaping the wrath of the opposing team. Gwenog accelerated towards the goal and feinted to the left, before performing a spectacular throw straight into the goal on the right. Tiannah and her fellow team members cheered as they continued to fly, finding weak points to intercept the Quaffle from the other team, pass it to each other and score goals. Tiannah caught the Quaffle and willed her broom to go faster, as she prepared to take her first score of the match through the middle goal. Just as she prepared to do so, a bludger came pelting towards her, causing her to jerk violently to the left and throw the Quaffle through the goal at the same time.

As she heard the cheers from the crowd, the determination increased. Heck, she didn't know why she had been so nervous. Quidditch was her life, and she was good at it. Tiannah, even with her humble attitude, admitted the fact to herself. They could easily win the match, if they kept up with the approach that they were working with.

Half an hour later, and Tiannah wasn't even tired, despite the fact that it had been the most intense Quidditch match she had ever played... so far. They were seventy points ahead, a feat which hadn't occurred for a long time. If they captured the snitch now...

However, it was when they were one hundred points ahead did the snitch be captured. And, the Harpies were the ones who did so. As the Seeker's tiny fingers enclosed around the snitch, the women from the Harpies were cheering and yelling so loudly that they commentator's voice couldn't be heard, as they sunk to the ground, Gwenog crying with happiness. She hugged each member of the team in turn, screaming praise into their ears. Tiannah had never felt so euphoric about winning. The cheers, the sweat, the warm feeling in her chest... she didn't know why she had been so nervous! Nerves did that; they seemed to have the biggest effect when they were unnecessary.

Grinning more broadly than she thought was possible, Tiannah too hugged every member of the team, crying, laughing and cheering at the same time, a combination of actions that she was used to. All the fantasies she had experienced since the age of four had been fulfilled, she hadn't let down the team, and most importantly, she hadn't let herself down.

All through the post-match shower, she couldn't stop grinning. The jubilation was beyond words; in fact, all she felt like doing was jumping up and down and squealing in a Hestia-like way. She dressed in mid-thigh bike pants and a Harpies tank top, as she met the rest of the team outside.

"Good game," Gwenog said, her eyes scanning across her team. "All of you. Now, I will send out letters about your performance and what you can improve on, but there really was very little. You may go and find your families."

Tiannah nodded and grinned, making her way over to where her family and friends sat. Hestia was the first to approach Tiannah, jumping up and down before hugging her friend so fiercely that she was sure she would be knocked over.

"Brilliant!" she exclaimed.

Tiannah hugged her parents, Meredith, James, Monica, Theo, Ken and Benny, who was doing a great impression of Hestia. When she saw Oliver, she ran up to him and smashed her lips onto his, as he spun her around. She didn't know how to express in words how grateful she was for his pep talk, which she knew was the reason that she performed so well. So she expressed it in the kiss, pouring every ounce of love and gratitude into it. When Oliver pulled away, he saw the blazing look in her eyes and hugged her again, grinning from ear to ear, just like his girlfriend. He tucked a piece of wet hair behind her ear and kissed her temple, their moment being interrupted by Monica.

"Yeah yeah, kissy kissy lovey dovey let's get this over with," she drawled sarcastically, as Oliver sheepishly stepped away from Tiannah.

They made their way to the stadium exit, Tiannah giving a blow-by-blow account of what happened in her point of view to the only two people who listened, Benny and Oliver. They walked ahead, when a girl of about five approached Tiannah, blushing and holding a Quidditch program.

"Hello... I was wondering if you will sign my program?" she asked in a soft voice, wide brown eyes glittering up at Tiannah, who honestly felt like crying.

"Sure," she whispered, crouching down to her level and signing the sheet of paper. Beaming, the girl skipped off to her awaiting mother.

Tiannah stood in shock for a few moments, before turning to Oliver and smiling.

"That was different," she whispered to him.

"You'll have to get used to it," he replied.

Tiannah knew that it was true. Fame and professional Quidditch were two things that came as a package deal, and Tiannah would have to learn to embrace it, but not let it get to her head. Oliver would always be there to ground her if she needed it, but she wouldn't. Both the Quidditch fanatics knew that Tiannah would take the attention with grace, just as she had always done. Oliver squeezed Tiannah's hand as they walked off to the nearest floo-point, and once they were out of ear shot from their friends and family, Oliver spoke.

"You were fantastic out there, Tia. I think you deserve a reward," he whispered, placing a single kiss on her neck. Tiannah shivered.

"No, you deserve one. And I intend to give it to you," she replied in a husky voice, before kissing him.

Disclaimer: Every time I say this, it is though I would have the audacity to claim that I did own Harry Potter. Only one person owns Harry Potter, and that isn't me.