Chapter 48

The next few months were rather eventful for both Tiannah and Oliver.

Oliver had been accepted onto Puddlemere as a Keeper, no longer a reserve. He had played his first match against the Chudley Canons, who were utterly hopeless.

Tiannah had played another game, this time against Pride of Portree. The Prides had narrowly defeated the Harpies, which resulted in a very upset Tiannah. But Oliver calmed her down and assured her that there were still matches to play, and – despite the fact that they were on opposing teams – he told her that the Harpies had a good chance at taking out the league.

As Christmas approached, Tiannah and Oliver had a ten-day holiday, and they both agreed that they would never take holidays for granted again. Quidditch training five days a week was extremely tiring, but they wouldn't swap their careers for the world.

As for Tiannah's friends, Hestia had been planning her wedding, which was to happen in six months. To Tiannah, it was a world away, but Hestia was planning it as though it was to happen tomorrow. Monica and Theo were officially partners, and Tiannah spoke to Theo about the situation, and he claimed that nothing made him happier than the prospect of being a father. Monica was glowing, both literally and metaphorically. All the problems with Mark seemed to have happened a lifetime ago, and you would never guess that she had been in a relationship with a disloyal man.

Tiannah woke up on Christmas Eve, sunlight pouring through the windows of her and Oliver's unit. She gently shook Oliver until he arose, and when he did so, he shot a wide smile at Tiannah. She ran her fingers up his chest and laced them around his neck, smiling back at him.

"Good sleep, love?" she questioned, running her fingers back down his chest.

"You were a fantastic teddy bear," he joked, kissing her lightly and then standing up.

"We're going to your parents' place today," he reminded her, as she saw Tiannah's pout. It had been a thing with them to stay in bed together all day when they could.

"Oh," she said, getting up and pulling clothes out of her drawer. She eventually decided on wearing a blue blouse and jeans. Oliver smirked and tried to unbutton the front of her blouse.

"I agree with Hestia," he said, placing a kiss on her neck. "You really wear unflattering clothes."

"Well," she said, the corners of her lips twitching. "I want to save what I have to, erm, offer, for you, Ollie."

"Just the way I like it."

As Tiannah was in the Quidditch league and was (as Oliver would put it) attractive, she was receiving quite a bit of attention from the opposite gender. However, she never indulged in this. In fact, she didn't like the attention, yet she took it with grace. Apart from the one man who asked if she would like to come back to his house for a shag. Let's just say that he wasn't going to be eating solid food for a while.

When they were both dressed and fed, they apparated to Tiannah's old home. As they disembarked on the grounds, Tiannah looked around, feeling the usual pang of nostalgia.

There was the willow tree, where they had their first kiss under. There was the path that led to the valley that Tiannah and Oliver found when they were eight years old. Everything in the yard reminded Tiannah of her childhood and Oliver.

She knocked on the door and Benny opened it, hugging Tiannah so hard that Oliver had to catch her in case she fell.

"Hey there," she said, ruffling his hair playfully one her balance was restored. Benny let them through the door and Tiannah hugged her Mum and Dad in turn, before focusing her attention on Benny once more, who was saying Tiannah's name repeatedly.

"Yes?" she questioned, taking in how tall her little brother had become.

"Hi!"

Benny hugged his sister once more.

As Christmas day dawned, Tiannah woke up in her old bedroom with Oliver. It was a chilly, snowy day, and Tiannah was grateful that Oliver's body was so warm. Breathing in his scent, she realised how lucky she was. Oliver, who had awaken, wrapped his arms around Tiannah and she buried her head in his chest, sighing to herself. Life was good.

However, the moment was interrupted by Benny, who had decided to burst in on them.

"Ah!" Tiannah exclaimed, as Benny jumped on top of her and Oliver. "Get off!"

"If you get up! It's Christmas!"

"I'll get up when you get off!"

Sheepishly, Benny got off them, and Tiannah was very grateful for the fact that she and Oliver were fully clothed.

Christmas was a lovely affair, so much better than the last, when Tiannah and Oliver had broken up. However, the Christmas didn't beat the one of two years ago, when they first kissed under the willow tree.

Hestia and Ken came over later that day, bearing gifts. In the early evening, Tiannah, Oliver, Ken and Hestia decided to go down to the lake that they all swam in at age thirteen. The day was too cold for swimming, as it had been snowing a few hours prior to Ken and Hestia's visit. So the foursome bundled up in heavy jackets, trousers and gloves, before making their way down to the frozen lake.

Tiannah and Oliver shared a knowing gaze as they looked at the lake.

"Why don't we go ice-skating?" Nine-year-old Tiannah suggested cheerily.

"Wouldn't that be dangerous?" Oliver asked, wary. Tiannah rolled her eyes.

"Dangerous is my middle name."

"No, it's Jane."

"Shut up," she grumbled, pulling on a jumper and a beanie. "We're going down to the lake whether you like it or not."

A few minutes later, Tiannah and Oliver stood by the lake, grinning. All rational thoughts left Oliver's head as he noticed how fun it looked.

The two began to skate on the ice, Tiannah performing some impressive twirls. She held Oliver's hands and spun around, laughing as her brown her flew out behind her. That was, until she fell and heard a resounding crack.

"SHIT!" she exclaimed, clutching her leg as tears sprung to her arms. Oliver had taught her the word a week ago, and she had been using it at all appropriate moments. As excruciating agony blossomed from her ankle, she started to cry.

"What happened?" Oliver asked, panicked, for his friend very rarely cried.

"I think I broke my ankle," she whimpered. Oliver crouched down to her level.

"Can you stand on it?"

With the help of Oliver, Tiannah shakily stood up but just as quickly fell back down, having to use Oliver to help her up again.

"What are we going to tell our parents?" Tiannah groaned, as Oliver secured an arm around her shoulder, aiding her walk.

So as Hestia squealed, "Let's ice-skate!" Tiannah explained the whole story to her friend.

"And he helped you walk home? That's so romantic!"

Tiannah and Oliver rolled their eyes. "I didn't have a choice, Hestia. I wasn't trying to be romantic."

"It still was!" Hestia protested, as her fiancée wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Okay darling, calm down," Ken said to her.

Tiannah smiled at her wacky best friend, her suave fiancée and her own boyfriend, who kissed her temple lightly as they watched the sunset on Christmas day.

The four friends felt utterly content in that moment.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Rather upsetting, to be frank. (On a side note, why do people say 'to be frank'? Why couldn't they say to be Steve, or to be Bob? Why is frank so special?)