After the game that evening, Ferin sat in a squashy armchair by the fire in skinny jeans, a teal tank top and a white long sleeved v neck, and the necklace I gave her glinting around her perfectly sculpted neck. She was hunched over, a book in her lap, her legs crossed to support the binding. Her hair was pulled back in a loose knot at the back of her head with a small lock of hair falling in her face constantly. She seemed engrossed in her book, but I felt like it was time I told her. But I couldn't. She looked so beautiful sitting there, face illuminated by the roaring fire, hair falling in her face.
"Oliver, just tell her," Katie told me gently, putting her hand on my knee that was shaking rather violently. I leaned back in my high backed armchair and shook my head.
"I can't. Its impossible. She's so different in school than on the pitch. She's..." I started and Katie smiled. She knew exactly what I was going to say. She was my best girl friend.
"An actual girl. Not just a girl on the team," she said, finishing my sentence and smiling.
"Exactly! Quidditch is one thing, so easy to understand, but when you put her in the mix, it gets so jumbled," I sighed, praying that my voice didn't carry. "I can't think staight, I can't keel my mind off of her, even during matches. Its terrible."
"If you're worried she sill hear you, she won't. When Ferin starts reading, not even an explosion can phase her," Katie laughed, rubbing my shoulder comfortingly. "Oliver, you're in love. I can see it. But remember, she's human too. Go talk to her. I think you're the only one who can disrupt her successfully." I stared at Katie.
"Are you serious?" I asked. Katie grinned and nodded. Gathering up att of my courage, I took a deep breath and exhaled, determined to get over my fear.
I walked up to the armchair she was sitting in and sat down in front of her, cross legged. She didn't even notice me, until I repositioned the strands of hair in her face to close to her ear. When she noticed, she looked up and
beamed.
"Hello," she said quietly, still beaming. The hair fell back in her face and as she reached up to fix it, I did too. Her fingers brushed mine and she drew in a sharp, quiet breath for a second. Then her smile returned and she blushed in the orange light from the fire. She melded the hair into the rest and closed her book slowly as not to make a big sound.
My plan had been so easy before. Walk up to Ferin, tell her how I felt, walk away. Now, I felt like my I sides had melted and my stomach had fallen out of my body. I was frozen. I couldn't even say hi back.
"Oliver? Is everything okay?" Ferin asked, looking concerned. She had put her hand on my shoulder and leaned down to look at me, but I just couldn't find it in myself to tell her just yet.
"Nothing," I smiled, standing. She looked at me with slight confusion, shrugged, and opened her book again and stuffed her nose back in it. I walked back to Katie, running my hands through my hair.
"Katie, I can't do this," I told her, sitting down on the chair, which exhaled a loud puff. She looked at me with disappointment and sighed.
"Of course you can. Just not right now, I think. You're not as ready as you think you are. When the time comes, you'll know," Katie said, smiling. "Trust me."
As I fell asleep, I tried to focus on something other than Oliver. An owl from my mother, a package from my grandparents, anything. But it wasn't going to work. There was nothing that could distract me. All I could do now was roll over and try to get some sleep.
But when I closed my eyes, there he was, illuminated by the golden firelight, his auburn hair ruffled in just that right way, his eyes shining, the anticipation of something weighing on his mind, everything. Being able to handle it no longer, I slid out of bed, satin pajamas sparking in the flannel sheets, and walked out of the girls' dormitory. Padding down the stairs, I looked around carefully and, seeing that the coast was clear, walked out of the common room.
"Where are you going at this hour young lady?" the fat lady asked from her portrait. I turned to look at her, arms folded tightly over my chest and shrugged.
"To clear my head," I replied, and walked away.
"I'll wait up for you," she called to me in a sweet and nurturing tone. I smiled to myself and, with the soft pad of my bare feet following me, headed for the Room of Requirement.
upon opening the door, I walked into my floating garden, and closed the silver gate behind me. The silvery green grass was soft under foot and the silver shadows stood silent under the ever full moon. The small pond in the very center of my garden trickled out to an ever falling waterfall and the fruit trees provided a variety of snacks. The innumerous stars everywhere twinkled all around, above, below, everywhere. It truly was a floating garden. Looking back, the silver gate led to the edge and dropped off into a void that never ended. it was a large enough island, and provided much space when walking and thinking, so I would never fall off.
I sat down on a cool white marble bench near the pond and watched the silver koi fish circle and play as the moonlight glanced off the surface, playing with them. One fish jumped out of the pond and landed with a splat on the bench next to me. When I blinked, there sat a little girl. Her almond shaped eyes were pure silver, and her skin was almost white. But her hair was jet black. She wore a light gown made of moonlight that shimmered whenever she would move.
"Ferin, my friend, what is wrong?" she asked. I smiled. The fish really were my friends. Beautiful little children with the same looks, but all with different faces.
"Oliver. Again. And worse this time. Even more so than last year," I replied, staring at my palms as my hands rested in my lap.