Expectations of Approval
Chapter Nine: A Lag
Ron had noticed some of the small changes in Percy that month. It had slowly dawned on him that Percy really didn't have any friends. He can't think of any other friend Percy might have had besides Oliver. He remembered Fred and George teasing Percy about it but still he had never bothered to actually find out what his brother did at school. Ron paid Harry no attention as he caught sight of Oliver entering the Great Hall for the first time in the past month with out Percy. Oliver was in fact with a girl. Ron recognized her as a Ravenclaw chaser.
'. . . Hunter, what was her name . . . ? Anna, Annie? maybe Ellen . . .' These were Ron's thoughts as he watched Oliver follow Anne to the Ravenclaw's table. He wondered if she might be Oliver's girlfriend, he couldn't remember Oliver ever having one. Ron always figured it was because Quidditch took up too much of his time. Just as he thought this, Percy walked into the Great Hall. Ron felt uneasy, but there was nothing different about the way Percy walked, he still held himself tall with his impeccable posture. His face the same unreadable mask and his books clasped in his hand.
'Then why did it feel so different this time?'
Then there was the memory of Percy walking into the great hall just this afternoon with Oliver. Ron questioned how he had gotten used to this with out paying it any real mind. He remembered Percy, during lunch. Though Percy's posture was still the same his face had an easy smile and his manner as a whole had an . . . air- a sense of calmness- no that wasn't right. Ron hated to admit it but Percy had at that moment shone of pure grace not his usual rigidity. Percy now gave out his usual chill, all warmth and elegance gone. But really Percy's gestures we're always graceful, they were not clumsy are lacked any refinement- Ron lost his thought as he felt his muscles tense, these thoughts always irritated him. 'What am I doing? thinking about- it's Percy, what does it matter? All he does is study, eat, sleep and act superior'
earlier
Oliver pressed himself against the wall, he felt shamed, guilty and helpless. He could not explain them but they dug deep inside him. He tried shaking off the random feelings as best he could but it did little. Oliver pushed off the wall, walking away quickly, on his away in towards the Gryffindor tower the opposite direction of the Great Hall but after walking up only a handful of steps he felt the presence of someone, the steady gaze of the wise mischievous headmaster. He turned to find Dumbledore standing not too far from him. Oliver vaguely questioned why Dumbledore might have been there, his office was on the other side of Hogwarts.
"Mr. Wood, it's surprising to find you moving away from the Great Hall so close to dinner,"
Oliver smiled at the wise old man. "I . . . I forgot something I needed,"
Dumbledore's eyes sparkled, that spirited glint in his eyes that had become his trade mark. Oliver and everyone who has ever met Dumbledore thought it to mean, 'I know,' At times it really seemed he did.
"I hope that's not all you have forgotten ... maybe even over looked" With that said Dumbledore nodded in Oliver's direction, waited for Oliver's response, which Oliver gave clumsily, and then moved away towards the Great Hall.
Oliver let himself drop into a sitting position on the steps after Dumbledore left. For a moment He thought over Dumbledore's words, if they were meant a message, they where as cryptic as always. resting his head on his hands Oliver let his thoughts stray father. As his thoughts had been doing lately they moved towards Percy.
"Ah, you can't forget your date"
'yeah, I guess I can't forget . . . Anne. I like her well enough, I do. But there isn't anything I can do for her, but Percy won't look at me. I know his, but his already paring me off. I guess this is what he expects, maybe it's what he wants . . . if I were to really have a girlfriend i won't have much time to bother him, that's what I've been doing after all. It might be-'
"Oliver?"
He did not need to look up to know it was Anne, but he did. Anne's hair was messy, she looked pale and her eyes spoke of confusion. He was surprised to find her so frazzled. He tilted his head "What happened to you?"
"It's nothing, just got a little . . . shock. It's no big deal" Anne told him as she fixed up her hair. As she did her skin seemed to return to normal but the look of confusion only subsided a little.
"Right." Oliver knew better then to ask, Anne would not tell him. She was too stubborn, and her thoughts would be too mixed up at the moment either way. "So . . . what did you want to tell me?"
Anne looked around helplessly, Oliver didn't understand her flighty reaction. The confusion had made it's way up towards the surface again. "I umm ehh"
Oliver stood up, hoping to calm Anne, but it only flustered her more. "Anne?"
"Will you go out with me?"
A/n: Thank you for all the reviews, I'm glad people actually want to read my fanfictions. . I found a BETA so I should be ok now. Any ways I hope you liked the chapter, i don't want to bore you all with a long note so, I'll update again next weekend. bye.