Chapter 5
Amelia did write her parents and ask permission to go visit Oliver over the Christmas holiday. The response she got was not entirely enthusiastic, since she hadn't told her parents she was dating anyone until she wrote home, but they did agree that she could go, since Oliver's parents were going to be there. On the last Hogsmeade weekend before the holiday, Amelia and Oliver split up for a while to do some Christmas shopping with their friends before they would meet up at the Three Broomsticks.
"You're really going home for Christmas?" Charity asked. She had a habit of inviting Kate and Amelia to her house over the holidays and they usually went.
"I am, this year," Amelia answered. "And then I'm going to Oliver's over New Year so I can meet his parents."
"Wow," Kate mused. "This is almost serious."
"Almost serious?" Charity interjected. "If she's going to meet his parents, it's definitely serious. Plus, I've been hearing rumors about snogging escapades all over the castle, including in his Captain's office."
"The Captain's office is true," Amelia said, coyly. "Some of the others are also true, but not all. We haven't snogged anywhere near the Potions dungeon and there has been no sneaking into Hogsmeade to shag in the Shrieking Shack."
"We know," Kate promised, "though, we had hoped for a good story."
"Sorry to disappoint," Amelia joked. "Now, what should I get Oliver for Christmas?"
"Are you doing gifts before you leave or when you meet up at his house?" Charity asked.
"When we meet up at his house, which also means I have to have gifts for his parents, but he's helped me with those," Amelia replied.
"What are you thinking about for Oliver?" Kate pressed.
"I'm not sure," Amelia answered, truthfully. "We have only been going out for a few months, and I don't really know him that well. The twins suggested sexual favors, which was completely unhelpful. I was thinking something about football, since he got me into Quidditch for my birthday, but I also thought that was a cop out."
"It's not," Charity promised. "It's actually a good idea since sport is something you lot have in common, and it's slightly romantic since that's how you got together." Amelia was strengthened by Charity's assertions and the girls went into the Quidditch store, but there was nothing remotely close to football there. Instead, Amelia bought Oliver some sweets and decided to go shopping with her mum when she was home the next week.
While Amelia was shopping with Charity and Kate, Oliver was shopping with his roommate, Collin Brown. And he was puzzling over what to get Amelia for Christmas. "What does she like?" Collin asked.
"I've told you, mate, she's into sports and muggle music," Oliver answered, with a sigh. "But I got her a quidditch book for her birthday, with flying lessons, so I can't go that route again."
"What about jewelry?" Collin suggested. "Girls like jewelry."
"I've only ever seen her wear a football charm," Oliver answered. "I've never paid attention to her ears and I've never seen her with a watch."
"What is her favorite color?" Collin asked.
"Light blue," Oliver answered. Oliver wasn't paying attention and realized that Collin had steered them to a clothing store where there were fuzzy scarves and hats. "Well done, mate. She likes fuzzy things that keep her warm. She's always bumming my sweatshirts."
"I've noticed," Collin replied. "And there is a set in a lovely light blue right over there." Oliver smirked and left the shop with his purchase in his hands. He also intended to have flowers sent to her on Christmas Eve, but he wasn't going to tell anyone else that.
On the train home for the Christmas holidays, Amelia and her friends joined Oliver and the Weasley twins in their compartment. They passed the hours playing games and discussing the latest gossip from the Quidditch pitch, specifically that Ravenclaw flattened Slytherin. "If we beat both Ravenclaw and Slytherin by the right margin, we could still win the cup," Oliver mused.
"You've told us that 5 times, Wood," Fred accused.
"And that's just in the last hour," George added.
"Am I that bad?" Oliver asked.
"You're just excited, Ol," Amelia promised. "They'll survive it, as will I."
"Cheers, Ames," Oliver said. "I'll let it go for a bit. So, you'll be taking the train to East Kilbride on the 30th?"
"Yes," Amelia answered. "Mum and Dad have booked my train and I'm getting in around 3:15 in the afternoon." Amelia curled up next to Oliver using him as a pillow and took a nap. He woke her as the train was pulling into the station. Before exiting the train, he kissed her and wished her a Happy Christmas.
"I'll see you in 10 days," he promised, kissing her once more on the forehead.
"I look forward to it," she replied. "And perhaps over summer you'll meet my parents."
"I'd love to meet them," he answered. She was going to tease him, but Oliver saw his father and called him over. "Da, this is Amelia Clark. Ames, this is my Da. You'll meet him again when you visit."
"It's lovely to meet you sir, but I should get to my parents," Amelia said. "They're probably on the other side of the barrier wondering where I am. That, or they've sent one of my brothers to escort me on the train to Leeds and he is on the other side of the barrier."
"I won't keep you, then, dear, and I look forward to meeting you next week," Oliver's father, Edward, said.
Amelia found her eldest brother waiting for her just beyond the barrier. "Hello, Bran," she said. "Mum and Dad send you to get me?"
"Yes," Brandon answered. "Did your boyfriend leave already?"
"He met his dad on the platform and they're heading for Scotland. Why?"
"I was hoping to meet this bloke," Brandon teased. Out of all of her brothers, Amelia got on with Brandon the best. She thought that it had to do with his trust in her to make the right decisions for herself. His request to meet Oliver was only so that he could tease her mother; he really was sure that she could choose for herself who to date.
"You might be in luck," Amelia said, spotting Oliver and his Dad arriving on their side of the barrier. "Oy! Oliver!" She waved him over and Oliver strode to her, followed by his Dad. "Ol, this is my brother Brandon. Bran, this is Oliver," she said, introducing them.
"Good to meet you, Brandon," Oliver said, extending his hand.
"Likewise, Oliver," Brandon replied, shaking Oliver's hand. "And now, I can lord it over our mother that I met you first. Alright, kid, we've got to go. Mum and Dad want us on the next train to Leeds."
"Bye, Ol," Amelia said, with a wave. "I'll see you next week." Oliver bade her goodbye and waved, watching her leave with her brother.
"She's lovely, Oliver," Edward said. "Very lovely, indeed."
"I know, Da," Oliver answered. "I really like her a lot."
Meanwhile, Brandon used the opportunity to tease Amelia about Oliver. "He's quite the catch," he joked.
"Thanks, Bran," Amelia teased. "I'm glad I've got your approval, even if I wasn't looking for it."
"Really, though, you've never looked this happy," Bran said. "And I'm happy for you. I'm also happy that I got to meet him before Mum, so I can tease her about it. I plan to tell her he looks like a murderer."
"I'm sure she'll be thrilled," Amelia joked. "She's always trusted my judgment when it comes to my friends and associates."
"Is he really just a friend or associate?"
"No, he's far more than that, just don't tell Mum how much you know he means to me," she begged. "She'll never let me go and visit if you do."
"I know and I'll keep quiet," Bran promised.
Bran stayed true to his word and said nothing to their mother about how much he knew Oliver meant to Amelia. When Christmas Eve arrived, Oliver had flowers delivered for Amelia and for her Mum. He also sent a note, thanking Amelia's mum for letting her come to stay. Camilla, Amelia's mother, was most thrilled with the letter and the flowers.
The week seemed to creep by for Amelia, who was looking forward to going to Scotland, and for Oliver who was so excited to see her that his mother, Jane, ordered him to calm down. "Really, Ollie, she'll be here tomorrow," Jane said on the night before Amelia was to arrive.
"I know, Mum, but I really like her," he whined.
"I had assumed as much seeing as she's the first girl you've ever brought home," Jane teased. "Now, go and get your Da for tea." Oliver nodded and gathered his father for dinner. By the time he was ordered to bed, he had irritated his parents for 3 more hours.
The next day was no better. Oliver got up early and made sure to wrap Amelia's present. Then, he practically paced the house until it was time to go to the train station to pick her up. His father, through some connections with the Ministry of Magic, had managed to acquire a car; thus, he drove Oliver to the station to retrieve Amelia.
He spotted her as soon as she got off the train and called her name. She glanced over, smiled the largest smile he had seen and ran at him. Then, she leapt into his arms and let him kiss her. "I've missed you," she said.
"I've missed you too," he answered.
"Missed is understating, Oliver," Edward joked. "Dear, he's annoyed us for a solid week. It's good to see you again. Let's get you to the house so that my missus can spoil you rotten. You're the first girl Ollie's ever brought home."
"Da, give it a rest, please," Oliver begged.
"No chance, son," Edward teased. "You've been unbearable for days." Amelia laughed and followed them to the car, Oliver carrying her bag for her.
Jane was waiting when they arrived. "It's lovely to finally meet you, Amelia," she said, offering tea. "Ollie has told us all about you, of course."
"All good I hope," Amelia teased. "And it's lovely to meet you, Mrs. Wood."
"Oliver, why don't you show Amelia to the guest room," Edward suggested. Oliver agreed, grabbed Amelia's bag and invited her to follow.
"My room is right across the hall," he said. "In case you need anything. The loo is next door to mine." Amelia thanked Oliver and set her things in her room. Then, she returned to the sitting room to visit with Oliver and his parents, and open presents. She loved the hat and scarf and Oliver loved his present as well.
On New Year's Eve, Oliver's family held a party for their family and friends. Amelia was quite popular as everyone wanted to know about the girl who had seemingly stolen Oliver's heart. Some of the local girls were more than a little jealous that Oliver had a girlfriend and more than one made a comment to Amelia. Oliver could sense Amelia's building unease, so he took her hand and led her into the garden. "How are you doing?" he asked.
"Surviving," she replied. "I guess I never realized you had so many admirers."
"Yeah, none of them has ever struck my fancy," Oliver promised. Amelia chuckled at his attempt at humor, but gave him a look that said she didn't buy his reply. "It's true, you know. That none of those other girls have struck my fancy. You're the first one that I really wanted to go out with and the first one I asked."
"Really?" she asked. "Because if you're making it up, that's just cruel."
"It's true," he said, sincerely. "I went out with a few girls before, but they all invited me to Hogsmeade in the first place. You're the first one I asked voluntarily. And most of them were horrible, constantly giggling and being utterly annoying."
"Good to know you don't find me utterly annoying," she teased. She gave him a light shove, but he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in for a kiss. It was the first time since the end of term that he had a chance to kiss her properly and she nearly lost herself in it. He had backed her up against a shed and continued kissing her until his father interrupted them.
"Oliver, for the love of Merlin, could you not do that where I might find you?" Edward teased.
Amelia blushed deeply, but Oliver didn't miss a beat. "I have done that in places you might not find me," he cheeked. "And I brought her out here so you wouldn't find me, Da. Besides, it's not every day I get to snog a beautiful girl."
"Fair enough, son, but your mother is looking for you and she'll take away your broom if she catches you like that," Edward warned. "Best you lot get inside for the New Year." Oliver nodded dutifully and followed his father into the house, holding Amelia's hand the entire time.
When they re-entered the party, Oliver's mother sent them knowing looks. "She knows," Amelia whispered to Oliver.
"What?" he asked.
"Your Mum knows what we were doing," she explained.
"You're not embarrassed to be snogging me, are you?" he replied.
"No, but I sort of wish she didn't know that you were unabashedly snogging me against your garden shed in the middle of the night."
"She won't do anything to embarrass you, love," he promised. "And for the record, I think it's cute that you are worried about what my mum thinks of you."
"I want her to like me," she said.
"She does," he replied. "She loves that I have a girlfriend. In fact, she loves it so much, that she told the entire family about you before I got home for Christmas. She used to scold me that I was spending too much time on the Quidditch pitch."
"Does she know that's where you asked me out?" Amelia queried.
"Not entirely," he admitted. "She knows that you love sports, too, but she doesn't know that we got to know each other with insanely early morning runs and flying lessons. She doesn't care, though; she's just glad that I've finally shown interest in girls."
"You mean you weren't interested before," she teased.
"I was interested, but I never showed it, and like I said earlier, none of them was ever worth more than the first date."
Their conversation was interrupted by yet another girl inviting Oliver to tea, which he declined by introducing Amelia. This girl, however, was not to be pushed aside. "Oh, she's a girl. I couldn't really tell, Ollie. I mean, she's so flat."
Amelia was about to punch her, but Oliver steadied her hand. "She's more woman than you'll ever be, Lucy. Now, show some self respect and bugger off. I wasn't interested in you before I met her and I'm certainly not interested now." Lucy glared at Oliver, who glared back, before she finally left them alone. However, Amelia dropped Oliver's hand and went up to her room; Oliver followed.
Amelia was about to start crying when Oliver knocked softly on her door. "Can I come in, please?" he asked. Amelia opened the door and sat quietly on the bed, saying nothing. He knelt in front of her on the floor. He put his hand on her face and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "What's ruining your night?"
"You should go back to your party," Amelia said, not answering the question. "You'll be missed."
"You'll be missed, too," he said.
"No, I won't," she retorted. "None of them even knows who I am."
"I know who you are and I'm not going back without you," he said. "You shouldn't listen to Lucy. She's wrong. You're perfect."
"No, I'm not."
"To me, you are," he promised. "I wouldn't have invited you out if I didn't want to go out with you and I certainly wouldn't have brought you home if I didn't think you were perfect."
"I think we've missed midnight," she said, hearing noise from the party. "You should go back."
"I already told you I'm not going back without you," he insisted. However, Amelia refused to leave the room again. So, Oliver sat on the bed with her, eventually lying down beside her where they fell asleep. His parents noticed the open door and looked in. Edward shook Oliver awake and sent him back to his room.
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