Hi everyone! I don't have much to say about this one. Let me know what you think!
Chapter Thirteen
Adair was nursing a Firewhiskey, watching her brother fidget nervously in the mirror on the wall in the hotel suite's sitting room. They were in the room that Oliver would bring Katie back to after their wedding that evening.
Snow was falling lightly outside the window and a warm fire was roaring in the grate. George sat on the sofa next to Adair, making up the two groom's attendants for the wedding party.
"Why don't you have a drink?" Adair suggested. "We've got a few hours to go and you're making me anxious just watching you."
Oliver sighed and went over to the bar cart in the corner, pouring himself a generous Firewhiskey. For the following half hour though, he only walked around the room with the full glass.
"Having second thoughts?" George asked.
"Shut up," Oliver replied.
Adair continued to sip from her glass. "We could knock you out for a few hours," she suggested.
Oliver glared at his sister.
"We could play chess," George said, more seriously, gesturing toward the decorative set on the coffee table.
With a shrug, Oliver sat down across from George, as the redhead tapped his wand on the set to make it a Wizard's Chess Board.
"Adair can play the winner," George said.
She shook her head. "That game moves far too slowly for me."
Oliver scoffed, but mercifully his attention was taken by the game and trying to beat George. It was nearly impossible, Adair knew. All of the Weasleys she had been at Hogwarts with were notoriously hard to beat at the game.
Instead, Adair thumbed through the Daily Prophet, avoiding the Quidditch section. Their season had been alright so far, but it wasn't quite as spectacular as the year before. People were speculating that it had been a fluke that the Wood siblings had been able to go to the World Cup the year before; their first season playing together.
Some were writing that Adair had lost her focus, was out partying too much.
She didn't think that was true. She wasn't drinking more or less than she had before, she was just seen doing it more frequently. Colt was in London whenever his schedule allowed and a few times they had met internationally in between games. The press couldn't get enough of the pair.
Adair didn't really know how she had gotten all the way to the New Year from the opening season ball in September. It was all a blur of games, practices, press events and rendezvous with Colt.
He seemed to especially like the press attention. It had taken him a few years longer than Adair to make a National Team and so he was unused to the attention, but he was born for it. With his Southern charm and drawl, the reporters and fans alike were eating him up.
Adair tossed the paper away from her and stood. "I'm going to start getting ready." She glanced out the window to see that the sun was setting.
Her moving to dress and prepare seemed to set her brother off again and so she refilled her glass and his before she went into the bathroom.
Taking extra care took extra time and when she emerged over an hour later, she found the boys were dressed in the black dress robes as well.
"Well don't you both look handsome."
"You look alright," George said.
Adair shook her head and looked at herself once more in the mirror above the fireplace, grateful for the warmth. She matched the men as best she could, with a black jumpsuit. The straps were skinny and the back dipped very low. She had pulled her hair up into a high and slicked back ponytail. Her eyeshadow was smokey and her lips a deep red.
Sitting once more on the sofa, Adair finished another drink as she pulled her heels on. "I think it's about that time," she said looking at her brother. He blanched.
"George, can you give us a second?" Adair asked.
The other man nodded and left the hotel suite to wait in the corridor.
"What has gotten into you?" Adair asked.
Oliver shook his head. "I don't know. This is crazy!" He ran his fingers through his hair that he had just gelled into place.
Adair laughed lightly. "This is the furthest thing from crazy I've ever seen," she corrected, standing and going to her brother. She worked gently to lay his hair back down. "You and Katie love each other. You two are so solid and steady."
Oliver sighed. "I don't deserve her."
Adair shook her head. "No, probably not, but I wouldn't question your good fortune this late in the game."
Oliver chuckled and pushed his sister playfully away from him.
Adair stepped back toward him and kissed his cheek. "I love you," she said, sincerely.
It was rare that the two spoke genuinely to one another as they were normally bickering on and off the pitch and harassing each other.
"I love you too," Oliver replied, leading them out of the room to join George in the corridor.
Adair took over then. "We're supposed to meet the planner outside of the ballroom."
They made their way there and were confronted with a harried looking older woman in conservative black pants and a blazer, gray hair tied back in a bun that looked as though it hurt.
"The guests are here!" she exclaimed as they approached. "You two, get up the aisle to your spots at the altar!" The woman shouted everything.
As Adair followed George, she saw her parents approach Oliver, to walk up the aisle with him, but Adair didn't bother to linger and greet them. She took a deep breath, hand itching for a tumbler full of Firewhiskey and walked up the aisle.
Her eyes scanned the seated guests. There had to be roughly 300 people in attendance. Her eyes landed on Colt and he gave her a rogue wink. It never got less gratifying to watch him take her in appreciatively.
She smiled at a few other people she recognized and then her eyes found Charlie. He was staring right at her. Adair immediately looked away, gazing out over the crowd at no one in particular until her brother walked down the aisle with their mother on his arm and their father behind them.
She watched as they all three exchanged hugs and then Oliver was standing in front of her.
"I will murder you at your own fucking wedding," she growled so only her brother could hear her.
"I couldn't not invite him," he hissed back.
"Maybe not, but a heads up would have been appreciated!"
She knew her face had to look as hard as stone and so she tried to soften it. A light flashed and as the photographer took pictures of them, standing and waiting for the bride.
After what seemed an eternity, the bridal march began and everyone stood. Then Adair found herself smiling genuinely as Katie walked down the aisle on her father's arm.
Her very soon-to-be sister-in-law looked resplendent in a white ball gown. When she and her father approached the altar, Oliver stepped down to meet them. He shook Mr. Bell's hand then took Katie's hand in his, leading her up to the altar and the officiant after pressing a kiss to her cheek.
Katie handed her bouquet to her older sister, who was her attendant along with Alicia Spinnet.
Adair spaced out as the ceremony started. She was watching her brother and Katie go through the motions of taking each other's hands, reciting vows that were fed to them line by line, but her mind was elsewhere.
Seeing Charlie had been jarring. They had not seen or spoken to one another since he had come to her flat after the World Cup.
For months, she had been replaying their conversation over and over in her head. She knew she couldn't have said anything different to him without betraying herself and for that she was proud, but she still hated that it was over between them.
Oliver turned and cleared his throat, looking at her pointedly. "Rings," he muttered.
"Oh shit," she said, a little too loudly as a few people in the front rows sniggered.
Oliver closed his eyes briefly while his sister dug around in her jumpsuit pockets. Finally, she pulled out the diamond band that matched Katie's engagement ring and the plain silver band that Oliver would wear and she handed them to her brother.
The rings were exchanged and Oliver kissed Katie deeply, dipping her low to the delight of their friends and family. Adair joined everyone in clapping and cheering as the couple was announced for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Wood.
When the happily wedded pair had made it up the aisle, Adair and Katie's sister followed them to the reception. They hugged their respective siblings and then switched. Shortly after, the rest of the guests started pouring in and Adair made her way to the bar.
"I don't know how you can manage to surprise me with how good you look with clothes on," Colt said in his low Southern twang.
Adair turned, Firewhiskey in hand, and smiled up at him. "Tell me more."
"Well obviously, I'd like to take you back to your apartment, but if we have to stay here that's not too bad either." He leaned down and kissed her lips, biting the bottom one before he pulled away. "I'll have what the lady's having," he said, turning to the bartender.
When they both had fresh drinks, they started walking away from the bar, but were intercepted by Adair's mother.
"Well aren't you two a striking pair," she said, with what Adair could only assume was an attempt at a warm smile.
"Mrs. Wood," Colt smiled back at her.
"Oh please, call me Aileen."
Adair raised an eyebrow. She'd never heard her mother give someone permission to call her by her first name.
"Aileen then."
"It sounds much better with your American accent," she laughed. No, she giggled, Adair thought. Like a schoolgirl. "I've been keeping up with the American team. You're having quite the season."
"I appreciate that," Colt replied. "I'm just trying not to be too outdone by Adair and the English."
Aileen waved that away dismissively. "Oh nonsense. They're not having nearly the season they did last year."
"Thank you, Mother," Adair said. But her mother didn't even look in her direction.
"Come, Colt," Aileen said, looping her arm through his. "Let me introduce you to a few older players you might have heard of."
Colt looked back at Adair, giving her another wink before he was being pulled into the crowd by her mother, leaving Adair quite alone.
She looked around her, but didn't see any friendly faces. Instead of finding someone to talk to, she downed the tumbler in her hand and then went back to the bar, waiting in line for another Firewhiskey.
Several people said quick hellos to her, family friends mostly. When she had her refill she went back into the crowd to find her own friends.
Ginny was talking with Ron, Hermione, Neville, Dean and Seamus and Adair headed over. But Ginny saw her coming over Neville's shoulder and instead of smiling at or beckoning her over, she turned so her body was square to her brother's, ignoring her best friend.
Adair sighed, knowing that between Ginny and Seamus, the group would not be a welcoming one. Seamus had been angry with her for dating Charlie and though she had protested and said she never really dated anyone, it was then clear that she and Charlie truly had been a couple and so were her and Colt.
Ginny wouldn't admit to her that she was mad, that Adair knew, but her oldest friend could never disguise how she was truly feeling and it was clear that she was also upset about what had happened between Adair and Charlie.
So that left her teammates. Adair found Jasmine and Sienna sitting at the table that had been reserved for the English team.
"Where's the hunky cowboy?" Jasmine asked, lowering her glass of red wine and pushing her chestnut curls over her shoulder.
"He disappeared with my mother," Adair said, taking a long pull of her Firewhiskey.
"Well that will be quite the scandal," Sienna laughed.
"It might very well be," Adair agreed.
"Was I mistaken or did I also see the incredibly handsome dragon wrangler in attendance too?" Jasmine asked, raising an eyebrow at Adair.
"You did."
"And are we bedding them both?" Jasmine asked with a wicked grin.
"We are not."
"So can I have the dragon wrangler then?" Jasmine asked.
Adair's stomach rolled at the thought of anyone else with Charlie, but she shook it off and tried to smile back. "He's all yours."
"Jasmine! I would think you could do a little better than leftovers," Sienna laughed, lightening the mood, for which Adair was grateful.
"You're right. Maybe I'll try to get one of these older, wealthy ex-Quidditch players," Jasmine said standing, her wine glass empty. "Wish me luck."
When she was gone, Sienna turned her attention to Adair. "Is everything alright? You don't seem very happy that the dragonologist is here."
Adair let out a long breath through her mouth. "I'm not, but it's not worth discussing. Lifestyle differences."
Sienna nodded sympathetically. "That's why I only take them to bed in private."
"I know. It was stupid really to get so involved."
"We all make that mistake at least once."
"Could everyone please make their way to their tables? We'll have dinner, toasts and then the party can really start!"
Adair glanced over to see Katie's father on the dancefloor trying to get everyone where they needed to be. She stood and with a faint smile, headed for the table she was sharing with her parents, Colt and a few extended family members.
Colt was already sitting down, listening attentively to her mother. As soon as she sat, his hand found her thigh and it moved higher and higher. She caught it when it was inching between her legs.
He turned to her when her mother had finished her story. Over his shoulder, Adair could see that her mother didn't like Colt's attention being diverted. "I missed you," he murmured against her neck.
Luckily, his attention was diverted as the food appeared on their plates. Instead of digging in, as everyone around her did, her mother excluded, Adair stood and went back to the bar.
"I assume you're not dating the American Quidditch player either," someone said from behind her.
Adair felt like absolutely deflating on the bar top. With a deep breath she turned to face Seamus.
"I don't know, Seamus, I really don't."
"You can't come back to me when you're done with him. I can't keep doing this with you, Adair," he said. He ran his fingers through his hair and looked away.
Adair could only nod, but when he looked back at her, she handed him her fresh Firewhiskey. He tipped it in her direction before he left her standing alone once more.
Adair turned back to the bartender. "Make it two this time."
She stood at the bar and downed the first in one gulp before going back to the table. Everyone was nearly finished eating and soon enough the plates were cleared.
Katie's father stood up to give a toast to the couple. It was very emotional and he was clearly very distraught at giving his youngest daughter away. When he was through he hugged Oliver before taking Katie onto the dancefloor for the father daughter dance.
Adair was finally feeling a slight buzz and so she leaned against Colt and watched as her mother went on the floor to dance with Oliver. She felt her face go stony once more.
"I'm going to get you another drink and then we're going to dance," Colt said, removing the firm presence of his chest from her back.
"Are you alright, sweetheart?"
Adair turned to face her father, trying to give him a smile. She nodded. "It's just been a long day."
He studied her for a moment and then returned her nod. Her mother came back and sat down.
"Where has Colt gotten to?" she asked.
"He went to get drinks," Adair replied.
"He seems really amazing," Mrs. Wood gushed. "It's nice to see you dating a fellow player and this one is particularly handsome and successful."
Adair just nodded once more. With the night she was having, she thought her head might separate from her neck with all of the nodding she was doing.
"Come on," Colt said when he returned, holding a hand out to Adair.
She allowed herself to be pulled to her feet and onto the floor amongst the other dancing couples.
Once, Colt spun her around so that she could've reached out and touched Ginny, who was dancing with her husband. Before the mess with Charlie, they might have reached out to each other, danced and laughed together, leaving any partners to watch on the sidelines, but they didn't even acknowledge each other that night.
Oliver and Katie took the opportunity to go around and greet those of their guests that were still seated before the party got out of hand.
They had spoken to countless aunts and uncles, friends from school and distant relations when they arrived at the table where Charlie sat alone. Everyone else had either gone to the dancefloor or the bar.
"Hey mate, thanks for coming!" Oliver said as cheerfully as he could, despite the grim look on the other man's face.
When Charlie realized they were there, he tried to smile. "You look beautiful, Katie."
"Thank you," she said with a small smile.
Oliver gave a small motion for her to find her friends before he sat down next to Charlie. "You didn't have to come," he said.
"I know. Quite frankly, I'm not sure why I did. You guys had a beautiful wedding and what looks to be a great party in the making, but that…" he nodded at the dancefloor where Adair and Colt could be seen.
The tall blonde man had Adair pulled close to him and his hand was very low on her back. His pinky finger was actually dipping down into the low cut back of the jumpsuit.
Oliver closed his eyes and rubbed his hand over his face. "That's not my favorite thing I've ever seen," he agreed. "However, something tells me I wouldn't really like whatever went down between you two either."
In signature Weasley fashion, Charlie's neck started to turn pink. He opened his mouth to speak, but Oliver cut him off. "It's none of my business, though."
"I regret it. You have no idea."
Oliver took a deep breath. "Maybe you didn't realize, although I'm not sure how you couldn't have, but Adair doesn't really do what she did with you. I mean, she'd never been in a full blown relationship. So whatever happened, however it ended, that scarred her. And it's put her back in this partying place and whatever she's doing with that idiotic cowboy." Oliver looked over at who had once been his idol. "I'm rambling to you and I'm not really sure what the point is. Maybe the point is just that I would ask you to leave her alone. She's already seen you and she's pissed at me for not telling her you'd be here. And she's not wrong. I should've. I probably shouldn't have even extended the invitation. Fuck, I don't know."
He stood and looked at Charlie. "Leave her alone, Charlie."
Charlie sat there silently, stewing over the conversation and the conversation he'd had with Adair months ago. He'd replayed it in his head over and over again. It haunted him until the very early hours in the morning so that he was barely sleeping.
After a few more dances, Adair separated herself from Colt saying she was going to use the lavatory. Instead, she wandered down a few different hallways of the hotel trying to get away from the noise and the crush of people.
Charlie had seen her leave and despite Oliver's multiple warnings, followed her knowing that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't try.
He rounded a final corner and found her leaning against the wall, head tilted back and eyes closed.
"Adair," he said her name as gently as he could manage, but she still jumped.
"Charlie! What in the bloody hell is the matter with you?" She clamped a hand to her chest to still her racing heart.
"Several different things depending on who you ask," he said, once more trying to smile.
"Let's not be glib," Adair replied. "Actually, let's not do this at all. I don't have anything to say to you."
"Then maybe you could listen."
Adair shook her head. "I listened to you for too long. You were allowed to say whatever you wanted to me and I'd rather not subject myself to that again."
"That's not true, Adair. Don't act like I was horrible to you. I wasn't. Not before that day."
"Sometimes, and especially in this case, it's only one day and one conversation that matters." She looked at him evenly. "And I don't know what you're saying to other people, but now your sister won't talk to me."
"I told her it was my fault and I will tell her that again." Charlie sighed. "I'm not talking about this to anyone. I've never been more ashamed of anything in my life."
Adair wouldn't meet his gaze.
"Everything you said that day was absolutely correct. I have no right and now I've realized that I miss you more than I could ever miss whatever version of our life I thought I needed. I'd rather have you. I would rather travel the world with you and watch your career unfold more than anything I thought I wanted in the heat of those emotions."
"It's usually those times when what you really want comes through," Adair said, folding her arms across her chest.
"Don't do that. Don't close yourself to me again."
"I'm not doing anything. Whatever has happened falls to you."
"Do you not miss us?"
"Of course I do," she said hotly. "I changed every aspect of myself that I could so that I could be a good partner to you! But you wanted more. You wanted to consume every last bit of me and what I wanted for my life. I am not the person you made me out to be."
"I know that now," Charlie said, reaching for her. "I know that. You're exactly who I want you to be, who I need you to be." His heavy hands landed on her hips, holding her desperately. "I would quit the sanctuary so we could be together all of the time."
"That's where you and I are completely different, Charlie. I would never, ever, not in a million years ask you to do away with something that so defines you. I would take a bludger to the head before I asked you to give up something that you love."
"Is everything alright out here?"
They both looked toward the sound of the drawl and saw Colt marching towards them.
"Charlie is a friend of my brother's. He's a little drunk," Adair said with a light laugh. "I was trying to direct him to the lavatory." She pried his hands off of her and looked at Charlie one more time.
"Don't, Adair. Don't go to him," he whispered rawly.
Charlie thought he would hit his knees when she dropped his hands and walked back towards Colt and the party.
I've gotten a few ideas that I really like for how they get back together! Do you think they should? If so, how? I just love to hear your guys' headcanons even if that's not what I go with. You're all so creative so let me know what you think.
Happy reading,
Avonmora