A Journey of Chasing and Keeping
Chaser 2
Chudley Cannons
Semi-Final, Season 10
Prompts: Chaser 2: The Lord of the Rings - Write about a character taking a journey. (could be an actual journey or a mental journey or metaphorical one) - I have gone for a metaphorical journey of love!
(dialogue) "Is that all that you've got?" "No. But I like you so I don't want to hurt you."
(Setting) Hagrid's Hut (This is Hagrid's garden - I checked with the mods and they said this was fine)
(Character) Oliver Wood
TW - Mentions of character death, character in hospital (canon from books)
Her Second Year/His Fifth Year
Oliver caught the oncoming red blur by the tips of his fingers. He looked down, bemused, to see himself holding a big, juicy tomato.
"Is that all you've got?"
"No. But I like you so I don't want to hurt you."
"Why are you throwing tomatoes at people, Katie Bell?" smirked Oliver Wood.
"Sorry, I just heard someone walking up behind me."
"And your first thought is to throw a tomato at them? Not use your wand like the witch you are?"
"Maybe I just throw things like the Chaser I am?" grinned Katie.
Oliver folded himself into an awkward seated position next to where she was kneeling in the mud in Hagrid's vegetable patch outside his hut.
"Why are you in sat in Hagrid's garden?"
"I like gardening, I find it relaxing," said Katie, shrugging her shoulder. "Hagrid doesn't mind, says I've got a green thumb."
"Why not work in the greenhouses?"
"I prefer plants that don't actively try to kill me," explained Katie. "My dad's a muggle, we always garden together when I'm home."
Oliver felt slightly stupid when he realised he hadn't known Katie was half-blood. Or that she liked gardening. He realised he'd never actually spoken to her one on one. She had only joined the team this year and fitted in straight away, but that was no result of his leadership. It was her easy-going nature and the rest of his team taking a shine to her. He felt guilty that Harry Potter joining the team had definitely eclipsed her own debut.
"You're a really good Chaser," blurted out Oliver.
Katie blushed. "Erm, thanks. I love being on the team."
"Good, good," repeated Oliver, inwardly cursing himself for being so awkward. "Good to have you."
Her Third Year/His Sixth Year
"Katie, you know you're not supposed to be here. It's not safe."
"I'm not a Muggle-Born, Oliver, the Heir of Slytherin isn't after me," replied Katie, bluntly before grinning slyly. "Besides, Harry likes me so I think he'll leave me alone."
Oliver groaned. "That's not funny. You know it's not him."
"Of course I do," exclaimed Katie, taking off her dragon hide gloves. "Harry wouldn't hurt a fly. It was a joke, to lighten the mood. Your mood."
"It didn't work."
"The fact that you're here means you're also not in the castle," said Katie, pointedly.
"I was doing some extra flying practice," admitted Oliver sheepishly.
"You're cute when you're embarrassed, you know."
"What?" stammered Oliver, his face going red.
Katie laughed. "Don't worry Alicia and Angie helped me get over my little crush. They explained it was a phase most girls go through - it's the accent mainly, we think. And, of course, the Quidditch talent."
"Most girls?"
"Of course, that's the part you pick out," said Katie, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I'm saying I'm over it. The early morning Quidditch drills helped. I'm just trying to point out that you can't charm me into doing whatever you want. If I go back up to the castle it's because I want to go back to the castle."
"O-okay?"
"Okay, let's go back up to the castle."
Her Fourth Year/His Seventh Year
The moment Oliver's lips pressed against hers he had a sinking feeling he had ruined everything. He guiltily pulled back and gently pushed her away, creating space between them.
"Is that all you've got?"
Oliver gently squeezed her shoulders, sighing as he remembered the very first conversation they'd had in this garden. "No. But I like you so I don't want to hurt you."
Katie frowned. "If you like me then how can kissing me hurt me?"
"Because this is my last week in Hogwarts."
"Why does that have to matter?" asked Katie, defiantly. "I like you, and I know you like me back. We'll have Hogsmeade weekends, and holid-"
"You're too young."
Katie took another step back, causing his hands to drop off of her and fall limply by his side. "I don't think I am."
"It doesn't matter what you think, the simple fact of the matter is that you're underage and you've got three more years of Hogwarts."
"Why did you kiss me then?"
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," said Oliver, letting out a deep breath. "I know I've made everything more complicated. I do like you, and I'm going to miss you probably more than anyone in this place but we can't be together, Katie. We're both just at different stages. You have got some of your best and hardest years of Hogwarts left and I'm going out into the real world to start my Quidditch career."
"Don't want a little girlfriend hanging around whilst you become a famous Quidditch player? Scared I'll cramp your style with the groupies?"
"I'm hardly going to be famous as the reserve Keeper!"
"But you want to play the field so to speak?"
"No, no I don't," sighed Oliver. "You might not understand what I'm doing now, but you will. Please, Katie, this isn't how I want to spend my last few days with you."
Katie's face crumpled. "I'm just going to miss you so much."
Oliver reached out and pulled her close to him, his hand cradling her head against his chest. He squeezed tight as he felt the sobs wracking through her body.
"I'm going to miss you too," murmured Oliver, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head.
Her Fifth Year/His First Year out of Hogwarts
Dear Oliver,
I'm sorry I haven't written back yet. I was just mad, I guess. I still am, a little bit, but I know at this point I'm being petty. Maybe if I'd seen you at the World Cup it would have helped, I'd planned on finding you in the morning but then all that chaos happened with the Deatheaters. I still can't believe there are Deatheaters again. I was glad to hear you didn't get hurt. Really glad.
I think I'm starting to understand what you did now. I'm sorry it took months to realise you were only looking out for me and wanting me to enjoy life to the fullest, not spend my time at Hogwarts pining away for you.
I think no Quidditch has actually been good for me, less reminders of you. The Triwizard Tournament has been exciting so far, especially the Yule Ball! I got asked to the dance by a very nice Durmstrang boy and had a great time! The Weird Sisters played, but as a big famous (reserve) Quidditch player, you've probably already seen them.
Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I miss you and I'm sorry I've been a crappy friend for not replying to your letters sooner. I hope you'll still be my friend.
Happy New Year!
Lots of Love,
Your bestest friend, Katie.
P.S. I can't help out in Hagrid's garden anymore because it's so awkward listening to him preparing speeches declaring his love for the Beauxbaton's headmistress!
Her Sixth Year/His Second Year out of Hogwarts
Dear Katie,
Wow, that new professor sounds awful! Even Snape doesn't seem as bad. I hope your classes get better. N.E. are hard enough without someone actively not teaching you.
Make sure you can listen to the match on the wireless this weekend - I'm going to be the starter Keeper! Finally! I was going to leave it as a surprise for you but then couldn't be sure you'd be able to listen to it and I'd be gutted if you missed it. My first match starting, I can't believe it. I wish you could come in person.
Ewa is going to be there. Do you remember me mentioning her when we had the tournament in Poland? We've kept in touch and she's been out to visit me a few times in the past couple of months. She's a Keeper as well, and new to her team so we have loads in common. I think you'll really like her too.
Lots of Love,
Your forever friend, Oliver.
P.S. Fred and George sent me a hamper full of sweets - are they safe?
Her Seventh Year/His Third Year out of Hogwarts
Oliver screwed up his face enough so the tears were kept at bay. He still didn't understand how this could happen. Even after Cedric and what happened at the Ministry last summer, he still didn't think this could happen. Not to Katie. Not to his Katie.
Even after he broke her heart when she was fifteen years old, she was still his Katie. He always looked forward to receiving her letters and hearing what was going on in Hogwarts, and she was the first person he wanted to tell good news to.
Now, she was laying on a hospital bed, unmoving and cold. Before he went in, the Healer had explained that although her skin was icy to the touch she was still alive. This was an effect of the curse. It was still haunting to feel her frozen fingers between his as he held her still hand. It had already been a month since it happened and she was still in this state. He'd pleaded with the hospital to be able to see her sooner but it had only been her parents allowed at first, and then any potential visitors needed to be vetted by the Auror office due to the high security around her.
"Hi Katie, it's Oliver."
He felt stupid. The Healer had told him to talk to her, that familiar voices are good to hear if she can hear. He didn't know how familiar his voice was to her anymore. He hadn't seen her in person in years, life had somehow got in the way and so she only knew his voice now through words on a page.
"I brought you some flowers," said Oliver, trying to force a smile on his face so his voice sounded happy. "They're from Hagrid's garden. I wrote to him and told him about my visit today and asked him if he could pick me a bouquet for you. I would have picked them myself but the security around the castle is mental now. Not mental, really, very very, justified but hey, he met me in Hogsmeade to give them to me this morning. He says hi and that he is wishing for your recovery. He told me to tell you that his garden has never looked worse so he needs you back to help him."
Oliver sighed and looked around the room. Other than his bouquet of wildflowers, there were letters and pictures hung up on the walls. Her parents must have hung them knowing that her friends weren't able to come themselves yet. He knew he was the first visitor that wasn't a specialist or a family member. He recognised some of the names on them like Fred and George, Alicia, Angelina, Leanne… and many he didn't.
"So many people need you in their lives, Katie, they need you to wake up. I need you to wake up."
Her Repeat Seventh Year/His Fourth Year out of Hogwarts
He found her kneeling down in the mud, sobbing hysterically. The ground around her was trampled earth and rocks, with half of Hagrid's hut split out into what was the garden. The other half was still burning.
"Katie," called out Oliver, as he approached, wanting to announce his presence so as not to spook her. She still flinched, her wand arm shooting up automatically. "It's me, it's Oliver."
Her shoulders slumped. "They ruined it. The garden, the house, everything is ruined."
"We need to go," stated Oliver, as he crouched down beside her and grabbed her upper arms. "It's not safe, especially this close to the Forbidden Forest, there could still be all manner of bad things in there."
"They've destroyed everything."
"I know, I know, but we can rebuild it, we will, but we need to go back up to the castle," said Oliver, as he cast an assessing gaze over her. Her eyes were big and glassy, her face pale, clearly in shock. She had a graze on her forehead that was sticky with blood but did not seem to still be bleeding and had scorch marks and rips in her uniform. He probably looked the same, but it seemed they had both gotten away with only light injuries.
"We can't rebuild everything," said Katie, quietly.
He had a thickness in his throat that was difficult to swallow. "Fred."
"I'm crying about a garden and he's dead," exclaimed Katie, sucking in breath.
"That's because it's not really the garden you're crying about, sweetheart," said Oliver, pulling her into his chest.
He held her as she cried, not caring if she realised there were tears falling on top of her head from him. She was alive. He was alive. So many others hadn't, but they had made it.
"Katie, please, we need to head back to the castle," said Oliver, giving her one last squeeze. He couldn't hear her muffled response against his shirt but felt her head nod. As she moved apart from him, he grabbed her by the chin and gently rubbed tears and dirt from her face with his thumbs.
"How did you know I would be here?" sniffled Katie.
"I couldn't find you and I was really worried, Katie, really worried," admitted Oliver. "Madam Pomfrey said she hadn't come across you injured or… or otherwise, so I came here. And hoped."
"I'm glad you found me here."
"I'm glad I found you here all those years ago."
The Rest of Their Lives
"Where's Mummy?"
"Where do you think Mummy is?" asked Oliver, as he scooped up his running toddler with one arm and used his other hand to tickle her little belly. He never tired of her giggles.
"I think Mummy will be in the garden," exclaimed Alice. "Mummy loves the garden!"
"Let's go see."
He placed her gently back on the floor, wincing slightly as she ran at full, wobbly speed. He followed behind her, pausing to lean against the open patio door doorframe, watching his wife pick up their daughter and smother her face with kisses. That giggle was back.
"I found you, I found you, I found you," laughed Alice, wriggling in her mother's arms.
"You did, baby girl," smiled Katie. "Just like your daddy did."