Chapter 9: Gryffindors
The next morning I felt a little better. I'd gotten a lot more sleep than some people, and at least a little more sleep than most people. Also, Gryffindor had calmed down considerably. Everyone was still happy, but at least I was now able to fake that I was as happy as they were.
I had slept in longer than normal, but it was a Sunday, so it didn't really matter. I got up, took a shower and got dressed before walking down to the Great Hall. Percy was in our normal place, so I joined him.
"Morning," he said, looking up and smiling a little.
"Morning," I said.
"You don't look so good," Percy said.
I shrugged a little. "I feel fine."
"Something wrong?"
"No," I lied. I smiled. "It's just that the last big game is over. We're almost out of Hogwarts." I decided not to feel bad about making up things because telling Percy what was really bothering me probably would have given him a stroke.
"Yeah, we're really growing up," Percy said. "But there's a lot to look forward to. Like work."
I laughed. "Percy, only you would look forward to work."
Percy smiled. He was used to my banter on his work ethics.
"There are other things to look forward to. Like having a family, I guess," Percy tried.
"That makes work sound appealing," I muttered.
Percy laughed. "I agree. Oh, God."
"What?" I asked, turning around to see what he was looking at.
Oliver had walked up behind me. "Hey, I didn't see you again last night," he said, ignoring Percy.
"I went upstairs. I was tired," I said emotionlessly.
Oliver nodded. "Are you OK?"
"That's what I asked her," Percy said.
"I told you that I'm only a little sad about graduation."
Oliver nodded again. "OK. You're sure?"
"I think I would know," I muttered.
"I know you would know. I know you may not tell me the truth, as well," Oliver said, smiling. "Can I talk to you later?"
I shrugged and nodded. "Yeah."
"OK. See you later, then. Later, Percy," Oliver said, nodding at him.
Percy nodded back. "Congratulations on the win, by the way," he said quickly.
Oliver turned back towards us. "Thanks," he said, a little defensively.
"It wasn't very manly to bawl like a baby, though, was it?" Percy asked, smirking a little.
"I saw you jumping up and down like a little school girl," Oliver said, smiling back.
Percy fought back a real smile.
"Thank Charlie for fixing my broom," Oliver said.
Percy nodded.
I was completely in shock. Percy and Oliver being civil? To each other? I was dreaming. I was surely dreaming.
"Right… well… see you," Oliver said, starting to walk away.
"When you're so close to making up?" I blurted out. "I mean… a couple of apologizes and—"
"Don't push it," Percy interrupted.
Oliver continued to walk away.
I sighed. "I guess I should take what I can get from the two of you."
"I guess."
"Even though you would both be happier if you forgave each other… not liked each other again, necessarily, but forgave each other. I want you both to… be happy."
I stood up.
"What?" Percy asked.
I shook my head. "I just realized something. It's nothing."
"You realized you want us both to be happy?"
"Kind of. I'm not really hungry, and I have a lot of studying to do for that Transfiguration test tomorrow. I'll see you later, OK, Perce?"
"Yeah," Percy said, shaking his head a little. "Later."
I went upstairs and I did study. A few hours later, I ate lunch with Oliver and Company.
"So, where's Ashley?" Adam asked when we were almost done eating.
Oliver shrugged. "With her friends, I'm assuming."
"And you aren't with her?" Adam asked.
"Obviously not, as I'm sitting here with you."
"What was up with Ashley and you, anyway?" Joan asked, looking at me.
"Nothing," Oliver said, shrugging a little. "We were just hanging out last night."
"That's it?" Joan asked, smiling.
Oliver laughed. "Yeah, that's it. She wanted to be seen with the captain of the winning team, and it's not as if there was any reason to decline to just play along. Why?"
"Just wondering," Joan said.
I was in a much better mood after that conversation, although I felt stupid for worrying about it. But I did learn one thing from the little ordeal. There were only a few months left before school was over, and other people were interested in Oliver. I needed to let him know how I felt. Not that I was looking forward to doing so.
That afternoon all of the Seventh Years were sitting around the common room, studying for this, that and the other. And for N.E.W.T.s. I was tired of studying, or pretending to study at any rate. I got up and walked over to Oliver.
"You said you wanted to talk?" I asked.
Oliver looked up from his Transfiguration book. "What?"
I smiled. "You said you wanted to talk?" I repeated.
Oliver nodded, and then looked down at his book again. "Yeah, but I don't really remember about what right now."
"Oh, OK," I said, turning to go.
"Although, whatever it is, it's preventing me from really studying," Oliver said.
I turned back to him.
"Maybe it will come to me. Want to go for a walk?"
I nodded.
Oliver and I walked out of the common room and started walking towards the Great Hall.
"I know I've told you this, but I'm really happy for your win," I said.
"I know you are. That's what I wanted to talk to you about," he said.
"You remembered quickly, then," I said, narrowing my eyes suspiciously.
He wasn't looking. "Yeah. I wanted to thank you."
"For what?"
"Just for being supportive, even before we were friends. But especially recently. If I had anything at all to do with our win, which I believe I did, then you… had something to do with our win, too."
"If I had something to do with your win, then you're welcome," I said, smiling. "Indirectly, it's Quidditch that I wanted to talk to you about."
"You want to talk about Quidditch?" Oliver asked.
"I said 'indirectly'. I don't know enough about Quidditch to talk with you about it."
"All right. What do you want to talk about?" Oliver asked, opening the big oak doors and letting me step through before following.
"Me," I said. "And you," I added quickly.
Oliver laughed. We had walked down the stairs and were heading towards the lake before he responded. "You and me… us?"
"You and me… us… whatever," I said quickly, blushing.
"Are you breaking up with me?" Oliver asked, laughing.
I smiled. "Maybe tomorrow."
"I'm sorry. Go ahead."
"I know what I need to be happy now. I just figured it out this morning. I mean, I think I've known for a while, but I understood this morning."
"What happened this morning?" Oliver asked.
"You talked to Percy. Without fighting."
Oliver sighed. "Laura, if you need Percy and I to make up for you to be happy, then—"
"No, that's not it," I said.
Oliver sighed again, more out of relief this time. "Thank God, because I was going to say, if that's what you need to be happy, then… I would apologize to him."
I stared at him.
"But it's not, so I don't have to," Oliver said as fast as he could.
"No, you don't have to," I agreed. "Even though I think it would make all of us happier, you don't have to apologize to Percy."
"Please don't try the guilt thing."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
"Was it working?"
"A little."
I laughed. "I'm sorry."
We had reached the lake. Oliver sat down on a big flat rock that was a few feet away from the lake. I recognized it as the same rock that I had climbed onto after Oliver had pushed me into the lake a few months before. I sat down next to him and we looked out over the water.
"What do you need to be happy?" Oliver asked.
"I need you and Percy to be happy," I said, softly.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Oliver turn his head to look at me.
"That's why what I wanted to talk to you about was indirectly linked to Quidditch. If winning the Quidditch Cup was what you needed to be happy, then I needed you to win that Cup for me to be happy."
"Why?"
"I… care about both of you, first of all. You're my two best friends, Oliver," I said, looking at him. He was facing the lake again.
"And… if you're both happy… then I didn't do anything to make it so you couldn't be happy. Do you understand? If you're both happy, then it's OK for me to be happy."
Oliver looked at me again. "It has always been OK for you to be happy, and it will never be your fault if one of us isn't. You've been a good friend to both of us. Laura… never let what happened between the three of us years ago stop you from being happy. It wasn't worth anything and certainly not your unhappiness."
I nodded. That was all I could trust myself to do without crying.
"You're sure you don't need me to apologize to Percy?"
"If there's anything I've ever needed you to do, you just did it," I said, confident that I could hold back the tears entering my eyes.
He smiled. "And you can concentrate on what you're studying now?"
I smiled back. "Who said I was having trouble studying?"
"It's hard to study when you keep looking up from your notes at me."
I stopped smiling.
Oliver slid off the rock and looked out over the water for a few seconds before turning back towards me. He held out his hand.
I took it and slid down the rock to stand in front of him.
We stood there, hand in hand, looking at each other for a few seconds before he smiled, slowly.
"You said we were Gryffindors because we can face life bravely?"
"Yes."
Oliver laughed a little to himself. "That's a hard thing to do," he said, again about half to himself.
"Do you remember when we were working on that Transfiguration project and you made the first attempt to be my friend and I shot you down…. You said you were what life was facing me against?" he asked.
"Yes?" I asked, getting a little nervous.
"That wasn't easy for you, was it?" he asked.
"What wasn't?"
"Asking me to forgive you and to be your friend."
I could feel myself blushing. "No… it wasn't easy."
"But you did it anyway."
"Yes."
"How?" he asked.
I smiled a little. "I didn't mean to…. Not really. I just… told myself that's what I needed to do and did it before I could stop myself."
"And if it would have backfired?"
"It did backfire," I said, smiling a little more.
"Not in the long run."
"In the long run? In the long run my pride is still hurting… and in the long run it was worth it."
He smiled.
"Why? Oliver, you're starting to scare me a bit. Are you breaking up with ME?" I asked, trying to smile.
"Maybe tomorrow," he said, leaning down slightly and squeezing my hand that he was still holding.
I saw everything in slow motion. I could see him step closer and could see him put his other hand lightly on my waist. I could see him bend down to where our faces were at the same level. I saw his eyes close and closed my own.
The kiss ended more quickly than it began, but time was going at its regular speed again. I opened my eyes. Oliver had taken his hand off my waist, but his other hand was still grasping mine.
And there was another awkward stare-off, but this time I could only stand it for a few seconds.
"Something's wrong," I said.
"I'm waiting for that to backfire."
I smiled. "What?"
"I'm waiting for you to shoot me down. I mean… that'd be fair."
"Oliver, wouldn't I have taken my hand back by now if I was going to shoot you down?"
Oliver dropped my hand, starting to blush.
"Right… sorry."
I laughed. "I don't think you understood me," I said, blushing a little as well.
Oliver raised one of his eyebrows.
I sighed. "I… I mean… well…." I smiled and looked down at the ground. I couldn't tell him I loved him because I was still afraid that that would scare him (and me). And I couldn't tell him I liked him liked him because that would sound stupid. Instead, I reached out and took his hand in mine.
He smiled, bent down and kissed me again. This time he didn't pull away to get my reaction. His hand ended up resting barely on my waist again, and my hand ended up on his upper arm.
Oliver started laughing and I pulled back, frowning.
"You're about to hurt my feelings," I said seriously.
He shook his head. "It's just our position. Looks like we're dancing."
I smiled and took my hand off his arm. I just looked at him for a minute.
"Yes?" he asked, eventually.
"What time is it?" I asked casually.
Oliver laughed. "You're going to hurt my feelings, next."
"No. Percy's," I said, forcing a laugh.
Oliver raised his eyebrows. "He… likes you?"
"Is it that hard?"
"That isn't what I meant."
"I was kidding. No, Percy acts too much like he's my brother for him to like me. But he practically hates you."
"Thanks for buttering that up for me."
"I don't butter things up well."
"Maybe Percy already knows…."
I groaned. "I hope not."
Oliver laughed. "You don't have to tell him."
I shook my head. "Not telling Percy things like this doesn't end well. Everyone else can just figure it out for themselves, but… I've got to tell Percy… how I feel about you."
Oliver smiled. "Before you tell me how you feel about me?" he asked, turning red.
I smiled back. "Yes."
Oliver laughed. "You're going to tell Percy how you feel about me before telling me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"It's easier," I admitted, turning to go back to the castle.
"What happened to facing life bravely?" Oliver asked, following, still holding my hand.
"One step at a time. Anyway… maybe I don't know exactly… how I feel."
"Then how are you going to tell Percy?"
I shrugged and shook my head. "I have no idea."
"Laura?"
"Yeah?" I asked, starting towards the castle again.
"What if Percy doesn't approve?"
I snorted. "If? Oliver, let's get real. When Percy doesn't approve."
"Right. But… if he gives you an ultimatum. You know… if he makes you choose between him and me. That kind of thing."
I sighed. "I don't think he will. But if he does, then it will be a friendship with Percy that I'll have to worry about."
"Meaning…."
"Meaning that I won't choose him over you, but I won't choose you over him, either, unless he makes me."
Oliver nodded. "OK. I just… needed to know that."
"I know."
After a few minutes, we were at the bottom of the stairs that led up to the front door but Oliver held me back. I turned to face him.
"There's one more thing I need to know," Oliver said.
"OK."
"When will it be more about us than about us and Percy?"
I smiled a little. "Oliver…." I said, slowly.
"No. I'm serious. I don't know a nice way to ask this."
"That's OK."
"Can there be an us without Percy?"
"I have to tell him, Oliver. I don't know why I can't just let him figure it out but I need to tell him."
"I understand. That's not what I mean."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean… can you think about me without thinking about Percy?"
I laughed. "Thank God, yes, I can."
"You can think about me without thinking that it's a miracle we're even friends? Without thinking about the five years we hated each other?"
I didn't answer.
"That's what I mean when I asked if it would ever not be about Percy."
"Oliver, our past is our fight. Our past is getting over that fight. Has it ever not been about Percy?"
"Exactly," Oliver said. "And can that ever change?"
"I don't know," I answered honestly. I looked down. "But I want it to."
Oliver let go of my hand and moved his own hand up to my chin, lifting my head up so that I was looking at him.
"That's all I wanted to know."
He bent down to kiss me again.
"Well… that's no' exactly wha' I was expectin' to see on the way to me 'ut."
Oliver and I spun towards the castle to see Hagrid walking down the stairs. He was smiling broadly, looking from me, to Oliver, and back to me again.
"It's been a while since I las' talked to the two o' you. I see why."
"What?" I asked. "Oh! No… I mean—"
"We just—" Oliver started.
"Right," I agreed.
Hagrid laughed, taking one last step to take him down the last three stairs onto the ground.
"Yer not in trouble."
Oliver and I didn't say anything. We just stood there, feeling uncomfortable.
"I always knew you two would end up tergether."
"You did not," I said, smiling.
"I did. Jus' like I know that Ron and 'ermione will end up tergether… when they're old enough to realize that's what they want."
"Ron Weasley?" I asked. I had never really thought about it before. I had never really talked to Ron. We rarely even acknowledged that we knew each other.
"O' course," Hagrid said. "I knew it the momen' the two of 'em became friends, in their firs' year. Jus' like I knew it the momen' the two of you became friends."
"And during the past five years?" Oliver asked, smiling.
"Don' you see that fight was what ya needed to realize how ya felt about each other? Ya needed to work on yer friendship before ya could ever be more than friends. And ya needed a fight for yer friendship to really begin. Granted… I didn't think it would take you five years…."
"Funny… I thought it would take five hundred," Oliver said. He laughed.
"It don' matter now. Yer tergether."
I smiled and looked up at Oliver.
"Well… the two o' you are missin' dinner. Better go on inside."
"OK," I said.
We said goodbye to Hagrid and then made our way into the Great Hall together. We acted normally. We didn't need the school to know anything right away.
"I'm going to sit by… where's Percy?"
Oliver shrugged.
"Well… I guess I'm going to sit by you then."
We ate dinner like normal. I couldn't help but think about what I would say to Percy. All I knew was that once Percy knew, I could try to start the next part of my life.
[Author's Note: That chapter is my second favorite part of the story, for obvious reasons. (My favorite is the part with the Golden Snitches.) And I'm sorry… this story doesn't just end with a kiss. There are still conflicts that need to be attended to!
Have you done your good deed for the day? Make this author's day by reviewing! (And it does make my day.) Don't feel like logging in again after Mugglenet's servers disconnected you? Don't have a penname that allows you to review on this website? Not a problem! IM me at ByMerlinsBeard (AIM) or just_smile_04 (Yahoo!). Don't want to review because your review wouldn't be full of peaches and cream and you're afraid of hurting my feelings? Don't be. Constructive criticism is more than welcome. Your comments can help make future chapters better (and eventually help me make past chapters better). Don't delay! Review today!
… I have no pride.
Coming up in the next chapter: Laura has to tell Percy how she feels about Oliver. Emotions run high.]