Oliver's Girl

Oliver's Girl (07)

1 AM in Gryffindor Tower

Oliver sat up in bed and looked around his room. No one else was up. He crawled out of bed and headed downstairs to the Common Room. She wasn't there yet. He sat down on the comfy red couch by the fireplace. He had already gotten comfortable when Serenity came down and wrapped her arms around his neck.

She whispered in his ear, "Hey there."

He turned around to smile at her. "Hey to you, too."

She walked around the couch and lay down with him, her head on his chest.

"You know, I was thinking," he said while playing with her hair and stroking her face. "We don't really have to have these meetings at night anymore.

She sighed and pulled her arms down to wrap around her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean... everyone already knows about us, so why should we hide it? Kissing isn't anything to be ashamed of, is it?"

She nodded. "You're right. It really shouldn't matter."

They sat in silence for a few more minutes.

"Serenity?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?"

"Do you really have to ask? I mean, I thought that was sort of a given..."

"Well, it is... but... I just felt like I had to ask anyway."

She smiled. "Of course I will."

With that said, they closed their eyes and just appreciated being alone together.

* * * * * * * * * *

Christmas was coming around the corner quicker than anyone thought it would. Oliver enjoyed the cheerfulness all around him. He loved how the Quidditch pitch looked when it snowed. Everyone around him was so happy and wore their holiday sweaters and mittens. Some were outside happily having snow ball fights and coming into the castle for hot cocoa. He inhaled the smell of pine and walked into the Great Hall for lunch.

He sat down by Serenity and she smiled.

"Are you staying here for the holidays?"

"Uh... actually, I'm going home to see my parents."

The smile quickly faded form her face. "Oh." She turned back to her plate, but only stared at it. "I'm staying here."

He was surprised. Who would want to stay at Hogwarts when they hadn't seen their family in months?

"Why?"

"Well, I'm not in much of a hurry to see my grandparents. Besides. Hogwarts is like my home now."

He opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. He looked at his plate and reluctantly began to eat his sandwich.

History of Magic class

Serenity sat by Fed as usual and was honestly trying to pay attention (though her attempts were fruitless) and finally decided that she ought to write Oliver since he was suffering at the moment, too.

She waited until Fred and George were in deep conversation to slip him a note. ('Meet me tonight?') She knew it didn't matter when they met, but she had a hard time getting over the first and second years staring at them in the Common Room. She felt like screaming, "Get your own life!" and chase them with her Nimbus to hit them on the head with.

She was laughing at the thought when the note landed back on her table. She looked at Professor Binns. Still babbling about the Bell Witch to notice anything. Fred and George were arguing quietly about how much they should charge for their newest concoction. Chocolate that turns your skin into fish scales. All clear. She opened the note frantically, but only to be disappointed by his answer.

'I can't. I have to pack tonight.'

It was 'that time of the month' again, and she felt like waltzing across the room to pour her ink all over him. Or at least draw angry scribble marks on the parchment. She took a deep breath and tried to control herself. She lightly dabbed the quill in her ink bottle and controllably wrote back, 'Oh'.

While Oliver replied, she tapped her fingers angrily on the desk and mumbled incoherently something along the lines of 'Stupid... going away... has to... gr...'

A few minutes later, a Hufflepuff threw the note at her head. Obviously they had bad aim. She couldn't control it anymore.

"AAAAAAAARGH!!!"

The whole class became silent, some even waking up, and Professor Binns actually turned around.

"Who was that?" he asked in his monotone voice.

Serenity turned slightly pink while excuses ran through her mind. "Um... just... got something caught in my throat, sir." And she smiled, as if adding to the innocent look on her face.

Professor Binns's transparent face showed a frown, while some testing students snickered. "Did you get it out, Ms. Michaels?"

She resisted the urge to reply sarcastically, 'Yes sir, just a hairball,' but smiled slyly. "Yes sir. Just recovered form a bad cold," and she attempted a fake sneeze, but it ended up sounding more like a sick cow. (Which resulted in more giggles and snickers.)

"You may want to check Madam Pomfrey about that, you know."

"Yes sir."

He turned around as if nothing had happened. She received a few looks and even encouraging smiles from her fellow students before they returned to their naps or conversations. Fred and George gave her high fives for her hilarious cover, then returned to their argument. She crumbled the note without even reading it. She'd reply later.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Oliver pulled her aside directly after dinner.

"Why didn't you reply?"

They were all alone in the Entrance Hall since everyone was packing.

"Well, I... what did it say?"

"You didn't read it?"

"Not while I was recovering from a horrible cold."

They both laughed and eh guided her up the Grand Stairs with his arm around her waist.

Oliver finally started the conversation up again.

"In the note, I asked if we were going to bother with getting each other gifts for Christmas."

She shrugged. "I don't mind. Do you want to?"

His thumb playfully caressed her side. "Yeah. I do. I've got something special for you."

"Special? Not expensive I hoep."

"Uh... no... not technically..."

"Technically?"

"Okay... it's not. And DON'T spend a lot on me, either!"

She laughed. "I'll try not to."

They reached the Common Room and kissed their goodbyes.

"See you when I see you?"

She sighed. "I guess."

They hugged and parted ways; each to their own dormitory.

Once upstairs and in the privacy of her room, she collapsed on her bed. 'What a day. Oliver's leaving tomorrow...oh damn it! Fred and George aren't staying for the holidays either! At least they're staying a day longer though... Who are they visiting? One of their brothers... Harley? Was that his name? Hm... oh! What am I going to get Oliver?I should ask Alicia... she's good with guys... I have to get it tomorrow... maybe I can sneak over to Hogsmeade tomorrow with the trouble twins..." She couldn't finish her thought because she had fallen asleep despite her hard thinking.

Classes went very slow the next day. Everyone was excited about leaving for the holidays. Oliver was gone and Fred and George were trying to keep her mind off of him, which worked only about half the time because even the smallest things reminded her of him. Just looking outside at the Quidditch pitch was enough for her. By the time dinner was over, she was irritable and thought that even the twins were slightly annoying. Unfortunately, she had to bear with them since they sneaking off to Hogsmeade that night.

The twins asked her to hurry when they had reached Gryffindor Tower because they wanted to leave with the after dinner rush. She ran to her room and grabbed her scarf, gloves, and money.

"Where are you going?" Angelina asked her.

'Damn it.' Serenity hadn't seen her in her hurry.

"Um... out."

She was already at the door and was about to leave when she remembered that she needed to ask Alicia something. She looked around the room, but she wasn't there.

Angelina looked at her with a funny expression as if she thought Serenity had gone mad. "Need something?"

Serenity thought for a moment. "Um... actually. I do. Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"What should I get... someone special... a guy, of course..." She stopped. The look on Angelina's face was one that clearly said, 'You mean Oliver.' Serenity continued. "Well, what should get Oliver for Christmas? I'm not good at buying guys stuff..."

"Maybe... something to do with Quidditch?"

Serenity resisted the urge to throw something at her. Of course something to do with Quidditch! She had already decided on that. I mean, they were talking about Oliver here. "Yeah. Thanks."

She ran out the door to meet Fred and George just outside the portrait hole. "Ready?"

"Ready."

And they were off to Hogsmeade.