Acquaintance - Oliver Wood/OC

Chapter 1: Declaring War

I closed my eyes for a couple of seconds, wished for more time, wished that I could shove away my toast and pumpkin juice and fall asleep right there, right then. I was usually an early bird, but somehow that quality of mine had become muddled during the long summer break. My summers usually consisted of waking up at 12 p.m., having breakfast for lunch and then playing Quidditch in the garden with my brothers until late in the night. Summers were perfect for playing Quidditch since the sun was typically as much of an insomniac as us then. I couldn't tell you how many snitches we'd lost this summer, due to the sun finally setting sometime around 2 a.m., and us giving up on ever finding it, with me always being the last one to give up and call it a night. Sometimes we'd find it speeding around outside the kitchen window the morning after.

It seemed wherever I went, I would always be the one caring the most about Quidditch, even though I was the last to try the sport in my family. I was also the only girl, which meant that it was never expected of me to play. It bothered me sometimes, thinking that maybe I'd be even better if I had only taken up the sport sooner, instead of waiting until I was ten even though my brothers started at the age of seven. I was always eager to try, but my mother held me back from it, being slightly overprotective of me. Although when the time came and I flew for the first time — I've been obsessed ever since. I flew every day and it didn't take long until I was quicker than all of my brothers, more agile and more skilled. It was nice having something to impress them with, especially since I was the designated "little sister", the only Hufflepuff among a clan of Gryffindor's.

At the realisation of how long I'd been pondering I flung my head up with a jolt, nearly getting whiplash. Damn it! I thought. I'd spaced out again. Why do I always get lost in thought like that? I looked at the clock above the teachers' table, it was nearly 8 a.m., and most teachers were gone, except professor Dumbledore who was eyeing me knowingly, he looked like he'd been waiting for me to return back to earth to witness my distraught. Shrugging off his penetrating gaze my mind sped like crazy. I needed to get to the dungeons for potions in only a couple of minutes, my mind span on, trying to figure out the quickest route from the Great Hall to the potions classroom, while fighting the hopelessness of the situation at the same time.

I spun around and stood up in the same motion as I got ready to run, but I was stopped in my haste, almost crashing into Oliver Wood, it was only then I realised he'd been trying to get my attention but I had only registered this in my unconscious as my mind had been quite preoccupied with other things right then.

"Penderghast." He greeted me, and I took a step back to create a more comfortable space between us. I saw that he looked quite uncomfortable. His eyes were darting between me and whatever was to my left. He put his hands behind him and straightened his back, regaining a confident posture as I greeted him with a smile, still feeling quite stressed but not wanting to appear so out of politeness.

"I'll make this quick as I can tell you have places to be." He said with a slight smile, if it was genuine or not I couldn't tell. He'd probably caught my longing gaze drifting toward the exit. "I heard you are Hufflepuff's new captain this year. Congratulations." Dread washed over me as he went on, I had managed to go a couple of hours without that fact crossing my mind, despite thinking about Quidditch for the bigger part of that time, and here he came along, dragging me down into a dark swamp of dread all over again. "Gryffindor is a strong team this year, we haven't been this strong in years, and it's going to be hard to beat us. But good luck none the less." He smiled and extended his hand in a form of peace offering I suppose. I took it as I was in no humour to start a war with Oliver Wood this year, despite us being on opposing sides. I said nothing as I was still struggling in the swamp of dread; instead I just smiled and passed him, making my way out of the great hall. When I had exited the room, I started my sprint toward the dungeons, knowing I was probably facing detention seeing as my teacher was who he was.