Awkward Affections (A "Harry Potter" Fanfic)

Chapter One

So, just a note: I'm aware the I wrote the prologue in first person and this chapter is in third person... I just found it impossible to write in first person all of a sudden. So the rest of the book will be in third person and I'll edit the prologue soon enough. Thanks for reading and be sure to let me know what you think! :) 

"Ava!" Oliver Withey said brightly as he slid into the compartment and plopped down across from his best friend, Ava Belby.

Ava groaned and closed her eyes, clutching her forehead. Her wavy light brown hair spilled over to cover her face. "Must you be so loud?" she croaked. "I have the worst headache, I feel like I'm about to explode!"

"I missed you, too," Oliver said mockingly. Ava couldn't see him because her eyes were closed, but she imagined that he was giving her a sarcastic eye roll.

"Oh, shut up," Ava muttered. She opened her eyes to see a smirking Oliver. His messy, dark brown hair had grown longer over the summer, and even though he was sitting she could tell he'd grown a few inches. His usually pale face was slightly tanner than usual. "I missed you. Happy?"

"I suppose," Oliver said, although he was grinning.

Ava's head was still pounding. "Good grief, I would give anything for a pain-numbing elixir of some sort."

"Well, you know what I hear helps with headaches?" Oliver suggested.

"Yeah?" Ava asked and leaned forward eagerly.

Oliver grinned and cried, "Italian Chocolate Frogs!" Ava gave him a cross look. "Well, I actually haven't heard anything of the sort, but would you like one anyways?"

Ava sighed. "Oh, why not?" Oliver fished one out of his trunk and threw it at her, and Ava ate it happily. It did relieve her headache a bit, actually, but she didn't reveal that to Oliver. 

"Who did you get?" Oliver asked eagerly, referring to the Chocolate frog card in Ava's hand.

Ava examined the card. "Zaccaria Innocenti. The warlock who cast Tarantallegra on himself and danced around the inside of Mount Vesuvius."

"Ah, I heard he was a real nutter."

Ava grinned at Oliver. "I reckon he must have been." Oliver chuckled.

"So, how was your summer?" Oliver asked her.

"Oh, it was rubbish without you. I spent most of my time helping Mum clean or cook, that woman's practically hopeless at everything. How was Italy?" Ava asked, trying not to sound jealous, but failing tremendously. When Oliver revealed to her that his family was going to Italy for the summer break, Ava was happy for him, yes, but also envious that he was going somewhere exotic and she'd be stuck in England.

Oliver beamed. "It was great! Did you know that they legalized the housing of certain dragons over there? My parents and I were wandering the streets and an old witch walked by with a tiny dragon on a leash! It's fire breath singed my trousers!" he exclaimed.

"Wow, that sounds incredible!" Ava giggled. She'd never seen Oliver so enthusiastic before. Lately, he was being rather emotionless and cold. Ava thought this was the result of him hanging around the Slytherins. Their first year at Hogwarts, Ava was convinced that Oliver had been placed into the wrong house, but as the years went on, he'd become more and more like her rivals and Ava found that she'd been rethinking her opinion.

A sudden knock interrupted their conversation. "Yes?" Ava said loudly after exchanging a confused look with Oliver. No one ever sat with them on the train. Ava didn't want to sit with Oliver's rude Slytherin friends, and Oliver didn't want to sit with Ava's Gryffindor friends.