Quidditch Over Love

Part Three

You run to the library and your special nook there that nobody else knows about. Once you get there, you sink to the floor and stare at the wall, pondering what this will mean. You know for sure Oliver will tell you he doesn't like you that way. The only way to avoid that, to keep the small hope you have left, is to avoid him.
As you draw to this unpleasant conclusion, you remember your free period is next and decide to start working on your homework because you'll need time later to make up whatever you missed in Potions. You reach for your bag beside you but only grasp air.  Sh*t.  You almost get up to get it when you realize someone will probably get it for you. Besides, it would be awful to return to Potions after your announcement. You decide to wait out the end of the period with a good book to calm you down. You go pick out a book and start reading, but you can't focus. Something nags at you in the back of the head. Too late, you realize that it will be Oliver who will bring you your bag.
But the period has just ended, and students flood into the library. You see Hermione in one corner and ponder going to ask her for advice. As you shut your book to stand up, Oliver runs in and spots Hermione. He quickly walks up to her.
You lean in, ready to eavesdrop.
"Hermione, have you seen Y/N?! It's really urgent and I have to give Y/N her book bag she left behind in Potions."
"No, I haven't. We usually study together during this period, why don't you just wait for her?" Hermione replies sweetly.
Oliver nods, sets your book bag down on the table, and excuses himself to go find a copy of  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them .
You know you may not have another chance to get your bag (without talking to Oliver) so you hurry over to Hermione's table and snatch your bag.
"Y/N, Oliver just came--" Hermione starts.
"I know."
"Then why the hurry? Did what we do this morning help?"
You sigh and quickly relay the day's events as Hermione nodded in sympathy.
"Y/N, what are you going to do?"
"I'm just going to avoid him. There's nothing else I can do." You glance up and see Oliver
walking towards you.
"Excuse me, I have to go." You turn and run out of the library.
You hear Oliver behind you.
"Y/N, wait!" You keep running and you hear him give up chasing you and turn to Hermione.
"Did she say anything?" He asks, anxious.
"Just that she had to go talk to Snape before his next class started."
•••
Two Days Later
You had managed to avoid Oliver so far, but you knew it wouldn't last much longer; you had quidditch practice tonight. You trudged down to the Quidditch fields, got dressed, and went out to where your team was waiting for you. All of practice went fairly normal; you joked around with all your teammates --except Oliver(who just watched you with a worried expression).
Too soon, practice was over and you went back to the locker room. After changing, you took out your broomstick care kit and worked on polishing the handle of your Nimbus 2001, your birthday gift from your parents. You noticed the only people left were Harry, Oliver, and you.
Harry cleared his voice. "I'll give you two some space." You loved hanging out with Harry, but right now you wanted to hex him.
You shot him a glare as he smirked and left. Feeling apprehensive, you started trimming the twigs on your broomstick. You didn't get very far when you heard Oliver behind you.
"Y/N, I have to tell you something."
That was it. You knew it was time to let go of your false hope that he liked you.
"What? You decided it was finally time to let me down easy? It's okay! Better than okay,
really. I don't need you, not for a friend, not for anything." There. As much as those words might hurt, you knew you couldn't afford any kindness.
You stormed outside and up the hill to the castle.
"Y/N! Wait!" He said, gasping for air as he caught up to you and grabbed your arm. Hope almost made your heart burst, he'd come to tell you he loved you too.
But you knew you couldn't depend on hope. Hope only got people somewhere in your books. You shook your head, pushing those hopeful thoughts away
"Y/N, do you really think that I don't like you?"
"Of course I think that. All you love is quidditch. It's all that matters, right? You're just like every other loser in this school who wants to win the cup, except you're worse! You'll do anything just to win it! You're just as cold and uncaring as Professor Binns, if not worse!"
He let go of your arm quickly, like he'd been shocked.
You made your way to the large doors that led to the main hall of Hogwarts, tears streaming down your face. As the doors swung shut behind you, you heard him whisper: "That's not what it is. It's not quidditch I'm in love with."
But that was just your imagination playing tricks on you. It had to be.