Catch Me If You Can. Oliver Wood

Chapter Six.

Dedicated to the four firemen who just had to break down the bathroom door to free my housemate and our toilet... you did us proud :P

am back at university, otherwise powertools would have been at hand and used.

Read, Enjoy, Vote, Comment.

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I sat on the edge of my bed watching the sun slowly start to rise out the windows and reflecting off the Black Lake. I'd never really fallen asleep last night, just rested with my eyes closed but my mind whirling at 100mph.

I turned my eyes from the window down to the hem of my skirt, the navy blue strip residing against the grey of the Hogwart's uniform. How am I going to face the rest of the school, all those people who'd respected me for being the only female quidditch captain?

"Anna, when did you wake up?" Lorna asked sitting up in her bed and frowning over at me. "Did you even go sleep?"

I shook my head helplessly, unable to even speak without being ashamed of myself.

"You're not going to walk around Hogwart's like some friendless loser." she sighed rolling her eyes dramatically at me as she pulled out a clean shirt for the day. "You've got me, Soph and the rest of the girls."

"Thank you." I mumbled, "I thought you hated me too."

"No, I was the only one who stood up for you." she smiled walking towards the bathroom, "I've always thought you were a nice person."

Relief settled the sickness in my stomach, but it didn't reach the rest of me. My body almost refused to work as I tripped over thin air and walked headlong into walls and doorways.

When I finally made it down to the great hall I could feel everyone's eyes resting on me, waiting to see what was going to happen. No one could remember the last time a quidditch captain was changed just two games into the season.

Not being able to see any friendly faces I simply sat in the first spare seat I saw, intent on ignoring everyone, but alas, it was not meant to be.

"Oh, good morning failure." Korsakov laughed patting my head in a patronising manner as she walked past me "Got no friends, boohoo."

I bit the inside of my cheek as she walked past, then the sniggering started, I could hear her mumbled voice and then the laughter of those around her. The people I once considered to be friends of mine.

"She can't even organise her own breakfast." Someone shouted as I dropped my spoon.

I jumped to my feet and headed out of the hall, walking as fast as I could possibly manage, only to run into Oliver Wood and his dark haired friend, a slow clap started at the Ravenclaw table and tears started to prick at my eyes.

My pride had already taken a damn good beating in the last twenty four hours and I literally couldn't take it anymore.

---

I sat at the Gryffindor table next to Dan, glaring at the Ravenclaw's who had started the slow clapping as Anna Orme had ran into us, that was some serious piss taking right there.

"Chill out, it's just Orme." Dan whispered pushing the side of my head, "You look like they were just doing that to you."

"She doesn't deserve that." I snapped back, unable to help myself. "She smashed the Ravenclaw's to the top of the score board with that game plan on Saturday."

"True." he admitted turning to watch someone walk across the room behind me, I literally didn't need to ask. "Seriously, do you think she'll say yes?"

"Glad to know she wasn't in on the slow clap." I muttered and he sent me a look. "Yes."

"Good, I'll ask her soon."

"Pussy." I smirked as he clamped his mouth shut. "I need to give Orme her book back."

"Orme, Orme, Orme." he chanted bouncing his head about, "That is seriously all you talk about at the moment."

"Says the stalker, Lorna Lewis this, Lorna Lewis that." I argued, "At least Orme is gossip for most people not just me."

"Yes, but most people don't think she has a nice arse."

"Doubt it; it's a hell of a good arse." I smirked as he shrugged, "I don't know why I bother, you're obsessed with Lorna freaking Lewis."

"And with good reason too." he winked standing up and strolling over to where she was sitting.

I couldn't help myself; I sat with my mouth open in shock that he was actually going to ask her out in front of the whole school. She laughed as he smiled, she said something and he came back over to me.

"Orme's in the library if you wanna give her book back." he stated as I shook my head laughing, "what?"

"I seriously thought you were going to ask her out."

"Nah mate gotta slip onto her radar. A few cheeky grins, a few compliments and then go in for the date." he stated nodding his head like the player he thought he was. "I'll save you a seat in Transfig."

"Cheers." I sighed leaving my half eaten breakfast and making my way to the library she probably wanted her notebook back.

---

"Orme are you back here?" Oliver Wood's voice sang through the shelves, hastily I grabbed the bundle of tissues in front of me and scrubbed my face in an attempt to remove any signs of crying. "Shit Orme, don't let them get to you."

I looked up only to realise it was far too late to remove solid evidence, he was frowning down at me, something a little nicer than pity in his eyes. "It's harder than it looks."

"I'm sorry." he sighed, sitting on the edge of the table and transfigured a stack of papers into tissues for me. "Here, you have eye stuff down your face still."

"Thanks." I laughed despite myself taking them from him. "It was just the straw that broke the camel's back you know? I can handle the freezing out, the jokes at my expense, but the slow clap?"

"That was pretty harsh." he admitted.

"It was also the last line in a string of mistakes I'd made that morning; thankfully they missed seeing me coming down from the common room."

"Why what did you do?" he asked, a laugh sounding in his voice.

"Walked into the doors, got stuck behind a suit of armour hiding from peeves, I'd managed to pack my wand right at the bottom of my bag."

"You really do know how to go all out don't ya?" he grinned and I nodded. "I just came to give you back this."

I felt my shoulders sag slightly when he said that, realising he hadn't come to check up on me. Just to give me back my notebook, stupid Anna, it's only you that finds anyone attractive in this room.

"Thanks." I smiled; I was starting to get good at this fake smiling thing. "I appreciate it."

"No worries, I know you'd do the same for Me." he shrugged standing up again and swinging his bag back over his shoulders. "See you round."

"See you round." I smiled giving him a small wave as I clutched the small book in my hands.

I need to pull myself together. It was stupid of me really going down ahead of Lorna and Soph. But at least now I know I need them. At least now I know I really should pull myself up by the socks and stop thinking that anything Oliver Wood has done for me in the last few days has anything to do with any affection.

It's simply coincidence. One that plays havoc with my sleep patterns, dreams and emotions, but a coincidence none the less.

I am an Orme, and we never fall into a mess in the library, well I won't again.