Drawing Places (Oliver Wood x reader)

Octo

The last big feast of the year felt like a cold, wet slap in the face. The Great Hall had been decorated in green and silver to commemorate Slytherin winning the house cup. They had won the past six years, this being the seventh, and the general atmosphere amongst all the houses (except Slytherin, obviously) was that nothing could be worse.

Oliver was still sulking about losing to Ravenclaw a few days ago. Something told me getting our O.W.L results back was not going to cheer him up.
What was cheering the people around me up, was that my 15th birthday was tomorrow, and Gryffindor was planning on throwing a party out in the courtyard. Michelle said it was because I was a highly valued character. I disagreed.

Dumbledore then began his speech starting by summing up the house points. We already knew that Gryffindor had come last (Percy was still upset about this), so it was no suprise to hear it aloud again.
The cheering coming from the Slytherin house was deafening, to say the least. That was until Dumbledore spoke again.

"There are a few extra points that need to be delivered." He paused, glancing around the now silent hall. "First - to Mr Ronald Weasley for the best played game of Wizard Chess, I award fifty points to Gryffindor."
We cheered, and I could hear Percy telling other Prefects that Ron was his brother, and just how proud he was. "Second - the Miss Hermione Granger, for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Fifty points to Gryffindor."
I cheered more, grinning down the table at the girl who had burried her head in her hands.
"Third - to Mr Harry Potter." We all went silent. "For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award sixty points to Gryffindor."
I squealed, grabbing Oliver's arm. He had since stopped sulking. "We tied with Slytherin."

"And lastly." We all watched Dumbledore. "It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but it takes an even greater amount to stand up to your friends. So to Neville Longbottom, I award Gryffindor house ten points." I screamed, and so did just about everyone around me. "It appears that some redecorating is in order."

With the flick of his wand, the headmaster changed the flowing banners of green and silver to scarlet red and gold. I stood up, erupting into cheers, as my friends and peers followed suit.
Oliver slid his arms around my waist and held me so tight, that I thought I might've suffocated, but I didn't mind. I hugged back just as tight.
Percy almost jumped on top of us, he was so elated.

~

The party in the courtyard was a little bit strange. People I didn't know were there. Granted, the lure of food and music was enough to get most people to turn up.
It was even stranger when Slytherin students were coming up to me and wishing me a happy birthday. Of course, it started with the Quidditch team, Marcus making each of them say hello (rather weird in my opinion), but then other students came up too. Some had small items. It was starting to make me feel uncomfortable.

Eventually they left me alone, and I made my way back to my friends, who were crowding around the twins.
"Oh dear," I mumbled, stepping up to where I could see Fred on George's shoulders, carving something into the brickwork.
Percy looked like he was about to explode, but it was the week before school broke out, classes weren't on anymore, and he really couldn't deduct house points from the pair. I giggled, stepping up to talk to George. "Make sure he writes my name up there too."
"Brilliant! Hey, Fred?"
"Yes George?"
"Write Y/N's name up there too."
"Fantastic idea!"

Before so could see the fruits of that forming, I was pulled away by Oliver Wood. He had an awkward look on his face (he often did) and was holding out a box wrapped in red paper.

"It's from my mum more than me, but, here," he said, thrusting the box into my hands. "Happy birthday."
I took the box and unwrapped the paper, before opening it.

It was a babydoll dress.
"I told her you didn't really wear dresses," he said, looking away.
"No, I really like it," I reassured, placing the box down, so I could get a proper look at the dress. It was black, with little daisies printed on it. I stood up on the tips of my toes to kiss his cheek. "Tell your mum I said thank you."
"I- Ahm- Yeah?" He flushed red, and I giggled, before putting the dress back in the box, and walking back to join the others.

The next few days really only consisted of packing books and clothes, and chasing the twins around the castle everytime they tried to test out a new spell, charm or potion on my cat. Ramone had gotten quite beefy lately. It was as if he'd doubled in size in the past week. Rumour had it, Dumbledore fed all the cats that found their way into his office... It could've just been the twins though.
Small meals were had in the Great Hall and students had stopped wearing their uniforms.

On the second last day, Marcus Flint got in a fight with another sixth year, and both ended up in the hospital wing, one nursing a broken nose, the other, a broken hand.

And then, on the last day, after breakfast, we made our way back to Hogsmeade station. I had worn the dress Oliver had given me, much to his surprise (he was still of the impression I didn't like it) and my boots. He was carrying Ramone like a baby, talking to him about how much he was going to miss him.
"Are you going to miss me too, or just Ramone?" I asked, feigning hurt.
"Just Ramone," he teased.

We got a compartment in the last carriage, and were shortly joined by Percy and Penelope Clearwater.
"Are you getting the train from Kings Cross?" Percy asked me.
I nodded. "Parents couldn't get time off work. I have to collect my ticket when we get to London."
Pretty sure my mum would be overjoyed once I learned to apparate. Unfortunately, that would only be after I'd already graduated, thanks to my age. You had to be seventeen, and I turned seventeen in the last week of my seventh year.
Penelope looked out the window.