A Glut of Excuses

Wood

AN: So the theme of this one is wood, I actually wrote this on Monday, I just forgot to actually upload it...

Word of the day (Monday's) : GLUT - An excessive amount

Quote of the day (Monday's) : "I attribute my success to this - I never gave or took any excuses" - Florence Nightingale

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It was another dismal day, with another questionable quidditch practice which meant another long "pep talk" from their captain, Oliver Wood. Except today the former was the only one on the quidditch pitch, so naturally he was in quite a foul mood. Didn't the others understand that this was IT? Their last chance, well his last chance to achieve what he had dreamed of ever since watching his first house quidditch game in his first year.

Everyone knew that Gryffindor had the best team, and should have won the last two years, if the circumstances were not so unjust against them. Oliver had managed to accept this after long hours flying out his frustration.

But what he couldn't manage was no one turning up to practice.

It wasn't Katie's fault she'd been cursed. He could understand that Alicia and Angelina wanted to be their for their friend. It certainly was Fred and George's fault they had detention.

He had hoped that at least Harry would turn up, but he wasn't allowed to leave the castle, and anyway he didn't have a broom anymore since his was destroyed by the Whomping Willow.

Just then he saw a figure emerge from the stands.

She was quite short, with flowing chestnut hair and eyes that screamed of innocence and curiosity. She was in Gryffindor robes and he recognised her from somewhere, yet he couldn't place her name.

"Hello!" he grinned, his thick Scottish brogue warming the word to thaw the freezing air in front of him. "I'm Oliver Wood, Captain and Keeper of the team! I'm sorry I can't place your name, but you look so familiar..."

"It's Laica, Laica Fields." She smiled up at him from under her long eyelashes, eyes like hot chocolate, making his insides melt every time his met them.

"How could I forget such a beautiful name?" Oliver teased, enjoying the tint of rose on her porcelain skin.

"I tend not to talk much, I just wanted to know why you were out here by yourself," she said, her voice soft and gentle.

"The rest of the team are busy, but I wanted to get some practice in, any chance to get on my broom and fly," he replied, eyes taking on a dream-like quality when he spoke about flying.

"I've always wished I could fly, but I'm the furthest thing from a natural you could get - I swear I'm naturally terrible!" Laica laughed.

"I'll teach you! If you want... I haven't got anything happening right now, as you can see," Oliver stumbled over his words, this girl had such a strange effect on him. "And I swear I won't give you a ridiculously long pep talk like I do the team, in fact for the first lesson, why don't you hitch a ride on the back of my broom, so you can have the full flight experience?"

"Wow!" she breathed. "That would be amazing!"

The two set off into the sky, just as the sun was beginning to set, flying all around the grounds of Hogwarts, over the forest, the lake, even Hagrid's hut, until they came to a stop back on the pitch.

"Thank you so much Oliver! That was just incredible!" Laica gushed, her mind still dizzy with the sensations of speeding through the air (and her close proximity to a certain keeper).

"You're welcome! Same time next week?"

And with that he leant down and placed a kiss on her flushed cheek, before walking into the changing rooms with a stupid grin on his face.