Mountain Fold (Oliver Wood)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Anna and Zinnia were studying in the library together, but Anna could tell something was bothering Zinnia. She wasn't focusing on her work and Anna could feel the worry rolling off her in waves.

"Zinnia? What's wrong?" She whispered.

Zinnia hesitated for a bit before answering, "it's nothing Anna."

Anna gave her a pointed look and Zinnia let out a huff, grumbling about 'damn Empaths' under her breath.

"Its just that... whenever you and Darian aren't around... people start talking behind my back, they don't say anything to my face, but I can still hear them," Zinnia shuffled uncomfortably in her seat.

To say that Anna was angry would be an understatement, Zinnia had never had this problem before, it had only started when she started dating Alicia. Anna hoped that other people's prejudice wouldn't stop Zinnia from being happy.

"Zinnia I'm so sorry, if I had of known I would have never left your side."

"You can't be with me all the time Anna."

It wasn't okay to Anna, but she wasn't entirely sure what to do, if she had her way then she would be with Zinnia every second of the day, but their timetables wouldn't allow that. Anna knew she wasn't the most intimidating figure but apparently punching Marcus Flint in the face was enough to stop people being mean to Zinnia in front of her.

Anna knew that Zinnia had every right to be able to walk in the castle alone without being afraid but since that didn't seem to be possible, she would have to come up with a different solution. The only people who would have the same timetable as Zinnia is the Hufflepuffs in the same year, Zinnia wasn't that close to any of the other Hufflepuffs in her year, at least not as close as she is to Anna.

Anna remembered that Nova Shelley had a sister in the same year as Zinnia, Anna decided she would ask her for help. It wasn't the greatest solution, but it was the only one she could think of.

"We'll figure this out Zinni, together," Anna reached forward and gave Zinnia hand a squeeze and smiled reassuringly.

"Thanks Anna," she replied with a genuine smile.

Zinnia seemed to feel a little better after that, focusing on her homework and trying to get some work done. Anna was relieved they hadn't been kicked out of the library, Madam Pince didn't even tolerate whispering. Anna certainly was lucky when it came to talking in the library, she almost never got caught.

This was mostly because she could sense when someone was approaching, and while she usually could never tell who it was just through their emotions, she usually just had to look for the suspicious one to find Madam Pince. Pince always seem to suspect Anna of chatting in the library but could rarely catch her doing it. While Anna wasn't in the mood to push her luck with the librarian, apparently Zinnia was.

"So are you going to come to the Gryffindor quidditch tryouts? Alicia invited us, she said it worked well last year so we must be good luck," Zinnia asked excitedly. When Anna remember last year's tryouts and 'good luck' certainly wasn't the first thing to come to mind as she had vivid flash backs to hitting Oliver Wood in the face with a paper plane. Zinnia seem to sense what she was thinking.

"Come on Anna, it wasn't that bad. I doubt he even remembers it," Zinnia looked at her with pleading eyes.

"I remember it. I will always remember it."

Anna despite how much she would rather be curled up in bed, she was going to go to the tryouts, it meant a lot to Alicia when Zinnia went to support her. She didn't want Zinnia going alone, she would probably be bored watching the other people tryout. Although she suspected that Alicia hadn't asked Oliver if they could come, and she didn't think he would be pleased to see them there. Probably suspecting they were Hufflepuff spies, not that the Hufflepuff quidditch team would ever swoop so low.

"Okay, I'll come," Anna admitted with a sigh of defeat.

Zinnia looked very pleased but never got a chance to reply. Anna had been so wrapped up in the conversation that she hadn't noticed the suspicious and annoyed presence drawing near until it was too late. Madam Pince came out of nowhere, scaring the living daylights out of Anna and Zinnia.

"Out."

They left the library in a hurry, don't daring to test the librarian patience. While they were leaving Zinnia caught sight of Alicia in the hallway at the same time that Alicia seem to notice them. The way that their eyes seem to light up when they saw each other made Anna's heart melt a little.

"Are you guys leaving? I was just about to start doing some homework," Alicia asked when she noticed they were leaving the library.

"Madam Pince kicked us out, I don't think we'll be allowed back in for a while," Zinnia admitted.

"Bad luck, we could always find somewhere else?" Alicia asked, Zinnia was quick to agree but Anna wasn't really in the mood to play third wheel, even if she did enjoy watching them be adorable together.

"You two go ahead, I think I'm gonna go have a nap."

Anna headed towards common room, but not before she noticed Zinnia and Alicia holding hands as they walked in the opposite direction. Anna let out a soft 'aww' when she noticed.

Her thoughts quickly turned to the upcoming quidditch tryouts that she would now be attending, she made the decision that she wouldn't make any origami during the tryouts, no matter how bored she got. This time she wasn't going to interfere. This time she wasn't going to do anything to draw attention to herself. No matter what.