Finder's Keeper || Oliver Wood [1]

Chapter 19: Bludger Conundrums

It was almost too good to be true that there would be a normal year at Hogwarts. Yet another incident occurred within the walls of the castle: Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, was found petrified in a hallway next to words written in blood that said, 'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir... beware.' Needless to say, it spooked everyone at Hogwarts, from the students to the staff and even some of the ghosts. What even was the Chamber of Secrets? Who would petrify a cat? Whose blood was that written on those walls?

Although that got everyone inside the castle curious, Jessica and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team had another matter to face: their first match of the year against Slytherin. Unsurprisingly, they were all feeling a mixture of emotions, wanting to defeat those nasty players but also a bit apprehensive about going against an entire team using Nimbus 2001s.

Together with that, Jessica was still feeling guilty about Oliver getting hit by a Bludger during that one practice even if that did happen weeks ago. Of course, she also knew that Madam Pomfrey healed him in no time and he was as good as new, but that didn't stop her from worrying. On the morning of their game, she wouldn't stop fussing over Oliver as they ate their breakfast with their housemates.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, that happened weeks ago. I'm fine."

"I still don't get how you got hit. It's so unlike you," Jessica said.

"I was... distracted, okay?" Oliver brushed it off. "After all, you were talking to me while it happened."

"Oh, so now you're blaming me?"

"I'm kidding. I really wasn't paying attention that time, I swear," he reassured, although he knew deep inside that he wasn't telling the whole truth. He did see that Bludger coming their way... but Jessica didn't. He couldn't tell her that, though.

"Fine," Jessica huffed. "Whatever you say, Oliver."

Oliver choked on his buttered toast, catching the attention of his teammates. He was caught off guard by Jessica calling him by his first name even though so many other of his friends had done that already for years.

"You okay?" Jessica stifled her laugh.

"Look at him, he's dying," Fred snickered, causing the others to join in all the laughing.

"Hey, don't go dying any time soon. It's my first match today," Jessica jokingly threatened Oliver. Feeling slightly bad for his predicament, she handed him a goblet of pumpkin juice. He took it from her and sipped a bit of it, glaring at everyone once he had calmed down.

"Thanks for nothing, lads," he grumbled at the Weasley twins.

"What? It was entertaining," George shrugged.

"Sorry, but he's right," Jessica agreed.

"Oh, yeah? Why don't you see how it feels, then?" Oliver challenged, shoving a new piece of toast at her face.

"Hey! Alright, I got it!" she dodged his attacks, grabbing the bread with her hand.

Terence Higgs watched the whole ordeal from the Slytherin table. He felt pathetic watching them, but in his defense, he was planning on wishing Jessica good luck at the match today even if she was going to compete against his own house. The past few weeks had been uneventful because he wasn't quite sure how to make his next move to her. He wanted to take it slow and see if she started to react any differently. She remained stagnant, though, and there was that nagging thought in his head that told him it had something to do with Oliver Wood. Watching them interact the way they did at the Gryffindor table was starting to make him think that no matter how hard he tried, maybe the black-haired girl just wouldn't reciprocate his feelings. So, with a sigh, he decided against approaching her at all.