Weeks passed and It was finally time for the Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff match. I wake up to Luna throwing a pile of Gryffindor merch on me.
"Ugh Luna, I get it, I'm awake," I complained groggily.
"Mind if I wear your sweater, since you'll be wearing Fred's jersey," she smiles.
"Knock yourself out. I'm sleeping in," I groan.
"No you're not. You promised Wood you'd go over plans with him. And you need to paint George's name on your face," Luna pulls my blanket off of me.
"You're such an amazing person. I hate you."
"Come on."
I get up and get washed up. I tie my hair into a ponytail and put Fred's jersey on. I wear a yellow long sleeve shirt under it that matches the Gryffinor yellow. I tuck them into my jeans and put on some regular sneakers. I put on my coat and change the color to match Gryffindors red and put on the scarf George gave me. I had my banner for Oliver in my pocket.
Luna and I walked to breakfast which I was having with the Gryffindor quidditch team so Oliver could get the rest of his pre-game nerves out.
"You have to eat Wood," I pushed a plate of food closer to him.
"Sure, I will right after we go over the particle pass. Angelina, Ginny, Ron, you know to swerve right and let the opposing chaser pass you and fly low to sneak a goal?" Oliver asks.
"They've memorised it after the first 20 times you've mentioned it. Calm down down Wood," I say.
"Fine what if it rains though, a stong breeze, a blizzard, multiple blizzards, or even worse, all of them at once?" Oliver bites into his toast.
"Then you'll be prepared for it. We've practised in all sorts of conditions and you're beyond prepared. You'll do great now, eat. You need strength."
"Aren't you gonna cheer us on too Ash?" George pretends to be offended.
"Why do you think I've got your name written across my cheek," I glare at George.
"It's a nice name."
"Sure, writing my twin's name on your cheek is cute but Ash is wearing MY jersey. Clearly I'm her favorite," Fred smirks.
"That's enough you two we should be heading to the quidditch pitch now. Wish us luck," Wood says as the team gets up to leave.
Once they're out of sight I lean over to Luna, "You reckon they'll win?"
Luna just hums at this. We make our way to the stands. Luna and I sat in the Gryffindor stands this time. The quidditch teams come out and the Captains shake hands. I wave my banner as Oliver looks up at me. "Wood Would Win" the banner said. I enchanted it to change every so often. The game starts as they shoot into the sky.
"Hufflepuff in possession of the ball," Lee Jordan announces.
"Angelina steals... and she drops it right into Mabel's hands. Hufflepuff back in possession that's gotta sting. She throws it and WOOD BLOCKS THE QUAFFLE. Can't say I'm surprised. How is he single?" Lee comments as McGonagall tells him to keep his commentary more quidditch based. The game goes on like that for a while. Gryffindor was leading by a lot and by the looks of it Harry was about to catch the snitch.
"A bludger is hurtling towards Angelina, and Fred passes it to George who hits it at Diggory. Good thing he ducked. That could've been bad. Would want to damage his perfect smile. Looks like the Bludger distracted Hufflepuff's seeker giving Gryffindor another 10 points," Lee continues.
Gryffindor was obviously going to win. I cheer louder and shake my banner. Which now said "Gryffindor keeper kinda fine." That's when I spotted the first dementor. I drop my banner and run down the stands. Enough people knew the patronus charm that I was sure no one would get hurt but I could feel something was about to go wrong. As I was running down the stairs I hear Lees commentary.
"Looks like Potter spotted the snitch. He dives, Diggory does too. Looks like Harry's occupied. Move Harry Move! And Diggory gets the snitch. Someone check on Potter, I don't think his arms supposed to do that."
I run down the field and see the dementors leaving and Harry being carried to the infirmary. I chase after them. Once we make it back to the infirmary Madame Pomfrey assures us he'll be just fine. I found the twins who came in a few moments later.
"Where's Wood?" I ask.
"Still in the changing rooms. We think he's trying to drown himself in the showers." Fred says.
"Diggory requested a rematch since he didn't know Harry had fallen or about the dementors. Wood said it was all fair though," George adds.
"Well let's go check on him!? We can't let the Gryffindor captain and keeper drown, can we?" I say grabbing the twins to head to the changing rooms.
We get to the changing rooms and I charge into the boys restrooms.
"Woah there Ash. I get that you want to see he's okay but this is the boys changing room," George stops me.
"Ok?"
"Didn't know you wanted to see a wand that badly," Fred laughs.
"Ash, Wood's in the shower right now. He's probably naked," George explains.
"I'm not naked. What are you all doing here," Wood yells from the showers.
The three of us head to the showers where we see Oliver wood. Fully dressed in his quidditch uniform drenched in the shower. It's obvious he was crying.
"Oi, come on now. It's just one game. You could still win the cup.You all played well. You were ahead by 50 points," I say, patting Oliver's back.
"Yeah Wood, if they lose a few games and we win a few we could still play for the cup," George says.
"Besides, this whole ordeal probably earned you the sympathy of a few girls. I reckon you'll get a girlfriend by the end of the day," Fred jokes.
"Can it. All of you. 'specially you Fred," Oliver puts his head back under the water.
He really was trying to drown himself. I pull him out from under the water but instead he pulls me into a hug and cries into my shoulder. Great. Now I'm drenched. I look to the twins for help and the just shrug and laugh at my struggle. I give in and hug Oliver back, petting his head.
"How are we going to beat Slytherin if we can't even beat Hufflepuff," Oliver sobs.
I shove Oliver off of me and to his feet. He just looks at me and leans in to cry on my shoulder again. The only thing that changed was the altitude.
"Fred, a little help?" I say.
He just chuckles and whispers a joke to George, who laughs. I glare at both of them and grab Oliver's shoulder so he can look at me.
"Get it together Wood. How about tomorrow we wake up bright and early and I teach you some tactics against Slytherin," I say curtly.
He slowly nods but goes back to crying.
"So help me Wood. IF YOU KEEP CRYING LIKE THIS I WILL MAKE YOU FORGET EVERYTHING I'VE TAUGHT YOU. You and you're whole team played wonderfully today. It just so happened that dementors are horrible and Harry fell. Though you can't catch a cold. Now dry off, put on some clothes, and meet me outside," I order.
I walk out to give Oliver some time and find a towel to dry off with.
"I don't remember reacting that way when you cried into my robes at the beginning of the year," Fred whispers as the twins follow me out.
"You must just be a bigger person then," I glare at Fred.
"In more ways than one, right Georgie," Fred high fives George.
"Ugh gross," I say looking disgusted at Fred.
"I was just talking about my height Ash. What were you thinking about?" Fred smirks.
"Both of you drop and give me 20."
"Oh come on Ash. We were just kidding," George pleads.
"And I wasn't. Remember who lost a quidditch match today. ONE," I say as they get into a push up position.
"You said we played well," Fred wines.
"TWO. I lied. Your team did great. Fred I saw you almost hurdle a bludger at Angelina. To think you like her too, imagine what you'd do if you didn't," I say.
"Then why am I doing push ups too," George complains.
"THREE. You're doing them by association. I heard you laugh," I smile at their angry faces.
I continue counting as they do their pushups. I could see Fred's muscles through his shirt. He was pretty fit from what I could tell.
"19. You know you're pretty attractive when you're not talking," I state, "20."
"Thanks Ash you know you're pretty attractive when you yell at people," Fred laughs out of breath.
"I'll second that," Oliver says leaving the changing room. He was still drying parts of his hair with a towel. Which reminded me that I was also still wet from the shower. I cast a drying charm on Oliver and myself.
"Great. Now who is going to my dueling club tonight?" I ask cheerfully.
"I just suffered the worst defeat in my life and you want me to learn spells?" Oliver gapes.
"Clearly. It's not like you have a victory party to get to," I say extra enthusiastically.
"Harsh Ash," Fred says in surprise and playfully hits my arm.
"Besides don't you want to finally finish learning the spell that works against dementors. You know the thing that caused Harry to fall and cost you the game?" I urge.
"Fine let's go," Oliver grumbles.
We get to the great hall. It already transformed into the dueling room. Dinner had finished while we were trying to get Oliver back to his senses and out of drowning. The four of us just had sandwiches and practised the patronus charm. Lupin didn't have any trouble starting the club without me.
We practise the charm and Oliver manages to cast a patronus with the vague shape of a beaver. It wasn't perfect yet though. Fred managed to get out much more whisps than before and George had perfected the patronus. He clearly practiced more in his free time than the others.
"I don't understand why I could do it when you were helping and now I can't," Oliver sits frustrated.
I hold out my hand and make him stand again, "Because you're thinking too much. Just relax like how you did when I was helping you. You've got everything, the memory, the spell, the motion, even the feeling but you're a little too focused now just relax."
He does so and silver strands shoot out from his wand creating the shape of a beaver.
"And now you've done it on your own. Do it a few more times while I check on the others."
George creates another patronus. A perfect magpie. It was honestly impressive. This was such an advanced spell that some wizards would never be able to cast it in their life. This was evident in many of the members in this dueling club. Many haven't even been able to produce sparks after over a month of the dueling club being created.
Fred was getting there.
"Maybe my memory isn't happy enough. Maybe if you kiss me I'll have a strong enough memory," Fred winks.
"I'd rather snog Snape," I gag.
"You already snog Malfoy, can't be far off," Fred shrugs.
"Hmm, I guess I'll tell you. Draco and I broke up a month before school started," I admit.
"Blimey. George come here. Ash has been keeping her break up with Malfoy a secret for 3 months now," Fred yells to George.
"I'm surprised you didn't already know. You're a bunch of gossips. Why else did you think so many people have been asking me out recently?"
"Thought they were just brave people who didn't fear Malfoy," George shrugs.
"Blue is single?" Oliver walks up.
"As a pringle," I say.
"A what?" George asks.
"Nevermind. Anyways. Fred cast a patronous, and this time think of George. Maybe the time both of you trapped Filch in a cage and suspended him in the great hall. I remember you delayed class for a few hours," I say.
"Just George and I? I remember you being the one that made and suspended the cage. We just lured him," Fred raises a brow.
"...Just cast the spell Weasley."
Fred wand sputters out a few wisps of silver until they form into a bird. A phoenix. He had the same patronus as me.
"Honestly I was expecting another magpie. Since sometimes soulmates or something similar to that have the same patronus," I nod at the phoenix flying in the air.
"Wasn't yours also a phoenix, Blue?" Oliver asks, looking almost jealous.
"Sure was. Fred must be in love with me," I say.
"Depends if you feel the same," Fred winks.
"In your dreams."
"Maybe in yours actually. What if mine is actually a Phoenix and you're the one that's in love with me," Fred smirks.
Impossible. My animagus was literally a Phoenix. I just roll my eyes at Fred and Walk to the Gryffindor common room with them after I speak to Lupin. He looked tired, I suppose the full moon was approaching. I hand him a piece of parchment with a spell written on it. It was a refreshing charm. It did the same as 8 hours of sleep would do. I used this charm quite a lot when exams rolled around.
We walk to the Gryffindor common rooms and the twins make all kinds of jokes about the paintings in the corridors. I do myself to act annoyed but ultimately join in on the teasing and laughter. Oliver doesn't crack any jokes of his own but laugh at ours. He laughs especially loud at mine. Because I'm the funniest.
We reach the Fat Lady Portrait and I turn to go back to Ravenclaw.
"I'll meet you guys later. I'm gonna walk Blue," Oliver says.
"It's almost curfew Oliver. Are you sure you'll make it," I lean my head into his shoulder as we walk. He wraps a hand around my waist and laughs.
Freds POV:
"They're cute. You should confess before they become official," George says to Fred just before entering the portrait whole.
"I don't like her like that."
"I'm your twin. I know these things. You better hurry though. Oliver really likes her, you've gotta admit she's a catch. Amazing at quidditch too," George says.
"Oh shut it. If I did like Ash you'd just be third wheeling us," Fred rolls his eyes.
"You forget that I like Angelina. Why you let Ash believe you're the one that likes her is beyond me. And I wouldn't third wheel, Ash likes me more anyways. More as a friend, I think there's something between you two," George squints at Fred.
"And I think there's not," Fred shoves Georges head making him walk up the stairs.
"I give it til the end of 4th year. Earlier if you run after her right now and confess your love," George smirks.
"You really want me to run after her and confess my undying love... that doesn't exist."
"Freddie we are twins. You're in love with her I can tell. I bet you want to kiss her. Probably dream of kissing her, that's why you're so hard to wake up isn't it?" George teases. He runs up the stairs before Fred can hit him.
I don't like Ash like that. She's my closest friend besides George. It would ruin our friendship if I like her. Good thing I don't. Sometimes I bet butterflies when she's around. When she cried in my arms I felt a need to protect her and when she was teaching me patronus my skin tingled at her touch, but those don't mean anything. She's my friend, of course I want to protect her, and maybe it was cold in the great hall. It would explain the tingling. None of those things mean I'm in love. Not even me being jealous when she was with Draco. Or being jealous when guys and girls show interest in her. Especially not when I'm jealous of Wood for taking up so much of her time recently. These were all normal things between platonic friends. If George got a new best friend I might be jealous too.
In fact I am jealous when George and Ash hang out. Because I feel like George is replacing me... not because I'm jealous of my own twin spending time with a girl I love. Normal.
Godric. I, Fred Weasley, am in love with my best friend. Ash, not George (btw if there was confusion).
I walk into my room and collapse onto my bed. George laughs in amusement and goes back to doing whatever he was doing.
Back to Ash's POV:
"So what time are we playing quidditch tomorrow?" Wood makes conversation.
"I'll be out there at 5. You can tell the twins to come at 6. I like warming up alone," I say.
"Oh, I was hoping this could be a you and me thing," Oliver says disappointed.
"There's not much we can do 1 on 1. It's easier to practise team versus team. I was thinking of doing a mock match between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor too. For practise. But if you want. You can meet me out there at 5 and tell the twins and the others to get there at 8? I'll tell my team too," I say.
"Yeah that'd be nice," Oliver smiles, stepping closer.
I can feel something about to happen. We we're about to kiss. Which meant Oliver liked me. It's so obvious now that I think about it. I just didn't know if I liked him.
"You know what else would be nice?" I blush stepping even closer.
Our chests were practically touching at this point.
"Well I might be wrong, but is the answer a kiss?" Oliver closes the gap and pulls me into a kiss.
It was sweet and I could tell he really liked me. Thank Rowena I was good at quidditch. Every play I was learned and created has lead up to this moment. Or at least that's what it felt like. He pulls aways and looks into my eyes. I don't know what they were showing him but I really enjoyed the kiss.
"Actually the right answer was if you dropped 100 galleons into my hands... but this was a close second. Good night Oliver," I smile and peck him on the lips.
"You called me Oliver," he stands there stunned.
"And you kissed me," I copy his pose.
"Good night Ash," he blushes.
I smile as I turn around and whisper the password and head into my common room. I need to tell Luna everything.
Oliver walks back to the Gryffindor common room practically skipping. He heads up to tell his team about and early practise tomorrow and he finally reaches the twins room. They shared it with Lee Jordan. They were his closest friends, ones he could talk about quidditch to for hours. His own dorm mates, Percy Weasley and Blake Hitchon didn't share the same interests.
Oliver knocks on the door and heads in.
"Fred, George, 8 o'clock practice tomorrow with the Ravenclaws. You too Jordan, I'm sure we could use a commentator... Actually, speaking of Ravenclaws, I kissed Ash. Ok bye now," Oliver smiles.
"You what!?" George springs up after Oliver,
"Kissed Ash," Oliver smiles wider.
"When was this?" Fred joins in. He was feeling a lot of things but beyond the jealousy he felt bitter that George was right. He should've ran after them and now it was too late.
"Well we had just reached the Ravenclaw entrance and I was saying my goodbyes. I stepped closer, then she stepped closer.Then I leaned in and kissed her. Then she kissed me. I pulled away cause I wanted to see if she regretted it or anything and then she kissed me again and went into her common room. It was magically, I still can't believe it happened. We're going to practise alone for three hours tomorrow too," Oliver rambles.
"Woah congrats man. Ash is hot," Lee nods in approval.
"She's more than hot," Fred and Oliver say at the same time.
"Right well we should sleep or we won't even be able to wake up by 8," George says.
Oliver leaves the room and Lee goes to shower.
"Now that I've admitted my feelings for Ash. We're going to crash their three hour date right?" Fred questions.
"If you can wake up that early," George turns around and sleeps.
"I will. For love," Fred pumps hi fist in the air and lays down on his bed. George launches a pillow at him that hits Fred square in the face.