Our Entangled Lives // Oliver Wood

Chapter Thirty One : What A Hit

Y/n's POV:

I found myself exiting the changing rooms with levitating confidence, almost smiling to myself. Oliver had convinced me of something I thought no-one else could, or would even dare to. But I guess he was right.

I knew he was right.

Busying my hands by grabbing my broom and walking up to my spot at the entrance, I finally felt my nerves start to dematerialize. My hands where still trembling a little, but the mighty grip I had on my broom managed to keep it at bay.

Harley Greenwood was the first to acknowledge me, a confident nod of the head bypassing her, further shaking away my nerves. Cedric was the last, a simple hand on the shoulder enough of a gesture to signify luck. I nudged him in the shoulder as if to say the same. He grinned.

Andrew came first, being the Captain and all, the beaters and chasers following in suit. Cedric came along, leaving me as the last to enter.

Tightening and loosening the grip on my broom until it felt right, I straddled it, one leg leaping over the other as I took my place. Then came my call.

My broom was slow to go at first, needing a good kick before it could jump start. It was my dad's old one. And although sentimental, not particularly smooth.

The first thing to hit my ears where the crowd, their voices booming loud enough for all to hear. Each where chanting along to the Hogwarts mantra, waving their scarves in the air or clapping impossibly loud.

My ears slowly began to pick up on some much louder cheers coming from a few separate crowds. Lynn was the first I'd spotted, standing on one of the benches as they waved their hands into the sky - and without accidentally hitting someone across the face. They'd known better thanks to me.

Fred and George where next to be seen, George on Fred's shoulders as he struggled to hold the poor boy up without toppling over. And Lee commentating as always - though still fighting to retain his excitement as I came into view.

But what had seemed to surprise me the most where the echos of my name being chanted from a few different feet away. Penelope whistled as she met my gaze, throwing up a yellow scarf in the air. Percy's reaction was a little more mellow, clapping his hands as he to held up a scarf in the air. Oliver was not too far behind, our gaze's locking from fields away. 

All this had seemed to remind me of what I was doing, who I was really doing this for.

Because he was smiling.

And I felt myself smiling back.

I noticed the nervousness trickle back as I brought my eyes to our opponents, half expecting them all to sneer and spit in our faces. But as my eyes traveled over to Flint, I took a double take, mouth agape.

Although Flint retained a few unusual features to him: chunky, unkept teeth, greasy hair and a micro fringe - the colourful bruise on his cheekbone was not one of usuality.

Even if something deserved.

The thought of the painful impact it must have landed caused me to wince, the big round outline taking up almost quarter of his face. 

Dear merlin.

It was clear by that alone that the mark wasn't an accident. Whoever did it, did it with intent.

Cedric and I exchanged some curious side glances as he to, spotted it. But silence was all that was said.

I caught an eye of Flint one last time, stunned even more so then before when I eyed his timid posture. He was quickly mumbling something to his teammates as they all questioned his sudden change of plans, shoulders slumped and body closed off from the world. It was very different to the unbearable cockiness he normally sported.