Chapter Text
Felicity considered herself to be a responsible student. She was always on time, her homework was always handed before it was due, and she was the most advanced student of her whole year. All that made clear why she was named Prefect at the beginning of the year. She took that role very seriously, even if that meant having arguments with her friends. And today’s argument had ended in a food fight in the Great Hall.
A few Professors had managed to stop it before it became a spells fight. Points have been taken from all the four Houses and the students that had started it or encouraged it were going to be punished. The rest of the students were told to get themselves cleaned up and go to their common rooms.
Felicity had stayed behind, talking with Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick, trying to explain what had happened without giving away completely her friends. Thay may be acting like jerks at the moment, but they were still her friends.
So that’s how she found herself; her robes sticky because of the pumpking juice it had been spilled on them, her hair had pieces of beef and roasted potatoes stuck on them and she was sure that a piece of buttery bread had sneak under her shirt. She needed a good, long bath with urgency. Thanks to Merlin for the Prefect’s bathroom. She loved it: the big bath, all the scents, the bubbles… and the fact that she could be all alone to think.
But when she entered the bathroom she could hear someone sobbing, and for a moment she thought that Moaning Myrtle was in there, until she saw a male figure sitting against one of the columns of the room.
“Oliver?”
He lifted his head, surprise clear in his eyes when he saw Felicity at the door. Their relationship in the last year had improved; they were more cordial to each other, but Felicity wouldn’t call them friends. She has spoken with him more frequently, but always short conversations related to school, never personal issues. She could feel that Oliver was more than just a pretty boy, he had showed her some little glimpses of his real self during the years, but she had also learnt that his live seemed to be sourrounded by drama, and she wasn’t ready to open that can of worms. However, seeing Oliver so broken in the Prefect’s bathroom awoke something in her that made her to want to protect him from any harm.
“What… what are you doing here?” he managed to ask, trying to dry his tears with his sleeve.
“I just wanted to clean myself. Are you alright?” Felicity tried to get closer to him, but Oliver kept the distance.
“I’m great. I was just… washing my face. I will just leave you now. Sorry”
He was about to leave when Felicity throw a spell to the door, locking it and making Oliver face her. “You don’t look good. What happened?”
“Nothing. I’m…”
“Don’t say fine.
”…fine"
Felicity moved closer to him, and this time Oliver didn’t move. “You are not fine. You have been crying, you are upset. Something has happened.”
“Why do you care so much?”
His question was so full of pain that Felicity felt that she needed to hug him. Instead, she aswered as sinscerely as she could. “Because I don’t want to see you hurting. I want to help you.”
“You can not help. You can not fix it. Not one can.”
“Sometimes just talking about it helps.”
Oliver looked at Felicity. Really looked at her since the fist time she entered the bathroom. There was no doubt in her voice or expression. She was offering herself as a support in that moment, just because, at some level, she cared for him. Oliver knew she shouldn’t bother her, that it was his family problem, not hers. But somehow he was pulled to her, as if she has cast an accio spell towards him. Oliver took at deep breath and said:
“My father is cheating on my mother”
“What?” Felicity was not expecting that. The Queen marriage had always seemed to be a perfect family with a perfect life.
“I have known for a couple of years now. My mother has known from the beginning. My sister doesn’t know anything about it.”
“Thea, right? She is in first year, right?”
“Yes, she is in Slytherin, just like my father was. She idolizes him. And tomorrow she is going to be destroyed.” Oliver let a sob free. Felicity didn’t say anything, she just put a hand on his arm and waited for him to continue. “My mother sent me a letter today. Witch Weekly is going to publish tomorrow a whole write-up about my father’s affairs, and then everyone will know what a real mess my family is.”
Felicity couldn’t even imagine the kind of pressure that Oliver and his family had to suffer, always being scrutinized by the media, waiting for the next mistake to happen. She may be a muggle-born, but after five years living in Hogwarts she knew that magic yellow press was not different to the muggle one.
“I’m so sorry that you have to go throught this, but you need to tell your sister.” Felicity spoke, not removing her hand from his arm. “If you don’t and she reads it or hears it from someone else tomorrow she is going to hate you.”
“I know… It’s just… It’s hard. She is going to be heartbroken.”
“Good thing she is going to have her big brother next to her.”
“Thanks.”
He smiled, putting a hand over hers and then looking at her. He realised how close they were at that moment… and also the state of her hair and clothes. “What happened to you?”
“Oh… Food fight in the Great Hall. It could have been worse. At least it was just food and not spells.”
“You look…”
“Disgusting? Yes, I know. Sara has an amazing aim.”
She smiled, trying just to joke around the whole thing, but Oliver was looking at her thoughtfully. “What happened between you two?” he finally asked.
“What do you mean?” Felicity was confused about the question, Sara and she had had some disagreements since she became a Prefect, but Oliver spoke as if they were broken up. “Nothing happened. We are friends.”
“Well, if you ask Sara she thinks you are going to ditch all of them. She says you do not spend as much time with them as before. And when you do you act as if you are better than all of them.”
Felicity knew that Sara was not happy that she didn’t spend so much time with them, both she and Iris have told her so, while Caitlin tried to bring peace in the group, but Felicity thought that they all knew what being a Prefect meant for her.
“I have more responsabilities. I’m a Prefect now.”
“So am I. But there are more important things. You gave me an advice before, so let me give you one in exchange. Friends and family always come first, and you need to show it.” he spoke camly, his thumb drawing small circles on her hand. “Remember last year, in Adivination class?” as if Felicity could ever forget. “You said something about an emotionless robot.”
“You know what that means now?”
“I may have looked it up.” He said smiling. “The thing is that you are not really like that, you care, and I can see that you love your friends, but maybe not everyone can, and they need some reassurance. You told me I have to speak with Thea… well, you have to speak with Sara.”
Felicity could see where Oliver was coming from. She had been trying so hard to give a professional and responsible appareance that she had forgotten she was still a fifteen year-old student that needed to let go sometimes and enjoy her time with her friends.
“Thank you Oliver. That was a very good advice.”
“Glad to help.”
He smiled. Felicity couldn’t help but think that he had a gorgeous smile. She couldn’t look away. His lips looked so soft, and he was so close. She could feel his breathing right on the tip of her nose. If she lifted her head just a little bit she would be kissing him. And that’s what she did.
For once in her life she did not think, she just acted on pure instict. She did what her heart was asking her to do, but that only lasted until her head took charge again and made her stop the kiss. Her shock for what she had done was so big that she didn’t even realized that Oliver had been kissing her back.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to… Well I clearly did, but I shouldn’t have… It was out of place. You were so close I didn’t think, I mean… your face…” Felicity took a deep breath, calming her nerves even if her face was completely red. “I shouldn’t have done that. I’m just tired and emotional, and I’m sorry.”
Oliver simply nodded. “It’s fine” he tried to smile. “I think we are both tired and kind of emotional.” He stood up, clearing his throat and rubbing his thumb and index finger nervously. “I will leave you alone so you can clean up… and you should try the Scouring Charm for your clothes. It works miracles.”
He walked to the door not daring to look at Felicity, almost missing the soft “Thank you” that she said with a shy voice.