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“Oliver.. Oliver Wood”
“Did you hear about him?”
“A Gryffindor with a Slytherin?!”
“Yes, the Quidditch Captains.”
“Wood... Wood and Flint.”
“With Marcus Flint! Can you believe it?!”
The whispers followed the two everywhere. Oliver had a slight blush on his cheeks the entire day, but he seemed to forget about the embarrassment whenever Marcus pressed a quick kiss to his temple. Marcus, meanwhile, spent the day with his head held high, triumphant that he had won the trophy that was Oliver Wood. The only thing that worried Oliver was the fact that, after a day, the Weasley twins still hadn’t said anything to him.
”Oi! Wood!”
”Not now, boys,” Oliver groaned as Harry and Ron beckoned him over. “It’s too early.”
”I’ve gotta thank you, though, Wood. After news of you and,” Harry wrinkled his nose, “Flint got out, everybody’s stopped whispering about me in the halls.”
”I’m glad my love life is stealing your attention, mate,” Oliver laughed. His scottish accent was thick through his yawn as he turned to Fred and George Weasley. “Alright, let me hear it. You lot haven’t said a word to me in two days, since before we went public.”
George and Fred turned to each other and shared a curt nod before looking back at Oliver. “We can’t tell you anything, you could relay the information! You’re fraternizing with the enemy!” The boys exclaimed in unison.
The Keeper leaned back in his seat, roaring with laughter. “That’s what this is about!”
”Plus,” George began, “Flint’s a right nasty bloke. Broke Fred’s heart when he found out you were taken, and although he’s not quite as handsome as I,” George received a smack in the back of the head, “he would do better than Marcus. And Lee won’t even look at yeh, he’s so shattered.”
”You could’ve at least saved our eyes a bit and finally agreed to go out with Harry, here,” Fred joked. “Little guy’s been hoping to get in your bed since you first came out three months ago.”
Harry choked on his pumpkin juice. “Hey! I have not!”
”It’s just as well, really, Oliver. Maybe your motivation will help Harry... chase after more than just a snitch.” Hermione chose her words carefully and the table around them erupted into laughter as Harry blushed.
”I do not have a crush!”
”Maybe not on Oliver, Harry. Come on, who’s the lucky gal?” Rom urged, only deepening Harry’s blush.
”I want to go back to talking about Flint and Wood,” Harry moaned. A lightbulb flashed in Oliver’s mind. He grinned devilishly, but quickly straightened out his face, clearing his throat to gather everybody’s attention.
”Now Harry, while I understand that one team member engaging with the opposite team is less than ideal,” Wood began, “I really don’t think we can manage two Gryffindor’s dating Slytherin Quidditch players. Especially not if it’s their seeker.”
Even Hermione cracked a grin as Rom howled with laughter.
”WHAT?! You can’t be serious— Wood, what the bloody hell?! Me and— Malfoy is— Ugh!” Harry made a disgusted face and threw down his fork.
”Hey, Flint isn’t exactly a Veela either, but I’m guessing if Ollie here can fix up those teeth..”
”.. And maybe get the chaser a better hair cut, he might just be tolerable,” Fred finished for George.
”Leave my boyfriend out of this, I’m perfectly happy with how he looks.”
The table went silent.
”Okay maybe you’re right about the hair but—“
”Ah hah!” Katie Bell yelled. “I knew it! All that talk about looks don’t matter, Wood. It’s all just a bunch of hippogriff shi—“
”I don’t like him for his looks, although it’d be nice if he cleaned up his appearance. I like him for his determined, driven, hard-working personality. I’m dating him for who he is and what he likes, not his looks.”
”It’ll take a lot more than interest in Quidditch to get it up, though, Wood,” George teased.
”You’re despicable.” Oliver shook his head. “It’s not just interest, by the way, it’s passion. It’s dedication. Blimey, you’ve never been in love, Weasley.”
”LOVE?!” Angelina spat out her pumpkin juice, right onto Fred. “Love,” she repeated, “is not found in a day, Wood!”
”It’s.. actually been nearly four months.”
”FOUR MONTHS?!” There was a chorus of shouts and accusations thrown around. “You were dating before you even came out?!”
”Yes, Alicia, how d’you reckon I realized I was gay?”
The chaser shrugged. “I dunno. Guess I figured it was because you seemed to prefer balls and the shafts of broomsticks during the game more than—“
Fred cut off her smug rant with a gasp and clasped his hands over Ron’s ears. “Alicia! There are children present!” That got the Weasley a couple of grins from the others, and the topic was dropped, if only temporarily.
————
“Harry, a word?”
The second Quidditch match of the season was rapidly approaching, and after his performance last time, Harry’s heart beat rapidly when his Team Captain called him over. He carefully got up from his chair, crossing the room to wear Wood was standing, alone.
”Now, I know we brushed past it rather quickly earlier, but I wanted to address this a little better. I’m perfectly fine with you dating who you want, just make sure not to let slip any of our strategies to Malfoy, okay?”
”I— What— Oliver, come on.”
”Now I get what it’s like in the moment-“
”I don’t imagine Harey talking about Chaser formations in bed, Wood.”
”Now, Fred, we’re having a private conversation. And it’s more likely than you think.”
”Please tell me you’re joking,” Harry whispered to the seventh year, as Oliver’s face was all too calm.
”But a word of advice with Slytherins, especially, I bet, with Malfoy.. don’t get to the finish too quickly, alright?”
”What?!”
”Try to tease him a little. Also, when you do get going, there’s this lubrication charm- oh Harry, come on, I’m kidding. I wouldn’t actually give you a sex talk.”
Oliver was clutching his stomach tight as he double over in laughter. Harry just muttered “Prick,” and went back to his seat. He was pretty sure he saw Katie give Wood a high-five, and his face felt hot. He idolized his Captain, but sometimes, he could be a right git.
————
“Why does your boyfriend always ignore us? Oi! Flint!” George called out the last part to the Slytherin that had just entered the dining hall that Saturday morning. The Gryffindor Team had booked the pitch after lunch, so the players were enjoying breakfast at a decent hour.
”Maybe,” Oliver said, through clenched teeth, “because you two are the most annoying twins on the face of the earth?”
”Can I help you two?” Marcus asked thickly as he walked over to the table. Harry couldn’t help but notice that his teeth seemed substantially straighter than they were the day before.
”Now all he needs is that haircut,” Harry leaned over and whispered to Ron.
”Yeah, Marcus, you can. It’s about time—what, after four months?—that the boyfriend be introduced,” Fred paused dramatically, “to the family.” The Gryffindor Chasers all leaned in with interest, and it really did feel like the Quidditch family was meeting Marcus Flint for Saturday brunch.
”Tell us, why are you dating our Captain,” Angelina interviewed. Flint rolled his eyes and sat next to his boyfriend, pointedly ignoring her.
”Morning, Wood,” the Slytherin said, holding the Keeper’s hand.
”Whoa! Too much information!”
”Yeah, Flint, keep it in your pants!”
”Oliver, your boyfriend’s just using you for sex.”
Harry wasn’t sure if the reason the girls were so together on land was because of their training on the pitch or vice versa, but the rapid succession of embarrassing comments was rather impressive. Marcus Flint scoffed at the immature comments and got up from the table. He didn’t quite fit in amongst the red and gold pyjamas and scarves with his green robes anyways.
Oliver’s steely and determined glare shot ice through his teammates. “Practice’s time has been changed.”
”What?! To when?!” Alicia looked genuinely concerned.
”To now.”
Oliver abruptly left the table, heated and mad, and Katie’s expression soured. “Still worth it!” Angelina shouted after Oliver.