Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or their world.
This is fanfiction and I'm just playing for fun, not making any money.
Summary: Oliver runs into Cedric and stuff happens.
Notes: Written for Vignette as a holiday gift. Enjoy!
Oliver was
a kid in a candy shop. Except that, as a seventh year, he wouldn't call him a
kid. And this wasn't a candy shop but a Quidditch equipment shop. He salivated
over the new Firebolt broomstick. He stood in awe at a full set of professional
quality pads. And he fingered the coins in his pocket at the sight of a magic
quaffle for practice. It flew around on its own with pre-programmed moves
adapted from some of the best Quidditch players of the last century, in order
to test a keeper. But he was a few coins short and he knew he couldn't blow all
his money on a Quidditch item anyway; it had to last him the whole winter holiday.
But he wanted
to get something to mark the escape of his overbearing family for the
afternoon. So he headed to the shelves of books. He owned most of them already,
but there were a few good ones he had his eye on. He picked up a copy of Quidditch Captains: Inspirational Quips and
Quotes and thumbed through it.
"That's a
good one."
Expecting
to see the shop owner hovering over him and asking why he was looking and not
buying, Oliver quickly put the book back and looked up. He was shocked to see a
familiar face there.
"Cedric,"
the young man said, placing a hand on his chest. "Cedric Diggory, Hufflepuff
seeker--"
"Aye, I
know who you are," Oliver replied. The match between their two teams hadn't
been too long ago, and the wounds had not yet healed completely. He picked the
book back up, because he really was thinking about getting it. "So you've read
this?"
Cedric
shrugged. "Actually, no." Oliver met his eyes again, curiously. Sheepishly,
Cedric said, "I was just trying to find a way to say hello."
Oliver
nodded. "Yeah... well then... hello." He put the book back on the shelf and moved
on to another, studying it intently. He paused, looking up with unfocused eyes
for a moment. Then his hand flew up to cover his nose and mouth. "huhCHISHhhh!" He sniffed and paused,
having nothing on hand to wipe his nose with.
"Oh."
Cedric pulled a handkerchief out of his back pocket. "Here, I've got one."
With the
equivalent of a white flag dangling from his hand, Cedric's eyes met Oliver's
with sympathy and insistence. Oliver reluctantly took it and wiped his nose.
"Have you
got a cold?" Cedric asked, gesturing for Oliver to keep the handkerchief.
Oliver
shook his head. Truthfully, that was an astute suggestion. He had felt a
little... off... all day, which was one of the many reasons he'd been so thankful
to be on his own that afternoon. He loved his family, but sometimes he just
needed to be alone. "I don't think so. Just a random sneeze, that."
"Well,
that's good. You here alone?"
Oliver
nodded. "I'm staying at my relatives' place a few blocks away. You?"
"Just
flooed in to hang out with some friends. They're off buying last minute gifts
so we split up. We were going to go have something warm to drink at teatime, do
you want to join us?"
Blinking confusedly,
"What, with you and your friends?"
Cedric just
shrugged. "Well, sure. I know we're in different houses but we're not in school
right now. And it's the holidays. We'll just kick back and have a good time. What
do you say?"
Oliver
considered, briefly, then nodded. "Aye, all right. Sounds like a plan. Let me
just..." He picked the hardback Quidditch Captain book back up and gave it one
last moment of consideration. "Quickly buy this," he finished.
Cedric
waited patiently as Oliver purchased the book. "You'll have to let me know if
you like it," Cedric said, leading Oliver out of the shop. "I mean, not that...
well... our teams already faced each other this year, didn't they?"
Oliver
chuckled. "I know what you meant. We're not in school, right? No houses, no competition?"
"Right,"
Cedric agreed, speaking up to be heard over the crowd on the busy streets.
Apparently,
more people than just Cedric's friends were in need of last minute Christmas
shopping. The streets were packed with bustling shoppers with wrapped packages
and bulging bags. The two young men had to stay close not to get separated as
they navigated their way to a cafe. It was late December and chillingly cold
out, but thankfully not snowing.
Oliver
noticed his nose was running after the third automatic sniffle, though Cedric
noticed after number four and shot him a look of concern. Oliver shrugged and
thanked Cedric again for the handkerchief as he quietly blew his nose. The
sound was easily drowned out. However, his sneezes were a bit louder. "hehh-Kishhh! hihChishhh! h'Shushhh! Excuse
me."
Standing
outside the restaurant, Cedric patted Oliver's back. "Look, Wood, if you'd
rather go, that's fine. I don't want to rope you into a lunch date if you're
feeling sick."
Oliver
shook his head. "Not sick. Sniff!" He
was sure his nose was just running from the cold. Or... almost sure. "I can have
a bite." He had already followed Cedric inside when the rest of Cedric's
sentence hit him. Lunch date?
Cedric
introduced Oliver to the small gang already gathered at a large table in the
center of the restaurant. There was Pierce and Antony
and Armistead, all three Hufflepuffs but all in the year before Oliver and none
of them on the Quidditch team, so Oliver didn't really know them.
And he
didn't really get to know them, over the course of the snack-like meal. The
mood was casual, and they immediately treated Oliver as a friend, as one of
their own. But the introductions ended pretty much with the names, and the
group jumped from there into a conversation about what they'd bought or seen in
town that day. Antony, apparently,
had eight siblings and little pocket money to go around. Pierce had finished
his shopping early and had just gone along to lend an eye and give an
opinion... though he picked up a few little things as well. And Armistead had
struck out finding a present for his boyfriend and was desperate for more
suggestions.
Slightly
uncomfortable, Oliver offered a few suggestions, but nothing Armistead jumped
on. Cedric finally said a nice gift would be something they could do together,
like tickets to a Quidditch game or a play, and Armistead went on for several
minutes about fantastic an idea that was.
After they
devoured the mushroom puffs and they scraped the sides and bottom of the bowl of
dip clean with chips, they ordered refills for their drinks. Conversation
turned briefly to school, until Cedric noticed that Oliver wasn't paying much
attention. As the other three talked about what had happened in a Defense
Against the Dark Arts class, Cedric scooted his chair over a few centimeters
and leaned towards Oliver. "You feeling left out?"
Oliver
shrugged. He'd expected as much, given that everyone, including Cedric, was
practically a stranger to him. He wasn't having a horrible time, even feeling
like something of an outsider. But it wasn't the discussion which had made him
tune out.
"I'll cover
for you, if you want to bail on me," Cedric whispered.
Oliver
chuckled and shook his head. "No, that's okay. This is nice... but, ah, remember how
I said I didn't have a cold? I think that might have been a premature
evaluation, aye?" Cedric nodded sympathetically and immediately ordered Oliver
a glass of orange juice. Oliver chuckled again and drank it, even though it was
a little harsh on his throat, which was starting to feel kind of dodgy. "hehh-IShhh!" Though not as bad yet as
his nose. "Sniff!" His nose was
getting annoying.
Antony
was the first to leave, as there was a big family dinner at his house that
night. It was another hour before Armisted had to go, and Pierce followed suit
a few minutes after that.
"k'Chishhhhh!" Cedric's handkerchief was
getting quite the workout, but it seemed to stay dry no matter how many times
he sneezed or blew his nose into it. It must have been spelled or made with
some special magical material. "hih-Shehhh!"
"Bless you
again," Cedric said. He leaned over again, lowering his voice. "Maybe we should
call it a day?"
Oliver
shrugged. "Sorry, I haven't been the best company. Sniff! I understand if you want to take off." He heard the words
coming out of his mouth and suddenly had mixed feelings about them. For some
reason, he felt sad. He didn't want Cedric to leave. But he didn't really know
why. This was already such a strange situation. Tried to bite his tongue, but
he'd always worn his heart on his sleeve and he had always been able to speak
his mind. "But I don't really want to go home yet so if you want to stay, too,
I think I'd really like--"
And then,
before he knew what was happening, Cedric had leaned forward even more and lips
gently pressed against his cheek. Both of Oliver's cheeks went red right away but
he did not pull away. After the kiss, Cedric stayed put but turned his head
slightly so his mouth was directed right towards Oliver's ear. "Let's grab a small
table by the wall?" Oliver nodded in agreement even before Cedric pulled back
to see.
They left a
few coins to add to the bill and tip already on the table. Then they found a
table in a dark corner of the restaurant. There was a long, floor-length green
table cloth covering it and a warm, glowing candle in a holder on the wall just
above it. The seats were stationary, like small booth seats, not chairs. Still,
Cedric sat forward on the edge of his seat and placed his elbows down on the
table. He rested his chin on top of his folded hands and gazed at Oliver. "So
why don't you want to go home yet?"
Oliver's
mouth went dry, and he tried licking his lips to no avail. "I needed some time
away from my relatives today. My aunt's going to go crazy when she finds out
I'm sick. And... I'm enjoying it here with you, Diggory." He blushed again, but
thankfully it was too dark there for Cedric to see.
Cedric
ordered soup and orange juices for them both. Oliver thought it was a perfect
mix of humor and thoughtfulness.
Cedric did
most of the talking, pausing kindly and blessing Oliver when he sneezed. Oliver
found it nice not to have to use his voice so much... and was genuinely glad to
learn more about Cedric.
Cedric reached
under the table and cupped his hand over Oliver's knee. Oliver reached under and
put his hand over Cedric's hand.
"I've
never..." More blushing. And then Oliver gulped down more of his drink.
"I'm
surprised," Cedric said, smiling charmingly. "With looks like that... and that
light Scottish accent. I'd have thought guys would be jumping into your lap."
Oliver
shrugged. "Maybe they've tried. I haven't noticed."
"Are you
noticing me?" He flipped his hand over, tickling the bottom of Oliver's hand
for a moment, then clasped it tightly.
Oliver
squeezed back. "Aye, Mate. I'm noticing you." Then he ducked his head down and
turned it to the side, coughing.
Quickly, Cedric
pushed the orange juice on him, and Oliver managed to drink it to cool his
throat and calm his coughs for a moment. "Are you all right?" Cedric asked.
"Maybe we should go to an apothecary for some Pepper-up?"
"Maybe. Sniff! heh-IHShihh! Sniff! I guess I
could use a good dose. But... I think I'd rather go to the loo."
"Oh,"
Cedric pulled back, and Oliver missed the warmth of his touch the second it was
gone. "Yeah, sure. Go on then."
Oliver
pulled out a few coins and plunked them down on the table. "Actually, I was hoping
maybe you might come with. If you know what I mean, aye?" He raised the
handkerchief and buried his nose in it. "k'Tchuhhh!
Sniff!" Oliver cleared his throat. "If you don't mind my cold."
"Oh God,
Wood. If you hadn't needed my handkerchief I never would have had the courage
to invite you here this afternoon. And if you hadn't looked just a little more
vulnerable than usual, I wouldn't have had the courage to give you that little
kiss."
"If we
hadn't been outside of school, outside of houses, I don't think I would have
had the courage to let you. Besides, I didn't know you liked boys."
Cedric
smiled and slid out from behind the table. He hovered at the side, and Oliver
could not possibly miss the bulge Cedric was presenting him with. "I can't be
out the way Armistead is. And I can't exactly promise that when we're back at
school I'll..." He trailed off and gently petted the side of Oliver's head.
Oliver tilted his head into the touch of fingertips against his hair and his
skin. "But I would love to spend a little time with you in the loo, with or
without your cold." His hand slid down and flipped over, offering it to Oliver.
Oliver gave
his nose another rub with the handkerchief. Then he transferred the
handkerchief to his other hand and took Cedric's. He squeezed it and stood up.