June and I sat on my bed in our dorm. She was excitedly rambling about how amazing Sarah was, playing with her short green pixie cut. After the party, they made it official, and June was beyond excited. She had already managed to write 10 poems dedicated to Sarah and was planning to write plenty more.

"What can I say, she is a work of art!" June argued after I said it was slightly creepy.

"If I hadn't known better, I would think she slipped you a long-lasting love potion." I snickered, belly-flopping across the bed, letting my head dangle off the side.

"Oh please, if Sarah wanted to slip someone love potion she would go for a hot girl in Hufflepuff or Gryffindor." June sighed, her voice sounding lovesick.

"June Astrid Lee don't you dare say that! You're like the baddest bitch at Hogwarts! Literally, everyone that likes women has had a crush on you!" I said, meaning every word.

"Says the gorgeous quidditch captain." June groaned.

"We can both be beautiful you know." I smiled. "And Sarah is lucky to have you."

~~~~

I noticed after the victory of our mock game, Oliver had started forcing his team to practice way more, making them stay after hours practicing into the night. Although I liked that I got into Oliver's head, and didn't overwork my team as much, I did intensify practices.

It was the day of the Hufflepuff vs Ravenclaw matches, and the sun was shining high. It was chillier than the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin match and even frostier than before. I sat in the library early in the morning, drinking coffee. June was still asleep, which was understandable since it was around six am on a Saturday, but I also knew she was out late with Sarah the night before.I smiled to myself, sitting down at an empty table near a window facing the courtyard. I heard the door to the library fly open just as I was pulling out my copy of Quidditch Strategies 101.

"Morning Stone!" I heard that familiar Scottish accent.

"Are you trying to set yourself up for that joke again?" I asked, opening my book.

"Is that a copy of Quidditch Strategies 101?" Oliver asked, ignoring my comment and plopping down next to me.

"No, it's Babbitty Rabbitty And Her Cackling Stump," I replied with a straight face.

"I must've read those a long time ago because I don't remember Babbitty Rabbitty being an avid quidditch strategist." Oliver chuckled peering over my shoulder at the book.

"She was the greatest quidditch player of her time," I smirked, taking notice of how close he was to me.

"I use the same book as you." Oliver grinned, pulling out his own copy of Quidditch Strategies 101, looking even more battered than my own. "I read it religiously."

"Really? Me too actually. The author is a genius." I smiled, taking Oliver's copy, flipping through its pages.

"Oh, you take notes in margins too?"

"Yeah, it helps me remember how to implement the strategies in this book into actual gameplay." Oliver smiled, excited someone took as much interest in the topic as he did.

"June says I'm a freak for reading this so much." I laughed, "She thinks you should only re-read books a maximum of 5 times, and even that is pushing it."

"Bullshit," Oliver exclaimed, "How else are we supposed to absorb information?"

"Right?" I laughed, wiping a tear from my eye.

"Well, I came to wish you good luck on today's match." Oliver took his copy of Quidditch 101 back from my hands, shoving it carelessly in his bag.

"For the record Wood, I don't need luck. I have skill." I said, proudly.

"Keep wishing Stone, maybe one day you'll become an intermediate level player." He scoffed, the corners of his lips turning up ever so slightly.

"Kind of wish I broke more of your fingers right about now." I snickered.

"Have you heard about the Slytherin tryouts?" Oliver said suddenly.

"What about them?" I asked, assuming a bored facial expression, but in reality, being quite interested in what he was about to say.

"Flint didn't let any girls try out." Wood said, looking quite furious.

"Really? I always knew he was a pig, but a sexist pig as well?" I shuddered.

"Yeah, I tried to talk some sense into him, but he threatened to send his posse on me," Oliver said, clenching his fists. "I even went to Dumbledore and Snape, but neither of them said they could do anything about it."

"It's really sad that in the year 1991 some boys still think girls aren't equal to them." I sighed. "It's always the ugly ones that have something to say."

"Am I one of the ugly ones too?" Oliver smiled, making eye contact with me.

"Well, you have something to say don't you?" I giggled, watching Oliver dramatically clutch his heart.

~~~~

We won 200 to 40. Anna caught the snitch fairly early on. I swooped past the stands, high-fiving the Ravenclaws, before landing with the rest of my team.

"Congrats guys, one match down, two more to go," I said high-fiving all of my teammates.

We walk off the field into a crowd of cheering Ravenclaws, holding banners with "Queen Stone" written on them. Suddenly I felt two pairs of strong arms grab my legs and lift me in the air. I saw two Ravenclaw boys holding me up in the air, and everyone cheering. I was quite enjoying the ego-stroking happening, even waving my hands as if directing the crowds chanting. I looked across the crowd, the sea of happy faces, and saw the crowd of deflated Hufflepuffs in the distance. A little ways off, however, I saw Oliver Wood looking at me, a smirk on his face.

"Let me down." I signalled to the boys still holding me.

"Anything for our Queen." They said in unison, putting me down.

I giggled and pushed past the celebrating Ravenclaws over to where Oliver was."So?" I cocked my eyebrow, stopping in front of him.

"Pretty good for a beginner." He said, running his hands through his hair.

"You're jealous Wood," I stated, putting my hands on my hips.

"Oh yeah, of what exactly?" Oliver snorted, crossing his arms expectantly.

"That I'm not only good at quidditch, but I look good doing it," I said, flipping my hair. "Now excuse me but I have a party to prepare for."

"Am I invited?" Oliver asked as I pushed past him.

"Sadly everyone is," I yelled, not looking back at him.

~~~~

I stood in my common room. A few crafty 5th years managed to set a dim violet lighting to the room, with an almost dream-like mist hovering over everything. One thing Ravenclaws were better at than all other houses was throwing parties. Parties in the Ravenclaw common room were always legendary. They also always set the perfect mood for hookups and flirtatious advances. I stood against the railing, watching a few first years letting in the newcomers. I looked down at my outfit, satisfied at how I looked. A short and sparkly silver dress sat snugly around my curves, the lights of the party reflecting off its sparkles.

I continued to watch the people file in from the top level of the common room, casually holding a cup with spiked punch, nicked from the staff lounge by some Slytherins. Eventually, I saw him walk in. Oliver Wood, the one boy I hoped wouldn't show up. He was laughing and joking alongside a few other Gryffindors. His eyes locked on mine almost immediately, and he flashed me a smile.I quickly walked away from the railing and slipped into the crowd to find June, who was probably off snogging Sarah. My path was cut off by a boy who resembled an ogre more than a human. Marcus Flint, the boy I wanted to avoid more than Oliver Wood.

"Wow, looking hot Stone." Marcus drawled.

"Thanks, Flint," I said, feeling myself cringe at the compliment.

To say Marcus Flint made me feel uncomfortable would be an understatement and a severe one at that. He was as brutish as they come, and everything about that boy made my skin crawl.

"Listen Stone I was thinking," Marcus stepped closer to me, "What if you and I go to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

Oh, fuck no, please anything but this.

"As in a date?" I asked, internally recoiling at the feeling of Flint's hot breath on my neck.

"Exactly that sweetheart." I could practically smell his greasy hair now.

"Uh, no sorry I'm busy tomorrow, you know, quidditch and stuff..." I mumbled, hoping that was enough to satisfy him.

"Oh come on darling, we're both quidditch captains here, you don't have to hold practices every free moment. Besides, the field is closed tomorrow." Flint's persistence annoyed me to no end, but even more than that it made me highly uncomfortable.

"I also have way too much work to catch up on. You know, studying for the O.W.L's and all that..." I racked my brain for more excuses.

"Smart girl, I like that." Flint's evil grin grew, making him look more and more like an angry troll.

"Can't you take a hint?" I was relieved to hear a voice making Flint step away from me.

My relief, however, wasn't long-lived as soon as I saw the owner of the voice. Oliver Wood was standing with one of his annoying know it all smirks looking between Marcus and me.

"Excuse me?" Marcus looked at him, his face displaying mild frustration.

"Can't you see you're making her uncomfortable?" Oliver said, an amused smile playing on his lips.

"I'm not making anyone uncomfortable." Protested Flint, "Mind your goddamn business Wood."

"Is he making you uncomfortable?" Oliver turned to look at me.

If it was any other person I would've nodded and walked towards them with open arms, but this wasn't just any person, this was Oliver Wood. I didn't want him to think I was weak, and I certainly didn't want him to hold this situation over my head as blackmail.

"No," I said hesitantly, "I'm fine."

I don't think I have ever regretted a decision faster than the one I had just made.

"See, we're fine." Flint snarled, putting a hand around my waist, making me shudder.

"Oh alright, my bad mate," Oliver said, the smile leaving his lips.

I longingly watched him disappear in the crowd, wanting to kick myself in the shin for not just going with him.

"I'm going to-" I started trying to leave myself.

"Oh no you aren't," Flint purred, "Not until we set a date for Hogsmeade."

"I'm really busy-"

"Not all year you aren't." Marcus leered, his eyes trailing up and down my body.

I had never wanted to cover myself in a large trench coat more than at that very moment. Why couldn't he just take the hint and go?

"How about next Sunday?" I said, hoping that would get him to saunter off.

"Alright, fine, I'll take you up on that darling." Flint beamed. "Care to have a drink with me?"

"I was going to-"

"I'll take that as a yes." Marcus interrupted pulling me with him towards the stairs.

We walked over to the drinks stand, where a group of other Slytherins were standing.

"Whoa mate, did you really pull Stone?" One of them asked, who I recognized as Adrian Pucey.

"Actually-" I tried to say something in protest.

"Yeah, I told you I was that good." He boasted, clutching my side harder, making me let out a small squeak.

Usually, I wouldn't let any man treat me like this, but Marcus Flint was terrifying to be around. Again my party night was ruined, because instead of dancing with some girlfriends, I was left sipping watered-down beer with Marcus Flint and his friend group, making sure he doesn't slip anything in my drink. He only let me leave after I pretended to be sick, and I barely convinced him not to walk me to my dorm.