afterglow | oliver wood x reader
song; afterglow [taylor swift]
pairing; oliver wood x fem!ravenclaw!reader
genre; fluff, angst, hurt comfort, ex2l
word count; 1,8k
timeline; prisoner of azkaban
warnings; swearing, usual post-break up angst
summary; during your relationship with oliver, your friend groups fused to form one - so, when you broke up over a deemed "petty reason" and refused to go anywhere near each other, your friends decided to do something to fix the "split custody" situation they had found themselves in
masterlist
"fighting with a true love is boxing with no gloves."
———————————————
"We're children of divorce."
"Tell me about it," Faye sighed, sinking down in her seat next to Percy in the library.
"We have to do something about it," Jideofor said from his position on the floor, "It's not like they broke up because one of them cheated or - I don't know - abused the other?"
"Literally," Faye replied, "It was the pettiest fucking reason."
Penelope, sat in an armchair, looked up from her book, "They're obviously still in love with each other, too."
"What was the reason?" Percy asked, "Nobody ever told me."
"They both forgot their anniversary," Jideofor sighed, "Like, they got mad at the other for forgetting when they literally forgot themselves."
"Fucking hypocrites," Faye scoffed.
"They're both too stubborn for their own good," Penelope closed her book and placed it neatly on her lap, "So I think we ought to step in."
"Is it really any of our business, though? I mean-"
"Percy," Faye interrupted, "They expect us to separate back to two separate friend groups like we never merged - this is absolutely our business."
Percy nodded with a dramatic sigh, "Okay, what's the plan?"
***
"Y/N," Penelope said as she sat down next to you, prolonging the last vowel in your name.
"Yes?" you said absently, not even looking up from your book.
"Will you come to Hogsmeade with us this weekend?"
"Depends who's attending."
"Me, Faye, Jid and Percy."
You finally looked up from the inked pages, casting a sceptical raised eyebrow in Penelope's direction. "And Wood isn't going?"
"No, it's your turn with us, or whatever," she rolled her eyes, "Oliver is busy with quidditch, as per usual."
You hummed, "Okay, I'll come."
"You have to talk to him again eventually, you know."
"Says who?"
"Says your children who are sick of split custody."
"You aren't our children."
Penelope rolled her eyes again, "We might as well be. Point is, it's traumatising for us to not have parents who are civil with each other."
"Then why don't you tell Wood to stop acting like everything was my fault."
"It's traumatising for us to be your messengers, too."
"Fuck off, Penny," you grumbled, sinking into the armchair and delving back into your book.
***
"I thought he wasn't supposed to be coming," you snapped, staring at Oliver Wood through the window of the Three Broomsticks.
"Yeah, uh, change of plans," Faye said hurriedly, pushing you through the door and into the pub.
"He was always gonna come, wasn't he?" you sighed, watching as the boy in question went through the similar stages of grief you just did.
Faye said nothing in response, and forced you into the seat next to Oliver before sandwiching you in place by sitting on your other side. His scent swarmed up your nostrils and you couldn't help the twinge of mixed comfort and regret that formed in your heart. For so long, that smell had been a relaxer for you, a source of tranquility at the end of a hard day - now, it filled you with a strange sense of mourning.
Oliver didn't look at you.
You sighed, swirling around the liquid of the butterbeer that had been pushed over to you, too pensive to even take a sip. The conversations of the people on the table around you were mere background static as you began to feel tears threatening to spill. It didn't help that normally you would go to Oliver when you were like this.
Of course, his ability to recognise your emotions hadn't disappeared. Breaking up didn't change the fact that he knew you better than anyone else.
"Lass-" fuck, not that nickname, "-do you need to step outside?" He said it so quietly no one else heard, and your heart dropped at his caring tone.
"Don't do this to me, Oliver," you choked out silently, "I can't." You lifted your butterbeer to your lips and gulped some down, swallowing your tears with it and straightening your back.
You heard him sigh beside you.
***
"Oh my Merlin!" Jideofor exclaimed, "Look at all the new sweets!" He was gazing at Honeyduke's new assortment through the shop window. "Can we go in?" he was looking in Oliver's direction.
The Gryffindor quidditch captain shrugged, "Ask your mother."
You had been taking the back of the group as you walked, and had only now caught up to them.
"Y/N, can we go in?"
"Ask your father," you said, irritably, as you needed to piss from the multiple butterbeers you downed. You wished they were actually alcoholic.
"I did. He told me to ask you."
You side-eyed Oliver. "You can go in for the time it takes me to go to the toilet. Then we're going back."
You watched as all the group except Oliver and Percy rushed into the sweet shop.
"Why do they act like such children?" the latter grumbled, before following them into Honeyduke's.
Oliver turned to you, observing as you watched your shared friends through the glass.
"We're not being fair to them," you said with a hint of melancholy to your tone.
He let out a half-forced laugh, "You actually sound like a woman talking to her ex-husband about their kids."
"Aren't I?" you said somewhat jokingly - though Oliver could sense the depressing undertone.
"You broke up with me," he reminded.
"I can't take all the blame."
He chewed on his lip, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for forgetting our anniversary. I've been so consumed with quidditch lately since it's my last chance to win the Quidditch Cup - I didn't mean to neglect you," he let out a breath, "But don't act like you didn't forget too."
"I've been so busy studying for my NEWTs," you lamented, "I'm a Ravenclaw - people expect so much from me! But... I- I'm sorry too. NEWTs weren't more important than you... they still aren't."
The last three words Oliver almost didn't hear, as you lowered your volume when you spoke them. He sighed, "Quidditch has never been more important to me than you."
You heard laughter echo from within the shop: your friends, clearly having made a stellar joke that got even Percy giggling.
"I still need the toilet," you said, walking away from Oliver slowly, finally letting your tears spill once your back was facing him.
***
"Hey," Oliver said softly, catching your attention in the hidden corner of the library you were sat in.
You put down the book on potions you had been reluctantly reading, and couldn't help but have flashbacks of your Hogsmeade conversation as you looked at his face. After going to the toilet that day, you hadn't had another moment alone with him, and (if you were honest) you had partly been responsible for ensuring that.
Oliver sat down opposite you on the table, letting his bag drop to the ground with a soft thud.
"Can I give something to you?" he asked.
With a cautious sigh, you nodded.
He fished around in his bag for a few moments, before pushing a small wrapped parcel in your direction. You glanced at him carefully, making him gesture for you to open it - slowly, you obliged.
The brown paper revealed a small box, which you carefully opened to see a little figurine buried in packaging paper for cushioning. Upon digging it out and examining it closely, you realised that it was of a miniature broom with two riders on it: the one on the front of the broom was a boy with brown hair, and the one behind him - with her arms wrapped around his - was a girl with hair matching yours. The boy was in red robes and the girl was in blue.
"I know it's a bit late, but I still wanted to get you something for our anniversary," he said, watching nervously as you stared at the gift.
A tear was rolling down your cheek before you could stop it.
"Ollie," your voice cracked as you spoke, "You really make this hard for me, don't you?"
"Why do we have to remain broken up?" he asked, his lower lip plump from chewing on it.
You began searching in your own bag as you processed the question he had just asked you, finally pulling out a book.
Quidditch: A Wizard's First Love.
"It's- it's nothing compared to your gift, but I- while we were in Hogsmeade, I saw this in the bookstore and it made me think of you - I couldn't help but buy it."
You pushed the leather-bound book across the table, and Oliver picked it up carefully, a smile itching on to his face.
"Not my greatest love, though," he said quietly, but in that section of the library you would have heard a pin drop.
You fiddled with your thumbs as he skimmed his eyes over the blurb.
"Thank you, lass, I'll read it as soon as possible."
Then his hands were wiping the tears off your cheeks, as he smiled down at you softly.
"Can I be your boyfriend again? Please?"
With a small sob, you nodded, allowing your foreheads to fall against each other's as you enjoyed his warmth and scent.
Fuck, you had missed him so much.
***
"Y/N!" Penelope exclaimed, making everyone's attention turn towards you.
You gave your friend group a warm smile as the Summer breeze tickled your cheeks. They were scattered around a tree by the Black Lake, some reading, some working, some chatting: you were the last member of the group to arrive.
"I was worried you wouldn't come," Faye said, glancing towards Oliver, who was sat against the large tree trunk with the book you gave him in his hands.
You gave her a light chuckle, "Of course I came." You then moved to sit beside your boyfriend, him greeting you with a peck to the lips.
The others watched the exchange in amazement.
"You made up?" Jideofor asked, his face stretched in a grin.
You felt heat rush to your ears as you nodded.
Cheers erupted from the people surrounding you, and you felt the vibrations of Oliver's laughter when he placed his arm around your shoulders.
"Thank fuck," Penelope sighed, "We no longer have the trauma of divorced parents."
"We aren't your parents," you retorted.
Everyone around you gave you a sceptical look, including Oliver.
"Hey, you're supposed to be on my side," you said to him somewhat bitterly.
"I can still admit when you're wrong, lass."
"I'm never wrong."
"You sure?" your faces were getting closer, and as your lips were about to touch you heard a groan from beside you.
It was Percy. "Didn't miss the PDA," he said with disgust lacing his face.
"Oh, fuck off," Oliver replied, kissing you anyway.
————————————————
masterlist
written; 10/09/2022 —> 07/10/2022
published; 08/10/2022
edited; —/—/——
taglist; @workinatdapyramid
392 notes
·
View notes