SECTUMSEMPRA ꩜ harry potter.

Paper Rings (Oliver Wood)

PROMPT: based on paper rings by taylor swift. Oliver and Y/N never got to know each other when they were in Hogwarts— years later, they finally do

It seemed that life never meant for you and Oliver Wood to become a part of each other's lives. You were a year below him at Hogwarts and by the time you entered as a first year, Oliver had already established his hatred for the rival house of Gryffindor— Slytherin, which just happened to be the house you got sorted in. Over the years, neither of you really went out of your way to become friends with each other. In fact, the only time Oliver saw you outside of shared classes was when Gryffindor played against Slytherin, which your boyfriend— or ex-boyfriend— Cassius Warrington was the chaser for.

Oliver knew very little about you and he was never kept up at night by the thought of you. You weren't really a popular student either. He didn't even know your name. In his defense, his Hogwarts years were centered purely on Quidditch. You were just the girl he occasionally bumped into in the hallways while he was trying to do last minute revisions for their game plans. Or the girl who happened to check out the exact book he needed to write an essay for Snape. Or the girl he saw occupying the same seat in the Slytherin stands during the Gryffindor versus Slytherin matches.

It wasn't until three years after the end of the war did Oliver finally meet you— officially. He decided to come back and give a summer camp opportunity for Hogwarts Quidditch players, a request from Professor McGonagall. Oliver thought his return to Hogwarts was long overdue, missing the grounds where he got his first real shot at playing Quidditch. You were hired by Professor Flitwick, the same summer that Oliver was asked to come back to Hogwarts, to take over Potions, as it was always your strongest class during your years. After a few years as a Healer, you realized that teaching was your calling and since then, you've pestered the Hogwarts staff to allow you to teach on campus until they finally caved.

When you arrived that summer, you were expecting to be greeted by an empty castle, with the exception of the house elves and a few professors. You weren't expecting a group of thirty students of all ages lined up on the Quidditch Pitch.

As you dropped your bags on the steps leading up to your room, you turned to Professor Flitwick, "What's that all about? I thought students were out of the castle around this time?"

He ushered you to continue going up, "They are, typically, but Professor McGonagall invited an old student to help some kids with their Quidditch skills. You know her and Quidditch, big fan, she is."

You hummed in agreement, the explanation enough for you to drop the subject. You found yourself watching the students fly around on their brooms, thinking about how it didn't seem so long ago since you watched your own classmates doing so. You vividly remember wrapping yourself up in your house colors, cheering on Cassius, but knowing deep down you wanted the other team to win. You were never a fan of the dirty plays of the Slytherin house.

You were so caught up in a daydream that you didn't notice a bludger flying rapidly towards your opened window. Your eyes widened in fear, anticipating the painful impact. However, it never came. A flash of colors blocked the bludger from hitting your window. When you finally got enough courage to look at what saved you from the bludger that could've taken you out, you saw a boy sitting on his broom, a beater bat in hand. His face was turned away from you, his features unable to be seen in the angle he was facing.

"Thank you," you squeaked, clearing your throat once you realized you were out of harm's way.

The boy turned around, flashing a concerned look to you. He looked oddly familiar. You were sure you've seen him before. He eyed you up and down, grinning when he realized you were safe. He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, "Sorry bout that, miss. These kids are out of practice it seems. Didn't think they'd need this much help."