The Keeper

Chapter 19

The songs I listened to were Lazarus by David Bowie, Not Afraid by Eminem and Six Different Ways by the Cure.

Sorry for the slow update - I've been catching up with schoolwork after my school trip to India.

Also, just a funny thing that happened today: I took a BuzzFeed quiz (https://www.buzzfeed.com/isabellalouise/this-quiz-will-determine-which-harry-potter-charac-mnu9?origin=filqui&utm_term=.paEXdy8zO#.drYxPOrgw) and I got Oliver Wood as my soulmate which made me quite happy :)

Please vote and comment <3

*

My breath hitched in my throat. He looked great. He was wearing black jeans that hugged his legs tightly, a white t-shirt and a maroon jumper on top. Instinctively, I fiddled with my top, unsure if I was presentable enough. By the time Oliver sat down, I was more nervous than ever.

"Hi," I said quickly.

"Hi," he replied. "Do you want to order? On me." After I nodded, he waved to a bartender who made his way to our table.

Although a significant part of me was craving ribs, I decided I couldn't risk the inevitable spillage of sauce that my clumsiness would ensure. I went for the shepherd's pie while Oliver ordered the turkey leg.

I could sense my friends' eyes on me, doing nothing but heightening my nerves. I tried to relax by focusing on the person in front of me. It's just him and me, I told myself, they don't matter right now. Breathe.

"So how have you been?" he asked. I glanced up from looking at my hands to meet his brunette eyes.

"Good." I winced internally at my generic reply. Our conversation would go nowhere if we stuck to small talk.

"Be honest," he pressed, propping his elbows on the table and interlocking his hands. "I'm afraid 'good' won't be enough here."

I smirked. "Okay, fair enough. I'm very good. I got enough sleep last night. I'm about to eat some great food in a great place with a great guy."

"I'm flattered," Oliver chuckled.

*

A few minutes of general chatter went by before two plates of food were presented to us. I eyed the large shepherd's pie greedily but reminded myself to not eat rudely. I picked up my knife and sliced through the crisped mashed potato into the delicious meat below. The first bite was exquisite and I shut my eyes.

"Enjoying yourself?" he said, a smile on his face.

I swallowed before answering. "Definitely."

*

Despite my persistence that we split the bill, the money ended up leaving Oliver's pocket. I thanked him for it as we left, leaving my friends inside. The air was quite a bit colder than the morning - I shivered.

I felt Oliver's arm wrap around my shoulders. Heat rose to my cheeks and I looked up at him. His face remained blank, however, as we walked down the street. I was unsure as to where we were going. Oliver seemed to though. His steps had a purpose.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked eventually.

"You'll see."

I noticed he was heading in the direction of the longest path connecting Hogsmeade with Hogwarts. It followed the massive stone wall around and would ultimately lead to a side gate. However, I was confused as to why Oliver wanted to go this way because it was considerably longer than the alternative route.

I was left with nothing but my thoughts as we meandered down the path. I enjoyed myself, despite the quiet. 

Once we reached the gate, I turned to Oliver, about to ask him why we had spent so much time on this particular path.

"Just wait," he said, so I said nothing.

We continued walking which I found peaceful. Simply spending time with Oliver was enough.

"Can you close your eyes for me?" he asked, removing his arm from my shoulders. I did so and he put his hands over my eyes to make sure. I felt my back against his chest as he slowly edged me forwards. Being unable to see was slightly terrifying, but I trusted Oliver enough to let him take the lead.

When he removed his hands, I blinked to regain proper sight. Then I inhaled sharply.

Oliver had brought me to the edge of the Black Lake. It was a beautiful sight to see. The water was still, the outline of the Hogwarts towers reflected on the surface. By the lake's edge was a large tree with a swing attached to the thickest branch.

"Wow," I whispered.

"I hoped you'd like it," Oliver said, moving to stand beside me. "I can push you on the swing if you want."

"Actually, I had something else in mind."

Leaving Oliver curious, I made my way to the tree. I ran my hand across the trunk and up to the lowest branch before grasping it. It was strong and could definitely hold my weight. Before any second thoughts could stop me, I started to pull myself up. I loved climbing trees. I had plenty of scars on my shins to prove my dedication.

I stopped at the branch that the swing was tied to. Carefully, I edged along the length of the branch and sat in the middle of it. I turned to face Oliver behind me.

"Coming?"

Oliver didn't join me in the middle of the branch, opting to keep his back firmly against the trunk. He had his legs stretched out in front of him. It was fairly obvious he was accustomed to tree climbing - he didn't show any signs of being uncomfortable and was entirely capable of navigating up a tree.

"I like it here," Oliver said. "I'm glad you do too. I come here sometimes when I want to be alone."

"After a bad day?" I asked.

"Or a bad quidditch match," he added. "Honestly, how could you do that to me?"

I giggled. "You'll need to improve yourself a lot more if you want to stop me from getting past you."

"Rude."

We chatted for a long time before I noticed the sun dipping lower in the sky, casting various shades of orange across the sky. I didn't want to point this out so we could stay, but the amount of homework I had to do was too large to ignore.

"We should get going," I pointed out quietly.

Oliver nodded slowly. "Come here."

I cocked my head. He motioned for me to move. I edged my way along the branch until I reached Oliver's feet. He swung them out the way and I scooched closer. I held my breath. Gently, he wrapped his arm around me and pulled my back against his front.

"We can stay for a bit. Please?"

"Yes," I breathed.