Freedom to Enjoy: Part 2
Title: Freedom to Enjoy
Chapter Title: Frustration
Author: Bizarity
Pairing: Seamus/Oliver
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,078
Summary: Oliver's having a little trouble at Puddlemere United. He decides to change the way he lives and go after something he's always wanted.
Warnings: None
Notes: For themadedevil for making me write my first multi-part fic.
"Who do you think it is?"
"He said we'd know him."
"I bet it's Owen West. He just left the Cannons." Everyone had something to say and didn't care who was listening. Oliver saw Lawrence Mallory, Puddlemere's manager, walk in and lean on the door.
"I promise he's better than Owen West," said Mallory. He stepped away from the door. "Allow me to present your new seeker," he said as the door opened and Harry Potter walked. Oliver stood up immediately, as did Seamus.
"Harry?" their voices overlapped and Harry just smiled at them.
"Come on," said Mallory. "You'll get over the shock better if you play with him for a bit." Mallory had a point; the team looked awe-struck. Harry looked bashful, but Oliver could see Seamus trying to distract him. Oliver was glad, the team needed a good seeker and with Harry they might even be able to win their game against the Tornados. Practice went badly, the Chasers spent so much time watching Harry that the dropped the Quaffle every time they tried to score. Oliver could tell from the goal hoops that Harry was blaming himself. Fortunately, Mallory was quick and announced keeping-practice. The team were still awe-struck and Oliver had no trouble stopping their goals. Harry and Seamus proved harder, though neither of them would normally shoot. Harry was a fast flyer but predictable. Seamus was different; erratic and determined. He crowed every time Oliver let a goal of his through.
Practice ended early and Mallory suggested a drink in The Moody Thestral; Oliver knew it was a chance for the team to get over their feelings about Harry and felt no guilt in declining. He had better things to do than nurse a single beer and watch Seamus get checked out. He took his usual shower and apparated to Diagon Alley to get a present for his mother's birthday.
At the next practice Oliver noticed that things were much better and assumed they'd got all their questions out in one drunken rush. Probably not the best experience for Harry but quicker was better when they had a match in under a week. They played their team against their reserves in a full game that let Harry experience their style and their tactics. The team won both in terms of goals scored and because Harry caught the snitch. This time no post-practice drink was suggested; it was too close to the match. Everyone showered and went home under strict orders to eat well and rest. Oliver tried but was caught up in images of Puddlemere winning the league, knowing they were top team in Britain. If he played really well in their next few matches, maybe he'd finally get invited to the Quidditch World Cup team. It took him literally counting kneazles before he was able to drop off.
Oliver didn't see how the day of the match dawned, but at eight it was cloudy and mild. Oliver knew it would be warm by push-off at eleven. He took a quick shower and changed into his uniform before apparating to the pitch. Fields, Mallory and Jones were already there, familiarising themselves with the Tornadoes's grounds. Oliver flew intricate designs around both sets of hoops then floated, going over their plays in his head. The rest of the team arrived and warmed-up in their own ways. The Tornadoes team graciously didn't appear until the last minute, having done their warm-up elsewhere.
The match kicked off intensely, both sets of Chasers working themselves hard. Oliver had to block five goals within the first five minutes. The Tornadoes were more used to this level of play and they scored twice in quick succession. Oliver did his best to watch the ball at all times but a badly aimed bludger knocked him sideways just as Puddlemere scored. The response from the stadium wasn't overwhelming but Oliver heard Seamus's delighted scream. The game progressed with the Puddlemere players getting tired and dispirited. Finally, Oliver saw a streak of blue out of the corner of his eye and then Harry was holding the snitch and Seamus was jumping up and down and Oliver was carrying Harry, pressed up against Seamus and wondering why the crowd was still so quiet.
Everything blurred on the way to the changing rooms but once inside Oliver sat down and waited for his heart to stop pounding. Eventually, he had himself back under control and started to undress. Everything shifted suddenly back to normal and he took his shower, got dressed, apparated to The Moody Thestral and sat in the only available seat, next to Seamus, with a cold beer in front of him. The chose The Moody Thestral because it was a quiet pub but tonight was different. More of the tables were occupied and there was a queue for the bar. The rest of the team were on their second drink before Oliver realised why.
"Harry Potter!" A short, sturdy young man with long blond hair was standing next to their table pointing directly at Harry.
"Er, yeah," was all Harry said. Oliver hadn't seen that look since Harry's second year. Eventually, he man got bored and went away. But he was soon replaced by a tall girl in a very tight shirt.
"Harry Potter?" This continued all night. Fans, mostly women, came up to their table and offered to buy Harry drinks, asked him to dance. Oliver was sure that if Harry hadn't been stuck at the back in the middle they would have sat in his lap and refused to move. A few of the girls Harry politely rejected hung around, now staring at Seamus and Lawrence. Once, when Oliver got up to go the loo he'd returned to find his seat taken by a tall gangly boy who looked like he should still be at school. Oliver tried not to watch he and Seamus stare at each other as he took a seat at the bar. The other view was not much better. Nearly every team member had someone young and attractive batting their eyelashes and blowing them kisses. Every team member except Oliver.
It shouldn't have mattered. Quidditch wasn't about popularity or sex. Quidditch was about the game, the tactics, the freedom. Oliver hadn't been in a relationship since he'd left school. Most of the Puddlemere players weren't but Oliver was only just realising that their reason wasn't lack of opportunity.
Chapter Title: Frustration
Author: Bizarity
Pairing: Seamus/Oliver
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,078
Summary: Oliver's having a little trouble at Puddlemere United. He decides to change the way he lives and go after something he's always wanted.
Warnings: None
Notes: For themadedevil for making me write my first multi-part fic.
"Who do you think it is?"
"He said we'd know him."
"I bet it's Owen West. He just left the Cannons." Everyone had something to say and didn't care who was listening. Oliver saw Lawrence Mallory, Puddlemere's manager, walk in and lean on the door.
"I promise he's better than Owen West," said Mallory. He stepped away from the door. "Allow me to present your new seeker," he said as the door opened and Harry Potter walked. Oliver stood up immediately, as did Seamus.
"Harry?" their voices overlapped and Harry just smiled at them.
"Come on," said Mallory. "You'll get over the shock better if you play with him for a bit." Mallory had a point; the team looked awe-struck. Harry looked bashful, but Oliver could see Seamus trying to distract him. Oliver was glad, the team needed a good seeker and with Harry they might even be able to win their game against the Tornados. Practice went badly, the Chasers spent so much time watching Harry that the dropped the Quaffle every time they tried to score. Oliver could tell from the goal hoops that Harry was blaming himself. Fortunately, Mallory was quick and announced keeping-practice. The team were still awe-struck and Oliver had no trouble stopping their goals. Harry and Seamus proved harder, though neither of them would normally shoot. Harry was a fast flyer but predictable. Seamus was different; erratic and determined. He crowed every time Oliver let a goal of his through.
Practice ended early and Mallory suggested a drink in The Moody Thestral; Oliver knew it was a chance for the team to get over their feelings about Harry and felt no guilt in declining. He had better things to do than nurse a single beer and watch Seamus get checked out. He took his usual shower and apparated to Diagon Alley to get a present for his mother's birthday.
At the next practice Oliver noticed that things were much better and assumed they'd got all their questions out in one drunken rush. Probably not the best experience for Harry but quicker was better when they had a match in under a week. They played their team against their reserves in a full game that let Harry experience their style and their tactics. The team won both in terms of goals scored and because Harry caught the snitch. This time no post-practice drink was suggested; it was too close to the match. Everyone showered and went home under strict orders to eat well and rest. Oliver tried but was caught up in images of Puddlemere winning the league, knowing they were top team in Britain. If he played really well in their next few matches, maybe he'd finally get invited to the Quidditch World Cup team. It took him literally counting kneazles before he was able to drop off.
Oliver didn't see how the day of the match dawned, but at eight it was cloudy and mild. Oliver knew it would be warm by push-off at eleven. He took a quick shower and changed into his uniform before apparating to the pitch. Fields, Mallory and Jones were already there, familiarising themselves with the Tornadoes's grounds. Oliver flew intricate designs around both sets of hoops then floated, going over their plays in his head. The rest of the team arrived and warmed-up in their own ways. The Tornadoes team graciously didn't appear until the last minute, having done their warm-up elsewhere.
The match kicked off intensely, both sets of Chasers working themselves hard. Oliver had to block five goals within the first five minutes. The Tornadoes were more used to this level of play and they scored twice in quick succession. Oliver did his best to watch the ball at all times but a badly aimed bludger knocked him sideways just as Puddlemere scored. The response from the stadium wasn't overwhelming but Oliver heard Seamus's delighted scream. The game progressed with the Puddlemere players getting tired and dispirited. Finally, Oliver saw a streak of blue out of the corner of his eye and then Harry was holding the snitch and Seamus was jumping up and down and Oliver was carrying Harry, pressed up against Seamus and wondering why the crowd was still so quiet.
Everything blurred on the way to the changing rooms but once inside Oliver sat down and waited for his heart to stop pounding. Eventually, he had himself back under control and started to undress. Everything shifted suddenly back to normal and he took his shower, got dressed, apparated to The Moody Thestral and sat in the only available seat, next to Seamus, with a cold beer in front of him. The chose The Moody Thestral because it was a quiet pub but tonight was different. More of the tables were occupied and there was a queue for the bar. The rest of the team were on their second drink before Oliver realised why.
"Harry Potter!" A short, sturdy young man with long blond hair was standing next to their table pointing directly at Harry.
"Er, yeah," was all Harry said. Oliver hadn't seen that look since Harry's second year. Eventually, he man got bored and went away. But he was soon replaced by a tall girl in a very tight shirt.
"Harry Potter?" This continued all night. Fans, mostly women, came up to their table and offered to buy Harry drinks, asked him to dance. Oliver was sure that if Harry hadn't been stuck at the back in the middle they would have sat in his lap and refused to move. A few of the girls Harry politely rejected hung around, now staring at Seamus and Lawrence. Once, when Oliver got up to go the loo he'd returned to find his seat taken by a tall gangly boy who looked like he should still be at school. Oliver tried not to watch he and Seamus stare at each other as he took a seat at the bar. The other view was not much better. Nearly every team member had someone young and attractive batting their eyelashes and blowing them kisses. Every team member except Oliver.
It shouldn't have mattered. Quidditch wasn't about popularity or sex. Quidditch was about the game, the tactics, the freedom. Oliver hadn't been in a relationship since he'd left school. Most of the Puddlemere players weren't but Oliver was only just realising that their reason wasn't lack of opportunity.