Title: Misunderstanding

Pairing: Oliver Wood x Reader

Word count: 3460

Published: 4 September, 2020

Author: Heloise Daphne Brightmore

Notes: Well this is not my favourite Oliver Wood fic, but some people might like it.

You were seated on a sofa in the Gryffindor common room with your boyfriend's head laying in your lap. You ran your fingers through his soft brown hair, scratching his scalp with your nails, watching as his lips curled into a small smile, enjoying the moment from behind his closed eyelids.

"Little to the left." He instructed you as he turned his head a bit. You chuckled at his behaviour. You did as you were asked and started softly scratching his head on his left, making his smile grow bigger.

"Are you comfortable, mister?" You scoffed, but you couldn't remove your growing grin.

"Aye." He heaved a deep sigh in content, making you giggle. You didn't know you owned a pet, but apparently you had one.

"You are so much cuter when you are not playing Quidditch." You spoke as you continued caressing his head.

"I have to be firm with the team." He hummed.

"Nah, you are downright scary." You chuckled as he grimaced at your words.

You could hear loud voices from outside of the entrance, recognising the Weasley twins in them. Oliver jumped up from your lap, pushing himself to the other side of the sofa and laid against the back of the couch, making your eyes widen in surprise. This was not the first time he suddenly moved away from you and you didn't understand why he behaved so strangely whenever someone saw you together. Your relationship was no secret after all.

The portrait whole opened, revealing Fred and George with Lee behind them.

"Oh, hello beautiful." Fred walked up to you, sitting down on the armrest beside you. You just chuckled at his flirtatious behaviour and gently punched his shoulder. "Beautiful and strong. Perfect combination." He grinned, winking at you.

"Are you done?" You asked with an eye roll, but an ever growing smile.

"Well, I thought if your boyfriend doesn't give you enough love, then I would." He looked at Oliver with a proud grin. You turned to your boyfriend to see his reaction, but he stayed completely emotionless as he was watching your interactions. "You know, if you get bored of his ass, you can always use me as a rebound."

"Have you finished?" Oliver interrupted, his tone clearly annoyed. "I would very much appreciate it if you stopped flirting with my girlfriend." He huffed. "Unless, if you want to do an extra hour of practice, of course." He raised a questioning eyebrow.

"He is just plain mean." Fred murmured, loud enough only for you to hear.

"I know right? I have been telling him, but he ignores what I say." You shook your head with a playful smile.

"I would never ignore you." He replied with a wink. Oliver shot up from his place, walking in front of you, but keeping his gaze on Fred.

"Don't you have better things to do than flirt with my girlfriend?" He growled in anger, feeling fed up with his friend's behaviour.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm leaving." He stood up from beside you, heading towards the male dormitory. "Y/N, if you change your mind, just let me know." Fred turned back with a big grin across his face.

"Weasley!" Oliver shouted after him, but he disappeared with a loud chuckle fading in the distance. "Why are you letting him do that?" He asked with a deep frown across his brows.

"Because it's fun." You smirked happily. "He is doing it only to rile you up and it works." You shrugged.

"Well, I don't like it." He flopped down on the couch beside you.

"I don't like when you push me away either, but I don't complain." You raised a questioning brow, your smile long gone.

"I don't push you away." He turned to look into your eyes for the first time since his friends stepped into the common room.

"So why did you shoot up so abruptly when they arrived?" You asked, hoping for a straight answer for the first time.

"I didn't." He turned away from you, shrugging his shoulders.

"Right." You replied with a deep sigh, leaving the conversation hanging above you.

*

As you woke up, you headed towards the Great Hall to fill up your complaining stomach. You usually went to the kitchen at night, sneaking out of the dorm with Oliver, but you were a tad bit unhappy with his behaviour so you skipped on your nightly rendezvous.

As you arrived at the Great Hall, you immediately spotted your boyfriend with his quidditch jersey on. You walked up to the middle of the long table, taking a seat beside him. You leaned closer to leave a kiss on his cheek with a smile across your face, but as soon as he realised your close proximity, he pulled away. You frowned at his distant behaviour, but didn't say anything.

"Not here, love." He whispered, but he didn't look at you. You were still a new couple, having been together only for a month, but instead of the lovey-dovey relationship you expected after he asked you out so romantically with flowers and lover letters, you were quite often pushed aside, questioning why he was with you in the first place.

Sure, you had a couple of fights already, especially when he forgot about your dates because of a quidditch practice, but you always quickly resolved it.

You knew he was not a big fan of making out in front of people or cuddling into each other in the common room, but you never even forced him, you didn't think of yourself as clingy.

He didn't like to hold your hand and if you did, because you wanted to feel your small hands getting lost in his big palm, he quickly pulled it away and looked around as if he was searching for someone.

When you laid your head across his shoulder in the common room, he laid his on top of yours with a content sigh, but as soon as someone arrived, he pulled away, clearing his throat awkwardly.

It hurt you, but you never really voiced your feelings, hoping for it to be just a phase he was going through, maybe finding it hard to adjust to a relationship. But deep down you knew, that you were just finding excuses for him.

Oliver stood up from the table, his teammates following him.

"Good luck." You hummed as he turned back to look at you with a big grin across his face. You returned his expression happily, remembering the first time you saw him wearing the same smile. One of your favourite features of his was definitely his big goofy grin, making you giggle, a blush creeping up on your face. You couldn't have denied how much you loved the boy, even if he was pushing you away, even if his distant behaviour hurt you.

*

The quidditch match was quite quick, only lasting for about an hour, before Harry finally caught the golden snitch, raising it in the air proudly. You chuckled happily as your boyfriend landed on the ground, greeting every team member with a huge smile across his face.

You ran down to the pitch, wrapping your arms around his neck, hugging him with a wholehearted laughter leaving your lungs in excitement. But it stopped abruptly as you felt your boyfriend's hand on your waist, trying to push you away.

"Not now, babe." He smiled sweetly, before he joined his team mates in celebrating their victory. You tilted your head as you watched him hug Angelina and Katie, then Fred and George, before he turned to Alicia and Harry. You didn't understand why you were different. Why you couldn't hug your own boyfriend when everyone else could.

You could feel the pricking feeling in your eyes, tears threatening to leave you, but you forced them back with a loud gulp. You just wanted to walk away, you just wanted to be alone, but an arm thrown around your shoulder stopped you.

"He is a right knob head, but he loves you, you know?" You heard Fred's voice, but you just shook your head as you felt the first tear slowly rolling down your cheek. You looked up at the ginger boy, his frown deepening at your sorrowful sight.

"Does he?" You asked, waiting for reassurance. You wanted nothing, but those words to be true, but you just couldn't see it.

"Yes, he talks about you all the time. That's why I am teasing him. It's fun to get him worked up." He chuckled, but your face remained emotionless.

"Maybe." You replied as you lifted his arm from your shoulder and left the boy behind, heading up to your dormitory. You didn't have energy for the celebration, nor did you want to see all the happy faces when you felt so miserable, so pathetic.

You wondered around the corridors, late at night, knowing exactly how to avoid the prefects, thanks to Fred and George. They have taught you a couple of tricks, which you have been most grateful for.

"Y/N!" You heard the familiar Scottish accent, making you turn around in your spot. "I have been looking for you everywhere, love." You flinched at the nickname. You wanted him to call you that, of course you did. But not when he didn't mean it.

He threw his arms around your shoulders, nuzzling in the crook of your neck, pulling you even closer. You couldn't resist his presence, you loved him too much. You wrapped your arms around his waist, breathing in his intoxicating scent. You felt content again, feeling his body pressed to yours, his small kiss on your neck.

"Oh, what a sweet sight." You heard Lee's voice, followed by two other voices chuckling in the back. Oliver jumped away from you, keeping a good couple of inches between you. Your smile faltered at his sudden movements, a deep frown setting in between his brows.

"Oh sod off." He replied with a grimace. But you didn't mind the boys being there, you didn't mind them seeing you hugging him. You didn't understand why he always kept you at arms length when others were around. Up until it all clicked.

"Oliver?" You asked, but he didn't look at you. "Oliver Wood!" Your tone was firm this time, realisation hitting you painfully hard. Your mouth hung open, your eyes wide in surprise. He looked at you finally with a questioning look. Even when you fought, you never raised your voice, but this time, you were too hurt to care. "Are you ashamed of me?" While you meant it as a question, your voice had more of a confirming tone to it.

"What?" He asked, a shocked expression spread across his handsome face.

"You are ashamed of me!" You stated, this time not even questioning him.

"No, I am not." He retorted immediately.

"But you are!" You huffed, your face dumbfounded, feeling as if you have finally solved the puzzle you have been trying to put together for so long. "How else would you explain your behaviour? Always pushing me away, not wanting to hold my hand, not wanting to hug me, always jumping away from me when someone sees us together. Oh, what a bloody idiot I am." Tears collected in your eyes as your realisation hit you harder. "You have been trying to keep a distance whenever others could see us and I honestly didn't understand why, but now I finally get it. I feel like a fool, really." You chuckled painfully.

"You misunderstand, love." He tried to save the situation, but you were not having any of it.

"Don't call me love." You raised your voice, your face turning cold as you looked straight into his brown eyes, trying to understand what he had seen in you that he couldn't show off. Sure, you weren't the most popular person nor were you the smartest student, but you were at least average.

"I am telling you, you don't understand. This is all a misunderstanding." He spoke, but you just shook your head.

"Yes, it is. It is a misunderstanding on my part. I thought you liked me, I expected you to tell me if something has changed, but nothing's changed. You have never even liked me to begin with, have you?" You asked as your tears rolled down on your face. "Why all those letters, why asking me out, if you didn't want to be with me?" You asked, your voice shaky. But then your face turned from anger to a shocked expression again. "Hold on a second. You never even addressed me in your letters. You always said love. You... you didn't even mean those letters for me, did you? For Merlin's sake, how pathetic can I get, agreeing to go out with you, when those letters weren't even meant for me?" A deep sorrowful chuckle escaped your lungs.

"Wait! Stop it! That's not it at all!" He waved in front of you, but you didn't listen. It was all clear in your head. You finally understood. He never even wanted you to begin with, it was all a misunderstanding. Your misunderstanding.

He tried to step closer, but you put your arm in front of you. "Don't move!" You warned him as you shook your head.

"Love, whatever is in your head, it's all wrong." He got hold of your arm, but you yanked it out of his grip.

"It is all wrong. I screwed up royally." You scoffed with a painful smile. You heaved a deep sigh, lost in your thoughts. You wanted to walk away, but Oliver grabbed your wrist once again, pulling you back.

"Can you just listen to me?" He asked in a desperate tone, but you didn't care. You pulled your hand out of his grasp and turned to face him with a determined expression.

"No! You had a month to talk to me. I don't want to hear anything else from you." You said firmly, before you turned around, leaving the dumbfounded boy behind, passing the shocked Weasley twins and Jordan on the way.

You ran up to your room, throwing yourself on your bed, pulling the cover over your sobbing form. You wanted to disappear. You couldn't imagine looking into his eyes anymore. You acted like an idiot, pretending to be in a relationship, whilst he didn't even want you. Why couldn't he say something? Why was he going along with your misunderstanding? - Toxic thoughts ran through your mind for hours, before you finally cried yourself to sleep.

When you woke up and looked into the mirror, you stumbled back in surprise. Your eyes were bloodshot, the little sockets under your eyes dark and swollen, your cheeks red and puffy. You wanted to just skip all your meals and stay cooped up in your bed for the rest of your day.

But you decided otherwise. You were not one to run away. You used some of the basic charms you have learned to get rid of your swollen cheeks.

You held your head high as you stepped into the Great Hall, not wanting to show your weak side. You immediately recognised Oliver, but you didn't walk up to him. You took a seat far away from him, wanting nothing but to forget about his existence. You placed a toast on your plate, buttering it and putting a spoon full of jam on it, before you felt a presence beside you.

"Love, let me talk to you." You heard his thick Scottish accent, but you ignored him. You didn't want his closeness to affect your appetite which was slowly disappearing. "Please." He tried again, but you were too good at pretending to not be interested. He kept asking you multiple times to a point where you were beyond annoyed and threw your toast back on your plate as you turned towards him, meeting his pleading brown eyes.

"No!" You simply stated. "I don't even want to know that you exist." You raised a brow as if questioning if he understood you.

"For Merlin's sake, I listened to you while you told me your wee stupid idea, which by the way was completely incorrect, so now it's my turn to talk." He replied firmly, surprising you with his demanding tone. "None of what you said was true. I have no idea where you got them from. I do like you, hell I love you." Your eyes widened in surprise, but soon the little voices in your head decided to scream the exact opposite of what he was saying. "I asked you out because I fancied you and all the letters were meant to you. I didn't have the courage to walk up to you and tell you face to face. And yes, I didn't address them to you, which now I do regret, but I didn't think it mattered." He heaved a deep sigh as if he felt lighter momentarily.

"You finished?" You asked with a sceptical look on your face as his brows took on a deep frown. "Am I supposed to feel all giddy and jump into your neck? Okay, the letters were addressed to me, sure you wanted to go out with me. It doesn't change the fact that throughout our relationship you kept pushing me away." You shrugged half-heartedly. "If you don't mind, I will be going, because thanks to you, my appetite is gone now." You huffed annoyed as you stood up, walking towards the exit.

Before you could have stepped out of the Great Hall, you felt a hand around your wrist, pulling you back against a chest. You looked up to Oliver with a surprised expression. You didn't even have time to talk, he placed his hand behind your neck, pulling you closer to him, meeting your lips in the middle. Your eyes widened at his surprise attack, but before you could have processed the situation, you were kissing him back involuntarily. 

You missed his lips on yours, you missed his warm hugs, you missed his presence beside you. But in the back of your mind, your toxic thoughts were lingering, screaming for you to break away from him. You listened.

As you pulled away from him, your gaze was wandering between his warm brown irises and pink, swollen lips.

"I'm so sorry, love. I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just scared of being teased, being seen as weak. I'm the captain of the quidditch team and I thought if I showed an affectionate side of mine, they would use it against me. I am so sorry. I promise you I will not behave like that again." His desperate tone and pleading eyes were all you needed, but you didn't plan on giving in just yet.

"So you don't mind if I hold your hand?" You asked. He placed his hand on the side of your face, caressing your cheek with his thumb as you tilted your head into his big palm.

"I will hold your hand before you can even think of it." He smiled sweetly and you couldn't stop the expression on your face to mirror his.

"And you will let me hug you sometimes?" You raised a brow.

"I will not even let you go." He nodded.

"You have quidditch practice. You will have to let me go." You chuckled. He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, but his smile didn't falter.

"Will I be able to kiss you when others are there?" You questioned biting into your lip.

"I just kissed you in front of the whole Great Hall. I think that answers it." He closed his eyes, feeling embarrassment rush over him. "But... you have to admit that you overreacted a wee bit." He raised a questioning brow, causing you to huff in disbelief, before the smile returned on your face.

"Maybe a wee bit." You giggled. "What do you say we get out of here? I am kind of feeling awkward." You replied as you hid your face in his chest.

"I thought you wanted an audience." He let out a wholehearted laughter.

"Oh hush, Oliver." You felt yourself blush, but soon enough he was leading you out of the Great Hall, leaving the other students and the professors in an awkward silence.

Notes: If you enjoyed it, don't forget to like the chapter. Thank you :)