Finder's Keeper || Oliver Wood [1]

Chapter 32: Exposed

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, a huge typhoon hit my country last week so I haven't had the time to write :< Thankfully, I wasn't affected, but a lot of my close friends were so I've been busy helping them out. Please stay safe whenever you are and offer help if you know you're capable of doing so!!

Over the holidays, Bethany and Alista would not stop bringing up how Jessica managed to hide the fact that she and Oliver had been dating for a few weeks. Of course, on that unforgettable Hogsmeade trip where they first found out about it, it was ten times worse.

She could remember what happened as clear as day: Bethany and Alista's eyes were wide and their jaws had dropped the moment they spotted Jessica and Oliver, and then they burst into a run towards them once the initial shock wore off. They would not stop bombarding them with questions and expressions of disbelief at the revelation that they were a couple now. They even insisted on riding the carriages back to the castle with them for further interrogation. Jessica thought it would stop when she returned to the dorm, but it didn't — Alista had even written down a few more questions on a piece of parchment and gave it to the Bethany so that she could ask Jessica in their room and take note of her answers.

Now that Christmas had passed — which was highly uneventful for Jessica because Charles was busy, so she was stuck as the only "kid" when her uncle and aunt came over for their annual holiday dinner — she was hoping that the entire fiasco would die down. Alas, she was wrong. On the first week of January, Jessica and countless other Hogwarts students found themselves on Platform 9 3/4 once again after a short yet fulfilling break. The moment she reunited with her best friends, the first thing they decided to talk about was her and Oliver.

"I still can't believe you kept it a secret," Bethany said as they weaved through the crowded station. "I mean, you and Wood kissed again and didn't think to tell us right away?"

"Yeah, Jess! I'm the one who told you to go snog him in a broom closet, so I should've been first to hear that you finally got together," Alista huffed.

"It wasn't meant to be a secret. I just found it entertaining that you didn't —" Jessica tried, only for her friends to cut her off and continue speaking.

"No, I should've been first. You wanted her to be with Terence, remember?" Bethany pointed out.

"He was nice to Jess, too, okay? Attractive, as well," Alista said defensively. "Besides, I'm over that. I support her and Wood now — but she still should've told us sooner."

"Don't mind me, just keep talking as if I'm not here," Jessica deadpanned, making the other two glance at her sheepishly.

"Sorry," they chorused. They proceeded to loading their trunks into the train. Jessica was just about to reach down to hoist hers into the luggage compartment when a pair of hands landed on her trunk. She looked up to come face to face with Oliver.

"Hi," he smiled.

"Hi," said Jessica, feeling the corners of her lips turning up as well. Bethany and Alista had to restrain themselves from laughing at how the two of them were practically looking at one another with hearts in their eyes. After a moment, Jessica straightened up while Oliver helped load her trunk into the bay.

"We'll go look for a carriage, Jess," Bethany announced. However, neither she nor Oliver heard the redhead because they were back to staring at each other and fidgeting in place as if waiting for the other to speak.

"Let's just go," Alista whispered. Bethany nodded, and the two of them discretely slipped into the crowd of students and disappeared from sight.

"Did you have a good Christmas?" Oliver started.