a pleasant surprise

He was back at Hogwarts and Oliver wasn't too sure how he felt about it. He was at least happy that he had been placed back into his original house and had been placed back into sixth year. At least his mother's private teaching had worked.

Oliver's throat constricted at the thought of his mother. She had been laying in St. Mungos for the past two weeks in a coma. A coma that seemed to have no point and no awaking. The loss of his unborn sister - had only been five months old - hadn't helped the cause at all. He had lost a sister he always wished he had. Frowning, he looked out the window of the empty compartment he had chosen.

For a moment, he realized he hadn't told Annabeth of his return but thought it would be a nice surprise for her. The Ravenclaw just hoped that she'd be the distraction to keep his mind away from his mother.

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Tshering stormed into the train, relieved that school had finally begun, even though her summer was perfect in terms of her love life. She couldn't wait to see her beloved Hogwarts again. It felt relieving to finally go back after it after so long... she wondered what would have changed during the time of her absence, if anything.

It took ages for the Ravenclaw to find a carriage that was empty or occupied with people that she either didn't like or didn't. Once she finally found one, there was a person that she hadn't seen in... years, it felt like.

The brunette's heart began to pound as she saw the familiar face. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. Her eyes were transfixed on him, her motions stilled. Her face turned from one of anger, or irritation, and into one of joy.

She couldn't say she'd never been happier in her life, because if she did, she would be lying.

"Oliver!" she exclaimed, running towards him. Immediately she opened up her arms to take all of him in, trying her best not to burst into tears.

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The Ravenclaw, who's mind had been somewhere else, was surprised when another body had run towards him to hug him. With a smile and without looking at her, Oliver instantly knew that it was her. He didn't know of anyone else that would yell his name and hug him instantly the moment he was spotted.

"Annabeth, surprise," he chuckled as he returned the hug to the fellow brunette and house mate. Looking at her, he shook his head, "Hey, don't burst into tears, not even if they're happy ones."

Tshering buried her head in Oliver's shoulder, breathing and devouring all of him through her nostrils. She was still trying to contain her tears, her body trembling with the fact that he was here in front of her. After all, they had been close friends before he left, and sure they had contact, but nothing beats seeing him in person.

"Fuck," she breathed, still clutching him close to her, "do you have any idea how much I missed you? I wanted to tell you everything about Durmstrang and Charles and having friends and... Charles."

"Woah, woah, calm down there Annabeth," he chuckled, shaking his head and smiled into her hair as he didn't let go of her. With his hand in his hair, he stroked it gently, smiling, "I'm not going to disappear into thin air anymore darling, I'm staying for good, you know."

He laughed, joking, "A lot, I'm assuming considering you're not letting go but it's okay, I don't mind a bit."

"So you were part of the exchange program too, huh," Oliver stated, not even making it a question.

Taking a step back away from her and her hug, Ollie raised an eyebrow, "Who's, uh, who's Charles?"

"Really?" gasped the Ravenclaw, and finally she let go of it. She brushed her hair to one side, her tears carried along with it. "Finally! I mean, I've known you for what, three years, and I've only seen you for less than a year. It sucks not having you around." Tshering's lips broke into a kind smile. "You think I don't miss you? I mean, just because I'm pissed all the fucking time doesn't mean that I don't have any time to think about you."

The brunette nodded. "Yeah, yeah I was," she proudly proclaimed. She then took a deep breath, "Charles is just a friend of mine. I met him in Vienna the year before we went to Durmstrang. We're dating, actually." She cleared her throat. "Anyway, he's in France for the year."

Oliver laughed, confirming that he was going to stay here to finish his studies, "I suppose that no matter what happens, I'll always have to return to Hogwarts."

"It sucks to not be around," the older Ravenclaw chuckled as he placed his arm around Annabeth's shoulder. "You're not always pissed, I mean, you aren't pissed off right now. You actually seem happy and I don't recall any of the times that you have been pissed when I'm around. It must be my charm." He joked.

Nodding along, he took a seat since he had stood up to hug her and motioned for the female Ravenclaw to do the same. "So, was it fun?" He asked her.

"Oh, so you're dating Charles," Oliver said, half-smiling as he nodding nonchalantly, sort of pretending that he was cool with the idea. He hid it pretty well though, considering that his crush for her had never really been out in the air. "That's cool. Is he, uh, nice?"

"Well," Tshering admitted, feeling almost nostalgic, "no matter how amazing the lessons and people of Durmstrang are, Hogwarts is home."

When Oliver put an arm around the younger brunette, she felt as if he was invading personal space. She had an urge to suddenly attack him, but she took deep breaths mentally. This was Oliver, she thought, he missed her, she missed her. There was no reason to feel so awkward, or so she thought. "Oh, I just feel nicer when you're around, darling," Tshering joked.

Tshering shrugged her shoulders, "Well, I know they didn't have a shortage of broom cupboards, and some of the teachers are kinda kooky." She then flopped down on the chair, shamelessly resting her head on her friend's shoulders.

Propping the heels on the edge of the seat, Tshering stole a quick glance at the engravement on her ring before pondering on how to reply to Oliver's question. "Yeah, I'm dating him. He's a fourth year in Durmstrang, but he's going to France for the year," she elaborated, "and he's wonderful, and his... oh, never mind." She then decided to change the subject, "Enough about my boyfriend. Don't you have a special someone?"

Oliver shurgged, not really comprehending her nostalgia but he didn't say anything about it. He was already missing home and his mother, his teacher. The recently re-instated Ravenclaw didn't say point that out as his fingers brushed his brown hair back, "I suppose. I guess I like home schooling a little bit more but I'm more than glad you find it like home."

"I'd hope so," he replied as his nose twitched slightly when he laughed. "I've seen and heard about you being mean to people and I seriously wish I will never be on that side. Honestly, I'd be scared shitless if I was. I don't think I'd be able to survive from being yelled at you," Oli confessed, passing it off as if he was joking as he shook his head laughing. "I'd be quite heartbroken, if you ask me."

His face contorting, the brown haired boy snorted, "I don't think I needed to know that. What I actually meant was, did you have fun at Durmstrang but apparently I don't need an answer to that anymore."

"Not really, no, " Oliver said as his one of his arms made it's way behind his head. The brown eyed boy didn't say it but he honestly didn't care to hear about Annabeth's boyfriend. If it was up to him, he'd rather not hear about him at all ever again. Like he never existed or ever was mentioned.

"You got home-schooled?" Tshering asked, intrigued of the thought, "d'you know I was sort of home-schooled before I came to Hogwarts?" She then blinked back tears as she thought of the joyful expressions on her mother and her sing song as she skipped across mowed grass, on cobbled paths, wearing a sun hat. Those days seem too far away to be real anymore... she could feel herself trying to touch them with her fingers... but no, they keep slipping, slipping...

She cleared her throat. "Right... I was home-schooled, but it was more like... practical home schooling," she began, "it was nice, to see the world with my mother. I learned about maths and anthropology and psychology along the way... it was beautiful." She then buried her face on his shoulder. "But then my mother had to change to become a stranger. A useless stranger."

Tshering rolled her eyes. "I would never yell at you," she admitted. It was so weird for her to be saying this to someone she had a crush on. What if those feelings came back? It would be so awkward between them if she kept trying to hide from him because she was so scared of committing adultery by kissing him when she was dating Charles, "I mean... okay, I might be mad at you, but there are other way of dealing with anger than yelling at you." She laughed, "I wouldn't want to be on your bad side either; if I had to be honest..." Her cheeks reddened as she said this, "I-I had a crush on you... a while back."

Oh well, at least she finished it conclusively.

Frowning, the girl muttered, "I always thought you'd get some really pretty girl out there, y'know. You're handsome enough for the likes of Grayson or Hazelle Bass... I'd always thought I'd be alone, but here I am."

"Uh yeah, I thought you knew that," he replied with a one shoulder nonchalant shrug, the one where her head wasn't laid on. "But no, I didn't know that. I'm sure it was fun, right? I'm sorry to hear about your mother," he said sullenly but tried to cheer the whole thing up, "But I'm quite sure it was entirely fun and entertaining. At least you had that choice. My mother would wake me up at seven in the morning as if it were a regular day and would start teaching me as I ate breakfast and wouldn't stop until after lunch." Thinking about those times before her mother had gone under, he gave a sad chuckle, "But she always cooked a lot of different types of food so I could try."

Oliver let out a happy laugh as she admitted what he didn't want her to do, "Good because like I said, I wouldn't be able to face it." The Ravenclaw young man smirked at the girl, "And tell me, why wouldn't you want to be on my bad side either."

His eyebrows shot up in interest but the gears in his head started to lower them down slightly when she said it was a while back. "Oh," Ollie said, hiding his disappointing tone at his best. "I figured a little but to be honest, I did too but I figured you wouldn't want to go out into the world and date me."

"I guess I could get some really pretty girl out there," he mocked lightly. "But I guess I haven't found the exact really pretty girl out there. Besides, I don't know this Hazelle Bass and I'm sure Iris is dating Hades."

"Six hours of lessons?" Tshering echoed, "well, I'd rather have your sort of home-schooling than my mother's. We had to walk to places, or take the bus, or the train, but never a taxi. It was like learning twenty-four seven." She quietly added, "And illegal too, at times." Merlin, she hoped Oliver wouldn't hear, so she doesn't have to explain about the time she walked into a brothel and learned about its sinister purposes. Explaining it to Grayson was painful enough, and even though Ollie's been her friend for much longer than she has, the Ravenclaw didn't find it very comforting to explain her mother's weird fetish with strip clubs.

"You're my friend, Oliver," the brunette smirked, "I wouldn't ever want to get on your bad side. You're hot, and when people piss me off, there's nothing better than an amazing best friend to talk to." Merlin, talking to him alone made her feel guilty.

Tshering's eyes widened at the boy, and she turned herself around so that her body was curling towards him, her arm slung around his waist. "Oh my God," she whispered, adjusting the angle of her head, "I know I was twelve and stupid, but if you hadn't left I might have had the courage to ask you if we can go on a date." She closed her eyes calmly, "I don't completely blame you, though. I really don't. I blame myself, for being so shy."

Rolling her eyes, the Ravenclaw uttered, "I meant someone as pretty as them! Haze looks like a Playboy Bunny minus the large boobs and the large ass, and you know what Grayson looks like." She blinked. "Wait - you know Grayson?"

"Actually no, you wouldn't," Ollie said as he thought of the last classes he had. "I'd rather much take your mother's ways of home-schooling than my mom's. Even though mine did very well in teaching me and everything but compared to the way your say your mom taught, I'd much rather see the world than having to sit down in the study room for six hours straight."

"Illegal?" His ears had caught onto her whispered tone, "Now why don't you tell me about that. That sounds like a captivating story, if you ask me; however, if you don't want to tell me, I'm fine with that."

Oliver's eyebrows raising to his forehead, an incredulous look passed his face, "You just told me you don't want to get on my bad side because I'm hot? Thanks for the compliment but I'd rather go with handsome." Looking at her closely, his calculating eyes began to take in her expressions but decided not to speak about it.

At least yet.

"Yeah, I think things would have been a little different," he admitted softly as he looked at her. "But don't blame yourself. It's not your fault. I would have probably chickened out and said no and given you some shitty excuse like, 'It would ruin our friendship.' Besides, I was thirteen. I was a less mature than I am now and I probably wouldn't have stopped staring at your boobs or made it less obvious." Oliver teased with a chuckle, looking at her with a smirk, "But I have a feeling you wouldn't mind."

"I'm a gentleman," he laughed, albeit serious, "I don't know what a Playboy Bunny looks like so I'm just going to assume it's like when Witch Weekly has it's swimsuit editions." Nodding, he confirmed his statement, "Yeah. We talked a little before I left and I ran into her when I was in Gladrags a few days prior. Why? You don't get along with her to well?"

"The world is not as amazing as some people say it is, Ollie," warned the brunette. "And I like being an academic. It makes me feel as if I have some purpose in life." She then smirked, "Then again... being an academic doesn't let you go dagger throwing, or practice archery, or play football. At least, as not much more than a hobby." The Ravenclaw shuddered at the thought. "Damn," she muttered, The world would be one terrible place without any of that."

Closing her eyes, Tshering did so in defeat. Perhaps Oliver's ears were a lot more sagacious than the girl had once perceived, but then again, half her friends seem to have these out-of-the-world sob stories that may or may not be true, and everyone seems to be stepping up their game. It sort of scared her, really, on how many depressed people there were in the world.

"Does it help you if I say 'brothel,' 'five years old,' and 'mother?'" breathed the Ravenclaw, continuing to burrow her head into the boy's neck. Who cares if she gave the wrong impression towards him? She needed all the comfort she could get. "I-It's not a very good idea if I talk about it," she mumbled.

Tshering laughed. "Frankly, I don't have a concrete reason and I had to say something!" she chuckled, finding Oliver's unbelieving expression to be humorous. "And that was all I could come up with!"

The Ravenclaw suddenly had an urge to cover her chest. "It would not have ruined our friendship!" she exclaimed in protest, "I mean... considering my attachment for the people I do get attached to I would never be able to stay away from you for more than a few days unless I had to." She then crossed her arms across her chest. "Oi!" she exclaimed, "when I was thirteen I had no boobs!" She began to blush furiously, "Okay, maybe I had, but that's not the point! And what is the matter with boys and boobs?" She rolled her eyes, "That is one of the world's many unsolved mysteries..."

Flashing a grin, Tshering shook her head. "She's one of the closest friends I'll ever have, actually. Minus you, and Florence, Charlotte, and Charles."

"I know love, I know," Ollie mumbled quietly. "But doing all those things is a lot better than being an academic. You get to learn more things than actually sitting down and reading it from a book and sure, I do that most of the time but I don't even know the basics of muggle football so I do request for you to teach me."

"It does help," he said, surprise dripping from his voice as her head had burrowed into his neck. Ollie held onto her tight, half of his mind wanting to jump off the train and going off to find Annabeth's mother... but what good would it do at the moment. "That's... that's terrible and no, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," he concluded as he rubbed his hand on her shoulder in a comforting way.

Oliver shook his head and couldn't help but laugh a little at Annabeth's lame excuse, "Well, I would think that there would be a better reason. Maybe your never ending love for me could be an appropriate one? Besides, hot is overrated. Being 'hot' can shed off over the years but handsome never does."

"Consider this Annabeth," Oliver started out slowly, analyzing how his words were going to come out of his mouth. "What if we had gone out on a date, goes well, proceeds into becoming boyfriend and girlfriend then we break up for whatever reason. I would most certainly start to feel a bit awkward and I don't know about you but if we were to start dating other people, I'd feel a bit more odd," he shrugged, fully knowing that he would've worked hard to keep the relationship going. Oliver rolled his eyes at her tone, "Boys and breasts. It just happens, alright. It's like asking a girl why they are obsessed with boys hair. It's just hair."

"Charlotte, Charlotte West?" He asked, stifling a laughter, "My dear cousin has has friends? Oh this is too priceless. None the less, why in the world would you be friends with her? She's a snob most of the times and is a downright bitch as well; adding to the fact that she's also a slut."

Tshering's breath came to a standstill when she swore that she heard Oliver call her love. Well... wasn't that... interesting. Usually she'd hide a snide smirk and proclaim it a victory, but this was Oliver she was talking about. Victories with him did not exist. And he was her friend, and friends they shall stay... for now.

"You live in Britain, out of all places, and you have not attempted to partake in a gambol of football?" Tshering questioned, and at this she held her laughter back. "But okay fine, I'll teach you. As long as you're physically co-ordinated enough to be handle to be able to handle ninety minutes of running around trying to kick a ball into a net."

Tshering felt a gladdening comfort as the elder Ravenclaw soothed her. Merlin, Oliver's touch was electric. Not like she would ever admit it, of course.

Rolling her eyes, the Ravenclaw chose not to respond properly due to her lack of thought on the matter. "Whatever, mate," she tittered, "you're handsome. Fine. I'll admit that. And if you choose to say that, then fine."

The Ravenclaw subconsciously bit her lip, and pondered upon what Oliver had to say. Yes, he did have a point. Had she and him been an item during the time he was around the first time, things would have not been the same between them. If they saw each other with... well, whoever they ended up dating, then they wouldn't make very good friends because their minds would drift back into the days when they were together. Generally, that was a bad thing, because their friendship would falter, and Tshering sure as hell didn't want that. She rolled her eyes, "You, sir, do not realize the importance of hair." She reached upwards to comb through his mop of smooth, chocolate-coloured hair.

"Charlotte West is your cousin?" echoed the brunette. "Dude... that's priceless! That's just priceless! And she's a slut? Well, count me in on the Slut Club."

"Why would I do that?" He asked her with an arched eyebrow, "I don't like the idea of going out there without having a proper training and making a fool out of myself. I'd look horrible! And not only that, I'd become sweaty afterwards and I don't like sweating... even if it's supposed to be healthy for you." Oliver's face scrunched up face as he lowered himself into his seat indicated he was far than pleased at the fact that he'd have to run around pointlessly for ninety minutes, "You know what. I'm sure there are other games out there... like ping pong. Do you like ping pong?"

It would be a lie to himself and to the rest of the world if he didn't admit that Annabeth's statement had elevated his ego by few levels. "Thank you for admitting it then," Ollie laughed with this playful smile.

"Oh really then," the older Ravenclaw remarked with smirk. He played it cool and collected when her fingers ran through his hair, his face not showing a hint of nervous. "Explain to me the importance of hair?"

Ollie looked at her inthat Annabeth hadn't known this mere fact that Charlotte was his cousin, or her four or fifth cousin, he usually lost count because he never liked to keep track of her. "Annabeth, you're not a slut and if you want to go off and compare yourself to her, you'd probably be classified as virgin," he said jokingly.