Twin Dragons

It was late afternoon when Oliver found Kitara again. As the pair made their way out to the grounds to talk, Kitara asked how the game had gone.

"You didn't watch?" Oliver asked, looking a bit disappointed; she had never missed one of his games before.

"Sorry, Oliver, but I had other things on my mind. I don't think I would have been very enthusiastic." That was the truth, at least.

"Well," said Oliver, "I can't say you missed much."

"Slytherin won, then?"

"No, but it was a near thing. Their Seeker must not have been completely recovered; he didn't give Potter  much of a run for the Snitch. But we didn't play so well." He hesitated a moment, then corrected himself. "I didn't play so well."

Kitara laid a sympathetic hand on his arm, but she noted his comment on Draco's playing; at least the Slytherin wasn't having such an easy time of things. She forced herself to focus on Oliver.

"What happened? You've done nothing but prepare for this match all week."

"I had other things on my mind, too, I guess," he said sheepishly. "Like why you wouldn't kiss me this morning."

Kitara laughed a little in spite of herself. "I actually managed to distract you from Quidditch? I wish I would have figured out how to do that a lot sooner." Oliver looked hurt, and Kitara quickly swallowed her amusement. "Sorry," she mumbled.

They walked in silence for a bit, Oliver shoving his hands deep into his pockets and studying the ground. Kitara was trying to think of something to say, when suddenly he spoke.

"Does this have anything to do with Malfoy?" Kitara stopped walking, her breath catching in her throat. Perhaps she hadn't given Oliver enough credit for his powers of observation.

"Fred ducked out of the locker room this morning and saw you talking to him," Oliver continued. "Is something going on?"

Kitara considered lying to him, but decided that he deserved honesty. An image of herself kissing Draco in a dark hallway flashed into her head, and she blushed a little. Well, at least partial honesty.

"I don't know what's going on with Draco. I think...I don't know."

There was another long, awkward silence. At length, Oliver said, "We're breaking up, aren't we?" He wouldn't look at her.

"Yes," she said softly. His jaw clenched in anger, and she thought she saw tears in the corners of his eyes. "But not because of Draco," she added hastily. Some of the tension seemed to drain out of his shoulders. Still, he wouldn't meet her eyes, and she was surprised at how much it broke her heart.

"Oliver, I'm all wrong for you," she began. Oliver glared at her, but she glared right back and continued. "Don't look at me like that; it's true. You need someone who can enjoy the same things you do, who is excited by the same things that excite you. I can't give that to you."

He sniffed slightly, muttering, "I never asked you to give me anything."

"I know. But you still deserve someone who can listen to your Quidditch stories and feel something other than jealousy." That brought Oliver's head up at last. He looked half hurt and half apologetic.
"I don't want you to feel bad, Oliver; I just have to be honest. You never really had time for me."

Oliver swallowed hard, nodding slightly in acceptance of this. They had almost reached the castle doors again, and they paused. After a moment, Oliver said, "So that's it, then? This is goodbye?" He sounded resigned.

Kitara could only nod. She fought back a sudden urge to cry, but despite her efforts, a single tear slipped from the corner of one eye. Oliver's hand touched her cheek softly, catching the tear. He bent down quickly and brushed his lips across hers, then disappeared inside, leaving Kitara alone with her thoughts.