Who: Alicia Spinnet & Oliver Wood. What: They're not having a date. Because...they don't date each other. Really. When: BACKSTORY. February 14th 1994. (V-Day Special) Where: The Pitch (where else?) | Hogwarts. Rating: Low. Mostly teenagers stumbling over themselves.
"There we go."
Oliver looked ridiculously pleased with himself. He was standing in the middle of the Pitch, armed with a basket filled with food and drinks and a large blanket for them to sit on. It was February 14th – the worst day of the year if you asked Oliver – and he had found a strategy for survival. Not dating, that would be far too boring. In fact, all the random declarations of love and affection packed into one day were making Oliver slightly nauseous and he really couldn't be held accountable for his actions if he saw just one more pink candy heart. Or a singing postcard. Or a dancing stuffed toy.
Oliver shuddered in revulsion and busied himself with spreading out the blanket instead. No, he had come up with the perfect plan for survival. Fact was that he couldn't date any of the girls who played on any House team for this was definitely going to affect his performance during a game and that was nothing he was willing to risk. Ever. That left all the non-Quidditch players – an endeavour Oliver had attempted once and ended up fleeing from Madame Puddifoot's.
No, today he had a different plan, proudly dubbed his "non-date". A purely platonic meeting with Alicia. Spending time together safe from naked little cherubs who attempted to shoot them or throw glitter into their hair. An early evening filled with Quidditch talk and good food and perhaps a little more Quidditch talk. Perfect and not romantic in any kind. They had agreed on that. Shaken hands about it, too, so they were safe from all the emotional stuff.
Which still didn't explain why Oliver made sure that Alicia's favourite sweets were sitting in the basket or why he kept tugging nervously on the blanket. Or why he had brought candles. What in Merlin's name had possessed him to do such a stupid thing? And what-?
Oliver froze as he caught the sound of approaching footsteps. There she was.