Isolated

[Tomas Wode]

Tomas pulled his knees up and wrapped his arms around them, his head resting on one of his arms. He knew he was supposed to be happy about the Gryffindor team winning two times in a row but could not help himself from feeling like he wasn't good enough for the team at all. He had been lucky when he managed to catch the Snitch before April could, and his reckless behaviour and not caring enough what might hit him during the match against Slytherin had resulted in him having to spend the night in the hospital wing - unable to help his team out. Luckily there was an alternate who'd been more than able to do what he couldn't. And so the fourth-year had isolated himself from the rest of the students by sitting in the abandoned classroom and finishing a homework assignment. He didn't feel like being around lots of people at the moment due to the fact that he was still embarrassed at how he had been taken out of the game, so had invited the one person he knew who wouldn't make fun of him or anything.

 

[Veronica Willows]

As soon as Veronica had received Tomas's note to meet him in one of the old classrooms, she had packed up all of her study things into her bag and headed straight over to see him. He was probably fine, but after his trip to the hospital wing from the last Quidditch game she had been more worried about him, and she hoped there was nothing wrong with an old Bludger injury. The thought persisted in her head, even though Veronica knew that all of his bruises had long been healed by now, and she tried to sternly talk her way out of it as she neared the classroom door. She felt like she had already fussed over him enough in the hospital wing, she was sure he wouldn't appreciate any more of it. It had been hard not to, though – she had been so upset when he had been knocked out of the match.

As she poked her head around the doorframe, Veronica saw Tomas sitting on the floor inside the room. "Hello! You haven't been waiting long, have you?" she asked, pulling the door shut behind her as she entered the classroom. Quickly, she stepped over to where he was sitting and settled herself down on the floor next to him. "Are you feeling okay? How's your study going? Did you need help with anything, or did you just want to talk?" Veronica hadn't planned on asking so many questions, and she ducked her head in slight embarrassment. She was fussing again. "Just talking's fine," she tried again, lifting her head with a smile. It was probably good to take a break from her studies anyway. Chatting with Tomas would refresh her.

 

[Tomas Wode]

He lifted his head up at the sound of someone entering the classroom and smiled as he watched his friend close the door and settle herself next to him on the floor. ''I haven't been waiting that long.'' Tomas replied, happy that she could come. He thought that with homework and exams soon that she wouldn't have time for him so appreciated that she made time to respond to his note and stop by, even if it would just be for ten minutes. He nodded his head and said, ''I'm doing okay, I just wanted to talk.'' Her fussing made his heart flutter and he smiled at Veronica, his cheeks changing colours slightly. ''I figured it was time for us to talk again with so much stuff happening at the moment.'' He enjoyed the nights when they would do nothing but talk to each other up in the owlery, especially since they always calmed him down too and made him feel happy that he was here and not at home. Tomas still suffered from homesickness from time to time, though considerably less than back in his first two years.

 

[Veronica Willows]

Veronica bobbed her head in relief at hearing that Tomas hadn't waited too long for her. "Oh, that's good!" She slipped the strap of her bag over her head so she could rest it on the floor beside her and sit more comfortably. She knew that she was probably going to be here for quite a while as they chatted together. "It's nice not to have to talk without fear of being caught out after curfew by a professor. I like it." Veronica directed a smile at Tomas as she said this, but she hadn't really said it as a joke. As much as she had grown to depend on her late night conversations with Tomas when she couldn't sleep, Veronica still hadn't managed to stop herself from being racked by nerves each time. It was just in her nature, as much as it was to continue with the meetings in the first place. Tomas had made her promise all those years ago, and she would never break a promise to one of her best friends. "So, what was it you wanted to talk about?" Veronica began, tucking a strand of hair back behind her ear. "It's not ... Quidditch?" She said the word tentatively, because although their shared love for the sport had been the subject of much discussion in the past, Tomas's last match hadn't gone as well for him as either of them had hoped it would. "Or ... homework?" she offered as an alternative, seeing the assignment sitting next to her friend.

 

[Tomas Wode]

He had been caught sneaking up toward the Owlery several times and received a week's worth of detention thrice, but still didn't care about the risk he was taking whenever he went out at night to go check if Veronica was up there. ''It's not that bad, though, thanks to the owls making so much noise'' Tomas replied, grinning slightly. He knew that she did not like the sneaking about at night with the professors being on patrols throughout the castle and all but that made it a whole lot more exciting to him. He didn't look at Veronica when she asked what he wanted to talk about and did not respond at first. ''I am terrible, aren't I?'' He asked. ''Why did I even try out for the stupid position again?'' He said before she could say anything. ''I should've just gone for Chaser instead.'' It really didn't sit well with him, being taken out of the game and then carried away to the hospital wing by the nurses. ''I should've never thought I could be as good as James.'' He added softly, resting his head on his arm again whilst looking at the closed door in front of them.

 

[Veronica Willows]

Veronica merely pursed her lips and shook her head at Tomas's idea that the owls were in any way a saving grace for the fact that they snuck out of their respective towers far too often. Except she couldn't help the silly grin that began to form as she did so. This always happened whenever she tried to be cross with Tomas – she could never quite manage it. But she ended up wishing that she could have been more grateful about the smile as the nature of their conversation quickly changed. "Tomas, you're not terrible," Veronica hastened to reassure her friend once she could get a word in. "You've been on the team for years, and you caught the snitch so quickly in the first game! There were probably a lot of people who thought the game was going to go on a lot longer." She paused to study the side of his face, seeing as he was refusing to look at her. "You're not going to give up, are you?" She would be lying if she said the thought didn't upset her. Veronica really looked forward to Gryffindor matches now that Tomas was finally the team's proper Seeker. He had wanted this for so long, and she had been so happy when she had first heard the news. It would be horrible if he had stopped enjoying playing.

 

[Tomas Wode]

Tomas scoffed annoyingly at her words. Of course she wouldn't tell you you're terrible, she's your friend. He continued to stare at the door as Veronica talked and listened to every word she was saying. While it was true that he had been on the team for years, this was the first year he was playing instead of sitting on the bench and watching the match from down below, which was very different thanks to the pressure he was now under as Seeker of the first VII. The fact, however, that it wasn't just him who was new to playing the position for real was somewhat comforting, as surely they were all terrible in comparison to their predecessors. Tomas shrugged his shoulders at the question. He had thought about giving up while lying awake in the hospital bed in the middle of the night, but that would mean that all of his dedication to the position throughout the last couple of years would be for nothing. ''You don't think I should?'' He asked.