Title: A Friendly Favour
Author: palephoenix
Genre: Harry Potter FP-Het
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not for profit, purely for entertainment purposes. The characters belong to JK Rowling and the actors belong to themselves. I'm just borrowing them. I don't know the actors; if I did would I be writing this?
Feedback: pretty please with Sean Biggerstaff/James McAvoy/your choice on top?
AN: For the purposes of this story Katie is only a year behind Oliver at Hogwarts.
Summary: Katie Bell is sweet 16 and never been kissed. Will a friend helping change that lead to something more?
"Wood, have you ever heard the Muggle expression 'Sweet 16 and never been kissed'?"
Oliver frowned, at a loss as to why Angelina was asking such a question, but answered. "Aye, I've heard it. Why?"
"The thing is that that particular expression just so happens to perfectly describe our dear Katie," Angelina went on.
"Oh?" Oliver didn't know what else to say, not sure where this was leading, but not sure if he liked the odd gleam in the girl's dark eyes.
"We want you to change that," Alicia chimed in, gesturing to herself and the rest of the team present.
"What?"
Both girls sighed and sent pained looks a the twins.
"We want you to give Katie her first kiss," George summed up.
"What? Why? No, no..."
"Why not, Wood?" Fred asked pointedly.
"But I'm her Quidditch captain," Oliver protested.
"Look, Oliver, I'm going to level with you. Katie has never been kissed and she's tired of it. She doesn't want to wait to find a boyfriend and there isn't anyone she fancies right now anyway," Angelina went on, crossing her fingers behind her back when she told the little white lie.
"She wants someone to kiss her so she can get the first kiss over with," Alicia continued. "But it has to be someone she really trusts. You being her Quidditch captain actually makes you a perfect candidate. She knows you, you two are friends and she trusts you. The only other possibilities are these two," she motioned to the twins, "And they've been disqualified because they're not single. You are. Therefore, you're it."
"But..."
"Oliver, you make it seem like someone asked you to sacrifice Harry's Firebolt to the Whomping Willow," Fred scoffed. "It's not exactly a hardship to kiss a pretty girl like Katie."
"Nooo, but..."
"But nothing, Oliver. Please do this for her," Alicia pleaded.
Oliver sighed. He was not going to win this one; he was way outgunned by his team. "Aye, alright. I'll do it."
The girls and the twins grinned.
"So, when am I supposed to do this?"
"It's Hogsmeade weekend this week. We're all going together. Take Katie for a walk to that pretty little clearing near the Shrieking Shack. That way you have privacy."
Oliver sighed again and ran a hand through his dark hair. "Alright."
Later, lying in his bed he thought about what he'd agreed to do. Fred was right, of course, it wasn't any hardship to kiss a pretty girl. And Katie was a very pretty girl. As Quidditch mad as he was, Oliver was still a 17 year old young man. He couldn't deny that he'd noticed how pretty his youngest chaser was, with her long strawberry blonde hair and aqua eyes.
Early Saturday afternoon found the six team mates gathered in front of the Three Broomsticks. Angelina caught Oliver's eye and gave him a pointed look. He sighed inwardly, but turned to Katie.
"Want to take a walk with me, Kates?" Oliver asked, ignoring the thumbs up signs from the twins behind Katie's back.
"Sure," Katie agreed. "Meet you all for a butterbeer later, okay?"
"Sure, Katie."
Oliver held out his hand to her and Katie took it shyly. They walked slowly toward the Shrieking Shack, where students rarely went. They stopped when they reached the clearing. Oliver cleared his throat and Katie felt the colour creep up her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Oliver. This is really awkward."
"It's okay, Kates," Oliver grinned sheepishly. "If it makes you feel any better, I think this first kiss thing is a bit awkward no matter what."
"Thanks, Ollie."
"You're sure you want to do this?" he asked, no longer grinning, his eyes serious.
"Yes, I'm sure."
"Okay."
Hesitantly Oliver slipped his hand around her waist and gently drew her closer. Katie looked up at him and shyly rested her hand on his shoulder. Oliver slowly bent his head, keeping his golden brown eyes on hers, watching as they drifted closed. His lips brushed softly over hers, then again more fully and his own eyes closed. Her hand slipped from his shoulder to the back of his neck, her fingers threading into his hair.
His heart was pounding as he thoroughly explored her soft lips, gently nipping her bottom lip then running his tongue over it to soothe. Katie whimpered softly at the sensation.
Oliver had kissed a few girls and enjoyed it. The opportunity to run his hands over soft curves, and through long, silky hair. It was a pleasant way to spend a little of his free time. But this was different from any kiss he'd had before. This wasn't merely pleasant. This was like being hit with a jelly legs jinx and taking a bludger to the solar plexus at the same time. Oliver pulled away slightly, feeling more winded than he did after doing 20 laps around the pitch.
"Did you feel that, Kates?" he asked.
Katie's blue-green eyes were wide as she nodded. "Yes."
"I know I was just supposed to give you your first kiss, but may I kiss you again?" he asked seriously.
"I have a confession to make, Oliver. I know Angie said I didn't want to wait for a boyfriend and that I didn't have anyone in mind anyway, but that wasn't true. I only ever wanted you to be the one I kissed first."
"Are you trying to tell me you fancy me, Katie Bell?"
"Yes."
Oliver grinned. "That's good, Kates, because I'm coming to realize that I fancy you, too."
"I was hoping you would say that," Katie smiled shyly before reaching up to press her lips to his once more.
The kiss quickly deepened as Oliver wrapped his arms around her, pulling her more firmly against his body.
Neither of them noticed their four nosy friends creeping away, heading to the Three Broomsticks for a celebratory butterbeer.