Written for the Jigsaw Puzzle Challenge at HPFC.
Afternoons in this humid country were dozens of hues of orange and purple, all at once; and then darkness. Like the sun decided to burst into fragments, leaving the night in its wake. Foreigners to the land made pilgrimages to the land's beaches, just so they can see the sun explode. They'd spend their hard earned Galleons on drink and song, and the locals did not mind.
Puddlemere United's team manager had treated them all to a week off, all expenses paid. It was a reward for a solid season. Oliver Wood, recently promoted to Team B Keeper, was neither here nor there about the vacation. Frankly, he was happiest on the pitch.
He knew someone who would love the sunset, though.
When she first tried out for the Gryffindor team, she looked frightened of her own broom. Won't even get through the afternoon, he thought to himself. It was his first tryouts as captain. His team needed a good enough Seeker to match Charlie Weasley's abilities; also, Alicia and Angelina should have a third Chaser to hold his own between them.
Oliver doubted the second year would do anything spectacular, but as soon as he blew the whistle, she took control. She weaved in and out of players, dodging hands and Bludgers, one arm firmly around the Quaffle. All the ungainliness pulled away from her and fell to the ground below as she scored the first goal of the game. He caught Angelina's eye, and she cocked her head towards the girl and beamed.
But back then, he had no idea whether she liked sunsets, nor did he want to know. She was a great Chaser, solid team mate, and that was all that mattered to him. After all, she was three years his junior.
In his sixth year, George Weasley took him aside after a practice session.
"You're a horrible piece of work, aren't you?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Katie Bell. She fancies you. And you don't even see it. She's not half bad on the eyes, too. Am I right?"
"Touched in the head is what you are," he said, heading for the showers. He heard George laughing.
Later that day, though, he caught himself looking for her head of sandy blond hair. Maybe Weasley was pulling his leg; some minor revenge for taking too long with the team lectures again. It was definitely a joke, as Katie didn't even speak to him outside the practices.
He started to notice little things. Like how he apparently missed her transition from awkward to Not. How she'd break into song when she's walking along the corridors, or the way she'd throw her head back and laugh at something Alicia or Angelina said. How his hands became fists at his sides because he realized he was looking at Katie Bell, that kid.
"We're going down to knock back some beers," Montague, his fellow Team B member said, bringing him back to the present day. He nodded, waving his hand in Montague's direction.
"I'll be there in a bit," he said. "You go on ahead."
Who am I kidding, he thought. I'm not leaving this room.
Of course, he tried to get close. He remembered the Yule Ball. His throat went dry when he saw her emerge from the girls' dormitories, followed by a giggling Ginny Weasley. He recalled how her eyes shone a warm hazel as he offered her his arm. They danced and talked and it seemed like they were alone, together. After that night, if Katie wasn't with Alicia and Angelina, she was with him.
But he didn't get the chance to send her flowers, bring her to dinner, or do all of those other things couples do in the first flush of romance. Soon after school, the Dark Lord rose to power once more, and people were either fleeing the country or getting married.
"I can't get married, I don't see myself as anyone's wife," she said. It crushed him. But her next words made him want to fly.
"But not seeing you is even worse."
That day, he helped her move into his flat. When Harry Potter defeated the Dark Lord, Oliver thought things would change, that she'd go back to her own apartment, that they'd carry on with their lives before everything got muddled. Secretly, he loved it that she didn't move out. Until a week ago.
They were lying in bed, the last traces of the afternoon glinting through his bedroom window.
"I love you, Katie," he said.
It felt like the most natural thing in the world for him. It was the right time, too; they've been together for years. He waited for her to respond, his heart speeding up, his breath becoming shallow. Instead, she snuggled close to him and slept. He lay awake for a very long time.
That was the day before he left with the team, and they haven't spoken by Floo since.
He seemed adept at missing out on things. Outside, the light had left the sky without him noticing. It'll now be impossible to tell which pub the team had entered. He'd have to apologize to them. Again. Someone rapped on the door; three quick knocks and a fourth one after a pause. He tensed—that was their knock, Katie's and his. He leaped off the bed and yanked the door open.
"Hi," she said after a while.
"You're here," he said, not knowing what else he could say.
She nodded. "I can't stay long, though. Special favor from Hermione Granger, she let me use a Ministry-Only Apparition point. I just came for one thing. Two things, actually."
She was raising her arms and she was lacing her fingers around his, but he did not feel it. He could hardly believe it, much less feel. But she closed the distance and his eyelids shuttered and all at once, there were so many things he felt, so many things he had to say. He was about to start talking when they parted, but she got ahead of him.
"I love you too, Oliver Wood," she smiled. And he couldn't say anything else.
Puzzle Piece Number: 77
Character: Katie Bell
Prompts: Money, Horrible, "You've got to dance like no one's watching, love like you'll never be hurt, sing like there's nobody listening and live like it's heaven on Earth." –William W. Purkey