Anymore
"Are you ever going to kiss me?"
The question was so sudden and direct that it took Oliver a few moments to realize exactly what his girlfriend had said. When her words did register, he gaped at her speechlessly, unsure of how to respond.
Katie Bell never had been one for holding back. She always said what she was thinking and exactly what she thought needed to be said. Her term was "opinionated", and her mother's was "mouthy".
She and Oliver Wood had been dating for three months now, both of them graduated out of Hogwarts and living on their own. Separately, as in not together. They each had their own apartments. In other words, they didn't live together.
Even though they were together.
It really was terribly confusing to a poor lad like Oliver, who honestly didn't have a clue about all the tips Katie had been dropping for the past two and a half months. She thought if she'd given him enough time he would've figured it out.
They had been reunited after having played Quidditch together at Hogwarts when Katie had gone to one of Oliver's Puddlemere games to interview one of his teammates whose wife was pregnant with their first child. Somehow, they had bumped into one another and had gotten talking. About Quidditch, no less.
Later, Katie had sidled up to one of Oliver's teammates and not-so-subtly asked if Oliver was seeing anyone. After having gotten her desired response, she had marched up to Oliver and brazenly asked if he was busy Friday evening.
Her mother would have been horrified, but Oliver found it endearing, not to mention extremely helpful, seeing as he was painfully shy when it came to his social life, or really anything outside of Quidditch.
Three months later, here they were, sitting in her apartment and watching muggle TV. Well, Katie was watching and Oliver was watching Katie. He was admiring the softness her dark gold hair, the shine in her hazel eyes, and the delicateness of her fair skin. Her gentle exterior was misleading compared to what really went through her vociferous mind. Those full, pink lips hid a very vocal yet melodic voice and those dazed-looking hazel eyes seemed to absorb the world, taking in everything and missing nothing.
This date had been going extremely well, in Oliver's opinion—he'd brought over dinner and Katie had picked out a show she wanted to watch—up until Katie turned to look at him with demanding eyes and opened her mouth.
Her eyes told him many things in that moment as his own eyes widened and his jaw dropped a touch. Running a hand through his tousled brown hair, he tried to organize the numerous hints in her serious eyes.
"Don't screw this up", was one. "You're a bloody idiot", was another. "Tell the truth—and no beating around the bush". "Relate this to Quidditch, and I swear to Merlin I will break your broom over your head."
That last one was a mite bit harsh in his opinion, but unlike Katie, most of his thoughts were kept silent, which had kept him alive up until now.
Although, it looked like that was about to change, judging by the look Katie was giving him.
She was still waiting for an answer.
Swallowing anxiously, he cleared his throat then spoke in earnest. "Well, er, do you want me to kiss you now?" His quiet Scottish brogue was even quieter than normal, praying to Merlin that he hadn't answered too badly.
Katie wanted to laugh at the expression on her boyfriend's face; he looked terrified. His brown eyes were wide and his tan skin had paled noticeably. But this was of dire importance and certainly no laughing matter in her mind. She'd started to doubt whether this relationship would work, for Merlin's sake. Did Oliver love her? Well, she thought he did, so that meant he was quite simply a complete imbecile.
At least he was her imbecile. Or she thought he was.
It really was terribly confusing for a girl like Katie, who honestly thought she could've have been more obvious about wanting Oliver to kiss her. Yes, she had asked for the first date. Yes, she never had been one to sit around waiting for the lad to make the first move, much to her mother's dismay. No, she would not be the one to kiss Oliver. She'd done most of the work up until now. It was time for Oliver to take the first step.
So she waited. And waited. And waited. And waited.
Waited for three bloody months.
A girl can be patient for only so long. So she'd thought she'd give him a gentle nudge in the right direction.
"Are you ever going to kiss me?"
It worked, hadn't it? Clearly he was thinking about it now, the clueless git.
Then again, she had thought she was the one who was being very clear and obvious about what she wanted.
Either way, she wasn't waiting anymore.
"No," She snapped in response to Oliver's nervous query. "You can't kiss me now. It has to be when I don't expect it. Spontaneous, Oliver." Huffing, she turned back to her TV show. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the wheels turning in Oliver's head and she had to bite her lip to keep from smiling.
He really was a total idiot. And a very loveable one at that.
With a sigh, she rested her head on his shoulder and concentrated on the television, leaving Oliver to contemplate in peace.
A few hours later, when the show was over and the food had been eaten, Katie was walking Oliver to the elevator. The first time Oliver had come to her apartment, Katie had insisted that this become a ritual because leaving through apparation or the Floo Network just wasn't romantic in any sense. Oliver had obliged, naturally. Plus, Katie lived in a muggle apartment, since she was a muggleborn and she wanted to be living at least somewhat close to her dear mum.
Oh, her mum, bless her heart, would have died had she heard what she said to Oliver that evening. "Katherine Bell" this and "Katherine Bell" that. Thank Merlin she hadn't heard it.
But would it pay off?
Holding Oliver's large, callused Quidditch hand in her smaller left one, Katie used her right hand to summon the elevator to the sixth floor.
Katie waited somewhat apprehensively, constantly glancing at Oliver out of the corner of her eye to see if he would make a much-anticipated move to kiss her, but to her dismay, he looked as though he were still thinking about it. It made Katie want to bang her head against the wall a few times. Or perhaps banging Oliver's head against the wall a few times would be more fruitful.
When the doors to the elevator dinged open, Katie reluctantly released Oliver's hand and waited for him to board the elevator.
He didn't move.
Confused, Katie turned to face Oliver and gazed up at him questioningly. He was looking down at her, an adorably thoughtful expression set upon his handsome face. Hope blossomed inside of her and she had to stop herself from squealing in delight when he lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers.
The kiss was everything Oliver was; polite, gentle, tentative, and completely loving. Katie returned the kiss in the same sort of manner, surprisingly enough, but then again Oliver had always brought out different sides of the abrasive witch.
After a few moments, Oliver pulled back slowly, and as he did so their noses brushed against one another. Katie's face was warm in a way that was not unpleasant and Oliver's eyes were sparkling with listless emotions.
"Was that okay?" He whispered, his warm breath dancing across Katie's face lightly.
A content smile spread across Katie's lips and she closed her eyes blissfully.
"That was fine." She replied before kissing him again.