Kathryn Bell was a girl who much liked to keep to herself.

It wasn't because she was an introvert or anything; it had just always been that way. Quidditch was more her friend than anyone else could be. Did she know why? No. But things stayed that way.

Katie wasn't a loner at all - there was people she talked to. Leanne, Angelina, Alicia, for instance. Not very often, but she still talked to them on a regular basis.

She wasn't physically unattractive, either. Tall, with ash-blonde hair that fell just past her shoulders and inquistive blue eyes. Although she wouldn't admit it to herself, she was quite pretty.

There wasn't really any excuse as to why Katie didn't talk much.

Oliver Wood had went up to her on a warm May day and asked why.

"Why do you keep to yourself so often?" She liked the way he phrased it. The way Oliver said it didn't make her feel bad about it.

Katie had shrugged, and said briefly, "I don't say anything unless there's a purpose for it."

His eyebrows had knitted together before he nodded. "That's a good explanation."

Katie found it quite odd that he would come up to her and ask her questions, all of the time, even when they weren't in classes - "What do you think about this play?"

Which was how a somewhat tentative and unrelentless (on Oliver's part) friendship began. He was nice to her, and often talked about common interests, often Quidditch plays and sometimes Arithmancy, which he admitted to secretly being good at.

They would sit together in the common room late at night - sometimes in silence, sometimes not - and Katie would just enjoy the fact that the silence was comfortable.

In June, he graduated, and on the last day of term drew her into a warm hug for longer than usual, before pulling back and holding her at arms' length. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too," she admitted, a small smile tugging on the corners of her lips.

The new year began, and Katie found herself going back to her I-won't-talk-unless-necessary state. Feeling a little lonely, she had written to Oliver one night -

Oliver,

It's different without you here. I miss you. I don't know how much longer I can keep going without a friend. I used to be able to do it very easily, but that was before I knew what having a friend was like.

Katie

Katie was genuinely surprised to see an owl swooping in the Great Hall the next morning, almost dropping a letter into her tea.

Katie,

I miss you too. Every single day. I'll always be your friend. Physical distance doesn't matter, you know I'll always be there for you, no matter if I'm not at Hogwarts.

By the way, I feel bad for you. No Quidditch this year... you must be out of your mind.

Oliver

Katie smiled peacefully and scribbled back a sweet response.

A little friendship fic for my OTP. Written for the Perks of Being a Wallflower Challenge and Florence and the Machine Challenge, You've Got The Love. Enjoy this little KBOW ficlet, and if you have the time to review, please do. :)