I am not JK. If I were I'd be off spending my money. Not writing fan fictions on the computer.

There's a rule about dating coworkers, employers, teachers, students and teammates. As least that's what Katie Bell thinks. And she's just broken dating rule number one.
Written for the Reviewers Lounge, Aug. Starters Challenge.
Please enjoy.

It wasn't supposed to happen, but it did. And now ...

I'm in a pickle.

Before tonight, I'm sure I would never think to use the phrase in a pickle, but then again… Nah. I'm even more sure had anyone used the word around me I'd have laughed. Tonight I cannot even admit a feeble giggle. Absolutely nothing. I've tried. Ange has tried. Alicia has tried. Hell, even the Weasley twins have tried and there's nothing there. Just a low shallow, in and out, in and out, which signifies I am alive. If barely.

There's a law out there somewhere; I am absolutely sure of it; that states you are not to date coworkers, employers, teachers, students and teammates. You're not even supposed to think they are cute, hot, sexy, whatever the new term is now a days. I have broken the first major rule in the dating contract.

True, I am not dating my so called teammate, but I have another naughty incident with him.

Not that kind of naughty you dolt.

Basically, I'm screwed.

It started out innocent. Really it did. Then through some corrupted years at the hormone factory it turned bloody violent! The Weasley twins pulled a gun on Harry and everything…

I wish.

I probably could have dealt with a mass shootout in the changing rooms rather then what happened between a certain Scot and myself earlier tonight.

It started like any old first-day-of-Quidditch practice. Wood began with a prep talk, telling us all how Slytherin was tougher then what he expected, how we had best win the Quidditch Cup because it was his last year, how many hours we should have practiced over the summer. Fred and George mocked him at every moment. Ange, Alicia and I sat there in absolute boredom and as usual, Harry seemed the only one who was trying to pay attention. The first day of September practice, hotter than Riobambo, Ecuador, and I Katie Bell was slowly melting away under my hot robes. The usual

Practice started at six.

Practice ended at eight eleven.

No one really cares about what happened in between.

Innocently, I took my shower. I packed up my clothes and my broom and began the long trek back up the mountain to the castle. All right, I admit, it was a hill. I am known to exaggerate. I was not one hundred yards from the bloody doors when Oliver-sodding-Wood called me back to help him pack up the stupid quaffle, beaters, snitch and extra crap we'd gotten out but never used. Angelina had even gotten out a roll of duck tape with no apperant need for it.

Why he couldn't just do it himself, I will never know.

I reluctantly dropped my broom and my sweatshirt and walked back down the hill to the Quidditch pitch.

"Hey Kates," he says, his hair, ruffling softly in the wind.

"Wood," I answer, monotonous, locking the Quidditich balls box and picking it up in my left hand, a beaters bat in my right.

"I hope you don't mind helping. You were the only one still out and there's quite a bit of stuff left to put away and I've got this huge Potions essay. I hope you really don't mind."

"Ollie…" I start but stop as I look around the room. There was barely anything sitting out. The two beaters bats, the box of practice balls, his broom, a couple cones and Ange's duct tape. Nothing more. I decide it would be best not to point that out. "Yeah, no problem. I don't mind."

He smiles, before grabbing the cones and the other bat and walking towards the extremely messy closet. "You know, I wanted to tell you earlier that Ring Shot you and Alicia and Angelina made up is really good, actually. I'm impressed."

I cock an eyebrow. Had he not told us in practice it was a risky move and we shouldn't attempt it? "Oh, well I'm glad you liked it," I say before putting on my best fake smile. "You just seemed like you didn't approve of it at practice tonight."

"That, well, it's just, I've seen stuff in the past that isn't made up as a team and it falls apart during an actual match." He mumbles on about practice, our next match, how someone had left a wet sock on the floor. I pretend to be interested but inside I am on the verge of Mount Vesuvius. I don't mind staying after practice had it been any other night, but tonight I had been assigned double Transfiguration. I could barely get my normal homework done for that class, but double! I'd be up all night.

Bloody, sodding Wood.

"So Katie," he says slowly, as we walk out of the changing rooms and back onto the pitch. The long walk back up the castle is making my legs ache just by looking at it. I think the hill has grown to Mount Everest just in the past fifteen minutes. "You know we have that Hogsmeade trip in a couple weeks, right after out match against Slytherin and I was wondering if you'd like to hang out." I smirk gleefully as he stutters like an idiot through his words. I couldn't barely could make out what he said, something about Hogsmeade and Slytherins. Eww. I wonder if Wood wants to know if he should take a Slytherin to Hogsmeade. "Just as friends and all," he slips out before the thought can run it's course through my dying brain.

"Wait." I stop on the edge of Everest. I'm waiting for a huge goat and a yodeler to come and offer me a ride back up to the castle. It's not happening. "You want to take a Slytherin to Hogsmeade with you? Are you actually as crazy as I thought?"

Oliver sighs. "No Kates. I was asking you if you wanted to come with me to Hogsmeade."

Oh!

I'm sure I now look like an idiot, but that's okay. It's dark and no one can see me. I'm still thinking about how much of an idiot I look like with my mouth hanging open when suddenly Oliver's strong, Quidditch-toned arms grab me around the waist.

I was expecting it to be like those movies, where the prince gives the damsel a moment to plead, knowing she wants him just to bang her right then and there. Obviously those knights never got an action. They wore to much clunky armor and they were all so, "Where art thou lady? I must act like a gentleman or thy father will cut off my-eth testicles."

But no.

I admit, it was by far twenty times better.

Maybe even thirty.

Or a hundred and one.

It was a hundred and one times better then any old Hollywood actors and actresses could ever play.

So Oliver, he just grabs me around the waist and pulls me up against his chest, which is as nicely toned as his arms, if I do say so my self.

"Kates," he whispers, his voice more ragged then I've ever heard it. "Katherine, I…" He doesn't even finish his statement before his lips are pressed hungrily against my own. His tongue traces against my bottom lip. I gasp into his mouth, which sets off a new wave somewhere inside of him. He urges our lower halves together, straining against his arousal.

I blush furiously as our kiss turns even more passionate. I knew guys had these little issues, I was just sure you never had to feel them, but as much as my brain is telling me to turn away, my body urges me closer. After what seems like a few more fleeting moments, we break apart.

I open my eyes wider to catch a glimpse of him, before running like mad back up the castle.

Angelina and Alicia look up from the couch in the common room as I run by them, my broom clanking on the marble floor, and my sweatshirt flapping in the breeze. Without much of a second thought I've barricaded myself into my dorm room and refuse to come out.

You would think people would understand when you don't want to talk about it, you do not want to talk about. And you're not going to no matter how much they beg and plead and cry. Ange and Alicia are sitting outside my door begging and pleading. It's not working.

…

…

I always have been one to succumb to peer pressure.

I have let them into my room. Into my love life. Bad idea.

"What's wrong with you?" Alicia spits out quickly.

"Was it Wood?" Angelina asks, jumping straight to the point. As always.

"Um…" I stutter. My face has decided to turn cherry red again. It's a dead giveaway. Alicia isn't one to take subtle hints like my burning face, but Angelina will never miss one.

"Katie, darling, babe," she says, walking towards me and grabbing me by my arms. I shy away from her. Merlin only knows what birds and bees speech I will get this time. "It's only natural after all this time that you have begun to feel some things, beside friendship towards Wood. He is very good-looking anyways. Alicia and I have both had various crushes on Wood and it's only expected for you to follow in our footsteps."

I groan and put my head between my knees. "No," I moan, my voice muffled by the quilt and my jeans. "That's a complete and total lie. You two are horrible assumers."

The two of them exchange a look. A look that reads, 'We know you to well, Katie Bell.' A look I am ever so used too.

"Katie, Wood likes you. Simple as that. You could give the poor boy a chance," Ange says casually, picking at her chipping nail polish.

"But…"

"No buts," Angelina puts simply, standing up and pulling me with her. "Come on."

"Come where?"

"We're going to go talk to Wood."

No way. No. No. No. NO! I will not have Angelina solving my love life problems. Just because Ange thinks she is the only girl in this school who is good at advice does not mean I'm taking it.

Well she's the only girl I've ever gone too. It's not like I could walk up to Eloise Midgen or Hermione Granger and ask; "So Oliver Wood kissed me. What should I do?"

Eloise would look at me and quite possibly give me a load of acne. Can you contact acne from someone else? I should probably figure that out. And Hermione. Good God Almighty only knows what she would say. I'd have better luck with Eloise.

As I've said before I easily succumb to peer pressure. Angelina and Alicia are now dragging me back down the stairs into the empty, except-for-one-person common room.

"No," I groan, trying to pull my arm away, as my two supposed friends push me closer and closer to Wood. "Please, pretty, pretty, please. I don't want to do this." I've resorted to begging. I never beg. It doesn't get you anywhere.

With final shove, the two of them shove me full force into Oliver Wood. I gasp as I hit his chest at full throttle. The weight of my body hitting his own, makes him fall backward onto the floor.

"Umph," he grunts out, as the two of us land in a splay of tangled limbs.

"I'm not that heavy," I mutter pushing myself off of him, before giving him my hand to help him up. He stands up and stares me down with those green eyes.

My knees buckle and I completely lose it. "Ollie… I…"

"Kates, I should apologize for my forwardness with you earlier this evening. I shouldn't have jumped on you," he says slowly, his voice shaking, his cheeks red.

Yes you should have. Secretly I enjoyed every minute of it.

"It's alright, Ollie. I forgive you." I try to smile, but I know my nose is flaring. It always flares when I lie. He must have figured that out one day.

His response shocks me; "Katie, you really need to believe me when I say this; I really do like you. In the way I showed you tonight. And I know there's that whole rule on not dating coworkers, employers, teachers, students or teammates, but…"

I cock my head and widen my eyes at this. He thinks like me. That's extremely creepy. "Ollie, I, well I think the same way."

His face brightens. "Wait… you like me too?"

"No…" His face sinks once again at this. I can still tell Angelina and Alicia are standing behind me. Listening. Those dirty little sneaks. It's not like I sit in on their conversations with guys they like. "I agree on the dating teammates thing…"

Angelina breaks my sputtering. "What's she trying to say Oliver is that deep down she likes you too, but she's too afraid to admit it, so I guess I'll do it for her. Come on Alicia, we'll leave these two, too whatever they want." I don't turn, but I can hear their footsteps as they ascend the stairs.

Oliver looks at me, perplexed. I look at the floor, faint of heart under his green-eyed gaze. My bare feet trace patterns in the wood.

"Kates, I just want to know one thing. Is what Angelina said… true? Do you like me?"

Words don't come. Katie Bell, speechless. This is an unusual site indeed.

But then again I am usually not faced with the question of 'Do you like me as more then a friend?'

I stand there for a few more moments. They feel like hours.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want too, Katie. It's alright," Oliver finally says and shrugs his shoulders, before he turns to walk back out of the portrait.

It creaks open and he steps out. I feel like crying. I am such a bloody sodding idiot. Thank you God for making a weak, unspoken idiot. Bloody idiot. I could have easily had him. I've only liked, no, loved him forever and I get the chance and I blow it.

Just like the bloody, sodding, weak, sniveling, idiot…

The light bulb in my brain turns on finally.

"Ollie!" I scream running out of the portrait hole after him. He turns to look at me, his green eyes filled with betrayal. With hurt. "Ollie," I whisper running up to him. "I don't like you…" He looks crestfallen. More hurt then I thought one person could feel in a lifetime.

"Oliver," I whisper softly, as my lips touch his own. "I love you."

Thanks for reading!
I hope it wasn't too cheesy.
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xoxo.
Catherine.