A/N: Wanted to say thanks to all you readers from 16(!) different countries who have checked out the story so far. A few more reviews would be encouraging, of course… =D But anyway, again, please check out Katie_Bell_ and 0liverWood on Twitter and the wonderful Hira-chii here. Enjoy!
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Katie waved a quick hello to her friends on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team as they arrived on the pitch. And – Oliver noticed – she smiled when Cedric Diggory waved back at her. Oliver grabbed his broom and, without hesitation, strode confidently up to Cedric.
"Get in all the practice you can, Diggory!" Oliver jeered boastfully, despite having to look up at the noticeably more lofty Seeker, his rival Captain, in order to deliver the full effect. "You won't beat our Chasers, come next match."
Katie could only stare at Cedric and Oliver in a state of curious shock, while Angelina and Alicia dissolved into yet another fit of giggles. Oliver glanced back at them out of the corner of his eye, then shrugged a bit lamely.
Cedric quickly rolled his eyes at the daft Scotsman and carried onward to the pitch in his typical brooding silence. Katie ushered her fellow Chasers toward the castle with a sigh.
"Must be some joke I don't get…" Oliver muttered to himself as he headed to the changing room and equipment storage to put his broom away safely in his locker. "Girls…" He sighed, kicking off his shoes as if to punctuate his bemusement, then slumping down on the bench to pull off his Quidditch padding.
Katie, meanwhile, had gotten halfway to the Gryffindor common room before realising that her school robes were still back at the pitch. She mumbled an excuse to Alicia before running back outside.
Oliver stripped off his sweaty shirt and leaned against the cool wall. "Why do you like Quidditch so much, eh?" He asked himself aloud, then answered himself just as easily, "Everything else is just complicated."
Oliver closed his eyes. "I bet Diggory doesn't have these problems with his team. No wonder the girls all…" He trailed off, his mind wandering jealously. "…And they all just giggle at me."
Suddenly, the changing room door creaked open.
"Not done in here, Hufflepuff." Oliver stated gruffly.
"…Oliver?"
"Err, uhm…" He sat up straighter. "…Katie?"
It took her eyes a few moments to adjust to the dim lighting. It took her eyes much less than a few moments to realise that her Captain was sitting there half-naked.
"S-sorry!" She blushed furiously, hurrying back outside and slamming the door shut behind her.
Oliver jumped up from the bench, utterly confused. "I… I…" He stared at the door for a moment, then pleaded with it, "I didn't even say anything this time!"
As the door didn't respond, on account of its being a door (and indeed not one of the castle's many haunted ones), Oliver cautiously crept over and opened it, peering outside. "Katie?"
She turned to face him, her face scarlet. "Yea?"
"I… uh… Sorry, did you need something?"
She nodded. "M-my robes." She finally stammered out.
"Oh. Is that it?" Oliver smiled and tried his best not to laugh. "And I take it they're in here?"
Katie nodded mutely. Oliver held the door open for her.
"Hey, Capt'n?" She started timidly, then discovered her voice was still in good working condition. "Would you mind putting on a shirt?" She blushed again.
Oliver glanced down at himself, then looked up sheepishly, suddenly less oblivious. "Ah, right… Err, sorry."
The door banged closed as Oliver retreated into the room. After a few mild crashes and bangs, he reappeared, fully clothed in his school uniform. Katie sighed softly in relief.
"Sorry." He shrugged, propping the door open for her again. "You can get your things now."
"Thanks." She brushed by him to claim her robes from another bench. Oliver busily stuffed the rest of his Quidditch gear into a locker.
"Sorry you, err, had to see that…" He tightened his Gryffindor-striped tie chastely, then smirked. "Hope I haven't scarred you for life."
"N-not exactly." Katie headed to the door with her robes in hand, trying not to blush more (if that were even possible).
Oliver considered her for a moment. "…I guess I should expect some giggling from the girl's end of the table at dinner tonight, then." He shut his locker, resigned to his fate. "…Hope they enjoy the story."
Katie looked back at him surprised, her head tilted slightly. "You think they giggle about you?"
"It wouldn't be the first time someone's laughed at my expense." He admitted.
She sighed. "I can promise you that they're not laughing at you."
"Then who else…" He shrugged. "I'm the only one who's made an idiot of himself lately."
Katie frowned.
"You haven't." She paused for a moment, staring at him seriously. "They're laughing at me, Wood."
Oliver shook his head. "What is there to laugh at you about?"
"If you can't see why… then you're even more dense than we thought."
"I don't understand. Aren't they your friends?"
"Yes, they are…" Katie said coolly, then hurried out.
Oliver blinked then dashed out after her.
Somehow she was already well away from the Quidditch pitch; so he stood there, and just watched as she returned to the castle.
"Right…" He told himself. "What would she want with an idiot like me."
