Perfect Just the Way You Are
Chapter 7: All's Well That Ends Well
A/N: whew! And finally, the last chapter. I hope this ends well…LOL. Special thanks to AddidasandPie for reviewing almost every chapter of this story…this one is for you :) –H Ü
Disclaimer: for the last time, I don't own the characters or Harry Potter.
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Saturday dawned bright and clear. Katie woke up, but couldn't seem to work up the energy to get up for an early breakfast. Finally, at nine-thirty, she went down to the Great Hall for something to eat. There she found Harry Potter, the Weasley twins, Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet, all huddled in one side of the long Gryffindor table, no doubt discussing about the upcoming match with the Ravenclaws.
"…I heard Chang is their new Seeker. She's pretty good. She's a second-year. Watch out for her, Harry. Although it's no doubt you'll be better than her," Katie overheard Fred Weasley as she approached her teammates. Harry saw her coming first.
"Hey, Katie. I thought you weren't going to turn up! Oh, good morning, by the way. I wonder where our great captain is…." Harry wondered aloud. Katie nodded her greetings to the team, dwelling on the same thought that Harry had. Where could Oliver be? He was usually the early one. Maybe he—
"Hey. Is this seat taken?" Katie's thoughts were put to an abrupt stop. Oliver was towering behind her, motioning to the seat beside her.
"Uh…er, no. Take it if you want," she stammered, her cheeks heating up. How could she get along with everybody today—well, Oliver—after what she did the other night? The last practice had been intense, so there wasn't really any time to talk and mingle. But Oliver wanted everyone to relax and have fun on matches. That means there'd be a lot of talk, if possible, thought Katie.
George cleared his throat. "Uh, so, Alicia. What did Professor Flitwick want with the third-years this Monday?"
"Oh, I almost forgot. Angelina, Fred, you were teamed together for that damned project, and George, you're…" Alicia droned on to her classmates. Harry saw his best friends, Ron and Hermione, and came over to their side of the table. This left Oliver and Katie who were eating their breakfast around an embarrassed silence. Then Katie blurted out to Oliver, "Oliver—I'm sorry for what I've said and done the other day at practice. I didn't mean for you guys to get in all that trouble with Filch, and, oh…I'm just so sorry!" She buried her face in her hands. Oliver took her hands away from her face and said in a comforting voice, "Look, Kates, it doesn't matter. I forgive you and I'm sure everyone does, too. Just promise me that you'll never run away again where I can't find you."
Katie smiled. "Stop being such a mush, Oliver. It's grossing me out!" she laughed.
"Okay, okay! I'll stop. Just promise me that, alright?"
"Yes. Aye, aye, captain!" Katie grinned.
"Oh, and another thing," Oliver looked serious now.
"What?" Katie's heart was thumping wildly. Oliver's going to tell her now that he loves her!!
"Try your best not to fall off your broom this time! And help me make sure we win, no matter what!" Oliver declared for the entire world to hear.
Katie's smile dropped. Oh, well. Better luck next time, she thought dispiritedly to herself.
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Eleven o'clock approached quickly and soon the Gryffindor Quidditch team walked out into the field, going straight for the locker rooms. Everyone changed into their scarlet uniforms and soon heard the crowd coming to the Quidditch field, chattering and hissing insults at opposing houses. Finally, Oliver turned to his team and said in a somewhat stricken voice, "Okay. I just want you all to have fun, while taking everything seriously. But I also want to win. So who's with me?" Fred and George started cheering and clapping, bringing the others to cheer in with them.
Katie never felt this happy to be in the Quidditch team before. Twenty minutes later, the Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw match was in full-swing. Cho Chang and Harry were skimming each end of the field with hawk-like eyes. Angelina had the Quaffle and was aiming for Ravenclaw's end of the field. A Ravenclaw Chaser was closing in on her, but she suddenly threw the Quaffle with all her might through the middle post and scored for Gryffindor. It was now fifty-seventy, with Gryffindor in favor. Now Alicia had the Quaffle possession. She looked around for Katie and finally spotted her. She threw the Quaffle to her.
"Bell in possession, she loops Ravenclaw captain, Davies, narrowly misses another Chaser, she aims, shoots…scores! Fifty-eighty, with Gryffindor in the lead!" Lee Jordan, the commentator—also a Gryffindor—said through tumultuous cheering and applause from spectators. Katie's face flushed with pride. She looked around and caught Oliver's eyes. He was grinning at her. She grinned back and went into position again. Ravenclaw now had the Quaffle. But before their Chaser even scored, Lee Jordan suddenly burst out, "Potter and Chang! Potter and Chang in a neck and neck race to the Snitch. It's Chang on the lead—no, Potter. No, it's Chang! Potter closes in—HE'S CAUGHT THE SNITCH!"
The Gryffindor supporters screamed and cheered with glee. Oliver and the others got down to the field, meeting hundreds of supporters who were waiting to greet them. Before she could even greet her friends, Katie felt someone yank her away by the arm.
"Argh! What do you think you're—" she started to retort. But she stopped immediately when she saw who it was. "Oliver." She smiled embarrassedly. Oliver beamed.
"I only wanted to congratulate you for a job well done. And…I've been thinking about what you said the other day," said Oliver slyly.
"What about whatever I said the other day?" Katie murmured.
"You know, me being, what was that? 'Too good to be true,' as I recall it?"
"Oh. That. Well, as a matter of fact," Katie shifted uncomfortably, "it was kind of, er, true."
"How true?" asked Oliver, sighing.
"Well, um, er…true-true, that is," Katie said, cheeks flaming uncontrollably. She looked up to Oliver, fearing what he might say despite, well, everything. Instead, she found him grinning from ear to ear.
"I'm glad. I was actually hoping that you meant what you said."
"Really?" asked Katie incredulously. "You mean it? And I was so afraid that you won't like me back! Oops."
Oliver laughed; looking at Katie's stunned expression. "Yes. Really. Do you still want proof?" he asked, smirking.
"That would be welcome anytime," answered Katie.
"Tell me how you feel after this and then we'll try to reason with each other," Oliver said, leaning down on Katie and kissing her gently on the lips. His lips felt warm and soft against Katie's almost-numbed ones. When he pulled away, she thought she was going to faint.
"Oliver Wood! What was that all about?" she chided gently. But Oliver just grinned and said, "I thought it might be 'the day' or something. We've been dancing around this for too long anyway."
"Touché. But…I'm a second-year. Are you sure you'd like to date a lower-year?"
"Hmm…come to think of it, I haven't actually thought of that. Lemme think…"
Katie's face fell. Oliver took one glance at her and burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" she demanded.
"You look funny when you're in shock. But, yes, I'd still date you. That is, we could go out when you're in third year. You know, Hogsmeade and stuff."
"Oh. Yeah. Well, that's the hitch. Can we manage, captain?"
"Of course, Lady Bell. Whatever you wish," said Oliver playfully. Katie smacked him in the arms and smirked. Oliver smirked back. He looked smug for some mysterious reason. Then he took Katie in his arms again and kissed her. After breaking apart, they went back to the castle into the Gryffindor common room where the celebration of the Gryffindor House was in full swing.
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A/N: I hope y'all liked it!! And I sure hope I did OK with the ending. But Katie and Oliver lived happily ever after, don't worry :)) please review!! Thanks a million.
