A/N: This was written for a few challenges on HPFC... will enter this in later. It's kind of an AU chapter towards my Marcus/Katie collection and it doesn't really quite fit with that one so that's why this is going here instead. The ending is kind of the reason why it's AU. I also haven't really edited it much, mostly because I didn't want to over edit this like I usually do. So, enjoy! Hope there's no major spelling errors or anything. Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, not me.
It was the night before the final Quidditch game, and Katie was wired. Oliver had told the team to go to bed almost an hour ago, and her two best friends were fast asleep. But she needed air. A walk was definitely needed.
She snuck out and quickly ran to the Quidditch pitch, though her heart was beating fast from the rush of sneaking out.
She made her way to the field finally, only to see someone flying on their broomstick.
"Hey, Flint!" Katie called out playfully and Marcus looked down at her. He did a couple of loops around the field before he met her on the ground.
"I thought you weren't going to show," he said as he met her. He gave her a brief hug and Katie was shocked at the affect it had on her.
"We stayed up a little later than we thought we would. Oliver got distracted…"she bit her lip nervously. She still didn't like talking about Oliver's training tactics with Marcus, no matter how good of a friendship they had.
"Of course he did." Flint wore a knowing smile when he said that. Even he knew Oliver's obsession with Quidditch.
They sat down on the ground and Marcus hand made its way to hers. He started tracing circles around the top of her hand and she shivered. He had a warm touch for someone that could be so cold.
Their hands fell into their easy thumb wrestling game. "Is this your way of trying to injure me before the game?" Katie teased lightly.
Marcus's eyes flashed for a moment. "If I wanted to hurt you, I would've a long time ago."
"I'm sorry," Katie said quietly.
He shrugged her apology off and won the first thumb wrestling match. "What has you awake at this hour?" he asked with a smile.
Katie swallowed nervously. "You," she admitted honestly.
His eyes widened. "Me?" He asked incredulously.
She nodded. "This game tomorrow…it's huge. What happens if you win?"
A mischievous grin appeared on his lips. "You think Slytherin is going to win the Quidditch Cup again this year?" He wiggled his eyebrows.
Katie sighed in response and shook her head at the sky. "You have such an ego," she teased.
"Hey, you're the one that asked it," Marcus said as he pulled her closer to him.
"That's not really what I meant," Katie said quietly.
"What did you mean?"
"What…what happens to us? If you win…" Her heart danced around in her chest and she suddenly grew shy.
For a second she thought he was staring at her lips, but then he met her eyes meaningfully. "If I win…we'll stay in touch this summer. You ignored me when I wanted us to be pen pals over Christmas break."
"I didn't think you meant it," Katie protested, but he shrugged again and gave her a smile.
"Ok, fine. We'll be pen pals," she said, rolling her eyes. "What happens if we win?"
"We'll still stay in touch over the summer," Marcus said, pulling her even closer to him. She made herself more comfortable and leaned against his chest.
"I'm graduating, Katie. I don't care what the other Slytherins think anymore… after tomorrow, win or lose… I don't want to hide our friendship anymore."
Katie looked up at him and he looked back down at her. "But…are we just friends?" she asked him softly.
Marcus gave her that secretive smile that he seemed to wear only for her and he lowered his head closer to hers. And then before she knew it, his lips had softly met hers. Katie was shocked at first, though she responded a moment later by returning it. His arms found their way around her waist and the kiss deepened as it continued.
Moments later they pulled away, and she placed her hand on her lips. Marcus Flint had kissed her. Marcus was her first kiss!
"No," he said, wearing a smile. "We aren't just friends. I never saw you as just a friend. You are my Belle. My Katie Bell."
"I-" Katie started to say but he shook his head.
"You should go. You need your beauty sleep after all. That's where you're supposed to become more beautiful, right?"
"This isn't helping me with going to sleep," Katie finally managed to say.
Marcus chuckled before he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Good luck tomorrow."
Katie nodded and gave him a long look before standing up to leave.
The game had been intense. The Slytherins were pulling all sorts of tricks to win the game. At one point Katie had to do a cartwheel in mid air and the twins kept a watch out for her after she scored that penalty.
She had seen Marcus make angry movements with his hands and knew he wasn't happy with that part. But Gryffindor had put up a good fight and Harry had caught the snitch and they actually managed to win!
Katie had joined her team on the field and Fred and George pulled her into a group hug. Oliver was sobbing as he was given the Qudditch cup.
"Let's go shake their hands." Her head whipped around as she heard Marcus's voice and the Slytherins walked over.
"Good game," Marcus said, nodding to Oliver curtly.
Oliver's eyes were as wide as saucers as the rest of the team followed suit.
Katie was the last one in line next to Harry and Marcus held his hand out for her to shake. Their eyes met momentarily and she saw that old secretive smile he always seemed to wear for her only.
Katie inched closer to him and nobody else seemed to exist around them. "So….I've been thinking about our whole bet we made last night," Katie said teasingly.
Harry's eyes widened when he heard the word bet, but she shook her head in his direction. It wasn't what he was thinking of.
"Oh?" Marcus said quietly, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.
"Yeah," Katie said, smiling. "I was thinking…I don't want to be your pen pal this summer."
Marcus's eyes widened in surprise. He clearly didn't know what she was thinking at this moment. "No?" He asked in surprise.
Katie shook her head confidently. "No. I want to be your girlfriend." At those last words she wrapped her arms around his neck and met his lips.
Her declaration shocked him and everybody else around them. Katie had never managed to shock Marcus like this before, and she liked being the one who kept the other on their toes. He was only stunned for a second before he responded to her kiss by kissing her back deeply.
"Party in the Gryffindor common room!"
Katie pulled back first after hearing those words a few moments later. "So….what do you say?" she asked teasingly as the field was clearing out.
"I think that kiss answers your question the most," Marcus grinning.
"Katie! Come on! You can kiss your lover boy later!" Angelina was calling her name and the twins were cat calling their way.
Katie laughed as she looked in their direction and looked at Marcus sheepishly. "I'm sorry," she said, slowly pulling herself away.
Marcus shook her head. "Go, celebrate with your teammates. You deserve it."
She gave him a meaningful look before running off to join her friends.
