Chapter 11: Christmas

December 24, 1997

Careful not to make any noise, Katie slipped back into the sitting room of Nan's house. She and Dad had just finished setting protective enchantments on the home, and now she returned to the room that had been set up with temporary beds on the floor for Ryan and her. They had slept like this when visiting Nan since they were children; now that they were both grown, Katie found that she enjoyed the comfort of the nostalgia. As she slid under her blankets and laid her head down silently, she heard Ryan roll over.

"Everything ok, Kates?" he asked her in a low voice. "I heard you get up and leave with dad."

"We're ok," Katie answered. She knew better than to withhold the truth from Ryan, so she continued. "We were casting some protective charms on Nan's house. We can't be too careful right now." Katie sat up on her sleeping bag.

"Dad put some on his and Mum's house, and on my flat too," Ryan told her, sitting up on his sleeping bag as well. Katie could hear a hint of worry in his voice. "Are things getting bad, Kates?"

"Yea, they are," Katie admitted. "Dad is keeping an eye on things from his job at the Ministry, but he's not in the inner circle of course. Best he can tell, Ministry officials aren't targeting Muggle families of wizards, but it could start happening. The Death Eaters are getting bolder. There have been several Muggle killings. It's senseless, really. Some sick idea of fun for them." Katie hugged her legs.

"They're doing all this because they hate Muggles, yea?" Ryan asked her. "They're magic, why would they hate us? They can do so many things we can't."

"They hate having to hide magic," Katie explained. "They think Muggles are equivalent to animals, and they resent having to hide from those who they feel superior to. In their ideal world, wizards would rule over Muggles. And they think wizards who associate with Muggles are a threat to them. They think that everyone who isn't a pureblooded, Muggle-hating wizard is someone to be dealt with."

"So a half-blood witch with a Muggle brother and mum…" Ryan began.

"Let's just say they won't be recruiting me for You-Know-Who's army," Katie said with a soft smile that faded quickly. "I just wish there was more I could do to help," she continued, her voice heavy with emotion. "Oliver and I are both trying to find ways to be useful, but it barely feels like a drop in the ocean."

"Ah, yes, my mate Oliver," Ryan said teasingly, as though he could sense the need for a lighter topic. "So that's still going well?"

Katie smiled more widely this time.

"It is," she answered simply.

"He's still being good to you?" Ryan asked.

"Yes, he is," Katie answered with a nod.

"And have you…?" Ryan raised his eyebrows at Katie expectantly.

"Ry," Katie complained, her cheeks blushing.

"I'm your big brother, Kates," he said matter-of-factly. "It's my job to check in on you."

Katie buried her face in her hands, then looked up at him.

"Yes, we've had sex," she told him, her face still burning.

"And you feel ok about that?" Ryan asked her.

Katie nodded. "I do," she replied. "I mean, I was nervous. He's been with…a lot of women. But it was good. He's good to me."

Ryan gave her a short nod. "Good," he said. "I'll thank you to share no more detail." He laughed. "You're my baby sister, and I don't care to picture you shagging your boyfriend."

Katie smacked him on the arm playfully.

"You've no room to talk," she teased. "I actually saw you shagging, what was her name, Kelsey? And not just once, Ry." She laughed.

Ryan snickered.

"Well, what can I say?" he answered. "She was a bit of an exhibitionist, that one. Complete nutter, though." He shook his head.

Katie rolled her eyes again but couldn't help but smile at her brother.

"We ought to get to sleep," she told him. "Nan will be up at the crack of dawn fixing us a Full English."

Ryan laughed. "G'night, Kates," he told her.

"G'night, Ry."

xxxxxx

December 26, 1997

Two Days Later

"Be sure to bring your broomstick," Oliver told Katie as he buttoned his shirt. "There's always a game of Quidditch to be had when the Woods get together for Christmas."

Katie had returned to her flat early on Boxing Day, and Oliver had arrived mid-morning to escort her to his parents' home to celebrate Christmas. After a detour to Katie's bedroom, they had returned to the living room to collect Katie's things that she had gathered before Oliver's arrival.

After she retrieved her broom from the hall closet where it sat next to her practice gear, Katie re-checked the contents of her overnight bag. Satisfied that she had packed everything she needed, she zipped it up and looked to Oliver nervously.

She was struck by his handsomeness. He was wearing a navy blue button-up shirt with gray trousers. Katie had rarely seen him wearing anything but his training uniform or casual clothes, and she was impressed at how well he cleaned up. Although, she had to admit, she was quite happy when he chose to wear nothing at all.

Oliver slung Katie's bag over his shoulder and held her broomstick. He offered her his arm.

"Ready, lass?" he asked her.

Katie gave Oliver a nervous look as she took his arm. He gave her a reassuring kiss on her temple, then he spun as he Apparated them.

xxxxxx

When they reappeared, Katie steadied herself and looked around. Snow covered the ground around Oliver's parents' home, and smoke trailed out of the chimney. Katie was reminded of a storybook.

As they approached the house, they were met by a tall, blonde witch with broad shoulders and an imposing look. She drew her wand and looked to Oliver.

"How did you break your nose when you were nine?" she asked Oliver with a serious expression.

"Oh Merlin, Kinna, really?" Oliver asked incredulously.

"Answer the question, Ollie, or ya might be a Death Eater coming to hex our Christmas ham," Kinna replied, cracking a smile but not lowering her wand.

Oliver gave a resigned sigh.

"We were fighting because you found some, er, adult magazines under my bed that I had stolen from Sean's room and threatened to tell Mum. I tried to tackle you and you knocked me on my arse. I hit my face on my dresser and my nose broke."

Kinna lowered her wand and gave Oliver a wide smile.

"Actually, those were my magazines. Happy Christmas, Ollie!" she said, giving her brother a hug. "You've checked your lass over thoroughly, I assume?" Kinna asked suggestively, gesturing to Katie. "No Dark wizards hiding in her knickers?"

"Godric, Kinna," Oliver muttered. He straightened and looked to Katie. "Katie, my sister Kinna," he gestured between the two witches. "Kinna, this is my Katie."

Katie blushed at his introduction and extended her hand to Kinna. Kinna instead pulled Katie into a tight hug. Katie, a bit taken aback by Kinna's directness, gave Kinna a small smile upon her release.

"Nice to meet you," she told the other witch.

"And you as well," Kinna responded. She turned to her brother. "Oliver, you've got yourself a bonny lass."

Katie blushed again.

"Grab your broomsticks and meet us up at the grove," Kinna instructed as they walked toward the house. "We're playing a match before Mum serves supper." She ran off toward the greenhouses as Oliver and Katie entered the home.

As they pushed open the red front door, Katie and Oliver were met with the sound of jovial conversation and children's laughter. Several adults were standing and talking in the sitting room and kitchen, and two red-haired girls ran around their legs, toy unicorns in their hands. Katie stepped in and glanced around nervously. Oliver put down Katie's belongings as he took her hand and gave her a reassuring smile.

They walked toward a trio who were standing near the window. A petite witch holding a glass of wine noticed Oliver and Katie's arrival first and turned to great them.

"Oliver, you've returned!" she called warmly, hugging him. "And you must be Katie," she said as she gave Katie a kiss on the cheek.

"Nice to meet you," Katie said timidly, looking at the witch and the two men she was standing with.

"I'm Claire. This is Sean, my husband," she said as she gestured to the tall, slender man standing next to her.

Sean nodded to Katie.

"Welcome," he said politely.

"And the boys' cousin, Mac," Claire continued, gesturing to the other wizard. Mac was tall (Merlin, was everyone in this family tall?) with freckled skin and red hair. He had broad shoulders and a barreled chest.

He looked at Katie and gave her a warm smile. "Hello, Katie," he said kindly. He turned to Oliver.

"About time you're back, you wanker!" Mac exclaimed, slapping Oliver on the shoulder. "We've been waiting on you to play Quidditch! Been gone all damn morning, we thought you'd been caught by the Snatchers!" He laughed at his own joke.

"Well I had to collect Katie," Oliver said in his defense.

Mac gave a small snort. He leaned in to Oliver with a smirk.

"Your shirt's misbuttoned, mate," he muttered.

Katie looked at her shoes as she felt heat burn in her cheeks. Oh Merlin, this was humiliating, she thought.

"Excuse me," Oliver mumbled, his face also flushed. He stepped into the other room, Katie assumed to correct his shirt buttons.

Katie looked up, her gaze meeting Mac's silent laughter, then Sean's unamused expression. She looked to Claire, who gave her another warm smile.

"So Katie," she said, "Oliver tells us you're signed to Pride of Portree!"

Katie gave her a look of gratitude for the turn of conversation.

"Yes," she responded, "I'm a Chaser on the reserve team."

"Brilliant, that will relieve me from having to play this year," Claire responded with a laugh. "Your team just played Oliver's, didn't it?"

"Yes," Katie replied. "Puddlemere took the victory, but it was a good match."

"Lovers on opposing Quidditch teams; that could make for an interesting novel," Claire said thoughtfully.

Just then, Oliver returned to Katie's side.

"Come on," he said as he guided her toward the kitchen. "Let's go see Mum." Katie gave him a grateful look.

They walked past two other adults speaking by the Christmas tree and into the kitchen. A witch with a loose plait down her back was waving her wand at a pan of vegetables.

"Mum," Oliver said, standing next to the counter.

The woman turned to look at him. When she spotted Katie, a kind smile spread across her face.

"Katie," she said with a quiet, sincere voice. She set down her wand and wiped her hands on her apron then put her hands gently on Katie's shoulders. "Welcome, my dear."

"Thank you, Mrs. Wood," Katie responded. "Your home is lovely. Thank you for having me."

"Our pleasure, dear," Mrs. Wood told her. She looked at Oliver. "Kinna will be wanting to play, you'd better get outside."

"Aye, I'll grab our brooms," he told Katie as he retreated from the kitchen.

Katie looked around the kitchen. She heard high-pitched laughter, and the two red-haired girls ran in with a rapid patter of feet.

"Granny, have you any biscuits?" asked the younger one.

"No biscuits, lasses, you'll spoil your supper!" Mrs. Wood replied, shooing them both away from the food.

"Katie, these are the lasses, Annis and Isla," Mrs. Wood said to Katie as she pointed at each of the young girls.

"Are you going to marry Uncle Ollie?" asked the older girl, Annis.

Katie blushed yet again. She'd forgotten how direct children could be. She opened her mouth, but before she could stammer out an answer, she heard a voice behind her.

"Let's not put her on the spot now, lasses," a man said. Katie turned and saw Oliver's father standing in the doorway. He opened a crock from the countertop and pulled out two frosted biscuits.

"Now, eat these and run along," he told them as he handed them one each.

The girls squealed with delight.

"Thank you, Granda!" they said in unison and ran off. Mrs. Wood sighed and returned to her cooking.

"Katie, thank you for joining us," Mr. Wood said in a deep voice. Katie noticed how much Oliver looked like his father, who also had dark eyes and dark hair, though his was starting to gray. He gave Katie a smile.

"Thank you, Mr. Wood," Katie said politely.

"You call me Duncan," he told her. He gestured to the other woman he was speaking to. She had red curled hair pulled back in a low ponytail. "This is Jenny, my sister. Mac is her son."

"Hello," Katie said, nodding her head.

Just then, the back kitchen door banged open and Kinna stepped one foot inside.

"Crack on, you lot!" she hollered. "Get your arses to the grove so we can play some Quidditch."

Oliver returned to Katie's side, her broom and his on his shoulder.

"Ready?" he asked her.

"I'll be sitting this one out," Claire called to the group. "Aileen, need any help?" She went to the kitchen to assist her mother-in-law.

Oliver, Katie, Mac, and Sean walked through the back door and into the garden. The continued on past the greenhouses until they reached a grove of trees. Standing there waiting were Kinna and another woman who was equally as tall and broad-shouldered with caramel-colored skin and dark, curly hair.

Kinna saw Katie look at the second woman.

"Katie, Yindi," she introduced. "We both play Beater for the Warriors down under. We shag a fair bit, too." She looked at Yindi with a grin; Yindi rolled her eyes, but a smile crept across her lips.

"G'day," she greeted Katie with an Australian accent.

"Hello," Katie answered.

Oliver explained the rules to her.

"We've only one Chaser, one Beater, and a Keeper on each side. No Seekers. And Mum's made us play with these instead of Bludgers," he said as he reached for a tennis ball in a basket next to a Quaffle. "Said it ruined Christmas dinner the year Kinna broke Mac's nose and he bled all over her tablecloth" He laughed.

"Woods versus the others, then?" Kinna asked.

"Aye, ok," said Mac as he mounted his broom. The others followed suit and they were soon in the air. Katie and Sean played Chaser, Kinna and Yindi were Beaters, and Oliver and Mac took the Keeper's position by the goal posts.

"What are we playing to?" called Sean. Katie thought it looked odd seeing him doing something fun, after Oliver had told her how uptight he could be.

"Til Mum calls for supper!" Kinna shouted. She waved her wand at the tennis balls and they began to zoom around the makeshift pitch. She tossed up the Quaffle. Sean reached for it, but Katie grabbed it and zoomed toward her goal. A tennis ball rocketed past her face, causing her to descend a foot, but she lost no speed. Gripping the Quaffle, she flew toward the goalposts. Oliver waited there for her, trying to anticipate her shot. Katie feigned right then dove left, scoring a goal. From the other side of the pitch, she heard Mac whooping.

"How's that for scoring on you, Wood?" Katie called to Oliver in a cheeky voice

"You'll get your payback for that, lass," he told her, an amused look on his face.

The match continued on for half an hour, with Sean scoring on Mac twice, but Oliver blocking the rest of Katie's attempts. And although they were not using Bludgers, Katie found that tennis balls still had quite a sting when they came off of Kinna's bat.

"Come down, supper's ready!" Katie heard Claire call from the ground. The players all landed and walked back up toward the house. Oliver's hand found Katie's.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked her.

"I am," she answered with a smile.

xxxxxx

Dinner was a delicious, hours-long affair. Oliver was amazed as always at the sheer volume of food that kept coming from the kitchen, and he ate his fill of tasty roasted turkey and potatoes, bacon rolls, and stuffing. Darkness had fallen in the sky when Mrs. Wood brought out the Christmas pudding for dessert. The conversation was warm and pleasant. Mr. Wood had asked Katie about playing with Portree, declaring it good that at least one person at the table had signed with a proper Scottish team. Mac spoke about his latest adventures with breeding and training Griffins. Claire mentioned a new book that was to be published in the coming months, but spared the group the finer plot points.

When dinner was over and the plates cleared, Mac produced three bottles of Firewhisky and declared it time to retire to the back garden. Mrs. Wood insisted Claire go, and that she would put the lasses down for bed. And so Claire and Sean, Kinna and Yindi, Oliver and Katie, and Mac all retreated to the back garden. Claire and Sean set warming charms and sent floating orbs of light around the seating area. Each person took a seat and was given a glass by Mac. Katie sat close to Oliver on a wicker two-person loveseat; despite the warming charms, there was still a chill in the air. She snuggled into him, and he put his arm around her.

Oliver was pleased with how the day was going so far. He hoped that Katie was feeling comfortable around his family, as he loved having her with him.

Mac made the rounds, filling each person's glass with a generous portion of Firewhisky. He paused when he got to Katie.

"You are old enough to drink with us, aren't you lass?" he asked with a snigger. "I won't be hauled away by the Aurors for supplying to a minor."

"Take the piss all you want, I know I'm young," she countered with a laugh. "I'll be nineteen in February."

"Aye, well, Ollie here knew he hadn't a chance finding a witch his own age, so he plucked one straight from the cradle," Mac joked as he poured. Katie gave him a good natured smile and took a drink from her glass.

Oliver didn't miss the pointed look that Sean shot his way.

"Yindi," Claire asked, redirecting the conversation, "how are things Down Under? Is your season going well?"

"It's bloody hot, but good," Yindi replied. "We're undefeated in our league so far this season."

"Cheers to that," Claire declared, raising her glass to Yindi.

Oliver had always appreciated Claire's ability to sense when the conversation needed to shift, and to make anyone feel warm and welcome. If only she could pull that stick out of her husband's arse…

The group conversed and joked as the evening wore on, growing louder and more jolly as the Firewhisky bottles became lighter.

Yindi told a long, animated story that involved Kinna losing a bet against one of the Chasers on their team, and having to try to fist-fight a kangaroo as a result.

"I meant to lose that bet," Kinna claimed as she doubled over with laughter. "I wanted to prove myself against that kangaroo! It was no accident. Woods don't have accidents!" She declared.

She glanced at Oliver, then began laughing again.

"Well, except Mum and Dad with you," she amended. Sean and Mac laughed as well.

Katie gave Oliver a puzzled look.

"Oliver was a result of Mum and Dad, er, celebrating the year the Magpies won the League Cup," Kinna explained with a wide grin. "Sean was nearly ready to begin Hogwarts when he was born, for Merlin's sake. And they've always babied him."

Oliver rolled his eyes at his sister.

"Do you remember the first year your parents finally let Oliver come out with us?" Claire asked Sean. "What was he, fifteen, sixteen?"

"Aye," he replied with a smile. Oliver reckoned the Firewhisky must be warming his irritable demeanor. "That was the year he got so pissed that he managed to set Mum's rose bushes on fire when he stumbled home."

The group laughed.

"We usually go 'round to a pub after Christmas dinner," Kinna leaned over and told Katie. "But Dad asked us to stay home this year. Safer and all."

"Do you remember," Mac interjected, laughing so hard he was wheezing, "that year we went to the Muggle pub and Kinna and I went home with those two sisters?"

"Aye!" Kinna replied loudly. "I was trying play wingman and find you a shag, but I ended up bedding the sister as well!"

"Those birds thought my card tricks were very clever," Mac recalled, "almost like real magic!" He continued to laugh so hard it was hard for him to continue speaking. "Ah, but they were a couple of daft Muggles, what can you expect?"

Oliver felt Katie shift uncomfortably in her seat.

"Mac," Oliver said in a cautioning voice.

"What of it, Ollie?" Mac asked flippantly.

It was clear to Oliver that Mac was rather drunk.

"You took Muggle Studies, you know some of the rubbish they believe. Bunch of muppets, the lot of them," Mac continued in a rowdy voice. "I mean, Muggle birds are good for an easy shag, but that's about the extent of it." He waved his hand dismissively.

Oliver opened his mouth to tell off his cousin, but he heard Katie speak first.

"My mum's a Muggle," she said quietly, looking Mac dead in the eye. "My brother, too. What of it?"

The group fell silent as everyone looked at Katie, and then to Mac, who sat with his mouth hanging open.

Katie turned to Oliver.

"I think I'd like to go to bed," she told him as she sat her glass down on a side table.

"Aye, lass," Oliver responded. As the two rose from the group, Oliver gave Mac a sharp look.

"Katie, I…" Mac sputtered, but Katie had reached the back door of the house before he could finish. Oliver opened the door and let her in, following closely behind.

The two climbed the stairs to the second floor wordlessly. They reached Oliver's room; he closed the door behind them, and Katie sat on the edge of the bed.

"Lass, I'm sorry about Mac," he said as he sat next to her, taking her hands. "I know he didn't mean to offend. His side of the family is just a little more…proud… of being pureblood than ours is. He shouldn't have said that, though."

"I know what a lot of wizards think of Muggles," Katie said angrily. "I'm not deaf to their elitist opinions. But Oliver, those wizards who think they are superior, who think that Muggles are good for a laugh or a shag and not much else? They're the ones that will sit idly by while You-Know-Who gets more powerful because they don't see anything wrong with a world where wizards have more power. Where wizards don't have to hide their magic. The attitudes of people like Mac are what will lose us this war."

A silent tear fell from Katie's eye onto her cheek. She wiped it away swiftly, and Oliver could see that her hand was shaking. Letting go of Katie's hand, Oliver wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. He could feel Katie's hot tears on his shirt, but she remained quiet.

"If you'd rather not stay here tonight, I'd understand," Oliver told her. "I can have Dad take you home Side-Along if you'd like."

Katie shook her head as she rose from Oliver's embrace.

"No, it's ok," she said as she looked down at her lap, her voice more calm. "I shouldn't have let Mac get to me. I'm just so aware of what will become of people like Mum and Ryan and even Dad if You-Know-Who isn't stopped, and I got angry."

"You took no shit, and you stood up for the people who are important to you," Oliver told her fervently. "It's one of the reasons I love you."

Katie's gaze rose and met Oliver's eye with a look of surprise.

"I love you, Katie Bell," Oliver told her, taking her hands in his. "And it's well past time I told you that."

Oliver had never felt surer of anything as he did for his love for Katie. She was amazing. And beautiful. He looked at her, and her face spread into a shy smile.

"I love you too, Oliver Wood," she said quietly. A giggle escaped from her lips.

Oliver pulled Katie close and kissed her. It started as a quick plant on her lips, but evolved into something slower, sweeter. Oliver felt a glow in his chest that was different from the heated lust he often felt there when he kissed Katie. Merlin, he loved this woman.

Their kiss ended and they exchanged a smile. Oliver kicked off his shoes and reclined on the bed, his hands behind his head. Katie laid her head on his chest and looked up at him.

"Is it going to cause your family to talk, my staying up here with you?" she asked. "Should we, er, conjure a second bed or something for appearances' sake?" Oliver knew Katie had been embarrassed by the others noticing his long absence that morning, along with his mismatched buttons.

He chuckled.

"No, lass, we'll be fine," he told her.

"Bring a lot of women home, do you, Wood?" Katie teased him. "Some witch sleeping in your bed is old news?"

"You are the only woman I've brought home," Oliver informed her. "Besides, being the youngest does have a few advantages. Mum and Dad got over their prudishness when Sean was dating Claire. Sean hasn't always been so…uptight. Besides, they raised Kinna…" his voice trailed off into another laugh.

Katie laughed as well. "True," she conceded.

"Anyway," Oliver continued, "Sean and Kinna owe me some discretion after they both scarred me at a young age."

"Oh?" Katie asked, her eyebrows raised in anticipation of the full story.

"Aye," said with a laugh. "I think I was eight or nine when I stumbled upon Sean and Claire shagging in the Quidditch grove. That wasn't the last time, either. And before I left for Hogwarts my fourth year, Kinna took it upon herself to give me a detailed description of the female body and thorough instructions on how to pleasure a woman." Oliver shook his head at the memory. "There was even a diagram."

Katie laughed. Oliver was glad to see her smile instead of her tears.

"I see I wasn't the only one corrupted by my older sibling," Katie said. "Ryan is protective of me, but he always brought me along so I reckon was exposed to a lot of things someone my age shouldn't have been." She smiled widely. Oliver could tell how much Katie cared for her brother. "Always made sure I had a proper education as well," she added with a laugh.

Now it was Oliver's turn to look at Katie expectantly, waiting for details.

"Well, let's see," she said thoughtfully. "He taught me how to drive his car when I was eleven. I think I was fifteen when he showed me how to hit a bong. Taught me how to throw a proper punch. Made sure I learned to drink beer and whiskey and not just fruity drinks. And he puts box of condoms in my Christmas stocking every year." Katie laughed. "Muggle contraception," she added, seeing Oliver's confused expression.

"I think Mum and Dad overlooked a lot because they wanted Ryan and me to have a good relationship," Katie said. "With six years plus magic separating us, I think they were just glad to see us bond. Even if Dad did have to pick us up from Muggle jail one night last summer."

Oliver gave Katie an incredulous look, and then shook his head.

"It's nice you're close, though," Oliver said. "I sometimes wish I was closer to Sean and Kinna. It's difficult with them being so much older. Sean having a family, Kinna always being away." His smile faded a bit.

They were silent for a moment.

"Thank you for bringing me to meet your family," Katie told him as she laid her head back on his chest.

"Aye, thank you for coming, lass," Oliver said. "I love you." The new words felt good to say.

"I love you too," Katie responded, then she yawned.

Oliver gave a small laugh. "We'd best get to bed," he said. "It's late. Would you like me to step out while you change your clothes?" Even though he had seen Katie naked before, he wanted to be respectful when she wanted privacy.

"Thank you," Katie answered as she rose from bed, "but I need to use the loo before we go to sleep. I'll change in there." She grabbed her things and stepped out into the hall.

Oliver shed his own clothes and put on a pair of black sweat pants. He waved his wand and sent the clothing he had been wearing to the hamper. As he was getting ready to return to his bed, he heard a quiet exchange in the hallway. It was Kinna, talking to Katie.

"Sorry about Mac, lass," Kinna whispered, her voice more sincere than Oliver had ever heard it. "He's a sodding git when he drinks."

"Thank you," Katie responded. "I'm sorry for leaving in such a huff."

"Nonsense," Kinna dismissed. "No one thought a thing of it. I just want you to know you're welcome here. We all do. Well, Sean may have his opinions on how young you are, but I think we can all see that you've made our Ollie very happy."

Merlin, how much had Kinna drank? Oliver had never heard her wax on like that.

"Thank you, Kinna," Katie said quietly.

"Besides, if it makes you feel any better, I heard that Muggle bird Mac went home with tell her sister the next morning that he had been too drunk to even get his knob to work properly! G'night, Katie!" The sound of Kinna's heavy footsteps disappeared down the hall.

There was the usual Kinna, Oliver thought to himself.

He fought a smile as he returned to bed. Katie opened the door and closed it, then padded over to the bed and lay next to him. Oliver decided to pretend he hadn't overheard Katie speaking with his sister.

Katie curled into Oliver and laid her head on his chest. He put his arm around her and breathed in the scent of her hair. Merlin, it felt good to hold her, he thought.

"G'night, Oliver," Katie said sleepily.

"G'night, love," he responded.

xxxxxx

Author's Note: Thanks for reading along with me, and a special shout-out to reader Sabrina Weasley for always leaving reviews! Let me know what you all are thinking so far, and be sure to come back next week for Chapter 12: Gifts. Have a great week!