Chapter 3

Everyone was finally getting used to be back at school, and things were starting to go like they used to. The twins started pulling pranks again, kicking the year off with a simple colour-changing spell, cast over Malfoy's bleach blonde hair, making it the brightest shade of orange Amelia had ever seen. But the best part of it was that, whenever he tried to get rid of it, the orange started changing a little bit closer to red, until it had completely transformed into the fiery red that you saw on those muggle firetrucks. It really was a glorious sight. On top of that Amelia had also started pranking people again, as well as backtalking during one of professor Sprout's lessons, resulting in polishing the school's prizes during a night of detention. She happily did her work, accompanied by peeves, who was getting ready to dump a load of waterballoons (probably a present from the twins) on top of Filch's head. Just as she was working on the cabinet near the door, she heard Angelina's voice mention Oliver's name.

"Are you sure? I mean Oliver is quite a bit older than her."

"Yes, I'm positive. He told me himself." That was Katie's voice! Were they talking about the realization she had come to herself?

"Well, I can't say that I'm surprised. I actually think she likes him too."

"Really?" Katie sounded really surprised.

"Yeah, but I don't think she knows it herself. Did you see them during the first school day?" There was a silence as Katie thought about what Angelina said.

"Well, now that you point it out... Do you think we should tell her?"

"I don't think we should. I think she'll have to find out for herself. I don't think he will wait much longer to tell her. I have a feeling she's close to finding out herself, if she doesn't know it already." Not paying attention to what she was doing, Amelia tripped, tipping the bucket of water that was standing next to her. Thankfully Angelina and Katie had walked away just seconds before, so they didn't hear the crash and came checking on her. To make matters worse, Peeves decided to use one of his waterballoons to throw on her, already wet, hair. Too much in thought to realize fully what was happening, Amelia stayed seated on the ground, only to be found by professor Lupin twenty minutes later, still deep in thought. Recognizing the confusion on Amelia's face, he decided to let her go back to the common room and clean the mess up himself. It would only take him a wave of his wand after all.

X- Harry Potter –X

Amelia wanted to go to the common room, but knowing she would probably find Oliver there, she decided to just roam the halls for a while. After doing so for half an hour, she ended up at the astronomy tower, where the professor was just leaving.

"Ah, miss Sterling. What can I do for you?"

"Would you mind terribly if I use the tower to make the homework you gave us for the next lesson?" Since Astronomy was one of the three subjects where Amelia had actually never pranked or backtalked and got good grades, the professor liked her enough to grant her acces.

"Of course, as long as you don't disturb the other student that is still up there." Amelia nodded, knowing she'd probably just keep to herself to think about everything she overheard her best friends say. She softly thanked the professor and walked silently up the stairs, carefull not to slip. When she neared the top of the stairs she heard the scratching of a quill on parchment. The scratching stopped for a few seconds when she stepped into the room. She could not see who the other student was just yet, but she figured it didn't matter. She walked towards the railing that was enchanted to make sure no living being could fall off and leaned her elbows on it, staring out over the grounds. She took in the spectacular sight of the black lake, the small light of Hagrid's hut somewhere in the distance, followed by the haunting darkness of the forbidden forrest. To her right she saw the Gryffindor tower, where the lights of the common room and dorms burned invitingly. She slowly let her thoughts consume her, thinking back to the friendship she had built with Oliver over the years. She could remember the moment they met as clear as day.

It was her first time getting on the train, Cass had helped Jennifer with her trunk, leaving Amelia to fend for herself for a moment. She had been trying to hoist her trunk up into the train all by herself, not even sure if she would be able to find a compartment. Her trunk, however, proved to be too heavy for an eleven (almost twelve, as she was so sure to mention to anyone who asked) year old girl and she tripped, crashing into Mason and the twins. After joking around for a bit they took pity on her and the twins grabbed her trunk, while Mason grabbed her arm pulling her towards their cabin. Once they arrived there she was pushed down on one of the benches. At least, that was what they meant to do. Instead she fell onto the lap of a boy that was slightly older than them.

"Oh I'm sorry!"

"Not a problem lass." Amelia had immediately taken a liking to him, especially when she noticed the book he was holding.

"Oh my god! Is that the newest book by Darren Mcneal"He raised his eyebrows.

"You know it?"

"Yeah, I begged my aunt for it all summer, but I didn't get it yet." He smiled.

"You can borrow mine when I finish it. I'm Oliver, by the way. Oliver Wood."

"Amelia Sterling."

She smiled at the memory and let her mind wander further past other memories. The first time he helped her perfect some quidditch moves, working on strategies by the fire, jokes told at the breakfast table, dinners with their friends, the time she pranked him. But that didn't make things any clearer. Did he really like her? Did she like him? Would it be awkward if one of them brought it up? What would happen if one of them rejected the other? As these thoughts ran through her head, she heard a sound somewhere behind her. Probably the other student standing up. She expected the footsteps to move away from her, towards the stairs, but they didn't. They moved toward her, slow but sure. She knew those footsteps, she realized. How had she not seen him yet? And why was he here? Why now? She pretended not to hear them, and kept staring at nothing in particulair. She did not move a muscle as he came standing next to her, their hands only inches from each other.

"Why didn't you say anything?" She asked softly.

"You seemed panicked and confused. I know better than disturbing you when you're in that state." She felt his stare shift to her.

"Why are you looking at me like that Oliver?" She swallowed thickly. How had she never noticed the sparks that went flying between their hands before?

"Is there something wrong with me looking at you?" He seemed surprised and a bit nervous.

"No, of course not ... I was just wondering why." She knew the answer, and he knew she knew. They'd known each other long enough to almost read each others minds. Silently he moved his hand sideways, his fingers slowly coming into contact with hers. She moved her gaze down to their hands, scared of what would happen if she'd look up into his eyes. She felt him turn towards her and his free hand pushing her chin upwards, making her look into his eyes.

"I like you, Amelia Sterling." She closed her eyes, not knowing what to say, for once. When she opened her eyes again, he smiled down at her. "Don't worry, I don't expect an answer immediately, lass. And I won't be angry with you if you don't feel the same way. I'll always be your friend, you know that." She believed that he meant those words, without a doubt. She also believed that she should not make a decision about it right now.

"Oliver, I don't know what to say." He grinned, the sparkle in his brown eyes clearly visible.

"Well that's a first." His words were the first thing to break a little through the tension that had been building between them. She playfully shoved him a little to the side, making him trip slightly, pulling her with him, because of their still intertwined hands. Oliver soon regained his footing, but Amelia was not so lucky, as she crashed into him. Then again, some people might call her the luckiest person alive, for being so close to him. With red cheeks, she recovered and looked up at him, a sheepish look on her face. His eyes locked on hers, a loving smile on his face and before either one of them knew what was happening they started moving towards each other, eyes slowly closing. Their lips met midway, her arms coming around his neck and his hands finding her hips. His lips were soft and sure, hers held just that little bit of insecurity that she rarely showed to anyone. Butterflies made their way through both their stomachs, a feeling that was new to her. The hoot of an owl pulled Amelia's mind back to the here and now of that moment and she realized what was happening. She opened her eyes wide and broke off the kiss. When Oliver looked back at her, she saw the confusion in his eyes, followed by something else that she couldn't really place at that very second. Amelia bit her lip and turned around, fleeing away from the tower and Oliver.