Chapter 5

          Percy elbowed Wood in the side and laughed. Wood just irately looked at him and knew what was coming. He had said that Fleur was a priss, and unfortunately had turned out to be wrong. Now he was definitely going to pay for it, even though he still held a strange feeling towards Fleur up to this moment.

          "She buried you man." Percy laughed out.

          "Very funny, just because she is on my team now, does not mean she's on my good side." Wood spoke, crossing his arms.

          "You mean to tell me, an amazing creature that can fly like the wind still does not hold your approval?" Percy mused.

          "She doesn't, I still can't ignore this feeling I have."

          "Okay, whatever you say mate." Percy spoke and headed back towards the school.

          Ron, Hermione, and Harry shook their heads at Wood and turned and headed off. Wood looked after them and scowled.

"What?  No one is perfect! She can't possibly be!" Wood hollered.

The trio just ignored him and kept on their way. Wood stood alone and huffed to himself.

          Fleur collected her books for the day and looked for Hermione. She wandered out into the common room and saw Fred and George sitting, making small explosions. Fleur waved the foul smell away from her nose and slowly approached them.

          "Hello boys."

          "Oh hullo Fleur, need an escort to class?" Fred asked.

          "Well I vas looking for Hermione, but…"

          "She won't have any classes with you; she's a couple years younger. Let us take you to your class. You'll probably have to be with the Prefect Percy, but you'll survive." George spoke and took Fleur's books from her arms.

          Just then Percy came running into the room, heaving his chest. It looked as if he had just run a marathon.

          "Percy, need to cool off?" Fred asked laughing.

          "I just was…uh…coming to get my books, don't want to be late for Professor Snape's class after all."

          "Uh Perc…your books are in your hands…" Fred observed.

          Percy looked down at his large hands and the dark forest green Potions book shinning up at him. He turned a shade of red that matched his hair color. Percy immediately straightened himself upright and looked Fred in the eye.

          "I…"

          Fleur looked at Percy then to his brothers who were laughing at him like two hyenas. Fleur narrowed her eyes at Fred and George and then slipped her books from George's grasp.

          "I zink I can valk vith Percy to class, if you two don't mind."

            George and Fred stood in awe as Fleur waltzed over to Percy's side. Percy loosened his jaw and smiled in appreciation. Fleur looked back and gave a little wave to Fred and George as she took Percy's arm.

          "Bye boys."

          Once Percy and Fleur were out of George and Fred's earshot, Percy stopped and turned towards Fleur who was still flashing a smile.

          "Vhat iz it Percy?"

          "I just want to thank you for what you did back there. I mean I feel really embarrassed…"

          "Don't Percy, they don't need to pick on you the vay they do. And don't be embarrassed, I zink you are very sweet. I am very happy that I met you Percy." Fleur cut him off.

          Percy just stood and grinned down at her. He loved the way his name just rolled off her tongue. And he thought he would melt away every time her poignant eyes would look up at him. He couldn't believe that this was happening to him, she was really getting under his skin.

          "Let's go Percy; ve can't be late on our first day." Fleur giggled.

          "Oh right…"

          Percy offered his arm again and Fleur and he quickly hiked down towards the dungeons in which Snape called home. There was an array of people already taking their seats. Fleur glanced around and then was pulled away to a remote table by Percy.

          Professor Severus Snape stalked into the room with his long dark hair waving about his shoulders. He took a seat at his desk and took only one glance at the class and then prepared his materials. He wasn't the most serene looking person, he looked absolutely livid. It of course could be that he was surrounding by Gryffindors and Ravenclaws, he especially loathed Gryffindors.

          "Well what are we waiting for? Everyone open your books to page one and start reading, you will have a potions experiment this Friday. So I suggest you begin your studying now…and I don't want any whining about it…" Snape snarled at the class as a straggler entered the room.

          "Well Oliver Wood, nice you could join us. Take a seat before I decide to bestow the wonderful gift of a detention upon you."

          "Yes Professor." Wood spoke and took the only empty seat, which was directly behind Percy and Fleur.

          As soon as Wood sat down Fleur turned around and smirked at him.

          "Zanks for zetting an example." Fleur whispered.

          Wood wanted to yell something back at her, but his thoughts were interrupted by Snape lecturing a Ravenclaw about coming to class unprepared.

          After about forty minutes of complete silence Wood started to stare at the back of Fleur's head instead of reading. He was trying to decide is her hair was really that color or not. How could anyone's hair be that silvery and smooth…so perfect. He chuckled to himself; he wanted to ask her…just to make her mad.

          Wood pulled out a piece of small parchment paper and wrote a note to Fleur. He folded it up as many times as he could and then tossed it over onto Fleur and Percy's table.

          Percy glanced down at the note entitled to Fleur in chicken scratch hand writing. He shook his head in disapproval and gently tapped Fleur's arm, and pointed to the note. Fleur slid it off the table carefully, because Snape would probably be looking up from his papers any moment. She unfolded it silently underneath the desk on her lap and read:

          Fleur,

                Meet me after class; I have some important things to discuss.

                                                                   -Wood

          Fleur snickered and folded the note back up and stuffed it into her dark robe pocket. Wood sat back in his wooden chair and looked at his wrist watch just as the bell rung for them to be dismissed.

          Fleur and Percy stood up simultaneously and headed out the door with Wood tracking close behind. He cleared his throat once they were outside.

          "Oh it seems I have a little meeting vith Oliver." Fleur told Percy.

          "I can stay and wait for you."

          "No, go on…I vill be alright."

          Percy gave a warning look to Wood, who just raised his eyebrows innocently.

          "Vhat do you vant?" Fleur asked, her eyes growing heavy.

          "I just wanted to ask about your hair."

          "You vanted to ask about my hair?" Fleur looked at him confusedly.

          "Is it real, or do you dye it?"

          "Oh, you moron, itz real!"

          "Oh no name calling needed, it was just a question."

          Fleur gave him a stern look and Wood met her gaze. She seemed so strong, but her eyes were sad. He felt his stomach drop a little and almost wanted to apologize for being so caddy.

          "Uh…do you want to practice tonight?" Wood asked slowly.

          "Zure, vhere shall I meet you?"

          "The field at nine, we'll work on your chasing skills."

          Fleur just nodded and Wood gave a side-ways smile to her and headed off to his next class. Fleur looked after him as Snape was coming out of his room. She quickly sped off, not wanting to try and make conversation with the Lord of Grease they called Snape.