Chapter 6

          Fleur entered the girls' dormitories at almost the stroke of seven. She sighed and set her books on a bronze shelf. Then she flopped down into a chair and met Hermione's gaze.

          "Was your first day really that bad?" Hermione questioned.

          "No, but zis evening vill be…"

          "Why?"

          "I have to meet that dreadful boy Oliver Vood."

          Hermione started to laugh and fell backwards onto her bed still letting giggles swim out of her throat. Fleur raised one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows and let a smirk pass her full lips.

          "Vhat is so funny?"

          "You and Oliver, that's all. I mean he goes crazy when anyone speaks about you. He has something against you, although I can't pin-point it quite yet. But at least you know that one guy out there is on your side…." Hermione trailed off with a secretive smile.

          "I don't know vhat you are talking about." Fleur spoke, while red crept into her usually fair complexion.

          "Oh come on, you know that Percy fancies you."

          "He iz a very sweet boy." Fleur said uncomfortably and got up from her cushy seat.

          "So does that mean you return his feelings?" Hermione asked quizzically, trying to see Fleur's face.

          "Hermione, shall ve go to dinner?" Fleur turned back around flushed.

          "Yes…sure…" Hermione answered amused.

          Wood entered the great hall and took his usual seat next to Fred and George. They were discussing Alicia and how they would miss her, but thought everything had turned out this way for a reason. Wood scoffed at the idea and rolled his eyes.

          "Not for any good reason in my book, I was left without a strong player."

          "Was is the key word here Wood." Fred spoke and then his eyes shifted towards the entrance where Hermione and Fleur were entering.

          "Oh please…"

          "Hullo boys." Percy broke the silence and slid in a seat on the other side of Wood.

          "Hey here comes your girlfriend Percy." Wood kidded, but was taken aback by the sudden change in Percy's demeanor when Fleur approached.

          "Hello everyone, Wood…" Hermione spoke as Fleur just smiled at her side.

          "Hey Hermy, Harry told me he saved you a seat right over there." George informed her.

          Hermione's face lit up and she grinned. She looked to Fleur who just urged her to go over and sit without her.

          "Fleur, you can sit with us." Percy spoke.

          "Yeah, we'd be delighted." Fred included.

          "There are no seats, I vill be fine, really." Fleur spoke ever so quickly.

          "Don't be ridiculous! Wood would certainly be happy to hand over his seat for a lady." George exclaimed.

          "Who said anything about that?" Wood questioned startled by the recent betrayal of his friends.

          Then Wood glanced around at all the anxious Weasley brothers' faces staring at him. He groaned and looked up at Fleur who just smiled at him sweetly. He hated to admit it but he wasn't about to turn down all those faces. He really didn't like it when his soft side came out.

          "Yeah, of course, here Fleur." Wood said scooting out of the seat and off to the other side of the table.

          "Zank you." Fleur commented.

          Wood just nodded and wandered off, but not before he reminded Fleur of their little appointment. Which she had accepted much more graciously than he expected…especially since his wisecrack about her hair earlier.

          "You have to meet him tonight?" Percy asked concerned.

          "Yez, but don't vorry about me, I can handle him."

          "Yeah, just don't make him fall in love with you. I've never seen Wood in love, and I don't want to anytime soon. Can you imagine?" George started.

          "Yeah, he probably loses sight of all his Quidditch skills and switches his obsession to the girl. That would kind of be a laugh, the lousy git." Fred finished.

          "Don't even zink about it boys, Oliver hates me vith a passion." Fleur interrupted their wild story.

          Wood stood on the Quidditch field at exactly nine at night. The moon was shimmering and cast a tantalizing glow on the freshly cut grass. Wood was all decked out in his Quidditch uniform and held two brooms in his hands. He looked around but there was no sign of Fleur yet.

          Right as he was about to try some summoning spell in order to call out to her, she arrived. Her hair thrown up in a messy mass of silvery locks, and she held a determined glare he hadn't ever noticed before. But as she stopped in front of Wood her grim face turned into an exuberant expression.

          "Zorry for being a few minutes late, Hermione had to explain some potions homework to me."

          "Yeah, I'll let it slide this time, but be on time from now on."

          Fleur nodded as Wood looked her up and down. She obviously didn't have clothes that were made to be rough housing in. All of her styles were way too elegant for the game of Quidditch.

          "Your clothes won't do. You won't be able to move in them well enough, besides you wouldn't want to mess up your perfect dressing. Are you positive there is nothing else you can wear?"

          "Yez, I am zorry, I didn't zink an opportunity like zis would come so…" Fleur tried to explain.

          "Well, unfortunately we don't have extra girls' uniforms, so you'll have to wear mine until yours comes in."

          "Oh…alright…when vill mine come in?"

          "In a few days, now follow me."

          Fleur smiled at him but he all he could manage to get out was a mere side-smile. Fleur stayed close behind him as they made their way to the locker rooms. She followed him into the boys' since there was no obvious threat present.

          Wood swiftly twirled his combination and opened the gray locker with a squeak. He tossed out another uniform which Fleur caught. He then stood and turned towards her.

          "Alright, I'll be waiting outside. You can change and meet me when you're done."

          Fleur nodded and with that Wood trotted out of the room. Fleur felt like someone in some sort of penitentiary with the way Wood was speaking. He was so business oriented it seemed. Fleur shrugged her thoughts away and began to change.

          After she had finished she looked in the mirror before exiting. The uniform was very loose around her figure. The pants sagged and the shirt fell off her left shoulder a bit. She tried to get it to stay up, but it wasn't happening. She sighed and decided to go and get her torment. Fleur stuck her head out and Wood was already looking directly her way.

          "Come on now, what are you waiting for?" Wood asked.

          Fleur was flushed a bit as she stepped out and she saw a smile spread across Wood's face. She knew it was coming, he was about to play off some sort of joke. But to her surprise he just smiled and motioned for her to come over to him. Once she reached him he touched her shoulder gently and said a spell to fix the shirt from coming down.

          "There, all fixed; now we can get started." He grinned and he and Fleur walked onto the field.

          Fleur's eyes were still fixed upon him out of pure shock. She had thought he was going to make fun of her for sure. She kept her mouth shut and took a broom from Wood's hand and mounted it.

          "Alright, now I'm going to watch you fly a bit, then join you."

          Fleur nodded and took off into the dark starry sky as Wood looked on. He cursed himself while he watched her glide around so gracefully. He chastised himself for being so taken in by her presence. When he saw her in that uniform all loose around her, he actually thought she seemed cute in that particular moment. She wore that silly embarrassed smile and it became something he suddenly took into account.