A/N:

Yes, it's been two weeks.no, I'm not gone crazy. I realize that Katie and Oliver technically should not be in the same year, but for my purposes, they are. This fiction is PROGRESSIVE, I'll go back and edit things whenever I can.

I've been reading some Cassandra Claire.good stuff, good stuff.

Jonathon Rhys Meyers is REALLY hot.drool. Enough small talk.

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

You know that adage about that if you grasp a handful of sand to tightly, it slips away even faster? Yeah, that was what my vacation was like. As soon as it started, it ended.

And the Quidditch final was staring me right in the face. It was staring everyone in the face. I've never heard of so many duffings. Even Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's were in the medical wing for bloody noses, dislocated jaws and broken knuckles. Older kids walked around with hex marks on them.

With all this violence, Oliver advised us all to walk in packs around the school so that no one from Slytherin would be able to get us injured enough not to play in the final. Trish and Karina walked with Alicia and I everywhere. It felt like having a bodygaurd, save for the fact that when it came down to it, all they were really was a block from hexes. Which just made me feel quilty.

So, I separated myself from my agents. Oliver was a bit brassed off that I did that, though.

"Katie!" he would say when he saw me wandering on my lonesome. "Are you asking to get hurt?"

"No," I glared at him. "Are you?"

He shook his head as if to shake the stern look off his face. He grinned. "Come on, I'll walk with you."

"Are you sure you want to risk it?" I teased.

He laughed, and then let out such a sigh. I looked up at Oliver. But, I really looked at him. He was always gorgeous, but he looked so tired. If we lost tomorrow... I dunno what we would do.

"Are you nervous for the match tomorrow, Kates?" he asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"No," I lied, keeping my calm.

"Not even a bit?"

"No."

"Why not?" he asked, with his tired, dark eyes gazing down at me.

All this worrying, and missing sleep wasn't doing him any good. I didn't want to lead on that I had any doubt in my mind about the match, for his sake. "Because! We're going to win..."

"Well...I'm nervous," he admitted, looking away. "I mean...how can you be so sure?"

Well, I can't, actually... "I can feel it, Ol."

That seemed to be good enough for him, cause he took my hand and tightly squeezed it. "OK," he said. "I believe you."

***

That night before dinner, I couldn't seem to find my stupid, Quidditch- obsessed boyfriend anywhere. Angelina said she saw him in the library 'planning things.'

Oh, I wonder. Quidditch things. I walk in the library and ask Madam Pince if she had seen him and she pointed to a private study room in the far, far back of the library. What in Merlin's name...?

I opened the door to a scene that shook me to my core. Rest assured, it was a good thing. Oliver and Cedric Diggory where leaning over a miniature Quidditch pitch, moving the players around with their wands.

Cedric picked his head up and smiled brightly, "Oh hey, Katie!" and Oliver looked up as well.

"Diggory offered some new moves, captain to captain...and you can pick your jaw up from the ground anytime, Katie." He said grinning.

I shut my mouth and shook my head furiously. "I thought - I thought...nevermind. This is so nice of you, Cedric!" I said sitting down on the ground.

"No, problem... I would hate for Slytherin to win, and besides you all deserve it," he said.

Oliver grinned appreciatively. They went on for another ten minutes with suggestions. "The Chaser could move this way-"

"Faking the Keeper out-"

"Or she could throw the Quaffle over here-

"Or over there-

"Yeah! Then she could ride this way-"

It was very interesting. My doubt was that the only thing this little meeting with Cedric was doing was helping Oliver calm down quite a bit. I mean, it's a bit too late to be orchestrating new moves, right?

I urged them both to come to dinner, and Cedric left with a short slap to Oliver's back as he walked out the door.

"Good man," Oliver said, picking up the pitch.

"Thought you hated him..." I said taking the other half.

"That's only when he beat us...and he apologized cause he didn't agree that it was fair...and then when I thought you were going out with him. But all in all, a good man."

We brought the pitch up to common room and went back down into the Great Hall for dinner.

Later that night, Oliver sat quietly in the corner of the common room still playing with his model pitch, muttering to himself.

Anglelina, Alicia and I sat being entertained by Fred and George the whole time. Alicia and I exchanged knowing glances as Angelina continued to wheeze with laughter when Fred said anything at all.

"Team! Bed!" Oliver called suddenly, and we all obediently stood up. "What a sec, Kates," he called.

"Yeah?" I asked.

He snaked his arms around my waist and pulled me up to him into a nice, comfortable little hug. I rested my head on his chest, holding his shoulders and he rested his chin on my head and he was rocking me back and forth left to right. "I'm not really tired..." he said.

"Neither am I, but we should at least try getting some sleep..." I yawned, a little more tired than I had expected. He sighed.

"Right. As usual," then he kissed me on the forehead before letting me go.

I sighed sleepily and muttered, " 'Nighty, night..."

"Good night, Kates," he said as I started climbing the stairs. I crawled into bed after changing my clothes and drifted off to sleep.

I woke in the morning quite a bit earlier than I had planned, but I threw some black sweat pants on and a red sweatshirt and went down into the common room where Wood had been staring out a window.

"Oliver?" I asked, making him turn around.

"I could've sworn I just saw a dog running around with a cat outside," he muttered.

He sat on the couch and I sat with him, feet on the coffee table. We hadn't been talking about anything at all, but just sitting with him there was really comforting.

When the rest of the team had come down we entered the Great Hall and to my surprise everyone was applauding us...save for, of course those Slytherin. I only hoped that I didn't trip while walking to my seat.

Oliver sat down next to me. "Eat food, Bell. You'll need your strength today. Everyone, eat!"

"Eat yourself!" Fred shouted and Angelina broke into laughter, again. The obviousness of it all...

However, Oliver refused to eat anything at all and hurried off towards the pitch before anyone else had with the excuse that he was full. When we all left after him, the Hall filled with applause again.

"Okay - no wind to speak of - sun's a bit bright, that could impair your vision, watch out for it - ground's fairly hard, good, that'll give us a fast kickoff-" he explained to us with a full command attitude. Then he saw the rest of the school walking down the narrow dirt path towards the Quidditch pitch. "Locker rooms."

As we walked to the locker rooms, I was beside Harry. "Had the strangest dream that the Slytherins were going to be riding dragons..." I snickered at the thought before Oliver said to stay focused. Must he ruin my fun?

It seemed like only seconds before we walked out onto the pitch to a wall of sound. Lee Jordan announced the teams, and he was drowned out either by a "boo" or a howl from the crowd.

When it was time for Flint and Wood to shake hands, I could almost hear either of their knuckles breaking. "Three...two...one..."

And we were off. "Duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger! - SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Angie punched the air before yelling out and Flint smashed into her from the side. That dirty son of a... "Sorry! Sorry, didn't see her!" he lied.

A very angry Fred Weasley slapped his club at the back of Flints head, causing Flints nose to smash into his broom handle and start bleeding. The obviousness! I think Fred likes Angelina just as much as she likes him! Sweet!

Both teams got a penalty shot. Slytherin got one on the account that Fred was defending his girlfriend, or should be.

Alicia took the shot and made the score twenty-zero. But, Flint couldn't get past Wood as he took his shot, Slytherin still was yet to score.

"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession - no! - Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field - THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"

My head was suddenly caught in green robes and I felt like my neck my break, when Mantague grabbed my head. I stayed on my broom, but I dropped the Quaffle.

Thank Merlin that Hooch is a fair call! I had the Quaffle again and I threw the Quaffle with such force, eyes on the hoop behind the Keeper, that I thought my arm might just go flying past the Keeper along with the Quaffle.

After it went in I reveled in Lee's commentary. "THIRTY-ZER0! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING-1"

Bole and Derrick were closing in on Harry, clubs raised, but with his new Firebolt Harry veered away just in time to have the two Slytherin Beaters smack into each other followed by some groans from the crowd. It was to hard to stifle at least a giggle at the scene out in front of me.

But their collision only made them play stupider... Bole slapped Alicia! The arsehole tried to say he thought she was a Bludger!! But George elbowed Bole in the face for her. Again, we both go penalties, and the score was forty-ten. Forty-ten? I guess I hadn't realized that Slytherin had scored.

Alicia had the Quaffle and streaked behind the hoops with it and she screamed, "Katie, now!"

I sped up to the hoops and connected with Angelina's pass before heaving it past the Slytherin Keeper who looked nothing less than bewildered at Alicia and my favorite play. Fifty-ten. Fred and George swooped around me, to protect me from getting clobbered by a Slytherin again in retaliation.

Bad idea. Bole and Derrick took advantage of the Weasley's absence and knocked both Bludgers at Wood. They hit him in his stomach, on right after the other! Completely winded. This was the dirtiest game I have ever played in skills wise.

Hooch shouted at the opposing Beaters. "YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" Oliver was still trying to recover and Angelina positioned herself for the penalty.

Angelina scored the penalty, and Alicia scored the next one. Seventy-ten. Now we were sixty ahead, I knew what that meant...Oliver had been drilling it into my head. Harry understood as well and tore after the Snitch he caught a glimpse of. And Malfoy was holding on to his broom.

"YOU CHEATING SCUM! YOU FILTHY, CHEATING BASTARD!" (A/N: I know that's not what it really says, but humor me.)

Alicia took the shot and missed horribly, supposedly blinded by anger. As I flew Wood he called, "Tell Alicia to keep her focus!" I nodded and did as I was told. Oliver missed another shot. Seventy-twenty.

Angie had the Quaffle but the entire Slytherin team made some sort of flying V formation in attempt to block her, but Harry left Malfoy and shot like a bullet towards the Slytherins. They scattered like they were being hunted. With the Keeper out of position, Angie's way was clear. Eighty- twenty.

Then, I did something that a Chaser should never, ever do. I stopped in the middle of my Quaffle run and stared at Harry. Malfoy's hand was out- stretched and only a few feet in front of him was the glinting Snitch. I could have choked on the sinking feeling I started feeling.

But then the feeling went away when that beautiful Firebolt leveled with Malfoy and sped ahead oh him - "YES!"

He pulled put of his dive and held above his head in victory, the tiny golden ball, beating it's wings wildly.

I can't even explain what happened next. All I can tell you is that I was screaming myself hoarse in an unceasing chant of our victory, Oliver was crying on Harry's shoulder, Fred and George were hooting and a mass of people had poured onto the field screaming word's of encouragement. I could just hear Hagrid's grizzly voice growling "YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

When we landed Percy was jumping about, very un-Head Boyish of him, and Professor McGonagall was sobbing. I may have hugged everyone in Gryffindor tower and some people I didn't even know! And somewhere in this my hair tie had been pulled out throwing my hair in random patterns over my shoulder.

Hermione stood in front of me, beaming at me. "Dropped your books long enough to come watch us?"

She giggled, "Yes, Of course!" And she hugged me and smiled once more, teary eyed and was scooped up by George.

Oliver handed of the Cup to Harry who held it above his head victoriously. Oliver wiped his eyes, and what I thought had still been sobbing, was laughter.

He looked up at me, and even though there was probably 5 meters of space buzzing with excited people separating us, there was this lock we had. He worked his way through the crowd not breaking the lock. For some reason, my heart jumped at the intensity of his gaze that was enhanced by tears in his eyes that were yet to be shed.

When he got up to me he took both of my hands. "We did it..." he practically giggled."And...Kates, I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, t-" I was about to reply when he leaned down to reach me and took my lips in his, my eyes fluttering shut. It was firm, it was warm, it was perfect. All his emotions were radiating to me and I tightened my hold on his hands. The happiness, and the reward for all the hard work and standing here kissing Oliver was so utterly intoxicating that I leaned further into him, clenching my eyes shut tighter.

And here we were standing in the middle of a crowd of people, teachers, students, scouts and even family, not caring who saw us together. We weren't well...out right snogging. It was so simple and so complicated. I'd deal with the consequences later, I'm too happy right now.

***

And after talking to the McCormack's about summer training camp, and getting hugged by my mom and dad who came, and taunted about Oliver by Danton, I took part in the greatest victory party ever. I felt light-head and walked with a little more bounce in my step and a wild grin smacked on my face.

Fred and George came back with food for us, of course. I instructed Fred to offer her a butterbeer personally, and he happily obliged and sat with her, and that became a full conversation between them, Angelina covering her mouth with her hand, to keep her from giggling and Fred's grinning smugly when ever he succeeded in making her giggle.

The thing that made me happiest, though, was the look on Oliver's face. He was in this happy daze the whole night. He kept sighing impressively, contentedly.

I picked up a bottle of butterbeer for him and threw myself onto the couch next to him, careful not to hit him in the stomach. He was still sore from getting pelted by bludgers, but he refused to see Madam Pomfrey, he said it was a badge of honor or some rubbish like that.the sentimentality of it all. He slung his arms around my shoulder and was humming some unrecognizable tune.

"We are the champions, my frie-end. And weeeeeee'll keep of fightin' 'till the end.we are the champions, we are the champions. OF THE WORLD!!!!" he finally sang out loud.

I couldn't help but giggle. "Wood, dear," I asked. "Are you drunk?"

"On happiness, Kates."

"That's the best way to be drunk then, yeah?"

"Abso-bloody-lutely."

Fred and George came and stood over us like two red topped towers. "Get off our Captain Kate," they said grinning.

I scoffed. "Why?"

"Cause we are going to read him the poem we wrote for him!"

"Oh, jeez." Oliver moaned, yet still grinning.

I got off him. "Okay, let's have it then, shall we?"

George and Fred cleared their throats. "Our dear Captain, Oliver Wood

Has done everything that a captain should."

"Quidditch had never been boring

Not even really early in the morning"

"He's worked us ragged, according to Hagrid

He's Quidditch obsessed, and Quidditch possessed

And proud of it, he has confessed."

"We tried to rhyme a word with Quaffe

But the only word we could think of was waffle."

"For five years of our innocent lives,

Quidditch practice, we've had to survive."

"In thunder, lightning, snow and rain

Morning practices can be a pain"

"It would all be worth it, Wood had said,

but we were just glad we weren't dead"

"But, in this year that's come to pass,

We'll ignore that this phrase should rhyme with 'ass',"

"He's instilled in us his obsessive ambition

That winning the Quidditch cup was our mission"

"What we've came to do, we have done

The Quidditch Cup, we have won."

The Twins finished in unison, "And now the season must come to an end

And we shall continue to be friends

Our dear Captain, Oliver Wood

Will forever be what a captain should."

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Contains excerpts from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Quidditch Final. Pgs, 302-316