Catch a Falling Star
By: Illuminate
Chapter 5
"Katie!" Angelina yelled again.
Ugh. Another wake up call. "What do you want, Ange?"
"Details! What went on this afternoon?"
Katie sat up. After their chess match, which had oddly ended in a draw, she and Oliver decided to hit the hay early, not wanting to have a relapse of the horrid cold.
She should have figured she couldn't have gotten away with it.
"Nothing happened. We ate soup and slept."
"On the couch?" interrupted Alicia.
"Yes."
"Together?"
Katie threw her hands up in defeat. "I should have known you two to be up to something."
Angelina dressed in her jammies. "We're not up to anything. It was destiny that hit you over the head."
"I wasn't aware anything hit me over the head, let alone destiny. And with Oliver? Are you off your rocker?"
Angelina laughed. "Not completely."
"Oliver is quidditch obsessed! He doesn't have any fun," continued Katie pointedly. "and he has a girlfriend!"
Angelina fell to the floor.
"What!?" croaked Alicia.
"You didn't know? It's that chick from Ravenclaw, uh... Jaylene Rhase."
Angelina got up and went to hit Alicia upside the head. "You didn't KNOW?"
"Why am I supposed to know?" Alicia replied, rubbing the back of her skull.
"You're the eavesdropper."
Katie glared at them. "Can I go back to sleep now?"
"Yeah. No use anymore," said Alicia, downhearted.
For some reason, Katie felt bad for her friends.
The morning came too quickly, in Katie's opinion. As soon as she woke, she was already on her way to the Great Hall for breakfast. She sat between Angelina and Harry.
"Practice tonight. After dinner," muttered Harry.
"Wood's on his gun I see."
"He gave us that speech about team devotion. I wanted to jinx him to hell," Angelian said, stabbing her sausage.
"We asked him if it was a good idea to start practicing so soon after he's been sick," started Alicia.
"And he said, 'It's sunny! I won't get sick.' " finished Angelina.
Katie glanced down the table. "Where is Oliver?"
Angelina made a face. "Out to see his girlfriend. Where's your potion's text?"
Katie looked frantically through her stack of books. "Shoot. I forgot it. I'll meet you in Potions," she said, grabbing a piece of toast and dashing out of the Great Hall.
"Oh no, I'm late!" whined Katie as she hopped the stairs to the dungeons. A few minutes later she came across Snape's classroom and opened the door.
"Ah, Miss Bell. Nice of you to join us. Five points from Gryffindor for your tardiness. Take a seat," said Snape, a malevolent grin on his face.
Katie grumbled. "Yes sir."
To Katie's horror, the only empty seat was next to Marcus Flint. She took her seat and watched Snape magic potion instructions on the blackboard.
"Looks like we'll be partners Bell," Flint whispered.
"Not by choice," she spat back.
"Fiesty," he grinned.
Katie turned to glare at Angelina and Alicia, who tried to hide behind their textbooks.
Professor Snape turned back to them. "You will be mastering the Ebanon potion. If your potion has been brewed correctly, you shall be able to turn these mice into anything with just a mere spoken word. Carry on."
Katie opened her book. "Go get the ingredients. I'll start with what we have."
To her surprise, he obeyed and left without a word. She began to mix the ingredients and finished the first step as he reappeared with the rest.
"Okay, two drops of Dragon's blood..."
She turned to him. "I'll do it thank you. I do want to pass this class."
He reached his arm around her to grab the vial from her hand, brushing his hand across hers in the process. "Contrary to popular belief Bell, I'm quite skilled at potions."
They didn't argue through the rest of the class. When their potion was done, Katie grabbed a mouse and fed their potion to it.
"Quill," said Katie, and to her surprise, it did as told.
Flint smirked. "I told you. water goblet."
It did it again.
Snape interrupted them, "I see that only Miss Bell and Mister Flint have mastered this potion. The rest of you have ten inches about the making and effects of this potion. Class dismissed."
Katie quickly cleaned up the mess and caught up with Angelina and Alicia as they exited the classroom. "How could you leave me with him?"
"Hey. You don't have ten inches of homework."
"But it was FLINT! Ugh, he thinks he's suave. It's replulsive."
Alicia giggled. "He's built."
Katie scoffed. "He's got horrible teeth, and a personality to match."
Angelina led them to History of Magic. "Don't be late next time."
"Don't worry, I won't," Katie huffed.
Oliver looked over at her. "Practice tonight, Bell."
Katie smiled lightly and walked over to him. "Don't you think we need some rest? We just got over major colds."
"Nonsense. We're both fine."
She grinned skeptically. "Okay, but I have a relapse, it's on your head," she finished, trotting off into the hall for lunch.
Jaylele trailed her finger down Oliver's chest. "I don't want you to get sick again."
He kissed her lightly. "Don't worry about me."
"Katie get focused!" Oliver shouted as she missed the hoop for the umpteenth time that night.
"I AM!" she shouted back, shivering from the cold air.
"Katie. Get a grip," Angeling said, pulling her back.
"What's wrong?"Alicia asked.
"I dunno. I just really tired."
"Of course. You were just sick."
"Oliver doesn't care," Katie spat, panting hard.
"Go sit down, you look weird."
Katie staggered on her broom. "I suddenly feel really strange."
"Katie. Katie! KATIE!"
She heard her name called one last time before her world went black.
Ugh. My head feels like it got smashed with a bludger. What happened?
"Is she okay?"
"What happened?"
"I don't know."
"All of you, OUT!"
"Ugh," Katie moaned. "Stop yelling. I've got a headache."
"Goodness Kate! Are you alright?"
When her eyes focused, the whole Gryffindor Quidditch team was crowded around her bed, looking sullen.
"What happened?" she croaked.
"You passed out. Madame Pomfrey said you might have a slight case of pneumonia."
"Great. Just what I need," Katie grumbled, trying to sit up.
"Oh no you don't," Madame Pomfrey interjected. "Out! All of you out! She needs rest."
As the team left the room, not once did she catch sight of Oliver.
Oliver sat against the wall outside the hospital wing as the rest of the team came out.
"Is she okay?" he said, standing up suddenly.
Angelina crossed her arms. "Yeah, no thanks to you."
"What?"
"Madame Pomfrey said she might have a slight case of pneumonia. And you just HAD to have practice."
"I didn't think..--"
"Correct. You didn't think. I suggest you get some rest and go early tomorrow morning to see her."
Oliver laughed. "You'll never let this go, will you?"
"Nope. Tough luck for you," she finished, brushing past him towards Gryffindor Tower, Alicia following.
Fred put his hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'm sure she'll be okay tomorrow."
Harry followed closely behind. "Let's hope so."
The night passed by slowly. Oliver couldn't fall asleep for anything. 6 o'clock AM rolled around and Oliver decided to make his wayto the hospital wing.
The halls were extremely quiet, and he did not see hide nor hair of Filch or Mrs. Norris. He finally came to the hospital wing and opened the door to see Madame Pomfrey spooing a young boy some medicine.
She looked up. "Can I help you Mr. Wood?"
"Yes, May I see Katie Bell?"
Madame Pomfrey glanced behind her. "She's asleep right now..."
"Please," he said desperately. "I won't wake her."
He thought he saw a faint smile on her face. "Okay. I'm going back to sleep. Don't wake her."
Oliver nodded and made his way to a chair next to her bed. He sat down and watched her sleep for a couple of minutes before taking her slender hand in his.
"I'm sorry Katie. I wasn't thinking. I hope you can forgive me."
Oliver watched her once more before resting his head on the edge of her bed, falling asleep within minutes.
Mmm. Whatever that is smells really good. thought Katie before opening her eyes.
Something moved next to her.
Her eyes shot open and rested on Oliver, who was fast asleep his head resting on her side, holding her hand in his.
She smiled and brushed her free hand over his hair as she watched him sleep.
He awoke a few minutes later.
"Katie!" he breathed."Are you alright?"
"I guess. I'm really tired though."
"Sorry. Did I wake you?"
"No you're okay."
They gazed at each other before Oliver spoke. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have made you play."
Katie hoisted herself into a sitting position. "I should have known better. I guess my immune system hasn't caught up with me yet."
Oliver smiled genuinely up at her, brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. "I'm glad you're okay, Katie."
She squeezed his hand tighter. "Me too, Oliver. Me too."
A/N: Cute little chapter. I wrote most of this in my bio class. LOL. Hope you enjoyed it! REVIEW PLEASE!