Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Katie Bell has been alone for the last four years. After the wedding of her best friend, she heads to the Leakey Cauldron. After she gets drunk, will she make some mistakes that she'll regret later? Oliver Wood/Katie Bell

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I never have, and I never will. Too bad I can't own Oliver...*sigh*

Author's Note: I know all of you that are reading this have been waiting patiently for about a month now when I promised to get this chapter out in a week. Something else came up. My grandfather died nearly two weeks ago, after I had written most of this chapter. It stopped me in my tracks, considering when I was flying down to see him with my siblings, he died while we were on the flight, and I never got to see him alive again. I couldn't write for a good couple of weeks, and then this week we have finals (major stressing now...), but then I'm done with school, but I worked hard to get this chapter, because I actually got some e-mails from people for me to continue. Thank you for you three that wrote me. I hope that I made this chapter long enough. The last chapter was about 4,000 words and this one is about twice as long. I'm sorry again that it took so long.

Chapter Nine: Dear Oliver, Dear Katie.

June 29th

Dear Katie,

We landed a couple of hours ago in Spain. You wouldn't believe how hot it is here!! I had to turn the fan up to HIGH and that still doesn't do squat about the heat.
We have our first game tomorrow in Barcelona, against the Columbus Avengers. I've heard they're pretty good, considering they've never got past the semi-finals for the World Cup. They got a new keeper, so it'll be difficult to plan for that. But the day after our game, we have our first signing session at a Quidditch Convention. Samantha, our Seeker, keeps teasing me about all the teenage Spanish girls that'll be there just to see me. I told her they don't even hold a candle to you.
Sam is so different from Harry. Remember how silent he was? It was like he always had this great burden on his shoulders and mind. Sam is more motherly to me, than anything else. Being the only girl on the Puddlemere United team, she's the one that makes sure we eat our vegetables and keeps us in line when we get rowdy. She can get mad if she wants to, but I haven't had the pleasure of taking a direct hit from her, but some of the other guys have, and they warn me against it.
I'm so tired from jet lag right now, and as much as I hate to cut this letter off, I have to, or else you might end up with an Oliver face print on the parchment where I fell asleep.

Missing you loads,
Oliver

July 5th

Dear Oliver,

You can never imagine the shock I got when your owl, Elmo, came flying in the window to my office. I actually screamed!! Kevin came running from his office, half-way across the building. You have GOT to train that owl not to land on people's heads!!
I read about your game in the Daily Prophet. Excellent win against the Columbus Avengers, I must admit. It makes me wish I was playing Quidditch at Hogwarts still. There was a picture of Samantha Williams in the paper too. I tried to imagine that tiny girl with mousy hair bossing you and 5 other grown men around to eat your veggies. I just can't.
Harry, by the way, is doing fine lately. You do know that 'big burden' he was carrying around all the time was You-Know-Who. I hate to say it, but we never really thought of that, you know? Harry was constantly worrying about him, and I can see it, now that I look back at it. Harry seems much happier since he defeated You-Know-Who (then again, who ISN'T happy that He's gone?) Ginny says that Harry still has nightmares. How she knows that, I don't want to know. They are engaged though, so I don't say anything.
On that note, Ginny is excited beyond belief for her wedding. It's not going to be held until next May. She wants it on May 1st, and since Harry proposed to her on June 5th, she has to wait an entire year. I'm certainly not looking forward to fitting for bridesmaid dresses, and I'm certain you know why.
Well I have leave. There's been a wand explosion in Wales, and Tanya (my senior partner) is telling me to get my butt moving and put the quill down. Have to Apperate!

Missing you more,
Katie

July 9th

Dear Kates,

Please tell me that I didn't get you in trouble for Elmo's sake. He does need to be trained, but every time I tried to get him to a trainer, he'd fly back home and bite my ear, and it became quite red after a couple tries of doing that. So now he remains untrained.
Though it be hard to imagine Sam bossing us around, you've never seen her angry, and you don't want to. Heck, I don't want to. I reeeally don't want to.
The game might have been great, but the signing was Hell though. I think I've primarily lost my hearing because of all those Spanish teenage girls screaming their lungs out at me. I had to pay Sam five galleons. She told me they'd do that, and I didn't believe her. Stupid Oliver. Say it with me now, STUPID OLIVER.
I would so rather be on the pitch playing Quidditch then signing really bad pictures of myself and having teenage girls drooling over my body.
Tell Tanya that I'm sorry I kept you from the wand explosion. What happened with that anyways?

Yours,
Oliver

July 13th

Dear Oliver,

Five galleons?? That must be harsh for the man getting around 10 million galleons a YEAR!!
A wand explosion happened with a small child in Wales. She was saying nonsense words, which caused a magical build-up in the wand, and it exploded. The girl was taken to St. Mungo's. She was very shaken up, luckily she only had cuts and bruises. I saw her father scolding her at the hospital (apparently, her mother had been killed by You-Know-Who in the uprising.) and the little girl wasn't even paying attention. I seriously have to wonder how she got the wand in the first place...hmm..
Susan laughed at you surprised of the Spanish Teenagers Episode. (Don't worry, I'm not jealous at all. I know you can't speak a word of Spanish.) She asked me, "He never noticed all the fainting girls in the hallways as he passed by??"
I told her that your mind consisted of only a Quaffle, two Bludgers, a golden Snitch and a broomstick. I hope you don't mind. Besides, no one actually fainted. Just some weak knees and fluttery hearts.
Don't worry about Tanya. She likes picking on me for some reason or another. She came by a minute ago to tell me that "that stupid owl" had been dropping mouse skeletons in her office. If you told Elmo to do that, pleasure tell him to stop, I don't want her finding more reasons to troture me. She can do that well on her own.

Yours until the chicken whistles,
Katie

July 17th

Dear Katie,

I'm guilty as charged. I told Elmo to reek havoc on anyone that was being downright horrible to you. Obviously, he thought Tanya was being horrible. I don't blame him. Anyone that calls Elmo stupid had got another thing coming. I told Elmo off for doing that though, so he'll stop doing that.
We're in Paris, France right now, and I'm writing this letter to you in a cafe, near the Eiffel Tower, so I get to stare up at the massive thing of metal and watch the tourists go by. Some look downright awful. Robes with polka dots! Pink ones at that. That's the worst I saw today, and that was on a guy. We already had out game against the Quidberon Quyafflepunchers. They were pretty amazing as much as I hate to admit it, they were. I didn't really like the shocking pink robes though. They kind of blinded me the first time I laid eyes on them. The picture signing was like Spain all over again. Except all the girls were screaming in French, rather than Spanish.
I did not have Quidditch on the brain at Hogwarts all the time!! A very pretty girl with blue-gray eyes crossed my mind once in a while you know... Sorry, I know you don't like that kind of mushy stuff, so I'll stop.
God, Hogwarts seems so long ago. It seems like eons ago when we were on the same pitch together, trying to perfect Hawkshead Attacking Formation, but Alicia and Angelina would get on out case about it? Then you called me an egotistical perfectionist worm and stalked off. You were the first one to call me a "perfectionist" to my face. Though after that I could never get Fred and George to stop calling me a perfectionist.
Well, we're going to Bulgaria soon to face off with the Vratsa Vultures, then onto Germany, and Luxembourg, and Poland. I'll send you the full schedule of where we're supposed to be when, so I don't have to keep telling you. It's very tiresome.

Love Always,
Oliver.

July 21st

Dear Oliver,

Bulgaria? Is Victor Krum still playing for the Vratsa Vultures? Hermione damn near spit out her tea when I mentioned it. (Yes I do discuss you around others of the female species.) Turns out our dear lil' Mya went out with Krum during her 4th and a bit of her 5th year at Hogwarts. My jaw was scraping the ground. Studious Mya was dating an internationally famous Quidditch Player!! (well, then again, so am I, but let's be honest, I'm not 14, am I?) I couldn't believe it though. I never thought that KRUM of all people would date comely Mya. Ok, she is good-looking, but have you seen those girls that Krum dates nowadays, those runway models that have anorexia??
Ron was fuming though when he saw Mya's reaction. I could tell that he didn't like Krum at all. Ginny told me the whole story of how he got so mad at Hermione at the Yule Ball when she showed up with Krum as her date, that they had gotten into a huge argument, in front of everyone at the ball! Obviously, they love fighting. I wish he and Mya would just go out already, and save the people around them their hearing abilities. They bicker so much, they've got it down to an art.
I was at the gym today and I nearly beat Ron at Sparring. You know, remember I showed you one day how to do it right? You put pads on your fists, feet, on your head, and a chest protector and you basically fight? Ron's really good, since Darryn showed him how to do Tae Kwon Do moves. (Not fair! It was my sport first!) He's quite agile and good. He became Keeper after you on the Gryffindor Team. So he's got those Quidditch muscles, just like you. Though, since he stopped Quidditch after graduation, they're not as developed as yours.
Don't get upset, I know those muscles are reserved solely for Mya.
I miss you so much, but I'm afraid I'll have to end it here, since Erica is bugging me to get my butt going to lunch.

Love From,
Katie

July 26th

Dear Katie

When I got your letter, we had already left Bulgaria, we didn't stay that long, unfortunately. It had to do with the fact that none of us could speak Bulgarian well. So we're in Germany right now. We're resting in a hotel. Calli has arranged with our manager to go clubbing tonight, but I respectfully declined. (Look at Wood! He's using big words!) Sorry, that would be Calli. She's reading over my shoulder. Now she's going to sit on the bed, since I told her to sod off. But anyways, you know I can't dance to save my arse. Plus, if I did go, I'd probably be hearing your voice all night. "Relax Wood, it's not the World Cup!" I believe is what you said to me on our first date.
I don't blame you really. I am a perfectionist. (Yes, you were right, get over your inflated ego.) Calli has fallen asleep next to Peter, since it's taken so long for me to write this letter. They look adorable together. I don't know if you seen the pictures, but Peter is about as tall as me, with blonde hair, blue eyes and Calli is 5"3 with brown hair and brown eyes. Talk about opposites. Oh, Peter's awake and he's stroking Calli's hair. If I was a girl, I'd be saying "Aw..." right about now. But it's cute, I'll admit.
I wouldn't get mad at you for checking out Ron's muscles. I'll get mad at Ron for taking off his shirt off in front of my girl. Yes, that's what you are, my girl.
By the way, tell Hermione, (did you call her Mya?) that Krum does remember her. When he heard that I went to Hogwarts, he asked of I knew a one, "Hermione Granger". I told him that I did, and he nearly jumped for joy. Or at least I thought it was joy. I do believe that Kurm is till holding a torch for "lil Mya" as you called her in your letter.
Oh great, Calli's awake again, and badgering me to come clubbing again. I'll write later, alright?

Love you more each day,
Oliver


July 31st

Dear Oliver,

Today was Harry's 19th birthday. It's hard to believe that he's that young. I'm just glad he and Ginny didn't go snogging in at the dinner table tonight. Only Mrs. Weasley has that kind of power to make them stop that. It's nearly midnight when I got home, and Elmo was waiting for me. SERIOUSLY he's got to stop landing on my head! I woke my neighbors. They weren't very happy. Back to Harry's birthday party, sorry. We had an excellent time at dinner. It was all of Harry's favorite dishes for dinner at the Burow, and Mrs. Weasley did all the cooking! I couldn't believe that woman. Well I guess after seven children, six of them boys (Poor Ginny!) that can explain her prowess in the kitchen.
You should have gone clubbing! It would have made good practice for when you come home. You know I'm going to take you back to the Oasis, because I expect you to dance, no matter what pathetic reason you can cook up.
Um, Oliver, I don't think that Krum is "still holding a torch for lil Mya" given the fact that he sent May a Howler, yelling at her for breaking up with him. That wasn't a pleasant thing for Mya. She was pale and silent the rest of the day, while Ron was furious at the nerve of Krum. Harry and I had to make sure he didn't Apparate to Bulgaria to kill or severely maim Krum.
I had to start house shopping today. My flat is dismal and disgusting, as you once so candidly put it, and I need a new house. I never could afford it when I was in the Magical Theory Corps, since I wasn't paid that much, but after working here for a bit, and with what I've saved up over the years, I could get a decent house. Harry and Ron came with me today, and it involde many Memory Charms and my boss yelled at me. My ears are still ringing..
Your girl?? What do you think I am? Property? Please explain yourself before I'm forced to come to whatever country you're in and hurt you.

Yours Truly,
Katie

August 2nd

Dear Kates,

I am NOT going dancing again. I'm not good at it, and there's no point in pretending. Dancing + Wood = Disaster! That is all I will say on that subject matter.
The "My Girl" statement...hm...it'll take some doing to get me out of that hole, eh? You're defiantly not anyone's property, Katie. You're too high spirited for that. But, I don't know. I feel like, not that you belong to me, but you're mine. That you're something I can't live without, or don't want to live without. Maybe both.
Kates, you know me better than Percy Weasley, by best friend! That's saying something. You make me laugh, and you make my heart soar when you're happy. But you have that serious side when it's needed. (Though not often) I love how your eyes light up when you're excited. I don't know if I'm falling head over heels for you, Katie, but it sure seems to be heading in that direction. I know I love you Katie Bell.
Look at me! I'm writing a love letter right now! I know you hate this kind of stuff, but I just can't help myself. I'm not even embarrassed to sent it to you. Ok, maybe a little embarrassed, but not enough to throw this into the garbage can at least. That should tell you how much I truly care about you Kates.

Love Always,
Oliver

*+*

I stared at the letter, written in ink on a piece of parchment, laying in my hands. I felt teary-eyed. Stupid hormones. When will the madness cease?? Oh right...probably when I get the two bundles of joy out of my stomach.

I looked at the date of Oliver's last letter. August 2nd. We had been writing to each other for nearly two months. It seemed surreal. If anyone doubted the pass in time, they could just check my stomach. It had swelled, and I had defiantly gained weight, and I now looked officially pregnant. Alicia, the lucky girl, didn't have to deal with double trouble, and was having normal stuff going on, but no...I was stuck with twins.

I wasn't completely over the top pregnant, but I had the belly of someone going through pregnancy. I ran my hand over my swollen belly. I was four month pregnant, and it was showing.

Stupid Alicia. She still looks relatively normal.

But she'll be going through that phase where it looks like you've put on a couple pounds, and people notice, but are unsure if they should ask. I was damn near ready to put an add in the paper saying that I was pregnant so people would stop staring!

I sighed and touched the letter gently, as if it would break at my slightest touch. I felt my heart ache. It was weird feeling that. Like it was tugged by some invisible force.

When did I become such a sap?

I knew that Oliver was probably in Poland now, playing the Grodzisk Goblins. Then sometime next week, he'd go to Africa to stay for the next month.

"Mail day?" I heard a familiar voice up above me. I wiped my tears and looked up to see Susan standing over her me, in all her glory, giving me a knowing look.

"Yeah it is." I said, setting the letter down on my relatively neat desk. "How'd you know?"

"Besides the fact that you're almost in tears...Elmo landed on my head again." Susan said. "I've learned not to scream at least." At the sound of his name, Elmo came flying in to land on my shoulder. The last time he had landed on my head, I didn't give him an Owl Treat, and from then on he behaved...well around me anyways, Susan is a different story.

I laughed and gave Elmo a quick scratch on his head. "Hey there munchkin." I said softly. "Come back to my flat later alright? I'll give you a finished letter then."

Elmo hooted loudly. "And an Owl Treat, promise." With that, Elmo took off towards an open window.

Susan stared after Elmo as he flew out the window. She turned back to me as I stood up, gathering some materials into my purse. "Hey, Katie?"

"Yeah-huh?" I replied, not looking at her, searching around my desk.

"Do you still want me to come house shopping with you, Harry and Ron?" Susan asked, with a small grimace on her face. "I don't want to be a bother or anything..."

"You're not." I said, cutting her off. I had mentioned to Oliver that I was getting a new house, but totally made up the reasons why. Well the fact that my flat was dismal and miserable in appearance was a good-enough reason, but I knew for a fact, that if Oliver knew that his girlfriend was pregnant, he would not want his future children living in that horrid place, and neither did I. I needed to get a better home for them to grow up in.

"I want you to come." I said to her. I was trying to find my lipstick, but it was evading my senses. "I really don't want to have to deal with the testosterone again. I did that at the last house I was looking at, and Harry and Ron couldn't stop talking about how the front yard would make a good Quidditch Pitch. In front of a Muggle too! I almost had to call Hermione and tell her to get her butt down there." I found my lipstick next to a spare quill near the edge of my desk. I looked up at Susan again. "Well, let's go."

*+*

The house was a dud. It even worse than my flat! Geez, they should have a law against lying about supposed 'good' houses in the newspaper.

Two weeks later, I had seen three houses in my off hours and none of them were up to par. All of them had something wrong with them according to either me, Harry, Ron or Susan. I was ready to just forget about it, and just live in my flat until the end of my days. I was sitting on my couch, munching on a delicious tuna fish and grilled cheese sandwich. (Dr. Soorenko told me that it's fine for women to have cravings throughout their pregnancy.) So I'm stuck with these sandwiches. Yum... I heard the doorbell ring when I was about to chomp into a bite of tuna and cheese. I cringed at the mere thought of leaving my beloved sandwich, but the doorbell rang once again

Muttering, I got up and walked to my front door. I opened the door to find a very excited, and flushed looking Susan on my doorstep. "Susan!" I exclaimed. "What are you..."

"You'll never believe what I found, Katie!" Susan cried with excitement. She looked like she was going to burst out of her skin.

"What?" Just like that, my sandwich was forgotten.

"Just Apperate to this address in ten minutes." Susan shoved a piece of parchment into my hands. "I need to find Harry and Ron to get their opinion too." And with those words, she Disapperated with a 'pop'!

I stared at the place where Susan had just been standing for a fair number of seconds, and then, slowly, I looked at the piece of parchment that she had so rudely shoved into my waiting hands.

415 East Sunset Dr.
Oxford, England

I stared at the address for a good ten seconds before realizing I was outside of my flat in my bathrobe and slippers, and probably looking a little mental for doing so. I went back into my flat, thinking vaguely that I should change my clothes. I looked into the mirror in my bathroom and made a face. How did my hair turn into a massive frizzball? Where did Susan get off getting the gorgeous sandy-blonde straight hair huh?

I changed my clothes into a pair of baggy jeans and sandals and my shirt was an oversized soccer jersey that hid my stomach. I patted it slightly. I had become almost habit to run my hand unconsciously across my stomach. It felt like I had to keep convincing myself that it was still there, and the last two months of my life hadn't just been a dream, and I'd wake up the next morning still working at the Magical Theory Corps and trying to fend off Vince's unwanted sexual attention.

Knowing that two little lives were inside of me that moment...it's so surreal. I don't think that anyone who hasn't been pregnant can realize the sheer thrill and utter amazement that comes with the morning sickness and strange cravings. Having that knowledge that there is something...someone inside of you, a tiny person that will be born and grow up to amazing things, and you're the person to teach them.

Or...it could just be hormones that was getting my brain. Yeah that's probably it.

I walked out of the bathroom and realized that it had been ten minutes. I searched for where I had put the address and after about a minute, I found it on my kitchen counter. I focused my mind, (just so I didn't splinch myself!) and Apperated to the address in Oxford.

Susan was waiting for me. "There you are! Harry and Ron are already inside!"

"Where is inside...?" But as soon as I asked, my eyes caught sight of what she was talking about, and I gasped.

It was an exquisite house right in front of my eyes. It had two floors and plus what looked like an attic. It had Victorian architecture and one of the windows in the attic had stained class in a complicated design. The entire house was painted a cream color with a sky blue trim around the door and windows. The house was made of wood and looked like it was a part of history. It was in good shape for the most part. My mouth had a chance of hitting the ground.

"Oh Susan..." I breathed. "I can't afford something this nice!" I felt hopelessly depressed. It was a nice house.

"Well, don't worry about that yet." Susan said, tugging on arm, and I was reluctantly pulled inside the house.

If it was gorgeous on the outside, it was nothing compare to the inside of the house. Most of the rooms were filled with light, since nearly every room was a white color, giving the rooms a warm comforting atmosphere, perfect for children. My heart literally ached to live in a place like this. My children would adore living here. Oh sure they weren't born yet, but I know they would. I ran my hand over my rounded skin of my stomach (yet again...)

"Ms. Bell?" A deep voice rang out behind me, and I turned around to see a tallish looking man in his late-twenties, early thirties at least. He had sandy blond hair, slightly darker than Susan's he had a large mouth that could, and from the looks of it, would be stretched easily into a smile. "Hi." He said with a grin. "My name is Jacob. Jacob Montreair. Call me Jake." He held out his hand for me to shake.

"Call me Katie." I said, shaking his hand firmly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Katie." Jake turned to Susan and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. I raised an eyebrow at her from behind Jake's back, and I saw her cheeks turn an unusual shade of magenta.

'Details, later!' I mouthed to her as Jake turned back to face me. I grinned and asked, "So, Jake, this is your house? Why are you selling such a great place?"

"Oh no." Jake said with a sad smile. "I don't have the pleasure of owning this beauty. It belonged to my Great-Aunt Judy. She died this past year." Jake placed his hands in his pockets.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." I cringed and bit my lip rather hard. Stupid Katie strikes again!

"It's alright." Jake said to me. "She gave me and my sister the house, since she knew we both loved it. But since we both don't have the means to keep it, we have to sell it." He coughed. "I'm sorry, I'm forgetting my manners. Would you lovely ladies like a tour of the house?" He said, bowing to us in a gentlemanly fashion.

"That would be excellent." I said, giving Susan a broad smile, who smiled weakly back at me.

"This way." Jake said, staring to lead us into the kitchen. It was large, like the rest of the rooms, and it had an island in the middle of it, with a sink and counter-top that could be easily used as a table for anything. On it at the moment was a radio.

"And next on the Wireless Wizarding Network, Gilderoy Lockhart will be joining us, with his newest book release, Where Am I? Sequel to his best selling, internationally acclaimed book, Who Am I? Hello Mr. Lockhart..."

"Oh, sorry, I must have left that on." Jake said, running over to the radio and turning it off. My mouth fell open ungainly, and Susan pushed it back into his original position.

"So...you're a..."

"A wizard?" Jake said, knowingly. "Yes, I am. I live in Hogsmeade, so this house is a little far from my life."

"Oh wow." I said, breathlessly. Thank god we wouldn't have to worry about Memory Charms with him. And also, I wouldn't have to go to Gringotts to exchange Galleons to Muggle money. But it's not like I can afford this beautiful house! Jake continued talking to me and Susan.

"You get a lot of the sunlight in this house, especially in here." He gestured to the kitchen. "Aunt Judy hated being in dark rooms. Plus, it's possible to use Brightening Charms in any room in this house." Jake moved towards the door of the kitchen and turned his head back to look at us, his hair flopping into eyes. "Shall we check out the upstairs?"

I nodded mutely, and followed Jake up the large staircase and marveled as how nice this house was again. To have a grand staircase, a beautiful kitchen, and a gorgeous house in general would just be out of my price range and I knew it. Susan was following close behind me, staying quiet, which was odd. Usually she was the one chattering on and on. I would have to yank the details from her later.

"There are four bedrooms in this house." Jake continued. "There's a master bedroom here." He showed us into a big, well-maintained room with light blue walls and a huge window on the right side of the room, complete with drapes and a window seat. I loved window seats! I loved being able to just sit and watch the world stroll by as I watched from above. I hated this house for being so perfect...

"This is largest room by far." Jake said as I headed over to the winodw. "There are two that are roughly about the same and the last one is the smallest room. All rooms are on this floor, and there are about five bathrooms, three on this floor, and there is an attic above out heads."

I nodded, trying to hear his words through the fog in my head. I sat down at the window seat and looked outside. My eyes widened as I spotted Harry and Ron playing Quidditch in the backyard. "What do they think they're doing?" I exclaimed, standing up suddenly. "There's Muggle's around this area! They could be seen!"

"Don't worry about that, Katie." Jake said calmly, coming up behind me with Susan near him. "There's a Viewing Charm on the backyard. Almost like the one on Hogwarts...Just not as complex as that one. That one can make the entire castle look crumbling and ruined in a Muggle's eye. Only Dumbledore could do that. For this, Muggles only see birds for anyone that's flying around on a broomstick, while we see them as they are...Wizards on broomsticks."

"Oliver would love this." I muttered under my breath and only Susan caught what I said. Even as the words escaped from my mouth, I could feel the tears prickling in my eyes. Susan came up to me and wrapped her arms around me, holding me tight. I closed my eyes, and tried to hold the tears back. I took in a shaky breath and turned back to Jake, who was looking sympathetic at me.

"So, Jake." I said, trying to push away the waver that had edged into my voice. "What's the price of this house?" I only asked to be polite, but I didn't expect it to be in my league of houses that I was looking at.

Jake opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, I heard Ron shout, "Katie!" I turned back towards the window and I saw him and Harry barely five feet from the window. I ran to the window and opened it. "Come on!" Ron shouted at me, grabbing hold of my arm. "You have to try out this pitch!" And with that he made me get onto the broom, despite Susan's protests that it wasn't good for my 'condition.'

My condition, my arse. Being pregnant is not a condition!

I have to admit, playing Quidditch after so long, was such a relief. It's something I will always love, even if I'm not going to do it professionally. There's just something about feeling the wind rush through your hair and the thrill of diving towards the ground to catch a Quaffle, hearing the gasps and screams from the crowd.

So there wasn't a crowd, it was only Susan and Jake, but still!!

I came in for a landing as Harry and Ron still played. "Wow, Katie, I can't believe that you're still amazing! You were awesome for Gryffindor, I remember." Susan said to me.

"Thanks Susan." I said breathlessly. I saw Jake out of the corner of my eye. I walked up to him again, and repeated my question. "So, what is the price of this house Jake?"

I could almost see him feel bad for me. He gave me a look over and I felt uncomfertable under his gaze. "Aunt Judy used to love children. My sister and I would come and visit her all the time. She'd want this house to go to a growing family." I saw his eyes dart my prutruding stomach, and I blushed crimson. "I'd say about 50,000 galleons."

I bit my lip. That was about 5,000 galleons out of my reach. "Well...thank you for showing us this house, Jake, I really appericiate..."

"Katie!" Ron cried. "Watch this!"

I turned around and saw him do a loop-de-loop. I couldn't even laugh at his antics. I really wanted this house, but by the time I had earned 5,000 galleons, then it would have been sold already. Ron came in for a landing, and I felt Jake and Susan back off to talk about something that I couldn't hear. "So, whaddah say, Katie?" Ron asked, nearly ecstatic, coming in for a landing. "Do you like the house?"

"I love it." I began sincerely, but I was rudely cut off by Ron.

"It's perfect!" Ron exclaimed. "We're gonna teach your little munchkins to play Quidditch! Imagine Harry! We're gonna teach Oliver Wood's kids to play Quidditch. Kind of ironic though..."

Harry noticed my crestfallen face and waved his hand at Ron to signal him to shut up. "Katie, what's up?" He asked me.

"I love it..." I repeated, and I took a shaky breath. "But to afford it is another issue all together."

Harry looked concerned at me. "Well I could always help out a bit, if you needed..."

Now it was finally my turn to cut someone off. "No, Harry." I said firmly. "I don't take charity."

Harry nodded, but he didn't look convinced at all. I turned to see Jake and Susan talking to each other in low voices a good ten feet away. I walked up to them and their conversation stopped. "Thanks once again for showing us the house." I said, giving Jake's hand a good shake. "It was a pleasure meeting you, and I'll let you know."

"The pleasure was all mine, Katie." Jake said, shaking my hand back.

"We'd better go." I said to Susan. "I've got a sandwich to finish."

"Alright." Susan grinned. As I turned to Apperate, I could have sworn I saw Susan turn to Harry and Ron and whisper something in their ears, but I was Apperating, so I don't know for sure. I was trying to concentrate on not splinching myself. But anyways. I was too busy thinking about my sandwich and how good tomatoes would be on it when I got home.

*+*

I Apperated to my flat and went to my poor lonly abandoned sandwich that was still laying on the countertop of my kitchen. I was just putting tomatoes on it when Susan Apperated into my kitchen looking pissed off. I screamed. "Oh my Goddess, Susan!" I yelled. "Warn a girl next time, will you?"

"That house was perfect, Katie." Susan said, ignoring my outburst. "What's the deal?!"

I sighed and put my sandwich down again. By this rate, I'll never finish my poor sandwich. "You know I could been starkers, dancing the macarana to the sounds of Elton John, you would have been so embarrassed."

"Stop trying to change the subject!" Susan said, giving me a very good impression of the Katie-Bell-Death-Glare, but only I know how to do that one.

But changing the subject is fun! My stupid brain thought. "What do you want, Susan?"

"This is the first time that we all agree on something." Susan said rationally, as if she was explaining this to a small child. "And having Ron and Harry, which I may remind you, are GUYS, and they do not have any estrogen in their system, so they have NO idea what houses are good for babies, even they like that house."

I raised my eyebrows.

Susan shook her head. "Ok, so what if they only want it so they can you use your Quidditch Pitch? What's the deal, Katie?"

I took a bite of my beloved sandwich. "I can't afford it."

"What?" Susan said, sitting down, looking disbelieving.

"Well, Susan...I'm not exactly the Queen of England." I said, gesturing to my flat. "I can't afford everything I want. Learned that a while ago." I took another bite of my sandwich and chewed, enjoying the flavor.

"Well...can't you just write Oliver..."

"No!" I cried.

"Well why not?" Susan asked defiantly. "He'd be more than glad to help out, I'd bet."

"I don't take charity, Susan, and you'd better not try and figure a way to get Oliver to give me money, or I'll hurt you." I said sternly, taking another bite out of my sandwich, and locking my gaze with hers. Blue eyes to blue eyes met in my kitchen and I gave her fair warning. I have been known to kick butt. I placed the sandwich down and gave her a sly grin. "So, what's going on with you and Jake huh?"

Susan blushed as the table's turned on her. "Well...we started going out a few weeks ago, you know all that. I just wanted to keep it quiet for a while, not have Erica being nosy. You know that feeling right?"

"Yeah, I do." I said, nodding.

"Well he said that his Great-Aunt Judy had died, leaving him a house, and I demanded to see it." Susan shrugged. "That was today, and I had to bring you along."

I thought for a minute. "So what were you guys doing, listening to the WWN? Tsk, Tsk... You're slowing down, Susan."

Susan used a Summing Charm to throw a pillow at me.

*+*

"Ow...just geroff!" I said, waving my hand at the owl that was pecking at my forehead. It was the Daily Prophet owl. A tawny one this time. It hooted at me. I rubbed my eyes and sat up in bed, and the owl hooted at me again. "I'm going, I'm going." I said, getting out of bed and grabbing my bathroom. "Jeez, you Daily Prophet owls are impatient, aren't you?"

It gave me a Look, cocking it's head, and staring at me. I found my purse and handed it the five Knuts it so justly deserved. I stuck my tongue out at it as it flew out my open window, and I sneezed. Oh, it had just ate, didn't it? I had smelled the mouse, ick...

I took my normal shower and put on my work robes, a light pale blue color today and some shorts and an oversized shirt. My blue-gray eyes were getting tired these days, but I could always have a little sparkle in them, and I brushed my wavy hair back into a low ponytail at the base of my neck. I looked at myself in the mirror, like I did every morning and sighed. "Well...nothing more to do here." And I Apperated to Susan's house to see if she was up yet. She had been getting very little sleep lately. But when I started knocking, she didn't answer. I began to get worried, but I Apperated to the outside of the Ministry building. I opened the doors and went inside.

Erica was at her desk, talking through the fire to Mr. Creech. "I'm sorry, sir, but Mr. Valine isn't going to be in today. Well...I'm sorry if they don't tell me exactly where they're going! Good-bye Mr. Creech." She threw some powder on the fire, making Mr. Creech's face disappear. "Urgh, stupid business men." She muttered under her breath. "Never know when to shut up." She said. Erica looked up to see me. "Oh, by the way, Katie, Mr. Fogmere wanted to see you...said it was important and as soon as you got here to report to his office."

I really wanted to bite my nails, but I fought not to, because I knew of the severe consequences of doing that. Ginny and Hermione would annoy me to no end about them.

"Thanks Erica." I said. "Oh, have you seen Susan lately?"

"Sure, she got here early this morning, I think." Erica said, but another pop rang off and yet another face appeared in the fireplace. "Hold that though honey." Erica said as she turned away, but I already started walking up the stairs to Magical Law Enforcement.

What did Kevin want with me? What did Kevin want with me? That is what basically consisted of my thought process when I climbed the stairs to the Magical Law Enforcement floor. I couldn't think of anything else. Please don't say he's going to fire me...Please that would be horrible...Oh goddess, what if that was it? Katie...breathe. You need it to live.

I came to Kevin's door, and held my fist up to the door, feeling my heart racing against my ribcage, making it feel like my sternum was going to split into two. I took a deep breath. Take the dive, Katie. I thought to myself and I knocked against the door twice.

It took Kevin five seconds to open the door, but it felt so much longer, allowing my already paranoid brain to cook more inane ideas of why Kevin wanted to see me. "Ah, Katie, I was wondering when you were going to make it." He said with a grin.

He seems too happy to see me to be firing me. But wait! What if he's trying to let me down easy? Oh I never was good at psychology ... actually I never took psychology...

I couldn't trust my voice to speak, so I only nodded and gave him a watery smile. Kevin motioned for me to sit down in the seat across from his desk, and I did so, trying not to focus on the good-byes I would have to give to Ron...Susan...oh and that girl by the water cooler that lent me that hair tie for that assignment in Northern Scotland...

Kevin sat down in his leather chair. (Yes, I did finally tell my opinion about that chair, but that was to Ron...not to Kevin yet.) He interlaced his fingers and placed them on his cluttered desk. I spotted the picture of Kristy, smiling at me, and she waved a tiny bit at me. I gave the Picture Kristy a small smile back at her. Kevin coughed slightly. "Katie, I called you up here today, to tell you that you have been doing a fabulous job here at Magical Law Enforcement. Tanya has no complaints about you, she calls you a hard worker, with a skill for calming Muggles and covering wide areas of chaos."

I'm thinking that had to do with some of Fred and George's pranks in Muggle London...

"Thank you, sir." I said quietly. Where was this going?

"And due to this information, and the obvious charisma you have with many of people in this department, except for a few exceptions..." He coughed, and I knew he meant Cassidy. "That I have decided to promote you to a Full Officer of the Magical Law Enforcement Team."

I was trying to go over what I would tell Sean, a few cubicles over, to do with my beanie babies, when what Kevin said hit me. "Promote me?" I sputtered. "You must be joking!"

"No, I most certainly am not." Kevin said with a trace of a grin on his cheeky face. "Your work has been splendid over the last four months. Even with your incoming company, we believe you're an excellent part of Magical Law Enforcement. We're willing to give you time for maternity leave, and then you'll return to your duties." He leaned forward on his elbows towards me. "This a big step, Katie. Being a Full Officer requires hard work, since you won't have Tanya looking over your shoulder, telling you when you're doing something wrong. Lives are at stake in some situations. But with it, comes a raise, and I have been convinced by an un-named individual to give you a bonus now."

"A bonus?" I repeated, looking, most likely, like a very stupid idiot. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I wasn't a Junior Officer anymore.

"Yes." Kevin said. He handed me an envelope made of parchment. I took it, and held it in my hands. I looked back up at Kevin, and he nodded to me. "Open it already."

I tore it open and drew out with shaking fingers a piece of parchment.

Pay to the Order of KATIE BELL of MAGICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

In the Amount of 5,000 GALLEONS

I gasped, feeling tears in my eyes. I couldn't believe it. I turned my blue-gray eyes to Kevin, who looked happy beyond belief at my reaction. "Well, what do you say...Officer Bell?" He said to me, with a grin, standing up and holding out his hand for me to shake.

It took me all of ten seconds to make a decision. "I accept!" I cried and I shook his hand vigorously.

Kevin laughed at my reaction and gave me a quick fatherly hug. "Now get to work, Officer." He said, with a twinkle in his eye that reminded me painfully of Dumbledore.

"Yes sir." I said, saluting and leaving the office, shaking. I was nearly crying from a combination of relief and surprise that... I realized in a moment that I could now buy Jake's house. But Susan...Ohhh...I get it now.

I ran to Susan's cubicle, and she was there, dictating to her Magenta Quick-Quotes Quill. "And Mr. McGill claimed not to be doing illegal activity in his home in Wales, but upon inspection..." She spotted me and grinned. Susan turned to her quill and took it off the paper and placed it on it sidewise so it couldn't write anymore. "Hey there stranger." She said. "What's up?" '

I shook the bonus that was clasped in my hand. "I told you that I didn't want help from you!"

Susan gave me a knowingly look that I hated so much. "Correction. You told me not to get help from Oliver. Besides. You have no proof that it was me, do you?"

I scowled. I would bet my bonus that she had made Kevin say an 'un-named' individual.

But soon a grin dawned on her face, and it was contagious and it spread across my face. "Well..." Susan said, coming out of her cubicle. "You did tell Jake to let you know right? Let him know." She gave me her Quick-Quotes Quill.

I shook my head. "I don't trust those things. I heard Rita Skeeter used one for her articles." But I smiled at her. "But I will let Jake know...I do like that house very much." I rubbed my stomach, and said to myself. "I'm sure you two will too."

Special Thanks Go Out To All Of My Reviewers

Though I would LOVE to thank you all personally right now, I decided, I'll do that next time and post this chapter before you guys kill me!