A/N: This is the third chapter in my very first hp fic. Well...ow fic...anywho, i hope you like it and please read and review!! Thanx!!A/N

AFTER THE MATCH

                After the quidditch match, everyone was sent back to their common rooms, and Flint was sent straight to Dumbledore. He was closely followed by Snape. The quidditch match had ended with Gryffindor getting the victory by Harry catching the snitch in his mouth. Hermione and Toby were still a little shaken up by what had happened and decided to head up to the girl's dormitories to calm each other down. Toby jumped into the air over her bed as soon as she entered the room, and landed softly on her back, letting herself sink deeply into the covers. Hermione simply sat on the edge of her bed, and then thought to herself Screw it. And flopped backwards, her legs still dangling over the side.

                Toby's chest heaved with every deep breath she took. She had thought for a second that there was a definite possibility that she could die, but when she saw Oliver soar over her head, she felt a sudden burst of hope. It had been small, but she had still felt it. Strands of her midnight hair were clinging to her face in places where her tears had dried. She brushed them away and sighed.

                " You okay?" She heard Hermione ask quietly.

                " I'll be fine. You?"

                " Just grand." The sarcasm in Hermione's voice was very distinct and for a second it almost startled Toby. Hermione was always so calm and collected. " What was he thinking?" She asked. Toby knew she meant Flint.

                " I haven't the slightest idea." She answered. She rose off the bed and walked over to the full length mirror on the wall. Ugh. She thought. Please don't tell me Oliver saved me when I was looking like this. She took out her bun and brushed her hair. It fell around her shoulders and down her back in soft black ringlets. She was too tired and slightly overwhelmed to do anything with it, so she decided to leave it. " Want to go down to the common room and see everyone? Maybe talk about something other than getting your head knocked off by a bludger, though I doubt it."

                " Sure, why not." Came Hermione's answering sigh. She stood and followed Toby downstairs. When they walked into the common room, Hermione instinctively headed towards Harry and Ron. Harry had changed out of his quidditch robes and was now engaging in a wizard's chess game with Ron, while the other quidditch players gathered together to talk about the match. Toby immediately found Oliver, still in his quidditch robes, sitting on the sofa with Fred, George leaning over the back. She wanted so much to run right over and throw her arms around his neck and thank him a thousand timed for saving her, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She noticed Hermione silently beckoning her to join them with her hand, adn she walked over.

                " You all right?" asked Ron. Toby nodded quickly.

                " Yes, I'm fine. Just a little shaken is all."

                " Have you talked to Oliver?" It was Hermione. Toby felt her cheeks grow hot.

                " Not yet." She answered hesitantly.

                " Well you are going to, aren't you? I mean, he did catch you and all."

                " I know. I'll go over right now." She answered more confidently than she felt. Way more confidently than she felt. She turned on her hell and started across the common room slowly while silently scolding herself for her big mouth. Great thinking, Motor-Mouth. She thought. She finally reached the sofa.                        " Oliver?"

*              *                *

                Oliver ran his hands through his light hair as he listened to Fred ramble on about the match. " Bloody hell!" He exclaimed. " What was Flint thinking? Sending a bludger into the stands. I hope he gets expelled, or at least has detention every night for the rest of the year."

                " That wouldn't be all bad." Said George.

                " It would if he spent them all in the Forest."

                " True."

                Oliver had now tuned out and was completely off somewhere else. Toby. Yeah, pretty much. That's where he was. He was thinking about how she had reacted to the situation after they touched down. He sighed and  closed his eyes. He could still feel her fragile body trembling in his arms. It was a long way up. Maybe that was what had scared her so much. He couldn't figure it out. As if on cue, he looked directly at the stairs that led up to the girl's dormitories. Perfect timing. He saw Toby descending the stairs with Hermione directly behind her. Wow... He thought. Her hair was down and for the first time he really looked at her soft dark curls. They shone brilliantly in the sunlight that poured through the window. And her blue eyes twinkled. He watched her walk with Hermione over to Harry and Ron, before he decided to look away. He suddenly noticed something. It was awfully quiet around him all of a sudden. He looked up and saw Fred, George, Alicia,  Angelina, Katie, and Lee Jordan all staring at him with amused looks on their faces. He immediately sat up. " What?" Fred slowly shook his head.

                " Damn, Wood... It's finally happened." He said.

                " We knew it would sooner or later." Said Lee.

                " What?" asked Oliver again. Fred looked at George and dramatically pretended to cry.

                " Our little Wood is finally growing up..." He said, rather pathetically.

                " I know," answered George, just as pathetically. The twins hugged each other as they both pretended to sob into each other's shoulders.

                " What?!" asked Oliver again. Now he was just getting annoyed. Fred and George began laughing, still clinging to each other. The other four quickly joined in.

                " It's not like it isn't obvious!" said Alicia.

                " What?!" Oliver was getting frustrated.

                " You and Toby!" said Angelina giddily.

                " Wha-" Oliver started, and then stopped. He blinked for a moment and stared, bewildered at Angelina. He didn't seem to notice her whisper 'oops' as Katie elbowed her in the ribs. " What did you say?" he asked slowly and quietly.

                " Ah, c'mon, it's not like everyone hasn't noticed." said Fred, grinning ear to ear.

                " Yeah, I mean, especially after today. That pretty much sealed the deal." added George. Oliver just looked at them all questioningly. " C'mon, Wood!" exclaimed George. " We all know you fancy her!" Those last words hit Oliver hard.

                " What?!" Fred rolled his eyes.

                " Do we really have to explain it again? I mean, honestly. Weren't you lis-"

                " What makes you think I fancy...her?!" Oliver interupted. They all looked him, astonished.

                " Well" began Katie. " For one, you keep staring at her. Two, if I'm not mistaken, you waved at her before the match. Third, you saved her life! Fourth, you're always off somewhere else these past two days. And fifth, you're thinking about her right now!"

                " I am not!" Liar, he thought. " Listen! I do not fan-"

                " Oliver?" He immediately looked up as he heard the musical voice saying his name softly. Toby.

                " Hello, Toby." He said slowly. Almost wistfully. He suddenly realized that all eyes were on the two of them. He quickly stood and took her hand. He thought he felt her jump, but he wasn't sure. " Let's go over here and talk." He said, and led her over to two large red armchairs, seated in front of the fireplace. He stole one more warning glance over his shoulder to the others before sitting down accross from her. " How are you feeling?" He asked her.

                " Better." She answered quietly. Then a little more confidently, " Thank you for catching me. I don't want to think of what would have happened if you hadn't. So...thank you." She gave him her little half-smile.

                " It was nothing really." He said, smiling. Beaming may be a better word for it. " Just don't go jumping out of bleachers for the sake of getting a good adrenaline rush." he joked. Toby giggled.

                " I won't." She smiled.

                " Promise?"

                " Promise."

                " Good."

                " They're staring again aren't they?"

                " Probably." Oliver looked up. As soon as he did so, the quidditch team, and Lee, all went red in the face, and became questioningly interested in the carpet. Oliver laughed.

                " I knew it." Said Toby quietly. She was still smiling. Oliver looked at her. Her cheeks were flushed a soft red from embarrassment and she was unconciously twirling her finger around one of her dark curls.

                " You're staring!" Came the loud whisper across the room. George. Oliver gave him a death look before looking at his hands and beginning to tug on his gloves thoughtfully. Not. He just needed a distraction from Toby.

                Toby realized twirling her finger through her curls was simply a distraction from Oliver but she couldn't help it. She slowly looked up to see him tugging on his leather quidditch gloves. She looked up at his face and smiled. He was so angelic.

                Oliver could feel her eyes on him. He looked up slowly and made eye contact with her for a split second before she quickly looked away, blushing crimson. " It's ok." he said. Toby looked up at him. " You don't have to be embarrassed." He was half expecting her to ask him what the hell he was talking about, like most girls would have, but she didn't. Instead she looked at him and she seemed like she was going to smile, and then she also seemed like she was going to cry. Oliver noticed this. He had seen her cry once before and he didn't want to see her do it again. He smiled. " I see you look at me, but its ok, because...I know you see me look at you too." Christ! What the bloody hell am I doing?! He thought to himself. He couldn't believe what he was saying. Toby was looking him now, searching his face.

                What is he saying? Oh no...Please no...

                " I'm sorry I can't help it. You're my friend." He smiled at her. Whew. He thought. That was close. Toby gave him a shaky half-smile.

                " I'm glad I'm your friend. And you're mine too. It's okay that you look at me. I'm sorry I look at you. I didn't think you knew." This is going too far. Too deep. Get away. Now! " Well...I, uh... I should go. I've got a bit of studying to do up in the dormitories." She lied. She gave him her half-smile and stood up. " I should go do that...then...now. Um... thanks again. I might not be standing here if it weren't for you." Oliver was standing now as well. " So, yeah. Thank you again."

                " Again," Oliver mocked jokingly, causing Toby to giggle. " It was nothing." They smiled at each other and Toby turned and left, walking rather quickly towards the stairs. Oliver walked back over to the couch, where the entire quidditch team, and Lee, were staring at him wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Here we go again. Thought Oliver. " What?"

                " What the bloody hell did you say to her?!" asked Fred in disbelief.

                " Yeah!" added George, just as disbelieved. " What did you say to make her leave the room that damn fast?!"

                " You blew it, didn't you?" asked Lee, sounding slightly disappointed.

                " What do you mean?" asked Oliver.

                " Why did she leave so quickly?" asked Angelina.

                " She said she had to go study." Oliver shrugged.

                " Bull shit!" The voice was Katie, speaking for the first time. The boys all stared at her, speechless. Oliver included.  Katie had her arms crossed across her chest and Angelina and Alicia were standing beside her and a little behind her, in the same position.

                " What?" asked Oliver in a small voice. He almost sounded afraid of Katie. " That's what she said."

                " Of course that's what she said you numbskull!" Said Katie. She seemed, Oliver thought, angry. She placed her hands on her hips. " What did you expect her to say?! What did you say to her?" Katie demanded. Oliver quickly explained their conversation. As he finished, Katie smacked him upside the head.

                " Ow!" Cried Oliver, rubbing his head. " What was that for?!"

                " For being an uptight, mixed emotioned idiot! That's what! You scared the poor girl! Now we have to go talk to her before she has permanent damamge!" And with that, the three girls stomped across the room and bounded up the stairs to the girl's dormitories. Oliver could hear Fred, George and Lee snickering beside him.

                " You think this is funny?" he asked. They stopped laughing and put on serious expressions so fast, Oliver jumped slightly.

                " No, of course not." said Lee.

                " Yeah," agreed Fred. " You did what anyone would do in that situation."

                " Exactly." Agreed George.

                " Liars." Snickered Lee. That sent all three of them into giggle fits.

                " Fine then," said Wood, annoyed. " Have your laughs, see if I care." With that, he stalked past them and up the stairs to the boys dormitories.

                " He's got it bad." Laughed Fred.

                " Very bad." Agreed George.

*              *                *

                Toby had never looked, let alone been, so confused in her life. " What are you three talking about? Oliver didn't scare me. I had to study."

                " Not you too!" declared Katie, frustrated. " Can't you just admit that you fancy him?!"

                Toby nearly choked on her own breath. " F-fancy him?!" She stammered. " Why in the hell would I f-fancy him?"

                " Have you not looked at him in five years?!" Demanded Katie. " He's bloody gorgeous! Not only that, but you're the only girl he's ever really fancied back!"

                Katie's last words hit Toby like the Hogwart's Express. " H-he doesn't f-fancy m-me. That's impossible."

                " Is not." said Angelina. " Its so very obvious."

                " Yeah," agreed Alicia. " I mean...are you blind?" She asked it as casually as she was asking for an eraser.

                " N-no." Stammered Toby. Stop stuttering! She thought angrily to herself.

                " Well you must be." Said Katie. " Anywho, open your eyes, see that he likes you, like him back because you know you want to, and get it over with." She actually smiled at Toby before nodding the two other girls towards the door and silently leaving Toby with her thoughts.

                You don't understand... She thought. I can't...

*              *                *

                Oliver was unable to sleep yet again. He leaned on the windowsill of the open window of the boys dorm in Gryffindor Tower, staring wistfully at the ground below. Part of him expected to see Toby walking towards the stands with Tabby at her heels, and part of him longed for it. He had never felt this way before.

Sure, he'd liked girls before, but not like this. This was almost...love. He couldn't describe it. When Toby walked into a room, half of him wanted to hide, and the other half wants to run over to her and tell her everything. When he first met her, she was like a new friend, but now, whenever she smiled or brushed up against him, he thought he was going to pass out. He wanted to tell her how he felt, but then he didn't. Everything about the way he felt about her was so complicated and it was frustrating him. When he was with her, he wanted to hold her close to him, but he also wanted her as far away from him as possible. He wanted her to leave so he wouldn't have to worry about how he was feeling being written all over his face, but then he also wanted her to stay, because it made him feel light-headed...and hearted. Should he tell her how he feels? He wanted her to know, but then again, he didn't. It was so complicated. Did she really feel the same way? He highly doubted it. He looked toward the stands. Toby would go there to think. Maybe he could to. Maybe he could calm himself and clear his head. He picked up his broom and flew silently out the window. He soared over the quidditch field and it made him remember just the night before, when Toby had been holding onto him for safety, protection. So why didn't she feel safe with him now? And had it really only been just last night? It felt like an eternity. He landed beside the stands, in the same place he had found Toby before. He walked under the bleachers and stopped dead in his tracks. His heart pounded in his chest. Was he even breathing? He couldn't tell. His ears were ringing and he broke into a cold sweat.

                " Are we making this a regular thing?"

                " T-Toby?" He stuttered. " What are you doing down here?"

                " The same reason I usually come down here. Peace, quiet, a place to think."

                " Sorry." He apoligized. " I just didn't...expect anyone to be here."

                " I could leave, if you like." She offered, her blue eyes twinkling in the light of her lantern. " I think the common room is empty."

                Oliver took a step towards her. " Oh, no! That's okay, don't worry about it. You were out here first and I know you like to come here to think, so I should go." He turned to leave, knowing his face was as scarlet as the Gryffindor banners.

                " Wait!" She called after him. He slowly turned around and faced her. " You can stay. I really...enjoy your company." Real smooth pixie. ' I really enjoy your company'? How pathetic is that!

                " Are you sure?" He asked. She nodded quickly and slid down the beam, leaving him plenty of room. He sat down and couldn't help but stare at her. She had pulled her raven hair over her shoulder in a long plait, and tied it with a blue ribbon. Her usually rosy pink lips were flushed a soft rose colour, and Oliver could have done anything for her at that very instant. If she had wanted him to run through the Forbidden Forest screaming that Voldemort could do as much damage with a wand as a chimpanzee could do with a fluffy pink tu-tu, he would have. He tried as hard as he could to look away, but he couldn't. Then, he realized that she was staring back, looking him straight in the eyes.

                Toby looked deep into his eyes. She couldn't help it. He looked so helpless and vulnerable. His hair was untidy and his big, beautiful brown eyes were rimmed pink from exhaustion. He was sitting closer than she might have liked, but she didn't seem to care. Her head was screaming at her to move away or at least look away, but she couldn't. She couldn't bring herself to respond to her thoughts. She could feel his warm breath on her face and it sent shivers up her spine.

                " T-toby?" asked Oliver, slightly above a whisper. He didn't break the eye contact. " Did I scare you today? Was Katie right?"

                " No." She answered when she had found her voice. Why was this so hard?!

                " Do you trust me?" He whispered, still not looking away.

                " Yes." She whispered back. " I trust you."

                " Can I kiss you?" He whispered. The words were out of his mouth so suddenly, he hadn't really realized he had said them for a minute. Toby just stared at him, her lips slightly parted as if she wanted to say something, but didn't know what. Oliver suddenly felt terrified. Why had he said that?

                Suddenly, a wave of something rushed over Toby. She didn't know what it was, but she sudenly felt very light headed, as if she was floating. Then, she said something her mind was screaming the opposite of, but her heart was slowly agreeing to. " Yes." She whispered. They both leaned in at the same time, and met in the middle. As soon as their lips touched, an almost unbearable heat washed over both of them. What am I doing?! Thought Toby, anxiously. This can't be happening! This can't happen! It can't! He's my friend. I care about him. I like him. I love him... At that last thought, Toby didn't care anymore. She didn't care about anything. All she cared about was Oliver.

                After a couple of minutes, they both slowly pulled back and opened their eyes, staring wisfully at each other, before it turned to shock and embarrasment. " I'm sorry." Said Oliver quickly. " I'm really, really sorry, Toby. I should....just....go." And with that, he stood and began to walk away from her quickly. What are you doing?! He thought angrily. Everything you ever wanted is right behind you! Don't walk away from it. Oh, forget it! If she feels anything, she'll come after you.

                Toby saw Oliver walking away and sudden'y felt very cold and alone. She jumped up and ran after him. When she reached him, she grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. She held both sides of his face and pulled him down into a deep kiss. She kissed him hard before breaking the kiss and staring at him, still holding his face. He was in complete and utter shock. " Don't be sorry." She said quickly. " I told you to. I wanted you to. I've wanted you to for a while. I care about you. I like you. I love you." Right after she said those last three words, she let go of his face and covered her mouth, her eyes wide. Oliver didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do. His brain was still registering what she had just said. She loved him? Really? Him? He had to admit that he'd been dying to hear those words from her, but now that he actually had heard them, he felt a little taken aback. It was so sudden and unexpected, he didn't even know what to think. She loved him? He finally regained feeling in his limbs and control in his mind. He reached up and pulled her hands slowly and gently away from her face.

                " It's alright." He said. Should I tell her? He thought. He decided. " Because I think I love you too."

                Toby felt a pang of guilt way, deep inside her heart. It was extremely small, but it was still there. The rest of her felt almost relieved. He loves me? Me? Wow... Oh no... I know this isn't supposed to happen right now, and this can't happen right now, but for some reason, I don't care. I don't care about it anymore. Any of it. No matter how dangerous it is. I don't care. And as Oliver pulled her into a warm, soft embrace, she closed her eyes. I don't care if he comes for me...