How could I be falling for Oliver? I didn't like him like that, did I? I didn't think so...but then why was I blushing so bloody much?? Answer that!!

I sat alone in the Gryffindor Common room. It was late, past midnight probably and I was up studying Potions by the fire. I had tried to sleep, but it wasn't working. I ended up getting up from my bed and going to the Common Room. The Potions book was the only one I had left there, why not study it? I had to do something to get me to sleep. I suppose something about what Oliver said wouldn't let me sleep, like half of me was trying to think while the other half desperately wanted to sleep.

So, there I was, sitting in my pajamas on the couch by the fire, in the Common Room; oblivious to everything and anything. In my pajamas, yes, that's right. I sat there in my flannel (plaid: red, black, and white) pajama pants and a tight black shirt that was useless for everything but sleeping in.

I was muttering aloud to myself, it wasn't like I was disturbing anyone.

"Dragon's blood plus Werewolf saliva plus...um...that feather thing...equals...umm...."

I looked down at my book, scanning the ancient text.

"Guralounide!? What the hell is that?!"

I frowned and sighed. An unfamiliar voice came from the shadows.

"Dragon's blood, werewolf saliva, and that feather thing of course. That's what Guralounide is, a forgetfulness potion."

I looked around quickly. It was Hermione. 'Hot Damn!' I almost laughed to myself; I loved that expression. I had heard some Muggle American Tourist say that in London and it has stuck ever since.

"I believe you need some help..." she said slowly. 'Yeah, right! Like I need help from Potter's little brainy friend."

"Um, no, that's alright, thank you," I said politely. What was she doing up this late? I looked at her. She was in her pajamas, too. She smirked.

"Maybe I can get Oliver to help you," she said grinning. My face fell. 'Stupid child'

"What are you talking about?" I asked carefully. Hermione came and sat on the other end of the couch.

"I saw you two after the Quidditch practice," she said cheerfully. Trust Hermione to snoop.

"How?? There was no one around!"

"No one you could see," she said slowly. All right, I have made up my mind, either this girl is psychic, I've totally lost all my vision, or she has connections with Satan. All the above were reasonable answers.

"Harry lent me his Invisibility Cloak so I could watch the practice, he said there were weird things going on, with the Dementors and all."

"So you stayed to listen to me and Oliver's conversation?"

She frowned. "No, I was just in the vicinity and just happened to...overhear."

I rolled my eyes.

"Do you think Harry is in danger?"

I looked at her. She looked concerned. I had a good answer/respond that one.

"Was he ever safe?" I asked her. She looked at me.

"Well, I'm going to bed," she said, getting up. I smiled. 'Yes! She's finally leaving!'

"You do that!" I said enthusiastically. She smiled and left, calling to me, "Good luck in Potions!"

I scrunched my face in a distorted smirk, almost imitating her. I sighed. Back to studying. I was careful not to mutter too loudly.

Wait one hot damn minute! Where had Hermione come from!? Why was she up this late!? Was she visiting Harry/Ron/Harry AND Ron/someone else in the Boys' dormitories?? I shook my head. I didn't need to start thinking about something else.

I told myself to focus on the subject at hand: Potions. Every time I muttered something, repeating it, I waited for someone's voice. I heard nothing. I smiled. 'Good'

The old grandfather clock in the corner of the Common room rang, announcing the arrival of one o'clock in the morning. The ringing of the clock made me realize how tired I actually was. I set down my book on the end table, stretching out on the couch. I was going to take a break from studying.

I rested my head on one of the throw pillows and stared at the fire. It wasn't cold outside, but the fire was still comfortable. The heat and image of it tempted and allured my eyes to close and for me to sleep.

I'll admit that my eyes closed for one second, but only one, well, at least that's what it felt like. I realized that I was quickly falling asleep and slowly opened my eyes, seeing the fire that had made me doze off. Every second I lay there on that couch, the more I wanted to sleep. The thought of dragging myself up the stairs to my room seemed extreme.

The couch was comfortable, I was comfortable, the fire was cozy, and it seemed so convenient to fall asleep right there. I shook my head at the thought. When I did so, part of my head touched the pillow, almost automatically, my head collapsed onto the soft fabric and my eyes closed. Sleep is good. Very good.

"Sleeping in the Common Room, are we?"

I slowly opened my eyes. It wasn't Hermione again, thank goodness, but someone else. A familiar voice that had awakened me. I looked around, half expecting Fred or George, but saw Oliver.

I was intrigued by his appearance: pajamas. I had never seen him in anything besides school robes and Quidditch robes. He was also wearing flannel plaid pajama pants, but his were red and a yellow/gold, Gryffindor colors, go figure. He wore a white tee shirt to complete it all. His short dark hair was tousled.

I shrugged in response to his statement and sat up, blushing slightly, remembering this evening. As I sat up, I rested my back against the arm of the couch and smoothed down my hair. My blonde hair was down around my shoulders, the top section pulled back away from my face, but loose strands of hair fell into my eyes, like always.

As I got comfortable sitting there, the need for sleep slowly leaving me, Oliver stepped closer to me and reached to the back of the couch, taking the quilt that was always there, and unfolding it. He draped it over me and I took it, slightly frowning.

Oliver sat on the middle of the couch, near my feet. My knees were pulled up to my chest.

"Making sure everyone on your team is safe, Wood?" I asked semi-sarcastically.

He smiled warmly. "Something like that."

"In the middle of the night?" I asked, skeptical.

He laughed. "You're the one sleeping in the Common room!"

I scoffed. "I was not sleeping, merely taking a break from Potions."

He nodded.

"Am I the only one who knows the things you told me earlier today? About You-Know-Who and all?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Oh," I said. I sort of wanted him to go away so that I could go back to sleeping, but part of me wanted to investigate the causes of what he did earlier. Did he act on an impulse or was that just something he always did and I just hadn't noticed.

Oliver sat there, staring at the fire. I studied him, wondering if I like him or not. He was my team captain, there was a reason why I shouldn't like him, right? I had known Oliver for a long time, but I had only ever seen him as a friend, why was I now thinking more of that?

I looked at him closer and thought about the things I like about him. He was very cute, handsome even, sweet, funny, adorable, and much more. In his pajamas, I realized the strong build of his body...

'NO!!!!!NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!! NO FALLING FOR OLIVER WOOD!!!'

I think the main reason why I discouraged myself for thinking I liked him was because I knew that there was no chance he would ever like me. 'Damn'

He glanced over his shoulder at me and smirked; I blushed, smiling. Oliver grinned. For the second time today, I become conscious of how irresistible his eyes were, how irresistible he was.

Something must have shown on my face, for he smiled and said, "What?"

I shook my head, looking down, my smile fading.

"What's going on, Katie? Is something wrong?"

I looked up at him. He suddenly looked serious and the look on his face enticed me to tell him. Looking at Oliver Wood did that to you sometimes. I shook my head, smiling slightly. He knew it was fake. He looked at me sternly, warningly.

"Katie...," he said suspiciously, "I know something's up, you're acting strange."

I laughed uneasily. "Maybe the fact that it's one o'clock in the morning and I'm tired?" I said laughing slowly.

He smiled and I automatically grinned. "No, I don't think that's it, there's something else, something you're not telling me."

Damn Oliver Wood. He was too good at reading peoples emotions.

"Oliver, everything's fine."

He smiled. "I think my favorite Chaser needs to go to bed soon, I have a hard practice planned for tomorrow."

"Favorite Chaser?"

"Of course, the only Chaser who spends her nights nocturnal in the Common Room is without a doubt my favorite."

"So, if Angie had been out here instead of me, she would have been your favorite Chaser?" I asked, smiling slightly.

He looked at me carefully and answered quietly, "No."

The look he was giving me made me sort of nervous. It was a look that meant two things: the one the person said and the one he didn't say. I wasn't sure about what he wasn't saying, I wasn't a mind reader.

"I think my captain needs to get some sleep as well," I said slowly. He nodded and got up, so did I. I set the quilt back down on the couch. Neither of us moved.

'Well," he said nervously, "G'night, again, Katie."

I stood there, almost expecting for him to kiss me again. He didn't. He didn't move. Maybe it was a one-time deal. I nodded slowly.

"Good night," I repeated, it sounded like a disappointed whisper. I slowly turned towards the stairs when I felt his hand slide around mine. I thought that maybe I was just reliving what happened earlier.

I turned. "Katie?"

"Hmm?"

"I need to speak to you later..."

"Later? Why not now?"

He hesitated. "I need to clear up a few things first."

For a moment, I thought he was finished, so I went for the stairs. His had hadn't left mine. He pulled me back again.

"What're you doing for Christmas?"

I looked at him strangely. 'That was random.' Christmas seemed so far away. I liked the way he said "Christmas", with his accent, I mean. "What do you mean?"

"Are you going home to your family or staying here?"

"You're going to tell me at Christmas?!"

If he was going to wait until Christmas to tell me whatever he was going to, I would bloody pry it out of him before then.

"No," he said laughing, "New subject."

"Why does it matter where I'm going?"

"No reason," he said slowly.

'Okkaaay. A random question asked for no apparent cause. Alrighty'

I nodded slowly, hoping that I would understand later on. I anticipated him doing something, well, I wished he would.

"Well, Good night," he said quietly, staring into my eyes. He looked like he was debating something in his head. I could hear him breathing and I could see his chest rising and falling. It was then when his hand left mine.

His hands came in contact with my waist, slowly sliding to around my lower back. Oliver gradually pulled me towards him and held me tight. He watched for my reaction. There was none. I didn't stop him, but I didn't help him either. When our bodies made contact, he looked at me with uncertainty and hesitation. My hands found his biceps. He reached up and tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear, so that it was no longer in my eyes.

I blinked and he slowly leaned into me. His lips brushed against mine softly, and I kissed him back. His lips gently caressing mine. He was soft and caring. I pulled away and breathed in.

He held me even tighter and he smiled back and kissed me again. Just like before he was so gentle.

The feeling of his arms around me, pressing me against him is hard to explain. Something about it and about how incredibly gentle he was made me feel safe. Something I hadn't felt in a long time.

He looked at me, trying to read my expression. It was blank, I was in pure awe, believe it or not. I tried to smile but it was easy to see through.

I was ready to go back to my bed, sleep, and especially think about what just happened and what it all really meant. Not wanting him to think I was mad or something else, I leaned in to give him a quick kiss.

A quick kiss never ends up as one when you're kissing a man such as Oliver Wood. After still not getting over how gentle and compassionate he was when he kissed me, I had to pull back from him. He kissed me. Wow. I just thought something I never knew would be true.

I stepped totally away from him, unable to speak. It took about three tries to find my voice.

"Good night," I whispered, I didn't look at him. It was all too bizarre.

After finally getting to my room, I got into my bed, ignoring Alicia's mumbles about how she was going to kill Draco Malfoy, and tried to sleep. It wasn't working this time either. I kept thinking about Oliver. My lips felt numb in a good way.

Why did he kiss me? He doesn't like me, does he? He's my team captain, he shouldn't like me.

I stopped questioning when I realized that I did like him, a lot. 'Damn' I was a sap for Oliver Wood.

I liked, no, loved it when he kissed me and the way he did so. But does he actually like me? I shook my head, trying to rid myself of these questions and trying to sleep. I would think on it in the morning.

But over and over again, I kept replaying every second from when the grandfather clock sounded, to when he asked about Christmas, to two minutes ago. And each time I couldn't believe him. Oliver Wood.

do you love me or what!? lol hope you liked. R & R please!