I walked down the crowded road. I had abandoned Oliver with Fred at the bar. Oliver insisted on coming with me to see Dad, but I said no. I wasn't sure I wanted Dad to meet Oliver; Oliver may be starting to think of this relationship as utterly serious. Meeting the Parents. Also, he was my father and I was going to spend quality time with him, gosh darn it!

I saw the sign hanging overhead. The Hogs Head Pub. I stepped inside, smoothing down my hair. The building was small and had a sort of smoky haze to it. The perfect "family environment".

I saw a familiar person sitting in the back corner. I smiled and walked over to him. I stood at his table, my hands on my hips, grinning. He looked up and grinned, then frowned. His voice was slightly raised, almost a yell.

"Katherine Bell, what on earth are you doing here?!" he asked, outraged. Remus Lupin's voice was thick with his British accent. "This is not a place for you to be emerged in!"

I smiled. "Actually, I'm waiting for my father."

He stood up quickly, knocking the table with his knees, looking around swiftly. "He's here?! Nicholas is here?!"

I nodded. "He should be."

Lupin quickly, and nervously, looked down to his wrist, at a Muggle watch. He cursed. "Katie, I really must dash, say hello to your father for me and wish him a happy trip!"

I said that I would and he was gone. I stood there, not sure what to do then.

"Katie!" I heard someone yell.

I looked around quickly. Nicholas Bell waved at me from across the room, almost where I had just been standing. I smiled, loving that feeling I got when I recognized his smile. I hadn't seen my father in about a year and I really had missed him.

I made my way over to him, through the tightly weaved crowd. Just as I got close enough, my father grabbed me and hugged me tightly. I grinned; Dad smelled like peppermint and laundry soap. I sat down in the chair by the table and so did Dad.

He asked if I would like anything and I shook my head no. He sat back and admired me.

He sighed. "God, Katie, you look more like your mother every day."

I smirked but inwardly I grimaced; Dad knew I didn't want to look like Mom.

"So," he said, "still on the topic of your mother, does she still make me out to be the bad guy?"

I smiled; he knew Mom. "Yes, more than ever. She thinks that you're trying to buy my love."

He grinned. "I'm just trying to buy her hate. It's not everyday that I have someone criticizing who I am and how I raise my daughter…"

Dad started rambling and ranting on about Mom until he noticed that I was glaring. I didn't wait a whole year to be with him just to have him rant about Mom; he could do that in the letters.

"Well?" I asked, "What are you doing in Ireland??"

He frowned but then smiled slightly, "Can't say. Can't tell anyone. 'National secret' "

I sat back in my chair, crossing my arms in front of my chest, "C'mon Dad, you've let me in on National Secrets before…"

He sighed. "Sorry Kate, but this is one secret that has to stay a secret. I don't think you understand the severity of the situation, which you wouldn't because you don't know the situation. Short story: I can't tell you," he sighed again, and, just for comedic sake, he added, "Besides, if I did tell you, I'd have to kill you"

He grinned. I cocked my head, slightly confused and asked hesitantly, "Dad, are you in the Mafia?"

Dad grinned. "Shhh, National Secret."

If my dad was in the Mafia, I am the Queen of Australia and the rest of the Free World.

I sat forwards again. "Oh, Lupin says 'hello' "

My father's face brightened. "You saw Lupin?"

I nodded. "Yes," I said and added just for my father to assure him, "and he is looking wonderful; no bumps, no bruises, no fur."

Dad smiled. "Good good." Dad was always so paranoid about Lupin's health. "So," he said, "What about this boy?"

I sat back in my chair, suddenly worried. I knew that the topic of Oliver would come up, I just wished it wouldn't have. I quickly looked around for an idea for another subject.

"Don't avoid it Kate, I just want to know about him," Dad said with a smile. I didn't say anything; Dad did all the talking.

"Does he like you? Do you like him? Is he good to you? Do you feel comfortable with him? Would I like him?"

I shifted uncomfortably. I wasn't ready for this conversation, but I'd rather have it with Dad than Mom any day.

"Yes, he likes me, yes, I like him, yes he is good to me, yes I feel comfortable with him, and, yes, hopefully you'd like him."

My father considered this. He looked to the doorway and his face brightened up. I turned my head in that direction but kept my eyes on Dad.

"Oliver Wood, what a brilliant surprise!! I would have never expected to see you here!"

I froze. I spun quickly to look near the door. It was Oliver. He came closer, smiling. I told him not to come. This was about to become awkward.

"There has been so much talk about you in the office. What a shame that Quidditch season in postponed! If it was up to me, you, my dear boy, would be playing, and winning I might add, twenty-four seven!"

Oliver stood next to the table now. I still had no idea what to do.

"Oh, Oliver, you would know who Katie is seeing right now, wouldn't you? You see, she won't tell me, and, being the captain of her team and being her friend, you would know, correct? So, who is it?"

My eyes widened in horror. Dad!! Oliver was slightly blushing.

"Dad-" I started, but he wouldn't let me finish.

"Come now, Oliver, just a name, anything, I must know!"

An awkward silence built. "Dad," I said, standing up, I spoke very, very slowly, "I guess you've met Oliver…"

I put my hand on Oliver's shoulder and his left arm slid around my waist. Dad stared at us. Crap. Dad didn't react; he just sat there, almost waiting for me to yell, "Gotcha! Just kidding, Dad! I'm really seeing Fred, or no, maybe George! Sometimes, I just can't tell the difference!"

"Dad," I said again slowly, "It's Oliver…"

"Mr. Bell?" Oliver asked.

My father finally realized and let out a loud and long, "OH!"

Dad grinned as if he found the missing piece to the puzzle of my life.

"Well, that's brilliant!"

I smiled awkwardly. "Well, Oliver, pull up a chair!" my father beamed.

Oliver pulled up a chair and sat down next to me. This was definitely awkward. Okay, so, Dad met Oliver, he liked him already, Oliver could leave now. After a few minutes of small talk between my father and Oliver, Oliver noticed my glares. He got the hint.

He stood up. "Well, it's been a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Bell"

My father stood up as well, "Yes, it's been wonderful seeing you again as well, Oliver!"

They shook hands like gentlemen and I realized that just like Oliver had won me over with his charm, he had also won over my father.

As Oliver turned to leave, my father grabbed his hand. "Make sure you take good care of my little girl," Dad said. I blushed.

Oliver reassured him, "Always, Mr. Bell." And then he was gone.

Dad sat back down. "You didn't tell me you were seeing Oliver Wood!"

I sat back in my chair, "You didn't tell me you knew him."

"Well," he said, sitting back as well, "I must say that I approve Katherine."

I frowned. I did want Dad to like Oliver, but I wasn't sure why he approved. "Dad, you just met him three minutes ago. I think you're just approving him on the fact that he's an amazing Quidditch player."

"Oh, Katie, it's more than that, Mr. Wood is more than an amazing Quidditch player, he'll make it to the top in the best professional Quidditch team in the world one day."

I sighed and Dad saw. I knew that there was more than that to Dad's approval.

"Katherine, I wouldn't want to approve of him if I just thought that he was a good player. I approve of him because I see the way he looks at you, the way you look at him. What could I say? 'No, Katie, he's a great Quidditch player and all, but you don't need that sort of person in your life? You shouldn't see him because you would distract him from Quidditch'? I could never do that to you. The only thing that I can do is to approve of him and I do. I really do, Katie. I wouldn't do this if I thought he wasn't good for you."

I smiled. Dad and I continued to talk until he looked down at his Muggle watch.

"Katie, I really must go, I've stayed longer than I previously anticipated."

I frowned, "Dad, you just got here!"

He stood now, "Kate, really, I must go."

I stood up. He stepped towards me and hugged me. I closed my eyes and tried to make a memory of this moment. Dad said it would be a long time until I saw him again.

He pulled back and smiled. "Write to me?" I asked.

"Of course, I'm only a few thousand miles away, I'll try to write as often as I think of you."

I smiled. He took a step past me, "Keep me informed about everything with Wood."

I nodded and said that I would. Dad grinned and reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

I swallowed and he hugged me again. "I love you, Katie."

I told him I loved him, too. I didn't realize how much I missed my Dad until he was being taken away from me again. He saw my disappointment.

"Don't worry," he said, "it's only a couple of months, a year or two tops."

"Stay safe," he said. When I looked up at him, he was gone.

I made my way out of the Pub and Oliver was waiting for me outside. I was angry with him and he knew it.

"What? Your Dad liked me, what's the big deal?" he asked. He sounded so different, not like the Oliver that I knew.

"The big deal is that I told you not to come and you did anyways! And how'd you know where we were?"

"Hey, it's not my fault if you're in the bar I just happen to walk into!"

"How'd you find us, Oliver?"

He sighed. "Strategic research."

"And why'd you come?"

"I don't know."

I began to walk away from him. I didn't want to talk to him and I needed some time alone.

"What do you want me to say? That I'm sorry? That I'm sorry that your Dad likes me?" Oliver called from behind me.

I kept walking. "No Oliver," I called over my shoulder, "You're just making all this seem more serious that it really is."

What he said next stopped me. "Well, what do you want to do then? Do you want to break up?"

A few people passing looked at me with hesitation. I turned around and stamped the cold ground. I sighed. "I don't know, Oliver. I really don't know. No…"

He took a few steps closer to me. "Good, because I don't want to leave you."

I looked at him. "If you're staying only because you don't want to leave me alone, afraid that I'll break into pieces or something, go away. I'm not like that and you know it."

I fudged that last part. I wasn't like that on the outside, but I felt like it on the inside. He didn't say much; he was angry. "I know you're not like that, but you're just so…"

I stared at him. "I don't even know why you put up with me. I wouldn't blame you for just saying to hell with it. If I were you I wouldn't have put up with me for this long…"

My heart sped up. If I was truly as brave as I thought I was, I'd have to let him go. But I loved him, and I wasn't that brave. He didn't answer me. I took a step back. This was it. We were actually breaking up.

"Katie," Oliver said, taking steps towards me, I gulped and he took my hands in his, "I know I screw up and I know you blame yourself, but you don't know how happy I've been these last few weeks. I don't have a reason to break up with you; it'd be more of a flaw than it would be a good thing."

I shook my head. "But still, you're taking this whole thing too seriously. I mean, why did you want to meet my dad? It's not like we're getting married or anything."

Oliver shrugged. "I guess I thought that if I had a daughter, I'd want to know who she's dating."

I nodded, "Good point. But I still don't know why you put up with me."

He smiled. "I do. It's because I love you and you love me."

I grinned, "Do I now?"

"Yes."

Oliver kissed me lightly and I kissed him back. I pulled away and we began to walk down the crowded street. Oliver held his hand out to me, and I took it. He walked me back down the road to where Fred and George were. All this time I was thinking about Dad and how much I loved him. Oliver didn't realize that I wouldn't be seeing him for a long time.

When we reached the group, they started back towards Hogwarts. I went to follow them, but Oliver held me back. He pulled me to him and I let him. His arms were around me and held me close. I closed my eyes and felt his warmth seep into me. I smiled and held on to him, burying my face into his neck.

The only thing that would have made me happier was if Dad was still here, and I had my new broom to rub in my mother's face.

Hope you all liked it!!