Author's Note: I'm back! I know I was evil leaving a cliffhanger behind =) but thanks everyone for reviewing! I'll like to acknowledge these people:

Kathy My first reviewer for the previous chapter! Thank you =)

Lia06 Will Katie stand Oliver up? That's for you to find out. Read on =)

Spexy Thanks for reviewing! Your story is great too!

Bebebutcher Thank you for reviewing! However, I possess the speed of a snail =) I'll try my best to update ASAP in the future.

Steph Thank you! Anyway I lack the ability to write mushy stuff =/

Peachgirl1608 Haha don't you know I'm a sadist? But anyway thanks for the review.

Ice And Fire Vanessa Thanks for reviewing! Please update your stories soon. Hope you'll like my LOTF story =]

xfunkyx I just want to beat Arsenal, but it's always top =( Haha anyway, your story is going along fine. I'll try to help you if you need any. Thanks for the review, yes you are incredible; you update much faster than I do.

xxGREEN BAYxx Thanks so much for reviewing! I really like your story too =)

luvin-it You rock! You really reviewed chapter after chapter! Thanks! And your KO story is nice, update soon =)

BoPeep Thanks for the compliment! I always try my best. Anyway, your story is great too!

Tuck Haha I'm evil! But I won't leave so many cliffhangers behind for my story, unless it is necessary =)

Allyson Thanks!

Alex Thanks for reviewing…

cariluv Heh I updated =/

Chapter 7: Pure Bliss

Oliver was wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans when he heard a familiar voice.

"They've all gone? Gosh, I fell asleep while waiting for my two vain friends to get ready."

Whirling around, he saw Katie running down the steps from the girls' dormitory. She was dressed casually, but looked beautiful as always. He smirked nervously at her, trying to keep calm.

"Yea, aren't you lucky. You're stuck with the famous Oliver Wood. Many girls would kill to be in your position." He remarked cheekily.

Katie merely rolled her eyes and replied loftily, "Well, if they want to trade places with me, I would be more than willing to. Remember, I'm only going out with you just to save your face."

Oliver grinned, but inwardly, his heart was sinking. The girl he loved so much never seemed to return any sign of affection to him. He said softly, but truthfully, "Katie, you look…good."

She smiled slightly, averting her gaze.

"Thanks. You don't look too bad yourself."

Oliver felt his confidence being boosted. He offered his arm to her. Katie hesitated for a moment. Was she really doing the right thing, going out with a boy she hated? Nevertheless, she slowly slipped her hand into his. It was surprisingly warm and comfortable. Feeling more settled, she told Oliver, "Let's go. We're late."

Oliver's heart ached with happiness. His day was going well, after all. Smiling joyously, he escorted Katie to the carriages, where they were met with many looks of jealousy and surprise.

"Be…Katie."

"What?"

"Why are those girls glowering at you?"

"My dear Wood, you mean you don't know? They're probably registered members of the Oliver Wood fan club. They're just jealous that I'm holding hands with their crush, I guess." Katie shrugged nonchalantly, not really bothered at all.

Oliver frowned in puzzlement.

"Fan club?"

"Yes."

"Wow, I must really be that devilishly handsome huh? Which other guy has a fan club?"

"Don't get swell-headed, Wood. You're not as great as you think. Practically all the Quidditch captains, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy have a fanclub dedicated to them."

"Even Flint?" Oliver said in disgust.

"Yes."

Katie and Oliver found the carriage where their friends were sitting. Throughout the journey, Katie sat away from Oliver and tried to ignore the catcalls and suggestive winks directed towards her and Wood. She was, needless to say, very relieved as the carriages halted to a stop in front of Hogsmeade.


"Fred, where are we going to?" Angelina asked excitedly.

"I can't tell you, Ange. Otherwise it wouldn't be a surprise anymore." Fred grinned from ear to ear.

"You're no fun." Angelina pouted and looked away. Fred put a hand to his heart in mock hurt.

"That's not fair, Ange. You're breaking my heart."

They reached a cluster of trees, just on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Fred then walked under the lush green foliage, with a mystified Angelina following him.

"What is this place, Fred? I've never been here before."

"Shush, Ange. You'll know when it's time."

The couple turned left, then right, right again, then left…Angelina lost track of where they had come from. Oh well, she had no choice but to rely on her irrepressible boyfriend. Not long after, they reached a rich verdant sea of grass, overlooked by a brilliantly cerulean sky. In the middle, there was a picnic cloth laid with the most delicious-looking cuisine one could ever imagine. Angelina drank all this in with an awed gasp, her eyes shining radiantly, a beautiful smile playing on her features.

"Wow…does anyone know of this place?"

"Nope. I discovered it while George was romping about in Zonko's last year. I've been planning to use this to surprise you. Nothing but the best is good enough for you." With that, Fred drew out a red rose to her, using an arm to draw her close to him, putting the flower under her nose. Angelina smelt its fragrance and took it, beaming.

"I see you still haven't forgotten what I like."

"Of course, Weasleys never forget."

Angelina snorted, but said quietly, "It's beautiful, Fred. Thank you."

"Not as beautiful as you, Ange."

"Aw, Fred, you really can be such a romantic when you want to." Angelina was touched. Her eyes were shining with tears of joy. She never dreamt that her mischievous boyfriend would plan such a sweet thing to make her happy.

Fred smiled, and leant forward. Both could feel the extreme proximity between themselves, and both savoured this moment. It was as if time stood still, and as both lips met, their hearts throbbed with bliss; they would rather be here than anywhere else in the world right now.


Meanwhile, things were not going well for George Weasley. He had made a fool of himself just now, and now he realized he didn't have enough money to buy Alicia flowers or lunch. Cursing inwardly, he searched through his pockets thoroughly, yet in vain. Alicia sensed that he was flustered, and asked, "What's wrong, George? Anything gone missing? We could backtrack and find it."

George closed his eyes. He could not bear to tell Alicia and ruin their very first date. Yet, he had to.

"George?"

"Lish, forgive me, but…"

"Yes?"

"I don't have enough to treat you to anything, not even flowers. Sorry."

Alicia stood rooted, stunned for a moment. George covered his face and waited for blows to land on him. But none came. To his utmost surprise, Alicia smiled reassuringly at him.

"It's all right, George. We'll have butterbeers. My treat." She replied, pulling him towards the Three Broomsticks, ignoring his protests. As they entered the rather usually quiet inn, Alicia and George came face to face with Percy and his girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater, a prefect from Ravenclaw. Percy nodded politely to her.

"Hi, Alicia. What brings you here? Surely George could have brought you to dine somewhere else more expensive? After all, it's a girl holiday."

George muttered, turning a beetroot crimson.

"I forgot to bring my money."

Unfortunately, his older brother caught his words and laughed pompously.

"Well, well. Fancy you forgetting something so important, George. Why, I'd never do such a thing."

George glared at him and retorted, "What about you, O Great One? What are you doing here?"

It was Percy's turn to become embarrassed. He said inaudibly, "Saving up for a new book."

George sniggered and pulled Alicia to an empty table, far away from his annoying brother. They each ordered a foaming cup of Butterbeer, and sipped at their drinks, facing each other.

"Lish?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for forgiving me. Any other girl wouldn't have done that."

"It's all right, George. I'll never blame you for anything." Alicia smiled sweetly at him.

"Remember the day we met, on the Hogwarts Express? That was when I fell in love with you. And I've never stopped doing that." George whispered, clasping her hands in his own, marveling at how perfectly they seemed to fit each other.

Alicia smiled, reminiscing the day when she had known the twins for the first time, along with Katie, Angelina and Oliver. She had giggled till her sides ached at their comical antics. However, though both the twins were identical, she had been attracted to George. It had started as a tiny crush, but had grown into an infatuation. She could not stop thinking about him, and everyone knew that, except the boy himself. Over the years, he had developed nicely into a handsome boy. Though he was not the most sought-after in the school, he still had quite a number of fans. Alicia had been depressed. Why would he ever return feelings for her? He had so many other choices, so many better ones. Little had she known that he too had fallen for her at first sight.

"Thank you George. You have no idea how happy you've made me. This is the best Valentine's Day gift I could ever get."

"Me too, Lish. Me too."


Katie could not help but gush in awe as Oliver led her into a posh dining room filled with luxuriant furniture. The chairs were rich golden, and the tables were laid with a silk cloth. Oliver held her hand and brought her to a vacant table. At the snap of his fingers, a waitress came forward to receive his orders.

"Yes, sir? What would you like?"

"The house special, please."

The witch's eyes widened in surprise as she walked away and Katie gasped.

"Wood, are you sure you can afford that?"

"Bell, I'll spend any amount on you. You know that perfectly."

"Why?" Katie narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"It's Valentine's Day and guys are supposed to make their dates happy?"

"Flattery does not work on me, Wood."

Oliver just grinned. Drawing a beautiful bouquet of roses from under his coat, he handed it to a very astonished Katie. At first, Katie frowned, wondering what Wood wanted in exchange for these flowers. But, as she noticed the sincere smile on his face, she too faltered, smiling faintly. Drinking in the aroma of the roses, she could not help but feel how lucky she was. For an instant, a pair of sea green eyes was locked deeply with a pair of chocolate ones.

"Honestly, I don't deserve this. Thank you so much…Oliver."

Oliver's heart surged with ecstasy.

"Katie, this is probably one of the few times you've called me by my given name." Oliver grinned happily, like a little boy who had just received his Christmas present.

"Oh? Don't get your hopes up, Wood. I don't like you that much." Katie quirked an eyebrow at him and observed her surroundings, ignoring Oliver. Nevertheless, Oliver continued to stare at Katie, admiring for the umpteenth time her neatly tied-up ponytail and her sleek features. He possessed the urge to run his fingers through her silky locks, but resisted it. If he wanted Katie to fall for him, he realized that he had to treat her differently, not like so many other shallow girls who constantly drooled at his feet. It was not going to be easy, especially for such a sought-after guy like Oliver Wood. Yet, he vowed, one day, the beautiful girl sitting in front of him would be solely his.


Katie was tucking into her food when she heard a voice she dreaded. Turning around, much to her disgust, she saw Flint, her stalker. But what sickened her more was the girl latched onto his arm. She was definitely a Slytherin, with an egoistical sneer plastered on her face. True, she was good-looking, but Katie was sure that she would not be following Flint for long. Seeing Katie's expression, Marcus grinned malevolently.

"Why, Bell, fancy meeting you here. I didn't expect the worm you were dating to have enough cash to even step in here." With that, he brazenly ran his calloused fingers down Katie's arm. She sucked in breath angrily and slapped his hand away at the same time Oliver stood up, walking towards Flint menacingly.

"Watch what you're doing, Flint. Unless you want to return back to school in a thousand pieces."

Marcus, however, chose to turn a deaf ear, and continued talking spitefully.

"Really, Katie, your taste horrifies me. I thought you would have chosen some better-looking guy like me to snog with. This, after all, is the place where people play tonsil hockey." He added, winking at Katie and strolling out of the door.

By then, Katie was steaming. How dare Wood have the audacity to think that she was so shallow, bringing her to such a place to snog with her?! She faced Oliver, and gritted her teeth, spitting out her words in a tight voice.

"Honestly, Wood. I, for a moment, thought that you had really turned over a new leaf and become a sweet, caring guy. But I was wrong. You're just being your normal self, a flirt who just seizes every opportunity to make out with a girl. You can dream on about me liking you and go to hell, because that's never going to happen!" Not waiting for any reply or noticing the stunned look on Oliver's face, the hot-tempered girl stomped out of the door, eyes brimming with tears, oblivious to the couples staring at her and Wood. Oliver groaned in despair as he sank back into his seat. He had to talk to her to sort things out. He could not bear to have her mad at him any longer. Mustering up his courage, he paid for the untouched meal and strode briskly out of the door.


Sitting on the dewy grass, Katie's mind was swimming with mixed thoughts as she trailed her fingers along the crystal clear water. She sighed and felt a minute pang of jealousy as she saw a few other couples strolling at the other side of the pond, sharing intimate contact. She, unlike them, was single, because she chose to. She wanted someone to comfort her when she was unhappy, and rejoice for her when she was exultant; yet she could not bear the thought of that very someone neglect her for another girl. She was afraid, afraid of being heartbroken, left behind with nothing but tears.

She had been so foolish to think that Wood was really changing for the better. He had been so nice to her, unlike other girls he had dated with; he had splashed extravagantly without batting an eyelid on food and flowers just for her. But when Flint told her Oliver wanted to make use of her, she had trusted him instantly. She had not offered Wood to give her an explanation. Was it because she wanted to believe that Wood did not care about breaking her heart? She didn't know what to believe.

"Katie." A voice came from behind her.

Katie heaved a sigh inwardly. Turning around to face the person, she said tiredly, "Sit down, Wood." Oliver hesitantly took his place beside her.

"Katie, I'm sorry, but…"

"No, Wood. It was my fault. I wanted to believe Flint that you wanted to make out with me. I ruined our date. I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

"Bell, there is nothing to forgive. You're not at fault. You were just scared of the truth; that I cared about you. So you chose to believe the false. You were afraid that if you ever fell for me, I one day would break your heart like so many girls before you."

"How do you know me so well?" Katie spoke barely in a whisper. Oliver just smiled and continued, his expression turning serious.

"Katie, you have no idea how much I like you. I'll never go out with another girl again if you insist. I'll promise to change my ways. I know you don't like me much, and definitely don't trust me, but please, just say you'll give me a chance. I'll prove to you that I'll always be there for you."

Katie was breathless. Wood sounded so…so frank, so sincere. She smiled slightly.

"Oliver, I'll give you a chance. It's just that…I'm not ready yet. I need to really be sure that I'm being with a guy who would remain loyal and faithful. If you really like me, please show me that you are not the arrogant prick you appear to be."

Wood put his arm around Katie's shoulders. He could feel her stiffen up, but gradually relax. He said, "Bell, I'll always be there for you. Even if you go out with another, you'll be the girl I'll never stop loving. I'll wait for you, till you can realize your true feelings for me."

Katie smiled in joy, and leant her head gently on Wood's shoulder. Oliver's heart skipped as a beat as he smelt the fragrance of her hair. He had never gotten so close to Katie without being insulted or hit before. Both of them remained in this way for the rest of the day, enjoying each other's presence. Each of them was lost in their own fantasies, completely oblivious to their surroundings, till it was time to go back.


This was such a long chapter. Hope you enjoyed it, though I thought it wasn't good. Please read and review. Constructive criticism is welcome.