Chapter 17

"Morning, Kate. How're you feeling?" Katie looked around the Common Room quickly, and finding that she and Oliver were alone, leaned down and kissed him. She sat down next to him and snuggled close to his warm body.

"Besides being really bloody cold, I'm okay."

"Licia said you had a nightmare. Why didn't you come find me?" Katie smiled and kissed Oliver on the cheek.

"That's sweet ... but I'm okay." Katie shuddered slightly as the dream came back to her. In her dream, Flint had been chasing her; they were both on their brooms, but Katie was riding an extremely slow broom while Flint's was considerably faster. She had woken up in a cold sweat just before Flint reached her. "Licia and Angelina crawled into my bed until I fell asleep. I was okay, I promise Ol'."

"If you're sure." Katie smiled; Oliver was glad that her mood had improved. In all honesty, his had improved a great deal as well, although for different reasons.

"Only fools are sure."

"Are you positive?" Katie glared mockingly at Oliver.

"Let's get down to breakfast you great git." Katie started to get up, but Oliver caught her hand. He pulled her back down and into a passionate kiss. As they pulled away, Katie laughed at the goofy grin on Oliver's face.

"What?"

"You've got the cutest grin!" She gave him one more peck on the cheek before standing up and dragging him down to breakfast with her.

The Great Hall

"Hey you two, sleep okay Katie?"

"Yes, Fred, I slept fine. Contrary to what Lina has told you." Katie cocked an eyebrow at Angelina, who just smiled innocently. George opened his mouth to say something, but apparently spotted something very funny at the doors of the Great Hall and burst out laughing. Oliver and Fred turned to look and burst out laughing as well.

"What's going on with you three?" Alicia asked as she searched for what was seemingly so hilarious to the guys. "Oh." She giggled slightly and covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Katie and Angelina gave her questioning looks before turning to follow her gaze.

Limping over to the Slytherin table was Marcus Flint; he had his arm in a sling. His face was bruised in several places, accompanied by a cut lip and a black eye. It looked, by the way he was walking, that something was wrong with his side, as if he had bruised a rib or two. Angelina burst out laughing, but Katie just stared at her friends, annoyed that they could think it was funny.

"I can't believe you! He probably got hurt playing ... Oliver! You didn't!" Oliver smiled sheepishly at her and nodded. Katie tried to look angry, but a small smile was tugging at the corners of her mouth. She rolled her eyes and shrugged. "Thanks." She leaned over and gave Oliver, Fred, and George a kiss on the cheek.

Gryffindor Girls' Dormitory

"So what're you wearing to the Yule Ball, Katie?" Katie smiled mischievously at Angelina and shook her head. Classes had gone relatively smoothly that day; it was just after dinner. Flint had wisely decided to steer clear of all six of them.

"Not telling." Alicia and Angelina gasped and gave her hurt looks.

"What do you mean you're not telling?"

"It's simple English, Alicia, although I could follow you in French, Spanish, or German if you like." Katie smiled sweetly. "Je ne dis pas. Yo no digo. Ich erzähle nicht. I'm not telling." She went back to her Charms book, not seeing the glare she received from Angelina and Alicia.

"You're going with Oliver, right?"

"No, Lina, I'm going with Oliver as friends. Now, before you drag any more secrets out of me, I'm off to the pitch!" Katie kissed her two best friends on the cheek before grabbing her broom and quidditch bag and headed for the pitch.

"She's planned something." Angelina nodded in response to Alicia's statement.

"I wonder what ..."

The Quidditch Pitch

"Hey you gits!" Katie waved as she kicked off the ground and flew up to George and Fred, who were whacking a Bludger back and forth between them.

"Oy! Katie, what're you doing out here?"

"Oh, Fred, I'm hurt that you don't want to practice with your insanely beautiful chaser."

"Not to mention modest." Katie stuck her tongue out at George, who laughed.

"No, I just thought you'd be inside with Angelina and Alicia planning out exactly what you're going to wear for the Yule Ball. It's in a week you know." Katie rolled her eyes; why was it that everyone was so interested in the details concerning her, the ball, and Oliver?

"I've already decided what I'm going to wear. Besides, they were harassing me about ... certain things." Katie avoided Fred's eyes by doing a few tricks with the Quaffle in her hands.

"Certain things being how you and Oliver are going to the Ball as friends?" Katie chucked the Quaffle at George, hitting him in the stomach. "Ow! Katie!"

"You deserved it, you prat." Katie looked around unhappily and sighed. "I'm really fidgety today. Have you seen Oliver?"

"Okay, I'm not sure how exactly those two thoughts connect, but no we haven't seen him." Fred shook his head to emphasize his point.

"It connects because when I'm fidgety I run, and when I run, I run with Oliver. Oh well, I'll run by myself. I'm too lazy to go find him. I'll see you two later!" Katie waved as she flew off towards the locker rooms. For some reason, she didn't feel like practicing anymore. She needed to get all of the excitement over her plan for the Ball out of her system.

Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory

"Katie was looking for you mate," Fred said without looking up from his magazine when Oliver walked in.

"D'you know why?"

"She said she was going to run, and that she wanted you to run with her. But since she was too lazy to come find you, she decided to run by herself," George said as he dried his hair, having just taken a shower.

"I doubt she's still running." Oliver shrugged as he put his bag down and flopped onto his bed. "I was in the Library studying for the bloody potions final on Friday." Snape had decided that the sixth years needed a half-year final. Friday was their last day of Potions until after the holidays. On Monday they had Transfiguration and Charms, and then they were off for the rest of the week. The Yule Ball was on Wednesday, exactly one week away, and everyone leaving for the holidays would be leaving the following Friday.

"What's bothering you?" Oliver ran a hand through his hair, trying to decide how best to answer Fred's question.

"I guess I'm kind of ... I don't know. Maybe, a little hurt that Katie wants to go the Yule Ball as friends. I know she doesn't want the whole school knowing the details of her love life ... but I really hate this having to – this is grossing you out isn't it?" Oliver chuckled, he could understand why, Katie was practically Fred and George's sister.

"No, but I know what you mean." George sat down on his bed and gave Oliver a sympathetic look.

"Though, come on Oliver. It's Katie we're talking about, you know how her mind works. In a few days, she'll change her mind and decide that she wants the entire world to know that she's in love with Oliver Wood. So give her those few days to change her mind and we'll all be out of this predicament." Oliver and George gaped at the sage words that had just come out of, none other than Fred Weasley's mouth. Fred smiled and shrugged. "Lina rubbed off on me I guess." His ears turned a color that could rival his hair as he buried his face in his Quidditch magazine once again.

George shrugged, "He is right though, Oliver."

"Yeah, I guess so. Did you two invite Angelina and Alicia to The Burrow for Christmas yet?" George and Fred groaned simultaneously. "I guess not."

"'Licia's going to Prague to visit her Mum's aunt and cousins."

"And Lina's going home to her parents, but her Dad refuses to let her leave since it's family reunion year."

"I'm sorry, mates, that's horrible."

"I guess you'll be the only one getting what you want for Christmas, Oliver." George sighed as he crawled into bed. Oliver chuckled; he really was looking forward to spending the holidays with Katie.

Slytherin Common Room

"That little bastard! I can't believe what they did to you sweetheart." Morgana Montague kissed Marcus lightly on the cheek. He smirked; he had her completely wrapped around his finger.

"Lucky there isn't a Quidditch match until after the holidays, or I wouldn't be able to play."

"Oh! Poor thing!" At that moment, Marcus got a most brilliant idea. He smirked his trade-mark Slytherin smirk as Morgana continued to fawn over him.

A/N: There we are, everyone! Sorry for the wait ... lightning and other natural phenomenon prevented me from posting it. Special thanks to my beta; she was out of town and still managed to beta!! Yay! I hope you all liked this. The next chapter was theoretically supposed to be posted at the same time as this one, but there's a convo (or lack thereof) that's giving me creative issues. So it will be posted in a little while. Please please review! I'm feeling a tad bit unloved by the only 3 reviews for chapter 16 ... tear But mucho thanks to those three people!

HarryPotterFan670: Haha, thanks. Dunno how to spell it either, but I'm flattered. How was this?

MasterHarper Menolly: LOL, don't worry about it. I'm glad you liked it ... if you think of what was missing let me know. Thanks anywho, how was this one?

Pokethepenguin01: Haha, I'm so flattered! No, I couldn't kill her off. Thanks so much, how was this one?