Chapter 16 – Group hug.
I leaned my body onto my upper arms, although my arms were beginning to feel like jelly. Oliver placed a hand on my lower back rubbing it in small circles.
"Katie? You don't look so good?" Fred said somewhere nearby.
"Hm? I wonder how you'd look falling off the tower?" I replied in a half chuckle.
I lifted my head and looked up in Oliver's eyes, he looked back into mine his eyes were full of concern. I smiled weakly and tried to stand up. I manage to get up but than my legs gave way. Before I fell onto the ground I felt Oliver wrap a quick arm around my waist. I turned my head and looked at him.
"Thanks" I said weakly smiling. He grinned back, my arm was around his neck and I tightened it, as my legs stumbled again.
"Here" Oliver said. He turned me sideways and lifted me up bridal style. I pulled my other arm around his neck and looped my fingers together securely.
"Thanks, gosh you really know how to sweep a girl off of her feet," I giggled.
"Oh, my prince charming" George said holding his hands together beside his chin. He tilted his head slightly and he batted his eyelashes. Oliver blushed
"Come on, let' get going" He said beginning to walk.
We were half way walking through the first corridor before anyone spoke.
"Hey Katie? Did Flint, do 'anything' to you up there?" Oliver said uneasily.
I shuddered remembering the moment not long before.
"No, I tried to back away from him, because he was trying to kiss me and I fell over the rail and…well you know the rest." I said looking at Oliver's neck, avoiding eye contact.
"Are you going to be ok Katie? or Do want me to take you over to the hospital wings?" Oliver said slowing down, than turning a corner.
"Nah, I want to talk to Angelina and Alicia. They're probably waiting to hear a detailed account of what happened," I replied smiling, my eyes beginning to droop closed 'I hope that Wendy isn't there, I really don't want to deal with her right now'
"That definitely sounds like them" Fred said smiling.
"But what about -" George replied curiously
"-Yeah! What about Wendy? Aren't you going to -" my eyes shot open and my body tensed. 'Why would I tell 'her' she'd probably try to hex me if she knew…'
"Tell her too?" Fred continued
"We mean, she is 'our' friend-" George said
"Isn't she?" Fred finished.
"I…I…don't want to talk about it right now" I said turning my face away from them. George and Fred quickly ran up to Oliver on each side and looked at me.
"Why not?" Fred asked. I squinted my eyes shut and opened them reluctantly blinking away the memory of her holding Oliver's hand and him smiling.
"Please, Katie, we want to know why-" George began
"I…just…well…let's just say, she's reluctant to accept something about me," I said calmly.
Fred and George quickened their step as Oliver began climbing the stairs.
"Do tell?" Fred said grinning.
I looked up at Oliver; he looked down at me and smiled. I smiled back at him.
"Well…" We had begun walking down the corridor to the portrait.
'If only I knew legilimens. That way I could mind talk or something with Ange' and Alicia right now.' I frowned. I looked down the corridor and saw the portrait approaching us. 'Open, please I 'will' you to open and Alicia or Ange' to be standing there.'
"Well Katie? You didn't answer -"
The portrait swung open ahead of us causing his attention to falter to the commotion and we saw Angelina run out to us.
"KATIE!" I felt her warm arms around my neck.
I looked at Angelina and than felt another body hit us, 'that must be Alicia' I smiled and than I looked up at Oliver he looked shocked. I giggled at him, he looked down at me and I smiled innocently.
"Awe, GROUP HUG!" George yelled. I felt 2 more people hit the group.
I laughed at their enthusiasm. But soon felt my breath shorten and Oliver's breathing becoming raspy around my ear.
"Guys! Come on me and Oliver can't breathe!" I squealed. I felt the pressure release and inhaled a deep breath.
"Let's go inside," I heard Oliver say.
I finally relaxed in Oliver's arms feeling slightly more comfortable now, Oliver looked down at me and I just smiled, my eye's wide-awake now. He smiled and walked through the portrait.
I looked around the common room, and saw the fire cackling merrily sending a warm glow in the room, it was past curfew so all the students were probably asleep.
Oliver slowly put me down behind one of the couches, my legs wobbled when I tried to stand and he grabbed my waist so I could stand straight.
Fred and George began walking towards the boy's stairs.
"Wait!" I called to them; they both turned around and looked at each other curiously before turning around and walking over to me.
I hugged each of them and gave each a peck on the cheek.
"Thank you guys, for looking after me today" I said smiling, blinking back happy tears. They looked at me and smiled, before walking off towards the boys' dormitories.
"Well Katie, I think we need to have a little talk -" Angelina said beginning to grab my arm, Alicia moving to grab the other
"-Wait a minute, do you mind if I have a little talk to Katie?" Oliver interrupted. Looking at Angelina waiting for an answer. She looked at him in a sort of accusatory way before nodding
"I'll take her up in about 5minutes okay?" Oliver finished, Alicia nodded and grabbed Angelina by the arm and pulled her up the girls' stairs, Oliver had begun walking me towards a couch by the fireplace. We both sat down, my hands nestled neatly in my lap. We sat in silence for a few minutes, the only noise coming from the fireplace.
"Katie? Did you really want to kiss Flint?" Oliver said staring into the fire.
"As I said to him 'I'd rather chew off my own lips,'" I said looking at Oliver. He turned around to look at me. His dark brown eyes reflecting sparkles from the fire. I looked at him in awe.
"Katie. It's just hard for me, he's an opponent, archenemy, and nemesis, and anyway you want to put it, I don't like him!" Oliver said staring at you.
"Oliver. I never intended in kissing him, I never would want to…ever! " You said fighting back tears.
"I'm sorry Katie," Oliver replied, putting an arm around your shoulders and holding you to him. You wrapped your arms around his waist and Oliver pulled you closer to him. He lifted his head lightly and kissed your forehead lightly.
"Oliver?" you said leaning your head back slightly.
"Yeah?" he said looking into your eyes.
"So does this mean we are friends again?" I said looking up innocently.
"Of course, when did we stop?" he said smirking.
You hugged him tightly and smiled inwardly 'even Wendy couldn't ruin this moment!'
"Come on, I better take you back, the girls are probably worried" he said standing up. He pulled my arm so I could stand up. I lost my balance and fell forward into him.
"Sorry," I said looking up at him.
"It's ok," He replied slightly hoarsely.
He wrapped an arm around my waist and ushered me up the boys' stairs.
He got to George and Fred's room and quietly opened the door. He looked at me and pushed a finger to his lips telling me to be quiet. I nodded my head in understanding.
We walked across the room, crouching slightly and got to the portrait, which was a secret passageway to the girl's dorms.
He opened it and stood up straight, looking at me
"Do you think you can make it?" he whispered into my ear.
"I think so," I said back just as silently.
Oliver hugged me tightly and began to walk towards the boys' corridor.
I grabbed his arm and pulled him back towards me. I looked up at him.
He looked down at you questionably. 'It's now or never' I thought.
I leaned forward and quickly pecked him on the lips. I stepped back and looked at him, he was blushing. I smiled and gave him a quick hug and whispered into his ear
"Thank you so much," I whispered, before making my way though the tunnel.
I pushed open the portrait on the girls' side and saw Angelina and Alicia waiting on my bed. They looked in my direction and hurried over and helped me to my bed.
I sat on my bed, cross-legged, with my head down. I patted Chocolate who was on my lap. The silence was deafening.
"Well?" Angelina said breaking the silence.
"I think it's time I told you," I said tilting my head lower.