Chapter 4

I started to walk in what I hoped was the direction of the exit, but in the dark it was hard to tell. It seemed everyone had gone home; the stadium was almost silent apart from the distant sound of voices from where the gate was. Or where the gate wasn't, as the case may be. It was hard to tell.

"Hey," said a voice behind me.

I froze. I hadn't realised there was anyone behind me. I rotated on the spot, turning slowly to face them. Oliver Wood. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey Oliver. Don't do that to me!"

He grinned wickedly. "Do what?"

"Sneak up on me like that."

"Do you really think I'll be getting another chance to do it again soon?"

"No. I'll make sure of that." I replied smiling as I started to walk again.

"Then why worry?" he asked, catching onto my stride.

I had no answer for that. Oliver often did that to me, offered obscure statements in reply that I could never answer. It always unsettled me slightly. I was used to always having an answer for everything, it was like my identity. I was the girl of the smart comebacks. But Oliver always took that from me, so easily, so disarmingly, that it left me wrong-footed and confused. He was weird like that.

"You played really well." He said after a few moments of silence.

I looked across at him, surprised. "You saw that?"

"Uh-huh." He nodded. "I missed the start but I saw the rest. Great game."

"Oliver, that's a lie," I laughed. "It was a crappy game. We were all crap apart from that chaser guy on the other team."

"Almost true," he said. "They were all crap apart from him and you, Katie Bell."

"I never knew you were a flatterer."

"I'm not."

More silence, but it wasn't awkward. It was a comfortable, friendly silence, or so it seemed to me.

"So what were those guys talking to you about after the match?"

"They- they, erm………..Well, er………"

Geez. This was harder than I'd expected.

"They what?"

"They signed me to the Montrose Magpies," I said quickly, the words tumbling off my tongue.

"No way," said Oliver his face lighting up. "That's brilliant!"

I blushed. "Thanks," I said bashfully, but Oliver was off in his own little Quaffle-shaped world, and didn't hear me.

"Yeah, cause they lost Greenlee, interesting to see how the league chances work out, Magpies were 10-1 last season, but the odds aren't up for this season yet, should be interesting to see if they go up or down…..probably down, the public always undervalue a new player, but the bookies set them high in case they're good, they don't want to lose……………"

"Oliver," I said waving my hand in front of his face. "Earth to Oliver."

"What?" he said, looking dazed. Then he spotted me again. "Oh. Right. Sorry about that Katie."

"Don't worry about it. I'm used to your obsession at this stage."

"It's not an obsession," he muttered, but without much conviction.

"Hey," he said turning to me again. "Do you want to come for a celebratory drink with me?"

"What are you celebrating?"

"Well, nothing if you don't come. Otherwise we're celebrating your signing."

I shrugged. "Sure, why not. I've already been for a drink this evening, but hey, I can handle another."

"You know something Katie?"

"What?"

"You're too calm about this. When I got signed to Puddlemere I was bouncing off the walls."

I laughed. "I may be calm on the outside but inside I'm jittery as hell. I'm unhealthily nervous, trust me."

"You've no cause to be nervous. You should be excited, looking forward to it. You're too hard on yourself. You'll be great."

"Thanks Oliver."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Two butterbeers please."

"Right away sir," I heard the barman reply as Oliver returned to our table.

"They'll be along in a minute," he said comfortably, sitting down.

I nodded mutely.

Oliver looked at me closely, a mischievous sparkle dancing in his eyes.

"You know Katie," he said. "If I didn't know better I'd say you were scared of me."

I laughed at the idea, even though my mind saw the truth of this statement.

"Why would I be scared of you? Is there something I should know?"

He laughed and got up to fetch our drinks.

"So," he said as he returned, plonking a butterbeer in front of me and sitting down. "The Magpies. Were you a fan of theirs before?"

I shook my head. "Not really, although I always admired their skills. In Hogwarts I was a Harpies fan, but I grew out of them, and I took an interest in Puddlemere when you joined. But the Magpies are still good, I mean, I've always liked them. Now I just hope they'll like me."

"They'll love you. You should have been signed professionally ages ago."

"Yeah, but I love my work. It's good fun."

"Loved," Oliver corrected. "You do know you have to give it up."

"Yeah, I know. Can't say I'm looking forward to it."

"Don't worry. What better excuse is there for quitting your job- especially a Quidditch related job- than getting signed to a professional team? Sam will be delighted."

I smiled. "Yeah, Sam's all right. Seems nicer than my new boss anyway."

"Who's this?"

"Steve Crowley, Magpie coach. He's vicious."

Oliver nodded. "Yeah, I've heard rumours. He's tough, but an ace player. He played beater for England years ago, one of the best we've ever had. Better than Ludo Bagman, I reckon, just don't tell Bagman that."

I laughed. "Speaking of those sort of things, I still need to tell Ange and Alicia."

"Tell them tomorrow."

I took a sip of butterbeer as we descended into friendly silence. It was good to talk to Oliver again. I couldn't remember the last time I'd had a proper conversation with him. It was long ago, that's for sure. Too long.

"You know we could end up facing each other in the league?" I said suddenly.

"I did think of that," he laughed. "But the chances are pretty slim. It would be interesting, mind you."

We laughed together. I took another sip of Butterbeer, feeling myself blush for some unknown reason.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oliver's POV

I was watching Katie out of the corner of my eye. She looked pretty, her cheeks tinged with pink, green eyes dancing with merriment. Her hair was windswept and untidy, golden curls working loose from her ponytail, falling forward to frame her face, only to be brushed back out of the way again. She was nervous, I decided. You could see the tension in the way she moved, the way she spoke. That didn't often happen to Katie. Actually, when you looked at her, she was really sort of-

Whoa. What happened there? Oliver, she's your friend. Nothing more, nothing less. Now let's get our thoughts out of the gutter, shall we?

My thoughts aren't in the gutter. What's so wrong about thinking a girl is pretty?

Lots of things, when she's been your friend for Merlin knows how long.

I don't like her like that, so it doesn't matter what I think, does it? I'm entitled to think what I like.

Only if you actually meant that bit about not liking her like that.

That's a load of crap. Katie's a friend.

But you want her to be more than that, don't you?

No, I don't.

Yes, you do.

No, I don't.

Yes, you do.

No, I- GET OUT OF MY HEAD!

Gladly. I'll leave you to your delusional ramblings.

GO AWAY!

…………..

Oh shit. I'm arguing with myself.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Katie's POV

"Seeya!"

I close the door behind me, shivering in the coolness of the air after the stifling warmth of the pub.

That was fun, I thought to myself. It was great to catch up with Oliver, especially now. If anyone can help me deal with what's just happened, it's him. He hasn't changed a bit since Hogwarts, mind you, he's still as obsessed as ever. I smiled at the thought, and then closed my eyes.

There was a crack.

When I opened them again, I was standing in front of the door of my apartment. I sighed.

"Home sweet home."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oliver's POV

I closed the door behind me, slinging my cloak onto the couch.

"Where were you?"

I looked up. There were two guys of around my own age sprawled on the couch, watching me closely and grinning.

"How come you're here Kevin?"

The guy on the right gestured absentmindedly in the direction of the fridge. "Oh, you know, just keeping Spellman company, picking up a few bits and pieces."

"Would it kill you to buy your own food?"

"Yes," yawned the second guy, my roommate, Carter.

"Beer, anyone?" I asked, opening the fridge and pulling out a can.

"Two over here," Kevin called.

"Heads," I said lazily, throwing them the cans, and plonking myself down beside them.

"Cheers mate," said Kevin sarcastically as the beer exploded all over him. "Real smooth. That was you."

I smirked as Kevin went to try and clean the front of his robes.

"That's what you get for trying to nick our food," grinned Carter.

Kevin was ignoring us. "Leesha's going to kill me," he muttered, scrubbing furiously at the fabric.

"So what were you up to?" Carter asked, gingerly opening his own can.

"Nothing much. Went for a drink."

"Female company, then?"

I grinned. "Shut it Spellman."

Carter Spellman was my long time friend, roommate, and team mate. All the Puddlemere players had apartments in this complex, and we all shared, apart from our Captain, Jethro Loughley, who had a flat to himself.

Carter was well built, with fair hair, blue eyes and face that sometimes seemed it was designed to allow maximum smirking. He was one of our Beaters, and a good friend, but with a sense of humour that smacked of the Weasley twins.

The Kevin in question was Kevin Danes, one of our Chasers. He had short brown hair and blue eyes, and was easily the tidiest person on the team. Although, considering the other options, that wasn't too hard. Kevin had recently got engaged, to none other than Alicia Spinnet. I'd only seen Alicia once or twice since Hogwarts, but Kevin talked about her enough to make up for it. The Wedding (the capital letters are deliberate) was at the beginning of September, a few weeks before the Quidditch season started. Once he was married, Kevin was moving out, and his roommate, Rob Anderson, our other Beater, was going to move into a bigger flat with us.

"Come on Wood," Kevin said, coming back over to us having given up on removing the smell of beer from his robes. "Stop trying to dodge the question. Who were you with, what did you do, where did you go?" He smirked.

"You sound like my mother," I said, lobbing the empty can into the bin and leaving the room.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanx to my brilliant reviewers! You all rock!

MiniMoose: Thanks! As for the ring, well, it depends if you count the thumb or not, lol.

IHopeForAnarchy: Aw, thank you! See, there was Oliver in this chapter, lol. And I forgot to say it when I was reviewing or something, but thanx for that little Christmas e-card thing, it's really cute.

Vanessa-Black and Zabini: Thanx a million!

Kathy: Thanx, and you got it in one. Darn, there goes my big twist, lol. Not that it's particularly well hidden, unfortunately. I've never been good at subtlety.

Lia06: Well, Oliver made his grand appearance. And sorry, Aaron's not going to go after Katie. He's just one of those people who flirts with everyone.

Pia O'Leary: Thank you! I do my best. And Oliver actually appeared in this chapter, lol.

TrinityElf: Aw, thank you!