Author's Note: I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!
Disclaimer: not mine, officer....
You're So Tactless
Chapter 7: Making Plans
The rest of the day passed nicely, although I didn't see Oliver at all, which probably was a good thing. I thought perhaps, I'd catch him in the Common Room after dinner.
Dinner was enjoyable. Lee and I sat next to each other, and we went over our Charms homework. I wasn't that great with Charms, so Lee offered to help me out after dinner. I agreed readily. I needed the grades.
"So, what do you feel you really need to work on?" Lee asked, peering at the book placed in between us, taking a bite of his chicken.
"Everything," I replied, flashing a grin.
"Be more specific," he said, rolling his eyes.
"Chapter five. I just can't get the wrist and arm movement right." I said, furrowing my eyebrows and peering more closely at the text..
"Alright then, when we get back up to the Common room, I'll practice with you." Lee said, taking a huge gulp of his pumpkin juice afterwards.
"Hey, Katie, you gonna eat that?" Fred asked, pointing at my untouched apple pie.
"Nah," I said, pushing it towards him.
He gobbled it up hastily, wiping his mouth on his sleeve when he was done, as Angelina frowned in distaste. Grinning sheepishly, he tried to give her a hug but she pushed him away, shaking her head and grinning too.
"You're disgusting Fred."
"Repulsive," Alicia added, nodding sagely.
George, who had been watching the curious endeavors of his friends suddenly decided to shock them.
"I am a poof." he announced.
Fred, who had been mock cat fighting with Angelina, suddenly let his hands go limp in midair, dangling from his raised wrists. Alicia looked as if she was trying hard not to laugh or cry, I couldn't tell which. And Lee and I just dropped our forks and nearly passed out.
"I'm joking." George said hastily.
The sigh of relief was unanimous, and Fred made sure to drop his shoulders dramatically for the effect.
"Had us scared for a minute bro," Fred said.
"Nah, I just wanted to you know, do something. I'm bored." George confessed.
"Well then let's go do something. All of us." Lee said.
Alicia said she was game, but Angelina said she wanted to have a word with Professor McGonagall. I hesitantly agreed to participate in their schemes. Alicia and I followed the mischievous trio up the marble staircase and to the third floor. We sat in an empty classroom, and discussed what we wanted to do.
"I'm up for baking Mrs. Norris." Fred said, rubbing his hands together in a villainous manner.
"No, that'll get us in trouble with Filch!" Alicia said, shuddering at the thought of Filch.
A very syrupy Filch covered in strawberries and shagging Angelina and Snape.
The trio looked at her as if she were crazy. "So?"
"Well, let's do something a little less, uh...risky." Alicia suggested.
"Then let's go set off fireworks in the corridor." George said.
"Yeah, but isn't this floor's corridor the former Forbidden Corridor?" I asked, looking to Lee.
"That's true. Our third year was the one with the Sorcerer's Stone chaos. Heh, I'd always like to see the place where it used to be kept." Lee mused, heaving a restless sigh.
Fred smiled. " Let's just go down to the Forbidden Forest, and plan an expedition there."
Alicia looked a little green, but assented to go with us. I was apprehensive about going into the Forest as well, but figured that it'd be the safest place to make plans. If we made the plans inside the castle, someone might hear us. The teachers would get tipped off and give us detention for our own safety. Who knows, it might still be dangerous down there.
Dangerous, I thought, furrowing my brows.
With great trepidation, I silently concluded that we probably shouldn't do it , but we'd do it anyway. I agreed to this mess, so they'd drag me in all the way.
Remind me why I love my friends?
"I still want to bake Mrs. Norris." Fred said, shoving his hands in his pockets as we left the room.
Oh yeah, that's why.
"We'll do it another time." Lee said, shutting the door.
We milled into the rest of the Gryffindor crowd as we trekked back up to the Common Room. Unfortunately, I bumped into Oliver.
"Oh, I'm sorry." I said softly, not daring to look him in the eye, and instead, casting my gaze on Lee.
He followed my gaze. "Forget it."
His muttered reply left chills inside my stomach, and I slowly continued, catching up to Angelina.
"So how did things go? Did you do something evil to Mrs. Norris?"
I laughed hollowly. "Close."
I climbed through the Portrait hall after yelling 'Fortuna Major', at the distracted Fat Lady. Angelina patted me on the back, and announced her early retirement, shuffling up the stairs to the girls dormitory. I waved good night, and sat down on the floor next to Alicia, who was getting ready to do her Potions essay. I watched her neat, meticulous scribble for well over an hour before Lee walked up to me and nudged me with his foot.
"Hey Katie. Let's start working on Charms another day, eh?" he said, smiling apologetically.
"Sure," I said, getting up and brushing off my uniform skirt.
He patted me on the back, letting his hand linger, and slide off my shoulder. I laughed and took his hand in mine.
"I cannot wait for the morrow, my beautiful Prince-" and here I cast around searching for a more refined name for him, "- Leopold." I finished, trying my best to sound wistful.
He kissed my hand, "Until tomorrow then, fair Katherine," he said gallantly, and walked off to the boys staircase.
He stopped midway, and waved to me as I pretended to swoon. I fell backwards, not thinking about how much it was going to hurt, but about how nice it felt to have been saved. I looked up to see who had caught me, and to my chagrin, it was none other than the Quidditch Captain, Oliver.
"You should be more careful." he said gruffly, stalking off to the boys dormitories.
"Um, Oliver..." I said, hoping to apologize.
"Yeah?" he replied roughly, though his eyes betrayed a shimmer of hope.
I stalled for a second, "I- uh-" I swallowed nervously.
Please, just let it be unspoken. I'm sorry.
"Katie?" Oliver propted, looking indifferent.
Maybe I just imagined the gimmer of hope in his eyes.
"Nothing," I said, turning away, and dragging myself up the girl's staircase.
End Chapter
P.S. - Don't you love cliffies?