A trip to Hogsmeade can be judged by three factors. If a trip fulfills all three categories, then the trip is deemed successful. If it meets less than three, it's a failure. So, given data on the subject says that a trip to Hogsmeade will be successful 1:4.

The first factor: sit at Our Table at The Three Broomsticks and enjoy butterbeers for at least an hour and a half. The time minimum is important, because if it isn't met, even if just by a minute, the trip fails.

Factor number two: a trip to Zonko's with the Weasley twins. And only the Weasley twins! Fiona, Carolina, and Rosaline just dampen the mood whenever they enter Hogsmeade's joke shop. However, the Weasley twins know how to have a good time in there. As do I. Also, it is strongly encouraged to try out some of the tricks on unsuspecting Slytherins or third years. Just adds to the fun, you know?

And, finally, the third factor: Avoid Wood. Simple enough, I think, but it would prove to be rather difficult when your mates insist on bring the bloke up in conversation at all hours of the day and whatnot. However, avoiding him is definitely a bit more manageable than avoiding the mention of him.

Sadly, though, this Hogsmeade trip did not meet all three requirements for a successful excursion. Three Broomsticks tradition, check. Zonko's with the twins, check. Avoid Wood, fail. And that is a resounding, absolute fail. There's nothing that could fix that. I suppose I could've lived without getting our favorite table and enjoying butterbeer for three hours. I suppose it could have been bearable going to Zonko's by myself. But there is absolutely no excuse in this entire world that would make the "avoid Wood" rule allowed to be broken.

After having spent about an hour and a half in Zonko's with my dearest, most beloved Weasley twins, we left, bags on our arms full of lovely things that would hold us over until the next Hogsmeade trip in a month. We laughed about something or another, but my laugh faltered when I looked up to find Oliver sodding Wood standing in front of me, a rather displeased look on his face.

"Hullo, Oliver!" Fred chirped happily. Apparently his mood wasn't ruined by the bloke.

"Can we, er, help you with something?" George asked hesitantly, looking between me and Oliver.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could borrow Rüdiger for a moment."

"Of course, you can, oh dearest Quidditch Captain of ours!" Fred cried, pushing me towards Wood. I stumbled forward, almost losing my balance and falling over until Wood grabbed my arm and straightened me.

"Thanks!" He smiled finally, dragging me off.

I craned my neck, sending a glare at two very sheepish-looking Weasleys.

I wasn't sure where we were going, and I made sure Wood was aware of my displeasure about the situation the entire way. Suddenly, he just stopped.

"What in the bloody hell, Wood? Why do you insist upon making my first Hogsmeade trip a failure? Great way to start off the year, mate! You are so going to regret this-"

"Rue, shut it. I just wanted to let you know I heard the Slytherins talking," he trailed off.

"Yeah, so?"

"Mmm," he paused and looked around, rocking back and forth slightly. "Well, it seems that they might be planning to sabotage your try outs tomorrow."

"Is that so? You sure you aren't the one who is going to sabotage my try outs?"

"Rue, honestly, I don't know what more convincing you need, but I-"

"Stop calling me 'Rue'," I said slowly. "I am not your chum, Wood."

He raised an eyebrow and shrugged, "You're difficult. But, if you don't want to believe me..."

"Fine!" I threw my arms up in exasperation. "What exactly did you overhear?"

"Oh, but you don't want to hear it from me. I'm not your 'chum', remember?"

"Merlin, Wood! Fine, fine! How 'bout this: for the next five minutes, I trust you wholly. Say whatever you want so long as it pertains, in some manner, to Quidditch. Circle of Trust, yeah? So, out with it!" I looked up at him expectantly and, I can't explain why, but I found myself wondering momentarily about a different circumstance in which he would maybe be leaning down towards me to… My thoughts were interrupted.

"Well, they were going to hex a few people, maybe you."

"Is that it? I think I can handle a few hexes; I've had my fair share of them."

"Right, well," he paused, looking up at the sky.

I blinked a few times, still unsure why I had even been thinking about him like that a few seconds ago. Perhaps he wanted to say something else.

He sighed, "I just want to be sure you're safe."

His eyes locked with mine.

I let out a snort.

"I'm serious."

"Sure, sure. Well, ta-ta then. Lovely chatting with you," I turned and was about to make a mad dash back to the main path before a warm hand gently wrapped around my own. I turned back to face him, confused by the gesture.

He just searched my eyes and gave my hand a soft squeeze before letting it go.

I huffed, continuing on my merry way.

"He what?" Carrie cried loudly as we sat at the Ravenclaw table, dinner sitting on our plates.

Fiona perked up, staring across the room to the Gryffindor table while Rose and Carrie whipped around in their seats to get a better look at the boy in question.

"You mean to say that Haggis Boy held your hand, and you just let him?" Rosaline asked carefully, looking up at me with her eyebrows knit.

"And you, maybe, wondered if he wanted to say something else to you?"

"And that, perhaps, you were thinking he might lean down and kiss you right then and there?" Fiona asked quietly.

"Oh, hardly! I'm just saying it was slightly awkward and I was curious, is all."

All three looked back at me, doubt evident in their eyes. Silence.

And then, in a flurry of motion, Fiona was singing a muggle song in the wrong key, Carrie was giggling madly, and Rose had jumped up from her seat and was walking, in a very determined fashion, towards the Gryffindor table and Oliver Wood.

"L IS FOR THE WAY YOU LOOK AT ME,"

Carrie continued for Fiona, "O IS FOR THE ONLY ONE I SEE,"

Other Ravenclaws began turning their heads and looking down the table at us. I felt myself sinking in my seat and my cheeks flushing to a color that surely matched my hair. How utterly embarrassing. And, of course, the embarrassment didn't stop.

Fiona and Carolina were now singing in tandem, "V IS VERY, VERY... EXTRAORDINARY, E IS EVEN MORE THAN ANYONE THAT YOU ADORE, aaaaand..."

I buried my face in my hands. A few professors were now watching the spectacle and, when I did look up, Rose was returning to the table, Wood in tow.

Oh bloody hell. I jumped up from my seat and ran. I had no idea what Rose had planned, but I wasn't about to let it happen in front of the entire school.

I woke up the next morning, rather groggy. I nearly fell on the floor as I tried to get out of bed. As I washed my face in the sink, I realised that today was indeed the day of my Quidditch team try outs. With a loud whoop!, I skipped back into the dormitory, rushing to pull out my practice robes. I had rescheduled the try outs, yet again, to take place in the morning in order to further weed out young students seeking a spot that I would never give them. Unless I was completely amazed by one of them. ... Unlikely.

Fiona groaned and rolled over to her side, mumbling about it being too early for Bubbly Rue-Rue. I marched over to the side of her bed and poked her cheek. "Up, up, dearest! We have Quidditch try outs to tend to in a few hours!" I looked at my watch. "Breakfast awaits!"

I quickly changed into my robes before bounding down the steps, banging on the doors of the fifth year and fourth year girls' doors. Upon reaching the landing that separated the girls' dormitories from the boys', I made the decision to run up the blokes' staircase too and wake them up. It's a Sunday. And, better yet, a Quidditch Sunday. The team needs to be excited!

Snickering at my work, I hurried down to the Great Hall, my stomach gurgling for foodstuffs. Klaus was already up, his hair askew. Damn my brother for looking so haphazardly attractive. Why couldn't I be so lucky? I sighed as I plopped unceremoniously down into the seat across from him. "Morning, brother mine!"

"Good morning, Rue," he smiled.

We ate quietly for a time, content with the sound of crunching cereal.

"So, what was that about yesterday?"

"Whaddya mean?" I asked, a confused look on my face.

"Well, with the singing and then Wood coming over to the table and you running faster than I've ever seen you run before. It was completely impressive, but still... Is there something going on? You know you can talk to me about it," Klaus finished hesitantly.

I groaned, setting my spoon against the edge of my bowl, "Klaus, there's nothing going on. Wood's just... He's... I don't know. It seems he's either A) toying with me or B) is sincerely interested in becoming, at the very least, my friend. I don't know if it's just for a bet or something- it could be, for all I know! But, I just-"

Klaus interrupted, "Well, I think, if it's the latter, you really ought to just let him do his thing. And by latter, I mean that he wants to be your friend. What's so bad in having a friend, hmm? Sure, he might be a Scottish Gryffindor, but he seems like a perfectly decent bloke."

Every now and then, my brother astonishes me. This? Definitely one of those times.

"And there aren't many blokes 'round here that I would say are decent enough for my little sister, even though she may be a dumkopf sometimes," he smiled cheekily.

I rolled my eyes, "Thanks, I guess."

"Well, I best be going. Looks like your boyfriend just came in, and I've got to go dote on my dear Anna!"

"And you call me the 'dumkopf'!" I called after him, but he had already made it to the corridor. I huffed, returning to my cereal.

It would have been a perfectly pleasant meal until a shadow came over me and my breakfast. I looked up to see Wood standing before me. He looked around the Great Hall before asking in a low voice, "Mind if I join you?"

I shrugged. I give up. Apparently he's just not having whatever I dish out. Wanker.

He grabbed some toast, putting it on the fresh plate that had appeared after Klaus had left. Wood, however, didn't touch the food.

"Look, I just wanted to offer some help with your try outs this morning," he said, his knife in his left hand and his right arm resting against the table, as if it were reaching out for me.

I raised an eyebrow, "What kind of help?"

"Well, I was thinking that I could convince some of the Gryffindor team to go as backup protection against whatever the Slytherins may be planning. That way, you won't have to be on the defensive the whole time."

I regarded him, my eyebrows knit together.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked harshly.

"Well, I just figured I'd offer you some help."

"You want something don't you?"

He shrugged, "Let's just say you'll owe me one."

I groaned inwardly before giving in, "Fine. Just don't be a distraction!"

He smiled. Damn that smile.

Try outs, though I hated to admit it, went rather smoothly. Fred and George said that Wood had offered to let those who came out of two practices of their choice for the next three weeks, so a handful of the team decided it was worth it.

The Slytherins did try to throw a few hexes here and there, but, for the most part, they were kept at bay. I just wished that Katie Bell hadn't blocked a curse that was aimed at Davies.

After discussing with the other members of the team, I announced to all those who tried out that results would be posted tomorrow morning before breakfast. "Thanks to everyone who tried out! Go enjoy the rest of your day. If you made the team, we have the pitch booked for Tuesday night." And, with that, the group dispersed.

"You should thank him," Fiona said quietly as she moved past me to return to the castle with the rest of the team.

"Yeah, I guess."

I approached him hesitantly; it seemed he was expecting me to talk to him afterwards. Pompous Macduff. I stood before him, rubbing the back of my neck and refusing to make eye contact.

"I just wanted to say, erm," I cleared my throat. "I just wanted to say thanks, ya know, for, er, that. It was... huh," I bit my lip, "helpful."

He laughed, "No problem. Just remember you owe me."

I looked up at him suspiciously, "Right."

And with that, I turned on my heel and hurried after Fiona.

Finally, right? I'm sorry it's been so long. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. I made it extra long to (hopefully) make up for the past few months. I will definitely do anything within my power to get another update or two out in the next week. I am determined! Anyways, the world of Harry Potter belongs to Jo Rowling who is far more brilliant than I could ever hope to be as far as writing goes. A warm "holla" to my new beta, WHASHMACKITY, who is, quite literally, the shiznit. Right, well, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!Yours.