It was the morning of the first Quidditch match of the season: Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff. I knew Gryffindor would likely win, seeing as Hufflepuff had always been rather terrible at Quidditch, but I still hoped Diggory was first to catch the Snitch. My entire team had skipped going to the Great Hall for breakfast, eating in the kitchens instead. We needed to hide the kilts, otherwise the Gryffindor team would know something was going on, and Wood would probably rip mine off me and ravage me or something of the sort.

I glanced at my watch, stood, and cleared my throat. The team quieted down, turning in their seats to face me.

"Well, we all know what we're going to do, yeah?"

"A good, old-fashioned Highland Fling," Davies smiled. For once, he wasn't bothering me.

Fiona rolled her eyes at his eagerness. She was truly the only one who was completely uninterested in this particularly excellent prank of mine.

"So, let's go out there and be brilliant! Jamison, you've got the band ready, yeah?"

"Yes, ma'am," he saluted.

I smiled evilly. "Lovely. Tally ho, then!"

We filed out of the kitchen in two perfectly straight lines. Fiona and I led the charge, a goofy smile plastered on my face and a look of disapproval on hers. I clapped her on the shoulder, "Cheer up. This'll be the greatest moment of your Quidditch career without having to be on your broomstick!"

She rolled her eyes.

We all stood in the first row of the Ravenclaw stands and threatened anyone who dared to sit directly behind us. This would be the greatest prank ever pulled during a Quidditch match, and I didn't want it to be tarnished by some bloody first year who decided to get in the way.

We had been sitting in the stands for a while, watching the game above us with mild interest. After Hufflepuff had made another goal, I stood and motioned for my coconspirators to do the same.

However, just as the band had pulled out their bagpipes and other students had started to notice us, I felt that something was wrong. I looked up, carefully watching the match.

"What is it?" Fiona asked, trying to spot whatever it was I was seeing.

"I don't know. Something doesn't feel right."

My teammates and the band watched me, waiting for instruction.

"Fi," I said slowly, squinting. "Does that bludger seem to be acting a bit off to you?"

At that moment, the bludger, having been hit by one of the Weasley twins towards a Hufflepuff chaser, spun off in a completely different direction, zooming towards Potter for the third time since I'd started to watch it. I pulled out my wand and started muttering a counter-curse. In retrospect, I realize that this probably didn't look good from anyone else's point of view, however all those around me could verify that I was not the one setting the bludger after Harry.

Harry reached out for what I presumed was the Snitch when a loud snap was echoed through the pitch as the bludger collided with his forearm. I let out a hiss as others around me gasped.

I turned to the band members who had been sitting with us. "Put those away, will you?"

"Rue, this is bad," Fiona grabbed onto my arm, attaching herself to me as we hurried back to the castle after the match. Lockhart, the fool, had managed to make the bones in Harry's arm disappear entirely in his pathetic attempt to fix him up. Now the boy would surely be spending time in hospital.

"You're going to be blamed for the bludger, you know. Plenty of people saw you with your wand out," Fiona continued.

I shook her hand off my arm. "You don't think I realise that?" I snapped.

She looked down at her feet. "I'm just worried. I mean, I know it wasn't you, as does the rest of the team. But of course we're going to stand behind you. You're our captain and all that-"

"Fi," I stopped, "please hush up. I know all this, and I'm just as worried as you are."

If it was found that I was the one cursing the bludger, and I most certainly was not, I would surely be revoked of my position as Quidditch captain and would likely be pulled from the team. And I had no idea what I would do with myself if that happened.

The girls and I had spent the rest of the afternoon in our dormitory, solemnly thinking up ways to convince the staff that I was not behind the mishap at the match should I be questioned about it. We also maybe performed a ritual dance and prayed to Merlin and any other powers that be that I not be accused of injuring Harry and to keep me on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team.

Later that evening at dinner, I found out that Harry was indeed spending time in the Hospital Wing to regrow the bones in his arm. I felt bloody awful about the entire ordeal, especially since I hadn't been able to prevent it from happening. It really was a simple counter-curse and yet that bludger seemed to have a mind of its own entirely.

I sat quietly, poking at the food on my plate and not really paying any attention to whatever Rose, Carrie and Fiona were animatedly discussing.

I was pulled from my absentminded food-poking when Rose elbowed me in the ribs and someone behind me cleared their throat. I turned to glare at Rose before fulling turning in my seat to see who apparently wanted my attention.

"Yes, Wood?"

"Come with me."

"I'm eating, actually, so, er-"

"Come with me," he said more forcefully, his hand wrapping around my arm. I stood, awkwardly sliding from the bench and following him out to the corridor.

He marched up the stairs, pulling me along behind him, and stopped when we were in an alcove that I registered as the very same one the Weasley twins had forced me into earlier that week. He turned to me, finally releasing my arm.

"What's this all about then, Wood?" I asked, gently rubbing the spot where he'd been holding me only moments ago.

"I know that you're the one responsible for the bludger," he stated in all seriousness.

"What?" I asked, shocked.

"I saw you with your wand out. If this was your idea of a prank, it wasn't funny at all."

"No, Wood, you've got it all wrong, I was-"

"Oh, have I? I don't think so."

"What kind of person do you think I am?" I demanded. "I would never dream of doing anything to Harry-"

"Apparently, you would, Rue," he spat.

"Let me finish," I hissed, glaring up at him. "You haven't told any professors yet, have you?"

"So you did-"

"No, I did not. Now let me finish what I was saying, will you?"

He looked at me expectantly, his arms crossed over his chest.

I sighed and ran a shaky hand through my hair, "I was actually trying to use a counter-curse to stop it. I noticed something was wrong, everyone around me can attest to that, and pulled out my wand to try to help. That's all. I would never dream of jinxing a bludger to go after and injure another Quidditch player."

"Who exactly was around you at the time?"

"Fiona, the rest of the team, some band members-"

"People who are loyal to you, then."

"Yeah," I said softly, knowing where he was going.

"Shame that," he started to walk back off in the direction of the Great Hall.

"Wood, please, you have to believe me!" I cried suddenly, unable to control myself.

He stopped, turned and strode back over to where I stood.

"The prank was to do a Highland Fling-type dance and have band members play 'Scotland the Brave' on bagpipes. That's it. It's why we were all wearing kilts, don't you see? I only wanted to annoy and distract you."

He raised his eyebrows, studying me. "I find that rather unlikely."

"You know I would never hurt him. I would never hurt anyone like that!" I said desperately.

He moved to turn, but I reached out to him, catching his sleeve in my fingers. "Oliver, please, you have to believe me," I begged, tears stinging my eyes. He faced me fully. "I don't want to be removed from the team, and I would never do something that would put me in such a position. Surely you know that!"

He opened his mouth to say something else, but stopped. "Did you just... just call me by my first name?" His eyebrows were furrowed.

I felt heat rising in my cheeks. I let go of his sleeve, my hand dropping to my side, and I looked at my feet, nodding slowly. What had I done?

Wood moved forward, and his shoes came into view. I looked up at him, ready to defend myself. "I couldn't even fathom setting a bludger after someone. Please don't run off to McGonagall-"

I was suddenly interrupted when Wood's lips crashed against mine. I wasn't sure what to do, but my eyes slid shut on their own accord and I relaxed slightly in his arms, innerly relishing the feel of his warm mouth against mine.

That state of relaxation quickly morphed into one of panic when I heard footsteps. I pushed Wood away from me, embarrassed and already mentally berating myself for what had just happened. He looked rather disgruntled and was about to say something when someone else beat him to it.

"Oh, Wood, sorry... I didn't realise you were with someone," a familiar voice said.

Wood stepped to the side, revealing Tristan Gwinnett. His eyes widened when he saw me. "Right, well, I'll just see you back in the common room then."

Tristan quickly turned on his heel and bolted up another flight of stairs.

"Bloody hell, Wood! Look what you've done!" I cried, pushing past him and running after Tristan. I had a lot of explaining to do.

And there it is! Finally, some action. Bet you weren't expecting that! Anyway, J.K. Rowling, the literary goddess of our generation, owns all that you recognize from the Harry Potter Universe. That which you do not belongs to me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter thoroughly, and I do so hope that you choose to REVIEW. Also, my friend thesmilingpirate is going to be posting a fic tomorrow evening that you should check out- it's fabulous. I should have another update or two out by the end of the weekend. Yours.