Sorry the chapters have been coming kind of slower.

I've been pretty busy though.

Not to worry however, I'm trying to get at least a chapter every 2 days.

Keep read and REVIEWING!

Thanks for all the great reviews too.

Enjoy!

Maegen

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

My feet echoed throughout the empty corridor. Percy was on his way down to the dungeons, and I was on my way to Ravenclaw. I had not uttered so much as a syllable to Oliver since after Potions. My stomach churned every time I thought about the fact that I had to be alone with him.

"Swivelstairs." The doorway swung open for me to the common room. I really loved the passwords that were given to the houses. They got more and more ridiculous every year.

Not so much to my surprise, the common room was empty. If you had thought Ravenclaws went to sleep early last night, well, they went to sleep even earlier when school actually started. I sadly shook my head and turned back towards the door.

Now I had to get to Oliver even sooner. I could only pray he went to sleep.

I took my first step towards the door when a piercing shriek came from the stairway.

"Noooooo!" I spun on my heels to see Suze rushing down the stairs towards me, a look of horror on her face.

"Suze, what happened? Are you okay? What's wrong?" She looked so panicked, I thought that someone had been murdered. Perhaps she had seen Sirius Black. Surely, something was terribly wrong with her.

"I- I couldn't," She gasped for breath, gripping the sleeve of my robe.

"What Suze, what? Please tell me!"

"I couldn't let you leave without talking to you first...about Oliver." My shoulders dropped and my face changed from concerned to annoyed. She had acted as if there was some great problem that needed my assistance. I would have never guessed it was about Oliver.

"What is it then?" I asked rudely, beginning to become impatient.

"I need you to put in a good word for me. Please? It's important. I don't see Oliver enough in the day to make a good impression myself, so I need you to help me. Make me sound good. Exactly what he wants." I sadly shook my head looking at her. It was almost pitiful how desperate she was to get him.

"And what exactly would you like me to tell him about you?" For the life of me I couldn't think about any qualities in her that he would really admire.

"I don't know. Make something up. Just make it sound good." Rolling my eyes, I turned to leave. No one should have to lie to get another person. Before I could walk away, she grabbed my arm. I turned around annoyed, but quickly softened when I saw the desperation in her eyes.

"Please Penelope. You're the only one who can help me. I need your help."

I let out a heavy sigh and looked her in the eye. "Suze, you shouldn't have to lie or change yourself to be with anyone. There are plenty of boys in this school who would gladly accept you for who you are. You don't need Oliver." I said it with sincerity, but in the back of my mind I couldn't help wondering, who was I trying to protect more? Suze, or Oliver?

"Penelope. You know that Oliver is a one-of-a-kind guy. I haven't even talked to him that much, and I can even tell. Please, just say you'll help me?" Her pleads were so desperate, they almost made my heart crack at how shallow she sounded. She didn't used to be like this. She was independent and sincere.

I shrugged my arm from her grasp and looked at her sadly. Shaking my head I slowly turned away. Right as I reached the door, I said back over my shoulder, "I'll try my best."

As I exited, I heard her squeal with delight and yell back, "Thank you Penelope!"

When the door swung shut, I slapped my hands over my eyes and rubbed my face. I didn't know what would be more stressful. The visit I just had with Suze, or the visit I was about to have with Oliver.

At the Gryffindor entranceway, I stood and stared at the Fat Lady, deciding what I would do if Oliver were awake.

"Well, do you want to come in or not, Dear?" She looked down at me with a kind face.

"I'm not sure." I had never actually spoken to a portrait before, but I would take any chance at the moment to stall have to go inside.

"Well, I'm pretty certain that you have to go in to check on the students. It's your responsibility as Head Girl. Responsibility is always important. So, would you like to go in? You know the password don't you?"

"I'm trying to prepare myself. You see, there's someone inside. I don't exactly want to see this someone at the moment. Things aren't so great between us." I couldn't believe I would actually just spill almost everything to a portrait that I had hardly ever seen before.

"Oh, dear now. It can't be all that bad. It looks like the hardest decision you ever have right now, but trust me, things could be worse. Actually, this is probably the best thing that could happen to you, although it seems like the worst. Love is a beautiful thing. Just because it's not perfect, doesn't mean it's not worth it. Just follow your heart, and trust me, you'll be happier than you ever were. No matter how hard it is, you just have to bite down and bear it to have true happiness."

What she said made sense, but she didn't know the true depth of it all.

"How do you know this is about love?"

"I've seen so many students pass through this portrait and pass by. I see the look in your eyes. I know. Now, this poor boy in this house, his eyes almost broke my heart. Passed by today, looked so crushed, I almost wanted to cry for him. Oh, through all the years I've been here and how many students I see, I don't think I've ever seen anyone with a heart so broken. That poor poor boy. Something is burning away at his heart, I can tell. And he has so much talent. So much going for him. No one should ever be as hurt as he is. It just radiates off him. Oh, that poor Oliver Wood." She moaned and shook her head.

My heart shriveled up at the sound of his name. I was truly feeling sorry for this boy she mentioned, then when she named Oliver, I felt my insides die. Was he really hurting that bad? Could it really be over me?

"Oh, I've seen him troubled before." The Fat Lady continued, "Over quidditch and such, but never like this. His eyes were intense, thinking, but now, oh no, not now. His eyes are hurt. I can tell a lot from eyes you know. I guess it's a gift from being here for so long. Centuries in fact. I wish I could just give him a hug and console him, but for obvious reasons I can't. It's in his voice too. He's cracking inside. Ooh, I can't even stand to think about it anymore." She covered her mouth and turned away. She really did like the sound of her own voice. Still, what she said brought stinging tears to my eyes. They burned under the lids as I refused to let them fall.

"Fortuna Major." I whispered hoarsely.

The portrait swung open. "Good luck dear. I hope everything works out alright for you."

I walked into the common room. I was greeted by a dark empty room, with the only light source being the warm glow of the fire.

I let out a huge sigh a relief as I gazed around to see the common room empty. Even the chair where Oliver had hidden the previous night had no occupant. There were no remnants of any of Fred and George's experiments. It was safe for me to leave.

I stopped momentarily to admire the crest on the wall near the portrait exit. Gryffindors, you just had to love them. I smiled and moved towards the door.

"Don't leave yet." A small whisper came from behind me.

I sucked in my breath sharply and spun on my heel.

As my eyes adjusted to the dark in the direction of his voice, a silhouette came into focus on the stairs. He sat about halfway up, just out of view if someone were to take a quick look around. His legs were spread apart with his arms resting on his thighs and hands clasped. He was leaned forward, and even in the dark, I could tell that his eyes were focused on me.

"Oliver..."

"What happened today?" He cut in before I could say anything. His voice sounded as hurt as the Fat Lady had described. He stood up and came off the stairs towards me. As he came closer, I could tell his eyes were just as hurt.

"Oliver, listen..."

"No, I'm done just listening. I want answers. I need answers, Penelope. This is killing me. I can't keep pretending that there's nothing between us. There is. You KNOW there is. Now, if you can look me in the eye, and tell me that you truly love Percy, then I'll step back. I'll allow you two to be happy, because that's all I want for both of you. But if you can't say that you really love him, that you're feelings for him are stronger than they are for me, then I can't let you go on with him. It's not fair to either of you. I can't see you hurt yourself that way Penelope, I can't." He took my hands in his and looked into my eyes, pleading with me.

I had to turn my head away. When I did, he grasped me firmly below my shoulders, forcing me to look at him again.

"Please, Penelope. Answer me. Please. I need to know. Tell me now."

"I can't." I whispered, near tears.

"Why not!" He urged through barred teeth. His eyes pleaded with mine and it made my heart melt.

"Because...I'm not even sure." He let go of me and backed away, shaking his head and looking down.

"Penelope," He began in a soft voice, "It's only been two days, and I feel more for you than I ever have for anyone else. If you love Percy more than me, then tell me now. I won't come between you. But if whatever feelings you have for me are stronger than what those you have for Percy, then I can't let you walk out that door to go back to him. I love you too much to let you throw your love away like that." He spoke slowly. Still, I couldn't bring myself to answer. I wasn't sure if it was because I truly didn't know myself, or if I just didn't want to admit to either choice. How could I give him an answer if I didn't have one for myself?

"Oliver," this time he stood patiently and listened, "I can't give you an answer. Not just yet. I don't even know. What I do know, is that I woke up two mornings ago and told myself I loved Percy. Two days ago, I would have sworn that to the grave. Tonight, right now, looking at you, I find it harder and harder to tell myself I love him. Maybe what I feel for Percy isn't truly love, but if it is, then I can't believe that it can die in two days. I don't know what love is exactly, so I can't say that what I feel for you or Percy is love or not. I can't even really say what it is that I feel for you. All I know, is that I'm torn right now."

His eyes, usually bright and vibrant, looked glassy and miserable. I had to look away to keep from crying.

"I feel I have a responsibility to Percy," I continued, "and I can't just give up on him. A year can't be thrown away in two days. That's not fair to him. But, don't wait for me Oliver. I can't promise anything. I won't promise anything. Percy has been dedicated to me since the first day we went out. It would be...irresponsible to just leave him for anything, when I'm not even sure what it is. I know that I have some sort of feelings for Percy, and I won't lie, I do feel something for you. But for all I know, it could just be some sort of puppy love. What I have with Percy has lasted for over a year now. It's strong. I don't know what we have Oliver, but how can I know it will be as strong as what me and Percy have? I can't. Neither of us can."

"Penelope." He came towards me and grabbed my hand. Placing it against his chest over his heart, he held it there and looked into my eyes. "Penelope, can you feel my heart beating. Can you feel how hard it's pounding? Never, and I mean never, not even when I'm on the quidditch pitch, has my heart beat this fast. It's only like this when I'm with you. Whenever I see you, hear your name, just the thought of you, it makes my heart beat like this. Sure, it's only been two days, but bloody hell, can you really say that you've ever felt with Percy the way that you feel when you're with me? You're wrong when you say that neither of us can know if what we have will be strong. I know. I know it for a fact. And if you'll just listen to your heart, you'll know too. I can see it in your eyes when you look at me. You love me just as much as I love you. Penelope, stop lying to yourself. I'm sure that you're not really happy with Percy. I'm sure of it. Look into the future. Can you see yourself being happy with Percy or can you see yourself with me? Just listen to your heart Penelope."

I wanted to believe him. I was listening to my heart, and it told me to go with Oliver, but my mind kept telling me that it was irresponsible. My mind forced me to shake my head. It forced me to say no when my heart and eyes were saying yes.

"Oliver, I can't. It wouldn't be fair. I just can't do it. I have responsibilities."

"To Hell with your responsibilities! What about the responsibility to your heart? To yourself? What about those? The most important ones!"

"I can't." I pulled away from him and backed away, shaking my head. "Please Oliver, don't wait for me. I just can't do it. Just move on. I'm no good for you. You deserve better. Please Oliver, don't." My heart broke looking at him. He held his hands out for me to come back. His eyes pleaded and his face contorted into a hurt grimace. I had never seen him look so wounded. It stabbed at my heart and my eyes began to burn.

"Penelope, please!"

"No, Oliver. I can't! Oh Merlin, I may want to...but I can't." With that I turned and ran out of the portrait hole and down the steps to the floor of the Head House. Instead of running to my room, I ran past the entrance and to an old abandoned room. I made my way to a far corner of the pitch black room and shrank down against the wall.

I brought my knees to my chest and rested my chin against them. Hugging my legs, I began to rock myself, letting out the trapped tears beneath my lids.

For the longest time, I sat there in that room and bawled. I knew I had just thrown everything away. Everything that I had wanted. Most of all, Oliver was gone now.

When the tears finally subsided and I was calm again, I finally knew.

I truly did love Oliver Wood.