CHAPTER FOUR

My fourth year was the last year I'd be seeing Oliver at Hogwarts. He was graduating this year leaving behind his friends and teammates so that he could pursue his career in professional Quidditch. A bittersweet ending. By now I had learned that Quidditch was his life and, in some sense, his escape. After his sister's death, flying and protecting those three goals became strangely therapeutic. To play on a professional Quidditch team had been his dream for ages. But after the death of Emily Wood, it became an obsession. A necessity. It hurt me to see him push himself that much.

Every so often, I would come down to the common room because I couldn't sleep, and I would always see him there; his mind fixed in complete concentration on Quidditch plays and new maneuvers. Sometimes, I would get him a cup of hot chocolate which he would sip slowly, savoring the taste of the warm liquid running down his throat. "Mmm…thanks Katie. You're the best," he would always tell me.

I'd like to think that I was always his closest friend. I put him before anything else. Even before myself. We had a fixed routine. Every day, we would sit next to each other in the Great Hall and chat about what we were learning in various classes or argue over the chances of The Tornadoes making first in the league. Then we wouldn't see each other until Quidditch practice at which time Wood entirely ignored our friendship and treated me like any other player on the team. Which I understood entirely, of course. Close relationships should be maintained off the Quidditch pitch at all times.

Not that Oliver and I were in a relationship exactly. Well, what I mean is is that, we were friends. Good friends. But it never progressed beyond the banter and occasional midnight hot chocolate breaks.

Until Angelina and Alicia interfered.

It was a warm Saturday afternoon in October. Angelina and Alicia spent the entire morning dolling me up for something they called "a blind date". I figured that I'd be going on a date, but the "blind" part confused me. Was I going to lose my eyesight? Was I going to go on a date with a blind man? I knew that sounded downright ridiculous, but hey, you can never be too sure in the wizarding world. I repeatedly told them, "I don't do pity dates! If he is blind, just send him my apologies and hook him up with someone else."

Finally, after applying a thick coat of makeup, Alicia explained the meaning behind this ruddy blind date. "A blind date is a date between two people who have never met each other before."

I took one look at the mirror and gasped at what I saw. I looked like a bloody prostitute. "If I go out like this, we will never meet each other again! Take off the makeup!"

"No! You look sexy!" Alicia insisted. She and Angelina exchanged amused looks and giggled quietly.

Angrily, I wiped off all that thick foundation and lipstick off of my face.

"Now if you don't mind, I think I'll dress myself up." I pulled off the ridiculous miniskirt they forced me to wear and slipped into jeans. Ah, the comfort of blue jeans. No matter how many fads went in and out of style, I would always have my trusty pair of blue jeans by my side. I turned to face them and asked, "Who are you setting me up with anyway?"

Angelina smirked. "His name is Stevie Ray. He's gorgeous, intelligent-a fifth year Ravenclaw- and he plays a mean electric guitar."

I nodded knowingly. I'd never met the guy, but he sounded cool. At least those two dummies had the sense to pair me up with someone decent. And besides, this would be the perfect opportunity for me to make Oliver jealous.

Or so I thought, until Angelina broke the news that to me that Oliver had a date with Patricia Stimpson in Hogsmeade that evening, as well. At first, it shocked me that any girl would want to go on a date with a man who was such a Quidditch fanatic. He would ditch her for the sport in a heartbeat. And then I wondered if Oliver has ever been on a date before. And after some contemplating inside my mind, I came to the horrifying conclusion that yes, Oliver Wood had a life, and yes; it did not revolve entirely around Quidditch and/or me.

What a disappointing and interestingly eye-opening day it was.

In a shocking turn of events (which for some reason, didn't surprise me at all considering that Alicia and Angelina were involved), Oliver and I ended up drinking butterbeer together at The Three Broomsticks that afternoon. It all started when I waited by the Entrance Hall eager to meet this Stevie Ray fellow, when all of a sudden Oliver appeared out of nowhere. "Oh hello Oliver," I said rather bitterly. "Waiting for Patricia?"

Oliver looked incredibly confused, the poor boy. "Angelina and Alicia told me that Patricia would be waiting at the Entrance Hall for me at 5 sharp. So either she is having trouble getting dressed, or there has been some interesting mishap involving a twist in time and space of which I am not aware." He eyed me suspiciously. "What are you doing here? Waiting for this Sneevie person?"

"Stevie," I corrected, glaring in his direction. "And yes, I am waiting for him. He is a guitarist you know. And a rather phenomenal one, might I add."

Oliver laughed. "Oh, really? Have you ever heard him play?"

"Of course! He has even invited me to this gig with his band in London. He's so talented!" I felt bad lying to Oliver, but I simply had to make him jealous.

Oliver smiled smugly. "That sounds very exciting," he said sarcastically, "Be sure to wish him good luck from me. Oh! And I wish the very best to both you."

"Thank you. I will be sure to do so," I replied.

Oliver's lips formed a tight smile, but his blue eyes were dancing madly. "It's a funny story, actually. I was talking to McGonagall a couple of hours ago and popped this Stevie Ray chap you talk so highly of into the conversation. She informed me that no such person exists at Hogwarts. I told her that it's too bad, because you were going on a date with him this evening. McGonagall highly suggests you visit St Mungo's."

"What rubbish!" I spat. "Stop making up lies just to baffle me, Wood. It's not working!"

Oliver closed the space between us with two quick strides. And soon enough, he was standing so close in front of me that I could feel his breath on my cheek as he asked, "You sure?" I didn't answer. My mind was on overload from trying to keep me standing upright in one piece. He continued, "Come on Katie. You're a smart girl. Can't you see that maybe I'm just pointing out the obvious?"

And then it began.

We stood at the Entrance Hall for nearly half an hour bickering away about every possible thing on the planet. Then, I suddenly realized the lack of Patricia. When I mentioned this to Oliver, he finally realized what was happening.

"Those bitches!" he muttered. I flinched; his language took me by surprise, "It looks to me like we've fallen for their trap."

"What are you talking about?" By then I was utterly confused and rather hungry as well.

"Angelina and Alicia tried to set us up. Clearly, Patricia Stimpson was never aware of the date. And evidently, this Stevie Ray person does not exist."

My eyes widened and I could feel my blood boiling as my brain processed what Oliver had just said. Angie and Alicia were going to pay for this! I wasn't going to spare them for this utterly humiliating experience they put me through! Did they not consider the awkwardness that would ensue between my Quidditch captain and me? This scarring experience would affect our team dynamics; of that I was sure. It would certainly be a while before I could face Wood without rehashing these uncomfortable moments between us. And Slytherin would win the Quidditch cup, which would certainly suck balls.

Finally, after letting our anger simmer down for a few minutes, Oliver suggested that we get a butterbeer even though our "dates" didn't show up. I agreed, partly out of sheer whim, and partly because I was in love with the man.