Author Notes: Hey guys, thanks for the wonderful reviews
heyyodude: Thanks! Actually, I'm not sure why it's a dead rat. Just something miscellaneous I guess. It doesn't really make a difference for the story.
CHAPTER EIGHT
We didn't start dating after that particular incident. In fact, we didn't say a word to each other thereafter. It was as if there was this invisible barrier between us. An unspoken rule that we were no longer friends. Not enemies, mind you. We still acknowledged each other during Quidditch practice. But, we could no longer go back to the level of friendship after what had happened. I regretted the kiss. Because pissy Oliver was ten times better than no Oliver at all. Which just goes to show how hooked I was to him.
And then one day before practice, Oliver announced that he had been accepted into the reserve team at Puddlemere United. He was elated, I could tell. But there was something else there as well. Relief. Sorrow. Guilt. A combination of many feelings that probably overwhelmed him. I was scared to let him go. Quidditch is a dangerous sport. He could have gotten hurt, died even. I didn't know if I was willing to take that risk. But I knew I couldn't stop him. What could I have said? "Oliver, don't go because you will die and I can't let you go because I love you"? He'd have probably thought I was a lunatic.
Still, I felt that he needed to know the risks of the decision he was about to take. I was his closest friend for many years. If I couldn't tell him, who would? It seemed like everyone around him was supportive of the decision but no one bothered to mention that their friend, Oliver Wood, was throwing himself into a death sentence. So I cornered him right before Charms one day. He was sitting alone in the classroom, waiting for other students to pile in. I took the opportunity to share what was on my mind.
"Don't do it."
He turned around to see the source of the noise and frowned when he saw me. "What?"
"Don't do it," I repeated. It was very rehearsed. All morning I'd been repeating 'don't do it' in front of the mirror. Angelina got the impression that I was having sex. It was very awkward.
Oliver was perplexed. "Don't do what exactly?"
I sighed but kept telling myself it was for the best. "Don't say yes to Puddlemere."
"Are you barking mad? Why the hell wouldn't I say yes?" he practically shouted.
"It's hard to explain," I began trying to formulate my words carefully. I would have to be patient to convince him out of that mess he'd found himself in. "I have your best interests at heart and I just think that--"
"Just think what Katie?" His voice was cold and I could see genuine fury in his eyes. I've never seen Oliver quite so upset. That I'm a kid and I can't handle it?"
"Of course not! I just feel that--"
"Oh please, Bell. You have never given a damn about what I wanted. It's always about you, isn't it?"
"That's not true Oliver, and you know it!"
"Is it because you pity me?" he asked, in a soft voice, which kind of startled me because it was so different from his harsh tones a second before.
At that moment I stopped. I was afraid to answer because I knew he would find some way to misconstrue my words and hate me forever.
He laughed coldly. "I knew it. You talked to me, not because I'm your friend, but because you feel sorry for me. Sorry for the guy who lost his sister."
I was furious that he was turning me into some kind of heartless, cruel animal. "Look will you stop being such a bitch about it and listen to what I have to say?"
"You have nothing to say. Now if you'll excuse me, class is going to start soon."
"Oliver, pl--"
He turned his head away.
"Godammit Oliver, I love you!" Had I just said that out loud? Oh my god.
His body stiffened, but he didn't face me. After several painful seconds he whispered, "I think you should go now."
His words were sharp, but I didn't crumble. I didn't even object; I simply walked away, leaving my best friend to carry on with his life.
Graduation came around a couple of months later. I didn't bother to attend the ceremony. I knew it would hurt too much to see him walk across that stage. Witnessing that would have been worse than experiencing any type of physical pain. Seeing him recieve that diploma would tell me two things right away. Yes; Oliver was going on with his life, and no; I was not a part of it. Because if I really had attended the ceremony, I would have ended up apologizing for everything I did and said, and in turn, he would have made some snarky comment, and finally I'd have ended up even more miserable than I already was. Still, I didn't want him to forget everything that happened between us. So that day, I went into Hogsmeade to buy him a graduation present. One that he'd never forget. So, in the future, I would know that there would always be a little bit of me in his mind, no matter what happened.
We met three years later. Mind you, I was half unconscious at the time. I met with a fateful accident in my seventh year. The case of the cursed necklace. No one had known who cursed me and why; but there I was sleeping in bloody St. Mungo's all day recovering from that awful mess. I was fuming. Whoever put me through all that pain and torment was going to pay, of that I was sure. I would be willing to do anything and everything in my power to make sure that person would experience the equal or more amount of pain that I did recieve.
I was resting in my room one day, plotting evil plans against my curser, when all of a sudden I heard someone mumble, "Oh shit. That bad?"
It was Wood; I knew it. I recognized his voice after all those years. My first instinct was to run up to him and hug him tightly. But then I realized that I couldn't get up. I couldn't even see. The last time I had opened my eyes was right before I collapsed fifty feet from the air. Everyone was afraid I wouldn't make it. Hell, even I was afraid. But I was recovering. Very slowly, of course, but still recovering. Unfortunately, it was not enough to open my eyes and take a long look at the man I fell in love with. I had to settle for listening to his strained voice by the door.
"Who did this to her?" he whispered fearfully.
"No one knows yet. Dumbledore is still trying to find it out," I could hear Angelina say.
"I'm really worried about Katie. She hasn't even opened her eyes yet." Alicia? That was definitely Alicia speaking. What were they all doing here?
"What have the doctors said?" Oliver asked.
"She's going to be all right. The necklace made the least contact possible with her skin, so they were able to save her. Recovery will be slow though," Angelina replied. "She'll be missing most of school."
Then, nobody spoke. I could hear footsteps coming towards my direction. And then I could feel someone's breathing against my right ear.
"Katie," Oliver whispered, his voice quivering. I was paralyzed but I could feel myself shiver very slightly as he spoke into my ear. "Katie, can you hear me?" He was silent for a second. His breaths were short and raspy now. He didn't say anything else. A couple of minutes later, I could hear footsteps. And then there was silence.
