Seventh year.
I was feeling pretty good about Quidditch. So good that I didn't even bother holding tryouts. I liked my team. No way was I getting rid of any of them.
"Alright team, this is our year!" I yelled in the locker room as they changed for the first practice.
They all yelled their enthusiastic agreements at the same time and then laughed.
"This is my last year to win the cup as captain!" I told them desperately. "I need this!"
"We can do it this year Oliver!" Katie insisted. "This really is our year!"
I love my team.
*****
Practice went great. Seriously, Harry caught the snitch at least ten times, and while I caught a fair amount of goals, Angelina, Alicia, and especially Katie really gave me a run for my money.
After practice, we were in the changing room, and everyone hit the showers. All except for me and Katie.
"Are you going to giggle when I take my shirt off?" I asked mockingly.
She laughed. "I made up quite a nice little story, didn't I?" she declared.
"Huh?"
"I made that story up," she told me. "I mean, Maggie really does have a bunch of brothers, and she really does giggle when their friends take their shirts off, but I never did until that one day. I just needed an excuse."
We both laughed.
Yeah, the awkwardness was so gone.
*****
A couple of days later, I was walking down the corridor when I heard, "Cut it out!"
Katie? Who was she talking to?
Silence for a moment then, "Get the hell off me Davies!"
"Aw, come on, Kates, don't be like that."
I rounded a corner to see Katie pressed between a wall and Roger Davies, who was trying to simultaneous shove his tongue down her throat and get his hand up her shirt. Unfortunately, being so small, Katie didn't really stand a chance against him.
"Oi!" I called to him, walking quickly over. "You heard her, she told you to cut it out!"
Roger's eyes narrowed. "You gonna do something about it Wood?" he spat.
"Sure as hell I am!" I yelled, punching him in the face.
"Bloody hell, Wood, I think you broke my nose!" he screamed.
"Then go to the hospital wing and stay away from Katie," I hissed.
He got up, scowled at us one last time, then stalked away.
"Are you alright?" I asked Katie, who was staring up at me in awe.
"I'm fine," she breathed. "You came to my rescue!"
"Of course, you're my-"
"Don't say it," she argued, cutting me off. Then, before I knew what was happening, she was standing on her tip-toes, her lips pressed against mine.
Suddenly, she pulled away, a strange look on her face.
"W-what-" I began, but she wasn't paying attention to me.
"Nothing," she muttered to herself. "Absolutely nothing. Oliver, do you know what this means!?" she asked excitedly.
I shook my head, still incapable of speech.
"It means I can think of you like a big brother! Because that's what you are! Just now, I kissed you, and honestly, it was like kissing my brother! You know, if I had a brother," she babbled.
I wanted to say, "Are you sure?" I wanted to ask her if she was positive, then kiss her again to be sure.
But I didn't.
Because I couldn't possibly-
Aw bloody hell, I can't even deny it now.
It took her not liking me to make me realize it. I fancied Katie Bell.
So what did my stupid self do?
I asked, mockingly, "So how are my kissing skills?"