Katie let out a long, slow exhale as she checked herself in the mirror. She couldn't believe she was really about to do this. A week ago, she was on a date with some bloke she'd met at the pub. Now, she was about to go on a date with longtime friend and quidditch star Oliver Wood.
"Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath.
"Oh, hush," Alicia said as she examined her own hair in the mirror next to Katie. "You look great." Alicia's reflection smirked at Katie's. "I'm sure Wood will think so, too."
"Enough with that!" Katie whined. "It's not like that with Woo- Oliver. We're simply helping each other out."
Alicia heaved a dramatic sigh. "But don't you think this could be an opportunity for you?" she pushed. "For you and Wood? You two are highly compatible, maybe this is all a sign that you're supposed to be together."
"Don't be ridiculous," Katie barked. "This is Wood we're talking about it."
"Precisely!" Alicia's dramatics continued. "Oliver Wood, one of the wizarding world's hottest bachelors. Plus, you know Wood and you know he's a nice guy."
"He's a nice guy as long as you aren't debating quidditch tactics with him," Katie pointed out.
"But you two have been friends for years. Don't you think it'd be nice to date someone you already know well?" Alicia asked.
"I think that's a terrible idea," Katie laughed. "I know Wood, and therefore I know he and I would never work out romantically. Yes, he's attractive and yes, I enjoy hanging out with him, but that doesn't mean I want to take his last name."
Katie's gaze met Alicia's in the mirror. "Why do you care about Wood and me anyway?" she asked.
"Because I think you two have a great opportunity to explore a new side of your friendship!" Alicia said. "I think the two of you are a perfect match for each other, and more importantly, I just think you deserve to be happy."
"And you think Oliver Wood is the man who is going to make me happy?" Katie couldn't help but snort, but Alicia shot her a glare.
"Oh, come on," Alicia said, her voice shifting to a more serious tone. "You can't really look me in the eye and tell me that Oliver Wood isn't a catch."
"Of course, he is," Katie said, her attention returning to her reflection as she applied a swipe of lipstick. "I know Wood is great, but I don't need a boyfriend to be happy."
"But after all you've been through, don't you think it'd be nice to have someone to take care of you and connect with? You know, more than just a few dates or a one-night stand?" Alicia bit her lip at her own words. She and Katie had had it out in the past over her concerns for Katie's life post-curse.
It wasn't that Alicia wanted to meddle in her friend's life, but she couldn't help but voice her concerns. Prior to the cursed necklace, Katie had always been more calculated and cautious. She wasn't completely reckless now, but some of her decisions worried her friends.
"I don't need anyone to take care of me," Katie said, fighting to maintain a cool, collected tone with her friend. She knew Alicia was trying to help, but she'd grown tired of her friends worrying for her wellbeing. If that stupid necklace hadn't fallen into her hands, she wouldn't even be having this conversation.
Katie knew the war and the cursed necklace had changed her. After everything she went through and all of the death and destruction she'd witnessed, she vowed to live her life on her own terms – for the life moments she'd missed as she had lain in that hospital bed, and for Fred Weasley, as well as the others who had made the ultimate sacrifice.
Katie nodded her own approval at her reflection and spun to face Alicia, who grinned her own approval at her friend.
"I'll find someone to connect with eventually," Katie said. "It just doesn't have to be our old quidditch captain, so stop creating crazy fantasies in your head and let me have some fun."
Katie retreated from the bathroom to wait for Oliver at the kitchen counter.
Was she mad for agreeing to this? Oliver had become incredibly popular among fans. What if they came after her? What if they attacked her or bullied her? What kinds of nasty things were the papers going to write about her? Why was she sacrificing her peaceful little lifestyle all for a favor for a friend?
A knock at the door announced Oliver's arrival and Katie sighed as Alicia poked her head out from the bathroom to flash her one last smirk.
"I'm leaving, I won't be late," Katie called to Alicia. She ignored a sing-song response from Alicia and greeted Oliver at the door.
"You look nice," he offered.
"You cleaned up all right, too," Katie answered. She couldn't help but feel awkward, despite knowing this was all for show. "Well, shall we go?"
"Right," Oliver said, motioning for Katie to descend the stairs before him.
"Where are we going anyway?" Katie asked.
"I thought we'd try Carousel," Oliver offered. "Figure it'll be busy on a night like this, but it's a good place to be seen."
Katie nodded in approval and immediately wished she'd worn a dress with pockets to shove her hands into as she wasn't unsure what to do with them. She suddenly felt shy and unsure of what to say to Oliver, despite nearly a decade of friendship between them.
'This is ridiculous,' she thought to herself. 'It's Wood. You've known him for years. And you've been on plenty of dates with plenty of blokes. This one's no different… And this one doesn't even really count.'
Katie's quiet demeanor made Oliver nervous. What if she was already having regrets? Was she going to back out now?
Oliver was grateful the walk to the restaurant was short, and he had been right – the spot was crowded with the Friday dinner rush.
Carousel was popular among muggles and wizards alike, largely due to its location and highly-rated fare. As the couple took their seats at a small window table, Oliver could already sense that several gazes were fixated on him. Determined to focus on their "date," Oliver leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table and peer at Katie, who was studying the menu as if it were notes for a crucial Potions exam.
"So, how's work going?" Oliver asked. He knew that, like him, Katie was incredibly passionate about her career. She often talked about projects she was working on with enthusiasm, though most people found her work boring. Oliver, however, recognized the importance of Katie's work. Without the Department of Magical Games and Sports, there'd be no British and Irish Quidditch League, meaning Oliver would likely be working behind a desk someplace dull and dreadful.
"It's going well," Katie answered, lifting her eyes to meet his gaze with an appreciative smile. "The Wigtown cheating scandal has kept my office busy, but the madness seems to have calmed for the moment."
Oliver nodded sympathetically. A recent scandal in which the Wigtown Wanderers had been caught cheating with bewitched broomsticks had rocked the quidditch world, creating all kinds of headaches for Katie's department.
A waitress interrupted their conversation, marking the first conflict for the couple.
"Good evening," she greeted in a pitchy tone. "I'm Stephanie and I'll be taking care of you tonight, Mr. Wood… and Miss…?"
"Erm, Bell," Katie replied. She was caught off guard, but Oliver was used to being recognized.
The waitress eyed Katie for a moment before returning her attention to Oliver.
"Can I get you something to drink?" she asked politely.
"It is him!" a voice suddenly hissed. Katie and Oliver redirected their attention to a table of four women, who were all staring at them with wide eyes.
Oliver ignored them and ordered a whiskey neat while Katie continued to throw side-eyed glances at the table of women. She could feel their glares burning into the side of her face. They made Katie feel self-conscious.
What if they felt she wasn't pretty enough to be on a date with Oliver? Maybe she should have worn a nicer dress, something more luxurious and high-fashion. What if Oliver suddenly decided he didn't want to be seen with her? Why did she even care?
"Katie?" Oliver was peering at her with concern. "Do you want something to drink?"
"Oh. Erm, just a negroni," Katie answered softly. The waitress nodded and disappeared, leaving Katie to stare uncomfortably at her own lap.
"Are you OK?" Oliver asked, his eyebrows furrowed. He'd seen many sides of Katie in the years as her friend and quidditch captain, but seeing her so visibly uncomfortable was foreign to him.
"I'm fine," Katie replied, though she did so with a sigh. "Just not used to people staring at me. At least not like that."
It suddenly dawned on Katie that she had been the center of unwanted attention before. When she returned to Hogwarts after spending months in St. Mungo's following the curse, students whispered and stared at her in the corridors and in the Great Hall. Some gazed at her in pity, others with sympathy. Katie hated their stares. Prior to her becoming a pawn in Lord Voldemort's game, she had enjoyed a normal, teenage life.
Still, as Katie could still feel the stares of the jealous women nearby, she realized that she'd overcome much worse. She almost died. Her body had been drained by a powerful, sinister curse. She had to re-learn how to walk. She missed out on months of memories and moments with her friends and loved ones.
If she could endure all that, why was she fearful of some strangers who simply disliked her because she was sitting with Oliver Wood?
Katie lifted her gaze to meet Oliver's.
"Sorry," she said, offering him a smile. "I guess I just let myself feel a bit intimidated. Kind of silly, isn't it?"
Oliver nodded in understanding. "It's silly but I also get it. It takes a while to get used to the attention. I guess maybe we should've started out small instead of diving into the sea of sharks."
Katie shook her head with determination. "No," she said firmly. "They're just people… just women. They only hate me because I'm sitting here with you."
She hadn't meant for her words to make Oliver feel bad, but he winced.
"Sorry," he said quickly. "I really do appreciate you doing all this." He paused to offer her a smile. "You don't have to, though. If it's too much, I completely understand."
Katie appreciated Oliver's willingness to be accommodating. He hadn't always been that way. The younger version of Oliver often acted in haste, making decisions based on emotion rather than reason.
"We're doing this," Katie said, her lips curving into a smirk. "We might as well have some fun with it, no?" She took one more glance at the table of women. "And on the bright side, none of them are approaching you, are they?"