Katie and Oliver prepared to return to London the day after Christmas, and even though they'd only spent two days there, Katie knew she'd miss the Wood home.
"You come back and see us, you hear?" Mr. Wood told her as she pulled on her coat to leave. "You don't even need to bring that son of ours with you. Visit any time."
Katie beamed at him and allowed him to pull her into a warm hug. "I'll do that," she said cheerfully.
Mr. Wood clapped her gently on the back. "And don't forget to take that box of sweets we wrapped up for you. Merlin knows you deserve a treat every now and then for putting up with Ollie."
Katie smiled as Oliver hugged his parents goodbye and waved to Gretchen.
"Come visit me in Edinburgh sometime, yeah?" Gretchen told Katie as she hugged her. "Like Dad said, you don't need to wait on Ollie to bring you. I'd love to have you."
The heaviness in Katie's heart from saying goodbye was quickly replaced when she heard Alicia's familiar, albeit startling shriek when she and Oliver apparated back to London.
"Finally!" Alicia squealed as Katie and Oliver appeared in the kitchen. "I thought you'd never come back!"
"We were only gone for two days," Oliver said in confusion, but his remark fell on deaf ears as Alicia held up her left hand to show off a sparkling diamond ring.
Katie let out a scream that made Oliver jump, but he couldn't help but grin at the girls as he realized what was happening. Katie examined Alicia's ring excitedly and jumped up and down for emphasis.
"Oh, it's perfect!" Katie gushed as the girls hugged. "I told you he was going to do it! Tell me everything!"
Alicia recanted the story of how Lee had managed to gather both their families at his parents' home on Christmas Day so that he could propose to Alicia in front of the Christmas tree with everyone in attendance.
"It was perfect," Alicia sighed as she glanced downward to admire her ring.
"Congratulations," Oliver said as he pulled Alicia into a hug. "I figured this was coming. You and Lee are brilliant together."
"Katie, this means you're the last one standing," Alicia said, smirking between Katie and Oliver.
"That's perfectly alright with me," Katie said with an eye roll. She moved toward Oliver and slipped her arms around his waist. "I'm perfectly content with my fake boyfriend." She knew Alicia was dying to ask her about her Christmas with the Woods, but was waiting on Oliver to leave. "Now, enough about me. We need to start planning your engagement party!"
"And I believe that's my cue to leave," Oliver said, bending down to pick up his bags. He pulled Katie into a lingering embrace and kissed her cheek. "Thanks again for the brilliant jersey, and for visiting my family. They really did love you." Neither of them noticed the grin they were receiving from Alicia, who was quietly watching their exchange.
"Thank you for inviting me," Katie said with sincerity. "I had a lovely Christmas."
Oliver waved goodbye and as soon as he left, Alicia pounced on Katie with questions.
"How was his family? Did they really like you? Did you like them? Could they tell the two of you are faking it?"
Katie chose her answers carefully, as not to give Alicia any indication that anything had happened between her and Oliver. Things were going well in their arrangement and she didn't want Alicia generating any false hope.
"The Woods are brilliant," Katie said. "His parents are so nice and his sister is a hoot. And they're so proud of Oliver, it's really the sweetest thing."
"And how was Wood?"
"What do you mean?"
Alicia sighed in annoyance. "C'mon Katie, you know I need details."
"Details on what? Nothing happened!" Alicia looked disappointed and Katie shook her head. "Alicia, nothing is going to happen with Wood," she continued. "We're friends. His family is lovely and I adore them, but I needn't remind you that their son is our former quidditch captain whom we've known since we were first-years. Now, can we please plan your engagement party?"
Alicia grinned. "Only if you let me plan yours someday."
New Year's Eve arrived quickly, which marked another opportunity for Alicia to turn Katie into her own personal dress-up doll. Katie had agreed to join Oliver and his teammates to celebrate, meaning Alicia's bedroom was scattered with clothing and make-up the afternoon of Dec. 31.
"What about the little purple dress?" Alicia suggested as Katie's reflection in the mirror wrinkled her nose.
"Alicia, no disrespect because you look great in that dress, but my boobs will be out in a minute if I wear that," she said.
"True," Alicia sighed. "I suppose we don't need your boobs all over page six of The Daily Prophet. How about the blue one? It'd match Puddlemere's team colors."
Katie rolled her eyes. "My entire personality doesn't have to revolve around my fake boyfriend's quidditch team, you know," she said. She rummaged through Alicia's closet and emerged with a short, red dress. Alicia squealed.
"I forgot all about that one!" Alicia exclaimed. "That's the dress I was wearing the night I lost my virginity."
Katie immediately put the dress back.
Five hours later, Katie and Oliver found themselves leaving dinner at one of London's newest restaurants. Katie had decided on a short, sparkly black dress that Alicia promised hadn't played a role in any of her sexual encounters. Muggles and wizards alike seemed to take notice of Katie and her dress, and Oliver quirked an eyebrow at her as they waited on a taxi, which Katie had insisted on due to her high heels.
"What?" Katie said as she noticed Oliver's amused gaze.
"Did you not see that bloke just now? He nearly tripped over the curb because he was checking you out," Oliver laughed.
Katie flashed him a pointedly bored expression. "What's your point?"
"Nothing, it's just funny."
"It's funny to watch men gawk at me like I'm a sideshow?"
Oliver frowned. "Well, no. Not when you put it that way."
"Relax, Ol, I'm only teasing." Katie shook her head and laughed. "But you can stop peeking down my dress any time."
The pair arrived at Trent Healy's townhouse in Chelsea shortly after 9 p.m. Trent had invited the entire team and some friends to celebrate the new year, though Katie was nervous to attend the party without Angelina – she and George had decided to take a romantic getaway to Paris for three nights.
Oliver took Katie's coat and led her by the hand into the living room, where some of his other teammates were chatting.
"Wood, thanks for coming," Trent said, clapping Oliver on the back. "And Katie. Welcome." He presented Katie with a champagne flute and motioned them toward the kitchen, where a lavish spread of food had been set out. "Help yourselves, and if you don't see what you want, just let one of the house elves know."
Katie and Oliver swapped a glance before Katie shrugged and helped herself to some hors d'oeuvres. They floated between conversations before Oliver ended up in a deeply analytical discussion about broomstick weight that even Katie found too boring to bear. She excused herself to the kitchen for another drink before wandering through the first floor of Trent's home to explore.
The door to a room toward the end of the hall was slightly ajar, and curiosity got the best of Katie. She poked her head inside and realized it was a small library.
Built-in bookshelves lined the walls and Katie suddenly felt very nostalgic. Her father had a similar library in her childhood home, and Katie had read most of the books in it by the time she turned 12.
Someone cleared their throat as Katie was examining one of the shelves. She whipped around and smiled nervously at Trent, who was leaning against the doorframe.
"Sorry," she apologized, hoping it wasn't some secret room she wasn't meant to be in, but Trent smiled and approached her.
"Don't worry, it's fine. Sorry it's not tidier in here. I didn't have a chance to put everything away," he said. "Are you an avid reader?"
Katie shook her head. "Not so much anymore," she revealed. "I used to be, but don't have much time these days."
"Ah yes, it must be hard to find much free time when you date a quidditch star."
"I'm sure you already know, being a quidditch player and all," Katie laughed. Trent shrugged.
"I try to make time for the things I really enjoy, like reading," he said. "It's tough, but I try to read a book a week."
"A book a week?!" Katie's mouth was hanging open. "How can you possibly have the time?"
"I don't sleep a lot. Don't really need it," Trent explained. "I really only need maybe five hours per night."
Katie shook her head in awe. "How do you function like that, with your rigorous training schedule?"
"Like they say, I'll sleep when I'm dead," Trent shrugged. Katie smiled, though she wasn't quite sure what to make of Trent. He seemed nice enough, though his home and some of his mannerisms felt a bit pretentious. Maybe he was simply misunderstood, Katie wondered. As she pondered it over, she realized Trent was watching her intently. "So, other than being Wood's girlfriend, what else is there to know about you?"
Katie told him about her job and how she was grateful to have a career that kept her involved in quidditch, even if she was no longer playing.
"Figures that Wood would end up with a lass who loves quidditch too," Trent mused. "I've never met anyone as passionate for the game as him."
"Don't you love it?" Katie asked curiously. "I guess I assumed all pro quidditch players were obsessed, even if it's not much as much as Oliver is."
"Of course, I love it. Best game in the world. I'm really grateful to be playing professionally… But I do think there's more to life than quidditch," Trent said.
"Don't let Oliver hear you say that," Katie warned, and they both laughed.
"So Wood said the two of you went to Hogwarts together? Have you been together all this time?" Trent finally asked. Katie's lips frowned slightly as she wondered why Trent was interested in her relationship.
"No," she answered carefully. "We were friends at Hogwarts but didn't start dating until a few months ago."
"Ah, I see," Trent replied as he also seemed to be choosing his words carefully. "Well, I imagine dating's easier when you already know someone."
"I guess it takes some of the getting-to-know-you out of it," Katie agreed.
Trent fell quiet and Katie suddenly felt uneasy as he seemed to be surveying her closely. He was also standing much closer than she'd realized, as she could smell his cologne. Citrus and pine.
Trent was handsome; tall with dark hair and dark eyes. He was a sharp dresser, too – Katie estimated his shoes probably cost more than her entire outfit. Though she didn't care about outward appearances, Katie decided she probably would find her current situation much more intriguing if it weren't for her arrangement with Oliver.
"Erm, so are you enjoying Puddlemere?" Katie finally asked. She pretended to appear curious in a book from one of the shelves, not wanting to have to make eye contact with Trent.
"I am," Trent answered, his eyes still on Katie. "Everyone's been friendly and of course it's nice to be on a team that wins. It's inspiring to play with teammates of such a high caliber. It's much better than the reserve team."
"Is it hard, being the rookie?"
"Nah, I don't like to think of myself that way. I'm technically older than some of my teammates anyway. I'm just not a superstar, so it took me a little longer to make the team."
Katie nodded in appreciation. She didn't make the Gryffindor team until her third year at Hogwarts, unlike Angelina and Oliver, who'd made the team in their second year. She hadn't been a star like Oliver or Harry, or even the best Chaser, like Angelina. She didn't even have the natural talent the Weasley twins had, but she'd had a lot of heart and had been willing to work harder than anyone for her spot on the team.
She also had been passed up for selection as team captain for Angelina and then Harry, but she genuinely felt those moves were for the best. Still, she understood where Trent was coming from.
"That's great that you don't feel any pressure as a rookie," Katie told him. "I remember how terrified Oliver was his rookie season. He ended up playing brilliantly, but behind the scenes, he was such a baby."
"It affects people differently," Trent said with a shrug. "Like I said, I love quidditch, but life is bigger than it. I don't want it to control my life."
Still unsure of how to feel about Trent, Katie continued to eye the bookshelves as if they held the meaning of life. She carefully picked out an emerald green hardcover and flipped to the front.
"Jane Eyre," he said as he watched Katie eye the book. "You know that one?"
"Doesn't everyone?"
Trent shrugged and Katie couldn't help but wonder if that was his signature social cue. "I wasn't sure what kind of literature you like," he said. "Some people like the classics or adventure novels. My sister likes trashy romance novels."
Katie laughed. "I won't say I'm above trashy romance novels, but they're not really my thing. Romance and fairytales tend to bore me," she revealed.
Trent flashed her an inquisitive look, as if he were surprised. "Really," he mused, "But you're kind of living a real-life fairytale, aren't you?"
Katie blinked. "Huh?"
"You and Wood," Trent continued. "Friends to lovers. The quidditch star and the league official. Your relationship's sort of like a fairytale, innit?"
"Hardly!" Katie laughed. "I mean, our relationship's great and all, but I'd hardly call it a fairytale when fans follow you around and the papers have a new rumor about you every week."
"Ah, I see," Trent said with a simple nod. "Well, I suppose as long as you're happy, that's all that matters."
"Very true."
Trent's eyes lingered on Katie for a moment too long; just long enough to leave her wondering what he was still doing there, standing so close to her. She noticed as his gaze shifted downward to her lips and swallowed anxiously, afraid Trent could hear her heartbeat.
"Katie?" Katie spun toward the doorway, where Oliver had poked his head inside. "There you are. It's about five minutes to midnight," he said.
"Oh! I didn't realize," Katie said as she hurriedly made her way toward the door, taking care not to look at Trent. Once in the hallway, she could feel Oliver's eyes on her, giving her a quizzical look.
"All right?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Katie answered cheerfully. "Just didn't realize how late it was getting."
Oliver wasn't fooled, so he gently tugged Katie aside toward the staircase. They stood alone, voices carrying loudly from the living room where people were waiting to count down to midnight.
"What was that back there?" Oliver asked gently. "You and Healy. Did something happen?"
"No." Katie shook her head vigorously.
"Are you… do you… are you interested in him or something?"
"Oliver, don't be silly. He's your teammate."
"I know, but if you're interested in him… I'd understand."
"You would?"
Oliver sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Of course, I would. I told you when we planned our… arrangement that we could call it off any time, especially if one of us meets someone."
Katie shook her head again. "It's not like that, really," she insisted. "Besides, wouldn't that make things even more complicated? Faking our relationship is tough enough, but breaking up so that I can date your teammate, whom I don't even really know… That'd be mental."
"All right. I just don't want you to feel like you're trapped in this situation," Oliver said. "You've been a huge help and I've enjoyed hanging out with you, but you don't owe me anything. Pretending to date me these past couple months has been more than I deserve."
"I know," Katie said with a tiny grin. "But for right now, I don't plan on meeting anyone or dumping you. So unless you plan on doing that, let's get in the living room so we can snog at midnight."