Skinny, Little Gryffindor

Katie woke sensing that someone was standing above her. She could hear their breathing, so close to her ear that she could feel their warm breath. It gave her goosebumps.

Slowly she opened her eye lids and found herself staring face to face with Flint. He grinned down at her, and Katie saw the gap where his teeth had once been, although new teeth were starting to grow back in. That's wizard healing for you, she thought, so much more effective than the muggle way.

Marcus moved and sat down next to her on her bed, lying his head next to her so that they were laying side by side.

"What are you doing Flint?" she whispered, breaking the silence.

He smiled and whispered, "Did you know you snore?"

Katie could feel herself blushing and quickly turned her head away. "I do not!" she whispered back, outraged.

"Oh but you do, Bell. You did," Marcus informed her laughing.

"This is my bed," she told him. "If you want to stay, you better stop insulting me because you shouldn't even be here."

Flint laughed again and then hesitantly reached over and stroked her cheek.

Katie bolted straight up off the bed and stared at him. "Why did you do that Flint? You don't like me."

"What makes you think that?" he asked seriously.

"Well, you attacked me during a Quidditch game for one thing. You're always cruel to me," she started to list the things that Flint had done to her over the years, "... in second year, you used to pull my hair and call me 'Mudblood'."

Flint growled. "I get the point Bell, I get the point," he told her and rolled over so that he was no longer facing her.

Silence ensued for several minutes as both of them fumed at the other. Then the doors of the Hospital Wing flew open, admitting Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, the Weasley twins and Oliver Wood. They had been chatting about this and that but fell silent when they saw Katie and Marcus laying on the bed together.

Oliver was the first to recover, by shouting at Marcus to get off the bed. "What the hell do you think you're doing Flint!" he roared running over and starting to pull the other boy off the bed. "Get away from her!"

Marcus just laughed and pulled Oliver's hand off his shirt where they were clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. "Wasn't doing anything Wood," he snarled at Oliver and quickly glanced at Katie who was now sitting up on the bed.

"Didn't look like it to me," Oliver hissed and George and Fred Weasley had to rush over to hold Wood back so that he didn't try and punch Flint.

At that point Madame Pomfrey stormed in, glaring daggers at Wood. "What do you think you are doing Mister Wood?" she asked. "I hope you aren't disturbing my patients. Both of them are recovering from serious wounds and they really should not be bothered."

Once again Oliver shot a glare at Flint before turning to Katie. "What the hell were you think Bell?" he asked, sounding very angry. Oliver only used a person's last name when he was mad. Katie knew she was in trouble.

"Nothing," Katie said innocently.

"He was in bed with you!" Oliver cried, as Madame Pomfrey raised an eyebrow from across the room where she was helping Marcus back into his own bed.

"He was on my bed, not in it Oliver," Katie replied defiantly.

Angelina and Alicia quickly ran over to her bed and sat down on either side glaring at Oliver.

"Can't you see that she's injured?" Alicia asked, sounding angry.

Oliver just glared before replying, "You seem to have forgotten that she wouldn't be injured if Flint hadn't pulled her off her broom."

"Shut up Oliver!" Angelina almost yelled. "This definitely isn't the place or the time!"

Katie just rolled over and hoped that Oliver would leave soon. Even though she really, really liked him, he was acting terribly and she couldn't stand it when men were jealous, although no had been jealous over her before.

Oliver just glared at everyone and quickly left the room, obviously made at Katie for acting civilly to a Slytherin.

When he was out of ear shot Angelina and Alicia burst out into giggles and Katie looked up at them enquiringly.

"So, Katie, you seemed pretty cozy with Flint. What was happening?" Alicia wanted to know.

Katie pulled herself up into a sitting position and looked at the two girls. "I have no idea. He was just acting... nice. Have you ever known Flint to be nice?"

Both girls shook their heads and then Alicia whispered so that Marcus wouldn't hear across the room, "Maybe he fancies you!"

Katie just shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course he doesn't like me. I'm not pretty at all like you two."

Angelina and Alicia both sighed. "Of course not Katie," Angelina said. "You're prettier."

"You're just trying to make me feel better. Well it's not working because I don't believe you. Now I think I'm going to back to sleep. I think I have a headache coming on." Katie told them and then rolled over.

Alicia and Angelina looked at each other and unsuccessfully stifled giggles before turning to Fred and George who were immaturely poking each other and grabbed them by the arm and left, leaving Katie to think about what they had both said.

Maybe she really did fancy Marcus Flint. He really was good looking without his hideous teeth, she found herself thinking, and he has really beautiful brown eyes, even if he is a hulking troll... a built hulking troll, Katie thought as she remembered that she had once seen him shirtless when her, Angelina and Alicia had been taking notes on the Slytherin Quidditch team.

But does he like me, Katie thought desperately. It would be so embarrassing if she tried to make a move and then he smirked at her and mocked her because he didn't really like her.

Katie sat up and looked across the room at Marcus.

Pomfrey had left and now Marcus was propped by a few pillows, staring right at her.

Katie could feel herself blush but didn't say anything, just stared into his dark brown eyes as he stared into her blues ones.

Katie found herself wishing that he wasn't on the other side of the room but sitting right beside her, keeping her warm which was quite strange since Katie had never had a boyfriend before, this yearning was a new thing for her. She had never even felt it for Oliver before, whom she had tricked herself into believing that she loved but now she was realizing that she had never felt love before and what she felt for Oliver was childish and insignificant. Now all she had to do was to figure out her feelings for Marcus. They seemed to be much stronger even though she had only discovered them that day... although they might of been there through the teasing and hair pulling of her youth. She wasn't sure.

Katie gave Marcus one last glance before sliding back into her bed and turning over to sleep.

Across the room Marcus' gaze didn't leave Katie's sleeping form.

He was hoping against hope that she was falling in love with him. He ached for her so much and he had been happier beyond belief until Wood had came gallivanting into the room, thinking he was great, untouchable.

Marcus glared at the floor, his eyes full of hatred for Oliver Wood.

If it were necessary he would take Oliver out of the game... he hoped it was necessary.