Life Down at the Quidditch Pitch

Chapter Sixteen

^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Pinch me." Alicia looked up to see Harry sitting down next to her.

"Might I ask why?" Alicia asked, flipping through the Daily Prophet.

"I just ran into a very disturbing sight," Harry said, looking dazed.

"What, You-Know-Who in a field of daisies with fluffy dancing bunnies?" Alicia asked, looking through the sports section.

"No, no--far, far worse," Harry replied.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She was beginning to become concerned.

"I have a feeling that I should," he replied. "You know how Ron and Hermione are constantly at each other's throats, a lot like Katie and Oliver are or were?"

"Yes."

"Well, I went to the library to check out a book for Charms...and..." Harry's voice got quiet. "They...they were...oh, this is so weird."

"What were they doing?"

"They were snogging!" Harry looked scandalized and Alicia fought back the urge to giggle. "And they didn't even notice when I saw them! I can't believe it!"

"Harry," Alicia said, still fighting the giggles. "Things like this happen. Trust me; in the next two and a half years you will see more people snog than you ever thought possible."

"That's not what bothered me though--I'm happy for them, seriously I am...it's just...that well, I would rather have had them come to me first...I hate finding things out the hard way. I mean deep down I knew that the two of them were sort of meant for each other...you know?"

"Exactly," Alicia replied, turning to face Harry. "Fred and Angelina were the same way... granted, they didn't argue like Ron and Hermione do, but deep down I knew that the two of them were going to be together."

"Like soul mates?"

"Don't say that...soul mates don't exist!"

Harry looked at her. "You don't think that they exist either? I thought that I was the only one! Ron's been on about soul mates since we did something about them in Divination! Load of dung, I tried to tell him."

Alicia shook her head. "I don't understand the whole concept of soul mates; it's mad. If there's one person you're supposedly predestined to be with, what if that person dies at birth? Or lives in China? Or is like fifty years older than you? I can think of one hundred and twenty different ways for the whole soul mate thing not to work!"

"In this world, there are people that you learn to like, a few more that you really like, and the rare, very rare, people that you love." Alicia nodded her head, surprised by the fact that she was having this conversation with, of all people, Harry Potter.

"Hey, love." Looking up, she saw Lee standing above her. He had an odd expression on his face.

"Come, sit, Harry and I were just talking," Alicia replied, smiling. Lee just nodded.

"Well, I'm going...to my dormitory," Lee said. Alicia raised an eyebrow and watched him go up the stairs. She didn't know why, but there was something definitely wrong with him lately.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Aren't you sleeping in here tonight?" Alicia asked. Katie was pulling her pillow and blanket off of her bed. Katie turned to face her friend.

"Angelina doesn't want me to, and besides, I wouldn't want my sluttiness to rub off on the rest of you," Katie mumbled.

"Are you still on about this?" Alicia asked. Katie turned to see Alicia with a raised eyebrow. Katie couldn't tell her friend the truth, that it wasn't Angelina's words that had hurt her so badly. It was Oliver's. Oliver telling her how he'd misjudged her. The truth was not that she couldn't sleep there because of Angelina. It was that she could still smell Oliver in her pillows.

"Yes, I'm still on about this," Katie replied. She gave Alicia a fake smile and headed down the steps to the common room, where she'd spent the last week sleeping on a couch. However, tonight the odds didn't look good, as Ron and Hermione were there, snogging. They also didn't look like they'd be coming up for air anytime soon.

Sighing, she was debating on where to sleep. She could go back up to her dorm and sleep with someone about to slit her throat and lie on a bed that smelled like someone who was mad with her for no reason-other than she wasn't a virgin--or she could listen to the sweet sounds of people snogging. She flung herself back into a chair. It looked as if she'd be stuck down here with Ron and Hermione. Lovely, just lovely.

She pulled the blankets around her and put her pillow on the arm of the chair. This was dead uncomfortable. She closed her eyes, why couldn't those damn house elves just get the smell out of her pillow? How hard was it? Or was it that she just imagined it? Either way, she couldn't sleep there.

"Katie," someone whispered in her ear. She turned her head slightly to see George behind her.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Why are you down here?" His breath was tickling her ear.

"Trying to sleep."

"When you have a bed upstairs?" George gave her an odd look. "C'mon, Katie, what's going on?"

"What isn't?" Katie sighed.

"You can tell me," he said. "I know that I've been an arse, but you know deep down I'm a trustworthy bloke."

Katie debated, she could tell George--he wouldn't tell a soul, not even Fred--or she could let it brew and bother her until she finally cracked and killed everyone with a Quaffle. She sighed. "I'll tell you, but not here. I don't want anyone to over hear, this is something that could get me in a lot of trouble."

George looked confused. "Well, we can go to my dormitory. Fred and Lee are already asleep."

"Okay," she replied. She left her blankets and pillow on the chair and tiptoed up the stairs after George. They entered the boys' dorm, Katie watching to make sure that she didn't trip over anything. She and George sat down on his still made bed, and he pulled the curtains closed around the two of them.

"So what's going on, Little Miss Bell?" George asked, smiling.

She took a deep breath. "Everything."

"Care to clarify?"

Katie explained to George what was happening with then twins and Lucius Malfoy and then she explained to George about kissing Oliver, with Angelina finding them in her bed. Then there was the lecture from Angelina, Oliver finding out about her and George the year before, and finally the fact that she was so confused that she couldn't figure out which way up was.

"So do you like Oliver?" George asked.

She sighed. "I don't know...I don't know anything. Well, except that I'm confused."

"I think you know; you just don't want to admit it to yourself," George told her.

"I don't know," Katie replied, shaking her head. She wasn't lying. There was so much involved when it came to Oliver, more than she dared to let herself think about.

"I do know what you do need, though," George told her. She raised an eyebrow. "A hug?"

She laughed and felt George wrap his arms around her. Once again it felt so right to be there in his arms, even though she knew how wrong it was. She shuddered and closed her eyes. Before she was aware of what she was doing, she kissed the spot on George's neck that she knew would make him moan. She needed him tonight.

"Katie," he said. "We shouldn't...not like this."

"Please," she begged. She looked at him, her hazel eyes met with his blue ones. She could tell that he needed her too. "Just tonight, George, please."

She felt his hands ruffle through her hair and pull her close. "Just for tonight." She met his lips with hers and melted, letting everything go, just focusing on the two of them.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Katie stretched her arms above her the next morning, catching her elbow on something . Not something, someone. She opened an eye, confused, then she remembered the night before, her and George doing things that would make McGonagall blush...hell, they made her blush when she really thought about them.

She looked over at George, who was looking at her and putting a finger up to his lips. She nodded when she noticed the noises from George's roommates. She felt slightly panicked, realizing that it was morning.

"Georgie Porgie, it's time to wakey!" Fred sang.

"Hand me my clothes," she hissed into his ear.

"I can't," he replied quietly. "They're on the floor, along with mine."

George was now wearing the same panicked expression that she knew was on her face.

"We hear you in there, George, you're going to miss breakfast and it's blueberry scones this morning," Lee said.

"Yes, that's right," George replied, his voice sounding higher and shriller than normal. "Just go to breakfast...I'll be down there...as soon as I get dressed."

"That's what you said last week when you were half an hour late for Transfiguration. Sorry, mate, but not letting you do that again. I'd like to keep Gryffindor's points, thank you very much," Lee said.

"You better get your arse out that bed," Fred said. "Or I'm dragging it out."

Katie felt even more panicked. George's eyes were the size of saucers. "No, no need! As soon as you leave, I'll get up!"

"Why the sudden modesty there, Georgie?" Lee asked. "You're the one who prances around here nearly naked."

"I do not prance," George replied. "I saunter."

"Same thing," Fred replied. "And I've had enough of this. Get up!" The curtains were yanked open, and Katie pulled the sheet over her body the best she could, which was hard because George was doing the same.

"Er, morning?" Katie said, sure that her face was the same color as George's curtains.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Seen Katie this morning?" Alicia asked Lee and Fred as they entered the Great Hall. The two of them began giggling like girls. Angelina looked at her boyfriend, confused.

"Oh yes, trust me, we've seen Katie," Fred said, elbowing Lee. Lee snorted into his porridge.

"Where is she? Don't you guys have Divination this morning?" Alicia asked, putting a blueberry scone in her mouth.

"Yes," Lee said. Angelina watched Lee blow a kiss at Alicia. She just smiled back.

"Morning," someone said, sliding in next to Alicia.

"Morning, George," Angelina said. There was something about George this morning that was different. He looked less tense, that much was for sure.

"Ah, George, sleep well?" Fred asked. He and Lee dissolved into giggles. George gave them a murderous look.

"Nothing keep you up too late there, mate?" Lee asked, grinning.

"Nothing that's any of your business, anyway," George muttered into his plate of scones.

"What are you two on about?" Angelina asked, looking between the three boys.

"I think you need to ask who George was on last night," Fred muttered. Angelina dropped her spoon.

"What did you just say?" she asked.

"Nothing," Fred said angelically, kissing her on the cheek. There was something going on between the three boys, that was for sure.

"Morning," Katie said, sliding on the other side of Alicia. She was looking at Fred and Lee warily.

"Sleep well, Katie?" Fred said, looking like he was trying not to laugh.

"Excellent, thank you," she replied, filling her plate with scones.

"Why are you being so polite this morning?" Angelina asked warily. "What do you want from them?"

"I think that they've got exactly what they want from each other," Fred muttered as a reply.

George pounded his fist on the table, getting odd looks from the fifth years. Katie gasped. They both looked outraged. Katie jumped from the table, George at her heels. Alicia shot her a confused look. What exactly had they missed?

^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Katie, say the word and he's hexed," George said, catching up with Katie on the stairwell.

"Sodding git," Katie muttered. She put her face in her hands and shook her head.

"I know, he and Lee are going to be prats all day," George said, trying to console her.

"Last night was a mistake," Katie said.

"No, we needed last night," George said. He smiled at her. "I think that last night was the one thing we both needed. Lee and Fred finding us the next morning was the mistake."

"Too bad I don't know any memory charms," Katie muttered.

George laughed. "Let's just try to get through today, they'll forget soon enough."

"Oh yes, I'm sure they will, just like Alicia and Angelina forgot about the time before?"

George made a face. "Well okay, so they'll never forget about it and they'll hang it over our heads even after we've been married to other people and have four kids apiece."

Katie laughed. "Ah, we know them so well."

"Too bloody well, shall we go get our books? It is Divination first thing," George said.

"Sure," she replied, nodding. They walked to Gryffindor tower together in silence. He stopped her before she entered the tower.

"If you want to talk, Katie, I'm still here," Geroge said. "Even if I am being a prat to everyone."

"I know," she said. She gave the Fat Lady the password.

"Oh, and best of luck with Oliver," he said, winking as he entered the portrait.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Ready for Quidditch practice?" Oliver asked, sticking his head into the boys changing room. "Relaxed?"

"Oh, George is plenty relaxed," Lee said, winking and elbowing Fred in the ribs.

"Shut up, you lot," George replied, giving Fred and Lee dirty looks. Dean and Harry began laughing.

"I don't think he got enough sleep last night, he's a bit cranky," Harry said, his green eyes teasing. Oliver looked at everyone, confused.

"Just be quiet," George hissed, looking panicked.

"She must be a tiger in the sack, eh, Weasley?" Dean asked.

"Since when did the two of you start on the locker room trash talking?" George spat. "I suggest you stay out of it."

"When Fred told us what happened before we came down for practice," Harry replied, tying his shoe.

"Well if Fred knew what was good for him, he'd shut his bloody mouth," George said through clenched teeth.

"Well if George wanted to keep it all hushed up he wouldn't have let a girl stay in his bed last night," Fred replied, teasing his twin. "By the way, I found Katie's knickers, they were under my bed."

Oliver felt his eyes go big. George had slept with Katie last night? But...she...over. He shook his head.

"I told you to shut your mouth!" George yelled. "You don't know what the hell you've done!"

Without saying a word, Oliver slipped out of the boys' changing room. He closed his eyes--the guys were lying. Katie wasn't like that...but then he remembered their conversation. Katie was exactly like that. She'd had a fling with George, but they hadn't been serious then, so why had they...then he remembered the day in the changing room. She'd wanted him then, said she'd needed him. Of course, he hadn't given in to her and so she'd gone elsewhere, and George was the natural alternative. They had a history.

He clamped his hand down on the railing to the stairs. He wished he hadn't said what he had to Katie, he really hadn't meant it. He didn't know why he'd said it, he was just surprised by how she was acting. Didn't he realize that he wanted so much more from her than senseless snogging? He wanted her, he wanted to love her. It was driving him mad not to be able to, and the thought of her being with George drove him insane with jealousy.

Maybe that was why he'd said what he'd said. He was jealous of George, he wanted to be the only one to be with her that way. He was mad to have expected her to be a virgin, he scolded himself. After all, she was beautiful, a damn good Chaser, and, well, perfect for him anyway.

"The pitch is that way, Oliver." He looked up to see Katie heading down the steps. She was smiling and looked happy for the first time in days. Did George make her that happy? She stopped at the step above the one he was on. "Are you okay?"

"DidyousleepwithGeorgelastnight?" he asked.

"Excuse me?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Did you and George shag last night?" Oliver asked, feeling slightly embarrassed.

Katie went pale for a second. "That's it, I'm killing Fred Weasley." Katie began stomping up the stairs, but he grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Did you?"

"Does it matter?" she asked, her expression changing. "You were the one who said that they misjudged me. So what if I did? Would it mean anything to you?"

"Did you?"

"Does it matter, Oliver Wood?"

"Yes it does, Kate.] Bell." She walked down the steps, so that they were on the same one.

"You've made it perfectly clear how you feel," Katie replied. "You were the one who walked out on me, so don't get jealous when I get what I need somewhere else."

"I was a bit freaked out ," Oliver defended. "You were all over me; what was I supposed to do?"

"I don't care that you pulled away, Oliver, it was how you did it." Katie was looking down at her shoes. She looked back up at him. "So I'm sorry if I've hurt you, but remember, you hurt me first." She walked away from him, he had to think fast. He didn't want her to leave like that.

"Kate."

She turned around, and he caught a glimpse of hurt in her eyes, but it quickly changed back to her stoic mask.

"I'm sorry," he said feebly.

"Not nearly as much as you should be."

Knowing that he needed to do something to stop her from leaving, he didn't want her mad at him. He had been an arse the other day and he knew it. He flew down the steps to where she was stopped, grabbing both of her arms. He looked into her eyes, and at that moment was more scared than he'd ever been his whole life. There was something in her eyes that made him want to pour his heart out to her, tell her exactly how he felt, and to his shock he did exactly that.

"What are you doing?" she asked, keeping eye contact.

"I'm in love with you, Kate."

"Excuse me?" she asked, her mouth opening in shock.

"That's why I said that--I was jealous," he said, sure that he would be kicking himself for this later. "Because I'm in love with you."