Why Can't You See?

Chapter Seven

I didn't know how to act around Oliver. I made sure there were a few people between us during dinner. But I didn't need to worry about that. He was lost in his own world.

It had been the strangest, frustrating, and worst week in years. I just wanted it to be over with, and I didn't want to think about it anymore. I just wanted to pretend it never happened.

Angie and Alicia were trying to engage me in small talk, but I wasn't paying any attention. Fred was sitting next to me, deep in conversation with his twin.

He turned to me and smiled. "Are you all right, Kat?"

I managed a small, but tired, smile just for his sake. "All right, but exhausted, Fred."

He nodded and covered my hand with his own. "I'm sorry about what happened last night."

I waved my free hand in dismissal. "You didn't know Flint would be there."

"No," he agreed. "But I have a good idea who made sure he was."

At that moment I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I looked at the table behind us and noticed Teresa Morgan glaring daggers into my back. If looks could kill, I'd be dead as a doornail.

I pushed my plate of food away and turned to Oliver. He smiled briefly at me, nervously. I smiled back, feeling a bit more at ease.

"Fred, I'm going for a walk if anyone's wondering, okay?"

I stood up, not waiting for an answer and headed for the door. I walked the halls just happy to be alone. It was so quiet and peaceful and relaxing. This is just what I needed: some Katie Bell time.

As a hand grabbed me from behind, I forced myself not to scream as I whirled around and faced . . . Oliver.

"You okay?" he asked.

I breathed in deeply, trying to control my rapid heartbeat. "Besides you scaring me out of my skin, perfectly grand."

He lowered his head in guilt. "Sorry, I just wanted to talk about what happened earlier." His hand stayed on my arm, rubbing it unconsciously.

I shivered at the touch, ignoring the sparks of heat it sent through my body.

"Are you cold?"

I shook my head fiercely. "Just don't touch me, okay?"

His hand dropped automatically, and a sheepish look crept to his face.

"It does funny things to me," I admitted quietly.

Oliver let out a low chuckle. "I guess we're even then. You've been doing funny things to me for years."

I eyed him in disbelief. "I would never have thought it," I replied dryly.

"Well, you do," he declared with a note of finality in his voice. He lifted his hand to cup my cheek. Deep brown eyes met mine as he leaned in.

"I've been wanting to kiss you for ages, Katie," he said, his tone husky. "And I want to do it again."

His lips met mine with the same passion as before. My heart was thrashing to get out of my chest. His kiss was soft as he moved his mouth to my neck. I let out a shuddering breath when he found the ever so sensitive spot just below my earlobe.

His arms encircled me, pulling me close so there was no space between us. His mouth returned to mine, parting my lips softly, before slipping his tongue in.

My hands moved to his hair of their own accord. I couldn't think of anything, and I had no chance of pushing him away, but I didn't want to. My knees were weak and I was suddenly glad Oliver trained so much.

We stayed there for a long time and I don't think either of us came up for air once. In fact it wasn't until we heard feet pounding down the hall did we break apart.

We grinned at each other like kids who just got caught sneaking candy. He pulled me into a dark doorway and pressed a quick kiss to my lips.

The feet were replaced by voices as they came closer.

"I'm telling you, Paul," a distinctly female voice said. "All you have to do is apologize. They're not going to end up together. You saw them at dinner. They weren't even looking at each other."

"I know," Paul muttered. "But he's the one who saved her from Flint."

His companion sighed. "Well, I told Marcus to look out for Oliver. But he never listens. Stupid troll. Oliver's always handy when it comes to Katie. "She said my name as if it had dirt on it.

My hand curled into a fist and I was ready to deck whoever this girl was, but Oliver's hand covered mine firmly, silently telling me to back down.

"And she'll forgive you because she's desperate to get over Oliver. And once she's back in your arms, Oliver will be all mine."

The two of them came into view and I recognized the girl immediately. It was that bimbo Teresa.

"You know, he's a great kisser." She got this dreamy look on her face.

Paul rolled his eyes. "This isn't going to work, you know."

Teresa's eyes glazed over with fire. "Don't say that, cousin. They'll both be ours to do what we like. That's the way it supposed to be."

"Have you seen the way they look at each other?" Paul argued. "Neither one of us can compete with that."

"Yes, we can." Teresa dismissed his words with a careless hand. "Come on. I have to owl that idiot brother of mine."

Paul snorted. "Oh, yes, 'Dear Marcus, you're a bloody wanker, did you know that?' That'll go off real well."

"He's only half related to me."

Their voices trailed off and we removed ourselves from our hiding place.

"She sent Flint to rape me?" I asked Oliver. I shivered at the thought of his disgusting hands on me. "What the bloody hell is wrong with that girl? No offense, Ollie, but you're not that special."

Oliver's eyebrow quirked up. "Thanks a lot, Bell," he said in a mock hurt tone.

I wagged a finger at him. "You know what I mean."

He let out a laugh. "Come on, let's get back to the Tower."

I followed him and after a moment stopped in my tracks. "I thought you liked her."

Oliver looked over his shoulder at me. "Not especially. She's been after me for years, and she's really quite scary. She's like the female version of Flint."

"Well, technically, she is."'

"Besides, I have really strong feelings for someone entirely different from her," he continued, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Really? Who?" I questioned.

Oliver turned my face up to look me in the eye. "If you can't figure that out, you're really stupid, Bell."

"Hey, watch it."

He planted a light kiss to my lips that left my blood singing for more.

My mouth turned up into a mischievous grin. "Let's go to the Quidditch pitch instead."

He looked confused. "You want to go flying? Now?"

"Sure, okay. That sounds like fun." I pulled a very disturbed looking Oliver to the main doors

~*~

We sat on the slightly wet grass, me sitting between his legs, my back pressed against his chest. His arms held me tight, as if to make sure I wasn't going anywhere.

"They're both going to have to pay, you know," I said conversationally.

"I know," he replied softly. "But I don't want to talk about them right now."

I sighed, my need for revenge still smoldering brightly. But for him I'd forget about it for a moment or two.

"What's going on between us, Katie?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "I haven't' the slightest clue."

I rubbed his arms lightly, trying to make the goose bumps go away, but it only made it worse.

"I like you a lot, Oliver, but I don't want things to change." I felt his mouth brush the back of my softly.

I turned my head so our lips could meet in a chaste kiss. It deepened immediately and I maneuvered my body so it faced hi, straddling his lap. Each kiss was more fiery than the last as we hit the ground.

I didn't notice the dampness that seeped through the back of my shirt as Oliver's hands found their way under my shirt, slowly caressing every inch of my bare skin. It made my blood boil in a way I never thought possible. My own hands roamed under his shirt, over his taught stomach and hard muscles. His body pressed into mine seductively and I felt something that turned my blood to fire and sent my mind spinning into another world.

Oliver felt it too and pulled away. His breathing was ragged and harsh. "It's almost curfew. We should get back," he said shortly.

He moved away and straightened his shirt. I sat up and gave him the meanest look I could manage.

Oliver glanced at me. "What?" he questioned helplessly.

"Why do you always have to do that? Stop right in the middle of something even remotely good."

"I stopped because of you."

I pulled my shirt down. "Did I ask you to?"

"No, but-"

"Then don't assume to know what I want!" I exclaimed, jumping up and heading towards the school.

He rushed after me. "If it was any other girl I wouldn't have stopped."

I whirled around on him, making him step back in surprise. "Am I suddenly too ugly to snog? Is that it?"

"No! It's because you're Katie. Don't you understand?!"

"Obviously not if we're standing here arguing over it." I glared, daring him to say or do something stupid.

He sighed, I think in defeat. "I didn't want to tell you this because I didn't want to scare you off."

My heart dropped to my feet and I was afraid he was going to tell me we're cousins or something like that. "What is it?"

Oliver took my hand in his and he caressed it softly. He looked at me closely, as if he was trying to judge my reaction. "I'm in love with you, Katie."

I swallowed looking at the floor, not quite sure I'd heard him right. Then it slowly sank in and I couldn't say a word. My vocal cords decided not to work.

Oliver Wood was in love with me. It made me feel warm and giddy all over. I wanted to do cart wheels in grass all the way to the school's doors, but I decided not to look like a complete moron. It made grin from ear to ear like an idiot, even though I wasn't sure how I felt about him.

"Katie," he said quietly. "I've been in love with you since the day we met. I'm not expecting you to say it back, so don't worry."

I looked up at him and saw him smiling. It wasn't a sad smile, it was his confident smile. The one he reserved for winning games.

"I don't know how I feel about you in that way yet. I do know I care about you a lot."

He slid an arm around me and steered me towards the school. "You'll figure it out eventually. In the meantime, don't we have dose of revenge to dish out?"