Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter Series or any characters except my own.

This is set during Harry's second year at Hogwarts, but while he's off looking for the Chamber of Secrets, some other members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team are focused on other things... like love.

Chapter One

~ My Heart Skipped A Beat ~

"Hey, Katie, are you ready yet?" called Angelina Johnson, one of my best friends.

"Yeah, I'm coming," I replied, smiling as I finished brushing my dark, wavy hair and hurried down the steps leading from the girls dormitory to the common room.

"Finally!" Alicia Spinnet, my other best friend, sighed dramatically as I appeared. Angelina and Alicia were both a year above me, but ever since I had been made a chaser in the Gryffindor Quidditch team along with them we had been firm friends.

"Well not everyone is a natural beauty like you, you know. Some of us have to actually spend time getting ready," I retorted. However much she denied it, Alicia really was naturally beautiful with her long, luscious black hair and soft brown eyes. So was Angelina, with her pretty blonde locks and sky-blue eyes. I wasn't anything special, but I didn't really mind. I had all the friends I needed and wanted.

Angelina led the way out of the common room and herded Alicia and I down several long passageways and flights of stairs until we reached the courtyard. It was a lovely autumn day with a cool breeze and birdsong sweetening the air. The Hogwarts courtyard was filled with chattering students all gathered to await Filch. Only when the old caretaker appeared and started ticking names of his list could the students begin the short walk to Hogsmead.

"You'll love Hogsmead," Angelina told me, her eyes bright. "Honeydukes is amazing; they have every single sweet you can imagine, and Rosmerta makes the most amazing Butterbeer."

"And don't forget Zonko's," Alicia put in with a mischievous grin. Filch had finally appeared, wheezing, and students began to flood out of the gates as my friend continued, "Zonko's Joke shop is full of surprises – Fred and George Weasley and Lee Jordan always spend most of their time in there. "Remember last year when they came back with enough dung bombs to fill Snape's cupboard so when he opened it he was almost buried alive?" she laughed gaily as the wind picked up her hair and tugged at it playfully.

I smiled ruefully. I remembered the incident well, but last year I had still been in awe of the Weasley twins, who were in the same year as Alicia and Angelina. They were friends with my best friends though, and had accepted me readily enough into their little group. As Filch checked my name off the list, his stinking breath making it hard to breath, I reflected on how shy I had been before I met the Weasley twins. If anyone could bring me out of my shell, they could.

I enjoyed the brisk walk to Hogsmead and it wasn't long before we were finally there. "Where are we going first?" I asked, looking around in amazement at all the shops filling the street before us.

Before either of the two girls flanking me could answer, however, a cheeky voice broke into our conversation:

"Hey, Bell, is this your first visit to Hogwarts?" I turned to see the Weasley twins approaching casually. "Because we think we've found the perfect shop for you to visit first." I realized it was George speaking – his hair was slightly longer than Fred's.

"Oh, no you don't," Angelina butted in before I could reply. "She's coming round with us, so don't you dare get any ideas into your thick heads," she warned.

I raised an eyebrow as Alicia whispered to me, "They've got that gleam in their eye that only means one thing – trouble," she explained. I nodded and looked back at the twins. They were both dressed in matching jeans and shirts. Staring harder at their faces, I saw Alicia was right. There was a mischievous look about them.

"Sorry, but I promised Angelina I would help her choose a present for Sophie Jenkinson," I apologised with a shrug.

"Shame," Fred faked a downhearted sigh. "Maybe later then," he added brightly. I couldn't keep a grin from my face.

"In your dreams," I muttered so only Alicia and Angelina could hear. They both chuckled and dragged me away to some clothes shop.

It was getting late when we finally headed into The Three Broomsticks. I was immediately struck by the warm, friendly atmosphere as Alicia grabbed a table and we all sat down. We put all our bags on the floor as Alicia went up to the counter to order three Butterbeers.

"Wow, there are so many Hogwarts students in here," I commented, looking around.

"Yeah, this place is a favorite of most Hogwarts students and professors," Angelina agreed.

"Hey Angelina, fancy seeing you here," came a familiar voice. I glanced up from where I had been rummaging in my bag to see Lee Jordan pausing by our table. He glanced at me and smiled in greeting but then returned his gaze to Angelina.

"Jordan," Angelina returned coolly.

"Hey, aren't we on a first name basis now?" he grinned at her.

Behind his back, I rolled my eyes. It had been obvious from the start of the year that he liked Angelina, but she had confided in Alicia and I that she had no feelings for him other than friendship, like with Fred and George.

"Sure, Lee," Angelina stressed his first name. "Did you want something?"

"Yeah, I was just wondering if you wanted to come for a quick drink in Madam Puddifoots?" Lee didn't waste any time in asking.

I knew she would refuse him, and sure enough she replied, "No thanks, Alicia's getting Katie and myself drinks. Aren't you supposed to be buying up Zonko's with Fred and George?"

Lee shrugged, not letting her refusal bother him. "I can always make time for you," he told her. I had to feel sorry for him. If a guy constantly refused me like Angelina refused Lee then I'd feel pretty hurt. Mind you, if he said no the first time I probably wouldn't have the guts to ask again. I had to admire him for sticking at it in the hope she would one day like him back.

Just then Alicia arrived back. I moved up a seat so she could sit down after setting three steaming Butterbeers down on the table. Lee said goodbye when it was clear he wouldn't be getting any other answer and the rest of the evening passed uneventfully.

We were making our way back to Hogwarts when I saw him standing just outside the main doors. The sky was dark and the stars beginning to come out and twinkle, but I could still make out his dark, windswept hair and strong jaw line. His dark eyes glittered as he watched us approach. I had never really thought about it before, but he was handsome in a scruffy, wild kind of way, as he never took much care over his appearance, always appearing with messy uniform and tangled hair. But I liked him like that… wait, I liked him? I shook my head. No, I didn't like him, I just admired him. Yes, that was it. I admired him for his skill at Quidditch.

"You three took your time," Oliver Wood commented as we drew closer. He took his hands out of his pockets and joined us as we headed back into school. "Had a good time in Hogsmead?"

Alicia began to reply but he swept on regardless. "I wanted to tell you that Quidditch practice has been rescheduled due to our first match of the year being against Slytherin instead of Ravenclaw and the need to train with our new seeker." He paused, staring at out blank faces, and then sighed. "Harry Potter," he reminded us.

"Oh, yeah, of course. Sorry, I forgot. When's the next practice?" Angelina asked him. I concentrated on the shopping bags in my hands, refusing to look at him. My heart was already beating unusually fast, and I didn't want it to get any quicker.

"Tomorrow, half six," Wood informed us. I couldn't resist sneaking one little peak at him and saw that his eyes were alight with the glow he always got whenever discussing Quidditch. I felt my heart skip a beat and immediately looked away again, angry. What was wrong with me? Just because he happened to be incredible handsome… Urgh, stop thinking about him! I told myself. So what if he's handsome? He's also a fifth year, and you're only a third year…

"Katie? Katie Bell, did you hear what I just said?" Wood's concerned voice brought me out of my reverie.

"Wh –what?" I stammered.

Wood sighed. "I said, can you make it tomorrow? To the practise at half six?" he repeated patiently. I nodded, holding my breath. Now he probably thought I was an idiot. So what if he thinks you're an idiot? Who cares what he thinks? I gritted my teeth. Wood blinked and nodded, then walked away down the corridor. I tried not to stare after him (need I say I failed?).

"Are you okay, Katie?" Angelina asked me.

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine," I assured her, but even so, both she and Alicia kept giving me strange looks as we walked back up to the common room together.

That night I tossed and turned in bed. I couldn't stop thinking about how my heart had skipped a beat when I looked at Oliver Wood. Why, oh, why did it have to be him? I needed all my wits about me if I wanted to stay on the Quidditch team, and if Wood kept distracting me, then… Well, I refused to consider it. I tried to focus on other things, like the great day in Hogsmead I had shared with my friends, but when I finally drifted off to sleep my dreams were filled with images of Wood, and my heart just kept on skipping beats.

Author's Note: I really wanted to do a KatiexOliver fanfic, so here it is. This is just the introduction really, so please review and tell me what you think! All comments are really helpful and encouraging!

Or course, later on there might also be some other interesting relationships developing on the Quidditch team...