(Author's Note: I mentioned this in a note in an earlier chapter, but a few of you must have missed it: Fred didn't die. Sorry, but I just can't let the guy go. So for this story's sake, he's still around.)

Katie's Point of View:

Oliver and I left the dress shop empty-handed and without much spirit. He had pretty much told me he hated Chris, and I had pretty much decided I didn't love Chris anymore. But there was still a part of me that wanted to love him.

Oliver was right though – I couldn't expect to just marry Chris to get my happy ending. Marriage would take work, no matter what. And marrying Chris would take a lot of patience. But we'd come so far. We've had so many good times together. I had more memories with Chris than anyone else, except maybe Oliver.

Speaking of Oliver, he must've recognized my need for distraction, because he decided to take me to Fred and George's shop for cheering up.

"Katie, dearest," George said as we entered. "We were just thinking about you."

"I don't think I want to know why," I said dryly.

"Well, we were talking about weddings," Fred started.

"And how fun it is to dance at them," George finished.

"And then we thought-"

"Wouldn't it be fun to dance during a wedding?"

"You know, down the aisle."

I eyed them with as much intimidation I could manage. "Don't you dare," I said through gritted teeth. The twins sighed.

"We were afraid you'd say that," Fred sighed. "Perhaps we'll give it a go at Oliver's wedding. Oliver, when are you getting married?"

"Last I checked, I'm not," Oliver answered.

"Maybe it's time we found Oliver a boyfriend," George suggested.

"I don't need a boyfriend," Oliver said hotly. "I'm not gay."

The twins shook their heads in unison. "Poor bloke," Fred said sadly. "In denial."

"I'm not gay!" Oliver repeated.

"Keep telling yourself that," Fred said, looping an arm around Oliver's shoulder. "You'll come out someday." Fred batted his eyelashes at Oliver, who pushed him away in disgust.

I shook my head at them as my phone began to vibrate in my purse.

Glancing at the screen, I sighed audibly. Chris.

"Hello?" I said softly.

"Hey," Chris's voice rang out from the other end. "Where are you?"

"I just got done with my dress fitting," I replied. "Now I'm at the twins' shop."

"Are you free for dinner?"

"I… don't know," I replied uneasily.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I'm kind of tired."

"Katie. You can spare an hour or two for me."

I sighed. How do you ignore your own fiancé whom you're supposed to marrying in just a matter of weeks?

"Chris, I really don't-"

"Please?"

I sighed again. "Fine. I'll meet you in an hour." I hung up and stared at my phone for a moment.

Dreading a date with your fiancé weeks before your wedding is probably not a good sign.

I met Chris at our usual restaurant and stared at the tablecloth as the waiter poured me a glass of wine.

"How'd your fitting go? Chris asked.

"It was good," I said quietly. Sensing that I was preoccupied, Chris sighed audibly.

"Katie. What's going on?"

"Nothing," was my instinctive reply. "I'm just-"

"Tired?"

"Yeah."

"Katie," Chris started, putting on his serious expression. "Why do you keep doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Lying. Being distant. Avoiding me. Jerking me around."

"Jerking you around?"

"Yes, jerking me around. One day, you ignore me. The next, you're fine. Then you're mad at me. Then you agree to move in with me. Now you're avoiding me."

I looked up at him, my eyes meeting his. Suddenly, I felt bad for him. Maybe it wasn't fair to be treating him so bad. His eyes weren't angry. They were sad and frustrated. I felt guilty. After all, all Chris ever did was care about me. No one else loved me like he did.

That's when I decided that I'd built so much up with Chris, that it'd be stupid to let it all go. Chris and I were a couple, and even though we didn't always see eye-to-eye, we loved each other. And these days, if you pass up on love, you don't get many second chances.

"I'm sorry," I finally said. "Really, I am." I gazed at him apologetically. "Chris, I've just been freaking out over this wedding. There's just so much going on, it's driving me crazy. And sometimes… sometimes, I just don't know how to act. And then you want to spend time together, and I just… I get overwhelmed."

Chris reached across the table to hold my hand. "I understand," he said. "And I'm sorry for always annoying you. I just… I'm just so excited about marrying you."

The romantic in me melted a little.

"I know," I said. "I guess all of the stress is just getting to my head."

"Well, I wish I could help you clear your head this weekend," Chris said. "But I've got to go out of town."

"What for?"

"I'm going fishing with my dad," he said. "You know, a father-son weekend before I get hitched."

"Oh."

I shouldn't be relieved. I was supposed to be upset. I was supposed to be worrying about how much I was going to miss him. But instead, I was flat-out relieved.

"Well, have fun," I said. "I'm sure it'll be nice, spending some time with your dad."

Chris nodded. "So what are you doing this weekend?"

I knew what he was thinking. Would I be spending the weekend with Oliver? But I was trying to be the good fiancé here. Tell him what he wants to hear, Katie. What he doesn't know won't hurt him.

"No, Oliver's going out of town or something," I lied with a shrug. "I guess I'll just get some more wedding plans taken care of. Time's running out, and I still need to pick out silverware."

Chris looked relieved as he leaned over the table to kiss me. "You're right," he said. "We're going to be married in less than two months."

An Hour Later:

I kissed Chris goodnight on the front porch and watched him leave. As I shut the door and locked it, I found Oliver lying on the couch, flipping through a quidditch magazine.

"How was dinner?" he asked.

"Same as usual," I replied with a shrug.

"So what did you tell Chris?" he asked, sitting up.

"Nothing really," I replied with a shrug. "He's going out of town this weekend. Fishing with his dad."

"But what did you tell him?" Oliver repeated. "About you know, postponing the wedding?"

"I didn't bring any of that up," I said, sitting down next to him. "I mean, I think all of the stress is just getting to me. I was overreacting. You know, the whole wearing-the-wedding-dress emotion thing."

"Katie," Oliver said reasonably. "Just hours ago, you said you didn't want to marry Chris."

Ahh, shit. I'd almost forgotten that Oliver had recently told me he hated Chris.

"I said I wasn't sure," I explained carefully. "Now, I'm sure. Like I said, my nerves have just been getting the best of me."

Please please please, be understanding, Oliver.

Oliver studied me for a few moments. Finally, he let out a sigh and kicked his feet up on the coffee table. "Whatever you say," he breathed.

Thank Merlin.

A silence hovered over us, and I eyed the carpet.

"So," Oliver finally said. "What are you going to do this weekend since Chris won't be around?"

"No idea," I replied with a shrug. "I guess I'll do a bit of random wedding planning. What are you doing? No game this weekend."

"I just found out I have a wedding to go to," Oliver said.

"What? Who's getting married?"

"My cousin?" Oliver said. "I think. I don't really know. Some girl I'm apparently related to."

"And you're just now planning on going?"

"Well, I think my mum mentioned it to me a while ago," Oliver said with a shrug. "I just forgot."

Typical male.

"Where's it at?" I asked.

"Glasgow," Oliver replied. "So I'll be out of town too."

What? No. Who's going to cook for me? Who's going to watchsoap operas with me? Most importantly, who will I make fun of?

"Well, who are you taking?"

"What?"

"Who's your wedding date?"

"I don't have one."

Dear Lord. For being such a perfect man, Oliver sure is lost.

"What do you mean you don't have one?" I demanded. "Oliver, you need a wedding date. You can't just show up single."

"Why not?"

"Because," I insisted. "You're Oliver Wood. You're supposed to have bitches crawling all over you. In fact, you should have a girl on each arm."

"Katie," Oliver laughed. "Bitches crawling all over me? You know very well I'm not like that."

"Oh, right. Because you're gay."

Oliver gave me a look. Ooh boy, if looks could kill…

"Well, it's a little late now," Oliver said with a shrug. "I have to leave Friday, which is only two days away."

I sighed and rested my head in his lap, letting my eyes fall shut. "You're impossible."

"Better than being easy, like you."

My eyes flew open. "What?!"

Oliver grinned down at me. "I said your hair looks nice."

I continued to glare at him. "No wonder you don't have a date. No woman would put up with such horrible treatment."

"You put up with it quite well."

"Only because I have to. But you're right. I do put up with a lot from you."

Oliver rolled his eyes at me. "Right. Because I never put up with shit from you."

"You don't," I said, grinning up at him.

Oliver snorted. "Yeah, right."

Then an idea popped into my head. "Well, since I put up with you so well," I said. "Maybe I should accompany you to the wedding."

Oliver's expression turned serious. "Do you really want to?"

"Well sure," I replied, sitting up. "Why not? I don't have anything else to do."

"All right," Oliver said. "At least I'll have a bitch on my arm." I smacked him with his own magazine.

At least I hadn't really lied to Chris. Oliver really was going out of town. The only difference was that I'd be going with him.

(Author's Note: Review! And thank you for reading! You guys are the reason I write.)