Just So You Know

“Do you know what department I might find Harry Potter?” I ask a short, white haired, witch.

“Ouu that hunky young man with the scar? I have no clue where to find him, but if you see him tell him to find me.” She winks and walks away. That was no help at all. Harry is an auror so I go to the auror department and ask for Harry Potter. They bring him to me,

“Caty! I owled Ginny and she is so excited to see you again! I get off in ten minutes or so, so will you meet me buy the fountain?”

“Oh sure, I’ll be there.”

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“Oh, and I hope you don’t mind, but the whole family is going to be at dinner tonight. It could be like a big reunion.” Harry decides to mention minutes before we arrive. I came for a place to stay and some good food to eat. Not to have a reunion with all the Weasleys. Sure it will be nice seeing Ginny again, but Fred broke my heart. I’m not sure if I’m ready to see him yet. After all these years I still have no idea why Fred ended our relationship. I was positive he loved me, and I really thought I loved him too. I was with him longer then any guy I’ve ever been with. It was two and a half years, almost three. Maybe he found out about my secret love for Oliver I’d been hiding since the day I met him. I didn’t tell anyone I liked Oliver until my sixth year, it was only him who knew since that day by the lake under the willow tree.

“Oh… yeah, that’s fine. It should be fun to see the whole family again.” I’m worried that Fred will be married or have a girlfriend. Maybe he and Angelina got married, they were going out in their last year at Hogwarts. That didn’t bother me though cause I was with Oliver, but I haven’t seen Oliver since he left Hogwarts. I didn’t even say goodbye to Fred when he left, and I regret that.

“Well, here we are. Home sweet home.” They live in a big house, with a lot of windows. I think that means that there are a lot of rooms to fit all their relatives into around holidays. At first I’m afraid to enter the house, I’m afraid of what I’ll see. You were brave enough to leave Jordan, common’ Caty, be brave enough to walk into the house. I push myself through the door only to be pushed over by Ginny who did a flying leap hug.

“Caty! Oh my god it’s so good to see you! Where have you been all these years?! I’ve missed you so very much!” Her grin could fly of her face, because it’s literally from ear to ear. This makes me smile.

“It’s good to see you too Ginny! Harry here tells me you are newlyweds, Congratulation!” I say trying to act excited, but I fear I’m disappointing.

“Yes, yes we are. And expecting too!” She is so full of happiness. Happiness I haven’t felt since my sixth year at Hogwarts.

“ Well come in, come in. Everyone is here. Even Percy! I don’t suppose you met him before though, he hasn’t been around in a long time.” She announces as she ushers me into the room. There I see them, all the Weasleys; Molly, Arthur, Charlie, Bill and Fleur, Percy, George, Ron and Hermione, and then I see him. My heart skips a beat; will he remember me? Oh shut up Caty, who cares if he remembers you or not? I remember him.

A young couple board the Hogwarts express to go home for the holidays. The red headed boy holds the hand of a shorter blond girl, who is smiling brightly. They are happy together, worry free. They enter a compartment where they are all alone, but within a couple minutes and tall red headed boy who looks just like the one already in the compartment enters with a smile of mischief.

“Fred you should have been there! Peeves… Umbridge… I can’t even explain! It was bloody brilliant! I must congratulate that ghost on our return.” He said excitedly, and then added, “Oh Caty! I know you’ll love the burrow. It will feel like the home. I wonder if Mum noticed, we’re kind of like an orphanage. First Harry now Caty!” She knew that he was trying to be funny, but that one hit home for Caty. Her parent’s disappeared when she was 8.

“Haha George, you’re a funny one,” She say politely in a sarcastic tone. He starts to leave the compartment when Caty asks, “Off to make more mischief are you?” A grin appears on George’s face, a very friendly grin. Maybe a bit too friendly.

Caty turns to Fred and asks, “ Are you sure that it’s alright for my to come over from Christmas? I’ve no where else to go, but your house will be full of relatives wont it?”

“Oh no, I’ve already owled Mum. She said it was fine for you to come over. We wont have many relatives this year. Most are busy. But the whole family will be there, except Percy. But we don’t really talk about him anymore. Charlie is coming home from Romania, Bill will be there, and that leaves us, George, Ron and Ginny. Well I suppose Harry will come too. He usually does.” Caty inches closer to Fred, and rests her head upon his shoulder. He moves his arms so that they wrap around her, and he kisses her on her forehead. All she needs is to be loved, to feel loved, and when she’s with Fred she is loved. Caty tilts her head up and brings her lips to his. There has always been a spark between them.

“Oh Caty! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you last!” Mrs. Weasley gives her a monstrous hug.

“ Oh it’s nice to see you too!” I answer trying to sound happy. Next George pounced on me.

“Caty you look beautiful!”

“How have you been?”

“What have you been up too?”

I am ambushed with questions. I tell them that my story is long, and I shall tell it to them at dinner. This shall make dinner exciting. I’m slightly disappointed. Fred hasn’t come to welcome me. Is he angry with me? I don’t see why he would be.. I don’t think he should have a reason not to be able to see me emotionally. I’m left wondering until we reach the dinner table.

At the table on one side there is Ginny on my right, and George on my left. Fred is on the other side of George. He’s so close. He seems quieter then usual. The rest of the family chats of their day, when Molly says, “Caty, why don’t you tell us your story now?” Reluctantly I nod in agreement. “It started when I left Hogwarts with Jordan.” I can feel Fred frowning towards me. Well you weren’t there now were you! I go on, “Jordan became an alcoholic and started to abuse me when he was angry, or even just had a bad day. I would threaten to leave him and he would threaten to hurt me. I left one morning early. I just packed up and left, drove off into the direction of London. I stayed in a dirty motel for one night; there are rats. The next morning I go to the ministry to file a report on Jordan, and who do I see but Harry!” They all beam return to me, at Harry. But then their faces left in awe. I know they didn’t expect that story.

“Well let’s clean up now, we can have drinks and desert a bit later then.” Molly says. I start to clean up, but Molly interrupts. “ Now Caty, I think you deserve a rest, why don’t you go to the living room and rest upon the couch? You’ve had a long journey.” There’s no disagreeing with Molly Weasley. I nod curtly, and make my way to the living room, but am interrupted.

“Caty…” he grabs my arm and hold it delicately so I wont pull it out of his grip. I spin around, and see his face close to mine. I don’t look in his eyes. He laces his fingers with mine, and pulls me outside to the garden. I can’t look at his face. We just walk for a long time. No talking, we didn’t even try to. We just walked until we got to a bench, isolated from anyone’s view. He sits me upon the bench, why must he touch me so delicately? I fear I will cry in front of him, I miss him. I want him still. I’m shaking, and I reluctantly let go, and tears fall down my face. I’m shaking violently, until he takes his arms and wraps them around me tightly like he used to. He kissed my forehead, and I can breath now. I still don’t look at him, but I rest my head on his chest, close to his neck. He is breathing heavy, and I pray that he doesn’t start crying, but sure enough I feel a tear land on my cheek. I lift my head from his chest, and look him straight in the eyes; I wipe his tears, and kiss his cheek slowly. I’m not sure whether he still thinks of me like he used to, and before I know it I realize he still does. I feel his warm lips upon mine. We take it slow, first it is just a simple kiss, but then it deepens, I can feel his tongue exploring my mouth, and hands rub against my sides, feeling up and down. Soon I am straddling over him on the bench, feeling him anywhere and everywhere. He starts to unbutton my shirt, I moan while his lips kiss my lower neck.

“Caty! Fred! Time for deserts!” Molly’s voice yells out over the garden.

I look at him alarmed by Molly’s voice, and then giggle like a schoolgirl. He pulls me close to him, and kisses me one more time. I don’t want him to leave, so I deepen the kiss till he breaks it off, “they will be looking for us suspiciously if we don’t go in know Caty.” He smiles, and I smile. I make a real smile. I haven’t smiled and meant it for many years. He buttons my shirt back up, and I fix his hair, hoping mine looks fine. Hand in hand we walk back through the garden, and unravel our hands when we walk into the house. Things are not forgiven, but on the road to forgiveness. I still don’t know why he left me, but I tell myself I will know by the end of the night.