Anytime
Anytime
The lights cut on the curb in front of The Burrow. George Weasley gallantly got out and opened Katherine Hall’s door, instantly throwing a protective arm around her shoulder as they walked up the short driveway to the side door.
Katherine heard laughter as George opened the door, laughter that stopped dead as soon as she and George walked into the kitchen, tears and terror streaking on my face and George with a determined look upon him.
“George, what-“ Ron Weasley started. George shot him a look and continued to walk Katherine towards the steps.
“Come on,” He encouraged her still, “let’s get you upstairs.” He finished with a final casting look to the four or five people in the kitchen. Katherine really didn’t look up enough to count, she was too embarrassed.
As soon as she and George were in his room he rifled through he drawers and pulled out a pair of plaid flannel sweatpants and an old Weasley family sweater.
“They’ll be a little big,” George explained, “But they’ll be more comfortable.”
He pointedly looked away as Katherine changed clothes, and continued to search his bureau for something else. She was just pulling the soft shirt over her head when he pulled out a roll of sports bandages.
Kneeling down to her height, he ripped a piece off with his teeth. Judging by the wince on his face when he looked at her, Katherine guessed that the cuts on her face from the Death Eater invasion on her home must have still looked pretty bad. He gently placed the bandage over the biggest cut, parallel to her ice blue eye.
“There,” He said quietly, pushing her hair behind her ears and gently kissing the top of the bandage. “All better.”
Katherine tried to muster a smile; though she was sure it looked more like a grimace.
“How do you feel?” He asked.
“Tired.” She answered, honestly. “Exhausted, actually.”
“I bet.” He agreed. “Let’s get you to bed then.”
He pulled the forest green comforter down on his bed and Katherine crawled in. He tucked her in, like the guardian angel he always was.
“You get some rest. If it’s OK with you, I’m going to go downstairs for a while and try to explain the situation to everyone, alright?”
“OK,” Katherine whispered. George smiled a sad smile and began to leave when she stopped him. “George,” she started.
“Yeah?”
“Tell them all I’m sorry. I’m sorry for having to crash here, and I’m sorry for… well, I’m just sorry.”
He shook his head. “Katherine, you seriously don’t get it. I have your back through everything, always and forever. And all those people downstairs have mine, and if they care about me half as much as I care about you, then you’ll never have to apologize to them. Not ever.”
Her eyelids fluttering, Katherine managed to squeeze out, “Please, tell them.”
George stuffed his hands in his pockets and sighed. “Only for her.” She heard him mutter. He looked towards her again. “I’ll tell them.”
“Thank you.” She whispered, dangling closer and closer to the edge of sleep. “For everything.”
“Anytime, my love. Anytime.”
Katherine heard laughter as George opened the door, laughter that stopped dead as soon as she and George walked into the kitchen, tears and terror streaking on my face and George with a determined look upon him.
“George, what-“ Ron Weasley started. George shot him a look and continued to walk Katherine towards the steps.
“Come on,” He encouraged her still, “let’s get you upstairs.” He finished with a final casting look to the four or five people in the kitchen. Katherine really didn’t look up enough to count, she was too embarrassed.
As soon as she and George were in his room he rifled through he drawers and pulled out a pair of plaid flannel sweatpants and an old Weasley family sweater.
“They’ll be a little big,” George explained, “But they’ll be more comfortable.”
He pointedly looked away as Katherine changed clothes, and continued to search his bureau for something else. She was just pulling the soft shirt over her head when he pulled out a roll of sports bandages.
Kneeling down to her height, he ripped a piece off with his teeth. Judging by the wince on his face when he looked at her, Katherine guessed that the cuts on her face from the Death Eater invasion on her home must have still looked pretty bad. He gently placed the bandage over the biggest cut, parallel to her ice blue eye.
“There,” He said quietly, pushing her hair behind her ears and gently kissing the top of the bandage. “All better.”
Katherine tried to muster a smile; though she was sure it looked more like a grimace.
“How do you feel?” He asked.
“Tired.” She answered, honestly. “Exhausted, actually.”
“I bet.” He agreed. “Let’s get you to bed then.”
He pulled the forest green comforter down on his bed and Katherine crawled in. He tucked her in, like the guardian angel he always was.
“You get some rest. If it’s OK with you, I’m going to go downstairs for a while and try to explain the situation to everyone, alright?”
“OK,” Katherine whispered. George smiled a sad smile and began to leave when she stopped him. “George,” she started.
“Yeah?”
“Tell them all I’m sorry. I’m sorry for having to crash here, and I’m sorry for… well, I’m just sorry.”
He shook his head. “Katherine, you seriously don’t get it. I have your back through everything, always and forever. And all those people downstairs have mine, and if they care about me half as much as I care about you, then you’ll never have to apologize to them. Not ever.”
Her eyelids fluttering, Katherine managed to squeeze out, “Please, tell them.”
George stuffed his hands in his pockets and sighed. “Only for her.” She heard him mutter. He looked towards her again. “I’ll tell them.”
“Thank you.” She whispered, dangling closer and closer to the edge of sleep. “For everything.”
“Anytime, my love. Anytime.”