Almost

Chapter 45: Monstrous

Katherine groaned when she woke up no hopes of returning to sleep, the sun now in full swing. The only thing that made it bearable was the smell of bacon wafting up from downstairs. She looked at the clock—Crawley would have to leave for work soon. At least it was Grouse's day for the "Birdwatch" as they called it.

With her head clearer, she sent Nestor to tell Harry what had happened, not wanting the Burrow to be left unguarded. She knew he'd protect that house to the teeth.

Katherine kept the purple blanket tucked around her as she padded downstairs. Ezra's back was to her as he stood over the stove, already dressed for work. His suitcoat and tie were hung over one of the dining room chairs waiting for him.

"Morning," she yawned, Smithwick at her feet. She noticed a small table had appeared in the kitchen, pushed against wall that met the courtyard, with only two chairs.

"What do you think?" Ezra asked, seeing her gaze. "The dining room is too formal, but I can't eat standing up anymore."

She chuckled as she sat down, Smithwick quickly jumping into her lap. She wondered if Nestor had somehow given strict instructions when she'd left the Nest, because the cat had quickly taken on his role as her guard cat, prowling like the Wampus on the sweater she'd left upstairs.

"Coffee," Ezra said, setting a mug down in front of her, "and breakfast."

She smiled at the plate he'd made for her—bacon, waffles, blackberries, and honeydew. All her favorite breakfast things. And she smelled the vanilla and cinnamon rising out of her coffee before she took her first sip.

"I know, I know, apology coffee..." he muttered, sitting across from her with his own plate while the dishes began to scrub themselves clean in the sink. He flicked his wand and butter and syrup arrived at the table.

"I always like the coffee, but you haven't done anything wrong," a wry smile lazily sliding across her face as she let the steam fog her glasses.

"A lot of wrong happened yesterday. Can't I apologize on the world's behalf?"

Katherine sighed and her shoulders slumped forward as her hands buried themselves in Smithwick's soft fur.

"I'm sorry," she repeated herself from last night. "I should have known something was happening—"

"What difference would it have made? We couldn't very well have gone with your shoulder broken."

"I would have gone anyways."

"Oh, I know," Ezra responded, humor and truth mingling in his voice. "I'm almost glad. Who knows what would have happened had we barged in for a fight."

"Are you mad I left without telling you?"

"I mean, I would have preferred to go with you. But at least you let me know where you were. Even if I had to bargain with that stinking woodpecker for 5 minutes before he'd give me your message."

She nearly snorted, hurrying to swallow the bite of waffle she'd just taken.

"What did you think you could bribe him with?"

"I told him the next time he divebombed me, I wouldn't curse at him. He didn't seem to mind my cursing, though, almost seemed irritated that I'd ever deign to react differently."

"Not surprising," Katherine admitted, putting her hand up over her necklace where the rose gold woodpecker rested at her sternum.

"I thought about telling him he could hang out with my Patronus, especially now that I've blown my cover and they know it's a squirrel. But he practically scoffed at me. I bet anything Nestor will help George come up with rodent jokes. At least a break from the brown sludge magic material, I guess."