We will meet again ~ Fred Weasley

105| no fuss

Katherine lies in the half-light, utterly still, eyes open as if admiring the heavens. She awoke to the steady patter of rain upon the shed roof. Watching intently as some leaked through the wood in the corner. The sound brings a calmness to mind, with her eyes still half at rest, she lifted her neck, groaning in pain from the uncomfortableness of her position.

Both Hermione and Ginny's chairs were empty. That alone made her eyes want to close again, to avoid going to the house, being bombarded with birthday wishes, hugs and presents.

Birthdays since starting Hogwarts actually excited her, but this one made her want to curl up into a ball, alone in the shed, away from the action.

Eighteen. Katherine thought. How is it possible? It felt like her eleventh birthday was just yesterday. She didn't like the feeling, what she explained to Mione and Ginny was true. Not necessarily working in the muggle world but none of the wizarding jobs excited her. She wanted a plan, the thought of a future. Now when she thinks about what's to come she sees Fred. That's all. She wanted- needed more.

"Fuck." She muttered to herself. Even the thought of Fred made her stand from her seat. The image of him waiting to wish her a happy birthday made her drop the ignorance to her birthday.

The door squeaked open as she pushed it with her finger, turning her neck to stretch it as she did so. The rain was still pouring down lightly and she was still in her minimal clothing. She was contemplating whether to just shut the door and use the rain as an excuse for her absence but she couldn't bring herself to. Instead, she stepped onto the wet grass with her slippers, an angered look on her face due to the circumstance.

The Burrow wasn't far but the uncomfortable squelching from her now wet socks was infuriating her. Everything was.

She reached the back door and her mood had instantly lifted at the smell of pancakes. Katherine could hear chatter from behind the door and it made her feel calmer. The door was opened and everyone turned to face her. Fred, Hermione and Ginny slamming books and stuffing papers out of sight; only drawing suspicion.

"Good morning." She said with her brow raised staring at the three of them, then turning to Ron who was focused on plating up his food. "What are they up to?" She asked him pointing to the guilt-looking three at the end of the table.

"I was a little occupied..." Ron replied, lifting his plate at an angle to show her the face he made on his pancake out of berries. Katherine rolled her eyes, but she wasn't surprised. She walked up to get a closer look, taking both eyes made out of strawberries. "How dare you!" He gasped sarcastically, frowning like a child.

Katherine giggled turning to Molly and kissing her cheek before grabbing a plate from the cupboard. She was a lot happier that no one was making a fuss, no one was bombarding her as she had expected.

When she looked along the table there were a few missing. "Where is Harry, George and Arthur?"

She turned to Molly who was cleaning her hands to rid them of excess flour. "Arthur's got called to work, he won't be long." She hummed, searching around for a tea towel to dry them with.

"Harry's went to get something for you." Ron spat trying to keep the mouthful from falling out. Katherine only shrugged, satisfied with her answer until she saw the three whispering to each other. They looked deep in thought like they were planning something. It was irritating because if they were planning something big, she simply wasn't in the mood.

"What about George, Fred?" She grunted, stabbing a fork into a pancake to transfer it onto her plate. Fred saw the look in her eyes and gulped, scratching the back of his neck trying to think of what to say without angering her.

"He's out doing something for me-"

"What might that be?" She replied almost immediately. Fred's was avoiding her eyes, knowing he couldn't say much more without ruining the surprise they had planned. His mouth was open waiting to speak but he couldn't think of a valid and believable excuse. "Fine. I'm going to get ready." She hissed, pushing her chair back and leaving the room without another word. She knew it was about a secret, she wasn't really mad but getting angry would push Fred to tell her. It worked in the past, worked like a charm.

Katherine was walking speedily up the stairs, hearing a distant pair following her. She had a grin on her face about him coming to grovel, the perfect opportunity to get him to fess up. "Love, wait." She only slowed down her pace for him to catch up to her. His arms wrapped around her waist, picking her up and running to his room clumsily.

"Fred!" She giggled, trying to squirm out of his hold. "Tell me-"

"I'm not telling you." He put a hand over her mouth looking at the ceiling to avoid her begging gaze. Katherine just tried to pull it away from her face but was having no luck. "I'm going to take my hand away and you're not going to mention it again." He frowned to show his seriousness, taking his hand away slowly to test whether she'd ask again.

Katherine only had a smug look on her face, Stepping closer to him with a hand on his chest. "You sure you don't want to tell me?" She batted her eyelashes, bringing her hand to his belt buckle. Fred squinted his eyes at her but she just smiled proudly up at him. "A little hint?" She pleaded as she started to unbuckle it but he grabbed her wrist, stopping her from making another move.

"Teasing me with sex? Maybe I should scrap the surprise altogether." He tutted turning for the door, leaving her unaccomplished without any added information than she had before. Kat sighed, sitting on the bed thinking of scenarios, most likely getting her hopes up. But a knock at the door caught her attention.

"It's just me." Harry's voice excited her and she welcomed him in, pulling a wrapped little box from down the side of the bed for him as he joined her on the mattress. "I got you a present." He smiled both hands behind his back. When he pulled them in front, Giddy was in his arms.

Katherine had given Giddy to Harry and Ginny to look after not long after the war, she wasn't capable of getting out of bed, let alone taking care of something else. Giddy looked quite attached to Harry now, gripping onto his hands as he passed him over to his sister.

The beam on her lips was unforgettable. It was time she got him back. It took him a second but once he was comfortable with her again he was climbing onto her lap.

"Where's my actual present?" She asked him while scratching behind the petite slate-grey kitten's ears. When there was no response she looked up at her brother, who was wide-eyed and unable to explain himself. "Gideon is already mine! You're shit at gifts." Kat chuckled pushing him his box and he bounced up and down with excitement while ripping it open.

He lifted the lid, his whole face had an astonished look on it. Pulling out a chain necklace. On the front, it said 'never forgotten.' He met her eyes for a second but turned back to inspect it more, turning it over to see it engraved on the back too.

'Lily
James
Cedric
Dobby
Tonks
Hedwig'

"This way they are always with you..." Katherine mumbled, interrupting the silence of his shock, He had a faint smile on his face that already told her he liked it, without him having to tell her.

"You're right." Harry exhaled. "My gift was shit." He groaned, looking at the kitten with a death stare but lifting the chain over his head to let it sit on his chest.

"Thank you." He smiled standing from his seat to hug her but didn't get close enough before Giddy started hissing for him to back away. "That git loved me five minutes ago and now I can't even get within a metre of him!"