We will meet again ~ Fred Weasley

- I Need You -

"I loved you so deeply that choosing you felt inevitable... but that doesn't make it hurt any less knowing someone else had to bleed for my happiness."

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The door to the Gryffindor common room swung open just as Katherine climbed through the portrait hole, the familiar warmth of the tower immediately wrapping around her after the freezing dungeon corridors below. The room was quieter than usual for a Friday evening, though still comfortably alive with scattered conversation and the crackling fire burning brightly against the far wall.

Fred and George had completely taken over one of the larger sofas near the fireplace, parchment, potion notes, and various stolen sweets spread chaotically around them. George sat cross-legged with surprising neatness considering the disaster surrounding him, sleeves rolled up while he scribbled corrections onto a bit of parchment. Fred, meanwhile, was practically upside down across the cushions, one leg hanging over the armrest and his tie half-undone as though he'd given up on existing properly hours ago.

Katherine paused for a moment simply watching them.

Watching him.

It still startled her sometimes—how natural this had all become after years of fighting it.

The ease between them.

The gravity of it.

Because there had once been a time where sitting beside Fred Weasley had felt dangerous in entirely different ways; back when every accidental touch during detentions had sent panic through her chest, back when she'd pulled away first because she'd been too young, too frightened of ruining the friendship she treasured more than anything.

And now here they were years later, somehow worse.

Or better.

Depending on how honest she was being with herself.

Fred glanced up first, immediately catching sight of her lingering by the doorway.

And the second he smiled at her—

that stupid, warm, devastating smile—

something inside her chest softened helplessly.

"There she is," George announced dramatically. "Thought you'd abandoned us."

"Tempting every day," Katherine replied dryly, shrugging off her bag.

Fred sat up slightly, brown eyes following her movements with that same unbearable attentiveness he always carried around her now, like he noticed every little thing without even trying.

"You're late," he said casually.

But she heard the underlying meaning anyway.

You came back.

Katherine rolled her eyes lightly, though the corner of her mouth betrayed her.

"I have a life outside of you two, believe it or not."

"Impossible," Fred said immediately.

George gagged loudly.

"Oh, don't start."

Katherine laughed quietly as she dropped onto the sofa between them, shoulder knocking lightly against Fred's.

And neither of them moved away.

That still felt dangerous too.

Not because it was uncertain anymore—

but because it wasn't.