Always

KAT

I was having the nightmare again. I couldn’t wake up. I heard Ron’s voice and he was trying to wake me up. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t wake up.

“Why am I still sleeping? I can’t wake up. I want to wake up”, I said miserably.

“Kat, you’re not sleeping, it’s real”, Ron replied.

“Ron?’, I asked him, fresh tears filling my eyes. He nodded his head.

“Yeah, it’s me”, Ron said, wiping a tear away from my cheek. I crashed into him so hard that he fell back against the bed. He held me tightly. I felt him cry into my shoulder as my sobs overtook me.

“You’re really here… you came for me”, I cried. I cried so hard; I didn’t think I could catch my breath. He pulled us into a sitting position and into his lap. He held me until I felt I could cry no longer. “Why didn’t you come for me?”, I asked sadly.

“I thought you would come back to me. I didn’t realize you were waiting for me”, he said, sadly.

“You never answered my texts, nighty I told you I loved you and you never even responded”, I said, a bit angrily.

“I… I wasn’t sure what to say…”, he said and trailed off. I pulled back and was about to yell at him when the door opened.

RON

I was holding on to Kat, as she cried to me. I should have called her back. I should have come and got her. I felt like an idiot. I was an idiot. She pulled back and was about to say something when the door opened without a knock first.

“We don’t want to interrupt your reunion, but your friends would like to have a word with you”, Ginny announced firmly and walked back out. Kat started to pull away when I grabbed her. I pulled her leg to me and looked at her ankle. She tried to pull away, but I wouldn’t let her.

“We will be talking about this later”, I said, and helped her to her feet. She nodded solemnly and followed me out to our friends.

“Sit”, Ginny said, her voice said question me and you’ll be in trouble. We both sat on the couch, while our friends stood on the other side facing us. “You both have not only put each other through hell, but your friends as well”, Ginny said.

“Explain yourselves”, Fred said.

“We had a fight…” I started before being promptly cut off by George.

“Oh, we gathered that much. Do you love each other?” George asked.

“Of course, I do,'' I said quickly.

“I’m pretty sure this week has left no question of my answer”, Kat said quietly.

“Our question, then, is why? What made you fight that bad?”, George asked.

“I… I was mad about her working closely with Malfoy”, Ron said looking down. I looked up to see Draco look down ashamed. I watched Kat try to give him a reassuring look. She obviously did not want him to feel he was the blame.

“I asked a lot if he was comfortable with it, and he always said yes. But I guess, he had finally had enough. He told me he wanted space… from me. So, I came here…” she said sadly. Malfoy cut her off before she could finish.

“I don’t understand what your problem with me is…” Malfoy stood up and started to yell at me, but I cut him off.

“My problem is that you are a giant ass. You have never been nice to me, ever. You used to treat my friends like shit too. Why on earth would I not hate you?”, I stood and yelled back.

“Hating me doesn’t mean you can force your girlfriend to not be friends with someone!”, Malfoy yelled.

“I never told her she couldn’t!”.

KAT

“No, you just made her feel like she didn’t have a choice and then set her away!”. Ron and Draco both were yelling at each other. They were toe to toe at this point. I stood up and wedged myself between them before it went any further.

“Sit. Down. Now!” I demanded of them. They both sat down without questioning it. “This has gone on long enough. I really don’t give a shit if you don’t like each other, but you’re not putting me in the middle anymore”. I said to both of them. “Don’t ask me to choose. My answer will always be Ron. I don’t want to lose you Draco, but if I am forced to pick… and Ron, while I may choose you, don’t think I will ever forgive you for making me choose”, I said, looking between them. They both nodded.

“Understood”, Ron said.

“Okay”, Draco said at the same time.

“Draco, I think it is time you told everyone. We are all your friends now. They deserve to know”, I said, sitting back down next to Ron and grabbing his hand. I needed to feel him to know that this was real. Draco just nodded.

“I… ah”, Draco cleared his throat. “My father… abused me growing up. He used to curse me or lock me in the basement with no food and water. He would do these things any time…” he trailed off. No-one made a sound, though I noticed Angelle reach for his hand, which he accepted quickly and laced their fingers. “He would do these things to me when he noticed me being nice to those who were muggleborn, or what he would call a blood traitor. So, any time I was nice to Hermione, or Harry, or any of you… I was… well yeah”, he finished.

“That project we had to work on… I walked in on him cursing Draco. I stepped between them. His father would always stop when I was around. I… I stepped between them… more times than I care to count”, I said sadly. “That is why we are so close. He provided me with a home and his Mum took care of me until Mum… Molly… took me in to live with them”, I finished.

“And Katie… she provided me protection, for which I will always be thankful for”, Draco said. I noticed the twins had walked over and gave him understanding pats on his shoulders, Draco nodded at them.

“That doesn’t explain why you are still dick to me now”, Ron said.

“Seriously Ronald? When have you given him the chance to do otherwise? We all have accepted him into our friend group, but not you. You are just as much of an ass to him as he is to you”, Ginny said to Ron angrily.

“Fine. I will try to be better” he said to the group. “For Kat”, he added quickly.

“For Kat”, Draco said in agreement. I nodded and stood.

“I want to thank all of you for your kindness towards me this past week. And I am sorry for all of the trouble I have caused”, I said to all of my friends, hugging them all. “I’d like to go home now”, I said, turning to Ron. He nodded at me. “Let me just go grab my things…” I started but was cut off.

“We will send them to you, don’t worry about it”, Hermione said with a smile. I nodded at her and reached for Ron’s hand as he used his magic to bring us home. Home, I smiled. I missed it here. As soon as we landed in the living room, Jynx meowed at me and ran between my legs. I picked him up and nuzzled his head.

“I’ve missed you my handsome boy”, I cooed at him, before setting him down. Ron had sat down on the couch, and I joined him.

“I’ve missed you too Ron… a lot”, I said quietly. He turned to face me and placed a palm on my face.

“I’ve missed you too Ka…”, I cut him off with a kiss. I kissed him hard. I pulled him on top of me and kissed him harder. I put all of my anger and sadness into the kiss.

“Kat”, he pulled back. “We should talk”, he said but I kissed him again,

“Do you love me?”, I asked.

“Yes, but…”, another kiss.

“Do you want to be with me?”

“Of course, but…”, another kiss.

“Do you want to marry me eventually?”

“You know I do, but Ka…”, another kiss

“And have kids eventually”, I asked.

“Yes, but Ka…”, another kiss.

“Kat, Stop. Wait”, Ron said pushing me away. I stood up and crossed my arms.

“What?”, I yelled at him.

“We really should talk, don’t you think?” he asked carefully.

“Yes, but Ron… I thought I lost you. I just… I need to feel you. All of you. I need to know this is real”, I said sadly. Ron stood and pulled me to him. “Talking can wait. Right now, I need you. I need all of you. Please”, I begged. Ron just nodded and picked me up. He kissed me as he walked us to our room. He laid me down on the bed gently and we made up for everything we’ve missed or didn’t say this last week apart from each other.