Katie ?
He hasn't see her for years. Yet, she was standing in the doorfront.
"Hello, Oliver."
She looked the same, if older.
She was nineteen. Or twenty perhaps ?
But that wasn't only that. She looked more anxious. Freaking War.
"Come in." he managed to hide his astonishment.
They sat in the kitchen.
"It has been a while." Katie stated simply.
"Sorry. The Quidditch..." he shrugged.
"I understand." she nodded.
"So, who's here today ? My faithful friend or the youngest lawyer in Magic Britain ?"
He was nervous.
"You know that ?" she asked, surprise showing in her voice.
"You're not the only one writing to meme almost every week. George, Fred and the girls are quite proud of their... I quote... " baby sister".
He smirked. She lowered her head.
"I'm sorry, Oliver." she murmured.
"For what ?" he looked at her, lost.
"I have to ask. I..."
She was shaking and on the verge of tears.
She gulped.
"Katie, are you alright ?"
He looked at her more closely but couldn't find the issue. Her cheeks were a bit red, but she looked okay.
" Do you have someone ?" she blurted out, not looking at him.
"What ?"
"Do you have a girlfriend ? Or a boyfriend ?" she repeated, still glancing at a spot on her cup of tea with intensity.
"Er... I'm a Quidditch player you know. I don't really have time for a relationship." he cleared his throat.
What did she want ?
"Do you remember what I ask you when you left Hogwarts ?"
That ?!
The atmosphere became tense.
"Do you remember ?" she insisted, looking at him again.
"You were fifteen." he remembered her.
"I know. It's silly, eh ? Please, don't judge me." she said, looking away again.
"It's okay. It was four years ago." her friend responded.
She took a deep breathe.
"Not for that. For that. I was serious. And I am still serious. I did like you said. I graduated. I found a job. I met people. I met nice guys. I played Quidditch. I worked hard. The thing is that it wasn't a simple crush. It's deeper. I was... And I am in love with you. I'm sorry, but I have to know if what you said me the day you left was true."
"I said you that if you don't have a change of mind after you'll graduate and that I was alone at this time, I'll think of that, right ?"
"You remember ?"
"Every single word you said."
She made a face.
"Well, that ones at least."
"Oliver..."
"Katie..."
"Don't do that. You're going to say me that you're too busy with Quidditch right know, that I'm young and that you'll answer back in ten years. I don't know if you're aware of that in your crazy Quidditch world, but there's a dark wizard outside. He's really mean and he is able to kill people like Dumbledore himself with his army."
" Hey ! Blame the player, not the game ! And sadly, I know that."
"So you know you can't ask me to wait. Stop with the lame excuses. Find a good one."
"Kathryn."
"You're a Quidditch player and you don't have time. I don't care."
"I..."
"I don't want you to marry me but..." Katie tried to explain.
"I give up."
"What ?" she asked, disoriented.
"I was going to say that I wanted to give it a try but seemingly you prefer arguing with me about the possible fake reasons I could give you if I was going to say no." he teased.
She hugged him.