Katie never told anyone about that night.
At first, it was because she was confused. Confused about how she felt, and afraid. Afraid that if she told it would become real. That it could never be taken back. That it would spiral into a direction she couldn't anticipate or control. Spiral her into a dark night she couldn't see.
Later, it was too personal. It was her moment; it didn't belong to anyone else. Well, it did. It belonged to her and Fred. Fred, who had pulled her aside. Fred, who had told her she was beautiful. Fred, who had kissed her in a way no one ever had before. In a way no one ever would again.
He told her he was leaving. He told her it didn't matter. He was leaving, but wasn't leaving her.
She didn't want anyone else to have that moment. No one could. She wouldn't let them.
Next, she stayed silent because she was scared. Scared of the shadows that haunted them, all of them. She was scared something would happen to her, and to Fred, if she ever let go of her secret. She was afraid that whatever was keeping them both safe, and alive, would pop like a bubble if she stopped holding on.
She knew it was silly. Superstition. Petty reassurances. False beliefs. And yet, she didn't care. She had to have to hold on to something. The whole was drowning. Drowning in evil, in death, in despair. The whole world was drowning, and Katie didn't want to drown with it.
So she held on to her moment, her memory, her night. She held on, and she did not drown. And neither did Fred.
But then came the battle.
Katie went. She defended the castle. She defended Harry. She defended all that she believed to be good and right and just in this world and she hoped. She hoped that maybe, just maybe, her time of holding on to their moment would keep them both safe. Would keep her safe. Would keep him safe.
It didn't.
When the fighting stopped and the war was won and the Dark Lord was gone, forever gone, she looked for him. She looked to tell him how she had held on, and how it had been enough. But it wasn't enough. When she found out, it was too late.
So again she kept the memory. It was hers. She wouldn't give it up. Not for anyone. But this time, she held on to it for another reason. A different reason. A reason that was so far apart from the reason she had kept it to herself in the beginning.
It was real. It had always been real, and if she told, she was afraid it wouldn't be real anymore. That it would float away. It couldn't float away. Katie needed that memory. She needed that moment. It was hers.
Hers and Fred's.
So when she finally did see Fred again, her hair past grey and her heart still as stone, she realized that holding on to their moment hadn't kept her safe. It hadn't kept him safe. But it had done one beautiful, perfect thing.
It had kept them safe.
And together, their hands entwined and their unmoving hearts joined as one, they were safe. Forever.