Disclaimer-I Dont Own Any Of The Harry Potter Series

Authors Note-Okay, here is a bunch of drabbles, and short stories from my computer, most of them were just me working on putting emotion into writing, and getting characters into the right persona. I admit, I was one of those people who made Draco really, really nice. Ive fixed that now. So, read and review, let me know how its going.
This one is my favorite, hope you like it.

Katie-lyn sighed quietly, and turned to prop herself up against the cluttered counter. She flipped her dish rag up, and let it fall over her shoulder. Her raven hair was back in a messy ponytail, and her face wasn't made up. She was beat, exhausted to the point of feeling dizzy.

She was at the burrow, still, helping Mrs Weasley clean up from the funerals. It was hard work, the Weasley's had a very large family, and George had many friends and admirers. In addition to that, all of the guests to the services from all of the other Order members had also come to the protection of The Burrow to meet, and exchange sorrows.

Now, in the aftermath, it seemed the smell of death and despair stuck with everything. Even the usually bright kitchen seemed small, and closed in. Katie took a deep breath, trying to rid the ridiculous thoughts from her head. All that did for her was rush more of the death-smell into her head.

She was in the process of cleaning the kitchen, top to bottom. It had been almost a year since she had last been to the burrow, and it scared her to see the house so unkempt. It was always cluttered, with so many people living there, but Mrs Weasley had always been on top of the mess. Now she was unable to continue, Katie felt the need.

The house creaked and groaned, seeming unusually quiet after so many people had filled it for so long. She didn't want to be here any longer than necessary, the horrible, weighted feeling in the house was far too much for her. Her hopes were to finish helping with the clean up, and then go back home.

She was in the middle of thinking these things, when she was startled by shuffling footsteps coming into the kitchen.

George Weasley slowly walked into the kitchen, his once lively appearance drastically changed. Katie-lyn stiffened, guardedly looking to boy over.

He was wearing the same clothes he had been since she had arrived, unknowing of the event shaking the family, having planned to come in with Charlie for weeks. When she showed up, tragedy was close to follow.

Fred`s hair was lank and greasy, making his usually pale complexion seem even fainter. But worst of all, his once lively dancing eyes were no longer happy and shining, but a dull, faded brown, and they didn't even flicker as he passed through the room, heading for the stairs.

She hadn't hoped for any acknowledgment from him, she had never been faced with losing anything as close as her brother, let alone a twin, but she couldn't help feeling disappointed by the lack of notice. Hot tears stung the back of her eyes, as she watched the young man she had once been so close to wither and die even as she watched.

The old lady across the street from her had once told her that when a love bird dies, the mate is always soon to follow. Kate found herself wondering if the bond between lovers and mates was anything as close as the bond between brothers. She doubted it, and a single tear finally found its way to her cheek. It felt like it was burning its way down her cold face.

She brushed the tear off with the back of her hand, and had just decided to get back to work, turning back to the massive pile of dishes that she was doing by hand, by her own choice, needing the hard work to keep her mind occupied, when more footsteps followed the last.

Again, the footsteps shuffled to a stop behind her, but this time she heard a chair being pulled, and someone plunking down into it. She felt a flash of annoyance, having not had more than five minutes to think since the funeral, which was closely followed by a stab of guilt. After all everyone had been through, the least she could do was help out, and be there for everyone. Her shoulders shuddered, keeping the sobs she felt breaking inside.

"Are you okay, Kale?" Asked the tired voice of Ron Weasley. She almost smiled at the nickname for her that had spread throughout the family by the time she was 11. Fred and George had called her that whatever chance they could, not wanting to be bothered by Katie, or Lyn, or Katie-Lyn. K-L. That was her, and it always would be.

She sniffled, "Okay as I can be. How about you, Little Brother?" She asked affectionately. She considered the family like her own, and growing up around the twins, had picked up many nicknames for "Ickle Ronniekins".

"I don't know," Ron stifled a sigh, his breath catching. Katie looked closer, and noticed the thick red rims around the boy's eyes. She hadnt seen Ron cry, through any of what theyd been through, and she was surprised.

She dried her hands on her tattered dish rag, and placed it on the edge of the sink. Quietly, in her sock feet, she padded to Ron. She grabbed another chair from under the edge of the big table, and pulled it to side beside him, angled so they could look at each other.

So they sat, in silence, neither one of them anxious to break the silence. The air around them was thick with thoughts, and unsaid words. Finally, Ron sighed again

"I just...don't know what to do. No matter where I g-go, people are crying, or I'm crying, or I see George, and I cant handle that. Not without Fred two steps behind him," his voice cracked, and he took a deep breath. "I cant talk to Mum, shes crying. Dads gone and locked himself in his shed, probably crying. Bill and Fleur are leaving, Charlie is out at the ministry, trying to sort through all of this, and Ginny is with Hermione and Harry, upstairs, crying."

Kate's eyes filled with tears at the boys pain, and she put her hand on his knee, trying to comfort him.

"I know," she whispered.

"Three family members," Ron sobbed, including Tonks and Lupin in his grief, "All within an hour of each other." He leaned forward, his face falling to her shoulder.

She stayed, rubbing his shoulder, while he cried. Silently, she joined him, sobs wracking her small body. She hadnt really cried this all out, and she needed it. Soon, the clock was chiming, and Ron was taking deep breaths, still wrapped in Katie's arms. They sat in that embrace, waiting for a reason to move.

His voice muffled in her shoulder, he asked, "but wha-what if I could have done something d-different?"

Katie-Lyn was shocked, she gasped, "Ron, don't think like that, its not your fault, none of this is your fault."

Ron nodded, and sat up, "I know, but I cant stop w-wondering."

Katie stood, wiping her face and waiting for him to do the same. With a flick of her wand, the dishes were gleaming. She felt another pang of guilt, but brushed it off. She was too tired out to do the cleaning now.

"Kale?" Ron asked, "why did you come back? I mean, not that I didn't want you to, but..."

Katie understood. After the last time her and Fred had fought, she had promised that she wouldn't be back, that she hated him. Just weeks before the war, she had received a letter, begging her to come back, signed by the most unlikely of people.

She took a deep breath, more warm tears spilling down her cheeks. Ron stared, waiting for her answer.

"Fred asked me to marry him."