One Shot. Katie Bell centric. SongFic.
Rating: K plus
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter! Nor do I own "Drown" by Smashing Pumpkins
No matter where you are
I can still hear you when you drown
Katie Bell smiled as she looked on at two of her best friends dancing at the center of the dance floor. The large room was full of people who's chatting had silenced to watch Mr. & Mrs. George Weasley dance to their first dance as a married couple. Well, if you exclude the impromptu celebratory dance George had broken out into once Alicia said 'I do'.
You've traveled very far
Just to see you
I'll come around
When I'm down
Katie always knew Alicia and George would be the first to get married. The instant the two met each other they had been inseparable. Though it had taken nearly seven years to get them to actually start a romantic relationship.
Katie smiled as she gently tipped the delicate glass filled with pink champagne to her lips, the sweet tang of the liquid savored as she took the lightest of sips. Her eyes nearly closed as she tasted the savory drink, she swore she saw a familiar figure from across the dance floor as George and Alicia spun around grandly.
All of those yesterdays
Coming around
As she sloshed the liquid around in her glass, the song stopped and more couples – and mates – graced the floor. The bride and groom being lost in the sea of dancing bodies. Then, right as Arthur Weasley twirled his wife, Molly,around, Katie caught another glimpse of a familiar face. Or so it appeared.
"It can't be," She murmured, "He left a long time ago. Plus, I had a damned good view from the front of the altar ... he wasn't there."
"Katie!" Roger Davies yelled as she spun on her heel to face the voice. Ohh boy was Roger already trashed.
"Roger ..." Katie unenthusiastically replied, supporting her former schoolmate as he stumbled towards her, "Leanne? Shu—seen 'er?"
"Uh, ladies room," Katie lied. Oh yeah, Roger was also dating another one of her friends, Leanne.
Roger disappeared into the sea of twirling bodies as he stumbled towards the lavatories.
No matter where you are
I can still hear you when you dream
Katie gazed into the distance as she reflected upon one of the incidents she had experienced with Leanne. Her Seventh Year. The cursed necklace.
She shuddered at the memory that left her comatose in St. Mungo's hospital for much of her Seventh Year.
That was the last time she saw Him. The figure that kept taunting her vision on the dance floor. He had visited her in the hospital. And, o, the things he had said. The wonderfully romantic, achingly sweet things he had said. He must have been unaware that she could hear him. Or either hopeful that she could hear him. Either way, he disappeared to nowhere. Never giving a chance for her to reply. For her to confess.
You traveled very far
You traveled far, like a star
And you are
All of those yesterdays
Coming around
"Why am I thinking about him?" She mused aloud, "I'm at a wedding for Godric's sake. Happiness, not heartbreak. I don't need to be thinking about past relationships. As if it was even that. Past feelings that need not be revisited. Yesterday's memories, not today's. Get a grip on yourself woman. Find a groomsman, get trashed, it's a Weasley wedding! Party and party hard!"
Is it something someone said?
Was it something someone said?
She closed her eyes and the words that caused her so much heartache echoed in her mind as if they were being uttered at that very moment. Every pause, every mumble. Clear as crystal in her mind.
"I haven't seen you in years," Had been the simple greeting, "Right. When, er, I got that – that owl, from yer mum. It killed me, Katie. I don't even know why she owled me, you know. What good could I do, eh? Merlin, when I got that owl, I wanted to ... you don't need to know that," There was a long pause, "Katie, I love you. This is the most unromantic place to confess ... but the day I left you and Hogwarts, I haven't been right since. I carried, I carry ... this damn photo you insisted on us taking. You know the one in the locker room right after we lost to Hufflepuff. Your 'embarrassing photo taking' cheer up method worked, you know. I haven't admitted it until now. Anytime I get down or I'm thinking about you, I look at it," A laugh that turned into a fatigued sigh, "Katie, please wake up. I'll do anything if you'll wake up. I never told you before, but Katie I don't just love you ... I'm in love with you. I'm madly fucking in love with you. Just, wake up. Please."
Back to reality, Katie looked up before a tear could escape her eye. It wasn't a romantic confession, but it was him. The one person she always wanted to love and be loved by.
Yesterday the sky was you,
And I still feel the same,
Nothing left for me to do,
And I still feel the same.
"Katie," A soft – unusually soft – Scottish voice floated into her ears, "Katie Bell?"
Katie closed her eyes and that tear did flow down her left cheek. She could never forget that voice. Never. She turned, clutching the champagne glass in her hands nervously, the pressure almost threatening to shatter the delicate crystal.
"I ... I thought I was seeing things," She replied quietly, the sound just loud enough to reach him. He was standing a mere meter away from her.
"Katie," Oliver Wood replied, stepping closer to her.
"Oliver, it's been four years. Why now?" She asked abruptly, resisting the feeling to fling herself in his arms.
"I was afraid," He looked her in the eyes, Katie immediately wanting to break contact. Windows to the soul ... thats what your eyes were.
"Afraid? Oliver, why were you afraid?" Her tone was one similar to one that would be used to comfort a small child, not a 28 year old man.
"You know why, Katie. I know you could hear me in that hospital room," Oliver gingerly took her hand and led her on to the dance floor. Katie didn't object and instead lightly glided along the floor with him. Her light yellow dress swaying with the movement of their bodies.
I wish, I wish I could fly
I wish, I wish I could lie
"I wish I didn't," She honestly told him, avoiding eye contact for a long while, "Its not how its supposed to happen. We're supposed to date and argue and fall in love in the end, just like in fairytales."
"Tell me you don't feel the same way and you can write your own fairytale. Without me," Oliver knew this was a lot to ask for just rushing into someone's life again. But he needed to know. Now.
"I love you," Katie replied with a nod, "But let me fall in love with you. Let me have a part of my dream, Oliver," She quickly added, "I want the fairytale with you Oliver, but I don't want to rush it. I've waited too long to screw it up. I've loved you too long to risk that."
Oliver nodded understandingly and hugged her tightly to him as they swayed to the music, "Thats what I wanted to hear, thats what I needed to hear."
I will, I will try
I will, I will
She pulled back long enough to smile up at him and kiss his cheek, "I think we've got a lot to sort out, Oliver. But I'm ready."
"I'm glad," Oliver smiled as he touched his forehead with hers as the song droned on in the background. It was the perfect day ... the perfect wedding ... the perfect love.
Goodbye.
Review please! Oh, and if some of you don't know the song, I'd highly recommend listening to it. I'm not sure if many of you will find it fitting, but, I did at the time. Depends on how you interpret it.