A/N: Sorry it's a tad late. I know I said Friday and it's technically Saturday, by about 10 minutes. But as promised, another chapter! Thank you all so much for reading! -Casper
"I'm telling you. It's the newest style and it's here to stay. If we put it in our store, then we'll have a jump up on the rest of the competition."
"I'm still not convinced that it's going to stay around long enough to become profitable."
Kat awoke to the sounds of banter and rolled over in confusion. She watched in shock as Daphne and Pansy sat in her living room and looked through magazines.
"Umm hello?"
Daphne and Pansy both spun around and smiled.
"You're awake! How do you feel?"
Daphne asked in a rush as she hurried to her feet.
"Tired. And exhausted. I don't feel like I have a whole lot of energy."
"Good thing you don't have to do anything! I made food!"
Daphne stated with a proud smile.
"Maybe you'd be better off without eating."
Pansy remarked with a grin.
"I am not that bad."
Kat sat up and leaned against the back of the couch, content to watch the women bicker. She shifted a pillow to allow for more support and drew the attention of the duo in front of her.
"Not that I'm trying to be rude. But what are you doing here?"
"Theo is in court today so we offered to stay. He should actually be getting back soon. You've been asleep most of the day."
An embarrassed flush rushed across Kat's face.
"Oh, you didn't have to stay and babysit me. I'll talk to Theo. I'm perfectly capable of being on my own."
"Although Theo was going to ask; he didn't have to, we volunteered. We thought that it would be nice to catch up."
"Although we haven't had the chance Miss 'I'm going to sleep all day.'
Kat opened her mouth to protest but when she saw the laughter in Pansy's eyes, she decided to purse her lips instead.
"Oh alright. Make fun of the invalid, I see how you entertain yourselves."
"Pansy, are you behaving yourself?"
A voice said immediately after a pop notified the room of someone's arrival.
"We were just catching up Theo. You really worry too much. It's not as if I'm your responsibility."
Kat said nonchalantly and as she shifted she missed the knowing look that passed between the other women in the room.
"You'll get better faster if someone helps. Besides, these two volunteered last night."
Kat turned to beam at them.
"I really would love to catch up."
"Lovely, how about a girls night soon?"
"Wait, catch up?"
The three women exchanged an amused look.
"Theo, did you ever notice that Pansy and Daphne would share Prefect duties? Most notably patrols?"
"Well yes, how did you… you weren't a prefect. It was, Patil correct?"
"Sometimes when Padma had a lot going on, I would cover her patrols for her. Ravenclaw's were always partnered with Slytherin."
"So you did patrols with these two?"
"Well obviously Daph and I didn't patrol at the same time Theo."
Pansy teased and three women began to laugh. Theo huffed and threw himself into the nearest seat. He slung his arm around Katherine before speaking.
"I'm annoyed with you. Go away."
Kat made a motion as if to move and felt the arm resting on her shoulders tighten.
"I wasn't talking to you."
Inwardly grinning at Theo's complaint, Kat turned and placed on her most innocent expression.
"Who said I wanted to stay with you?"
Laughter broke out from the other two women and Theo sent them a withering glare.
"Truthfully though, I don't want you to feel as if you have to watch me. I'm sure that you have actual responsibilities to attend to."
"It's not really a problem."
"When was the last time you were home?"
"This morning."
Theo responded promptly
"For more than an hour?"
Kat raised an eyebrow and smirked at the defeated pursing of Theo's lips.
"I thought so."
"Are you telling me to leave?"
"What?" Kat replied off-handedly, distracted by the fervent whispering between Daphne and Pansy. "Oh, you can do whatever you'd like. It's not like I'm in any position to force you to do anything."
Like lightning, he pushed himself to his feet. Kat felt the loss of heat immediately and frowned up at Theo.
"Theo? What's…"
He cut her off without even sparing her a glance.
"I have to go. I have some things to do."
"At 8 o'clock at night?"
Pansy responded doubtfully.
"I could have plans. 8 o'clock is a perfectly normal time to have plans you know."
"Oh I know. But you never have plans."
"Maybe I do today. Merlin Pansy, just piss off would you?"
She raised an eyebrow and, along with the others, watched in silence as he disapperated.
"Did I do something? I didn't mean to upset him… Although, I didn't do anything. He should be sorry because he was the rude one."
Kat finished with a huff.
"Do you really not know? Kat I know that we've only reconnected a couple of days ago, but I feel like we've all just clicked."
"Oh I'm glad to hear that. I mean. It's just that I feel the same way. But I didn't want to appear presumptuous or intrude where I wasn't wanted. But I do want to keep seeing you both…"
"Good, you weren't getting rid of us that easily. So now that that's out of the way, the real question. What about our dear Theodore?"
Kat's eyebrow's drew together as she pondered Pansy's cryptic words.
"What do you mean what about Theo?"
The other two women in the room exchanged curious glances.
"We thought that maybe there was something between you two. But I guess we misunder…"
Daphne trailed off when she saw a slight blush tinge Kat's cheeks.
"Aha. We knew there was something there."
"Damn pale skin."
Kat muttered as she ignored the grins on the faces in front of her.
"Well we think the feeling's mutual."
Kat froze in the middle of her muttering.
"What?"
"You heard me."
Pansy smirked.
"There's no chance of that. I'm…" She paused, contemplating how much to share. "I'm not the kind of girl who gets looked at like that."
"Wait what?"
Kat's shoulders hunched together.
"Well it's just, physically I'm not slim like you Daph and I don't have a perfect hourglass shape like you Pans. I'm small chested and large hipped. Plus I really love Quidditch, like a lot. And I'm a major nerd."
"I fail to see how any of that makes you unattractive."
Kat's shoulder drew even farther in on herself.
"I know how petty and insecure this sounds, but why have me when you could have one of you two?"
"Besides the fact that I'm happily unavailable? It could also be because he's never shown any interest in us. Have you never…"
"What? Oh no, I'm not a virgin if that's what you're asking. There have been plenty of locals willing to help a girl out on my work trips. But, I've never been in a relationship."
"And on your work trips, how do you know they're interested?"
"Because they come up and say 'hey can I buy you a drink?' which then turns into 'hey I've got a room.' "
Kat dryly replied.
"I thought that you would've been shyer about sex."
Pansy admitted and Kat grinned.
"Oh no. Majorly awkward as a human, yes. But sex is great. What's there to be embarrassed about?"
"Good, because rumor has it that Theo does enjoy sex."
Kat's smile evaporated.
"Please, just drop it."
Daphne and Pansy looked at each other before simultaneously nodding.
"All right. For now."
The last part was whispered and Kat didn't hear it or see the conspiring look being shared.
