Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related material. All materials in this story are copyrighted by people that are a hell of a lot better off than I am.

Author's Note: Yup, I am really bad at updating. I'm super sorry guys. I'll try to update faster, but I probably won't be able to. If I knew all of you guys personally, I'd tell you that you could hit me (like I tell my friends.) Sorry once again. I have my ideas for the next chapter, and I hope to start it tonight after I write my Military History essay. Enjoy!

Edited: 07-02-07

International Delight
Chapter Fourteen: Dinner for Two. . . Or Three. . . Or. . .

As I sat in McCready's office, I felt nervous for Aidan Lynch, Ginny, and Alex. The nerves for Aidan and Ginny were simply because the two were in the same room. My nerves for Alex stemmed from the fact that he sat outside of the office with Ginny.

My nervousness came to a head when I heard Ginny scream, "Why the Hell would you do that?"

"What's wrong, Gin-Gin?" Alex questioned.

"Why the Hell would you invite those goons to dinner?!"

I did not hear the response of the person to whom Ginny was talking, but I did hear what she had to say to the person. "You go tell, Katie! You are not making me responsible for revealing your mistake!" Her next comment was, "I don't care if she's meeting McCready! He's currently with the team! Go in there and tell her what you did."

My eyes were affixed firmly to the door. After a few seconds, the doorknob turned and the door opened slowly. My eyes widened when Fred walked into the office. He shut the door behind him, and the closed blinds tapped against the window, enumerating the silence of the room.

I accessed his facial features. His face was locked in a state between amusement and a grimace. Fred was obviously pleased with the mischief that his action would cause, but he was obviously very afraid of my reaction to said planned mischief.

Fred cleared his throat. "Hey, Katie," he mumbled, his voice cracked with nerves.

I nodded curtly. "Fred."

"Listen, Ginny's really pissed off at me at the moment."

"Why?"

Fred began to wring his hands, and he stuttered out his next statement. "Well, I was talking to Troy; we're good friends, you know; and I have sort of invited him to dinner."

My stomach dropped. 'Oh jeez,' I thought to myself. Adrian Troy + Dinner Not fun for me. I still wasn't comfortable being around Adrian, but I couldn't deny Molly the right to see Alex and myself. She was incredibly upset that I had moved the two of us to America, and I knew Alex missed her, too.

"That's not all, Katie."

My head snapped up at this. What else could he have done? Adrian was bad enough; I doubted it could get any worse.

"I also invited Oliver when I rang him on the telly this morning."

My stomach then dropped painfully. Fred had invited the ghost of my thoughts to dinner? Oliver haunted my mind almost constantly. If I wasn't thinking of how he had hurt me all those years ago, I was thinking of how attracted I was to him, all those years ago and even now.

"Oh," I muttered weakly.

"Katie, I'm sorry if this is an inconvenience to you."

I could sulk about it, or I could be a big girl. "It's okay, Fred, you can invite who you want to dinner."

He smiled widely, "Bloody Hell, you're amazing, Katie. I thought you would have been really pissed off."

I shrugged. "Listen, Fred, do you really want to make dinner interesting?"

The mischievous sparkle was back in his eye. "Yes. How?"

"Do you know Aidan Lynch very well?"

"Oh yeah. George and I, as the esteemed owners of Weasley Wizard Wheezes, do rub shoulders with the famous," he replied. "Why?"

"Invite him."

"Katie," Fred said warningly.

With an innocent grin, I asked, "Yes?"

"Ginny will be pissed."

I gasped, "Really?"

"Katie!"

"Seriously, Fred, I know that Ginny will be pissed, but have you ever looked at the way Aidan looks at Ginny? The boy's head over heels for her. He made a mistake, and he knows that. You can tell that he wants to make things right, but he'll never be able to if he doesn't get the chance. Let's give him the chance."

Fred sighed, "Katie, Ginny will kill us."

"Fred," I began slowly as I cocked an eyebrow at him, "do you ever want to see your baby sister happy again? Give her a chance at love. She needs someone since Harry died, and I think that Aidan may be what she needs."

He sighed. "Fine, I'll do it, but if this doesn't work out, she finds out that it was your idea."

I held out my hand, and he shook it firmly. "Deal."

"Katie! Mr. Weasley!" Fred and I turned to see McCready walking into the office with a jovial smile on his face.

"Mr. McCready," I said with my patented curt nod.

"Jeff, old man!" Fred cried happily as he shook the man's hand. "Congratulations on your victory today. It was smashing to see Germany's team be beaten."

McCready smiled and said, "Thank you, Mr. Weasley. I hope you noticed your add today. . ."

"I did, indeed. Listen, we need to talk next week about expanding the ads you run. U-No-Poo is an old product, and I think we should start advertising better-selling products."

McCready nodded his head thoughtfully. "We can meet Thursday for lunch; usual place, usual time."

"All right, I'll tell George this evening at dinner. Once again, congratulations on your impressive success this afternoon. I really must get away for now. I have more dinner plans to make, and I'm sure that you'll be wanting to talk with Katie," mumbled Fred. He shook McCready's hand one more time and was out of the office.

With a smile, McCready turned towards me. "I'm glad to see that you could make it today, Katie."

"I'm glad I was here," I replied with a small smile. "The team's win was fantastic."

"They adore your robes, Katie." I had the sense to hang my head in humility. There was no reason to gain a big head over something like a few men and women loving something I designed. "I want to talk to you about a contract, Katie."

My head snapped up. "Excuse me?"

McCready nodded. "I'm willing to sign a five year contract with you. We want your robes brand-new each year. We want the same quantity, unless our numbers change, of course. We will pay you 10,000 galleons per year. You get a total of 50,000 galleons all together."

"I don't know what to say." I was in complete shock. I was certain that my robe would be a hit, but I didn't think that it would be such a monumental one.

He grinned and placed a contract on the desk in front of me. "Just say yes, Katie."

"Of course I'll do it!"

McCready placed a quill on top of the contract, and I grasped at it firmly. My hands were shaking, and I wasn't sure if I could physically sign the contract. With a deep breath, I steadied my hand, and I signed the contract in my big, loopy handwriting. I stared at my signature. Katelinn Bell. All I had left to do was cross the 't' and dot the 'i.' With a smile, I finished signing my name and pushed the contract toward McCready.

He shook my hand and said, "Congratulations, Katie Bell. You are the official style consultant for the Irish Team when it comes to robes."

My smile brightened, and I couldn't help but laugh from happiness. I had been waiting for a day like this for four, nearly five years. I opened my mouth to thank McCready, but all I could do was stutter.

With a kind smile, he said, "Get out of here, kid, and go celebrate."

I smiled and ran excitedly from the room. I pulled Ginny and Alex into a hug and laughed happily. I kissed Alex's cheek and pulled both of them tight.

"Katie, what happened?" Ginny asked in shock.

Tears of shock and happiness ran down my face. One of my dreams had just come true, and here I was blubbering like an idiot. "I just signed a five year deal with McCready for robes for the team!" I exclaimed happily.

"That's spectacular!" Ginny exclaimed, and Alex wrapped his little arms tightly around my neck.

"I know! Will you take Alex to Molly's? I have to go tell Marion and Terrance. . . And Xavier, Andrew, and Angela!" I gushed. Ginny nodded, and I apparated from the stadium to Quality Quidditch Supplies.

When I walked in, Terrance was helping a customer. Once the customer left, with a new Firebolt in tow, he turned to me with a bright smile. "Why, Katie Bell! I haven't seen you in weeks!"

I rushed up to hug him. "Oh, Terrance, guess what!"

"You're getting married!" His said excitedly as his eyes lit up with hope.

I paused for a moment. "No, not quite."

"You're dating someone."

I cocked my head to the right with a confused face. "Nuh-uh."

"You met someone?" He asked weakly.

I shook my head. "Sorry to disappoint, Terrance, but this is much better than a man. I just signed a five year contract with McCready to continue making the robes for the Irish team."

"How fantastic! You must tell Marion!" He exclaimed as he wrapped me in a tight hug.

With a smile, I replied, "I was on my way to. I just want to stop in and let you know."

"Thanks for stopping in, Kate. I'm really happy for you. You should stop by more often."

"I will," I replied simply before apparating straight in Marion's shop. "Marion?" I called out.

"In the back, dear!"

I rushed backed to see Marion folding newly sewed robes, and I smiled widely. "Marion, I just signed a five year contract with the Irish team to make robes for them."

She turned and smiled widely. She embraced me in a hug and said, "That's terrific! Have you told Terrance?"

"I just came from there," I replied simply.

"Well, I must not keep you from telling anyone else! I know you're excited, dear. Just drop by for dinner some night, okay?"

As I rushed from the room, I yelled over my shoulder, "All right, Marion! Have a good day!" And I was gone from her shop.

I apparated promptly to the little house that the Quinsy triplets occupied in Tutshill, Wales. I impatiently beat at their door. I couldn't wait to tell them the good news. They would be thrilled because I knew that they were all extremely worried when I up and quit the Tornados.

"C'mon, open up," I muttered to myself as I bit my lip.

I beat on the door harder, and I grinned when I was rewarded with the sound of Xavier yelling through the house. "Chill out, eh? I'm on my bloody way to the door."

"Xaaaaaaaavier! It's cold out here!" I whined, and I was rewarded with the door opening much sooner that I would have expected it to.

"Kaaaaaaaatie!" He exclaimed much in the manner that I had just whined his name. "What are you doing here?"

With a shrug, I said, "I could leave, Xav."

"Don't!" He nearly yelled. I cocked an eyebrow, and he smiled sheepishly. "I miss you, but you don't ever show up unannounced."

It was my turn to look sheepish. Xavier was quite correct. I was not the type to show up at any place unannounced. I thought it was extremely rude, and I actually looked down upon it.

I shrugged and asked, "Listen, are Andy and Angie home?"

"Nah. Angie moved in with her boyfriend last week, and Andy didn't come home from his date last night."

"Hmm. . . Well, then they miss out on the important news."

"Katie, are you getting married?!" Xavier asked excitedly, and I was strangely reminded of Terrance. I was a bit perturbed by the likeness of the men.

"No, nor am I dating anyone, nor did I meet a man in America. You know, its funny. . . Because I was asked this once already today."

"Thus meaning. . ." Xavier pressed.

"That the people that I closely associate myself with are delusional. Listen, I think I might catch it, so I'm just going to leave now."

Xavier leaped from the door of the house and encased me in a tight hug. "Don't you leave me, Katie Bell! You just got here! Get your pretty little face in this house right now."

I laughed and stumbled into the house. I found it quite difficult to walk with Xavier's arms wrapped tightly around my neck. As we walked toward the kitchen (he had offered me lunch), I said, "Well, I do have good, non-relationship based news for you."

"Oh?" He asked as he prepared a lunch of turkey sandwiches, yogurt, vanilla granola, and bottled water.

I accepted the food from him with an appraising nod. I was surprised that he was still following the diet that I had set for him a few weeks before I left. "You know how I got the job with Ireland this year for the robes?"

"Yeah, that was really exciting," he replied as he tore ferociously into his sandwich.

I nodded in agreement. "I got a five year contract with them."

Xavier choked on his sandwich. When he cleared his windpipe, he exclaimed, "Katie! That's such great news! Congratulations!"

"Thanks, tons, Xav. Listen, are you busy tonight?"

"Not so much. Katie, are you asking me on a date?" He gasped.

I laughed and shook my head. "No, we're having dinner at Molly's tonight. You do remember the last time you ate there, right?"

Xavier closed his eyes and smiled happily. "Mmhmm. . . that food is sooo wonderful."

I prodded him with my spoon. When he looked at me, I continued, "Would you like a break from your healthy food for a night?"

He looked at the big bite of Key Lime yogurt I was ingesting, and he nodded his head vigorously. I tossed a piece of granola at him and asked, "Would you like to come to dinner? Alex will be there."

A light shone in his eyes as he looked down at the granola I was popping into my mouth. Xavier grinned, and he said, "Of course I'll be there! Are you joking? I wouldn't miss it for the world! When do we leave?"

"Well, dinner won't be until about six, but we can leave as soon as you get dressed."

"Bloody Hell!" Xavier exclaimed as he jumped from his chair. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

I nodded and continued to eat my yogurt and granola. I heard water begin to run in his bathroom and assumed that he was either shaving or showering. Either way, I knew I had time to clean up the dishes.

I was just finishing the dishes when I heard Xavier enter the room. "Katie," he said, "you didn't have to do the dishes."

I turned to see him sporting a pair of well-worn blue jeans and a faded Italian football shirt. He flipped his hair away from his eyes, and I was pleased to see that he had shaved his stubble away.

I shrugged, "The dishes weren't a problem. You look nice, by the way."

Xavier smiled before summoning a pair of the American shoes Chuck-Taylor's. With a cheeky smile, he said, "If you think I look nice now, you should see me wearing nothing but bubbles."

I laughed. "You're very cheeky, Xavier Quinsy, but I'm sure you're adorable with bubbles."

He nodded. "I really am. It drives the girls crazy."

"Its nice to know that you frequent bubble-baths with girls," I replied with a cheeky grin.

"Listen, I'm a quidditch star, I'm smashing in the sack, and girls can't resist me. I'm not gonna lie, Katie, I like to have sex."

I wasn't shocked. I knew that about Xavier. However, he was like a brother to me, and I always worried about him.

With a serious look, I asked, "You use protection, right?"

"Well, yeah, I always use a contraceptive charm."

"What about prophylactics?"

"Kaite! Why would you want to know that?"

"Xavier, honestly, I care about you like a brother. I used a contraceptive charm, and I now have Alex."

He smiled warmly. "I'll make sure to use prophylactics, Kate."

"Good." I smiled fondly. "Now, would you like to floo or apparate?"

"Floo!" He exclaimed excitedly. I couldn't help but shake my head at him. He was like a child in a toy shoppe when it came to flooing. He loved the feeling of spinning out of control.

We approached his fireplace, and he put a pinch of floo powder into my hand. "Together on three?" I asked.

We had made it a game long ago to floo at the same time. It was much funner that way. You spun out of control much more than regularly when you were entwined in a hug with someone.

We climbed into the roaring fireplace (after throwing the floo powder, of course), and we bellowed, "One. . . two. . . three. . . THE BURROW."