Chapter 11 – I Think I May Have Found my Savior

Nobody's POV

"Why Katie?" murmured Fred, jumping out of his seat and heading toward the
dorm to Katie. He left without another word.

"Oh, don't worry about us! We'll just sit here and forget anything ever happened
to one of our best friends!" grumbled Lee. George shook his head, sighing.

"You think we should go too?"

"Nah. Katie isn't usually one to do so well in these situations. She wouldn't want
the whole lot of us to see her in such a state. Best to leave her be for now," replied
Angelina, who was all of a sudden shuddering. She rubbed her arms in vain.
Alicia gave her a knowing glance.

"Wow. I believe this is the first time I have seen you and your beloved twin
separated from each other willingly!" exclaimed Lee, who received a rather dirty glare from George.

"Sod off."

Katie's POV

"Katie!" Oliver cried. He was on his knees with Lord Voldemort towering
over him, a cold, cruel smile playing at his lips.

"Oliver, hold on! I'm coming!" she shouted back, running as fast as her
long legs could carry her. Voldemort chuckled evilly and pointed his wand at her.

"Stupefy!"

Suddenly, Katie found she couldn't move. Voldemort pulled Oliver to
his feet and aimed his wand at him. Oliver gaped at the evil monster,
a terrified look crossing his features. "Dance, fool! Crucio!" Oliver's
legs began to jerk uncontrollably under him as he tried, in vain, to stop it.

"OLIVER!" Katie exclaimed inside her mind, unheard, tears rolling down
her cheeks. Oliver finally collapsed to the ground, his legs still twitching
incessantly.

"K…Katie…" he stuttered. Voldemort pointed his wand at Oliver yet again.
Oliver paid no mind; he had eyes only for Katie. If only she had forgiven him,
none of this would have happened.

"You bore me."

"NO!" Katie screamed.

"AVADA KEDAVARA!"

"OLIVER!"

I awoke in a cold sweat. Harsh, rapid breaths escaped from my pale broken lips.
I looked around and found myself in bed, sheets astray, bed curtains hanging everywhere.

"It was just a dream, Bell. Nothing more," I muttered to myself, wiping away
the perspiration from my forehead. Oliver is not dead. He is a bloody ass hole.

But is he really? What about all those times he helped you, with his strong arms
and loving words? What about his adoration for you, all the times he defended you?

I broke into more tears, unable and unwilling to stop them. It had been going
on for quite a while now, the crying turned into slumber turned into nightmares
turned back into tears. Get him out of my head!

"What did I do wrong!" I sobbed aloud, shaking violently back and forth. I
didn't even hear the door click open.

"Katie." A pair of freckled, strong arms surrounded me into a tight embrace.

"Fred! What did I do that was so wrong!" I cried, sinking deeper into
his embrace. He kissed the top of my head, rubbing my shoulders. He and I sat there
together, rocking slowly back and forth.

'What happened, Katie?" he asked quietly. I slowly looked up at him, tears falling
from my heartbroken eyes. A little dramatic, eh? Fred sighed, wiping them
away with his thumb.

"He… he said something that hurt me." Fred snorted, obviously not satisfied
with my answer. Damn.

"We have only just now stated the obvious. Now tell me Katie, what did he say
that has caused you to react so… violently? You're never like this."

"How did you even know?" I asked, staring up at him. He sunk into the bed,
leaning back on one of the bed posts.

"Ron. He said he ran into you, and that you were crying and everything. So of
course, being the good, overly protective brotherly best friend that I am, I came
up here to talk to you," he grinned. "The others wanted to come too, but they knew
that you wouldn't want them all to see you like this."

"Thanks Fred," I sighed. I turned my face to a nearby window, gazing out at the
bright sky.

"Now tell me Katie. Talk." I laughed a bitter, cold laugh. Something I didn't even
recognize.

"Oh, we had a fabulous conversation. I caught up with him and all. I tried to grab his
shoulder, but he shrunk away as if I had some disease. He asked me why I kissed
George, and when I tried to explain, he… exploded. Quite a bit. Something about
how I was hurting Alicia, one of my best friends, and how I was doing such a sleazy
thing, and bla bla bloody bla." He wanted the truth, he can have it.

Fred's face paled to a deathly white. His eyebrows rose so much that they seemed
to disappear in his flaming red hair. How the bloody hell does he get his hair to look
so crazy like that?

"Katie! I know you aren't joshing me, are you!" Looking down at my hands, I shook
my head. Sarcastic laughted erupted yet again from my lips.

"Joshing you, I am not, dear Fred."

More tears. Great. Just what I've always wanted.

I felt a pair of hands cup my cheeks. Still looking down, I started shaking again.
Yet again.

"Oh Katie. Come here," he whispered, pulling me to him against the bedpost. Fred
held me against his chest, cradling my shoulders and head with his hands. We sat
there for a few moments in silence. Besides my sobbing, that is.

"I don't understand it Fred! He… he said, 'Everyone'll think you're a howling slut
or something now, the way you always act with Fred and George', and he said things
like, ' I don't really know you anymore, Katie. You've changed. For all I know, you
could be doing sleazy thing just to get the attention!'" I sobbed into his chest. I felt him
hold his breath for a moment.

"I can tell you this, Katie. For all the long years I have known you, I still know you.
Yes, you have changed a bit, changed into a beautiful, talented young woman. I know,
I seem like a bloody father, but I mean it! You really are beautiful Katie. Truly.
You are so enthusiastic with everything and everyone around you. You have a certain
love for life that I am so envious of. But you are still the little Katie that I knew when
I met years ago, constantly teasing and picking on," he grinned into my hair. Aw!
Fred, I love you! I couldn't help but smile, and choke back a bit on my tears.

"Oh Fred! What in Godric Gryffindor's name would I ever do without you (and
George too of course) here to always protect me and love me!" I cried, hugging
him tightly. I believe I was smothering him at the time. No matter.

"Katie, you know that I, along with the others, will always be here for you, no matter
what happens. I can swear on that."

"I know, I know," I whispered, taking in a shaky breath. "I must be smothering the
life out of you, eh?" He burst into true laughter that came deep from his throat.

"Ah Katie! I love you."

"And I love you, Ickle Freddiekins!" I exclaimed, giggling. So, it's back to the giggling, eh?

"Argh, Katie!" he groaned, tugging at my hair that somehow seemed to have fallen out.

"Alright Fred. I promise I won't say another word about your, er, nickname, if you
promise not to tell anyone what happened, okay?" I asked, looking up in his eyes.
Beautiful blue eyes. Rather rare, really. He sighed, shaking his head.

"I don't know why you won't tell anyone, Katie, but I promise."

"Why? I can at least tell you that one. I won't tell anyone (as of yet) because I am
too proud. I want absolutely no pity from anyone, including my friends. No one needs
to know about this, besides you, since you were so nosy to come up here," I said,
smirking at him. He just shrugged, blushing.

"But Katie, we won't feel sorry for you! I don't. I just wish I could help in some way." I
sighed, nodding my head.

"I know, Fred. But if you could only see it in my perspective, you would completely
understand."

"Oh, but I do completely understand, Katie. Indeed I do. You are afraid. Afraid
of yourself, your friends, family. Afraid. You hide it almost completely from
everyone's view, yet I have noticed it. No, I don't share this with anyone, well,
except George of course. But he sees it too. You are afraid to show your inner,
true self. I understand perfectly, little Katie."

I just sat there, almost as in complete shock. Was I that transparent? That obvious!
I looked down at my clamped hands, cursing myself for being such a fool. Tears
came again, slow, teasing tears. I could hear Fred sigh, and felt his hands cup my
tear stained cheeks, making me look him in the eye.

"You had no idea, did you Katie?" he whispered. I shook my head, mentally killing
myself. I could feel the anger flowing through me.

But wait.

Isn't anger supposed to be wild and passionate? Crazy? What I felt wasn't anger.
It was a cold, dying dread that creeps into my heart into the late of nights.

Lonely. Confused. Melancholy. Cold.

"How… how many know Fred?" I muttered, choking in between sobs.

"Bless you?"

"How… how many know Fred?" I repeated weakly, feeling all of the energy
being slowly sucked out of me. I could hear Fred's little "reassurance chuckle".
Something he does when he tried to, er, reassure someone.

"Don't worry about it, Katie. Only George and I know, and possibly Oliver.
Ange and Lish have a clue, but to be honest, they haven't really given it a second
thought, what with their own problems that you've helped them out a bit with."

"It's just… I feel as if there is some sort of wall that is there, separating me from
everyone else. Some of the walls are so thin; I can almost touch them, like you
Fred. But alas, there is the wall, standing and mocking me."

"Which is how we all feel Katie. You may not know it, but in a sense we all feel
the same way. The world can be a very, terribly lonely place for us to live in. But
we can change that by trust. No, I am not saying to trust the first person you see
on the street, but look at you. Look at us. You have me, Ange, George, Lish, Lee,
and yes, even Oliver." My throat closed when I heard his name.

"How could you say that!" I hissed. "After what he's said!" Fred shook his head and
patted mine. Odd little gesture. I am not a pet dog.

"Don't you understand? He loves you! Oliver is in the deepest love with you than any
of us have ever known! Sure, he said a few meaningless words, but think.
MEANINGLESS! You and I both know that deep inside, he didn't mean it. His
jealousy got in the way, his "man pride", so to speak. Think about it Katie! After
all these years, who has always stood by you?"

"You and George?" I smiled weakly, earning a good laugh from Fred.

"Wrong! Well, sort of. Who defended you no matter the cost? Who treated you
with a respect that none of us know? Who has always thought about you every
blinking moment of every bloody day!"

"Erm… Oliver?"

"Yes! Eureka! Si! Wee! Correct!" he exclaimed, nearly jumping off the bed with his
words. I couldn't help but smile.

"I… I know you're right Fred. But, I still need to think about all of this. Please try
to understand. I need to think," I said shakily, embracing him once again.

"Oh, I already understand little Katie. Now, I won't be my mum and go on lecturing
you, but we'll talk more later, okay?" he patted by back.

"Okay." I sat up from the embrace and wiped my face. Fred smiled and got up,
kissed me on the forhead, and made his way to the door. He turned around to
look at me for a moment.

"We, what shall I tell the others?"

"That I've gone to bed and I'll see them in the morning. Love you Fred."

"Love you too Katie."

And he closed the door, leaving me alone with my thoughts once again. Damn thoughts.

Okay, that was el new chapter. What did you think? You know, a nice, long review from you would be wonderfully-granspiffulous!

Oh yesh, I am writing el new chapter as we speak... er.. type.

FIN