CHAPTER 17.
The Breakfast Of Champions.
I left the hospital wing a day later and went to see Oliver who was still anxious about my attack in the school. He was sitting near the fire in the common room talking with Fred and George Weasley. When they saw me coming the two twins came and threw their arms around me.
"Kat it hasn't been the same. We've tried to prank but it just isn't the same without you to watch and put out the fires. I nearly lost an eyebrow the other day." Fred said as he felt his left eyebrow to make sure it was in fact there. I smiled and assured them that I would indeed always be there from now on to put out the fires and help clean up the puss from whatever they invented next. The two Weasley's left contented knowing I was safe and well. I stood and watched Oliver stand by the amber glow of the high blazing fire.
"Katie, god we thought you died. You barely breathe and then you went so cold. I really thought I had lost you this time." he said as he cupped my face in his hands.
"I know." I whispered as I folded myself into his arms.
"I love you so much Katie. I don't think I could cope losing you." He whispered as he held me close.
"I love you too." I whispered as I kissed his softly. It felt amazing to be in his arms again, it was like I was finally home and safe out of a blizzard.
"I have to go back to work tomorrow. But Christmas isn't that far off. Your parents have invited Abby and me for dinner, so I'll see you then I suppose. But you'll get my morning letter with your cornflakes as normal. Unless of course you don't want me to go?"
"Don't be daft, you go back to Quidditch. I'll be fine. Promise." I sighed as I ran my fingers over his face which seemed lined with worry. I smiled and kissed him. We sat together before the warm fire until I fell asleep in his arms. When I woke he was gone and a note was resting beside me.
Katie,
Sorry I didn't wake you, but you looked so peaceful. I'll see you soon. Remember I love you. Please let me know if anything happens, by Merlin I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you. Be careful my love.
Yours forever Oliver.
I smiled as I tucked the note into my pocket. I stretched and headed to the girls dorm for a shower. As I was going up the stairs I ran into Hermione Granger. Hermione and I were, well we were sort of friends, we would sit in the library and study together and we would sometimes talk about boys, or should I say I would listen to her rant on about what Ron Weasley did this week to annoy her. I always thought there was a deeper meaning under her ranting then annoyance.
"Katie, are you okay? I heard you took an awful fall of your broom?" she asked, I looked at her puzzled for a second before it dawned on me that the teachers had told everyone I had had an accident.
"Oh yeah, a bit groggy but I'll be fine." I said smiling. She smiled and told me she would talk to me later and began to mutter something to herself about Viktor Krum. I smiled and sighed, I had totally forgotten the fact that two other schools were visiting us at Hogwarts.
I showered and went down to breakfast. It was late and the hall was nearly empty as most students on a Saturday had late breakfasts, by my watch it was still only half seven in the morning. A few students sat at the Gryffindor table but only one person sat at the Ravenclaw, Cedric. I watched as he sat hunched over his cereal, his shoulders drooped as if in some silent defeat. I sighed and worried for him now more then I worried for myself. I picked up my French toast and took it to his table.
"Hey can I sit with you?" I asked, he turned and nodded, his eyes were still sunk and I wondered how the first task had gone for him. I sat next to him and watched as he pushed the cereal around in his bowl and how the milk had already dried into it. How long had he been sitting here?
"I haven't been sleeping that well. Not since. god Kate I really thought you died right here in my arms." He held out his two arms before him as if I still lay there lifeless in his arms. His eyes seemed to fill with tears as he looked at his empty hands, but I knew in his eyes I was still there, barely breathing and limp. I put my hand on his shoulder, comforting the stricken champion.
"I'm okay Cedric, really." I sighed as he turned to look at me, he really did have more to worry about then me. I didn't want him to get distracted and hurt.
"I heard you did us proud." I smiled, changing the subject drastically.
"Not as proud as Harry made us." Cedric sighed; I couldn't tell if the remark was tinted with barbs of resentment against the young Gryffindor. True I had heard what Harry had done and I was proud, but he was Harry Potter, we expected little less then perfection from him. I often watched him in the common room and noticed how ordinary he was even though no matter what happened he had by the age of one become a figure forever cemented in Wizarding history.
"I only heard you made us proud. You made me proud. I wish I could have seen you. I am sure it was an awesome sight." I said smiling at him; it was true, I was proud of my noble friend, my noble ex.
"I wish you were there too Kate." He said softly, he leant in and kissed my cheek softly, but the kiss lingered longer then a friendly peck on the cheek and I felt him breathe me in slowly. Why had he done that?
"I love you Katie. I always have, I always will." He whispered. He stood up and left without looking back. I sat there on the bench, lost for words. How was I supposed to react? I loved Oliver so much I yearned for him, but I loved Cedric too, only in a way I didn't know. Was this my regret? Would I regret which ever one of them I chose? I could feel the bracelet Oliver bought me grow heavy again, the bracelet that had me prisoner. I had already made my choice before in Dumbledore's office, I wanted Oliver. What would I say to Cedric? Was this due to whatever Dumas had set in Cedric's mind?
The Breakfast Of Champions.
I left the hospital wing a day later and went to see Oliver who was still anxious about my attack in the school. He was sitting near the fire in the common room talking with Fred and George Weasley. When they saw me coming the two twins came and threw their arms around me.
"Kat it hasn't been the same. We've tried to prank but it just isn't the same without you to watch and put out the fires. I nearly lost an eyebrow the other day." Fred said as he felt his left eyebrow to make sure it was in fact there. I smiled and assured them that I would indeed always be there from now on to put out the fires and help clean up the puss from whatever they invented next. The two Weasley's left contented knowing I was safe and well. I stood and watched Oliver stand by the amber glow of the high blazing fire.
"Katie, god we thought you died. You barely breathe and then you went so cold. I really thought I had lost you this time." he said as he cupped my face in his hands.
"I know." I whispered as I folded myself into his arms.
"I love you so much Katie. I don't think I could cope losing you." He whispered as he held me close.
"I love you too." I whispered as I kissed his softly. It felt amazing to be in his arms again, it was like I was finally home and safe out of a blizzard.
"I have to go back to work tomorrow. But Christmas isn't that far off. Your parents have invited Abby and me for dinner, so I'll see you then I suppose. But you'll get my morning letter with your cornflakes as normal. Unless of course you don't want me to go?"
"Don't be daft, you go back to Quidditch. I'll be fine. Promise." I sighed as I ran my fingers over his face which seemed lined with worry. I smiled and kissed him. We sat together before the warm fire until I fell asleep in his arms. When I woke he was gone and a note was resting beside me.
Katie,
Sorry I didn't wake you, but you looked so peaceful. I'll see you soon. Remember I love you. Please let me know if anything happens, by Merlin I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you. Be careful my love.
Yours forever Oliver.
I smiled as I tucked the note into my pocket. I stretched and headed to the girls dorm for a shower. As I was going up the stairs I ran into Hermione Granger. Hermione and I were, well we were sort of friends, we would sit in the library and study together and we would sometimes talk about boys, or should I say I would listen to her rant on about what Ron Weasley did this week to annoy her. I always thought there was a deeper meaning under her ranting then annoyance.
"Katie, are you okay? I heard you took an awful fall of your broom?" she asked, I looked at her puzzled for a second before it dawned on me that the teachers had told everyone I had had an accident.
"Oh yeah, a bit groggy but I'll be fine." I said smiling. She smiled and told me she would talk to me later and began to mutter something to herself about Viktor Krum. I smiled and sighed, I had totally forgotten the fact that two other schools were visiting us at Hogwarts.
I showered and went down to breakfast. It was late and the hall was nearly empty as most students on a Saturday had late breakfasts, by my watch it was still only half seven in the morning. A few students sat at the Gryffindor table but only one person sat at the Ravenclaw, Cedric. I watched as he sat hunched over his cereal, his shoulders drooped as if in some silent defeat. I sighed and worried for him now more then I worried for myself. I picked up my French toast and took it to his table.
"Hey can I sit with you?" I asked, he turned and nodded, his eyes were still sunk and I wondered how the first task had gone for him. I sat next to him and watched as he pushed the cereal around in his bowl and how the milk had already dried into it. How long had he been sitting here?
"I haven't been sleeping that well. Not since. god Kate I really thought you died right here in my arms." He held out his two arms before him as if I still lay there lifeless in his arms. His eyes seemed to fill with tears as he looked at his empty hands, but I knew in his eyes I was still there, barely breathing and limp. I put my hand on his shoulder, comforting the stricken champion.
"I'm okay Cedric, really." I sighed as he turned to look at me, he really did have more to worry about then me. I didn't want him to get distracted and hurt.
"I heard you did us proud." I smiled, changing the subject drastically.
"Not as proud as Harry made us." Cedric sighed; I couldn't tell if the remark was tinted with barbs of resentment against the young Gryffindor. True I had heard what Harry had done and I was proud, but he was Harry Potter, we expected little less then perfection from him. I often watched him in the common room and noticed how ordinary he was even though no matter what happened he had by the age of one become a figure forever cemented in Wizarding history.
"I only heard you made us proud. You made me proud. I wish I could have seen you. I am sure it was an awesome sight." I said smiling at him; it was true, I was proud of my noble friend, my noble ex.
"I wish you were there too Kate." He said softly, he leant in and kissed my cheek softly, but the kiss lingered longer then a friendly peck on the cheek and I felt him breathe me in slowly. Why had he done that?
"I love you Katie. I always have, I always will." He whispered. He stood up and left without looking back. I sat there on the bench, lost for words. How was I supposed to react? I loved Oliver so much I yearned for him, but I loved Cedric too, only in a way I didn't know. Was this my regret? Would I regret which ever one of them I chose? I could feel the bracelet Oliver bought me grow heavy again, the bracelet that had me prisoner. I had already made my choice before in Dumbledore's office, I wanted Oliver. What would I say to Cedric? Was this due to whatever Dumas had set in Cedric's mind?