Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Still don't own anything except the plot

Thank you for reviewing, following &favoriting! Really motivated me.

Sorry it took me so long...

Katie could barely hold herself together enough to apparate home. As soon as she stood on steady ground in the entrance hall she sunk to her knees and broke down in sobs.

She damned her former friends for being self righteous pricks, the people at St. Mungos for being prejudiced gossips and last but not least herself for being so weak and let them get to her.

Through her heavy sobbing she didn't even notice Effie until the elve gently tapped her shoulder.

"Mistress has a guest in the parlour. Effie will send her away if Mistress does wish so." the houselve squeaked, obviously nervous and at a loss at what to do when your Mistress sits on the floor crying her eyes out.

"Who is it?" Katie managed to get out just as she heard footsteps aproaching and a loud gasp.

"Oh my! Katherine my dear! What happened?" Monica exclaimed, rushing over to her daughter in law. "Effie, see that you get some tea for the poor girl." she instructed the elve, who scrambled away quickly.

Katie, seemingly embarrassed to be caught in this state, tried to pull herself together and wiped at her eyes hastily. Monica got her to stand up and gently steered her to a couch to sit down.

"I quit my job today." Katie started, trying to stay calm and evening her breathing.

"Marcus didn't make you, did he?" Monica asked appalled.

The young witch shook her head no.

"It was... they were horrible to me because of todays prophet. The article about our engagement... They accused me of supporting his side and..." Katie couldn't go on as a wave of fresh tears threatened to fall. Monica huffed outraged. "That's scandalous! That's ...! How can they treat you like that based on rumours? I'll have a word with the clinic administration. To think that I donated money... Oh my dear, I'm so sorry. Do you want me to get Marcus?" Mrs Flint rambled on and on, hugging Katie tightly.

Katie shook her head no again. "He knows about that."

"And he left you alone in this condition?" Marcus mother asked infuriated.

"No!" Katie corrected hastily. "No, he was with me for lunch. He asked if I was ok on my own and left for training and two of my former friends cornered me on my way to the apparation point and..." she felt her throat tighten as another sob wrecked her body.

Monica gently stroke her arm to soothe her. "I can only imagine how hard it must be. Changing your whole social circle... I'm sorry your friends make this hard for you. Surely they'll come around. They're probably just shocked. You two were so secretive... Just give them a little time to adapt." she adviced.

Katie did not have the heart to tell her that day would never come. She was Marcus mother, after all. She did not have to know how much Katies former friends hated her son.

Effie brought the tea and the two women drank in silence. When she was finally calm and collected again, Katie remembered to ask for the reason of Monicas visit. The other woman just waved her hand and told her it wasn't important, before she left to give Katie time to rest.

Katie decided she wouldn't tell Marcus about the incident, as not to worry him further. She pushed the hurt and anger with her former friends to the back of her mind and tried to be cheerful at the prospect of seeing Cassie again and hopefully meeting a few people she would get along with.

As soon as Marcus came home, he tried his hardest to make her feel better, he even brought her flowers. Katie was instantly in a happy mood again. Thinking that as long as she had Marcus with her, she should be just fine.

Later that night, as they lay in bed curled up around each other, Marcus was playing with the ends of Katies hair ans asked if she was nervous about tomorrow.

Katie smiled up to him. "Only a little bit. But I'm really excited to see Cassie again and I'm sure you won't let anything happen to me. Plus, I need to find new friends now AND flash my engagement ring in the faces of the sluts who were after you. Alicia promised she'd point them out to me."

Marcus chuckled lowly at that.

"I'm sure you'll do just fine. You were never one who was intimidated easily, I would know."

"We'll have a nice day. I know it. You'll absolutely love my dress." Katie grinned wickedly.

"Will I now?" he raised a brow questioningly. "Oh hell yeah." the blonde answered, snuggling even closer to Marcus side before closing her eyes with a sleepy sigh.

"G'night baby." Marcus whispered and succumbed to sleep as well.

As Katie awoke the next morning, she tried getting up without waking her fiance. She was halfway out of bed when Marcus arm pulled her back and he mumbled "Where do you think you're going?" in the crook of her neck.

"I was going to take a shower. We have to get ready." Katie chided playfully.

"Alone? Why would you want to shower without me?" he nuzzled her neck.

"Because I don't want to be late and I know you good enough to say the shower would take thrice as long if I would take you with me. So, separated showers it is." Katie stated, wriggling out of his grasp.

"Get up before I make you!" she threatened whilst slipping out of the room butt naked.

Marcus swore under his breath but got up anyway.

As soon as he was ready to go he knocked on the door to Katies former bedroom.

"You ready, love?" Instead of an answer, she opened the door for him. Dressed up in her brandnew Slytherin green dress.

Marcus looked her up and down awestruck. "You...uhh..." he stammered. "Merlin, Katie. I don't know what to say."

"Tell me I look pretty, of course!" Katie giggled and batted her lashes at him.

"You're always beautiful. But this... Holy shit. I think I have a heart attack right about now..." he put a hand to his chest dramatically.

"Oh stop it." Katie swatted at him playfully.

"I'm totally serious, you look so hot I can't think straight and somehow I think you know full well what you do to me." he growled, pulling her into his chest.

"Of course I do." the blonde purred and entangled herself from her fiance before tugging at his hand. "Come on now, don't want to be late."

As they stood in the Entrance room of the Higgs property, Katie started to get nervous. This would be the first time she'd be surrounded by You-know-who supporters. The pureblood elite was all gathered today to witness the union between two ridiculously rich families and Katie felt like a small fish in a tank full of sharks. She grabbed Marcus arm a little tighter to resure herself.

Marcus lent down to her slightly. "It's ok. No one will bite you, you've got me to protect you."

"I know that. Just a little overwhelmed." Katie smiled up.

Marcus steered his girlfriend outside to the gardens where the ceremony was to be held. It didn't take long till Alicia saw them and waved the pair over to where she had saved seats.

Alicia hugged Katie fleetingly whispering "I told you this dress is perfect for you! Everyone is starring."

"They're starring because I'm new. They're probably gossiping about me." Katie fired back, her smile not even wavering as she sat down between Alicia and Marcus.

Everyone was hurriedly finding their seats as the groom walked up to the altar with his best man, the former looking a little white around the nose.

"I still can't believe he choose freakin Pucey to be best man." Cassius muttered under his breath, but his wife quickly shushed him with her patented death glare. Katie merely raised an eyebrow. Apparently this wasn't the first time Warrington complained about this.

Before she could ask Marcus what this was about the music started playing and the first bridesmaid started down the aisle.

Katie found her fake smile turning into a large honest one as Cassandra started to walk down the aisle and Terence Higgs immediately stopped looking sick as soon as he saw his bride and an awestruck, loving expression took over.

The ceremony was short, but beautiful and more personal than Katie had expected. She had tears in her eyes by the time the pair said their "I do's" and leaned further into Marcus side, who had brought her clasped hands to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

Have no fear, I'll update faster this time around, next chapter will hopefully be less boring too.

Fell free to tell me what you think, I even found out how to answer to reviews, so I'll do that now :D