Chapter 13: Row and Reconciliation.

Kat jumped to her feet, here green eyes shooting dark looks at Sirius and her brown hair now a flaming orange.

"What! How do you know this?"

Sirius slowly stood up and took a step back.

"Harry told me. Him, Hermione, Ron and Hagrid were walking in the Forbidden Forest when Harry came across Crouch's body at the bottom of a tree"

"And you didn't think to tell me this earlier? It's sad that Crouch is dead but to be honest I don't really care about that right now. I'm more worried about Harry. The poor boy's got enough on his plate without having to find the one person who has the only clue about how these tasks actually work dead at the bottom of a tree! You don't sound very concerned about the well being of your only godson. He's now got to deal with the fact that there's a murderer running around as well as the Tournament and between the meeting in the fire place and today, you haven't spoken to him once! This is just like fourth year all over again!"

Sirius was angry now and without thinking he raised a hand and brought it across Kat's cheek. She yelped in pain and her hand flew up to her cheek which was now throbbing. Sirius looked horror stricken and he was holding his hand back.

"Sirius you complete bastard! Never talk to me again"

Kat stormed off upstairs and slammed the door so loudly the portrait of Mrs Black began to scream but neither Kat nor Sirius cared and the screams continued until Kreacher, the house elf, calmed her down. A while later, Sirius crept up to Kat's room and opened the door slightly. The single beam of moonlight lit up her bed and Sirius could make out Kat curled up on the edge of the bed.

"Kat?"

She slowly turned round and looked at Sirius with piercing eyes.

"I'm sorry. It may or may not sound like it so you'll just have to believe me. I'm really sorry"

Sirius waited to see if Kat had a reply but she didn't so he left and was halfway down the hall when the door creaked and Kat stepped out into the hall wearing her pyjamas.

"Sirius wait. I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have got angry. I know you too well to know that there is no way on this earth you could not care about Harry"

Sirius smiled and gave Kat a hug. He gently brushed her cheek and Kat flinched at his touch. Sirius' eyes widened and he backed away. Kat tried to grab his hand but it was no good.

"Sirius wait..."

"You flinched. You only flinch when you're hurt or scared and I've done both those things to you. I'm so sorry Kat, I'm a monster and a horrible person and I don't deserve someone as great as you. I've got to go..."

Sirius grabbed his coat and was just about to disapparate when Kat grabbed his hand, tears spilling, trying desperately not to let the only man she loved go.

"Sirius please don't go! Please, I love you... Sirius!"

Sirius pulled away and vanished with a loud crack. Kat didn't know what to do other than curl up against the wall and cry. When she finally stopped, she grabbed her cloak and went next door, tears still streaming down her face but the awful sobbing noises had stopped. She knocked on the door and a very sleepy Remus appeared 5 minutes later. He opened the door and when he saw Kat he immediately became more alert.

"Kat, what's wrong?"

Kat tried to talk but all she could manage to get out was a weird squeaky noise before she dissolved into tears again. Remus led her into the kitchen and hugged her until she stopped crying. Kat sat down at the table and stared at nothing. Meanwhile, Ali had heard the noise and had come rushing downstairs to see what was going on.

"Kat, are you ok?"

Ali gave Kat a hug and made her a hot drink.

"Thanks Ali. Sorry to drop myself in on you like this but me and Sirius had a row and he slapped me round the face ... and we had another fight and when he touched my cheek I flinched and he freaked out and started calling himself a monster and... I tried to stop him but he just left. Disapparated and left me"

Kat began to cry again and Ali immediately hugged her again while Remus muttered something under his breath that sounded like 'Stupid twat'.

"Do you want to stay here tonight Kat?"

Ali looked at her friend with such a seriousness it made Kat laugh a little.

"Yes please, I don't think I could stay there alone"

Ali smiled and grabbed Kat a blanket. Kat kicked off her shoes and hung up her cloak, laid down on the sofa and fell asleep almost instantly although it was not peaceful with her dreams being filled with images of Sirius yelling and leaving over and over again.

5 hours later, Kat woke up and found Ali sitting next to her with a mug of hot chocolate. She handed it to Kat and went to help Remus with the breakfast when there was a knock on the door and Sirius' voice, made rough by crying, came from the hallway. Kat stood up and stepped out into the hallway where Remus was trying to restrain Sirius who was demanding to come in.

"Remus, let go, I need to see her. I've been such an idiot; I need to make it up to her"

"Sirius you hurt her badly, the poor girl was on our doorstep at three o'clock in the morning crying her eyes out"

"Please Remus; I just need to see her"

Kat cleared her throat and everyone turned to look at her.

"Kat, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you, I got angry over nothing, please, I'm not asking you to forgive me, I'm just asking for a second chance to make it up to you"

Tears were running down Kat's face and even though they stung on her bruise, she didn't wipe them away.

"Sirius, you can say that but I still don't understand why you would hit me, even if you were angry. I just…"

Kat turned and went back into the living room, shutting the door just as Sirius got past Remus and came down the hall. Kat slumped against the door and heard Sirius do the same, his back pressed to hers and only a piece of wood was separating them. After much ordering from Remus, Sirius eventually left but it was a full day before Kat had decided to forgive him properly. The next morning when she woke up, Kat saw Sirius asleep on the chair opposite the sofa. Ali quietly came in and sat next to her.

"He came around again last night, after you'd fallen asleep. Remus let him in and he just sat there, wouldn't move or talk"

Kat smiled a little and Ali left, knowing Kat would want to be alone with Sirius when he woke up. Kat got up and sat on Sirius' lap, tucking her feet up and resting her head on his chest. At her presence, Sirius woke up and immediately wrapped his arms around her.

"I forgive you"

"And I'm sorry"

Sirius placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head and held her tight.

"I missed you last night. I must have gone into your room like ten times because I wanted to check you were ok but had to keep reminding myself you were here"

Kat smiled and leant her head back, her eyes meeting his, blue locked onto green. Kat curled her fingers around his t-shirt and happily accepted Sirius' kisses. Sirius brushed her hair from her cheek and his eyes widened in shock at the large bruise that had formed on her cheek. He also noticed a small bruise on her lip.

"I'm ok Sirius, it doesn't hurt anymore"

"Ok, I'm just wondering how you got that bruise on your lip"

"I bite my lip when I'm upset and last night was torture for me"

Sirius hugged her tighter as his heart twisted in guilt. He stroked a finger along her bottom lip and kissed her gently but Kat replied with more passion and they soon became caught up in a game of tonsil tennis and didn't notice Ali who was watching them from the doorway. She cleared her throat and they both turned to look at her.

"Do you guys want breakfast?"

The four sat down at breakfast and Sirius wasted no time in telling Remus and Ali about the second and up-coming Tri-Wizard Tournament task and about Barty Crouch.