4.
"What are you looking at, Katie?"
Caught unaware, Katie's gaze snapped to Angelina's. A flush highlighted her cheeks, and Angelina smiled warmly as she waited for a response. Katie smiled slightly in return and then shrugged as she tucked her hair behind her ear. She dropped her eyes back to her dinner, and slowly pushed a piece of carrot across her plate as her house-mates chattered around her. Katie missed the worry that fluttered across Angelina's face, and the silent look that passed between Angelina and Fred when Angelina glanced at her boyfriend, and found him watching Katie as well. But when Fred charmed a green bean to dance with a piece of carrot on Katie's plate, Angelina could have snogged him silly; Katie's face lit up in amusement, and her laughter slipped free, a sound that carried and drew eyes from all corners of the Great Hall.
It had been nearly two weeks since Katie had been released from the infirmary. Nearly six weeks since she had almost lost her young life. And in those six weeks, there had been a noticeable change in Katie. She had become quiet and withdrawn - preferring solidarity to the company of her house-mates. Angelina and Lee had noticed it straight away, but eventually the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team had noticed. The twins had tried including her in some of their jokes, only to be politely rebuffed in favor of homework. Oliver had tried pushing Katie into coming back to practice, only to have Angelina and Alicia verbally attack him over it. The only person Katie had really confided in was Lee Jordan, and he refused point blank to tell the others what was bothering Katie. He held her secrets, the way she held his.
Unable to force herself to eat anything else, Katie sighed heavily and dropped her fork onto her plate and pushed it away. Gathering her courage, she peeked through her lashes, and looked towards the Slytherin table; the first time she had done this, she had jerked in her seat when she had found that Marcus had been watching her. But as she lifted her eyes and met Marcus' steady gaze, she lifted her chin so that she was watching him as openly as he was watching her. She saw the corner of his lips quirk upwards in amusement, and he tilted the goblet in his hand slightly in her direction - Katie could almost hear him whisper an off handed compliment to her Gryffindor bravery. But when a familiar hand come to rest on her knee under the table, Katie quickly averted her gaze. Glancing to her left, she smiled when she saw that Lee was watching her. Lee's hand caressed her knee gently when Katie smiled at him, but his gaze still flicked towards the Slytherin table. After a silent moment, during which Katie lowered her gaze, Lee finally spoke as he stood up and held his hand out to her.
"You coming, Katie? I told you that I'd help you with the Potions Parchment."
Katie nodded and reached out to take his hand. Lee draw her to her to her feet, and reaching out, he tugged gently on her hair, before he bent to pick up her bag. And with Lee's attention diverted, Katie risked another look toward the Slytherin table. When she met Marcus' steady gaze once more, Katie licked her lips and managed a small smile. His eyes cool, Marcus simply tilted his head to the side as he studied her, before he dismissed her entirely when he turned his attention to Adrian Pucey. Katie mentally scolded herself for letting Marcus' dismissal affect her, and turned blindly when Lee took her hand in his. She missed the sidelong glance Marcus took at the Gryffindor table. She missed it - but Lee didn't; he'd been watching the older boy and on seeing Marcus' gaze flicker over Katie once more, he narrowed his eyes. And when Marcus glanced at Lee, Lee raised his eyebrows and tilted his head. With a final cold look for the Slytherin, Lee tugged Katie after him as Angelina looked after them curiously. Rather than head for Gryffindor tower or the library, Lee led Katie towards a quiet nook on the ground floor, a safe distance away from the Great Hall. Katie's voice broke before she managed to ask any questions, and when Lee gestured to dimly lit nook, Katie sat down silently.
"Are you ok, Katie?" Lee asked quietly as he sat down beside her.
Katie shrugged slim shoulders, and crossed her legs under herself. She plucked at the hem of her school skirt as Lee watched her, and when she finally lifted her eyes, they were troubled. Lee sighed softly and reaching out, he smoothed his hand up and down the outer edge of her bare thigh silently. Katie's lips parted, but when nothing came out but a sound of frustration, Lee swore softly.
"Katie. I'm not blind," he said quietly. "I can see the way that you look at him... The way that he looks at you. It won't be long until the others notice. Until Slytherin notices. You know how cruel they can be... How cruel he can be. You're playing with fire here, and I really don't want to see you get burned."
Katie shook her head, and then sighed. Lee didn't have to elaborate on what he was talking about, and they had been friends for far too long for her to pretend that she didn't know what or who he meant.
"Do you… do you fancy him, Katie?" Lee whispered, and Katie shook her head slightly, and then blew out a deep breath.
"It's not that, Lee" she said finally. "I just want to know why. Why did he do it? Why does he spend half his time watching me, and the other half looking at me with total contempt? That's if he doesn't look through me, like I don't even exist. I didn't ask him to save me, Lee, and it's almost like he hates me for the decision he made!" she cried softly, and then tugged on her hair in frustration.
Lee shrugged helplessly, and settling his hand on her thigh once more, smoothed his thumb over the inside of her knee.
"I don't know why, Katie. Only Flint knows the answer to those questions, and to be honest, I really don't want to know the answers. However this I do know - they're all the same. Those of Slytherin look out for number one. Self-preservation."
Lee broke off, and then squeezed Katie's knee gently.
"Self preservation, Katie. Yet, in that one moment? He saved you too. I don't know why he did it... And the only worry I have, is that he'll decide he does want something in return."
"Like what, Lee? His family comes from a long line of wealth and privilege, so it's not as if he's going to want any money. What else do I have to give?" Katie asked quietly.
Lee remained silent as he looked at Katie; he could see the shadows of fatigue under her eyes, and the worry that pinched her mouth as she stared at him. And when he squeezed her thigh again, Lee deliberately lightened his tone.
"I don't know, Katie. Your soul? What's the standard rate for a soul anyway? Is it worth a Knut or a Sickle? Oh! Do you think your soul might be worth a Galleon?" he asked, and the tension broke as Lee had intended it too.
Katie bit her lip and then grinned. Her laughter was soft and it filled the dim area with a light sound as she shook her head in amusement. Settling back against the wall, they began to discuss Quidditch.
"Do you plan to play again next year, Katie?" Lee asked, and then frowned when she hesitated. "Have you even flown since the fall?" he asked, and then sighed when Katie shook her head.
"No. When I was released from the infirmary, Madam Hooch said it just wasn't a good idea yet for me to fly. She'd spoken to Madam Pomfrey, and they said something about my lungs and the cold and altitude, and to just rest. I can fly again in the new season."
"I wonder how Ollie's going to be as Captain again next year. He was really tough this year, the way he demanded all those extra practices and such," Lee said, and Katie groaned softly.
"I swear, Lee, I have abdominal muscles that you could bounce a Sickle off," Katie said with a sigh, and Lee chuckled.
"What about the time he had us go out onto the pitch so that I could practice my announcing, while you lot were flying?" he asked, and Katie laughed quietly.
"I've never seen you turn that red before, Lee! You wear wounded pride almost as well as you wear dreadlocks."
Lee grinned and tugged on the thick wave of hair that fell down her back.
"He insulted me! I know more about announcing than he does flying, and that's saying something! What about the early morning workouts?" he murmured, and Katie grimaced.
"If he dares wakes us up at the crack of dawn to do gauntlets again, I'll whack him over the head with a Beater's bat, and then drown him in the lake!" she vowed, causing Lee to laugh helplessly as Katie mimicked hitting someone with said bat.
"How very Slytherin of you, Bell," a voice drawled, and Katie and Lee both jumped when Marcus smirked at them as he stepped out of the shadows.
"What do you want, Flint?" Lee asked quietly, and narrowed his eyes when he saw a muscle in Marcus' jaw twitch at the innocent question.
"Nothing that you can give me, Jordan," he said finally, and gestured down the hall. "You're sitting in the hall that leads to the Slytherin section of the castle - not the safest place for two little lions to be found. You'd best run along, before the rest of them come this way."
Lee stood up and held his hand out to Katie. Drawing her to her feet, Lee stepped around Marcus, and began to lead Katie after him. She stopped still, however, when Marcus closed his hand around Katie's arm. Katie's eyes lifted at his touch, and her lips visibly trembled when his hand slid slowly to hers. The muscle in his jaw twitched again when Katie's fingers curled under his, and when Marcus looked down at Katie, his face was carefully blank.
"You might want to suggest to Wood, that he looks up the history of Michael Blusteroad," he said finally. "Wood could take a few tips from Blusteroad in regard to his Captaincy. It might get him further next year, rather than being found dead on the bottom of the lake with his skull bashed in," he said quietly, and Katie swallowed and lifted her chin.
"Do you mean the Captain who worked his players so hard, that they all quit rather than have to deal with his tyranny?" she asked in confusion.
Marcus smirked slightly and nodded, only to have Katie narrow her eyes at him and tug her hand free from his.
"Good luck on the last of your NEWTS, Flint. Good luck with everything that you choose to do after you leave," she said quietly.
At the look of confusion that crossed his face, Katie shrugged.
"I look forward to your success for two reasons - after this year is over, I won't have to spend my time wondering if, and when you are going to try to pull my head off by the hair when we meet on the pitch."
Katie broke off and swallowed.
" And two?" Marcus asked, and Katie lifted her chin.
"And two, I won't wonder why you're pretending to give a damn about..." She broke off again and shook her head as a flush of color stained her cheeks. "...What Oliver does as Captain, and how it affects his players," she finished softly.
"I don't care, Bell," Marcus said flatly as he stepped away from her. "You want to bash the Scottish gits skull in, go right ahead. It doesn't concern me in any way. Jordan here, however, might have a problem with his girlfriend being sent to Azkaban for doing the Wizarding world a favor."
"Girlfriend?" Lee and Katie said at the same time, and then grimaced at one another in distaste as Marcus looked between them.
"What have you been drinking, Flint?" Lee asked, as he reached out and gently pulled Katie away from Marcus. "Katie's no more my girlfriend than she is yours. Lay off the fire-whiskey. People might think you're crazy."
They walked away together silently, leaving Marcus staring after them from within the shadows. And when Katie risked a look over her shoulder, he was gone.