A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter update to you guys! I started a new Mass Effect fic, but I promise I haven't forgotten about all of you! I will try and keep the updates more frequent. Thank you again to all of you who have reviewed and added this to your author or story alert. It means a ton! And now, onto the chapter!
"I didn't mean to walk away when you were lying to my face.
I didn't mean to turn right back and put you in your place.
Or maybe I did…"
It turned out that being jobless for a little while wasn't so bad. Things seemed to slowly fall back into place. They went out, had fun, and it seemed like everything was headed in the direction it was supposed to be. Forgiveness was given without the necessity of words. All of the old wounds slowly healed, and they all moved on together, as friends.
Eventually, though, being jobless turned Katie antsy and bored. She needed something to do with all of her pent up time while everyone else was working. She was fine staying local, but she needed a job. She'd asked Fred and George if they had any ideas, but Fred simply made snarky remarks about how she could dress up really skanky and sell some of their love potions. Katie considered it for a brief second before deciding that that was the most bollocks idea she'd heard all year.
She sat in her room staring out the window, a light rain cascaded gently down the glass. She sighed, running a finger through her hair. Boredom had taken hold of her once more. She longed to go downstairs and mess with Fred and George's supply, but lately the pair of them had seemed to not want anything to do with her fun and games. They had turned strangely business on her, and she wasn't sure why. She wasn't sure she wanted to know, either. Surely it wasn't because they were annoyed with her in general, right? She scrunched her nose at the thought. Surely not. Fred would not do that to her.
What could she do? How could she give herself something to do while still staying local? Determination got the best of her as she grabbed her bag and walked down from the loft and through the shop.
"Where are you going?" Fred called suddenly over a shelf.
Katie gasped as she turned to come face to face with him. He was trying his best to hold in a laugh.
"Aw did I scare you?" he asked breathlessly through giggles.
"Yes!" Katie said, narrowing her eyes and laughing. She was angry with him, but only for about a split second.
"But really, where you going?" he asked.
"I'm going to find myself something to do. I don't know if it'll be a job or what, but I can't just stay locked up in the loft anymore," Katie explained.
"Okay, love. I'll be here when you get back," he said with a grin before placing a soft kiss on her lips. She felt herself smile before ruffling his hair and exiting the building. The air was bitter as it wrapped itself around her and blew her hair in every direction. It smelt cold and unforgiving, and yet there was a strange kind of optimism about it, like spring wasn't that far away. Katie smiled as she made her way down the block. She checked into each of the stores, and as she passed one that had recently been emptied out an idea hit her like a ton of bricks. Her eyes lit up as she practically ran back to Weasley's Wheezes.
"Fred!" she shouted excitedly as she moved swiftly around the shelves and through the stores.
"What! Are you okay?" Fred shouted and Katie could tell he was up by the register. She smiled as she made her way to him to find him helping a customer. She kept quiet as long as she could until they were almost out the door.
"I'm going to start a wizarding hair salon, Fred," she said eagerly. The words hung in the air for a few moments. She felt like a small child explaining a brilliant idea to her parents, and a part of her was waiting for Fred to be like parents usually were and bring the hammer down on all of her hopes and dreams.
"I think that sounds fantastic!" Fred said with a grin. Wizarding hair salons weren't very popular or often used, especially in Diagon Alley. Many of the patrons who worked and lived there eventually let themselves get shaggy looking, simply out of laziness of cleaning themselves up. Ah, but if they had someone they could pay to clean them up then perhaps they'd look less slovenly. Not to mention the fact that witches absolutely loved being pampered, even girls like Katie, Alicia, and Angelina who had spent a majority of their time at Hogwarts in the mud.
"Here's the catch though…"
Ah, there was always a catch.
"I'd need to borrow some money from you to buy the space and get it started," she said wincing slightly. While she and Fred had a wonderful relationship, they weren't exactly used to making grown-up decisions together. Sure Fred and George had made the decision to open Wheezes and it was a huge success, and of course he could trust that Katie would pay him the money back, but this was really the first adult decision and investment they'd be making together. This store would become like Katie's child, and Fred knew that the second she brought it up. She was going to pour herself into this place, heart and soul. She did that with everything in her life, their relationship included. So how could he deny her the simplest pleasure? Sure it would take time, money, and effort, but he couldn't say no to her, even with this.
"Well how much are we talking?" George piped up, and Fred winced slightly. He'd nearly forgotten that this was George's money they were talking about, too.
Katie sighed slightly as she paced back and forth a bit.
"All in all it will probably take a few thousand galleons," Katie said hurriedly. "It doesn't have to by top notch by any means. We could get second hand crafts, and Al, Ang, and me could make things ourselves." It was like she felt the faster she spoke the more likely they were to grant her request.
"No, Bell…" George said sternly, and Katie felt herself deflate slightly. Fred could tell by the look in her face, she was hurt. He opened his mouth to say something, but George quickly began speaking again.
"If you're going to open a business you're going to do it right. Nice and classy," George said with a grin. Katie's eyes lit up immediately and she didn't miss a beat before responding.
"Like the two of you would know anything about class," she said with a laugh. George smiled at her and Fred enveloped her in his arms, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head.
"We'll go to Gringotts tomorrow."
Three months later Katie stood inside Salon Belle grinning at each of the things she and her friends had found. The salon was beautiful, just like its name suggested.
"I can't believe it's really… done," Katie said to herself. There were four chairs, which meant Katie would need to hire three other people to help her. She'd received tons of applications since she began advertising that she was hiring months prior, and she'd managed to narrow it down to 8 candidates. They seemed qualified enough, but she needed to see them in person. She took a seat in one of the chairs and closed her eyes for a moment, remembering the journey that brought her to this place. Who would have known that her the position she took to keep her busy and distracted in the muggle world would turn out to be her savior in the wizarding world, too. Sometimes things worked out too perfectly.
Her eyes shot open at the sound of the bell that hung near the front door going off. It was her first interview. She stood up and shuffled through the pile of resumes.
"Name please?" she asked not bothering to look up from her pile.
"Oliver Wood.," the voice replied, and Katie felt her heart drop into her stomach. She felt her heart quicken as she fought the churning in her stomach, trying to hold back whatever stomach contents she had. Fear took ahold of her, and she remained frozen for a few second before finally looking up into the mirror.
At the sight of him she spun on her heels to face him.
"What are you doing here?" she asked as her eyes narrowed. She wasn't quite so sure why she was afraid, and while she wouldn't ignore the gut instinct, she would not let him see her fear.
"I came by to see what you're doing with yourself. Is that a crime?" he questioned, pulling the innocent act. How dare he have the audacity to show up here after everything he'd caused?
"No, but it's definitely not appropriate after the shit you've pulled," Katie said, her face becoming cold and angry.
"Katie, I was drunk. You can't honestly believe I'd-"
"My ass you were drunk, Wood. You knew exactly what you were doing. You were downright malicious," Katie spat back at him. She wouldn't be lied to, not again.
"Katie…" Wood said as he reached forward to push a strand of hair behind her ears.
Katie stepped back but found herself cornered against the counter. Wood closed the distance between them quickly and stood with his face only inches from her.
"I wouldn't do anything like that," he said as he pushed her against the counter slightly. She wanted to scream, to run, to fight but as she lifted her hand to slap him he caught her wrist and spinned her so it was behind her back. Now she truly was at his mercy, helpless. What did he plan to do?
"HELP!" she screamed, hoping that her voice would carry to Wheezes. It was only two doors down.
"Shut up," he said as he slapped her, spinning her around once more.
"W-Why are you doing this?" she asked in a frenzy, trying not to cry.
"You ruined my career, Bell. How could I let you have a second one?" he questioned, narrowing his eyes.
"You did that to yourself you git!" she shouted angrily bringing up her left hand and slapping him across the face. She was stronger with her right, but it didn't matter. He moved back, startled and it was just enough time for her to move to the left before he lunged at her. He knocked himself against the counter before rounding and chasing her once more.
Katie had managed to make it to the door and opened.
"FRE-" she shouted before Wood's hand slapped roughly against her mouth and he dragged her back inside. She kicked at him and fought, but he was stronger than she was.
He threw her to the floor before brandishing his wand. Katie's eyes went wide before she shut them tight, only half-sure of what was coming next.
It was then that a loud pop was heard and Fred came slamming into Oliver.
"Don't you bloody touch her you little prat!" Fred shouted angrily at him. Fred was followed closely by George who rushed to Katie's side and helped her up.
Fred slammed his fist roughly into Oliver's face before he fell to the ground, limp.
Katie rushed to Fred's side and wrapped her arms around him. He instinctively lifted her up and held her close for a moment before returning her feet to the floor.
"Katie, are you okay?" he questioned, breathless. There was still panic in his eyes. Katie nodded quickly before hugging him once more. His brilliance had once amazed her.
"How did you know not to use the door?" she asked with a tilt of her head.
"Well… we didn't, really. Apparating was just faster than walking," he said with a small, goofy kind of grin. Okay so maybe he wasn't as brilliant as she previously thought, but it didn't lower her opinion of him any less. He was wonderful, and he was her savior.
"I can't believe he had the guts to come in here after what he did," George said angrily.
It was nice that everyone was finally on her side about the matter, but there was still a part of Katie that felt terribly sad over their lost friendship. They'd always been so close once, hell, they'd dated. And now he was mean, cruel, and malicious.
"Think we'll ever be able to be friends again?" Katie asked the question at the forefront of her mind.
"I don't know, Kate. I really don't. We can't just leave him here, though. You have interviews to conduct," Fred said with a sly grin.
"I think we could bring him to the shop, teach him a thing or two," George said matching Fred's grin.
"Please, you think I'd want to miss out on that?" Katie said before turning serious. "I don't think I'm in any condition to do interviews no anyway," she said looking at hands. They were shaking.
"Alright, love, we'll get you home and see what happens from there," Fred said with a nod before putting an arm protectively around her shoulder and ushering her to Wheezes.