Burnt

Chapter 19

My fingers ran along the neckline of his jumper. His mum probably knitted it for him. I pulled back with a gasp, feeling George suddenly snap away.

'No,' I whispered.

'Katie, I'm so sorry,' he said at the same time, his eyes wide in shock.

'I, I can't, I still love, no, like - '

'I know,' he said softly, smiling. 'And I feel like I have just cheated on Alicia.' I laughed.

'We're hopeless, aren't we?' I said, and George started to laugh too.

'Pathetic,' he agreed.

I stood up. Come on, let's go,' I said, heading towards the door. I was about to open it when he grabbed my arm.

'Katie,' he gulped nervously, 'we're not going to tell anyone, are we?'

He looked genuinely worried. I smiled. 'No George, we don't have to.'

'I'm still sorry, though,' he said.

'It's ok, really. We were both just a bit lost, that's all.'

He grinned. 'Still friends, huh?'

'Definitely,' I replied firmly. He slung his arm around my shoulders again, and as before, his hand slapped into my arm.

'Ow George, you're bloody dangerous!' I exclaimed as we stepped into the corridor.

'Oh, sorry about that,' he said as we made our way to the Gryffindor tower.

'oh, excellent, Ron's chess set - let's have a game.' Said George as we stepped into the common room. We made our way over to the table and chairs where the chess set was.

Where, I soon found out, skill in chess must be an inherited Weasley trait.

'I don't even know why I bother,' I said as George's queen butchered a rather hapless knight of mine. I watched as the knight's head rolled off the board, and the horse ran off to hide behind a previously defeated castle of mine on the sidelines.

'What, with chess or the opposite sex?' George said, grinning gently.

'Both,' I said, collapsing back into my chair.

'You seem a little better.' He said in a hopeful tone.

I made a dismissive noise. 'Yeah, and that's because you taught me how to act so well, remember?' I said dryly. 'I'll save the tears for later George, don't worry.'

'Oh Katie, I just wish there was something I could do. Are you sure you saw what you thought you did?'

'Yup.' I said shortly.

'Well, this may not be the best time to tell you, but there are lots of guys who would gladly fill Oliver's shoes,' he said, smiling at me in a knowing way. I shuddered, feeling my stomach clench, and immediately thinking of Marcus Flint.

George didn't appear to notice. 'Do expand,' I said. I really didn't have a clue what he was on about.

'Well, even if you haven't noticed, I have. Guys look at you Katie. Even when you walk into the hall for breakfast, heads turn, especially at the Ravenclaw table.'

I snorted. 'Thanks for trying to make me feel better George,' I said.

'I'm serious, you know.' He said, frowning at me.

'Of course you are,' I replied.

'Katie, I've even seen Cedric and his friends giggling - yes, giggling,' he added as I burst out laughing at the thought 'when you walk past - and it wasn't because they were paying you out or anything,' he said.

'But George, you don't understand. I'm plain bordering on ugly.' I said. His eyebrows rose.

'Who told you that?' he said in disbelief.

'I do. Everyday in the mirror. It's a rare day where I feel good about myself like that. Most of the time I feel I have given up, so I don't really care about it.' I paused, chewing my lip. 'That's why when Oliver started showing interest in me, I didn't jump him like any other girl in the castle would.' There, I had said it, and my eyes were still dry. Whew. I let out a sigh of relief - I hadn't ever told anyone that before.

'No way, I don't believe that. You are always so confident. That's probably why you are such a great person.' He said, a serious look on his face.

'Thanks George. But false confidence can work, can't it?' I said as the portrait door swished open and the Gryffindors streamed in from dinner, chattering about the holidays tomorrow. Tomorrow! I had totally forgotten! I jumped up out of my chair.

'I have to pack!' I exclaimed. George stood up, then leaned over and grabbed my arm.

'Do you know if Oliver is particularly fond of Dungbombs?' he whispered in my ear.

'Who is?' I replied.

'Well then, be on the stairs, in view of his favourite chair, at 7:30,' he said. I nodded and headed for the girls dorms. I saw George find Fred in the crowd, and whisper something in his ear. I shook my head, and went to the dorm.

Ten minutes later, after the fastest suitcase pack in my entire life, I swung open the door, about to go down to the common room. And found my way blocked by Angelina and Alicia.

'Whoa! What are you trying to do, scare me to death?' I said, leaning against the doorframe.

Angelina frowned. 'Why have you been up here by yourself for the last ten minutes?'

'And why did you leave dinner in such a hurry?' added Alicia.

'I just forgot something, that's all. And I was packing my suitcase just now,' I explained.

Angelina shrugged, and moved so I could pass them. I was on the second stair down, when I heard Alicia speak behind me.

'We are here if you want to talk, Katie,' she said softly.

I stopped, smiling. Then I turned to see me friends looking at me.

'Thanks guys,' I said, turning and continuing on my way down to the common room. Hang on, it wasn't 7:30 yet, and already the unmistakable odour of dungbomb was wafting up the stairs.

I saw Harry heading up the boys stairs as I entered the common room. Then I saw Fred in the corner, laughing. I walked over, holding my nose.

'What have you done now?' I said. Fred just laughed.

'Nice bit of nasal twang happening there Katie,' he managed to say.

I rolled my eyes as Fred continued to laugh.

Then I saw Oliver, sitting in a chair near the fire. He wasn't talking to anyone, only staring into the flames.

'Going to say anything to him?' it was George. I turned to face him.

'No, I don't think so. If he wants to say anything to me, then he knows where I am.'

George nodded. 'Fair enough,' he said. I grinned at him.

'Night George,' I said, walking off towards the girl's dorms. I had come down to the common room with a vague idea of talking to Oliver - I needed to know what was going on between us. But now I wasn't sure that I wanted to know. I sighed as I opened the door to my dorm. At least I had the holidays to look forward to. Even if it was going to be without Oliver.

_____________________________________________________________________________

I. Am. So. So. Sorry.  

I could keep apologizing but I think I've made my point. Life happens, I do this for free and I'm in high school so I have a lot of things going on at any given moment. (Seriously though, how do college admission offices expect us to maintain a 4.0, be the president of some student body club, play a sport, be involved in our communities, volunteer, and SLEEP??  College had better be freaking worth it... 

That's all for now, folks! 

-Kat