The Cursed Chronicles: Year 6

Chapter 54

For a breathless moment, nothing happened. No one moved, no one whispered, the only sound was the whistling of the wind through the branches of the whomping willow as everyone stared at Delphi, lying incapacitated in the dirt.
And then just as everyone began to clap and Bella decided it was prudent to free Albus, Katrina seemed to recollect herself and she whipped around.
"Albus!" She cried. Her eyes scanned the crowd. He stumbled to his feet, and when she saw him she started running towards him. His heart jumped into his throat. He felt like he was going to throw up. The last time he had spoken to her he had been so terrible, and he hadn't had the chance to apologize. He hadn't had time to think about this moment, or prepare, and he suddenly felt like the best course of action would be to go find on of those dragons and let nature take its course. As she got closer, a blazing determination in her eyes, he got even more nervous. He was actually so nervous that he tripped backwards, and lying there, like an idiot as she reached him, he couldn't think of how this could get any worse. Only just managing to meet her gaze, he managed.
"I am so, so sorr-" He wasn't quite able to finish his sentence, because Katrina had knelt beside him, grasped his shirt in both her hands and yanked him towards her. Their lips collided and Albus thought it felt like all intelligible thought had just disappeared from his head. He wrapped his free arm around her waist, pulling her closer, and she continued to grasp his shirt. She was shaking. This kiss wasn't anything like their last one outside the Beauxbatons carriage. It was passionate, a little desperate, and most importantly it felt like a silent agreement all in its own. An unspoken apology and an equally unspoken forgiveness.
When they finally pulled apart, Albus didn't waste a second.
"I am so sorry," he whispered frantically. "I am so so sorry, I've been a complete idiot and a jerk, and I don't know how I could ever make it up to you but I am so sorry-"
"It's okay, it's okay, it's okay," Katrina reassured him, with a similar urgency, resting her forehead on his. They were both so flustered and had so much to say they practically talked over each other. "Just promise that you won't leave me again,"
"I promise."
"And don't EVER, EVER do something so STUPID, ever again!" She demanded, shaking him by his shirt, which she was still holding in her trembling hands. Tears started to pour down her face. Albus wasn't innocent of tears either."I thought I had lost you, I thought I had killed you, and I can't-" He took her hands in his.
"I can't lose you either." She threw her arms around his neck and he held her close. He had never felt more relieved in his entire life. She was safe. They were all safe. She was here, in his arms, and everything was going to be okay.
"You are everything to me," she whispered.
They both had so many things they could say, so many promises to make up for precious lost time, but that embrace was the only promise either of them needed. Katrina rested her forehead on Albus' so their noses brushed against each other, and closed her eyes, holding his face in her hands. He brushed a few hairs that had fallen into her face behind her ear. Finally, and quite suddenly, Katrina started laughing. She gasped as she continued to giggle uncontrollably.
"What in Merlin is so funny?" He asked, unable to suppress a smile.
"You're soaking wet," she pointed out in between laughs, running her fingers through his dripping hair to prove her point. She flicked the drops in his face.
"You look stunning," he said. "It isn't fair."
"I look like I've been to Azkaban and back."
"And you still look beautiful, that's why it isn't fair." She shoved him playfully, but did not resist when he pulled her closer. "Are you hurt?" He asked. She touched two fingers to the scar on her neck unconsciously, as if she was just now noticing that it was visible, but Albus caught her hand, lacing his fingers in hers.
"Just a few bumps and bruises," she said dismissively with a small smile. "What about you?" She pushed aside the rip in his sleeve, studying the gash in his arm. He couldn't remember when that had happened.
"I've felt worse," he replied, equally dismissive.
"Maybe we both should make our way to the hospital wing," She suggested, rising slowly. He followed, but her hand never left his.
It was only then that they noticed their audience. Nearly the entire school had just witnessed their reunion, but they were too happy to even care, although they may have turned a bit pink. Besides, their peers quickly had another focus.
Rose and Scorpius, who had turned their attention to battling Delphi's servants once Katrina and Albus fled into the maze, had been separated. Now they had finally made their way to each other, and Rose flung herself into Scorpius' arms. Scorpius held her tightly, but quickly noticed everyone's attention and backed away awkwardly. Frustration was written all over Rose's face, and now she didn't care who knew it. She grabbed Scorpius' arm and yanked him closer.
"Listen, I've been waiting all year for you to get over yourself. I've tried everything. I tried giving you time, I tried making you jealous- I asked THOMAS DONE to go to the Yule Ball with me! I've done everything I can think of to help you get past your well-meaning but incredibly dim conclusion, and I'm done. This is done. I love you, and I know you love me. I don't know what to say to you to get it through your thick skull, but I could give a blast-ended screwt's rear what anyone thinks of me. I know you've gotten it in your head that you'll ruin my reputation, but even if that did matter to me, which it doesn't, I don't think there has ever been something more important to me than you. You are my choice. So will my caring, sweet, adorable boyfriend please get out of his head and kiss me like no one is watching?"
To Scorpius' credit, he did. The crowd, however, was watching, completely dumbfounded by the exchange. The way they had been acting all year long, everyone had assumed they had split after a major falling out. They seemed like they couldn't stand to be in the same room with each other. But to Albus, it all made much more sense now. Of course Scorpius had nearly ruined his perfectly happy relationship just because he was worried about tarnishing Rose's reputation. It made no sense at all to a sensible person, but it was a very Scorpius thing to do.
"If this is the last ridiculous spat those two have, I'll eat Bertie Botts' Every Flavor Beans," Katrina whispered.
"Ooh, High Stakes!" Albus, who knew Katrina hated Bertie Botts' Every Flavor Beans, whispered back. "I'll take that bet."
"If I win you have to try out for the Slytherin Quidditch team," she teased.
"Never mind." She laughed. He loved her laugh. He squeezed her hand a little tighter, and she met his eyes with fondness. He didn't deserve her forgiveness, let alone her, but he felt luckier than Felix himself. He was never going to make the mistake of letting her go ever again.