invisible string! → ron weasley

iv. the common room & the witness

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KATES CLOSED HER TEXTBOOK with a dramatic air of finality and let out a sigh, leaning back in the cushy common room chair she had been occupying for the last few hours. With the added electives, third year was much more strenuous than first or second, but she enjoyed the work, for the most part. Ancient Runes was absolutely fascinating and Care of Magical Creatures was never dull with her friends around—the homework, however, wasn't as enjoyable given the amount of it they were given.

"I've never seen anyone look so cheerful after doing that much homework," said Seamus, giving her a stink eye so powerful that she had to stifle a laugh.

"It's not my fault you lot picked Divination despite of your complete lack of interest in the subject."

"Ancient Runes would have been worse," groaned Dean. "Just 'cause you like it doesn't mean it isn't dreadfully boring."

"It is not, but you also think Astronomy's boring, so clearly you have no taste," Kates teased. Neville laughed loudly, and even the ever-so-grumpy Seamus chuckled. Dean rolled his eyes, but she knew it was all in good fun. Unbeknownst to them, their fun had grabbed the attention of Ron Weasley, who was at present procrastinating his own Divination homework.

Ron wouldn't say he fancied Kates, exactly, but he liked her well enough. They hadn't really considered themselves to be friends, but they acted like it from time to time, especially after the events in the Chamber of Secrets the year before. Perhaps that was why he kept finding himself looking at her, or wondering about her; he knew so much, yet so little, and there was something about her that just kept pulling his interest. Her personality was a magnet, drawing him in.

"I wish one of you would show some interest in Herbology," pouted Neville, and Kates fixed him with a sympathetic look.

"Nev, I've tried, I really have. I'm just dreadful at it." He shrugged, not denying her point. Ron didn't think she was dreadful at it...but even he was better at taking care of plants than her. He didn't know how someone so talented and kind could be so rotten with plants.

"I just don't like it," Seamus remarked. "But I reckon anything's better than Divination. At least now McGonagall told us that Trelawney's death prophecies aren't unusual and are always wrong."

"At least there aren't many jobs that require NEWT-level Divination," shrugged Dean.

"Flitwick reckons I should take NEWT-level Charms," said Kates. "He thinks I could be a duelist some day if I keep doing well enough in class."

"That's high praise coming from him," said Seamus, slightly in awe. "He's got, what, two trophies himself?"

"At least," said Neville, then he sighed. "I've got no clue what I want to do when we graduate."

"We've plenty of time to figure that out," said Kates gently, and that made him don a faint smile.

The group continued to talk and laugh for a little, only falling quiet as Kates went to bed. The boys, who had all been procrastinating their homework in favor of enjoying themselves, all groaned as they looked at their nearly-but-not-quite-finished assignments. Ron, meanwhile, turned to Harry.

"What d'you think of her?" he asked, earning a confused look from his best friend.

"What?"