invisible string! → ron weasley

xii. the match

"Well, I should get back to patrol. This conversation stays between us, do you two understand?" They nodded. "Good. I'll speak with Jackie, see if she's heard anything from Wesley, but in the meantime we need to keep this quiet. If you do talk to him, be smart about it." Kates stood and the two cousins shared a quick embrace before Tonks left the room.

"Sorry to get you involved in this," said Kates as Ron stood. "Reckon you've had enough on your plate these past few years as it is." Ron scoffed.

"This? This is nothing. After everything I've dealt with at this school, a little secret about a Death Eater spy is nothing." Kates let a faint laugh escape her lips, which made Ron's heart flutter before he sobered himself up. "Besides, I'm the one who pressed. I wanted to help, and I'm glad you don't have to carry this secret alone."

⋆☆.* ✧✰ .✦⋆*☆

DEAN'S WISH FOR THE entire Gryffindor Quidditch Team to remain in good health was not granted. The cursing of Katie Bell by a mysterious necklace during the Hogsmeade visit had opened up a temporary Chaser position. Harry, of course, had to make the difficult decision between Dean and Seamus, but in the end he chose the former for his superior flying during the trials. Seamus was disappointed, but given that his best friend was the other choice he couldn't quite bring himself to feel begrudged.

Harry hadn't outright told Kates of her suspicions of Draco, but he had questioned her the day after Katie was cursed, seeing if she had spoken with her cousin recently. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together, and she told him as much. She also told him that, no, she hadn't spoke to Draco recently and, yes, if he needed any more help he could come to her.

Ron, meanwhile, was a mess. Word travelled fast amongst the Gryffindors, and apparently Ron had been acting like a bit of a prat the past few practices. Ginny was furious with him—and had even rowed with him about his attitude towards her and Dean's relationship—and even Harry was starting to get annoyed. Kates worried for him, but every time she tried to talk with him, he'd make some excuse to leave. Therefore, she was grateful to run into him the night before the match.

The two met just outside the Fat Lady's portrait, with her having just come from her private lessons with Flitwick and he having just left another Quidditch practice. She smiled at him, though as his face came into view, the smile faded.

"Ron, are you all right?" she asked, her voice gentle and full of concern. He looked irritable, which shouldn't have surprised her given his recent attitude and her knowledge of where he had just been.

"Oh, me? I'm fine," he said in a tone that told her that was absolutely not the case. "The entire team hates me, not that I can blame them, and when we lose tomorrow that'll be my fault too. Do me a favor, Kates, and save the optimism for someone else, because I sure as hell don't deserve it, and despite what you seem to think, light can't be found in every situation."

Kates felt as if she had been slapped in the face. She took a step back, and part of her wanted nothing more than to disappear into the common room and leave Ron behind, but she knew it wasn't him talking, it was his anger and his nerves—and that was proven as his eyes went wide, his entire expression changing in an instant. He no longer looked bitter and irritable; now he looked apologetic, ashamed, and scared.

"Merlin, Kates, I'm so sorry." He made to reach for her hand, then stopped himself and returned his arm to his side, letting out a sigh. "I'm a mess. After last year I'm terrified to play and lose and let everyone down. But I guess I've already done that, haven't I? I've been a prat, most of all by snapping at you like that when you were only trying to help." She didn't say anything right away, and for a moment Ron feared he had really, truly screwed things up. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy; after not asking her to the Yule Ball during fourth year, he feared he'd do something that would ruin things between them, and now he may very well have done it.