invisible string! → ron weasley

xvii. the world on fire

"Merlin, yes. That boy can be so cynical and pessimistic, but you really bring out the best in him." Their gazes met as she said the last part, and Kates found herself beaming.

The days that followed brought more excitement, and by the time the wedding day rolled around, even Ron was looking forward to it all.

"It'll be nice," he said with a shrug after breakfast that morning when he and Kates sat outside on the front step. They didn't have long before the others finished eating and the work had to begin, so they enjoyed their moment alone while they could. That was how it had been all summer, stealing moments here and there to simply be alone together and enjoy each other's company in relative privacy. They sat close, their hands intertwined. "Something where everyone can simply enjoy themselves and not worry about what's going on in the world." Kates raised a brow at him in amusement.

"Have I finally made you an optimist?" she teased, and he scoffed.

"No, absolutely not," he replied hastily. He always had been a terrible liar. "I just think we all could use a break, ya know?"

"Don't worry," she told him, pausing to press a kiss to his cheek. "Your secret's safe with me." She allowed her head to fall on his shoulder and he let his rest atop hers, and for just a moment they could pretend as if the world wasn't about to set itself on fire. Kates was optimistic, but she wasn't delusional; eventually, she had to bring it up. "When are you leaving?" Neither of them raised their heads.

"I dunno," Ron sighed. He hadn't told her much, but she knew he, Harry, and Hermione would be going off to do something incredibly dangerous, some sort of mission Dumbledore left them to save the wizarding world. "Soon, though. Probably after the wedding." Kates' grip on his hand tightened almost imperceptibly, and he returned the gesture. She wanted nothing more than to ask him to stay, but she couldn't do that. As much as she hated the idea of him putting his life on the line like this, she knew it had to be done. He had to go, and she couldn't go with him. Instead she only said:

"When you come back, you owe me a proper date." He hesitated, as if planning to remind her his return wasn't guaranteed. Her optimism must have been rubbing off on him after all, though, because he didn't say anything of the sort. Instead, he let out a chuckle.

"Yeah, I reckon I will." Kates found herself smiling in spite of it all.

⋆☆.* ✧✰ .✦⋆*☆

PERHAPS IT WAS the fact that Bill and Fleur were a gorgeous couple and that the tent was decorated so wonderfully or maybe it was just that everyone needed a little distraction, but the wedding was the most beautiful one Kates had ever witnessed. Bill and Fleur were so in love and seeing them together during the ceremony was the most real display of love she had ever seen. She couldn't take her eyes off the handsome couple the entire time, which is how she missed the several fond looks given to her by Ron from her left side.

The reception was beyond cheerful, but too civilized to be rowdy. Kates found herself frequenting the dance floor; she shared a dance with Hermione, one with Ginny, a hilarious one with George, Fred, and Ginny, and she had managed to pull Ron onto the dance floor several times throughout the night. Only as a slower number came on did Kates take a seat, leaning back against the table and letting out a sigh.

"All right, Barney?" Kates asked the red headed boy beside her, who in reality was a disguised Harry Potter. This was not to be revealed to anyone, of course, and if there was one thing she had gotten good at over the past few years it was clandestine operations.