Loved :||: Loved Series #6

21) Be Loud, Be Bold

"You mean you'll be disappointed we won't be able to escape to here anymore?"

"This place is so beautiful, it's perfect and peaceful."

A smile slipped across my face as I watched him frown at a place we cared about and spent a lot of time together in. "We have a castle of our own, my love, think we can find some favourite places there?"

His eyes flashed to mine at my cheeky comment and he grinned, hunching over to press his lips to mine. Someone cleared their throat and Draco slowly pulled away for us both to look up to find Dean standing sheepishly before us. "Dean," I smiled in greeting. "What's up?"

"I came to find you, Lil."

"How'd you know we were here?"

He ducked his head. "Blaise pointed me in this direction."

"Of course, Blaise," Draco playfully rolled his eyes. "Well, I don't think I'm wanted for this conversation. My love," Jumping off the ledge, Draco pressed a kiss to my temple, nodded to Dean who smiled in turn and strolled off down the hall. "I've got to go talk to Blaise about revealing hiding spots."

"Don't be too hard on him!" I call after my husband before facing Dean. "I've got a feeling this conversation's going to be worth it." Now sitting up, I patted the vacant spot beside me and Dean sighed in relief, taking a seat. Raising my eyebrows I looked at him expectantly. "What's so important you've spent the better half of an afternoon tracking me down?"

"It's Katie."

"Ah, yes," I nodded in understanding. "Still not talking to you?"

Dean shook his head. "I'm not sure what else I can do, I mean, it's just a prank, in the middle of Prankmester, it wasn't done out of spite. We even had a competition to see who could get each other first. I've even apologised for hurting her pride because we got her and Parvati out but I don't see the big deal."

"Mmmmh," I mused, watching him out of the corner of my eye and pressing my lips together disapprovingly. "That's your problem. I'm guessing Katie told you she had a fear of creepy crawlies before Prankmester started, am I right? And not just because you're friends, but because you two were talking to each other because you like each other?" The handsome boy beside me blushed and nodded. "So what you're really coming to me for is relationship advice?"

He let out a relaxed laugh. "Yeah, I guess I am. Look at us now."

"You mean where you have to resort to asking me of all people for advice on relationships?"

"Well, you are the first of us to get engaged and then married, your relationship survived a war, and a breakup, and another relationship."

"Haha, yeah okay, we get it. So, Katie, let me set it out for you. She tells you something that terrifies her in confidence because she likes you. So not only did you make her experience her fear you also betrayed her trust of you and trust in you because you told Seamus that fear too. You see, this isn't about the prank itself, it's about the fact Katie is a fierce and loyal friend who hasn't really opened up to people in the past, let alone after everything that's happened to her. Three of her best friends died, Dean, three of her fellow Gryffindors she shared a room with for six years, and yet, she decided that living in the sadness she faces every day and letting it get to her wasn't what she wanted. And she placed her trust in you."

"Oh, Merlin," He was staring at the wall opposite us. "I see what you're saying, oh dear, what am I going to do?"

"You've been apologising for the wrong thing." I watched his face crumple at the thought of what he'd done to Katie's trust and friendship. "Show her how you feel. The time for simple apologies are over, she's never going to forgive you if she can't trust you. Make a declaration, be loud, be bold. Show her you appreciate her and you want her, you want her forgiveness and that you want her trust back."

"You're an expert on bold proclamations," We both laughed. Though I certainly wasn't proud of what I did to Dean, I would always be thankful for his forgiveness and value his friendship. It was healthy to be able to talk about the past, which seemed almost a lifetime ago from today. 

"I don't think I ever apologised–"

"Don't," He said simply, looking me in the eye. "I know you never meant to hurt me, and to be honest, I think I was the idiot in that situation. To believe you weren't in love with him was a fool's errand."

Smiling at him in appreciation, I squeezed his hand. "Thank you, Dean."

He nodded. "Now, what time is it?"

"It's almost six, we should head to the Hall."

"Come on." He helped me off the sill and we made our way down the stairs and into the Great Hall.

I came to an abrupt halt when Dean, who'd been walking slightly in front of me as we'd come off the stairs, stopped. Following his gaze, my eyes fell on the Gryffindor table and Katie and Parvati sitting together with Hermione and Ginny. "What–?"

"KATIE BELL!" The entire Hall went silent and I don't think I've ever been more uncomfortable in my life and I'd say the same for Katie. The poor girl stared at Dean with her jaw almost touching the floor, her eyes wider than saucers. 

"Wow, I wasn't thinking this bold," I mumbled, stepping off to the side away from Dean, who stood tall and proud. 

Everyone watched in anticipation as Dean took in a deep breath. "Katie Eliza Bell, I am so sorry. I am so sorry for what I did to you. I used a piece of privileged information you gave you in confidence and used it against you. I betrayed your trust and your faith in me. I destroyed your trust in me and I destroyed our friendship along with it, something I value above everything else, it's the thing that matters to me most. Because more importantly, I lost you and if I could take what I did back, I would in a heartbeat because it most definitely was not worth it. Katie, I want you to know I appreciate you, I appreciate your friendship and the faithful trust you had placed in me, and I know that I probably won't see that again for a long time if at all. But I want your friendship back and I want your trust and I want you to go out with me."

I blinked. The whole hall blinked. "Katie Bell, would you do the honour of being my girlfriend?"

Heads swivelled in a wave across the hall, as everyone turned to Katie. I could make out the glimmer of tears from where we stood, the small smile that pulled at her lips. Slowly, she rose from her seat beside a gobsmacked Parvati and with her shoulders pushed back, confidently made her way towards Dean. As she neared she nodded. "Yes, yes, Dean Thomas I will be your girlfriend."

Everyone was applauding before he even had time to grab her by the waist and pull her lips to his. People began standing and wolf-whistling at the display. "Get a room!" I heard Parvati call from down the table.

The two were laughing as they pulled apart and both looked to me, Dean raising an eyebrow in question. I gave him a thumbs up. "That's one way to get the girl."

Seamus and Harry had reached us now and pulled Dean away from Katie, shaking his hand and shaking their heads at his boldness. Katie slipped up beside me, the entranceway too crowded with congratulating boys for the girls to reach us yet. "You didn't tell him to say those things I hope?"

"If you're asking if I scripted the whole thing for him, I didn't, he did that all on his own." I grinned down at her. "I just helped him see past being a boy."

She laughed and nodded, eyes glancing around before she leaned even closer to me above the noise and chatter. "I may have forgiven him, but that doesn't mean he can get away scot-free."

"Of course he can't," My lips matched her wicked grin. "I'll see what I can do."

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