Sparks

Sparks 34:

Chapter Thirty-Four:

The Gryffindor Common Room:

Katie entered the riotous common room with a dreamy smile on her face. No one noticed her at first. She stood in the hallway then leaned against the wall watching her friends. She wasn't sure how she felt. A part of her wanted to jump into the middle of the room and proclaim her joy for the entire world to hear. Another part of her wanted to sit in a quiet place and begin to realize how lucky she was to have Marcus back in her life, forever. She looked at her sparkling engagement ring and touched the stone with a sense of wonder. After accepting boisterous congratulations about the Quidditch match from her housemates, Katie opted to watch the festivities from a quiet corner.

Angelina, George and Fred had their arms around each other. They were singing some song at the top of their lungs. In the loud room, Katie was amazed she could not hear a word of it except for little snatches here and there. The little snatches made her giggle to herself. The song had something to do with Snape, snakes and snitches. She was afraid the song was terribly rude. She turned her head to find Harry. His amazing green eyes were sparkling as he and his friend, the youngest Weasley boy, were trying to see who could eat the most chocolate frogs in the least amount of time. He looked happier and more carefree than Katie had ever seen him this entire year.

Katie could feel him beside her before she saw him. She turned to smile at Oliver as he stood beside her. His kind eyes were full of joy.

"Katie," sad Oliver loudly. "I just wanted you to know that you played a wonderful game today. We would never have won if it weren't for your courageous play. I wanted to thank-you."

"You don't need to," said Katie. "It was a team effort. We never have won if it wasn't for the play of everyone on the team."

"True," said Oliver with a grin. "Ho was dinner with your father?"

"It was simply amazing," said Katie dreamily. "It changed my life."

"I know that you and your father had a hard time of it in the past, Katie," said Oliver as he leaned closer so he could talk to her. The room was very loud.

"Yes," said Katie as she gave Oliver a bright smile.

"I am so glad to see you looking so happy," said Oliver quickly and impulsively. "Are you trying to put Flint behind you now?"

"Ollie," said Katie as she shook her head and laughed. "I don't have to anymore."

"What?" asked Oliver with a slight look of confusion. "I can't hear you Katie. The room is just too loud."

"Nevermind," said Katie loudly. "I'll tell you tomorrow. Today, it is time to savor your victory."

"It's our victory Katie," said Oliver just before Fred jumped on his back from behind.

"Victory!" chortled Fred. George joined his twin as they piled their bodies on top of their captain.

Katie accepted a butter beer from Angelina and they watched the boys playfight with rueful looks. They exchanged a smile.

"Boys," snorted Angie.

Katie nodded and wondered how she was going to tell her mates in this melee about Marcus and herself. A part of her wanted to keep the news to herself for awhile and savor the joy of requited love. She fingered the band of her new ring with a secret smile hovering about her lips. Maybe they would notice on their own. If not, Alicia and Lee would clue them in when they came back from the kitchens. Or maybe not, Lee and Ally had been giving each other coy looks lately. Maybe they will not be coming back soon.

Fred hailed Angelina after Oliver had shaken off the Weasley twins. They stood in the corner wrapped up in each other. Katie gave them an unnoticed grin. They were the perfect Gryffindor match.

Unobserved, Katie slipped away from the revelry and made her way up the stairs to her dorm room. She stood in the quiet room and looked pensively out the window into the spring dusk then she burst into tears.

Katie threw herself on her bed and cried. She cried because she didn't know how else she could relieve the pent up emotions of the day. The reconciliation with her father, the Quidditch game, and the reunion with Marcus had left her emotionally impaired.

First off, she had been waiting for years to get her relationship with her father sorted out. She knew deep down that her jealousy and possessiveness stemmed from her early rejection by her father. Katie knew now that her father hadn't rejected her. But the pain and emotional scars from his disappearance from her life were still there and maybe always would be. She cried from relief that this burden had been taken from her and the gap in her life had been restored.

The last few weeks had been fraught with tension. She had been so unhappy but she tried to make it seem to her friends that she was all right and that eventually everything was going to be okay. She had not wanted them to fret or worry about her with the game coming up.

But in the darkest night, Katie had laid in bed thinking about Marcus; thinking about how she was going to live without him. When she finally slept, she had awful nightmares. In the most vivid one, she had run into Marcus and his wife several years after Hogwarts and he had not even remembered her name. He had given her a vague smile then walked off hand in hand with his wife. She had wept buckets over that dream. Katie had been so afraid that she was destined to live the rest of her life yearning for him.

But now, she was never going to have to face that bleak future. Marcus was hers. He had chosen her over that beautiful girl. Katie shuddered as she recalled her despair when she realized, in the restaurant, exactly who that girl sitting beside Marcus was. She was tall, blonde and looked every inch the pureblood society wife. But still, Marcus had chosen her. He truly loved her. Katie wept harder out of happiness and joy.

Eventually, her sobs slowed then ceased. Her emotions had flooded out of her, leaving Katie feeling exhausted and emotionally drained.

She shifted in the bed and winced as her muscles protested. Katie buried her face into her pillows as she realized why her muscles were sore. They had made love twice that afternoon. Marcus had introduced her to a side of herself she had not known previously. Katie blushed as she admitted to herself that she had missed him in her bed. She missed the feel of his smooth flesh, the taste of his lips and the sounds of his pleasure. She missed the pulse pounding excitement that went through her veins every time he was near her. Most of all, she had missed the way he made her feel loved and cherished when he made love to her.

Just before she drifted off the sleep, she took her ring off and gazed at the words Marcus had engraved inside it.

"Love Eternal," whispered Katie as she slipped the ring back on and clutched her hand to her chest protectively. She fell asleep with a smile on her lips.

Katie woke the next morning with a start. She sat up and stretched. She felt stiff. She blinked the sleepiness out of her eyes and rubbed her eyes. They felt swollen and sensitive. She looked down in surprise at herself. She had fallen asleep with her clothes on. Katie stilled as she caught sight of the ring on her finger.

"It wasn't a dream," thought Katie. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could feel her heart pounding and lay down again. A second later, she bolted straight up and bounded out of bed. She looked around for her roommates and was surprised to see that most of them were up and about already.

"How long had she slept? Where was Marcus? Was he waiting for her downstairs? Gods, her hair looked a mess. Where was her favorite red skirt? The one Marcus liked," thought Katie frantically. Katie gathered her toiletries and dashed her way to the shower.

In record time, Katie was ready. Although, she did spend extra time making her hair look just so and she had burrowed through her trunk searching for that blasted skirt that Marcus said she looked beautiful in last Yule. She skipped the heavy jumper and heavy woolen stockings though. She wasted five minutes charming her shoes to match her skirt. But she wanted to look beautiful for him. A smile burst over her lips and she jumped the last few steps into the common room.

"Katie," gasped Angelina as she saw Katie jump into the common room.

Katie was about to tell Angie that she would talk to her later and that she was in hurry when she saw Angie, Alicia, Lee, the Weasleys and Oliver sitting in the room looking grave.

"What's wrong?" asked Katie with a finger of cold dread touching her heart. She thought to herself that something better not have happened to Marcus because she didn't think she could bare it.

"Is it true," asked Ollie hoarsely. He was deathly pale.

"What?" asked Katie as she looked at Alicia in concern.

"About Flint," said Lee hesitantly. "Is it true that you and he are back together?"

"Oh yes," said Katie as her face broke into a bright smile.

Angelina and Alicia shared an inscrutable look.

"I thought you had finally come to your senses about that Slytherin," said Oliver in consternation.

"What?" asked Katie as her smile faded.

"He is just not good enough for you," said George seriously.

"You were better off without him," said Fred with a frown.

Katie stood and looked at her friends in shock and dismay. She shook her head wordlessly.

"You just don't understand," said Katie as she sat down on a sofa. "I love him. And he loves me. I mean he really loves me. Angie?"

"Yes, love," said Angie.

"Do you remember that afternoon when you found Marcus and I fighting in that corridor," asked Katie as she fought back tears.

"Yes," said Angie as she reached out and touched Katie's trembling hand.

"Marcus wanted me to chose," said Katie as she looked around the quiet room. "He wanted me to tell all of you about him. He wanted me to tell all of you how much I cared for him or else he was breaking up with me. So I did."

"I remember," said Alicia seriously.

"He chose me yesterday," said Katie seriously. "When it came down to it, Marcus chose to be with me over his family. He told them that he would give up everything to be with me. Marcus Flint truly loves me. And I love him so much. Can't you be happy for me?"

"I...," stuttered Oliver as he stared at her in surprise.

"He asked me to marry him," said Katie as she held out her hand. The ring glittered in the sunlight. "I said yes."

"Merlin," said Fred and George at the same time.

Angelina and Alicia surprised Katie when they threw their arms around her shoulders and crushed her between them.

"Thank the gods," said Alicia as she grabbed Katie's hand to get a clearer look at the ring.

"I was hoping," said Angelina tearfully. "But I truly didn't know that Flint had it in him. I saw him looking at you in the last few weeks, though, when he was sure you weren't looking. He was yearning for you, Katie."

"You both are happy for me?" asked Katie hopefully.

"Overjoyed," said Alicia.

"Yes," agreed Angelina. "Flint may be a Slytherin arse, but he's the Slytherin arse that loves you, Katie. Your smile reaches your eyes now. As long as he makes you happy, love, then we are happy for you."

"What?" said Fred.

"Belt it in boys," said Alicia as she wiped her eyes. "Katie loves him. We love her. Therefore, we will be happy for her. She has her heart's desire, don't you love?"

"Yes," said Katie fervently. "I do."

"Are you happy with him Katie," asked Oliver a touch sadly as he touched her hand.

"Yes," said Katie firmly as she reached out and squeezed Ollie's hand.

"Okay then," said Oliver. He looked at the twins and Lee. They nodded back.

"Thank-you," said Katie as she looked at her friends and then wiped her eyes. She gave a shaky laugh. "I look a mess. I'll be right back."

Katie turned to run up the stairs again. She turned back and hesitantly asked, "Could one of you go see if Marcus is waiting? Tell him that I'll be right out."

"Sure," said Oliver as he got to his feet. "I'll do it."

Outside Gryffindor Tower:

Marcus was watching the portrait anxiously. He had slept late and hoped he hadn't missed Katie. She hadn't been down to the Great hall yet. He looked up hopefully when the portrait finally opened.

"Flint," said Oliver Wood stiffly.

"Wood," said Marcus just as stiffly back.

"Aren't you going to congratulate me on the win yesterday?" asked Wood with a raised eyebrow.

"I wasn't planning on it," said Marcus with an eyeroll.

"Katie will be right out," said Oliver. He gave Marcus a measured look. "You know that you don't deserve her, right?"

Marcus looked at Wood and just smiled.

"She's far too good for the likes of you," said Oliver as he gazed at Marcus intently.

"You may have won the prize yesterday, Woody," drawled Marcus. He smiled as a radiant Katie emerged from the portrait. He turned and looked Oliver in the eyes. "But I got the treasure, today and forever."

"Treat her right," said Oliver with a touch of menace.

"I will, don't you worry," promised Marcus.

"What are you two talking about," asked Katie suspiciously as she approached the two rivals.

"Nothing," said Marcus and Oliver.

"I am so sure," said Katie skeptically.

"Nothing to worry you," said Marcus as he swung her into his arms.

Katie shrieked as he swung her around in a circle. She collapsed into his waiting arms. She gave a bright smile and looked into his dark eyes. Oliver faded off into the distance.

"I've been waiting for you," said Marcus intently.

"I've been waiting for ages," said Katie breathlessly.

"The wait is over," said Marcus as he wrapped a possessive arm around her waist and guided her towards the Great Hall.

"Yes," said Katie happily. "It is."