I Only Wanted

****

    Waking up and having a cover draped over you may be normal to the majority of the world. But Katie looked at the cover oddly. She knew damn well that she had cried herself to sleep. With no covers. She shrugged it off walking towards the bathroom. She probably did it in her sleep. As she got ready, she couldn't help feeling depressed once more. She had snapped at one of her best friends. But he had provoked her, she defended, putting her hair up once more. She looked at herself in the mirror.

    "I think I like this better than the braid. Less maintenance," she mused aloud.

    "Compliments your facial structure, dear," her mirror said kindly.

    Katie smiled slightly before leaving the bathroom. She was about to grab her cloak, when an owl flew in her window and dropped a letter in her hand before flying away. Katie stared down at the envelope. Across the front was 'Kathleen Elizabeth Bell' in scrawling print. The writing of her mother. She ripped it open, tears welling in her eyes at the thought of what could possibly be written inside.

Dear Kathleen,

    We are very disappointed in the fact that you ran away. That's not the behavior of a Gryffindor. Akin to this, we have no reason to want your return. We won't be at the house whenever you decide to return. We will be selling it though, and moving. You're a brilliant girl and I'm sure you'll figure something out.

Sincerely,

Carolyn and Andrew Bell

    Katie stared down at the letter, re-reading the letter over and over again. She made her way downstairs, the letter still clutched in her hand. She was planning on heading into Diagon Alley, but a hand stopped her. She looked up, bleary-eyed, to see none other than Percy Weasley. He didn't say a word. He just took the parchment from her hand and read it, as Katie wiped at her eyes angrily. When he finished, he looked down at her.

    "Katie, I- They-"

    "They're abandoning me," was all Katie could say before dissolving into tears.

    Percy began to steer her away from the prying eyes of the people in the Leaky Cauldron. Katie wasn't paying attention to where he was leading her, until they were inside of her room. Percy forced her to sit on her bed.

    "Wait there," he said, before leaving the room.

    Katie sat there crying for sometime, before a tentative knock sounded at the door.

    "Yeah," she said, sniffling.

    Percy entered once more, carrying a box of tissues. He smiled sheepishly and sat beside her.

    "I had to ask Tom for these. The twins stole all of ours. Probably for some prank," he said, forcing a laugh.

    "Thanks, Perce," Katie said, taking a tissue and blowing her nose loudly.

    "What are you going to do?" Percy asked cautiously.

    "I have no idea. I mean, who do they think they are? Abandoning their only child. Granted they don't want me, and never did want me, but still. They should have grown used to me by now. Fifteen years is plenty of time to get used to having a child."

    Percy nodded. "I agree. I just can't understand why they wouldn't want you. You're a good student, an outstanding Quidditch player. And you're a good person, Katie. You never get into any trouble. Which has always amazed me because of how close you are to Fred and George," he said, smiling when Katie laughed, "Parents aren't supposed to be like this," he said, shaking the parchment in his hands.

    "No, they're supposed to be like yours," Katie said mournfully.

    Percy opened his mouth to argue, but Katie interrupted him.

    "No, Perce, your parents. They're perfect. I mean, your mum is the best. She cares about everyone. And she's a great cook. And your dad, he's great too. He's understanding, you know. You can talk to people like your parents. Mine," Katie said snorting, "They never wanted to hear about anything. They feigned interest in everything. Everything that had to do with me. I realize that now."

    "They're selfish, Katie. It has nothing to do with you," Percy said gently.

    "It has everything to do with me!" Katie yelled, a fresh wave of tears flowing down her cheeks, "They fought because of me! They never wanted me! You have no idea how lucky you are, Percy Weasley," she said, in the calmest voice she could muster, "None whatsoever. Your parents love you. They love everything about you. Do you see the pride on your mum's face when she talks about you being Head Boy? My mum never talked about me without a look of disgust on her face! And your dad, well he's so proud that you're going into the Ministry. My dad could never stand up to my mum. Could never her tell her that maybe he thought I was good idea."

    The tears were coming down at such a rate, that Katie couldn't even try to keep them hidden. Percy was looking at her with a mixture of shock, and pity. She didn't like that. She didn't want his pity. Out of all people, she wanted Percy to understand. Because she knew all to well, that in a family with seven children, it was easy to get lost. That's why Percy tried so hard to stand out. To shine. To be the best. The role model. Before she knew it, Percy had enveloped her in a tight embrace. She continued to cry, because words had altogether failed her now. She had said everything she could think of.

    "I know, Katie. I know," Percy said, his voice coming out slightly hoarse.

    Katie knew Percy wouldn't cry. She had noticed over the years that Percy had a wall. And if you got through that wall, it meant that he trusted you. Very few people had gotten through that wall. Of course, Katie had learned that from him.

    She had her own wall. But it was mainly used to keep Oliver Wood out. And her wall enveloped her heart. No matter how close her friends thought they were to her, they would never know everything. Katie liked her privacy and her secrets. If she didn't have that, she'd be an open book. And she certainly didn't want that.

    Katie pulled out of the embrace and rubbed at her eyes, laughing slightly at the wet spot she had created on Percy's shoulder.

    "Sorry about that," she said, pointing to her shoulder.

    "Don't worry about it," Percy said, smiling the kind of smile that didn't reach his eyes.

    Katie noticed the worry still hidden in those eyes.

    "Don't worry about me, ok?" she said, trying her best to be serious.

    She had to put her wall back up. She couldn't go back to school with an open wound. That wound had to at least be covered, since she knew deep down it would never heal. And she couldn't have Percy worrying about her. Knowing him, he would keep asking her about it, re-opening it. Causing her more pain than she already felt.

    "You know I can't promise you that. You're like another sister to me. I'm always going to worry about you," he said seriously.

    "Just, don't bring this up again, for me?" Katie said, almost pleading with him.

    "Ok, I can promise you that. Just forget them, ok? If they don't want you, that’s they're loss. Hell, if you asked my mum, I'm sure she'd take you in next summer," Percy said, looking hopeful.

    "That’s nice of you to say, but your mum has enough children in that house. She doesn't need anymore to worry about," Katie said, standing and walking over to the mirror across the room.

    She scowled at her red eyes and nose. She walked into the bathroom and quickly splashed some water onto her face. When she looked in the mirror again, some of the redness in her face had receded from the cold water. She sighed, figuring it would have to do. When she left the bathroom, Percy was still sitting on her bed, staring off into space.

    "Perce?" she asked, smiling when he jumped.

    "Yeah?" he said, looking over his shoulder at her.

    "Do you want to go to Diagon Alley with me? I really don't want to go by myself," she asked.

    Percy smiled, a genuine smile this time. "Sure."

    Walking through Diagon Alley was different with Percy than it was with anyone else. With the twins, you were either making jokes about people or in Quality Quidditch Supplies. With Percy, it was just different. And Katie knew it. She was more comfortable on an intellectual level with Percy than anyone else. Not that the twins, or any of her other friends for that matter, weren't smart. They just didn't show it like Percy did. He was like the older brother she never had. He worried about her, helped her with homework sometimes, and she could talk to him. She sometimes wondered why she wasn't friends with Harry's friend Hermione. Maybe it was because she was younger, Katie reasoned, as she and Percy made their way into the used book store.

    Katie loved this store, but she would never tell anyone that. Some people felt poor coming in here, but Katie loved it. She loved looking at the old books. She had found some of her favorite Mythology book in that very store.

    As she and Percy scanned the shelves for interesting titles, and laughed at some of the old wizarding philosophies, neither of them noticed a person spying on them from Diagon Alley. But the girl saw them. She ran down Diagon Alley to rejoin her family, keeping what she saw in mind all the while.

    'What about Penelope?' she thought to herself.