nightmares.
wish i were heather
location?
hogwarts.
interactions?
gale argent.
mood?
probably sad.
hogwarts.
interactions?
gale argent.
mood?
probably sad.
katerina clemonte.
as soon as her eyes met gale’s pale irises, katerina’s gaze flickered back to her own plate.
concern. she may have only caught a glimpse of the brunet for a split second, but she could already tell it was written all over his face.
he knew.
katerina shouldn’t have been surprised. gale knew her well, her habits and her likes and her dislikes and her…quirks. it’d been years since they last met, but she supposed who she was at her core hadn’t changed all that much. so of course she should have expected him to catch on immediately, to see through her veil.
but a small part of her had been hoping that he wouldn’t. because if he knew, he understood, she knew he would worry. and she was right.
he was concerned for her. she’d seen it all in his eyes. and…she liked that. but he shouldn’t have been. he couldn’t. not if he wanted to stay on his father’s good side - because that’s what this was all about, wasn’t it?
as much as she longed for his companionship once again, katerina was more than ready to give that all up if it meant keeping gale away from harm. if it meant keeping him safe. but if gale kept showing her these, these signs of care and worry and concern and warmth —
she didn’t know how much longer she could keep her distance. but she had to.
for his sake.
and so she tried her best to ignore his gaze, turning her attention back to her friends. as well as she hid it, she was still mildly shaken by the incident. but as the other slytherins began discussing their next trip to hogsmeade, she soon felt the remnants of a familiar panic in her chest ebb away. she was here. she was safe. all was well.
it had to be.
but then, he called her name.
katerina turned around, almost too quickly, and her lips parted slightly in surprise at the sight of gale standing behind her. her eyes fell to his hand, which she was sure had been mere inches above her shoulder just a moment ago, before following his gaze to the entrance of the great hall. she didn’t buy his story about his transfiguration class for a second. no, there were many other ways he could have found that out himself without going through her.
then there was his tone. he was still trying to keep up the neutral indifference he’d used last night, but this was…different. it was gentle.
he wanted to speak to her about what had just happened.
she didn’t know how to feel about that.
“oh, sure, i’ll bring you there.” putting on her default smile - which she supposed could pass as friendly - the brunette slung her bag over her shoulder. “i’ll catch you guys later,” she told her friends, before following gale out of the great hall.
an uneasy silence fell between them as they walked along the corridors. while katerina still wore the semblance of a half-smirk on her lips - most people were still in the great hall, but you never knew who you could bump into while roaming the school building - gale had already given up on the act, his face a picture of worry. she was sorely tempted to reach out to him, to tell him she was fine (or was fine as she could be), that he needn’t worry about her. but it was clear that she couldn’t. not now, anyway.
it was only when they found themselves an empty hallway that she finally let the mask slip off, the smile replaced with a slight frown. she didn’t know what to expect from gale this time. would he speak to her with candour at last, or would another elaborate choreography play out between them? would she be able to keep up the pretence this time?
at last, he spoke.
warmth. that was what hit her first. the warmth in his voice. he cared. he was worried. he missed her, and was admitting to it. he - he even wanted to hug her.
with each sentence, her lips gradually formed into a smile. a genuine one, this time. he was opening up to her, and -
gale was back.
without so much as a word - she didn’t have the patience for that - katerina wrapped her arms around gale, embracing him in a hug. he was taller now, and more muscular too - the last time she’d hugged him, they’d been around the same height. now, she was just barely able to lean her head on his shoulder. and yet, there was the same sense of comfort and security there that she’d felt all those years ago.
after what seemed like too short of a time, she pulled away slightly, albeit so that she could finally face him and speak to her childhood confidante. “i missed you. i missed you so much, i missed you every day that you were gone.” the unspoken words from last night were spilling out, words that she had been keeping inside for over half a decade.
“i’m alright now, you needn’t worry. i just - for a moment there, i thought, well, i thought…i was back home.” her smile dimmed as she spoke, and the utterance of the statement threatened to bring unwanted memories to the forefront of her mind. she needn’t have said more, for she was sure gale knew all to well the implication behind her words.
for a second, katerina seemed lost in her own thoughts, eyes drifting to the floor, before she caught ahold of herself, swallowing thickly before looking up at gale again. “i’m fine now, though,” she insisted, her smile returning. “and don’t worry about yesterday, i completely understand.” because she did. the way he was reaching out to her right now - it was more than she could have asked for.
she paused, her eyes never leaving his. her friend was back and she’d missed him so much but he was back and he cared about her and while she’d managed to find happiness at hogwarts she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this elated and —
quidditch.
as soon as it had come, the smile faded from her lips, and her eyebrows knitted together in an expression of worry. it was a terrible topic to bring up now, but — but the sooner they got it out of the way, the better.
“are…are you still trying out for seeker?” her voice was considerably softer, her words hesitant. “i don’t…i don’t think i can bring myself to go up against you.” because she couldn’t. she couldn’t let herself become the cause of gale’s hurt. she couldn’t.
she paused again, as if contemplating her words, before finally adding, in an even quieter voice that was barely more than a whisper, “and you know what happens to me if i lose that spot.” the faint scars crossing her palms seemed to ache with her words, and katerina felt an unwanted lump form in her throat as her mind began sinking back into darker places once again. she wasn’t trying to guilt trip him. she really wasn’t. but as noble as she wanted to be, as altruistic as she wished her intentions were, she couldn't deny the fact that, deep down, she was…scared.
concern. she may have only caught a glimpse of the brunet for a split second, but she could already tell it was written all over his face.
he knew.
katerina shouldn’t have been surprised. gale knew her well, her habits and her likes and her dislikes and her…quirks. it’d been years since they last met, but she supposed who she was at her core hadn’t changed all that much. so of course she should have expected him to catch on immediately, to see through her veil.
but a small part of her had been hoping that he wouldn’t. because if he knew, he understood, she knew he would worry. and she was right.
he was concerned for her. she’d seen it all in his eyes. and…she liked that. but he shouldn’t have been. he couldn’t. not if he wanted to stay on his father’s good side - because that’s what this was all about, wasn’t it?
as much as she longed for his companionship once again, katerina was more than ready to give that all up if it meant keeping gale away from harm. if it meant keeping him safe. but if gale kept showing her these, these signs of care and worry and concern and warmth —
she didn’t know how much longer she could keep her distance. but she had to.
for his sake.
and so she tried her best to ignore his gaze, turning her attention back to her friends. as well as she hid it, she was still mildly shaken by the incident. but as the other slytherins began discussing their next trip to hogsmeade, she soon felt the remnants of a familiar panic in her chest ebb away. she was here. she was safe. all was well.
it had to be.
but then, he called her name.
katerina turned around, almost too quickly, and her lips parted slightly in surprise at the sight of gale standing behind her. her eyes fell to his hand, which she was sure had been mere inches above her shoulder just a moment ago, before following his gaze to the entrance of the great hall. she didn’t buy his story about his transfiguration class for a second. no, there were many other ways he could have found that out himself without going through her.
then there was his tone. he was still trying to keep up the neutral indifference he’d used last night, but this was…different. it was gentle.
he wanted to speak to her about what had just happened.
she didn’t know how to feel about that.
“oh, sure, i’ll bring you there.” putting on her default smile - which she supposed could pass as friendly - the brunette slung her bag over her shoulder. “i’ll catch you guys later,” she told her friends, before following gale out of the great hall.
an uneasy silence fell between them as they walked along the corridors. while katerina still wore the semblance of a half-smirk on her lips - most people were still in the great hall, but you never knew who you could bump into while roaming the school building - gale had already given up on the act, his face a picture of worry. she was sorely tempted to reach out to him, to tell him she was fine (or was fine as she could be), that he needn’t worry about her. but it was clear that she couldn’t. not now, anyway.
it was only when they found themselves an empty hallway that she finally let the mask slip off, the smile replaced with a slight frown. she didn’t know what to expect from gale this time. would he speak to her with candour at last, or would another elaborate choreography play out between them? would she be able to keep up the pretence this time?
at last, he spoke.
warmth. that was what hit her first. the warmth in his voice. he cared. he was worried. he missed her, and was admitting to it. he - he even wanted to hug her.
with each sentence, her lips gradually formed into a smile. a genuine one, this time. he was opening up to her, and -
gale was back.
without so much as a word - she didn’t have the patience for that - katerina wrapped her arms around gale, embracing him in a hug. he was taller now, and more muscular too - the last time she’d hugged him, they’d been around the same height. now, she was just barely able to lean her head on his shoulder. and yet, there was the same sense of comfort and security there that she’d felt all those years ago.
after what seemed like too short of a time, she pulled away slightly, albeit so that she could finally face him and speak to her childhood confidante. “i missed you. i missed you so much, i missed you every day that you were gone.” the unspoken words from last night were spilling out, words that she had been keeping inside for over half a decade.
“i’m alright now, you needn’t worry. i just - for a moment there, i thought, well, i thought…i was back home.” her smile dimmed as she spoke, and the utterance of the statement threatened to bring unwanted memories to the forefront of her mind. she needn’t have said more, for she was sure gale knew all to well the implication behind her words.
for a second, katerina seemed lost in her own thoughts, eyes drifting to the floor, before she caught ahold of herself, swallowing thickly before looking up at gale again. “i’m fine now, though,” she insisted, her smile returning. “and don’t worry about yesterday, i completely understand.” because she did. the way he was reaching out to her right now - it was more than she could have asked for.
she paused, her eyes never leaving his. her friend was back and she’d missed him so much but he was back and he cared about her and while she’d managed to find happiness at hogwarts she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this elated and —
quidditch.
as soon as it had come, the smile faded from her lips, and her eyebrows knitted together in an expression of worry. it was a terrible topic to bring up now, but — but the sooner they got it out of the way, the better.
“are…are you still trying out for seeker?” her voice was considerably softer, her words hesitant. “i don’t…i don’t think i can bring myself to go up against you.” because she couldn’t. she couldn’t let herself become the cause of gale’s hurt. she couldn’t.
she paused again, as if contemplating her words, before finally adding, in an even quieter voice that was barely more than a whisper, “and you know what happens to me if i lose that spot.” the faint scars crossing her palms seemed to ache with her words, and katerina felt an unwanted lump form in her throat as her mind began sinking back into darker places once again. she wasn’t trying to guilt trip him. she really wasn’t. but as noble as she wanted to be, as altruistic as she wished her intentions were, she couldn't deny the fact that, deep down, she was…scared.
you're just the last of the real ones.
coded by incandescent
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