rarepair_shorts | "Under pressure," for bk03

Author: ???
Recipient:

bk03
Title: Under pressure
Pairing: Harry/Katie
Rating: G
Word Count: 590
Summary: Katie wants to contribute to the Weasleys' Christmas. Harry helps.
Author's Notes: Many thanks to the mods for being so patient with me!

Katie was still in the kitchen when Harry stepped out of the floo in the living room. When he followed the sound of her voice, he found her panicking over a burnt batch of shortbread wizards.

"I told Molly I could handle the biscuits," she said despondently when she saw him. "I can't show up with these."

Harry gave her a consoling pat on the shoulder. "Why don't I pop out to Tesco's and pick up some shortbread? We can make wizards out of them."

"Oh, thank you so much, Harry," Katie said, grateful that her flat was in Muggle London. There was no way Harry could stop into a Wizarding shop without it being owled into the Daily Prophet gossip column. "Do you think she'll know? No, of course she'll know. She's Molly Weasley. I'll be persona non-grata at the Burrow! I'll be dumped as the Maid of Honour at Angie's wedding. Why didn't my mother teach me how to bake?"

Harry sighed. He was sadly becoming used to Katie's Weasley-related meltdowns. After her parents had died from a fatal splinching incident, she — like Harry — had been adopted as an honorary Weasley. Grateful for all they did to help her during her grieving, she wanted to give back to her new family. Molly, in particular had been wonderfully supportive, despite (or perhaps because of) Fred's recent death. But Katie's talents did not lie in the domestic department. She had tried to knit a jumper, make a roast pork dinner and redecorate the living room. The jumper was now a chew toy for Crookshanks, the roast pork had been tossed in the bin and the living room had been put back to the way it had been, except for the addition of a throw rug to cover up the scorch marks.

"Katie, you don't have to do this. Fleur is bringing a Yule log and Molly made a lovely Christmas pudding," he said gently.

"But then I'm not contributing," she said, looking thoroughly despondent.

"Well, why don't we figure out how you can contribute in another way, then?"

*

With cold noses and rosy cheeks, the Weasleys and their guests tromped back into the Burrow.

"Capital scavenger hunt, Kate!" George cried appreciatively. His hands were wrapped possessively around a large slab of Honeydukes' chocolate - the coveted grand prize.

Ron slouched into a chair. "I still think you cheated," he grumbled, brushing snow off the back of his neck.

"Nothing in the rules about snowballs, Ronnikins," George said sweetly.

"Sorry Ron," Katie said, "I should have realized George would need explicit rules." But she was beaming with pride.

*

"You did a great job," Harry told her a few minutes later. He'd caught her outside the kitchen where she'd been trying to help Mrs Weasley.

"Thank you, but it was all your idea," she replied.

"Well, I was happy to help," Harry said with a grin.

He heard a giggle from overhead and looked up to see two fairies had flown over from the tree with a bough of mistletoe.

"I think it's very bad luck to go against the will of fairies," Katie said, her face a little flushed.

"We wouldn't want to anger them," Harry agreed, before leaning in to give her a kiss.

Loud catcalls broke them apart. George, Charlie and Ginny stood in the kitchen doorway with large smiles on their faces. "It's about bloody time," Ginny added. "Do you know how hard it is to bribe fairies?"