Good vs. Evil

Chapter 68

I was grinning, I had been doing that a lot. It was cold out and the chill had seeped into my bones even after Dean and I sat down in our usual booth. Christmas was coming soon, and though I had been worrying about exactly where I was going to go for the break, I wasn't letting it spoil the time I had with Dean.

If I wasn't with Dean, I was with Hermione, Ron, and Harry. Harry not as much, especially after a third year caught Dean and I snogging in a hallway and spilled to the whole school the previous month.

I was drawing circles in Dean's hand as we talked, it was yet another habit that I had developed. We were waiting for our drinks. I was still shivering, my skin like ice from the cold wind that blew at us before we got to the shelter of The Three Broomsticks.

"Are you cold?" He asked, his voice low. I looked at him, nodding while giving him a small smile.

He smirked and then sighed, unbothered. "Well, that sucks."

He gave me a knowing laugh as I rolled my eyes and feigned annoyance. I picked up his arm, wrapping it around me as I scooted in closer to his side to steal his warmth.

"What are you doing for Christmas break?" I asked as I fiddled with the hem of his sleeve. I had asked 20 times and I knew the answer but I asked again. He answered graciously.

"My family and I are going down to Wales to visit family." He twirled a piece of my hair around his fingers. "We're staying at a fancy bed and breakfast on the water."

I smiled lightly. "Bring me back a cool souvenir."

"You know I will." He said softly, leaning his head down so that it was close enough for me to reach his face without having to try.

It was a slow kiss, neither one of us were one to get wild and caught up. I tilted my head to the side and he leaned back as I deepened the kiss. It might have been embarrassing to kiss in a pub full of other wizards but no one was looking, although I probably wouldn't have stopped if they were.

My hand was on his cheek as I traced the curve of his jaw with my pointer finger. He put a hand on my back, which immediately coerced me to put a hand on his chest, scooting myself up to be closer to him. He took my chin, pulling away to look at me.

He gave me a stupid smile.

"Woah there." He said with the worst American accent I've ever heard.

I pulled away from him, leaning back next to him with my arms crossed. I looked at him with a huff and a grin. "You always do that."

"Just making sure you aren't getting too wild." He said, drawing two circles on my wrist before taking a sip of his drink.

"Yeah, yeah." I put my tongue in my cheek to stop my smile.

He put his cup back down on the table with a clunk. He bent his head down, taking my face in his hand. He pressed two kisses to my lips before going in for a longer one. This time I pushed him away, his hand falling from my face.

"Woah there." I said in an American accent so bad it turned Australian.

He frowned but nodded as if to say well played. He took another sip of his drink. I savored what I was drinking, the warmth was nice but fast fleeting as the sugary drink from my cup disappeared.

I looked around the pub, there were many students there as well as the usual patrons from the village. Dean was going on to talking about one of his classes, albeit I wasn't listening very well.

A group of wizards had caught my eye as they sat in the corner of the pub. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were looking back at me. When I made eye contact with them, Hermione gave me a big smile while Ron waved his hand enthusiastically, Harry looked away looking out the window. I gave Hermione a smile and returned Ron's obnoxiously big wave.

Then I was distracted by a streak of blonde that peeled my eyes away from them. I caught Draco's eye for a minute as he got up from his lonely table. We both froze as we made eye contact and he swallowed thickly. I immediately looked away, pretending we hadn't seen anything.

"Hey," I said as I turned to Dean, "How about we get out of here? It's getting a bit stuffy."

"Weren't you cold though?" He asked but he started to get up anyway. "We can stay in here, I don't mind."

"No, it's alright." I shook my head as I scooted out of the booth. "I know you don't like crowded places. Plus, if I'm cold that means I can be closer to you."

He smiled at that as I took his arm. He slipped a galleon on the table and we left.

He took my hand, putting it in his pocket to keep it warm as he held it.

"So, have you figured out what you're going to do for Christmas?" He asked me as we walked up the path, back to the castle.

"Not really," I said truthfully. I looked down at the cobblestone as I talked. "I'm probably going to stat at the Weasley's, I'm guessing I'm unwelcome at home."

He squeezed my hand. It was starting to snow, snowflakes dusting my hair and the grass around us. I loved the snow, it was quiet and peaceful and it was like it made a sound barrier on the earth between me and my problems.

"About Christmas," I started, "What exactly do you want?"

He immediately started shaking his head, "You don't have to get me anything."

"Of course not, but I want to." I smiled. "My mom always..."

I got cut from my sentence as I shrill scream pierced my ears. Dean and I froze in our spots, both whirling around to find the source of the shriek. I let go of Dean's hand as we ran back up the hill.

At the top stood two girls. Well, really, one was standing with a horrified look on her face while the other was floating in the air.

I could only see the back of this girl as she flew, but her hair was spread out like a halo around her head and her limbs were stiff.

"Leanne!" Dean called to the girl on the ground who I now recognized as a Ravenclaw prefect.

"It's Katie." She called back at once, not peeling her eyes away from her. Dean moved towards her and I followed after.

After my eyes fell on Katie's face, I couldn't look away. It was almost impossible to. Her face was void of any expression and she seemed so peaceful as she flew above.

As I heard footsteps approaching from behind, Katie's mouth suddenly opened, gaping far wider than any human's mouth should go. She let out with an ear splitting scream, at least it was ear splitting for me. I was almost doubled over from the pain in my over sensitive ears.

She whipped back and forth in the air, resembling a rag doll before she collapsed in a heap on the ground.

As we all stared at her, she laid there.

Silent and unmoving.