in the dark | d malfoy

chapter twenty-two

the next morning, i woke up with a newfound energy. i tucked cedric's sweater under my pillow and headed downstairs to the great hall quickly after getting dressed. i stumbled a little as i made eye contact with draco, who was also on his way to breakfast. he gave me a smirk, and i rolled my eyes.

i took my seat at the hufflepuff table with a sigh, immediately loading some food onto my plate. "your schedule is right here," jan commented, handing it to me. "i grabbed it for you."

i grinned. "thanks." i peered down at it. there were a lot more classes than last year. i still was catching up from the years i had missed. i groaned. "first period potions again?" jan and alfie gave me sympathetic looks before heading to class, and with a sigh, i packed my bag up and headed down towards the dungeons.

"you wouldn't be heading to potions, by any chance, would you?" a taunting voice came from behind me, and i shook my head, trying to get rid of the smile that had appeared on my face. "shut it, draco. i won't be sitting with you, if that's what you think."

he caught up to me, linking his arm with mine, which made me flush and a few students glance at us suspiciously. "whyever not? you'd think you would take any chance you get to be next to me, considering you're in love with me."

i turned to him in shock, raising my eyebrows. "what?! i am most certainly not in love with you, malfoy. you and your big mouth better not be spreading that around." i unlinked our arms, earning a pout from draco.

"mm. whatever you say." his breath billowed down my neck, and i shook my head, a tight smile on my face. "see you later," i teased, and headed across the room to where i spotted harry, ron and hermione at our normal table. i took a seat with a sigh. they were giving me a suspicious look. "what were you doing with malfoy?" hermione asked, her eyes narrowed.

i glanced behind me, letting out a small laugh. "he was just being a dick. we're not friends or anything." hermione seemed to relax, and harry sighed. "that's good. malfoy is only trouble."

"settle down." snape's cold voice came from the door, where he slammed it shut behind him.

half an hour later, we were all sweating as we worked on our terrible potion. even hermione, top of our class, was struggling. i managed to make my potion acceptable as snape strode over to our table.

"king. that's.... better than usual." he gave me a sneer, and i rolled my eyes. "potter, what is this supposed to be?"

"the draught of peace," harry said, and ron and i made eye contact, suppressing our laughs. "tell me potter.... can you read?" snape's voice was taunting, and draco let out a laugh from across the room. i turned in my seat, glaring at him, and he stopped laughing, though he looked amused still.

"yes, i can." harry said, and i saw hermione wince at the harsh way he said it.

"read the third line of the instructions for me, potter." snape drawled, and i knew then that harry was about to boil over.

snape cleared harry's cauldron, not impressed with his response, and my mouth opened in surprise. "that's not fair!" i exclaimed, and snape narrowed his eyes at me. "are you asking for a 0 as well, miss king? just because your mother was a slytherin... not to mention a very powerful dark wizard, doesn't mean you can get away with talking back."

i froze. dark wizard?

hermione, ron and harry seemed to have heard the same thing. they were all peering at me carefully, and i avoided eye contact as snape swept away.

they didn't say anything, and i was grateful.

i don't know what i would have answered.

-

jan was practically clinging onto my arm as we took our seats in defense against the dark arts later that day. "i'm so nervous," she breathed. "what if shes mean?" i rolled my eyes. "just don't get on her bad side. i told you." i lined my wand up on my desk, glancing behind me as umbridge entered the room.

i listened attentively to umbridge as she spoke, ignoring alfie and jan's frowns beside me. "wands away and quills out, please." she glanced over at me, and i gave her a smile, sticking my wand into my bag. she smiled back, glancing me up and down before she continued with the lesson.

so far, so good.

suddenly hermione was asking questions, but i wasn't paying too much attention. i knew her, and this was something she always did. not until harry's hand was in the air did i start to sweat. "and what good's theory going to be in the real world?" he seemed angry, and i stared at him cautiously.

"there is nothing waiting out there, mr. potter."

"maybe lord voldemort?"

alfie gasped beside me, and jan's eyes widened with shock. i stared back and forth between umbridge and harry, who looked furious. "ten points from gryffindor, mr. potter."

the classroom erupted, each voice pressing over the other until i heard the words echo out of harry's mouth. "so, according to you, cedric diggory dropped dead of his own accord, did he?" harry's voice was shaking, and my heart dropped. hearing his name said was the final straw. i stood up, attracting some attention, and i slipped past the desks and to the door to the hallway, where i let the tears drop down my face.

i sniffled, brushing my tears away as i leaned against the wall of the hallway.

"katherine?"

i forced a smile, turning towards the familiar voice. "you always seem to find me at just the right time, don't you?"

draco smiled, a real, genuine smile. "are you alright?" i shrugged. "i'm alright. why aren't you in class?" draco paused. "free period."

the door banged open, and harry stormed out. he paused, glaring at me and malfoy. "kat. sorry about that," he paused, eyeing malfoy. "we'll talk later." he headed down the hallway past us, and i sniffled again. draco was stating after him, a mean look on his face. "are you friends with potter?" he asked, and i shrugged. "kind of. not really."

draco frowned. "well, you shouldn't be. he's full of himself, really. and he gets everything. he can't have you." the last sentence was quieter, and i looked at him in surprise. "what's that supposed to mean?"

"you're special, katherine. and i think i've been taking that for granted." he took a small step closer, and my breath quickened. "that might be the nicest thing you've ever said to me, draco."

he sighed. "whatever you say. just don't tell anyone." he winked at me, and kissed me lightly on the cheek, before brushing past me down the hallway.

"hey!" i called after him, and he raised his eyebrows, his face forming into a smirk. "what?"

"why'd you do that?"

"do what?"

"kiss me. on the cheek, just now. and yesterday, on my neck. why'd you do that?"

he grinned. "because i wanted to, katherine. what other reason would i have?"

and then he was gone.

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