We will meet again ~ Fred Weasley

- Even Now -

"She couldn't stand here and watch them become casualties of a war they had never truly chosen."

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"My wand. Give me my wand, Katherine."

Draco's voice came out in a strained hiss as he caught her by the shoulders, shaking her once in his panic.

Katherine stared at him, utterly bewildered by the sudden desperation.

Then she remembered.

The Manor.

The moment she had used her wand to save Hermione. Then she blacked out. She could only assume one of the others disarmed Draco.

The fact that he had been separated from it ever since almost made her feel sorry for him.

The she pushed his hands away.

"Are you dense? I don't have your bloody wand."

Draco stumbled back half a step.

For a moment, he simply stared at her.

The faint light from the enchanted room caught the sheen of sweat across his forehead, and Katherine realised with a sinking feeling that he was terrified.

Not irritated.

Not angry.

Terrified.

She had seen Draco frightened before, particularly during the last few years, but this was different. There was something almost frantic in his expression, as though the thought of being unable to protect her from all this had become unbearable.

"Harry disarmed me with your wand," he explained, dragging a hand through his already dishevelled hair. "Does he have it?"

He began pacing a few steps in front of her, unable to stand still.

"Blaise and Theodore are waiting for me back there. If Harry has my wand, I can't protect you if they decide to—"

He stopped himself.

Katherine's expression hardened.

"If they decide to what?"

Draco looked towards the entrance.

Beyond the enormous piles of objects, two figures were waiting.

Blaise.

Theodore.

Katherine's heart twisted.

Those three boys had once been her family.

Not literally, perhaps, but close enough that the distinction had never mattered.

Blaise had been there since her first year.

Theodore had known exactly how to make her laugh when she was angry.

Draco—

Draco had loved her for longer than Katherine had ever truly understood.

The five of them had been inseparable once.

Katherine, Draco, Blaise, Theodore, Pansy and Veronica.

Six children who had entered Hogwarts believing their lives had already been decided for them because of the families they had been born into.

She remembered the conversation they'd had years ago.

Katherine had been terrified after the Triwizard tournament, she had been terrified of what their parents expected of them, about the future everyone assumed awaited them.