slytherin princess [3]

all roads lead to the horcrux

Catherine walked into the Gryffindor common room with Harry. Hermione was sitting in an armchair as Ron sat with her; his hand locked in hers. Cho was making her a cup of tea by the fire while Ginny was pacing back and forth.

"Harry," she exclaimed.

"I'm sorry. I really have to do something, and Professor Dumbledore needs to meet with afterwards," he quickly explained. Harry swiftly kissed Catherine's cheek and rushed up to his dormitory.

Catherine sat down in the armchair across from Hermione as they all waited. Harry walked downstairs with his textbooks and Ron's Potion's textbook.

"I'm sorry, Ron. I can't risk Snape taking the Half-Blood Prince's book from me, not until I figure out who he is."

"You've got to be joking, Harry," shouted Hermione.

Harry looked at her with an uncomfortable expression.

"You need to turn that book in immediately. You nearly killed Draco!"

"Oh, shut it, Granger," snapped Catherine. "Don't you think he already knows that? Harry, I think we should find out who this prince is, then you can turn in the book."

"Thank you," he sighed.

Ginny nodded, "I agree. He didn't know what it did, and he didn't even mean to hurt Malfoy. Well, he didn't mean to seriously hurt him."

"Still, Harry, you can't be serious," Hermione angrily said.

"I'm sorry. I promise, once we figure out who it is, I'll give it to Dumbledore."

"You just don't want to turn it in because it's giving you high marks in Potions!"

"That's not it, and you know it, Hermione," Harry thundered.

"Enough," shouted Catherine. "Harry, go to Snape and come back before you meet Dumbledore. We can get rid of the textbook during that time."

Hermione glared, but she sat down. She started to drink the tea that Cho offered her.

"I'll be back," he muttered. Harry then left the common room. Once he left, everyone fell into silence. Ron sat with Cho in the corner; the two of them were close enough to touch, but they were careful not to.

Honestly, Catherine did not understand their relationship at all. They seemed to be two people that had no idea what they really were. And if they did, they shied away from it.

Catherine carelessly opened up a random spell book that sat next to her. She tried reading the seventh year text that had been left behind as she ignored Hermione's glares.

Ginny and Hermione debated about the debacle of Harry. This was one of the few times that Catherine was actually glad that Weaslette was Harry's friend. While she and Ginny would never get along, they did agree on this.

Catherine snapped her book shut and walked over to the fireplace. Ginny glanced up and offered a small smile.

"I didn't think that I would ever say this, but I'm glad that you're dating him," she said. "If he didn't have a morally dubious girlfriend, I dunno what he would be doing."

"As far as backhanded compliments go, I would reckon that if you weren't a Weasley, you would be in Slytherin," smirked Catherine.

Weaslette winked back at her.

"Look, I don't particularly blame Harry, but he shouldn't be using spells that he doesn't know the outcome of," argued Hermione. "Especially on Draco."

"Oh, lay off, Hermione," hissed Ginny. She threw a strand of her red hair over her shoulder and moved to stand up.

Ron looked over at the two girls with a pained expression.