Where Your Loyalties Lie

Chapter Thirty-Four: Loyalties

Katie's POV:

The usual banners celebrating the victors of the House Cup were solid black in honor of Cedric Diggory. He was killed in the Third Task. Voldemort had come back. Dumbledore explained to us what happened. Some people don't believe he's back, but I do. Draco told me his parents were there when he was reborn.

Our foursome stayed quiet for most of the train ride. The entire school was shocked by Cedric's death. Maddie and Blaise were talking again. I'm so glad because it affected Draco and I too. Both of us are their friends so it hurts us when they fight too.

There was a knock on the door of our compartment. Maddie got up to open it. The knocker was Fred. She stepped outside of the compartment to talk to him. A few minutes later, she came back in.

"Find me on the platform," I heard Fred say.

"I will," Maddie called back. She closed the door and sat back down, laying her head in Blaise's lap.

"What did he want?" Blaise asked Maddie.

"He asked me to go sit with him. I said I wanted to stay with you three," Maddie replied.

"How much longer 'til we reach the platform?" Draco wondered.

"Probably another hour," I answered.

Surely enough, in an hour's time the train arrived at its destination. I said goodbye to Blaise and Maddie before they ran off to their parental units. Next, I turned to Draco and embraced him. "Stay safe," I whispered in his ear.

"I will if you will," he stated.

"I promise," I told him.

"Then I promise too."

We pulled away to look each other in the eyes before leaning in to kiss. Our kiss lasted a long time until we heard a cracking noise and I felt a tap on my right shoulder. It was my dad. Draco and I both blushed, yet Dad showed no emotion besides the fact he had just interrupted our snogging session.

"Ready to go?" He asked in his monotone.

"Hang on." I turned back to Draco. "Promise me you'll write."

"I will when I can. No less than once a week. I promise," Draco told me.

We hugged one more time. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too." He left to go find his parents, our hands continued to touch until we were out of each other's reach.

I turned back to Dad and nodded to let him know I was ready to go. He took my hand in his and I got one final look at Draco before we apparated away to our home at Spinner's End.

"Go ahead and head to your room to unpack. I have somewhere that I need to be. You will be on your own for dinner tonight. Will you be alright being alone for a few hours?" Dad asked as soon as we had arrived at the house.

"Oh, um, yeah. I guess so. Where do you have to go?" I questioned.

"That is none of your concern. Now go on upstairs," he ordered.

I didn't resist, knowing that it wouldn't end well if I did. Instead, I gave him a quick hug goodbye. "Alright. I trust you. Wherever you're going, just please be safe."

He stroked my hair as he returned my embrace. "I will. You have nothing to worry about. I will see you in the morning since you'll probably be sleeping by the time I return."

"OK. See ya. I love you."

"I love you too." He stepped away from me and apparated off to wherever it was that he had to be.