Where Your Loyalties Lie

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Hog's Head

As the weeks passed, the weather began to grow colder and snow now covered the grounds of Hogwarts. One Saturday morning, Claire dropped a note on my plate at breakfast before flying out again.

Meet me in the empty classroom on the second floor---------HG

I excused myself and followed the order on her note, wondering what Hermione wanted. She was waiting for me, sitting on a desk. "Hermione, what's this about?"

"Are you busy today?" She asked.

"No, not really," I replied.

"Good, can you be at the Hog's Head this afternoon?" I nodded, confused. "OK I'll see you there." She left the room satisfied.

I stood there for a moment longer before exiting and heading back to my common room. Draco was in there sitting on one of the couches. He smiled when I entered the room. "Hey," he greeted.

I walked over and sat down next to him, cuddling into his side. He wrapped an arm around me. "Hey," I replied.

"Did you want to go to Hogsmeade today? Or would you prefer to stay here where it's warm?" He asked.

"Actually, Maddie and I were going to go to Hogsmeade together today. You know, just to have some girl time together," I lied.

"Oh, alright. I guess I could just hang here with Blaise then."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

You wouldn't be saying that if you knew what I was really doing, I thought. I got up again and told him, "I need to go talk to Maddie. I'll be back in a bit, alright?"

"Alright, she went up to your guys' dorm not too long ago."

"OK." I headed to Maddie and I's dorm to talk to her. "Hey Maddie!"

"Hey! Whatcha up to?"

"Not much right now. Listen, I need to ask you a favor," I told her nervously.

"What is it?"

"If Draco asks, we are going to Hogsmeade together today, alright?"

"I'm supposed to meet Fred at the Three Broomsticks though."

"I know, but if he asks, that's what we were doing today. Same if Blaise asks."

"Why?" She asked. I looked down and played with my hands.

"Katie, please don't tell me you're cheating on him and you're asking me to help cover for you. I-"

"No! Maddie, that's not it!" I yelled. I took a seat on my bed. "I'm meeting Hermione in Hogsmeade today, but Draco can't know that I'm hanging out with Gryffindors," I confessed.

"Why not? You used to hang out with them all the time."

"But that was before Draco and I were dating! You know how the Malfoy family is! They think anyone who associates themselves with muggles and muggle-borns are blood-traitors! And it doesn't help that I'm only a half-blood. I need to make it seem like I don't associate myself with them anymore," I explained.

"Katie, you know Draco doesn't care about that. He thought you were a muggle-born in first year and he still liked you!"

"Yeah, but his parents care about that. If they knew who I hung out with, they'd force Draco to break up with me, and I can't lose him. I have to keep my friendships with Gryffindors a secret for the sake of our relationship. That's just the way it has to be." Maddie sighed, obviously disappointed in me. "So will you go along with it then? That you and I are spending the day together in Hogsmeade?"