Where Your Loyalties Lie

Chapter Forty-Three: Discovered

A week later, our crew sat in the common room doing homework in the afternoon rather than at night as usual. The reason for this was because Draco had Inquisitorial Squad duties and I had a DA meeting. "So how are Inquisitorial Squad duties going, Draco?" Blaise asked while adding more to his charms essay.

"Well we're getting close to catching him," Draco replied.

"Took you long enough," Blaise smirked.

"We haven't caught him yet, mate."

"I'm sorry, but caught who?" I asked, looking up from my own charms essay.

"Professor Umbridge started suspecting that Potter was organizing a secret club and breaking an educational degree a while ago. We've been helping her catch him."

"Oh," I replied quietly as I took a mental note to warn Harry as soon as I got to the meeting. "OK I'm done with my charms essay. Now I'm going to start on my essay about the properties of moonstone," I told them, switching the subject.

"You haven't got that done yet?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah, I thought you'd have that done by now, Miss Snape," Draco joked.

"That's not my name," I growled.

"Why don't you change it to that then?"

I shrugged. "Don't want to go through all the trouble."

We worked on homework until dinner, and Draco went to Inquisitorial Squad duties right afterwards. Maddie, Blaise, and I went back to the common room to hang out for a while until I had to head to the room of requirement.

As soon as I got there, I hurried over to Harry. "Harry,"

"Hi Katie," he greeted.

"The Inquisitorial Squad is close to finding us."

"How'd you find out?"

"Draco told me. He has no idea I'm part of it."

He nodded. "Right, we'll be extra careful then."

I nodded before walking over to the twins. "Hey Kate!" They chorused.

"Hi boys," I smiled. We stood there talking until a few minutes before the meeting was supposed to start.

"Seamus!" Harry called out.

"Hey Harry," Seamus replied.

"Glad you came."

I folded my arms across my chest as I watched Harry and Seamus talk. "What is he doing here?" I asked.

"The git finally found his brain and realized Harry was telling the truth about You-Know-Who being back. Harry told Dean he could bring him to the meeting," George explained.

"Alright everyone, gather around," Harry instructed. "Today we're going to start work on patronuses. Patronuses are very advanced magic and it will take complete focus and concentration to produce one. Now I want you all to spread out and think of a happy memory. Allow it to fill you up and focus only on that memory. Once you have done this, speak the incantation, 'Expecto Patronum'."

Everyone obliged and spread out. I stood near the twins by the door. Focusing all my attention on the memory of last year at the Yule Ball, I clearly spoke, "Expecto Patronum." I opened my eyes to watch a silver figure come out of my wand. The figure morphed into a fox, just like the ring I had given Draco for Christmas in our first year had said it would be.

"Wicked," George exclaimed as he watched my fox prance around the room.

"Excellent job, Katie!" Harry cheered.

I practiced a few more times before Harry came over and asked if I'd walk around and help people. As I walked around the room helping, I avoided Seamus until I couldn't anymore. "It might help if you actually hold your wand up, Finnegan."

"Oh, right, thanks," he replied politely.

"Um, you're welcome?" I replied, taken aback by his friendliness.

There was a rumble like thunder coming from the door way. Silence fell upon the room as if someone pressed a mute button. Everyone moved to the middle of the room, wanting to stay away from the door. An explosion occurred, leaving a giant hole leading to the corridor outside the room. Standing there was Umbridge and almost her entire Inquisitorial Squad, excluding Draco until he arrived a few seconds later with Cho Chang. Instinct told me she was the sneak. She was the one who told Umbridge.

Draco had a smug look on his face as his eyes swept over the room. He finally accomplished what he was helping achieve all year. The smugness on his face fell when he locked eyes with me. Dropping his grip on Cho, Draco turned and hurried away. I slipped through the crowd and sped after him. "Draco!" I cried out, but he didn't stop.

Following him through the fortunately empty common room, we both ended up in his room. Tears were streaming down my face by the time we stopped walking. "Draco," I cried again.

"NO, STOP KATIE!" He shouted but then lowered his voice a little. "How could you do that? You lied. You went behind my back. You never stopped hanging with your Gryffindor friends. I bet you were sneaking around and hanging with them outside of Potter's club too, weren't you?"

"Draco, I-"

"DON'T! I fought for you, Katie. My father never approved of our friendship in the first place. He told me to dump you the minute he found out we were dating, but I said no. I told him I didn't care that you're only a half-blood. I said you were special and I couldn't lose you. He just has to accept the fact I love you. I fought for you, Katie! And you go and keep things from me!"

"You know Umbridge never teaches anything in class, Draco," I began through my tears. "I felt I had to learn, even if it was against the rules, to defend myself. You're-you're right that I've been spending time with Gryffindors, but it was for us why I kept it secret. I did it for the same reason you spoke against your father, Draco. Please."

He walked away and over to a window. I stood there and continued sobbing. In a few minutes, Draco walked back over and I looked up at him. "I can't lose you, Katie, but we have to tell the truth and not keep things from each other, OK?" I nodded. "I've settled it with my parents. You don't have to worry about that." Draco pulled me into a tight embrace and rubbed my back.

I pulled away to look him in the eyes. "Draco?"

"Hmm?" He asked as he brushed my tears away.

"I-I love you too."

He smiled before cupping my face in his hands and leaning in. Things got a little more heated after a minute and he pushed me against the nearest wall, his hands on my waist. Running my hands through his soft blond hair, I pulled him closer to me. Draco asked for entrance to explore my mouth, but I teased him and refused. To get his way, he slid his hands under my shirt, placing them on my bare waist. His cold touch made me gasp and he slipped his tongue in my mouth. I moved my hands to his forearms to prevent his hands from wandering any farther.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow. Good night," we heard Blaise say as he opened the door. Draco and I jumped apart.

Clearing his throat, Draco said, "You should go. It's after nine."

I sighed, "Yeah I guess. Good night." I hugged him.

"Good night, love," Draco whispered.

I smiled as I left the room, murmuring a quick good night to Blaise too.