Where Your Loyalties Lie

Chapter Forty-Four: Hickey

Umbridge had now taken over as Headmistress at Hogwarts. Dumbledore was supposed to be arrested, but managed to escape. He took the blame for the group. Harry told me yesterday. Right now Maddie and I were in our room getting ready for class.

"Hey Maddie, can I borrow your foundation?" I asked.

"You don't usually wear foundation. Do you have a zit that needs covering?" She replied.

"Um yeah," I lied. My hair was covering the spot on my neck where the hickey was.

"Oh, well I can get rid of it completely for you. I know the spell." Maddie grabbed her wand.

"No!" I shouted. She raised her eyebrows. "I mean, I'd like to do it the muggle way. Spells aren't the best for the skin," I laughed nervously.

"Alright then." She tossed me the foundation.

I smiled. "Thank you." I went into the bathroom and shut the door. To make sure it wouldn't get in the way, I pulled my hair back in a high pony. For once I actually did it good enough to wear in public, so I decided I'd keep it like this all day. Just as I was about to put the foundation on, the door opened.

"I just need to get my-" Maddie's eyes found my neck. "Oh my hippogriffs when did that happen?"

"Saturday night. Draco and I fought, but then made up and snogged." I shrugged.

"I can't even-oh Merlin-Katie Brown has a hickey?"

"Calm your nargles, would you?"

"What are nargles?"

I rolled my eyes. "Never mind. Anyways it's not like you haven't got a hickey from Fred." She subconsciously touched her neck.

"Ha! You have one too!" I smirked as I turned back to the mirror and put on the foundation. She grabbed her straightener and left the room without replying.

~~~~

"What do you think would happen if your dad found out about it?" Maddie whispered. We were in History of Magic class. Our foursome was sitting at a back table. Nobody paid attention in this class so we usually passed notes or just plain-old whispered.

"About what?" Blaise asked.

"Someone gave Katie a hickey," Maddie explained. I blushed and looked down.

"Who?" Draco growled.

"You did, idiot!" Maddie retorted.

"Oh yeah." I looked up to see him smirking. I rolled my eyes. "There would've been more if Blaise hadn't come in." My mouth dropped open. I smacked his arm.

"OW!" He yelled. Maddie and Blaise snickered.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Professor Binns asked.

"Yes?" Draco replied, rubbing his arm where I had hit him.

"Are you paying attention?" Draco nodded. "Then what was I just talking about?"

"I'm pretty sure it's something to do with the history of magic," Draco answered.

The Slytherins of the class laughed. "Detention, Mr. Malfoy. I'll let you know tomorrow when it is."

After class was dismissed, we headed to Potions. "Thanks for getting me detention, Katie," Draco barked.

"I'm sorry, but you're the one who made the cheeky comment to Professor Binns."

"He never would have called me out if you hadn't slapped me."

"That's only because you made that dirty remark."

"Whoa guys. We could play the blame game and point fingers all day, but isn't it better to forgive and forget?" Maddie pushed between us.

Draco's face softened. "Maddie's right. I'm sorry, love. It's my own fault I got detention."

"It's alright," I replied as he hugged me.

"Better," Maddie smiled.

The potions classroom doors opened and we walked to our seats. As soon as everyone arrived and was seated, Dad began the class. "If you recall from Thursday's class, we are reviewing strengthening solutions. What you have in front of you is stage one of the strengthening solution you completed Thursday in class. Who could tell me why we had to wait until today to finish the potion?" Hermione raised her hand, but no one else did. Dad determinedly looked anywhere but at her. Sighing dramatically, I raised my hand. "Katie?" He called on me.

"The strengthening solution has two stages because stage one must take several days to mature before completing stage two," I explained.

"Very good, Katie. Ten points to Slytherin. You all now have the rest of the class to complete stage two." Dad walked over to his desk and sat down. "Try not to fail too miserably. You may begin."

Right away I began to work on stage two. I was the first to be done with the potion as I poured some in a vial and brought it up to Dad's desk. "Done already?" Dad asked. I nodded. He merely glanced at the vial before marking it as 'Outstanding' "You may use the rest of the class for homework or studying."

I sat back down and took out my History of Magic homework, an essay to sum up Giant Wars over the course of history. "You're already done? Bloody brilliant you are," Draco whispered.

"Trying to make up for earlier, dear?" I asked.

"Why would you think that, love? By the way, you look gorgeous today." He smirked and winked. I shook my head before starting work on my homework while still keeping an eye on Draco. At one point I swiftly grabbed his wrist to keep him from pouring too much salamander blood in. "Oh you're right. Thanks." He lightly kissed my cheek before going back to his work. Luckily, Dad wasn't watching.

After class, Dad asked me to stay to talk to him. "Go ahead or you'll be late to Divination," I told Draco. Draco obliged, shutting the door behind him.

"We need to discuss your detentions," Dad explained, putting emphasis on 's' like a snake. I put my head down. "Fortunately I've convinced Umbridge to let you serve detention with me."

Umbridge's detention methods were to have you write lines with a quill that uses your blood as ink. "Thank you," I told him.

"You'll start the first day back from break after dinner and continue for a month." I groaned. "Although I agree you need to know how to protect yourself, you did break the rules,"

"I know," I mumbled.

He walked around to his desk, grabbing a quill and a small scrap of parchment. After scribbling a note, Dad gave it to me. "Here's your note. Hurry up so you won't be too late."

"Oh sure I won't be too late. I'm going from potions in the dungeons to Divination in the tallest tower of the castle. Who made that whacked up schedule for fifth years anyway?" I ranted as I walked to the door.

"That schedule has been the same for centuries. You just have to deal with it. By the way, if I remember correctly, it is on the main floor now that Firenze teaches the subject." I turned around and stuck my tongue out at him. He smiled before I slipped out of the room to my next class.

~~~~~

The next day, Draco got a note from Professor Binns when the daily mail came at breakfast. "When is your detention?" I asked.

"It is the first day back from break after dinner with your dad."

I smiled. "I have it with my dad then too."

"Really?" I nodded. "Then it won't be as bad."