Riddle Me This

Chapter 18

Catherine's POV

As soon as we returned to the castle, low and behold, the fat lady, the picture that opens and leads to Gryffindor's dormitory, wasn't there. Because Sirius Black was in the castle. I made sure to check on Hermione, made sure she was alright, before Draco and Goyle dragged me away and back to our dorm.

"I don't understand why you always hang around that muggleborn." Draco said as we sat down on one of the couches.

"Do I need to explain it every year? Because if so, I might go mad." I said as I leaned back, getting comfortable. "Sevy, come here girl." I called, and in flew my lovable brown bat. I held out an apple I got at one of the fruit stands in Hogsmeade. "Here you go." She clicked happily before going and hanging on the chandelier closest to us, eating as she watched.

"You might want to watch your pet, Riddle." One of the older Slytherin's said. I rolled my eyes.

"She hasn't defecated on any of you, and I make sure to clean her cage every time I'm in the dungeons. Working on getting a self-cleaning cage soon." I said.

"Not what I meant. Heard she bit someone yesterday." I turned to look at the other Slytherin.

"Who? Why?"

"Some Gryffindor bloke. Was saying something right nasty about you. Surprised Snape didn't do anything about it." I nodded slowly.

"Right." I bit my lip. "Might need to leave her home if that's happening..." I frowned as I looked up to see Sevy happily eating the apple I had given her. She noticed I was looking and her ears twitched as she clicked.

"Nothing will happen to her." Draco said. "I'll make sure of that." I smiled and bumped him.

"Thanks."

In the next Defense Against the Dark Arts class, we did in fact go over boggarts again. Those who went last time weren't allowed to go again, and I volunteered to go last. It was so much fun watching everyone turn their fears into something different, even if some of them were the same thing, just made funny a different way. Hermione's fear was failing, and she turned the parchment into an origami A that could tap dance. Draco's was Buckbeak, which he ended up making an actual chicken. I stood before the boggart, last in the class, and took a deep breath.

It turned into Hermione, with the most disgusted look on her face, and her eyes were locked with mine. My heart completely broke.

"She's afraid of Granger?" Someone asked and snickered. I bit my lip. Then Boggart Hermione turned and just walked into the wardrobe, closing the door behind it.

"Well, that's it for this lesson." Lupin said. The room began to empty, and I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Hermione, and she looked concerned.

"Cat?" And I broke into tears. "Cat, what's wrong?"

"I'd have rather seen my bloody biological father than that." I cried.

"Leave her be Granger, you're making it worse." Pansy hissed, but I shook my head.

"It's not me..." Hermione said, and I could almost hear it when the pieces clicked together. "It's rejection. Of her friends turning their backs on her. That's what Cat's fear is, right?" I nodded. "Oh, Cat." And Hermione hugged me. "You already know that I'd never do that to you."

"How the bloody hell could you make something like that funny?" Draco asked as he came over, glaring at the boggart wardrobe. Hermione just shrugged, but rubbed my back soothingly.

"Um, Draco?" Crabbe said hesitantly. "We need to head to our next class."

"You're right." Hermione said, before looking to me with worried eyes.

"I'll be fine." I said, and we left the classroom.

The next few weeks, Hermione made sure to talk to me and make sure I knew we were friends, and that she'd always be there for me. Pansy and Daphne did the same. Draco, he almost never left my side and glared at anyone who gave me a nasty look. It made me feel a little better, but what really helped was when Harry asked if he could study with Hermione and I, and offered to walk me to the Slytherin dorm.

"It's obvious you're nothing like Voldemort, so you shouldn't be treated as such." He said as we walked to the dungeon. "I'll admit, I'm a little cross about not knowing, but you tried to help me in the chamber last year. Not to mention you looked like you were ready to hex someone when we found out Hermione was petrified." I smiled a little.

"Thank you Harry."

"Potter, what are you doing with Cat?" Draco asked as he came over.

"Walking her to her dormitory." Harry snapped back.

"I'll take it from here, Potter." And Draco gently grabbed my arm and pulled me next to him. He seemed to be thinking about something he found rather unpleasant. "I appreciate you not leaving Cat alone." Draco looked like he was going to be sick, even before the words were said.

"Why? What's wrong with leaving her alone?" Harry looked confused.

"Considering a few of your housemates and a couple of Ravenclaw attacked her in the halls, I'd think that'd be explanation enough." Draco hissed.

"What? Why?" Draco and I stared at Harry for a minute before I pointed to myself.

"Who's my biological father, Harry?" Harry didn't answer. "That's why. Because of who my father is, Harry." Harry nodded slowly then.

"That's not fair." He said, obviously annoyed with that fact. I shrugged.

"It's how everything's fallen into place." I said. Harry seemed to think everything over for a second, before nodding like he's come to a decision.

"I'll watch your back too." He said, and that caused me to smile.

"Thank you Harry."

"Come on Cat. Let's go." Draco said, pulling me gently, and with a wave, I left Harry and headed to the Slytherin dorm with Draco.

Our next Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Snape came in and flicked the curtains closed and turned on a projector, giving us a lesson on werewolves, which we weren't supposed to be learning about yet. Hermione, having been ignored by Snape as always when he asked questions, answered the difference between werewolves and animagus, which I sort of remember her telling me about first year in our first Transfigurations class. And of course, when Hermione said that werewolves only respond to the calls of their own kind, Draco does a stupid howl which sent shivers down my spine and made me want to kiss him. Wait what?

Me? Kiss Draco? I mean yeah, he was cute, really cute. And he could be funny, and caring. But he could also be a prat and would make fun of everyone he could and would call Hermione a mudblood sometimes, even if he knew the consequences. But KISS HIM? Oh dear.

Draco seemed to notice my inner turmoil and when Snape wasn't looking, though he probably noticed and just didn't care, sent a note over to me in the form of a bird. I opened it to see 'You alright?' written in his sort of messy writing. Easy to read, but definitely could use improvement. I felt my face flame up. How do I respond to that!? Yeah, just trying to find out why I want to kiss you, that's all. No, not happening. Okay Catherine, time to pull out that inner Slytherin.

'You want to write a two parchment essay on how to recognize a werewolf? Let me remind you that I'm also writing YOURS. That means four lines of parchment. By Monday. And if you say something about it being Hermione's fault, I'll remind you that she had raised her hand and Snape ignored her. He's doing it to be an arse.'

I sent it back as a snake and couldn't help the giggle when Draco nearly squeaked when it slithered up his desk and onto his book.

"Something funny, Miss. Smith." I turned to Snape with a wide smile.

"Sorry, Professor. Draco squeaked and I found it terribly amusing." I could see Draco turning red as he glared at me and the rest of the class gave quiet laughter as well. Snape raised an eyebrow slowly. "You were saying something about the ways someone becomes a werewolf, Professor Snape?" I asked innocently. Snape gave me the 'you're lucky you're my godchild' look before continuing on.