PRINCESS ➳ harry potter , draco malfoy (OLD VERSION)

48 || The Unforgivable Curses

Katie spent the last few days of her summer holidays cooped up in Ginny's room. She sat alone on the top bunk. Occasionally, she would take a book from her bag and flick through the pages, but most of her time was spent blankly staring at the wall.

She didn't know what to think, what to do, or what to say to anyone. The only thing on her mind was how she had completely wasted her last few months with her dad because of something that a crazy old wand maker had told her three years ago.

No one managed to retract any words from the girl over those few days. She very rarely left Ginny's room — only clambering out to use the bathroom or, once or twice, sit on the couch and drink a cup of tea before retreating back to the bedroom.

Chris was also in an awful state, but he coped with his grief by spending his days outside. He would walk aimlessly around the garden, kicking pebbles and chasing Felix, Katie's cat.

***

Instead of sitting with Harry, Ron and Hermione on the Hogwarts Express as usual, Katie decided to sit with Chris. They pair shuffled their was down the narrow passage, trying to find an empty compartment.

Katie heard a compartment door speedily slide open and an apprehensive voice behind her.

"Blair?"

The girl didn't have to turn around to know that the voice belonged to Draco Malfoy, only, something was different. His usual drawling tone had been replaced by a softer, more sympathetic tone. Despite this, Katie didn't turn around to face him. She ignored Draco, acting as though she hadn't heard him, and slipped into an empty compartment with Chris.

Niall decided to leave the two to their thoughts and went to sit with his other friends, Oscar and Brendon.

The noise of the pistons started up and the train jolted into life. Gradually, it picked up speed, until it was traveling and a regular and permanent pace. Only when the Platform was completely out of view did Chris speak.

"How are you holding up?"

His voice was hoarse and gravelly, as though it hadn't been used for a long time. Katie was safe to assume that, like herself, Chris had not uttered a single word to anyone since they arrived back at the Burrow on that faithful morning.

"I've been a lot better." Katie replied sourly.

Chris sighed and ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "You have to work with me here, Kat. We're going through the exact same thing, you know, and—"

"No, Chris, we're not." Katie snapped harshly, not tearing her gaze away from the hills beyond the window.

Chris blinked at her confusedly.

"What are you saying, Katerina?" he questioned with a hint of agitation laced through his voice. "Of course we're going through the same thing."

"No, we're not," Katie repeated, slower this time, to really let Chris hear her sincerity. "Chris, I treated him like crap these last few months. I ignored him — I don't think I spoke more than five words to him all summer, and whenever he'd ask me why I was acting so distant, I'd shove him off. And now he's dead, Christian, and I never got that chance to make things right."

Katie was shaking now. When she finished her small rant, she buried her face in her hands and let sobs rack her body. Chris' eyes were wide in blatant shock. He tilted his head, staring at his sister, completely bewildered by her speech. He wanted to ask her why she had been acting strange around their father, but as he looked at her, sobs and shakes controlling her entire body, Chris decided that this wasn't the best time.