PRINCESS ➳ harry potter , draco malfoy (OLD VERSION)

57 || Nifflers

The weather in March was considerably much drier than that of February, but harsh winds still rattled the castle windows. There had been many delays in post because owls kept getting blown off course.

"Morning." Katie said cheerfully as she sat down next to Harry one Friday morning. Ron gave her a skeptical look.

"What's got you so happy?" he grumbled miserably. He was clearly dreading his double Potions class that was taking place after breakfast.

"Hogsmeade tomorrow," Katie replied, buttering a slice of toast. "I'm in desperate need of some chocolate from Honeydukes."

"You and me both." Harry mumbled a response.

At that moment, a swarm of owls, considerably smaller than the usual cluster, swooped into the Great Hall. A brown owl with askew feather landed swiftly in front of Harry, dropped a letter down, and immediately flew away as though it was afraid it would be sent outside again.

"Who's it from?" Katie asked eagerly. Harry opened the letter and a small smile curled at his lips.

"Sirius," he told his friends quietly before reading the letter. "He wants to meet at Hogsmeade."

"He's come back to Hogsmeade?" Ron said incredulously.

"I can't believe him," Harry said tensely. "If he's caught..."

"Made it so far, though, hasn't he?" Katie shrugged. "Besides, there aren't dementors flooding the village anymore either."

Katie's dorm mates, Millicent, Daphne and Tracey, strode by the Gryffindor table and Daphne tossed a copy of a magazine — Witch Weekly — to Hermione.

"You might find something to interest you in there, Granger!" Tracey called loudly.

Looking rather shocked, Hermione flicked through the pages of the magazine. Katie, Harry and Ron watched intently as Hermione scanned through the articles, before finally pausing on one. With an angry expression, she began to read aloud.

"Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl seems to be developing a taste for famous wizards that Harry alone cannot satisfy. Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Viktor Krum, Bulgaria Seeker and hero of the Quidditch World Cup, Miss Granger has been toying with the boys' affections. No word yet on how Harry Potter is taking this latest emotional blow."

Ron's eyes gradually narrowed in anger as Hermione read on, while Harry let out a grunt of annoyance and shook his head disapprovingly. Under the table, Harry took Katie's hand and squeezed it protectively, and Katie let out a small giggle at the fact that he really believed anything Rita Skeeter wrote would bother her.

Hermione went on. "However, it might not be Miss Granger's doubtful natural charms which have captured these unfortunate boys' interest... 'She's really ugly,' says Daphne Greengrass, a pretty and vivacious fourth-year student, 'but she'd be well up to making a Love Potion, she's quite brainy. I think that's how she's doing it...'"

Now it was Katie's turn to get annoyed. She felt a distinct anger boil up inside her when Hermione read that Daphne had called her ugly. Ron didn't look too pleased either.

"Ugly?" Katie growled. "Ugly? You are anything but ugly, Hermione! Who does she think she is?"

Hermione scowled as she closed the magazine with a snap. "A privileged Pure-blood bitch."

"Language, Granger," Chris chuckled as he slid up the bench. Hermione scoffed jokingly, but Katie caught sight of the light pink blush that arose on her cheeks when Chris draped his arm around her shoulder, "What's happened this time?"