PRINCESS ➳ harry potter , draco malfoy (OLD VERSION)

67 || The Hog's Head

Two weeks passed by with no notable events. Katie held four training sessions and her team had grown quite fond of having her as their captain, much to her surprise. She was much more comfortable with giving orders and correcting people now, and Hermione always hung around the stands for moral support. Harry, Ron and Chris wanted to watch, but the team weren't having it — saying that they were going to steal their tactics, which Katie supposed was quite a fair suspicion.

Harry's detentions with Umbridge were finally over, but the words I must not tell lies had been engraved so deeply into his skin that Katie was beginning to worry they would never fade at all. Katie's dreams had not returned to her since Harry had arrived at Grimmauld Place at the start of August, and so far, she had not touched any more objects that triggered obscene memories.

It was on one particularly gloomy Tuesday morning that, as Katie was making her way across the Entrance hall, she heard a distinct 'Psst!' from behind her. She turned around, eyebrows twisted together, but saw no one. There was a second 'Psst!' and the door to a broom cupboard momentarily opened a smidge, before abruptly shutting again. Fairly certain that her eyes were not deceiving her, Katie warily walked towards the broom cupboard, her wand gripped tightly in her hand beneath her robes.

Holding her breath, she pulled open the door to find a familiar head of red hair and another familiar head of bushy hair blaring back at her.

"Get in and shut the door." Hermione whispered hurriedly. Katie did as she was told. The broom cupboard was very compact and no more comfortable than it was spacious. Katie had to bend forward slightly to ensure that her head didn't scrape against the ceiling.

"What do you want?" Katie asked, followed by a hiss of pain as she hit her head off the low ceiling.

"What we want," Hermione said clearly, "is a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"That's nice, but it's a bit late now, isn't it? The old toad has already got the job." Katie replied sourly as she massaged the top of her head in an area that she was sure was going to turn into a prominent bump.

"Yes, but I was thinking it was time we take matters into our own hands — and keep your voice down, will you? We don't want to be found here."

Katie blinked confusedly at Hermione. She wasn't catching on to what Hermione was insinuating, but luckily, Hermione elaborated and Katie didn't need to feel embarrassed by asking any stupid questions.

"We need a teacher — a proper teacher," Hermione explained. "One who knows what he's doing, one that can correct us when we go wrong."

Katie quirked an eyebrow. "If you're talking about Lupin—"

"No, not Lupin. He's much too busy with the Order, anyway."

The confusion whirring within Katie was not mixing well with the ever-growing throbbing pain in her head.

"Who, then?" she asked.

Hermione sighed deeply. "Isn't it obvious? I'm talking about Harry."

Katie's expression remained entirely blank as her eyes repeatedly flickered between Hermione and Harry. Hermione definitely had made an excellent proposal — after all, Harry was the top in the year at Defence Against the Dark Arts, and he was possibly the only student in the school who had actually come face to face with the Dark Arts in real life.

"You think it's nutty, don't you?" Ron said after Katie had been silent for many moments.

"No," Katie said hastily. "No, I actually think it's a brilliant idea, Hermione. What did Harry say about it?"