in the dark | d malfoy

chapter eighteen

march came quickly, and the weather became drier, leaving me with chapped lips and itchy eyes. i tried to keep my thoughts away from draco, who appeared to have switched his schedule to avoid seeing me.

cedric still wouldn't hang out with me, but he was less cold in public, giving me a forced smile whenever he saw me, which i always returned. my heart clenched in regret whenever i saw him.

as i entered the great hall for breakfast, my heart ached more than usual seeing him sitting with my friends. i spotted hermione rushing out of the great hall, and i backtracked, following her back outside. "hermione?" i called, and she turned, tears in her eyes. "kat? is that you?"

"what happened? are you okay?" i peered at her hands, gasping in shock. "oh my god!" hermione let out a small sob. "someone has been sending me hate mail. rita," she hissed out her name. "skeeter, that awful editor, has been publishing stuff saying that harry and i are together, and... i'm not sure. people are upset." i clasped my hand to my mouth.

"i'm so sorry! let me walk you to the hospital wing." hermione managed a nod and a sniffle, and i took her arm, leading her up the flights of stairs. when she was settled into her hospital bed, cream applied from madam pomfrey, she gave me a smile. "thanks for doing this, kat. you didn't have to. you barely know me."

i smiled back. "i don't mind, really. i think you're awesome." hermione blushed. "you don't have to say that either! but thank you." i nodded. "of course. i don't know if this is what you were considering as hanging out, but you're welcome." hermione let out a tinkly laugh, and for the first time in a while, i laughed too, a real smile on my face.

-

a couple weeks later, professor sprout pulled me aside after class. "miss king." i smiled a forced smile, glancing around. "am i in trouble?"

she laughed. "no, far from it. your marks have been great recently, and i was thinking... would you like to be placed into a more advanced class?" my eyes widened in suprise. "you mean it?" i asked, and she nodded. "you'd have to move around a couple classes, but i think it would be nice for you."

i bobbed my head. "yes. thank you!"

the next morning, i headed to my new class, arithmancy, nervousness jittering in my body. i opened the door, and my eyes scanned the classroom. a familiar bushy haired girl turned, and a grin spread on her face. she waved me over, and i took the empty seat next to her with a sigh of relief.

"hi!" hermione's grin was bright. "you're in this class now! thank goodness. i needed a study partner."

i laughed in response to her words. "no you don't! you're the smartest student in our class!" hermione shrugged. "it would still be nice. plus, i wanted to be friends anyway. i love harry and ron, but..." she giggled. "sometimes i need some girl time." i nodded in agreement. "i definitely understand."

i noticed quickly that hermione didn't like to gossip during class, but she dragged me to library study meetings twice a week from then on, which i enjoyed thoroughly. a couple weeks in, i met harry and ron when they came to find her.

"hermione," harry was out of breath, and he looked puzzled when he saw me next to her. "who's this?"

"i'm kat." i smiled. "kat king."

harry's eyebrows raised in recognition. "weren't you dating cedric?" heat rose to my cheeks, and my heart clenched. "uh, yeah. not anymore." harry blushed a little. "oh. sorry. would you mind if we stole hermione from you?" i rolled my eyes playfully.

"fine, but you better be here on thursday," i eyed hermione, who bobbed her head in agreement, and i headed out of the library, leaving the boys to whisper something to hermione which made her gasp.

i headed down towards the great hall, spotting a familiar brunette. "pansy," i greeted, and she gave me a very fake smile. "hello, katherine. i heard you've been snogging my boyfriend." her voice was high pitched and angry. my eyes widened in surprise at her words. "i- what?" i managed, glancing around to catch sight of the mysterious blonde.

"don't bother," pansy snarled, creeping closer to me. "he's not around right now. i'm telling you, leave him alone. or you'll regret it." i narrowed my eyes at her.

"you better leave me alone, pansy. you don't know what i'm capable of." i hissed in her ear, and i knocked my shoulder into her as i brushed past.

i stormed down the stairs towards the dungeons for potions, angry. my new potions class was last period now, and i was already exhausted enough by the end of the day that the thought of putting up with snape drove me crazy.

my heart stopped in my throat as i spotted who was in this class. draco. he must have transferred here to get away from me. i also noticed hermione, ron and harry across the class. draco glanced up, eyes locking with me. my heart hammered, and i immediately moved towards the other end of the room, to the empty seat at the trio's table. "do you mind if i sit?" i asked curiously, and hermione gave me a warm smile. "of course!"

i sighed, taking the empty seat. ron glanced over at me. "so, kat. you're a hufflepuff, yeah?"

"yeah." my voice was heavy. "yeah, i am." ron furrowed his eyebrows, turning to harry. "what's up her arse?" he whispered, and harry looked at me curiously. i didn't speak to them for most of the class, and by the end, i scrambled up out of my seat and down a hallway the opposite way from the slytherin common room.

i was too late.

"are you stalking me now, or something?" draco's voice was filled with amusement, his body leaned against the wall across from me. i frowned at him. "no, i'm not. i just had to have my classes moved around. it's not because of you. not everything is about you."

draco raised his eyebrows with a chuckle. "feisty today, huh?" i took a step towards him, my eyes blazing with anger. "maybe it's because your girlfriend threatened me before this class."

draco's smirk disappeared. "what? pansy?" i scowled at him. "unless you have more than one, yes. maybe you should deal with her. she thinks i'm after you."

draco raised an eyebrow. "are you?"

"no." i hissed, anger boiling through me. "you're the one who kissed me, if you remember. you're the one," suddenly i was pinned against the wall, draco's lips on mine, his hands groping my body in every possible direction, sending chills down my spine.

i ran my fingers through his hair, pulling on it lightly. he groaned a little into my mouth, and i shoved him off, flustered. "this again," i panted. "this is what i'm talking about, draco! you kiss me with no explanation as to,"

again, he was kissing me again, and i tried to fight against his lips, but they were so strong, so powerful, and i gave in to him without thinking, letting his strong arms keep me pinned against the wall as his lips traveled down my chin, my neck, and to my collarbones. finally, he stopped, smirking my flustered expression.

"don't worry about it, katherine. not everything has to have an explanation."

and then he was gone.

-

a/n

this chapter is all over the place but i really like that she's starting to build a bond with hermione <3