Mudblood

Chapter Twelve

Kaitlyn woke up to the noise of people panicking in the common room just outside of her dorm. She stuck on a dressing gown and slippers and went out with Pansy.
"Blaise, what's going on?" She asked frantically, grabbing his attention.
"Dumbledore's been killed."
Kaitlyn's heart sank. She and Pansy had to sit down. What was going on? Nothing was making sense to her anymore. The school was supposed to be safe. She remembered Hermione telling her that, as long as Dumbledore was alive, Harry was safe. She ran to get changed and sprinted to the Gryffindor common room. The trio were outside.
"Harry oh my god I was so worried." She said, flinging her arms over him. They hadn't spoken in a while but she didn't care. He hugged her back tightly. He guided them into to an empty classroom and closed the door.
"You need to have a word with your bloody boyfriend." Ron said rather hastily at Kaitlyn.
She looked back confused. "They aren't together, Ron." Hermione said in defence.
"Guys stop. I have to tell Katie what happened. Me and Dumbledore got back to the Astronomy Tower yesterday and he wasn't feeling well. He sent me to get Snape. He told me over and over to not be seen by anyone else. As I went down the stairs, I- well- I saw Malfoy go up. He disarmed him. He was saying how he had to kill him, or he'd get killed."
"No! He couldn't have. I don't believe you for a second, Harry. He can be spiteful, but he's not a killer." She cried, trying to understand what she just heard with tears falling down.
"He was too afraid." Hermione said, holding on to Kaitlyn's hand.
"Bellatrix was shouting at him to do it. He was fighting back tears. That's when- when Snape turned up. Snape killed Professor Dumbledore."
They were silent for what felt like far too long. Nobody knew what to say.
"Why was he there? - Draco?" Kaitlyn asked with tears in her eyes.
"He had been chosen to kill him. But I don't believe he could have, he was frightened. But he helped the death eaters get into Hogwarts. He said something about a vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirement, he's been working on it for months."
"-which is why he hasn't been in class. I have to find him."
"Katie, you can't. It's dangerous." Hermione shouted as she ran for the door.
"Which means it's dangerous for him too. Please don't hate me. I love you guys."
"We love you too, Katie." Harry said, hugging her. The other two joined.
"Be careful." Ron said. He looked worried.

Kaitlyn ran back to the Slytherin common room, through the corridors and to Malfoy's room. The door was open so she walked in. His room was practically empty except the sheets that he had stripped off the bed and folded neatly into a pile. She opened his closet, that was empty too. The room smelt of him, and after such a traumatic morning, it smelt like home. She heard a voice coming up to his room and hid under his bed.
"I told you, I'll be right out. I forgot something." It was Draco. He looked skinny and pale. It was incredibly heart breaking to see him looking so unwell. He opened up the top drawer next to the bed and pulled out a small blue box. He held it in his hand like it was the only thing keeping him alive. He put it in his blazer pocket and walked quickly out of the door. Kaitlyn followed him. He got into a carriage by himself. She thought of a way to follow but decided that her best bet would to just hop in the extremely large trunk that was placed on the back. It wasn't comfortable but that wasn't her biggest concern. She couldn't tell where they were going but she gathered that they were going to the Malfoy Manor. She thought back to his letter, warning her to not go to him. She couldn't let him get sucked into a world, so far from what he deserved.

With a rough landing onto the floor, she realised she had been placed down. She could faintly hear voices through the trunk. "Do you need help unpacking, sir?" It sounded like that Peter guy that used to be Ron's Rat. "Get your grubby hands off of my stuff, Pettigrew. Make sure nobody enters my room while I wash up."
With that, the door shut. She heard a door the other side of the room shut and water start running. He must have a bathroom attached to his room. She was safe to get out. She opened the trunk quietly and closed it behind her. She looked around. His room was all matte black. Everything looked expensive, yet minimalistic and tidy. He was very neat. She sat on a large chair in the corner of his room and waited nervously. The water turned off and the door opened. Moments after, Draco walked out wearing nothing but a black towel around his waist. He didn't notice her so she stood up from the chair, drawing his attention. It startled him. "What are you doing here?" He questioned rather spitefully.
"You can't be here. I told you before. It's not safe." He whispered.
"I can look after myself. I came here for you. I know what happened yesterday."
He stepped backward in disbelief. His chin wobbling because he couldn't form words. He was visibly shaking but trying to hide it. She walked over to him slowly. He embraced her with a hug, a tight hug, as if he had been longing for it.
"I didn't kill him. I couldn't."
"I know." She hugged him back tightly, his muscular back was now slim, his spine slightly showing. She pulled away and looked at him.
"I know, you're going to say I don't look well-"
"What's on your arm?" She questioned. He went to slip on a long sleeve black shirt but she caught his arm. His eyes closed, trying to figure out what to say. He opened his eyes to meet hers, his were red. It looked like he hadn't slept in weeks.
"You're going to hate me. You're the only person in our house that would never want one of these. He chose me- to kill him. He gave me this mark. I guess it shows my loyalty to him."
He didn't seem to be upset anymore.
"Why is it covered in cuts?" She asked, looking closer.
"I tried scratching it off, even if I had to go through layers of skin, I wanted to try. I first got it about two months ago. I loved it. It made me feel powerful. But I'm ashamed of it, Kaitlyn. I grew up wanting to be just like my father. Look where that got him. I don't want to spend my life rotting away in a prison."
She held him for a while when there was a knock at the door. "I'm not dressed." He shouted.
The door opened anyway. Kaitlyn hid in the bathroom. A woman with messy hair walked in.
"I told you that I was not dressed." He hissed at the woman.
She gazed at him, not blinking. "Not a very nice way to speak to your auntie, is it now." She walked over to him and grabbed his arm. "What is this, my boy? Your dark mark needs a little refinement." She cackled and pulled out her wand. She whispered a spell and the mark on his forearm started to darken. Draco shouted out because of the pain but she kept going, laughing at the pain she was causing him until he was doubled over. She stepped back and looked at him. "Weak just like your father. Now, put some clothes on and get some food in you. You look like a runt." She laughed and ran her finger down his ribs, digging her ring straight into the side of one of them. He winced in pain and fell to the edge of his bed. She left the room, slamming the door shut.
Kaitlyn ran out to see if he was okay. "Who the hell was that?"
"That's Bellatrix. She is my mother's sister." He fell back onto the bed breathing heavily. Kaitlyn could have cried just looking at him in so much distress.
"When was the last time you ate?" She asked softly. He looked up at her. He paused.
"I don't remember."