Hi, Everyone! i'm taking a short break from my normal Draco/Astoria-ing to do something a bit different. Hope you like it. I may or may not make this into a multi-chapter. If you really like it, and want me to add some more chapters, please review and say so! And please note the first paragraph comes from chapter six of my fic Through Someone Else's Eyes. Everything else is unique to this fic. I do not own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does.
Thank you, and have fun reading,
Kit Kat
**********Draco**********
Draco saw Katie before they took her to St. Mungo's. She was suspended in the air on a magic stretcher, her eyes empty and hopeless. Draco had been several feet away, along with a crowd of students that had come to see her being taken away. Even from that distance he knew she was not far from death, that her breathing was coming shallow and her heartbeat was strained. He knew because he had caused it. And yet no one suspected him. That was a good thing, of course. But some tiny insane part of him wanted to scream out from the crowd, "It was me! It's all my fault." Because it was, and the guilt was tearing him apart.
But Draco was composed. He stood like stone, gazing down his nose at this sight that disgusted him so. But, really, he had caused it himself. Any onlookers would have seen pale blonde boy staring with disdain at the girl being taken off to the hospital. Anyone who would have looked at his heart would have seen an adolescent boy lost in between grief and honor.
No one really knew, but Draco had been there when Katie was cursed. He he been hiding, shivering cold in the wet snow, behind a bush on the pathway to Hogwarts. He had watched the argument. He had seen her yell at her best friend, Leanne. He had seen the wrapping slip and her hand graze the ornate silver.
-Katie-
Katie looked up at the ceiling. It was pristine white. She was lying in a hospital bed. On the table next to her were vases of flowers and get-well cards. Leanne had sent her a huge box of Pumpkin Pasties. Leanne. Oh, God, what had she done? She had been cursed. A nurse came bustling in She was a short older woman with curly grey hair.
"Oh, Merlin's beard! She's conscious. How are you doing, dear? Need anything?"
"I'm fine, thank you." She was lying, of course, her throat was dry and she ached all over. The nurse seemed to know that.
"I'll get you a glass of water and some potion for the pain, dear, before I bring your family in for a visit. They've been terribly worried." I horrid thought struck her.
"How long was I out for?"
The nurse seemed reluctant to give an answer, but Katie's pleading stare changed her mind,
"Two weeks." And with that the nurse hurried out, her flowing white hospital trailing behind her.
Katie was glad to see her mom and dad. They smiled at her and asked her questions about school. As if they didn't already know from the letters she sent hem every other day. finally, her father asked her the traded question. Katie knew hit was coming. Everyone had asked her. The nurses. her little brothers, and especially Leanne.
"Katie, sweetie, we know you don't remember, but could you please try?" Katie's father leaned over her bead, looking her in the eyes, "Do you know who cursed you?" Katie wanted to say yes so badly. She wished she knew, that she could ease they ever-persistent anxiety.
"No, Dad. I don't, I'm sorry."
Her parents stayed for a long time, her little brother had to go down for a nap at two. But at half-past midnight, the nurses shooed them out. They refused to go at first, but they could tell Katie needed her sleep.
I was slightly chilly in the room. Katie pulled the quilt her mother had brought her up to her chin. Owls hooted outside. There was a window by Katie's bed, and she could see them fly past even this late at night. Probably delivering letters to the sick. She was about to drift off to sleep when the nurse came in and lit the lamp by the door.
"Sorry, dear, I didn't think you were asleep yet. We got this peculiar letter in the mail. It's for you, but there's no return address."
Katie took the letter from the nurse's wrinkled hand. Her full name was written on the front of the envelope in big raven black loopy letters. Katie slowly opened it. Inside was single sheet of crisp white parchment, folded into thirds. In the same neat but loopy cursive was written,
Katie,
I'm Sorry
-DM
She didn't know who it was from or what it meant, but Katie felt a shiver when she traced the letters over with her slim finger.
"Thank you," she said to the nurse. Who was still present and looked a bit concerned, "I very tired now. I think I'll be going to bed." The nurse nodded silently and left, blowing the lamp out on her way. Katie slipped the letter into it's envelope and set it by her bedside next to the lilies her aunt had sent. Katie decided not to worry about the letter. But there was something definitely haunted in those simple words.