Winter's Lovely Bones
Draco/Katie Bell fan-fic
Summary: "He couldn't understand it, but he was in love with Katie Bell; which was why it was so unbearable when he had to hex her after she walked in on him." Katie B/Draco M Vignettes spanning their relationship starting in year 4 Rated M for mild language and mature themes later in the story.
A/N: Intentionally altering how Katie gets the package… and a few other things. Don't get angry!
Disclaimer: I will never be J.K. Rowling. And I may have been inspired by James Bond in Casino Royale for a quote.
[Prologue]
Winter Semester, Year 6/7
He had everything he needed. The package was secure and ready to be passed on; he just hoped it wasn't anyone in Slytherin, or worse, a teacher. Draco slipped out of the Castle and onto the path towards Hogsmeade. He had been pondering this operation for weeks now, hoping that this would do the job and he wouldn't actually have to do it himself. The snow was making for great cover as he passed through a crowd of frozen, yet excited third-years who were currently bottlenecking their way into Honeydukes. Quick not to be seen by anyone he knew, Draco hurried into the back alley that led to the rear entrance of the Three Broomsticks. Long over using those two idiots Crabbe and Goyle for backup, Draco slid into the backdoor without being noticed and headed towards the lavatories.
Draco kept his leather gloves on as he took out the wrapped package, wand at the ready to hex anyone he encountered. Despite the toasty warm interior of the pub, and his fur-lined coat still on, Draco was shivering in his boots. He did not like to be kept waiting for long when he had trouble to make.
And without any warning, his wish came true. The door to the ladies' loo swung open and Draco stood face-to-face with a lovely girl with warm brown eyes. Katie Bell. His stomach was suddenly in his throat, and all the blood drained from his already pale face. There was a task to be done and Draco could feel the cursed ink burn angrily into his forearm, making him gasp. Immediately he drew his wand up to her chest and whispered, "Imperio," watching her eyes glaze over with the curse, no time for her to react. Draco handed her the wrapped package and commanded her to go to Dumbledore with it.
"I'm so sorry, Katie." He breathed as he watched her walk away with the package, feeling dread rise up in his chest like bile. Biting back the tears he's been suppressing for months, Draco quickly escaped out the back of the Three Broomsticks for the Dungeons. He couldn't be seen out now, especially not by Saint Potter.
[Chapter 1]
Spring Semester, Year 4/5
"Damn Potter!" spat Draco, in between Crabbe and Goyle, hustling up the hill from the most recent Triwizard Tournament event at the Black Lake.
"What, you jealous?" came a mocking voice from behind him. Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson were walking up the hill directly behind the three Slytherins. Katie flung her hair behind her as she surpassed the stunned Draco. "Knowing that you don't have outstanding moral fiber too?" Katie said as she winked at Draco. He didn't know whether to feel outraged and hex her where she stood or just take it, and accept that a pretty girl actually flirted with him; a pretty fifth year girl at that. Crabbe and Goyle elbowed him and expected Draco to lead them into retaliation; it was always battle between Slytherins and Gryffindors for them. When Draco had nothing to respond with, the two stood stupefied until they realized that they weren't walking with Draco anymore.
"Catch up, you worthless mongrels!" shouted Draco from the top of the hill towards the boys. He felt like leaving them there.
Later that evening during the feast, Katie found Draco staring at her across the tables more than once. It was as if he was seeing her for the first time, even though he had watched her play Quidditch many times since his first year at Hogwarts. He had even faced off against her during matches when he was still on the Slytherin team, and she certainly knew what she was doing on the pitch. Katie smelled trouble, but chose to ignore the stares coming from across the room and kept chatting with her friends as if nothing was bothering her.
After the feast, Katie was tired and left the Great Hall to go to Gryffindor Tower to tuck in for the night, leaving her friends to socialize with Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students. On her way up to the tower, Katie felt like she was being followed. Most students remained in the Great Hall when she left; it was a Friday and there were no classes tomorrow so people could stay up as they pleased. When she turned around to check, she didn't see anyone unusual, though she had someone in mind of whom it could be. Continuing her trek up to the Tower, she heard a gaggle of girls behind her, and turned around to see a bunch of Ravenclaw girls with a handful of Durmstrang boys going off into a corridor. When she got onto the changing staircases, her biggest annoyance happened; it changed on her, turning left instead of right towards Gryffindor Tower. Katie rolled her eyes and just waited for it to be over. As it clanged into it's new destination, Katie started to get off when she came across a goon-less Draco. He was walking towards her, taking an exaggerated bite out of a shiny red apple, looking straight at her.
"What's going on, Bell? Not lost are we?" he said in between mouthfuls, winking at her.
Flustered, Katie just trudged up the rest of the stairs and into the hallway before another staircase changed on her. She really wished that she could do magic in the hallways right about now.
"See you around then." He called after her as she left the staircases.
It had been weeks since Katie had last seen Draco in the corridor, and every time she walked up that staircase into the corridor, she thought of him and that damn apple. Leanne had noticed Katie was a bit tense whenever they were together, and that she would eat far less than she normally did. She even changed her usual seat at Gryffindor table during evening feasts, so that she wouldn't have to look across at the Slytherin/Durmstrang tables. Katie also didn't like that she spent all her nights thinking of him before falling into sleep.
The final Triwizard Tournament event was happening tonight. Katie and her Gryffindor Quidditch teammates were all decked out in scarlet and gold, ready to cheer on Harry. Looking in the mirror one last time before everyone headed down, Katie checked her hair and even put on some lipstick she smuggled in from home. Deciding that she looked acceptable for tonight's shenanigans, Katie followed Alicia and Angelina out of the portrait hole towards the transformed Quidditch pitch.
Upon finding seats for the event, the girls chatted with each other anxiously, unaware of the events to soon unfold. They didn't know what to expect at this point, they had already watched the champions defeat dragons and the things that lived in the Black Lake. Tonight looked foreboding, but everyone's mood was nothing less than sheer excitement. Katie scanned the stands for a familiar face. She chided herself for even entertaining certain thoughts about him, and decided to give up the moment right before she saw him. He was joking with a group of Slytherins around him, bringing his hood over his head and mimicking a Dementor like he did all last year to poor Harry. The Champions came out and everyone cheered. The Slytherins were cheering for everyone else but Potter, naturally. Katie just shook her head at them and returned her attention to her friends and enjoying the tournament's final night. She wondered what would happen tonight, hoping and praying that Harry would be safe throughout the event. Little did she know that everyone's world was about to change that night.
Spring Semester, Year 5/6
One evening, Katie was walking back to Gryffindor Tower from a study session in the library. It was later than she would have like to have left; seeing as how Umbridge now controlled Hogwarts and tortured anyone she pleased. Katie readjusted the heavy bag over her shoulder and continued to walk briskly back to the Tower. There was no one else out and the Ravenclaws who studied with her had already gone their separate ways, leaving Katie utterly alone. Even the normally obnoxious paintings were silent in their frames, possibly in fear of Umbridge as well. She was almost to the corridor that held the Portrait of the Fat Lady before she heard that dreadful high-pitched voice and the ruckus of a brute squad accompanying her. Katie hurried as fast as she could through the last corridor, but it was too late. She was caught.
"YOU! Come here!" shrieked Umbridge. Filch and the Slytherin boys surrounding her all sneered at Katie. "What are you doing out of your dormitory at this hour!"
"Ma'am I was just only returning from the library. It just closed down five minutes ago, and with your O.W.L.S to study for… I"
"The new policy on student curfew, Miss—,"
"Bell. Katie Bell, ma'am." Katie hated how cowardly she sounded. She was a bleeding Gryffindor for crying out loud.
"The new policy dictates, Miss Bell, that all students, save for my Inquisitorial Squad," she said sweetly as she turned around to the idiot Slytherins smirking behind her, "must be in their dormitories at precisely nine o'clock!"
"But the library only closes at ten minutes til nine, and it's on the other side of the Castle from my dormitory! I hoped I could make it in time, and I'm honestly not too far away from the dormitory." She begged.
Umbridge started at her with fat, beady eyes, determining her innocence.
"Very good, then. Draco," Katie's heart stopped, how did she not notice him there? "See that Miss Bell makes it to her dormitory." Umbridge commanded. Katie exhaled the breath she was keeping in as the loathed headmistress turned to leave with her pack of greasy thugs.
"Of course, Professor Umbridge." Draco smirked.
Katie could not move, she could barely breathe properly, she was so uneasy with him being left alone with her. "Hogwarts security dictates that a student from a rival house cannot go with me to my dormitory without express permission from the Head of House, let alone be present when I am granted passage." Katie said, trying to make him go away.
Draco just smiled, though it could have easily been mistaken for another smirk, as he approached her.
"You really want me to get away that badly?" Draco offered, almost sounding a bit hurt by Katie's demeanor. "Dictating Hogwarts policy?"
"I don't want to get into any trouble, Malfoy." Katie said, clutching her bag closer.
"Not even into the good kind of trouble?" suggested Draco, stepping closer to her.
"What do you mean by that?" breathed Katie, afraid that someone would find them, or a painting would catch on and start causing chaos.
"C'mon, Bell. Live a little. I'm not going to make you go to bed like that old hag wants." Draco said as he grabbed her hand and ran down the corridor with her. Katie dropped her heavy bag by the fat lady, allowing Draco to take her.
The pair wove their way down the staircases and out to the main courtyard near the Great Hall. It was considerably darker outside than it had been an hour ago. Draco slowed down, checking if their cover held up.
"Umbridge doesn't send anyone down here after nine. They're so confident they'll find some airhead out of bed, like you, already inside the Castle for them to bag." Draco winked. Katie wanted to slap the blonde off him. He tightened his grip on her hand and took them across the courtyard and down the crooked bridge. They were heading towards the darkened Quidditch pitch. Katie was amazed that they hadn't been caught yet, and tried to keep up with the determined Draco.
"Where are we going?" Katie finally asked.
"Not far," Draco said, checking the clearing.
"And how are we supposed to get back without being seen?"
Draco turned and looked mildly irritated with her, his bright eyes peeking out under stray blonde locks. "I don't know."
"Great." Katie sighed.
"We're here." Draco declared. He pulled Katie down a wooden arched hallway and into the under-rafting of one of the Quidditch stands. This was the path the referee took from the field house to the pitch. Katie looked up to find the majestic House drapes were still up and blowing gently in the evening breeze. Katie stood and stared as she realized where they were.
"Draco," she said softly, "why did you do this?"
"Because I know you enjoy coming down here."
Katie turned around to face him, her mouth still slightly open in awe of this unexpected surprise.
The moonlight was shining brightly tonight, without a cloud in the sky. Katie ran out onto the open pitch and threw off her robe to the ground. She hopped and did a cartwheel in the center ring of the pitch, laughing gleefully.
"C'mon, you snake, get over here!" Katie played.
Draco smiled and threw off his Slytherin robe, adding it to her Gryffindor robe already on the ground. He charged at her and grabbed her by the waist to pick her up, making her squeal in surprise.
"Ack! Put me down, you!" she cried.
"Nope. I'm going to throw you through the top goal ring first."
"Right, of course you are," Katie teased, but when he didn't let go of her, Katie shouted "DRACO!"
He had her trapped in levitation, threatening to actually put her through the top goal.
"Yooou'd better not!" Katie threatened, searching for her own wand. Damn, she left it in her robe. She was at Draco's mercy to let her down safely.
"What do I get if I let you down now?" he teased.
"I have no idea. Put me down first!" Katie yelled. She was only about 6 feet off the ground, but it still made her uncomfortable when he turned her upside down and her skirt almost flew up.
"Give me a kiss." He offered.
Katie gave him her best-unamused face as she could while being upside down. "Fine. But, just one." She agreed.
Draco smirked, lowering her gently (and right-side up) to the grassy ground.
"Thank you."
"Now, how about our deal?" His smirk only grew.
"I knew you were going to be trouble." Katie sighed, stepping closer.
Draco took two steps ahead and hesitantly put his hand on her waist.
"Whao, I agreed to one kiss, Malfoy." Katie warned him.
"Be quiet, Bell." Draco said as he brought her closer to him, bringing his other hand around to hold the back of her neck as he leaned in to kiss her.
Katie closed her eyes and soon found his soft lips on hers, kissing her gently. Surprised at they way they felt, Katie gave a quick moan of delight as Draco's tongue parted her lips and delved into her mouth. Her expectations of Draco being a gross kisser flew out of her mind as she gave in to his charm. He wrapped his arm tighter around her as she brought her hands up to grip onto his white Oxford shirt.
Feeling lightheaded, Katie pulled away from Draco's embrace breathing heavily, clutching on to his green tie.
He didn't say anything, just that damn smirk of triumph plastered on his face, that made Katie want to yank that tie down and smack him. He was definitely going to be trouble for her.
