"Kaitlin how was detention?" Hermione Granger asked her at breakfast. I dropped my fork. Normally, people didn't talk to Hufflepuffs. Why was everyone suddenly talking to her?
"Um, it was...fine," she answered. Hermione then sat beside her.
"You don't mind if I sit here, do you?" she asked. "I thought you might want some company."
"May I ask why?" Kaitlin wondered.
"Harry said you were fun to be around and said you might like some friends," Hermione said, then covered her mouth when she realized what she'd said.
"Good going Granger," Zacharias said and she glared at the table.
"Don't worry. I'd rather have no friends than Zach," Kaitlin told her and smirked at Zach. He huffed and went back to eating.
"I'm so sorry. Would you still, even though I was very rude, like to be my friend?" Hermione apologized.
"Sure," Kaitlin smiled.
"Okay, would you like to meet in the library later? To study?" Hermione asked. "Or talk," she added quickly, seeing Kaitlin's reaction.
"No, no, studying is fine with me," Kaitlin rushed to reassure her.
"Fantastic. I'll see you then Kaitlin," she said sweetly, got up and walked to the Gryffindor table. Harry waved at Kaitlin and Ron nodded. Kaitlin waved back. This was great! Hermione Granger, a Gryffindor, wanted to be her friend. Was Harry making her? Or what?
Then a chilling voice said behind her, "You're with Mudbloods now, Winters?"
She slowly turned around.
"What business is it of yours?" Kaitlin asked, eyebrows raised.
"Detention, remember?" he smirked.
"It's before then Malfoy," she mumbled and turned around.
"No, it's now," Malfoy corrected.
"No it isn't. Classes start now," Kaitlin said, confused.
"Snape has been informed of what you said with Potter last night. It was very stupid of you to do. Now, you have detention all day long, without Potter," Draco said. Kaitlin's jaw dropped.
"We were just," Kaitlin tried to think, "blowing off steam."
"Well, now you won't," Draco said. "Detention is starting now. Let's go."
Kaitlin followed Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle out of the Great Hall and confused looks from the Golden Trio had followed.
Detention all day long? With Draco? What about her Transfiguration test? What about her study time with Hermione?

***Awhile Later***

"This better be good," Kaitlin mumbled.
Draco smirked. Kaitlin Winters was very interesting, he thought.
She was sassy, cute, and very enduring.
Wait, this is a Hufflepuff, Draco reminded himself.
Well, being a Hufflepuff didn't keep her from looking really good.

"So, where exactly are we going?" she asked from behind him.
"Forbidden Forest," he said.
"That's why you ditched Crabbe and Goyle?" she asked.
"No, I thought they bothered you."
She didn't ask anything after that. They were out on the grounds and had just passed Hagrid's.
He turned back to Kaitlin.

She looked longingly at Hagrid's cabin.
What was her problem? Hagrid was just a stupid half giant.
"Winters," he said "let's go." He continued walking and entered the forest. Kaitlin followed slowly.
She shivered and pulled the arms of her robes down.
"Cold, Winters?" he laughed. She didn't answer.

"What are we doing?" she asked a few minutes later.
"Going for a walk."
"So, there was really no purpose in coming in here?" she said, bewildered.
"Yes." There was a purpose, but he wouldn't tell her.
"What about the centaurs?" she asked.
"They won't bother us."
"If you're sure," she mumbled.

Malfoy turned around to face her just as she tripped over a tree root. Draco caught her and swept her into his arms.
Kaitlin laughed, her cheeks pink.
"Sorry," she gasped, still laughing. "I'm not the most graceful."
But her laugh was. It was pure sunshine and her smile was adorable.

Draco, he reminded himself. Hufflepuff, remember?

"You can put me down now," she said still laughing.
Problem was he didn't want to.
"Did you hurt yourself or anything?" he asked, not recognizing his voice.
She didn't notice how his voice had dropped low.
"No," she chuckled. He tightened his grip on her.
"You're sure?" he asked, worried. His eyes roamed over her face and arms, looking for scratches.
"Positively. Now, please let me down. Or I might never want to be put down," she laughed, and then realized what she'd said. Her eyes grew wide.

Now, Draco laughed. "Really?" he teased. "You'd never want me to put you down?"
"That...that's not what I meant," she mumbled, cheeks going pinker by the minute. "Please put me down?"
He gently set her down, but kept his hands on her waist as she wobbled a little bit.
He was only a few inches from her. She could see the light gray diamonds in his blue eyes. They were warm and laughing.
"Um, Malfoy," she said, reminding herself that Draco was the enemy, but it was hard to resist the welcome in his eyes.

"Yes Kaitlin?" he said, addressing her by her real name. She couldn't tare her eyes away from his and his head lowered.
"Don't we need to get..." her question died on her lips as Draco drew even closer.
"Hey! What ar you two doin' out here?" Hagrid asked. Kaitlin leaped out of Draco's arms and tripped again. This time, she did fall.

"Professor Snape sent us here, Hagrid. We were just leaving," Draco said coldly and started walking out of the forest. Kaitlin jumped up and ran after him. Leaving Hagrid at the edge of the forest.
"Draco!" she called. He turned around and faced her when they were a good space away from Hagrid.
"What are we going to do now?" she asked and watched as the ice melted from his eyes. He smiled a small smile and chuckled at the blush that stained her cheeks.
"Whatever you want to do," he said.
"But isn't this...detention?"
"Well, would you like to do what Iwant to do?"
"And what's that?" she asked curious.

What he really wanted to do was kiss her, but, then he reminded himself. Hufflepuff, and he had a duty. He couldn't back down.
"Draco?" she asked, a frown creasing her pretty face. A frown did not belong on that face, Draco thought.
"What?" he asked gently. Was this really him? Or had something taken over him? He asked himself.
"You look...disturbed."
"Sorry," he rubbed a hand over his face. "Just thinking."
"About?"
"What we're going to do. How would you like a trip to the Malfoy Manor?" he said. He knew it was dangerous, but he needed out of the school.

***

Kaitlin gasped and looked around. She shouldn't have agreed. It was dangerous. Extremely dangerous. Lord Voldemort was back and it was so wrong to leave the school. We were safe at the school, she told herself.
Draco had used floo powder and he, apparently had permission to use it.
They were in the sitting room and Draco looked at Kaitlin.
What was he looking at? He took her hand and held it.

"Ready for the grand tour?" he asked.
This was so different from how he had acted earlier this year. All gloomy, not speaking, not doing his work. Now, he looked ...happy. What had happened to change that?

***
Draco looked at Kaitlin as if he could read her thoughts.
I don't understand it, he thought, but just a little bit of spending time with you, I've discovered that the answer to my change of heart is...
you.