A.N.: Ok, so here is chapter three! I will admit, I had already written this chapter, and went in a totally different direction. But that chapter version didn't save sadly. So I am rewriting it now, and I have decided to go a different direction. At the end of the chapter, I will tell you who it originally was going to be.
Pairings: Draco/Katterina
Disclaimer: Le sigh. I said it in the first chapter I do not own Harry Potter… Well, I own all the book and the Movies, but seeing as I do not get money from them, or this story, I think that means I don't own the story itself.
Word count: 1,573
"What the Bloody Hell?" The male voice rang through the compartment.
'Hermione' swore loudly as she practically threw herself off Draco's lap, face blushing brightly. She looked up at the person smiling sheepishly. The angry male entered the compartment, and shut the door behind him, locking it, and drawing the blinds.
He drew his wand, and pointed it at Draco. "Now who's into Granger? I thought you only had eyes for one girl!" The voice teased.
Draco swallowed hard, wondering if the wand pointed between his eyes would kill him. "U-uh. Blaise. She came onto me I swear! You know how devoted to your sister I am!" Draco insisted, swallowing hard at the murderous look on his best friends face. What would he do if Blaise told Katterina? She would never forgive him!
Blaise turned to raise an eyebrow at 'Granger' and she smirked. That seemed to make something snap in Blaise, and in a moment, he and Hermione were laughing. Blaise let his arm drop to his waist, slipping his wand into his sleeve and the holister that was on his wrist.
"D-did you see his face Laise? It looked like he thought you were going to murder him!" 'Granger' gasped out between breaths. Blaise just sat down beside his sister, laughing just as hard. Draco narrowed his eyes.
"What the hell is so funny?" He insisted.
Once the twins had managed to slow their laughter into chuckles, they shared looks.
"Should we tell him Rina?" Blaise asked. Draco furrowed his brow. 'Rina' was what the male called his sister. But she wasn't there. Or…
"I think he's figured it out Laise!" Hermione said. The twins chuckled once more, and Blaise flexed his wrist, causing his wand to fall back into his hand once more. "Finite Incantantem" He spoke the incantation, wand pointed at her.
Draco watched shocked as the girl, who he had previously thought to be a muggle-born, turned into the pure-blooded girl he'd been infatuated with since he was about ten. Her hair lengthened to her waist, and became smoother and silkier, turning to a golden brown. Her face shape changed, becoming a little more pronounced like her mothers. Her cheek bones seemed to become more prominent as well. Her body shape itself changed, and she seemed to take on an hourglass shape. Her eyes went from a brownish color to a strange violet. It would seem her magic had influenced her eye color.
"K-katterina? You're Granger?" Draco asked, shocked. The girl he'd been picking on and insulting for the last five school years, was the same girl he'd been trying to woo and get to like him. The fact that she hadn't slapped him, or cursed him during the summer after the abuse he'd put her through during the year was shocking.
"I am. And I will be myself come next school year. Blaise and I have decided to badger mother until she allows it." She said smiling. She pointed her wand at herself, resetting the glamour charms. "I should be going. The others are probably wondering where I have gone off to. I'll see you later, yeah?" She asked. Draco nodded, and handed her a letter. "Read this. Please?" He said.
"Of course." The girl said. Draco could hear the Italian lilt in the girl's voice, now that he knew.
Hermione returned to the compartment with the others. There was about two hours of the trip left.
"Hey guys. I'm back. Malfoy came into my compartment, and I decided to leave." She said. The others nodded, as she sat. The girl pulled out the letter Draco had written her, deciding to read it. She opened it, breaking the seal, which was the Malfoy insignia. She unfolded the letter.
My Dearest Katterina,
I know we have had our differences in the past. Mostly you getting annoyed at my constant flirting when Mother and I visit your home in Italy. But even though I have a habit of bothering you in the past, I have always found myself quite taken with you.
At this point, the female stopped reading, letting out a small giggle. The handwriting was slanted and written in an even cursive. It seemed like the letter had been well thought out.
By this point, I am sure I have made you curious as to the point of this letter. I will tell you. I spent a long time talking to your brother these last few days of school, and even owled your mother for permission for what I am about to do.
An eyebrow was risen. Was this what she believed it to be?
In accordance with the pureblood laws the both of us have had drilled into our minds for years. I have gotten the permission from your brother, as the male who will become Lord Zabini, to enter into a courtship ritual with you. From the time you read this letter, the ritual will begin. As you know, I may not speak to you or be alone with you for exactly one week.
Now she looked looked at her watch. It was a Friday, and four in the afternoon. So she had until next Friday at four pm to make a decision.
You know how the ritual will go, but it is custom to explain it anyway, so I shall take some time to tell you.
Tomorrow morning, there will be an owl awaiting you when you awake. This owl will hold a small box along with a letter. This gift will be something that will be specific to you, to show that I understand you and who you are.
On the second day, when you sit down to lunch, a house elf will bring you another letter, and a box. This gift will be something to show you a side of me no one else sees.
The third day, your brother will take you aside, and tell you about me in school, as it is required that I give you a show of character. Now I know you have seen me in school. But Blaise will tell you about why I have acted as I have.
The fourth day, an owl will bring you something. This something will be a symbol of us as a couple, though we have never been anything more than friends. If I may be as bold as to call us that.
The fifth day, a proof of wealth is required, to show that I am capable of taking care of you. You and I both know that I am. But a custom is a custom, and it must be followed, you should expect an owl at midday.
The sixth day, you will get a gift specific to me. This gift is to show that I trust you with my heart. I will not tell you when the gift will arrive, as the time of day is as important to the gift itself.
On the seventh day, at the proper time, I will arrive at your house, with mother. I will finish the courtship ritual, and await your response, nervously.
Now, Katterina, My dear, if you have reached this point of the letter and have not thrown it aside in disgust, I would like you to take a look back over it, and read it once more, taking care to focus on the writing and not the words, as I know your mind will not register it the first time.
I hope you appreciate the time I have put into this and the next week, and know I have opened myself up to in a way I have not for any other person.
Yours fondly,
Draco Abraxas Severus Malfoy
After finishing the letter, Hermione looked it over once more, and her eyes teared up when she realized it had been written in Italian. Draco was multilingual, but he did not speak enough Italian to be able to write the letter without having to put much work into it. She smiled to herself, blinking away the tears.
"Mione. You Ok? What's that?" Ron said, reaching for the letter. Hermione snarled at the blood traitor, pulling the letter away from him roughly.
"Don't you dare touch it!" She said at him, eyes flashing with anger. The others all shared looks, and Hermione pulled out her wand, taping the letter, casting preservation spells on it. Then she folded it carefully along the already made creases and tucked it into her book.
The train lurched to a stop, and Hermione stood, pulling her trunk down. She shrunk it with a tap of her wand, and slipped it into the pocket of her robes. She held the book to her chest, and ignored Ron, Harry, and Ginny who were calling to her as she walked away. They followed her from the train, watching as she walked over to Blaise Zabini.
"What is she doing with that Slytherin?" Ron demanded. Ginny took a pair of extendable ears that she had knicked from the twins the summer before, and the group snuck around, feeding the ear near their friend.
"-and Brother, please, tell Draco that that was absolutely the sweetest thing he has ever done. And if it wouldn't nullify the courtship ritual I would have gone up to him, and kissed him."
The others all shared looks.
"Brother?" Harry asked, at the same time Ginny spoke.
"Courtship ritual?" She asked.
Ron's face grew red. "She's been hiding things, that one. And we will find out soon." He swore.
A.N.: OK. Well, I think I like the way this chapter turned out more than the first time I wrote it, originally Ginny had been the one to find them, and had ended up being obliviated, though the rest of the chapter would have ended up similar to this. I hope you all liked it, and the courtship idea! It was just something that popped into my mind. Another slight cliffhanger at the end of this chapter! Not sure when I will write chapter four. Probably after I update my other stories. Review and let me know what you thought!
~Tessa