Draco awoke tired and more than a little defeated the next afternoon. He understood insecurity, understood finding a part of yourself to be lacking. What he didn't understand was how something as silly as a little pudge on her stomach could cause her to react so violently when she was so confident in every other area. He frowned to himself. As he made his way to the door of the shared dormitory he noticed a much lighter hand thrown across a dark chest through the partially closed drapes around Blaise's four poster bed. He tried to ignore the small twinge of jealousy he felt at that moment. He just wanted to be able to hold her. He passed her door on his way to the commons and absently wondered if she was still in bed. Rounding the corner he was met with the sight of his contemplations, sat lazily in his favourite chair.

"It's about time you woke up," she sounded cheerful and his frown deepened.

He hadn't been able to shake his funk after she'd scrambled away from him yesterday. Seeing her now didn't help.

"Well, I'm awake now. Did you want something?" he knew his tone was snarky but he didn't care. He was frustrated and hadn't had the chance to get breakfast before he was confronted with the root of his frustration. He plopped down on a couch across from her, stretching out his body and levelling her with a bored stare, grateful that the crowd from the night before had dispersed.

If she was irritated by his snarkiness she didn't show it. Instead, he watched with slight amusement as she pretended like she wasn't checking him out. He smirked. At least there was no question as to her attraction to him. Was that it then? Did she not think that he was attracted to her. He recalled what she'd said, the way she'd spoken of it had rung with an air of repetition. Was it possible that someone had told her that? That the insecurity itself had been instilled in her?

His attention was brought abruptly back to her when she snapped her fingers in front of his face. She was standing over him and he noticed for the first time that she was wearing the tiniest shorts and an oversized t-shirt. Her legs looked amazing, long and thick.

"Draco Malfoy will you look at my face when I'm talking to you?"

He looked back at her face to see her amused expression.

"Yes Katrina, what is it?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, the telltale sign of her annoyance. Instead of responding she sat squarely on his chest. Watching him closely as his breaths became ever so slightly shallower.

"Are you going to pay attention when I speak?" she asked innocently as if she wasn't aware that he was having trouble breathing when she was virtually crushing his chest.

He narrowed his eyes in return. Just why did she think he'd put up with this nonsense after bolting away from him last night? He made a move to push her off of his chest only to find that she'd grabbed both of his hands. She tsked at him in mock disapproval.

"Now now, Malfoy, play nice."

He could see the mirth dancing in her eyes and realised she was toying with him, much as she had in class not so long ago. Ripping his hands from her grip he made another move to push her off of him only to find her straddling his waist with his hands pinned above his head. She was leaning over him, face close.

"You should ask Blaise why he got so ripped," she taunted, smiling down at the pinned boy. "I can assure you it wasn't because he liked wrestling."

He was about to resort to magic to get her off of him, his annoyance rising to new levels when she kissed him. Her kiss was demanding and he fought to bite back a moan that threatened to rip from his chest when she bit his lower lip before gently licking it. His mind felt foggy, limbs felt heavy as she carried out her torturously slow exploration of his mouth. He felt her grip on his hands loosen slightly and used her distraction to his advantage. Releasing his hands, he used them to run a gentle trail up her long legs. His nimble digits continued on their journey to grab a handful each of her ass over her barely-there cotton shorts.

When she ground her hips against him he could no longer fight the moan of pleasure that escaped him. Merlin, she felt good. She broke their kiss to look down at him, breathing noticeably laboured.

"Is that a yes then?"

"To what?" His eyes were that dark stormy grey again, voice silky and deep and she had to fight to stay on track.

She chuckled in response followed by a quick peck on the lips.

"Let me make up for last night?"

He was surprised that she was so forward, not knowing what it would entail. He couldn't deny that he was curious.

"And how do you propose to do that?"

His hands moved slowly from her ass, up her back and to their familiar place on her cheeks. He pulled her down to him for another deep kiss, more than content to spend more time underneath her, slowly exploring her body.

He broke the kiss once more to nip at her neck, wondering absently if love bites would show up on her dark complexion. Only one way to find out. He bit and sucked at her neck, hands returning to her ample bum.

"Draco," she whimpered breathlessly, her body writhing under his touch.

"Mhmm." His attention never left her neck.

"Draco, please."

He stopped then, looking up into her dark eyes, "Do you want me to stop Katrina?"

"I don't but we're in the commons in the middle of the afternoon."

"Bugger them." He said dismissively, returning his attention to her neck.

"Draacooo."

He sighed, stopping, hands resting on her hips.

"Yes, Katrina."

She loved it when he said her name, there had always been something particularly aristocratic in the way he spoke and her name felt prettier somehow when he said it.

"Go on a date with me."

When she made the proposition he already knew his answer would be yes. He knew that if things were to work out he'd need to get to know her better and what better way than to go on a date? But he wanted to make her sweat.

"And why would I do that?" he asked coolly, looking for all intents like he'd rather do anything else.

She quickly stood from his lap, looking down at him once more.

"Because," she said simply, disappearing towards her room, "I'm amazing."


He didn't know what he'd expected as a date. But it had most definitely not been this. They were hidden away inside of the Prefects Bathroom, surrounded by all manner of food and books. They were sat cross-legged on the sofa eating and talking and laughing. He'd learnt soon after his arrival that she was beloved by the elves of the castle, often giving them treats of chocolate in exchange for little tasks. Like sneaking her books, food, anything really, the room around them a testament to that. She'd talked at length about the classics of Muggle literature and her love of the muggle imagination while he had remained silent. He never spoke of his dalliances with muggle culture and had been unsure of if to divulge just how far his venture into the realm of muggle entertainment truly went. If he was being honest, she was the only one who had been aware of his fascination. They'd reminisced about their time at Hogwarts from their respective perspectives, laughing when the other gave better context to a silly moment they didn't quite understand. They'd talked about their dreams after Hogwarts and eventually they'd landed on the topic of family. He'd been the one to bring it up, saying offhandedly how he'd kill to have a sibling.

"Didn't even have to be a twin," he'd said nonchalantly, "just someone to ease the loneliness, someone to be a friend."

She'd smiled wistfully thinking of her favourite thorn in her side and he'd asked about her memories growing up. What it was like to have a brother she could always count on. Her demeanour had immediately darkened. For the first time in days she'd closed herself off to him, the stoney expression he'd seen directed at him less and less firmly in place.

"It wasn't always that way," was all she would say on the topic, refusing to so much as acknowledge any further questions about her life as a child.

He'd taken the hint, left the topic alone and instead had focused on drawing her out of the dour mood. They were sat on opposite ends of the couch, her cold feet buried under his shirt and pressed into his skin in an attempt to steal some of his warmth. Pulling them from under his shirt he yanked her feet towards him, hard, effectively dragging her body more squarely on the sofa. He quickly straddled her waist and pinned both her hands above her head. Her expression had been shocked for all of a second before she burst into uncontrollable giggles.

He was tickling her mercilessly. And no matter how she screamed, no matter how she wriggled, she couldn't escape his hand.

"Draco stop!" It was a desperate plea between peals of laughter to avert the attack.

Draco smiled down at her, unrelenting. "I don't think that I will Katrina."

When tears began to leak from her eyes he relented. Her face was flushed and she was fighting to catch her breath. Without a second thought, he kissed her, releasing her wrists in favour of lacing his fingers through hers.

Being with her felt so pure, so right.

He was completely shocked when he suddenly found himself flat on his arse, Katrina looming over him, a look of pure mischief on her face.

"Katrina," he said cautiously.

"Long live the king!" she declared before shoving him into the large sunken pool with her foot.

When he resurfaced it was to see a large goofy grin on her face which quickly devolved into a fit of giggles.

Her eyes widened to saucers when he deftly climbed out of the tub, stalking towards her.

"Draco don't!"

Her feeble attempts to run away were quickly thwarted when he grabbed her around the waist, hoisting her into the air. In a few quick strides, he was beside the pool her feet dangling close to the edge of the water.

"Any last words Katrina?"

"Don't throw me in the water!"

"Terrible last words," he said with finality before dumping her in. He watched in amusement as she struggled with her hair.

Sighing as it hung over her face she held her open hand out in the general direction she remembered him being in.

"Could you pass me my wand, please? I need to fix this," she said motioning wildly at the mass of hair on her head.

No sooner had she gotten her wand than she had righted her hair, using it to secure her long coily hair in two long braids that fell past her waist in the water. It was a style he'd never seen on her before, functioning to reveal just how long her hair really was.

Quickly stripping down to his boxers, he climbed back into the pool and waded over to her.

"You're beautiful," he'd said it barely above a whisper as he walked towards her, the water reaching just below his shoulders.

She smirked at him, "you're not the worst to look at either Draco."

"I'm serious Katrina, you are beautiful. I've thought that for as long as I could remember."

She didn't know what to say, so she continued to look at him when her back collided with an edge of the tub. She hadn't realised that she'd been backing away from him and now she was cornered between his bare chest and a side of the tub.

He reached for the bottom of her drenched sweater dress, tugging at the hem to get her attention.

"Do you plan to stay in a heavy drenched dress?" It wasn't so much a question as it was a request for her to remove it.

She paused for a moment before taking a deep breath, pulling the heavy, saturated garment over her head tossing it onto the side of the tub. She wouldn't look at him, she couldn't, not when she stood there with her ugly stomach exposed. She could feel the beginning of tears prick her eyes and she closed them quickly. She wouldn't cry in front of Draco, whether they were dating or not, it wouldn't happen.

A gentle kiss on her temple brought her gaze back to him.

"You are beautiful Katrina." His statement left no room for argument.

She didn't flinch when his hands held her by the waist but she screwed her eyes closed tightly, battling with herself to stay in the tub with him instead of fleeing. When his hands left her waist she knew that she was right, there was no way he'd want her, not looking like this. She almost jumped out of her skin when she felt his hands on her cheeks, thumbs brushing away hot tears that she hadn't noticed she'd shed. Blast it all to hell.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said gently, stroking her cheeks as he spoke.

Opening her eyes once more she looked at him, the sincerity she saw there caused her pulse to quicken. Reaching onto her toes she kissed him chastely on the lips.

"Thank you, Draco."

"For what," his voice was low again, doing nothing to help her quickened pulse.

"Accepting me," was all she said before kissing him again.

She threaded her fingers through his hair, loving the feel of the silky strands.

He responded to her touch instinctively, pressing his body into hers, wanting to feel every inch of her. He reached down to grip her waist again, loving the feel of her soft body in his hands.

Pulling away from him she tried to catch her breath. She felt his hands wander further south, coming to rest under her bum before hoisting her into the air. She needed no further invitation, wrapping her long legs around his narrow waist.

His eyes were squeezed shut, pale fingers gripping the lip of the tub tightly as he struggled to keep control of himself. He hadn't been prepared for how her bare skin would feel against his, how it would feel to have her bare legs wrapped around his waist.

Taking advantage of his distraction she nipped at his neck, a deep groan emanating from his chest as his hands returned to grip her hips tightly.

"Katrina, we-"

She silenced him with a kiss, hands on either side of his face, drawing him into her. He willingly gave into her, a hand travelling from her hip to the junction between her thighs, using the pad of his thumb to apply light, even strokes.

She threw her head back, exposing her neck and thrusting her hips into his hand seeking more friction. Applying more pressure with his thumb, he licked a trail from her collarbones to her ear.

His breath was hot and oh so tantalizing in her ear.

"We should stop, Katrina."

His actions were completely contrary to his words, burying his face into her neck he moved his hand back to her hip, holding her in place, grinding his erection into her.

"Mhmm,"

It was the sudden pop to their right that startled the two apart.

"Mipsy is sorries Missus Trina, but Mipsy is hear that big Missus 'Bini is here and is looking for Missus Trina."

Mipsy was wringing her wrinkled hands nervously, hating to be the one to have to deliver the news to her Missus.

Draco felt Katrina stiffen in his arms, before pushing him away from her.

Her face was devoid of emotion as she turned to the small elf.

"Thank you Mipsy, do not punish yourself," she said preemptively, knowing if she didn't intervene the small creature would do just that. "I will require your presence in my room after my mother has left."

The house elf seemed to cheer up at the prospect of having a task to complete for the Missus. The old elf bowed low before disappearing with another small pop.

Her face remained apathetic, her once alive eyes seeming dead. He reached for her, wanting to comfort her and she recoiled from him as if burned.

"I need to go, Draco."

"Katrina if there's something wrong, if-"

"I don't need your help Malfoy."

She pulled her damp dress over her head while still in the water, no desire to show Draco her body despite how intimate they'd just been.

She was dripping everywhere when she clambered out of the tub, quickly using a drying charm to right herself. He watched as she quickly gathered her things, no indication that she'd just shared an intimate moment with him.

As she left without so much as a word goodbye.

Draco realised that he was hurt.


She entered her dorm to find Blaise sitting alone on the edge of her bed back ramrod straight and looking dead ahead. Their mother stood in front of the window, looking down her nose at him.

"Katrina, good of you to finally join us."

As Katrina entered the room she took note of the angry imprint on her brother's face. She clenched her jaw as she turned to address her mother.

"What are you doing here mother?"

Her mother's eyes flashed dangerously but Katrina didn't care, she'd long since given up her fear of the woman.

"It would seem that your time at Hogwarts has only destroyed your manners and common sense."

When Katrina didn't respond her mother continued.

"I've come to inform you of your impending nuptials."

Looking to Blaise he showed no signs of shock. Well, that explains the slap.

"What pray tell mother, would give you the impression that I'd allow you to sell me like cattle?"

The older woman brandished her wand, closing the distance between herself and Katrina to hold the wand threateningly to her throat.

"My dear child," she said patronizingly, "as long as you're under my care, as long as you draw breath from the body that I gave you. You belong to me."

She shouldn't have been shocked, shouldn't have doubted for a second that her mother would do something like this. But she was. The knowledge that her mother was interested only in power and advancement couldn't have prepared her for the way her heart squeezed painfully in her chest.

"And who might I ask, is to be my betrothed?" she was doing her best not to be physically ill, but it was not a battle she was sure she could win.

"Terrence Higgs."

She felt her blood run cold, and she struggled to remain upright.

"Mother, I assure you I can find a better match for myself than Higgs."

Her mother laughed condescendingly, "You think I don't know of your dalliance with the Malfoy boy?"

Katrina clenched her jaw as her mother laughed again.

"While he is, in fact, a decent choice, young Mr Malfoy is spoken for. He and young Pansy are to be betrothed."

"You're lying."

A wicked smile twisted her mother's face, the older woman no doubt getting enjoyment from the whole thing.

"Why would I lie Katrina? What would I gain from such an act?"

It felt as though her mother had punched her in the gut. She knew that the older woman wasn't lying. Of all of her deplorable characteristics, her mother was a stickler for the truth.

"Terrence will be here to see you in one week's time. Ensure that you do not embarrass me, Katrina."

And then she was gone, leaving her two children a little more broken than she had found them.


Draco was in a foul mood when he returned to the commons. Katrina had been noticeably missing which only led his anger to spike.

I don't need your help Malfoy.

The words played on a loop in his head, dragging him deeper into his melancholy.

He'd gone straight to his trunk at the foot of his bed and pulled out a full bottle of firewhiskey. If she didn't want his help she wouldn't get it, he thought bitterly, taking a large swig of the bitter liquid.


She'd finally crawled out of her room a few hours later. She'd fallen asleep a mere half of an hour after her mother had left, her body exhausted from the onslaught of tears that poured out of her.

Now that she'd awoken she thought that she owed Draco some type of explanation. Even if she didn't tell him the full thing she owed him something. And it would be nice to have some comfort she thought to herself, a small smile on her lips.

She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight she was met with when she entered the commons. Draco was sat in his usual chair, a petite brunette girl straddling his lap, his hands under her short skirt.

Pansy Parkinson.

The girl in question looked up upon Katrina's entry, giggling at the pained look on her face. "Look Draco, the stupid slag's still about."

Draco's eyes slowly met hers and she knew immediately that he was drunk. His normally clear eyes were glassy and distant. He smirked when he caught her eyes.

"What are you looking at then?" he asked, words slurring together. "You don't need my help remember?"

It was an accusation, the sneer on his face relaying his true anger.

Katrina didn't say anything, couldn't respond, she simply left the commons without looking back, Pany's giggles following her through the portrait hole.

Needing to clear her head she went to the Astronomy Tower, willing the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks to remain where they were until she was well and truly alone.

She'd barely stepped foot into the tower before she collapsed to her knees, large sobs wracking her body. A small pop to her left alerted her to the small elf's presence and she struggled to get her crying under control.

"Mipsy is come to Missus Trina earlier but Missus Trina was sleeps."

"That's okay Mipsy," she said, voice cracking with emotion, "I just have a favour to ask of you."

She made her request and Mipsy had quickly returned with the broom in question in hand. It was her own broom. Blaise had bought it for her some years ago as a joke, knowing her aversion to flight. She'd never flown it, not once. But she knew that simply sitting on the balcony wouldn't be enough of an escape for her at this moment. She needed to go. She needed to fly.

She dismissed the small elf and mounted the broom, feet planted to the ground with fear. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, an action meant to calm when an image of Draco and Pansy flashed before her eyes. With a final sob, she took to the air, wanting desperately to run away from her problems.

The strong wind whipped her two braids over her shoulders and Katrina could admit to herself that she'd never felt freer. She understood now, why so many witches and wizards loved flying. It was exhilarating! Laughing she threw her arms into the air, closing her eyes and relishing in the freedom the sensation brought.

Opening her eyes once more to take in the beauty of the night she screamed. She tried to swerve, tried to dodge the massive tree but she had been too late. She rammed straight into it, the front part of her broom splintering on impact. And then she was falling. Weightless, with no control of her body, the cold hand of fear gripping the base of her spine.

And then it was black.