Catherine's POV
My little rebellion grew well with the following months. Most of Dumbledore's Army had joined. And we shared information, seeing if we could think of anything my father would use as a horcrux, but nothing would come to mind. Which was frustrating.
"What's got your knickers in a twist?" Draco asked as we were relaxing in the Slytherin common room with our friends. "You're doing a lot better than I am at recruiting."
"It's not that, Draco." I said as I leaned into him. The separation since the beginning of the year has not been the most pleasant, as I found myself waking from nightmares, reaching for him and finding nothing but air. I've even rolled off the bed a few times thinking I was turning into Draco. It was not pleasant, and Daphne and Pansy weren't that happy either.
"You're supposed to be taking dreamless sleep, Cat." Pansy snapped out, assuming this was my problem. And I was gonna bloody well roll with it.
"I don't want to become dependent on it." I said. We've had this conversation repeatedly. And it had become old rather quickly.
"Well listening to you scream in the middle of the night, only to find you curled up and crying for Draco is getting old." Daphne said. I sighed.
"Why aren't you using silencing charms?" Blaise asked. We all turned to him and I groaned.
"Why didn't I think of that?! I shut my fucking curtains every night, it wouldn't be hard! Bloody hell I'm stupid." I said as I buried my face in my hands.
"I'm surprised Draco didn't suggest it to you. It's what he's been doing since the third night back." Blaise said. "He'd been having awful nightmares, fell out of bed once because of them." Draco turned red and huffed while I smiled sadly.
"Glad to know I'm not the only one." I giggled lightly. "Looks like we got to used to sharing a bed." I said as a gently bumped Draco. "Hey, think we could get Papa to let us move to the Room of Requirement?"
"Bloody hell no." Draco said. "In case you forgot, he's been wanting to hex my bollocks off for months since he found out we'd shagged."
"Well, that and walking in on the aftermath of our last shag back in July." I said with a proud smile.
"He walked in on you?" Pansy asked. I shook my head.
"Oh no. If he had, he'd probably have actually hexed off not only Draco's bollocks, but his prick as well. No, we were in the post cuddle stage when Papa walked in." I leaned into Draco again. "Though we haven't shagged in bed since. Father's orders."
"Bummer." Blaise said. I shrugged.
"It's really okay. I still got to share a room with Draco, and it was bloody fantastic." I said.
"So what was living with the Dark Lord like?" Pansy asked.
"Dark. Gloomy. I may have said Umbridge was a dementor, but living with my father is worse. I'm surprised I got away with half the shite I got away with." I said. "But we've bonded, and it's nice to have him back." The bile in the back of my throat was hard to swallow back down with that lie.
"Terrifying." Draco admitted. "Took months before I could actually talk to Kitty like a normal person without getting threatened to be hexed for 'disrespecting' her."
"I cursed a few for that." I said with a shrug. "Is there anything happy we can talk about?" I asked. "Living with my father isn't really patronus material."
"Weren't you going to teach me the Patronus Charm?" Draco asked. I nodded.
"Yeah, I was. But we ended up not really having the proper time to do so. I can start on breaks I'm not with my group." I said, stretching a little before shifting and sitting in Draco's lap.
So the next break the two of us had that didn't involve recruiting people for 'the cause', Draco and I went outside to the edge of the forest. No one would question a Death Eater and the Dark Lord's Daughter, so it was perfect.
"Alright, first things first, I'm not a good teacher like Potter was. Say what you want, but he got fucking results. But I'm going to try my best." Draco nodded. "Good. So what you need first, is a happy memory. And not any happy memory. Getting an O in all your owls is not going to be strong enough unless your Granger. I mean a moment where the only thing you felt was happiness, true bliss, true joy. Sort through your thoughts until you find it, and tell me when you're ready." I waited, but it didn't take long for Draco to say he was ready.
"Alright. Let that memory take hold, fill you with the feeling you had then, and then, say Expecto Patronum, clearly." Draco did, but with his wand and it didn't even spark. I rolled my eyes. "Alright, maybe I should have done the pronunciation of the spell first. So let's step back and work on that. Wand down." Draco glared.
"I'm not a bloody idiot, Kitty." Draco said with a pout. I smiled slowly.
"Oh, but you are my dear Dragon. And an absolute git. Pretty arrogant too. Oh, and cowardly. But they're you, and I love them anyways." Draco turned bright red. "Now say it with me. Expecto Patronum." We practiced the word pronunciation for half an hour, Draco getting completely pissed before he just whipped out his wand and shouted it. And it was strong. Maybe not the memory he chose, but his pronunciation was perfect.
"Alright." I said. "Now repeat what you just did, maybe not as loudly, just firm, and pick your happiest memory." Draco rolled his eyes, but did so. The patronus came from his wand as a shield, before taking an animal shape. Draco glared at the little patronus ferret that floated around him while I burst out laughing.
"It's not bloody funny." Draco growled. I continued to giggle.
"Oh but Draco it's brilliant!" I giggled, before taking a deep breath and smiling. "If you wouldn't mind me picking your brain, may I ask which memory you picked?" Draco blushed. "I'll tell you the one I used my first time casting the charm."
"What did you choose?" Draco asked. I smiled as I kissed his cheek, breaking his concentration completely and the patronus disappeared.
"Our first Christmas together, fifth year." I said, before casting my patronus, watching my cat take form. "It's still one of my strongest." Draco swallowed loudly.
"Our first kiss at King's Crossing, fourth year." Draco blurted out. I turned to him slowly, watching his face turn a dark red. "That's the memory I chose." I felt my heart flutter and my patronus broke as I felt tears begin to surface. Draco noticed and quickly pulled me into his arms. "Shite, Kitty what's wrong? What'd I do?" He asked, freaking the fuck out. I just shook my head.
"Happy." Was all I said as I cried into his shoulder. I don't remember the last time I cried because I was happy, but this would probably be my new patronus memory.
The months went by, but there was no new information on Harry or horcruxes. And when Christmas came, I returned to Malfoy Manor with Draco. It wasn't happy, and when I saw Death Eaters leading Luna to the dungeons, I almost flipped.
"What the bloody hell are you doing!?" I yelled.
"The Quibbler's been writing Anti-Voldermort propaganda. We're hoping that this will make her father turn Potter into us." One of the men said. I growled, but took his place.
"I'll bring her on my own. She doesn't need two of you." And I turned to her. "Are you okay Luna? They didn't hurt you too badly did they?" I asked as I escorted her to the dungeon.
"No, I'm okay, thank you though." I frowned.
"I'm sorry Luna." I whispered as we entered the dungeon. "I'll make sure your father is safe, alright?" Luna smiled and nodded.
"Thank you, Cat." Luna said.
"I'll be back down with food for you, alright?" I said. Luna nodded again and I left, glaring at everyone I passed. "Lolli." I snapped out. The house elf was quick to me. "Be a dear for me. Our new prisoner, Luna Lovegood, keep an eye on her. If she needs something, tell me immediately."
"Yes, Lady Catherine." And Lolli left. Draco saw me and stopped.
"Cat?" He asked.
"He kidnapped Luna." I bit out. Draco's eyes widened.
"He did what?" He asked. My eyes snapped to him, and Draco actually flinched away.
"You heard me the first time. Now if you don't mind, I'm heading out to the garden to let my anger out so I don't accidently kill someone." I growled and that's where I went, casting strong, destructive spells before Lolli came and said that Luna requested some company. I hurried, Draco tagging along as we went down, with food as I had promised.
"Hello Cat, Draco." She said with her usual sort of lazy smile. "How are you?"
"Pissed that you're here because it's all bollocks." I said, taking a deep breath.
"I'm alright..." Draco said as he watched me carefully.
"You don't have to be angry, Catherine. But thank you for worrying about me." She nodded with a smile. "No matter what anyone at school says or thinks, you really are a kind person." I smiled.
"I'm glad you think that, Luna." I said. And from there, conversation between the three of us calmed. Draco and I would go talk to Luna frequently during our holidays, until it was time for Draco and I to return to Hogwarts.
"Luna, if you need anything, ask Lolli. I've asked her to watch after you." She nodded and I hugged her tightly. "When all of this is over, I hope we can be proper friends." I said.
"Aren't we proper friends already?" She asked. I smiled and nodded as a tear went down my face.
"Yeah, we are." I said as I wiped the tear away. Luna then hugged Draco.
"You're a good man Draco. Don't let your father control who you are." She said, and I smiled as Draco looked completely shocked. He gave her a quick hug back and we left back to school. First thing I did was update my group on what was happening.
"He kidnapped Luna!" Neville yelled. I nodded, irritation reflooding my veins.
"Yes, but I have one of Draco's house elves watching after her. I can't risk freeing her, but she'll at least be taken care of and comfortable as possible." I said. "Lolli will tell me if anything changes, as will Kreacher."
"So what do we do now?" Ginny asked. I shrugged.
"We wait and see if an opening arises." I said as I leaned back. "You've managed to get in contact with Aberforth, correct? He agreed to help?" I asked. Neville nodded.
"Yes." He said. "He said he'll help in any way that he can." I sighed.
"Thank Merlin."
LUNA FRIENDSHIP! Like seriously, who doesn't want to be friends with Luna? I do! She'd be so fun to talk to and hang out with!
