Hermione sighed as they traveled her final trip to Hogwarts for the new
school year. She was graduating this year. But her mind was still on the
events of the past year. Her cousin had disappeared April 10. In June they
had finished the school year, then she had gone home for the summer, and
she had to explain to her mother what had happened. She had gone to the
Burrow a couple of weeks before, and now they were on their way back to
school.
She still couldn't believe Kitty was dead. It just didn't seem possible. Draco hadn't been the same since that night, he had stood up after she disappeared and walked out of the hall, never speaking to anyone again. Snape too had stopped talking to people. Other than when he had to teach, he never spoke to anyone.
"Hermione, are you all right?"
She turned and looked back at the others in the room. "I'm fine Ron, really.
"You're thinking about Kat aren't you?" Harry asked softly.
"I still can't believe she's gone." She said looking out the window once more.
"None of us can, that's what makes this so hard."
"Draco?" she asked looking up at the compartment door.
"It's our last year, I've come to propose a truce. Katia wouldn't want us to fight anymore."
"Your right. Friends?"
"Friends." He replied.
Ron looked around at his sister, best friends, and Draco. "I can't believe I'm doing this, but alright."
"For Kat." Ginny agreed.
Harry nodded his head slightly in agreement.
"All right, well I'll be going then."
"Draco wait. Stay with us." She said softly.
He raised one eyebrow, but said nothing.
"Please, what better way to start a friendship?" she continued.
"All right, I suppose I could stay." He replied as Ginny moved over so he could sit down.
~*~*~*~*~
The five stayed together all the way to the school, even taking the same carriage. As they arrived at the school they continued talking until they reached the Great Hall.
"Did you guys hear that?" Ron asked slowly.
"Hear what?" Ginny asked
"I thought I heard Snape's voice. He was talking to someone, I could have sworn that the voice was familiar."
"I think you are hearing things Ron." Hermione said with a smile as they walked into the room.
Then they heard laughter ring out in the room, causing Draco to stop dead in his tracks.
"Draco?" Harry asked concerned.
"Dear Merlin, Katia." He whispered. Everyone followed his gaze to the head table.
"Oh my." Hermione said as her knees gave out and Harry caught her as she fell.
Kat looked up when she felt the familiar magic in the room. She smiled softly at them. "I'll see you later Papa." She said with a smile, then walked around the table.
Draco walked slowly down the path to the head table. "Is it really you?" he asked softly.
"Aye, tis me. I've been in the village trying to find a way to fix things."
"Have you fixed things."
"As much as I can for now. I'll have to go occasionally, but I'm still here. Eventually I'll get things back to the way they were, somehow."
"I can handle that." He replied softly. "I think I like the real you." He continued brushing the stray lock behind her ear.
"I'm glad. I love you Draco." She whispered placing her arms around his neck.
"I love you too." He replied. "And I'm so glad you're alive."
"Me too, me too."
She still couldn't believe Kitty was dead. It just didn't seem possible. Draco hadn't been the same since that night, he had stood up after she disappeared and walked out of the hall, never speaking to anyone again. Snape too had stopped talking to people. Other than when he had to teach, he never spoke to anyone.
"Hermione, are you all right?"
She turned and looked back at the others in the room. "I'm fine Ron, really.
"You're thinking about Kat aren't you?" Harry asked softly.
"I still can't believe she's gone." She said looking out the window once more.
"None of us can, that's what makes this so hard."
"Draco?" she asked looking up at the compartment door.
"It's our last year, I've come to propose a truce. Katia wouldn't want us to fight anymore."
"Your right. Friends?"
"Friends." He replied.
Ron looked around at his sister, best friends, and Draco. "I can't believe I'm doing this, but alright."
"For Kat." Ginny agreed.
Harry nodded his head slightly in agreement.
"All right, well I'll be going then."
"Draco wait. Stay with us." She said softly.
He raised one eyebrow, but said nothing.
"Please, what better way to start a friendship?" she continued.
"All right, I suppose I could stay." He replied as Ginny moved over so he could sit down.
~*~*~*~*~
The five stayed together all the way to the school, even taking the same carriage. As they arrived at the school they continued talking until they reached the Great Hall.
"Did you guys hear that?" Ron asked slowly.
"Hear what?" Ginny asked
"I thought I heard Snape's voice. He was talking to someone, I could have sworn that the voice was familiar."
"I think you are hearing things Ron." Hermione said with a smile as they walked into the room.
Then they heard laughter ring out in the room, causing Draco to stop dead in his tracks.
"Draco?" Harry asked concerned.
"Dear Merlin, Katia." He whispered. Everyone followed his gaze to the head table.
"Oh my." Hermione said as her knees gave out and Harry caught her as she fell.
Kat looked up when she felt the familiar magic in the room. She smiled softly at them. "I'll see you later Papa." She said with a smile, then walked around the table.
Draco walked slowly down the path to the head table. "Is it really you?" he asked softly.
"Aye, tis me. I've been in the village trying to find a way to fix things."
"Have you fixed things."
"As much as I can for now. I'll have to go occasionally, but I'm still here. Eventually I'll get things back to the way they were, somehow."
"I can handle that." He replied softly. "I think I like the real you." He continued brushing the stray lock behind her ear.
"I'm glad. I love you Draco." She whispered placing her arms around his neck.
"I love you too." He replied. "And I'm so glad you're alive."
"Me too, me too."