Chapter Fifteen

Draco felt Kate shaking uncontrollably in his arms when he carried her from the Temple. She was on her back, looking up at him with deadened eyes. Slowly, life returned to the peculiar green pools.

"Draco? Is it you?" she murmured as Draco gently set her on the bed.

"Happy birthday, Katie," he said softly, smoothing her hair away from her face.

"You remembered."

"Of course I did." He kissed her forehead.

"Why did you come back? I thought…" You were a Death Eater…

"I was, Kate. But I couldn't do it anymore. I had to see you." Draco rummaged around for a blanket, finally finding one draped over a chair. Carefully, he covered her with it, tucking it behind her shoulders. "Go to sleep, Katie. I'll be here. Always," he said into her ear, kissing it. He could barely keep his hands off her. He just wanted to hold her hand; to stay in contact with her in some way. Draco settled for holding her hand while she slept, watching her breath. In awhile, he felt awkward, watching her in her sleep so he gingerly lay next to her. Never letting go of her hand.

The gray early morning light settled around Kate's face and she woke. Draco's warm hand was still wrapped around her own. She'd opened the Box. The horrible memory of the night before dawned on her. Panicked, Kate jumped from the bed and ran to the window. She could see the Garden from it. It looked okay. The Garden wasn't burnt down or anything. It looked safe.

Kate turned around. Draco was awake and laying on his side, watching her. "I've missed you, Katie. My Katie."

She moved and sat on the bed next to him. They were still in their clothes from the day before. Kate rested her hand on Draco's jaw. "You've changed, Draco. I mean, you're different. Older, I guess." His platinum hair had grown and rested just on his collar but his face stayed just as smooth as ever.

"You've changed too. But in a good way."

She had changed. Her dark hair was the same warm coffee brown color but her eyes glowed with a matured, intelligent radiance that was different from the childlike, naïve ones he knew like the back of his hand. When she saw him, her smile washed over him like a gentle wave in a lake. Kate laughed. "I'm glad you like it."

Draco glanced around the room, seeing Harry's belongings packed and ready to go in trunks. "When do you have to leave?" he nodded to the trunk.

Kate shook her head. Draco wasn't going to like what he was about to hear. But Kate didn't care. He'd left her. Not the other way around. "I don't know. Probably not for a few weeks at least."

"Then whose stuff is that?" He didn't touch her now.

"It's Harry's." Kate looked him in the eye. She didn't have anything to be ashamed of.

"What?"

"The trunk is Harry's," she repeated.

"I heard you! I can't believe you! Harry Potter! I can't believe you slept with him! You whore!"

Kate watched herself as she slapped Draco across the face. "Don't you dare call me that. I didn't make love to Harry. Never."

Draco rubbed the red spot on his jaw where she'd hit him. "You didn't."

"No." Kate rubbed the angry tears from her eyes.

"Thank Merlin," he sighed and attempted to wrap his arms around her but she didn't budge.

"I've got to get ready to meet Harry now. Draco, I think it's best if you get out of here. Harry will be coming by soon to pick up his things. He won't want to see you here." She stood.

"I'll see you later?" Draco stood too.

Kate nodded and let Draco kiss her cheek. "Fine."

With Draco gone, Kate sat in front of a mirror. Her freshly washed hair bounced free as it dried. Kate rubbed under her eyes. She'd had a rough night. Until Draco showed up. The restless night showed on her face. It'll have to do, Kate thought as she quickly dressed and left the Tower.

She met Harry in the front lawn of Hogwarts, near the Quidditch field. He was sitting in the grass when Kate arrived, the wind whipped through his black hair. When he saw her, he tossed her a bottle of butterbeer.

"Thanks. How was the celebrating last night?" she said, twisting off the lid.

"Fine. Listen, Kate. I just wanted to say goodbye."

"Okay."

He sounded relived. "Okay, then."

They both stood and the wind whipped through their black hair, their green eyes searching out the other's. "Goodbye then, Harry." She kissed him. It was too formal; too awkward.

"Bye, Kate."

Kate didn't feel anything as she walked away from him, heading to the Garden. They had said their goodbyes the night before. The Garden was the one place he wouldn't go. Harry didn't deserve to enter it; he abandoned it knowing the consequences. And he knew it.

When the sun had set, Kate met Draco in the Tower. He was standing outside the door, hidden in shadow with the exception of his pale hair. Harry's trunks were gone and there was no note expressing his eternal love. Nothing. Secretly Kate hoped there would be one, tucked in her clothes, hidden somewhere. But there was nothing.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked from the bed where he lay.

Kate was rummaging through her clothes and makeup, looking for the hidden note. "Nothing, nothing," she murmured.

"They told me I couldn't stay, Kate."

"What? Who?"

"Dumbledore. All of them. They told me to leave before tomorrow."

"Draco. You're a Death Eater. They can't risk you being here."

"But I'm not a Death Eater! Not anymore!" He slammed his fist on the pillows.

"They don't know that, do they, Draco. You have to tell them. Offer yourself, your services to them. They'll protect you."

"Kate. You don't understand. They won't believe me."

Kate moved to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Yes, they will." I hope. She sighed as Draco wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "After all, that's what Severus did. Maybe it'll work for you too."

"Did you talk to them? How did it go?" Kate was standing outside Dumbledore's office. Draco, Dumbledore, and members of the Order were in his office. They had been in there for over an hour. Kate had almost joined them, but reconsidered. Draco needed to do this for himself. He had to save himself.

Draco shrugged. "They said they'd help. But I still have to leave. They want me to go back to the Malfoy Manor."

"Well, it's empty. Isn't it?"

Draco nodded. "I don't want to go back. Not there. Too many bad memories."

"But your father's in prison…"

"And Mother's dead. I know."

"It's safe, Draco. I think you need to trust Dumbledore and the Order. They know what they're doing."

Draco sighed and rubbed his forearm where the Dark Mark was tattooed in his skin. "If I go, will you come with me?"

In the Garden, Kate roamed for what seemed like days. If she left with Draco, she'd be abandoning the Box. Not to mention a hypocrite. She would have chosen Draco over Harry and Kate wasn't sure that's what she wanted. And if she stayed, there would be unimaginable pain when he left. She'd already lost Harry. Kate wasn't going to lose Draco twice. Finally, she found herself in the corn field where she'd seen her mother and Severus, where she most often visited her mother.

Kate heard her voice before she saw her. It was her mother. She was talking to Dumbledore. Diana was seated before Dumbledore's desk. His usually cheery eyes were serious and understanding. Kate watched from behind her black hair blowing across her face. She made no move to pull it back.

"If you have to leave, Diana, then that is what you must do."

Diana nodded. She looked down to her hands folded in her lap. She was avoiding him.

Her voice was soft, but equally fierce. "I'm taking the Arca with me, Albus."

"But, Diana, the Arca cannot leave the Garden. You could not possibly protect it alone. Without the second Guardian…"

Her mother cut him off and stood awkwardly. She was pregnant. "Watch me." Diana strode away from Dumbledore as though leaving his office. Her hand on her swollen belly, Diana passed her future daughter and winked playfully. Then with another blow of wind, was gone.