"Behave yourselves."
"Yes, mum."
"Yes, Mrs. Weasley."
She smiled. "And try to control your hormones."
"Mum!"
Mrs. Weasley blushed at her youngest son's indignation. "And don't forget to study for your exams," she continued, ushering them onto the train.
"We won't," Hermione smiled. Mrs. Weasley beamed at her, giving her and Jonathon an extra hug.
"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley," Jonathon said.
"Just have fun!" she called as the train began to pull away from the platform.
"We'll have fun alright," Kit mumbled under her breath as they all settled in a compartment.
"Is that right?" Harry asked quietly, wrapping his arm around her waist.
"Get a room," Ron said, throwing himself onto the seat opposite them.
"Okay," Kit said brightly, jumping up and pulling Harry from the compartment.
"What are you doing?" he laughed as she slammed the door closed and pressed her ear to it.
"Shh! Just listen."
Harry pressed his own ear to the door, facing Kit.
"So," they heard Ron say.
"So," Hermione said softly.
"Why did you give me those –?"
"Papers for your birthday? Because I had no use for them."
"But –"
"Did you want the whole story?" Harry and Kit exchanged a look.
Ron was quiet for a moment before he answered. "Sure."
"When Viktor showed up to save me he had papers with him. He showed them to me while we waited for some members of the Order. He told me about the prophesy and how, after I signed the papers, we would be married."
Hermione paused and Kit saw Harry's eyes moisten as the sound of Ron sliding over to Hermione and putting his arm around her echoed through the door.
"He said that I had to sign it. He would leave me there if I didn't. I didn't have a choice, Ron. I'm so sorry."
"It's okay," he whispered.
"So just before your birthday, Remus gave them to me. Said that they belonged to me, and I could do whatever I wanted with them. I was so happy. I tore them up, put them in a box, and knew I had to give them to you. I had to let you know that –"
"What are you guys doing?"
Kit and Harry jumped up, blushing, and turned to face Ginny.
"N–nothing," Harry stammered, wiping his eyes, looking between the two girls.
"Were you eavesdropping?" Ginny asked loudly.
"No!"
Kit rolled her eyes. "I dropped the back of my earring, and we were looking for it."
"I didn't know you wore earrings," Ginny said slyly.
"I didn't know you cared," Kit retorted.
Ginny's features intensified as Kit glared smugly at her.
"But we found it," Harry said as Ginny opened her mouth to say something, "so we'll be on our way."
Harry grabbed Kit's hand and pulled her away from the other girl, almost pushing her into an empty compartment.
"What are you playing at?" he hissed at her, slamming the door behind him.
Kit glared at him, refusing to answer.
"First you force me to eavesdrop on my two best friends –"
"You could've –"
"Then," he continued, ignoring her, "you go and pick a fight with –"
"She started it!" Kit shouted, drowning out his words.
"What are you going to do next?" he yelled at her, not noticing how her eyes grew wide, how she now cowered on the seat like a puppy that was about to be beaten. "How are you going to make my life more miserable than it already is? Huh? ANSWER ME!"
"Stop," she sobbed, the usual light in her golden eyes extinguished. "Please, stop yelling."
Harry froze. He knew that he had scared her, but he had not wanted to.
"Kit," he began hoarsely. "Kit, I –"
"How could you?" she breathed, getting up and making her way to the door shakily, staying as far away from him as possible.
"Kit –"
"Don't touch me," she hissed, pulling open the door. "Fuck off."
"Hey, Kit," Ron said, smiling, as he entered the carriage she was in.
"Hey," she said quietly, turning to look out the window.
"Where's Harry?"
"She shrugged, tears spilling down her cheeks.
"What's wrong?" he asked, as Ginny slid silently into the seat across from her.
"Harry and I had a –" She broke off, sobbing still staring out the window, oblivious to Ginny until she spoke.
"Really?"
Kit turned her head to glare at the youngest Weasley.
"Bugger," Ron muttered, looking fearfully between the two girls.
But Kit turned to look out the window again, and the carriage became filled with tension so intense that Ron swung open the door before it had come to a complete stop.
"Hey, guys," greeted Hermione, meeting the trio before the steps of the castle.
"Hey," they all muttered.
Hermione frowned, and then held out a hand to stop Kit, who flinched at the quick movement.
"Sorry," Hermione muttered as Harry ran up to them with Neville and Jonathon. "I didn't want you to run into the thestral."
Kit nodded.
"You can see them too?" Harry asked Hermione, but trying to meet eyes with Kit.
"Yeah," Hermione answered somewhat offhandedly, but Kit noticed her stony face.
"Who did you see die?"
"It doesn't –"
"For how long?"
"Enough questions!" Kit shouted, glaring at them all in turn, but skipping over Harry.
They all entered the Entrance Hall behind Kit, only to find Dumbledore waiting there.
"Miss Granger," he said solemnly, "could I have a word?"
Hermione nodded, and the group left her there, all proceeding up the grand staircase.
"Wonder what Dumbledore wanted," Ron said, trying to make conversation.
"Dunno," Harry said, slowing his pace as they went up a narrow staircase.
"Keep moving, Potter," Kit said behind him.
"Talk to me first," Harry said, allowing Jonathon to squeeze past him, but trapping Kit.
"Bugger off," she whispered angrily, trying to push past him.
"Talk to me, Phoenix," he pleaded.
"Phoenix?"
"Get out of it, Malfoy," Harry hissed. Malfoy ignored him.
"Phoenix … like rise from the ashes? Or rise from … you know," Malfoy said, smirking at her.
"You'd be surprised at what I can rise from, Draco," Kit said seductively.
Before Malfoy could respond, Harry had let fly a punch to Malfoy's face, sending the blonde teen backwards into the wall.
Kit turned, and, before either boy knew what was happening, slapped Harry across the face with all the rage she had been holding that night. Harry stumbled backwards, clutching the handrail for support, touching his tender cheek, watching Kit storm down the corridor through misted eyes. He turned his head and met Malfoy's eyes.
Malfoy got up and walked down the stairs. At the bottom, he looked back up at Harry with an unreadable expression on his face.
In the Great Hall, at that moment, a meeting was taking place. A meeting that would change more than one person forever.
"You have to believe me!" begged Narcissa.
"How am I supposed to believe you when your husband murdered my parents!" screamed Hermione.
Narcissa was defeated. She sank into one of the tall backed chairs of the staff table. As she laid her delicate hands upon the table, she began to sob.
"I didn't mean for that to happen," she whispered, looking down at her interlaced fingers.
"But you just stood there while they – while they –" Hermione stammered, turning away from her aunt.
"They would have killed me too," Narcissa said smally.
"Then you should have died!" Hermione screamed, turning back towards the limp figure at the staff table. "She would have died for you! YOU WERE SISTERS!"
"What?" a voice gasped from behind Hermione.
Narcissa inhaled sharply. Hermione whipped around and found a shocked Draco Malfoy standing at the doors.