Chapter 26 – Katie Bell

Awkward was an understatement watching Lavender swoon and fawn over Ron while Hermione buried her nose in a book to avoid the nauseating amounts of girlish giggling. They weren't talking, Ron noticed and didn't get it, making Lizzie want to throw her fist hard into his face. Seamus seemed to be giving Ron a grin of approval, happy he was blushing from his first relationship, Lizzie snipped at him for this.

"Don't encourage it," she hissed under her breath at Seamus.

"Why?" He asked. She eyeballed Hermione.

"Oh Liz, you really think?" He asked, obviously being blind to their compatibility too.

"Of course I really think, I know both of them better than anyone. Don't encourage this Lavender phase, as far as I'm concerned it's snogging practice," she muttered.

"So you're going to break them up?" He asked incredulously.

"Yeah, if I can," she admitted without an ounce of shame for saying so.

"You're shameless," he laughed.

"That's not even a little bit true," she retorted.

Seamus snuck Lizzie up to the boys dormitory while the others went down to Hogsmeade.

"Smells like socks in here," Lizzie said with a turned up nose.

"Well, yeah, I'm nose blind to it, sorry," he said awkwardly.

"So what are we doing up here, Seamus?" She asked innocently, growing increasingly amused by look on his face.

"Oh-um.. well. I was, I was thinking," but he stopped talking when he noticed the sideways grin she couldn't conceal.

"I'm sorry, that was mean. I'm not stupid. Which one is yours?" She asked, looking at the beds.

Seamus smiled and laughed with a bit of relief, but gave her a slightly reproving look. He walked her over to the one across from them, farthest from the door and sat down with her hips in his hands. Lizzie bowed her head over his to kiss him with his face in her hands.

"That is what I was thinking, actually," he said quietly, and she kissed him again with the corners of her mouth curled up in a devilish smile. Seamus pulled her up into his lap and kissed her neck, untying the hair she had up in a short French braid. It fell in waves around her shoulders, the ends grazed her collar bones as she pulled off her maroon cardigan.

"You want to do this then?" He asked, breaking free from a kiss.

Lizzie sighed and slumped her shoulders in an exaggerated fashion. "Well now that you ask, maybe not..." she said facetiously. No sooner her fake pout turned into a telling grin. He rolled his eyes and picked her up, setting her back down on her back. She unbuttoned his shirt and his waistband and her heart started thudding violently as he kissed her neck and side of her face. "Seamus?" She whispered.

"What?" He said between kissing her neck.

"Please don't set me on fire," she said in his ear. He bucked his head back incredulously and smirked at the laughter she immediately she broke out into. He pushed her back onto the bed a little assertively and climbed on top.

Breathe, she thought to herself. Lizzie swallowed each breath in an effort to suppress each heart beat until she felt more in control. The encounter at Malfoy Manor was so physically painful on every level she'd blacked most of it out. Before that was Malfoy, which she couldn't bring herself to fully enjoy even when the adrenaline rush was welcome at the height of the sedative withdrawals. Before him was her uncle. Before him was Whalen. Before him was Cedric the night before the final task. It had been awhile, and she forgot what doing this on her terms felt like.

This isn't how it felt with Cedric, she thought. Or is it? Has it been too long? She contemplated. No complaints, it's just not the same, that's ok, doesn't have to be, she conceded. Seamus felt her skin shudder under the touch and pulled a blanket desperately hoping she was just cold.

She thought his hands felt nice, warm and inviting and focused on them. Her face was locked on his and he pushed her legs apart, the rush went through her body, it didn't hurt, and her body responded invitingly.

He was done, she could tell, and suddenly she couldn't keep her muscle memory from trembling, as though she was about to purge a bunch of neck-tie sized snakes from the base of her stomach.

"Are you alright, Liz?" He asked with genuine concern, but she couldn't move her mouth and started to panic. He got up and sat at the edge of the bed, unsure if he should touch her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered finally as the feelings subsided. "Just need a minute, I'm sorry."

"Don't be... are the..." he started to ask.

"The rumors that those death eaters raped me true?" She asked, already knowing what was going through his head, but he was silent.

"No, they didn't... he did. Not that he wasn't planning on letting them though," she said quickly, just to get it out into the air before she could hesitate.

"Lizzie - I'm -" he said, looking scared. She sat up, pulling on her knickers with her shirt hanging unbuttoned over her shoulders. She kissed his face and neck. He pushed her back to look at her more closely and she could sense that he wanted to know more.

"It was part of a curse. Probably the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I'm no stranger to being used like that, but it was..." Lizzie shook her head, "heinous," she said with a broken voice and laid back down on the bed.

"It's ok if you don't want to do this again," he said. Lizzie shook her head.

"Come here," she whispered, pulling his arm toward her. She positioned herself under him and kissed him softly.

"I'm not going to shrivel up in a ball at every touch. Least of all because of him," she said. He rubbed her face and kissed her for several minutes until she heard a thud coming up the stairs to the dormitories. Lizzie dived under the covers as Seamus pulled his shirt over his head and buttoned his jeans.

He appeared obviously flustered when Ron walked in. "Sorry, Mate," Ron said awkwardly thinking he'd walked in on a much more solo intimate moment. Seamus buried his face into his hands.

"Seen Lizzie?" Ron asked. "Didn't see you two go down to Hogsmeade, came back up to get a jacket for Lavender, she wants to wear one of mine," Ron explained.

Lizzie choked on an involuntary laugh that Ron recognized.

"She here?" Ron asked, whipping his head around incredulously.

"What, no, girls dorm, wanted to change," Seamus said awkwardly. Ron looked him over knowing he was lying.

"She's under the covers isn't she? Liz, come out," he demanded.

Lizzie laughed, "I can't, you need to leave first," she said from under the covers.

"You two didn't - did you?" Ron asked, gaping.

"Well - I mean - " Seamus started to explain.

"Lizzie, you're ok, right?" Ron asked protectively.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Seamus asked indignantly.

"Well, you didn't set her on fire did you?" Ron asked and Lizzie laughed maniacally and uncontrollably from under the covers.

"Ron, bloody get out so I can get dressed!" Lizzie shouted, still laughing. She heard him walking out and quickly pulled on her clothes.

"Hogsmeade?" Seamus asked. Lizzie chuckled and nodded. They left the room to a reproving look from Ron she found extremely amusing.

"Tell Dean if he brings Ginny up here, I'll behead him," Ron snapped at Seamus and he chuckled back in understanding.

Seamus and Lizzie made it down for a last round of butter beer at the Three Broomsticks with Hermione, Dean, and Ginny. Ron and Lavender were the notable couple off in the corner together this time, and Lizzie felt the surge of anger and betrayal from Hermione who shot them disapproving looks every several minutes.

Lizzie noticed, and wasn't sure why she noticed, that Malfoy and his loyal band of idiot followers weren't skulking about Hogmeade. Her mind quickly became preoccupied with what he was doing these days that didn't involve quidditch, keeping up with his assignments, or intimidating classmates with his self proclaimed royalty status. Every time she brought it up to Ron or Hermione they chalked it up to him keeping a low profile since his father was imprisoned. Seamus seemed to pick up on her absentness easily recently, she could tell it bothered him but he that he felt ashamed to say anything considering the ordeal she had been through.

Lizzie was soon distracted from her rampaging thoughts by Katie Bell and her friend Leanne coming out of the bathroom of the Three Broomsticks in a hurry. Katie practically collided with Lizzie when she turned around to inspect the commotion and protests from Leanne.

"Katie?" Lizzie asked, eyeing her skeptically. Terror is what she most picked up on, and an odd glimpse of a thought involving Malfoy and Rosemerta that she couldn't make out. Lizzie got up and followed them out, grabbing for Seamus's sleeve and Hermione's hand.

Lizzie walked as quickly as the short layer of snow would allow her to keep up with Katie and Leanne. The others trailed behind.

"Katie!" Lizzie shouted and Leanne turned around.

"I don't know what's wrong with her! Katie no, don't touch it, you don't know what it is!" She yelled. Lizzie backed up quickly when Katie was launched high in the air, emitting an ear splitting scream that sent a startling wave down everyone's spine. She fell like a limp ragdoll back to the ground and twitched and writhed uncontrollably. Lizzie rushed forward to help her, where she noticed an oddly familiar necklace exposed from a set of wrappings Katie was just holding.

Leanne rushed for help and came back with Hagrid. The aurors that stalked Lizzie escorted the group back to the castle. Katie was swiftly taken to St. Mungos in a critical condition while the others were sent to McGonagall's office.

"Lizzie, for the love of God," McGonagall said exasperated. "Always, honey, always you," she ranted in frustration. Lizzie sulked her head.

"Is Katie going to be alright?" She asked, worry coursing through her veins.

"Miss Bell is lucky to be alive, she did not get enough of this curse to be fatal, but if she had held onto this longer, she would have no doubt died on the scene," Snape explained.

"Leanne, where did she find this, where was she taking it?" McGonagall asked nervously.

"She came out of the bathroom at the pub with it, I asked her what it was but she was in a hurry to deliver it to..." Leanne explained, but became increasingly anxious.

"To whom, Leanne?" McGonagall asked.

"Professor Dumbledore," she admitted reluctantly. Lizzie noticed Snape's demeanor shift dramatically.

"I know Katie, I've been on the team with her for six years, off the pitch she wouldn't hurt a fly, there's no way she did this willingly. She must have been cursed," Lizzie explained.

"Yes, she was no doubt cursed," McGonagall agreed.

"I... well I think it was Malfoy," Lizzie interjected and the others all grew uncomfortable.

"That's a serious accusation, Lizzie, what evidence..." McGonagall said.

"I caught a glimpse of him and Rosemerta..." she started to explain.

"They were there then?" McGonagall asked.

"I'm sorry, I should clarify, I caught a glimpse from Katie when she ran into me on her way out of the pub. I sensed a panic and then caught a glimpse of Draco and Rosemerta,"

"By glimpse you mean... legilimens?" Snape asked. Lizzie nodded and the others looked between themselves surprised, she'd been keeping the ability to herself.

"I'm afraid that's not nearly reliable enough to make an accusation," Snape said harshly.

"I just know..." Lizzie tried to continue, but Snape cut her off.

"We will investigate and deliberate, Potter, need not any input from you, regardless of whether or not you are the chosen one," Snape berated. Lizzie looked to McGonagall, who seemed to carry some suspicion for Malfoy, but waved them off nonetheless.

"Care to explain the obsession?" Seamus asked, and Lizzie could tell he was conflicted about something.

"With what?" She asked.

"With Malfoy," he said reluctantly.

Lizzie rolled her eyes, "I'm not obsessed, I just know he's up to something," she insisted.

"But - you look for him on the map, you stop when you catch sight of him, what's going on?" He asked.

"Look I was held hostage in his home, his father was complicit in everything I went through from the Chamber ordeal to the graveyard, to the ministry. His father is a death eater, I know for a fact Vold - you know - isn't pleased with him, and I'm more than willing to bet he's targeting Draco to get into the castle. From the sound of it they're after Dumbledore, but he attacked me on the train at the start of term and I'm sure they wouldn't be opposed if he can snag a two for one deal with me included," she explained.

"What do you mean he attacked you?" Seamus asked.

"He hit me hard and cast a body bind hoping I would end up back in London and fresh up for kill when I got there, it's why I was late to the feast, Tonks found me before the train left," Lizzie explained.

"How did he manage that?" Seamus asked.

"I was eavesdropping in his cabin under the cloak," she admitted.

"Really? Because that sounds to me like it stems directly from an obsession on your end," Seamus accused.

"Well, I mean, Ron and Hermione told me he was acting odd in diagon alley, took a detour to Borgin and Berkes and threatened Borgin, I just figured..." she explained.

"That's all you went on?" He asked.

"Well that and he... he..." Lizzie wanted to explain but couldn't get the words out.

"He what?" Seamus asked, equal parts angry and concerned.

"Last term he...threatened to turn me in about my godfather, get me locked up and him executed. Cuddled up to Umbridge, she let him assign all these detentions... he just used it as a power trip, coerced me into doing… things… with him. I tried to manipulate the ordeal at least partially to my advantage and it sort of worked... but now he's out for the kill apparently, and I'm just trying to protect my own arse and stay ahead of it if I can... I know he's behind this. I know Voldemort knows what he did because he spent nine days in my head. Like I said, I just know..." she explained quickly, talking as fast as she could. Seamus looked shocked.

"Well say something please," she said after a few moments of silence.

"You really let him? I mean of all the things..." Seamus said gaping at the thought.

"I didn't let him, I mean I did, at one point I wanted to make him think I was as preoccupied with him as he was of me… so I could muster whatever intelligence out of him I could considering there wasn't an easy way out of the predicament. Couldn't go to Umbridge, and nobody else could do anything about it without her approval... she'd just chalk it up to attention seeking behavior and probably try to expel me. I couldn't risk Sirius getting caught, he was hiding at the headquarters of the Order, that would have been a disaster. I wasn't in the best place myself either... so yeah I let it happen. I told you I wasn't a stranger to being used. It didn't carry the same punch when you're just used to turning over yourself like that anyway," she said erratically.

"What do you mean? Used to it? That was before -" he asked incredulously.

"Damn it, Seamus! You don't know everything there is to know about me, nobody does. I know there's a lot of information circling all these years and some of it I will admit is true, but I'm not an open book... I was raised by fucked up religious sociopaths, by the time I slept with Cedric I'd already been raped for years by my uncle, his friend, and the chaplain at the school I attended. All dead by the way, and all my doing... you don't become an obscurial without some really screwed up circumstances at play. The abuse wasn't unheard of either, was just easier and less consequential to do to a little girl without a family to intervene. With Malfoy I thought I could at least leverage it, feed into his own weaknesses, figure out through him what was going on since Dumbledore shut me out... judge me all you want to, it wasn't my golden moment or anything, but I mean it's done, so..." she continued.

"He deserves to be expelled for that, Lizzie," Seamus said finally, having a hard time wrapping his mind around the premise. "I mean my God, what is wrong with people?" He asked, the gravity sinking in.

Lizzie walked up to him and put her arms up around his neck. "Don't dwell on it, but I'm a heaping pile of trauma and I completely understand if that's not something you want to be close with. I'm not by any means obsessed with him personally, I'm just preoccupied with staying alive," she reassured. He looked down at her face and clenched his jaw, but nodded, rubbed the side of her face, and kissed her gently.