It's almost summer at Hogwarts but things weren't so happy. The new rules seemed unnecessary and were starting to frustrate me. I could understand that it was better not to wonder around at night but having to be taken around the school by our teachers was an overreaction. I'm sure whoever was doing this must not care for rules anyway if they went as far as attacking students in the middle of the day. The identity of the attacker was still unknown and while I found it bothersome to be shepherded around, other felt safer because of it.

It did worry me to see how much everyone thought the attacker was someone in Slytherin. All this was causing even more of a gap between our house and the other three. In our house most thought that we had nothing to worry about; that whoever the heir was, he wouldn't hurt someone of pureblood or even a halfblood. The other three houses weren't as carefree and did worry about the situation, as they should. What was happening at Hogwarts was serious and all should fear it.

Unlike everyone else, Draco seemed to be happy with how things were. I never understood that side of him but in all honesty I never really tried to. He had his own way of thinking and even if I didn't agree with it I decided to leave him alone. If I nagged too much, after a while, he'd just tune me out. He had received a letter from his father informing us that he had been the one to get rid of Professor Dumbledore and Draco couldn't have been happier. It did him proud to know his father had enough influence to be able to kick our headmaster out of Hogwarts. And of course he took every opportunity he could to remind others of this.

"I always thought Father might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore," Draco boasted in the middle of Potions one day. I saw Harry and Ron who were sitting behind us shift in their seats, annoyed with him. Draco went on and on about it as I looked through my potions book, looking at what our next assignment would most likely be. I had learned it was easier to just ignore him whenever he started one of his rants. It was simple to get the whole story without actually having to listen to all of it.

Blah… Blah… Blah… Dumbledore's gone…

Blah… Blah… Blah… Sucking up to Professor Snape…

Blah… Blah… Blah… Father is great…

Blah… Blah… Something Mudbloods… Next one dies…

"Pity it wasn't Granger-"

I turned to him just as the bell rang. He got up and was about to leave but stopped when he saw my face. I was more surprised than anything else. It took me a second to process his words. When I realized what he had said I quickly collected my things and left in a hurry.

"Wait, Katerina!" he called and followed me out of the classroom. There was a lot of bustle at his comment that was ignored by us both. We hurried down the halls shoving our way past other students. When we finally got to the classroom I sat down in my usual spot not bothering to look for Draco. Daphne sat next to me and looked worried about my expression but didn't say anything. She knew whatever was going on I would tell her when I was ready. Right now I was too upset to think

I went on ignoring Draco for the remaining of classes. Pansy took my usual seat next to him as she usually did when we had a fight. She looked back a couple of times during each lesson; obviously overjoyed about my unhappiness. We kept this way even through dinner. He didn't want to make a scene and I didn't want to hear whatever excuse he had to justify what he had said. Even if he hated Hermione with all his being he could at least respect the fact that she is my friend and wait until he was alone with Crabbe and Goyle to say something.

Once in the common room he tried to get me to listen but I couldn't. I was still too angry to try to be reasonable and if I stayed we would've fought and one of us might've said something we'd regretted. So, I left. I went upstairs to my room knowing that he couldn't go there himself. Right now I just needed to calm down. There was nothing he could say to me that would make me forget his words. I took a few deep breaths as I usually did when angry and tried to calm myself. I sat on my bed next to my puppy and tried to relax. Maybe a little while up here will let me unwind

"Having a little lovers quarrel are we?" Pansy said making her way into the room. She had her usual nasty face on and still looked rather happy to see me upset.

"Are you saying you consider us lovers?" I replied to shut her up. It did. She really needed to think before she spoke. I picked Lev up and started brushing his fur to distract myself. I was already angry at Draco and if I let her she would take advantage of that anger. Already she kept giving me smug glances and commenting to Millicent how much happier Draco seemed with her sitting next to him in class. I really don't need this right now

Thankfully, Daphne came up to keep me company. She distracted me from Draco and Pansy with random topics of conversation. I appreciated that. I told her what had happened between us, careful that Pansy wouldn't overhear. I knew she didn't like Hermione any more than Draco did but at least she kept quiet about it. We stayed up talking for a long time and it was a good distraction

It was late now, near midnight, and Daphne and Lev had fallen asleep. Pansy and I were having a sort of staring contest from our beds. This had been going on for a while now and it was getting boring. I sighed, deciding this was enough of Pansy for one night, and got up to go to the common room.

"What's wrong princess? Can't keep up can you?" she sneered from her seat.

"No, just got sick of staring at your face" I replied shutting the door. She really needed to think before she spoke. I made my way downstairs thoughtful and almost ran into a boy. I was about to apologize when I looked at his face. It was Draco. We looked at each other and he spoke when he saw I wouldn't

"Katerina, let's just talk about this okay!"

"Talk about what? How you said you wished my friend would have died? She's in the hospital wing right now Draco! What If she never gets better? You're so selfish! Do you ever think of anyone but yourself?!" I screamed louder than I meant to. Others who were still in the common room looked our way curious as to what the yelling was all about. I thought Draco would leave me alone so we wouldn't cause a scene. He didn't.

"I'm selfish? Not everything I say has to do with you, you know. Just because you like that Granger doesn't mean I have to. We both know mudbloods are beneath us. Why can't you understand that?"

"You know why!" I shouted back. Draco was the only person I ever talked to about my brother. He was the only one who knew he was still alive. And he knew my brother was the reason why I accepted muggles more than my family and probably most other purebloods.

"I'm not talking about him I'm talking about you! He made his mistake-"

"Stop" I said quietly

"If he wants to run off with her let him, that's his problem-"

"Draco, stop" I said a little louder. Still, he ignored it.

"It's his own fault he wanted to become a filthy blood traitor-"

"Shut up!" I screamed and slapped him across the face. All was quiet in our common room and even those who weren't listening to our fight before now were. "That's enough! I've told you never to call him that! I- I can't. I can't talk to you right now; I can't even look at you!" I headed for the stairs but paused. It wouldn't help if I went upstairs to Pansy, so where was I to go? Only one way I suppose

"Where are you going?!" he asked as I began to walk to the main door, his hand on his cheek

"Away from you!" I yelled and slammed it shut making my way through the passage out of the common room and out of the dungeon.