"Draco!" Narcissa Malfoy exclaimed and crushed her son in a hug.
"Mother," Draco said and gently pushed away from her.
"What are you doing-" then she realized that there was someone else in the room.
"Who is your friend, dear?" she asked curiously.
"This is Kaitlin Winters," he answered and stepped back to her.
"A pureblood I presume?"
"Yes, actually," Kaitlin said. "But, they're gone a lot so I live with my grandfather."

"Oh, that's nice, dear. Would you like a refreshment?"
"Um, yes please. Thank you," Kaitlin said.
"A house elf will show you the selections," she said and called for one. House elves are very...interesting, Kaitlin thought. She'd never had one because her grandfather could never stand them.
"Come this way, Miss Winters," the house elf said and Kaitlin followed him when Draco nodded at her.

"Draco, why in Merlin's beard did you bring her here?"
"I wasn't thinking, Mother," Draco said. "I'm sorry."
"Does she even know about your...duty?"
"No, and I don't plan to tell her."
"Then you better stay away from her Draco. You both could get hurt."
Draco ran a hand through his hair and sighed.
"I know Mom, but... I just..."
"What?"
"I can't explain it Mother."

"Well, since she's in Slytherin, you'll still get to see her."
"She's not in Slytherin, Mom."
"Really? Then which one? Please not Gryffindor Dracie Poo."
"Please do not call me that," Draco clenched teeth.
"All right dear, but what house is she in?"
"Hufflepuff," he muttered.

"What? Draco! Think of what your father would say!"
"I know, Mother. We'll leave straight away."
"Weren't you going to give her a tour? You still can. Just avoid...certain rooms."
"Fine, Mother. Then we'll leave."
"I love you Draco. I'm so sorry you have to do this."
"You too, Mom and I'll be fine," he lied and hid his true emotions. Would he be fine? What would happen?

"Thank you for the pumpkin juice," Kaitlin said to the house elf.
"My pleasure, miss," he bowed.
Kaitlin blushed a little; not used to such treatment and decided to ask him something. "May I know your name?"
"Jingle, Miss."
"That's a very nice name, Jingle and I thank you again."
The house elf looked flattered and looked down at the floor. His head snapped up a moment later and focused on something behind her.
"Master Malfoy."

"That will be all, Jingle," Draco said.
"Thanks again," Kaitlin said and the house elf nodded and left the room.
"Ready?" Draco asked her.
"For what?" she took a sip of her pumpkin juice.
"The tour."
"Oh, yes I'm ready." They left the dinning room together and Draco showed her all he could and wanted to on the first floor. Then they headed up the stairs to the second. They fell into a comfortable silence and Draco held out his arm as they entered the garden on the grounds. Kaitlin took it and he led her inside. Not many flowers were blooming. But, then again, it was just a little bit after Christmas.

"Draco?" she asked.
"Yes?" he replied.
"Why were there...certain rooms...I wasn't allowed in?" she asked and at his silence, started to blab. "I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I understand. People need their privacy and-" but Draco put a hand over her mouth.
"Stop," he said. "It's okay. I'll try to explain," he said; walked her to a bench and sat down. He took her hand in his and started rubbing it. She hadn't worn gloves and neither had he.

"Winters," he said quietly, "for a little while, you and I can be friends. Maybe even more, but afterwards you won't exist for me anymore."
"What do you mean by, I won't exist?"
"You'll still be there, but I'll ignore you completely," he said, not looking at her.
"Can you tell me why?"
"Only that I don't want you involved in...certain things."
"And those things include you, don't they?" she murmured and he nodded.

He had to do this for her own good. For his own good, he told himself. But, his heart didn't agree.
"I have to do ...something. And the rooms I didn't take you in, I thought you wouldn't want to see them."
"So...we can be friends for a time, then we...just end the whole thing? Act like it never happened?" she asked quietly.
His grip tightened on her hand and he looked in her eyes. Eyes that were shimmering with tears.
"I'm sorry for breaking up with you, but it's for the best," he said gently. "Or at least for telling you we will break up."
Her laugh came out more like a sob. "It's not like you were my boyfriend or anything," she forced a smile.
But he wanted to be.

"Ready to go back to school?" he asked and stood up.
"Wait, I need to ask you something," she said and grabbed his arm. He faced her.
"Do you have any feelings for me at all?" she asked and blinked the tears away.
Now was the time for him to lie. He had to, for both their sakes. She had no idea what he had to do or who he would become.
"No," he said and it took great effort to make his voice sound indifferent.
"Really?" she asked and a small smile played at the corners of her mouth.
"Really," he said and she stood up, facing him. Why was she smiling? Wasn't he breaking her heart?
"Are you sure?" she asked and laughed a little at something he hadn't understood.
"Yes," he swallowed.

She stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek.
"Again, I'm asking," she said. He didn't know what to do. He had to keep his distance. He couldn't let her know how much this hurt him.
He couldn't stand there and let her think they had a chance. He couldn't let her down, and yet, he was.
"No, Kaitlin. I'm sorry," he said. And the smile in her eyes shattered like a fallen chandelier. She stepped back.
He didn't want her to leave him. He wanted her to stay there. He wanted to kiss her back.
He wished Kaitlin hadn't come at such a time. Couldn't he have started liking her in the first year? They could've had lots of time. And now...they had none.

"Then that's...okay," she said quietly, not looking at him. "Let's just go back to school."
He didn't want to end things like this. He started to say, maybe in the future, but he couldn't promise her that.
Besides, if he didn't do this job, the dark lord might find out about Kaitlin and he would NOT let that happen.
"Okay, let's go," she said. They spaced themselves away from each other and went back in the house.
"Draco, how did the garden look?" Narcissa asked as she came in the room.
She saw the look on both their faces and snapped her mouth shut.
"Thank you for visiting dear," she said quietly to Kaitlin.
"Thank you for having me," she murmured. Draco led her to the fireplace and grabbed some floo powder.
"Hogwarts, Room of Requirement!" Draco said and they both disappeared.

Narcissa shook her head and fell into a chair. Her little boy. Why did this have to happen to him?
Snape was supposed to be helping him, yet there was no sign of such a thing.
And what about the girl? She could tell Draco had strong feelings for the her.
There was something special about her, but Mrs. Malfoy couldn't put her finger on it.
Why did Draco have to let go of her? What was to happen to both of them?
She stood up, grabbed a quill and some parchment.
She walked over to her husband's desk in his office and sat down.

Snape,
 Draco seems to have ...hurt himself. Not physically and not that you can see by appearance. If you notice a change in him, owl me immediately. Please. This is very, very important. And may I ask what you know about a Kaitlin Winters?
 Thank you,
 Narcissa M.