A/N: Hello, hello! I don't really have anything to say here so I'm just going to skip ahead before I begin rambling about some random thing. Oh, and by the way, in this chapter we learn Kate's last name, which is 'McLain.' I don't believe I've mentioned a last name in any other chapters, let's hope not. Many thanks to:

CptnJack's BountyHunterGal Thanks! Hahaha, that is pretty ironic, not to mention amusing. I don't much like Draco in the books either but I think he can be really sexy. So I just had to make his character a little better. Lol.

Koyuki 14: Thanks very much! Goodness, I had no idea my writing had that big of an effect. You saw Memoirs of a Geisha? Oh man, I really want to see that! I think it'll be so good!

shirleybobo: I'm glad you think so. Thanks for reviewing!

Chapter 7: Doubts

'Damn that stupid Slytherin,' Kate fumed as she stomped off to class. 'He thinks he can just tell me to stop hanging out with one of my friends and then slither off? I don't think so.'

Kate reached her first class, which was Transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs. After that, she had to sit through Charms with the Ravenclaws before she finally had her first class with the Slytherins, Double Potions.

The morning went relatively quickly and before she knew it, Kate was headed off to Potions, surrounded by Ron, Harry, Hermione and a few other Gryffindors. They all stepped inside and took their seats right before Snape came barrelling in. He took a second to sneer at the Gryffindors, searching for any fault he could punish them for. He found none and grudgingly headed to the front of the class to begin the lesson.

As usual, Kate could feel Draco's gaze on her from across the class. She ignored him for most of the time and the one or two times when she did catch his eye, she merely glared at him. This caused him to slightly raise an eyebrow in question, but Kate looked away.

Kate doodled and tapped her fingers on her table while waiting for Snape to finish his boring lecture. She checked the clock and sighed. Only a few moments had gone by since she'd entered the classroom.

"-and each Gryffindor shall be placed beside a Slytherin."

Kate's head snapped up as she caught the last part of Snape's sentence.

"What did he just say?" Kate whispered frantically to Hermione, who was sitting beside her.

"That he's going to pair each of us up with a Slytherin," replied Hermione in dread.

Kate scanned the Slytherin side of the room and groaned quietly. She definitely did not want to be stuck with any of them. Especially Blaise or Draco.

"As soon as I call out your name and that of your partner, silently find somewhere to sit together and quickly get in to your seats," explained Snape sternly. "Alright, listen carefully, I won't repeat it. Brown, Bullstrode."

Lavender slowly got up and dragged herself over to the terrifying and massive Slytherin girl.

"Weasely, Flint."

"Potter, Goyle."

"Granger, Malfoy."

"Longbottom, Parkinson."

"McLain, Zabini."

Kate hit her head against the table a few times before pulling herself over to where Blaise was sitting. She sat down beside him, with Hermione right behind her and Draco diagonally behind her. She put her head down on her arms and blocked out Snape's voice as he continued with his list. It wasn't long before she heard a voice in her ear.

"Did I make you cry?"

Kate lifted her head to see Blaise looking at her intently.

"What are you talking about?"

"The first day you and I spoke all year," said Blaise, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Did I make you cry?"

"Yeah, you did," said Kate softly. "But it wasn't as if I didn't deserve it for what I did to you."

Blaise didn't speak for a moment. "Do you still love me?" He said eventually.

"Jesus, Blaise," snapped Kate quietly. "Don't you think you're springing this on me a little suddenly?"

"It's not as if it requires much thought," Blaise snapped back. "You either do or don't."

"No, I don't," said Kate after a slight pause. Blaise nodded curtly. Kate hated the pain she saw in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Blaise."

"Don't be," grunted her ex-fiancé. "You can't control it. I drove you away."

"No, Blaise, that's not it at all," said Kate, horrified that he would think such a thing. "I… I just wasn't ready. You know me. I couldn't get married that young, no matter how much I loved you. I was too scared."

"I missed you," said Blaise so softly that Kate could barely hear him. "I still do. I miss us."

Kate took his warm, elegant hand in to her own. "I do too. But we can't be together like that anymore, not when I don't love you like I used to. You know I won't pretend."

"I know," said Blaise, squeezing her hand gently and relishing in the warmth.

"I'd still like to be friends, though," continued Kate. "Do you remember that? When we were best friends? We can still have that."

Blaise cracked one of his rare but gorgeous smiles. "I think I'd enjoy that."

"I know I would," said Kate, leaning over and kissing him gently on the cheek.

The two teenagers were unaware of the four eyes watching them. Two were chocolate brown and wide with confusion, two were flashing silver, narrowed in annoyance.

Later on, Snape announced that they would have the remainder of the second class to create a potion which he would test. He wrote down the name and ingredients of the potion on the blackboard and Blaise and Kate just grinned at each other. They were both quite good at Potions and this potion was easy for them.

Blaise left his seat to collect the ingredients and not a second later, Draco replaced him.

"So what's the deal with you and Zabini?" He asked, annoyed.

"It's none of your business," said Kate coldly. "And I'm not speaking to you, so go away."

Draco slid an arm around her and slid closer. "Aww, Katie, what's the matter?" He asked but Kate said nothing. Draco grinned wickedly and began laying feathery kisses on her neck. His grin grew as he felt her melt and he began to search for her weak spot. He found it at last, licking and sucking it, making Kate moan softly.

"I… I won't ditch H…Harry," she stammered and Draco pulled back ever so slightly.

"Ah, so that's what this is about," he said, recommencing his attack on her neck. "Well, I don't really think you have a choice, princess."

"Oh really?" said Kate, moving her head to glare at him. "You can't control me, you know."

"I beg to differ," Draco said, sucking her neck harder, making Kate roll her head back again. Draco stopped and looked at her, a smug look on his face.

"I'll smack that look right off your face," threatened Kate, lifting her hand warningly.

"Alright, alright," sighed Draco. "You can hang out with Harry. I just don't want you messing around with him anymore, okay?"

"I wasn't messing around with him but okay," said Kate, smiling and pecking Draco on the lips. Draco instantly responded, deepening the kiss. They continued to make out for a few more minutes before they heard someone clear their throat. The couple broke apart to see Blaise standing before them, eyes narrowed, arms crossed.

"Malfoy, that's my seat, I believe," he said in a silky but dangerous voice. "So I'll ask you to move."

"Certainly," responded Draco, the smug look back on his face. He stood gracefully, winked at Kate and returned to his seat. Blaise sat down and began cutting up roots to put in the potion.

"Blaise," Kate began but got no response. "Blaise?" She called his name over and over but got no response.

"Blaisey!" she whined. Blaise cringed at the name and Kate smirked.

"I told you not to call me that," said Blaise coldly. Kate ignored him.

"Why are you angry?" She asked.

"I'm not angry," said Blaise.

"Bullshit, don't lie to me," said Kate. "Why are you mad? Is it because I kissed Draco and now you're jealous?"

"Of course not," said Blaise, turning to face Kate. "Well, okay, I'm a little jealous but you know I wouldn't get angry about that."

That was true, he would just bottle it up. Kate waited for him to continue.

"I'm worried about you," admitted Blaise in a low voice so that only Kate could hear.

"Worried?" Kate repeated incredulously but quietly.

"Yes, friends worry about their friends," snapped Blaise.

"Why are you so worried?" asked Kate.

"Because you're beginning to get involved with Malfoy," explained Blaise. "He's my best mate and all but that means trouble."

"Why?"

"You couldn't possibly understand why," said Blaise, but not as an insult. "You haven't known him long enough. You don't know his reputation, his past. You don't know him. No one does but me and even I don't know everything."

"Well, educate me a little," said Kate.

"Malfoy had a bad childhood," Blaise began. "He was never happy as a kid so a lot of anger and hurt built up. However, he was taught not to have emotions, so he pushed it all inside of him and adopted a cruel and cold behavior in attempt to fool people. And he got damn good at it, now it's as if he has no emotions at all and doesn't care for anything. Well, most of the time. Anyway, he also became a huge womanizer. He's shagged nearly every girl in Hogwarts. The thing is, he never gets in to a relationship, never lets himself get attached. He always shags them then throws them away. A lot of girls get hurt in his games. What makes you think you'll be any different?"

"Blaise," said Kate calmly. "Don't worry, I can handle it."

Blaise sighed in defeat, knowing he wasn't going to get through to her. "If anyone can, it's you."

"That's the spirit," Kate laughed and they began to make their potion together.

Kate and Blaise finished their potion quickly and had lots of class time left over. Blaise was chatting with a buddy who sat in front of him and Kate was looking around, trying to find something to do.

Suddenly, a small paper shape floated by and landed in front of Kate. She picked it up and peered at it. It was regular piece of paper folded in to the shape of a rose, charmed to subtly change from red to pink to white to yellow and to give off the sweet scent of a bouquet of roses.

Kate unfolded it carefully and saw neat handwriting inside. She smoothed out the paper and began to read.

Come out on a date with me. I promise it'll be fun. Come on, Katie, you know you want to.

Your lover

Ps. I didn't know which color rose was your favorite so I decided to give them all to you.

Kate laughed softly. She looked over her shoulder to see Draco leaning back in his chair, face pulled in to a smirk and glinting eyes watching her every move. He raised his eyebrows in question and Kate pretended to ponder it for a minute, just to annoy him. Finally, she smiled slightly and nodded. Draco smiled, an actual genuine smile, and winked at her before Kate turned back around to face the front.

After Potions finished at last, Kate and Hermione walked together to reach the Gryffindor common room.

"What was that all about with Zabini?" Hermione demanded and Kate told her the whole story.

"And what is this thing with Malfoy?" Hermione asked after digesting the Blaise story.

"Oh, that's nothing really," laughed Kate.

"I hope not," said Hermione worriedly. "It better not affect the plan."

"Of course not," said Kate sharply. But inside she wasn't so sure. Doubts were beginning to nibble away at her. Maybe she shouldn't go through with it. She had just established a friendship with Blaise and some form of relationship with Draco and she didn't want to ruin those things. Not for a stupid prank, not for anything.

A/N: Voila! Phew, that was a long one. Review!