6th September
I confronted her in Care of Magical Creatures. Bad timing, yes, but it had to be done.
"Hermione… I followed after you at lunch and saw you in a classroom, I stepped through the door and heard you muttering to yourself about Professor Babbling's class, but you can't have been in Ancient Runes yet, because you're… here!" I said in hushed tones.
"Yes, I am here!" she looked at me as though I was stupid.
"The thing is, 'mione…" I thought about how I was going to say it, "In the classroom, I saw you and you saw me, but then you… disappeared."
Hermione snorted, "Do you know how crazy you sound?"
"I'm not making this up! You looked straight at me!" I was beginning to get defensive.
"This hasn't happened, Kathryn." Hermione acted like she hadn't a clue what I was going on about. She said that I have been 'imagining things'. But I know what I saw, yet I feel like I'm going mad. But what really got to me was when she said, "Just because you live in a fantasy world where you have a perfect family, an adoring boyfriend and perfect grades, doesn't make what you're accusing me of any more true!"
I had to take a step back, "No, Hermione, that's just you. Little Miss Never Wrong." My heart broke into a million pieces.
"Go on, have a cat fight." Draco tantalised me, annoying me further, but he knew he was doing it, of course. "It'll be so hot, I'll not be able to take my eyes off you." "Kathryn, you can play fight with me, naughty but nice" "Kathrynnnn, please, make my day."
I knew I was annoyed, but not that annoyed, I'm not the type to start a fight. But right in that moment, I could have murdered Draco Malfoy. I wanted to get away from the class, but forced myself to concentrate on the massive bird-horse thing that was a Hippogriff named Buckbeak. Harry volunteered to meet the beast, bowing and then petting him. Then Hagrid lifted Harry onto Buckbeak's back and it took off into the air and flew back five minutes later. It was rather magnificent.
Hagrid split us all into small groups with our own Hippogriff to encounter. Ron, Hermione and I all took one called Firefeather, I'm gathering because of the orange of its feathers. Hermione, being Hermione went first. It was however, very short-lived as Draco was tantalising his Hippogriff like he was with me and it attacked him.
All I could see was blood gushing from his arm as I ran over to advise a helpless Hagrid who, like Draco had lost all the colouring in his cheeks. As Hagrid put all the Hippogriffs back into their pen, I took Draco's tie off and wrapped it tight around his wound to help prevent him from bleeding to death. I knew well enough not to give him mouth-to-mouth (and if you've forgotten that event, I suggest you go back to last year's incident and re-read, as I refuse to relive it with you, here today). I knew that keeping Draco talking would mean that he would be alright. He continually complained about how Buckbeak had 'killed him'. Strangely, something in me wanted him to be alright. Hagrid asked me to come with him as we quickly got Draco to the hospital wing.
On the way through the huge oak doors into the deserted Entrance Hall, Draco stopped mumbling, he stopped complaining and lost consciousness. He was loosing too much blood. As we entered the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfery came quickly to assess all the commotion. She swiftly gave Draco some pain relief as he came around from fainting which made him high. Giggly. Like a little girl, who thought everything was funny, including his hands- his mind was completely boggled and I must say I dearly prefer this Draco to the normal one.
Madam Pomfery encouraged me to talk to him, but what we could talk about, I wasn't too sure. I mentioned potions and how I wondered if we'd be sitting next to each other in class each Thursday. I asked about Quidditch and his new subjects and then I was truly stuck for words. A few potions, a thick paste layered on Draco's arm and bandages wrapped around his wounds Draco returned to his normal (self-centred, arrogant, annoying, whinny and obnoxious) self.
"Please don't tell anyone." He said as I got up to leave, not wanting to deal with his moaning 'HE'S KILLED ME' any longer. I had dealt with it for two and a half hours already.
"I'm pretty sure the whole school will know of your tragedy already, Draco, I can't spill all on that one."
"No," he began, his face going a little paler, "About me… Blacking out."
"Fainting?" I asked.
He blushed, "Yeah. Please?"
"Okay." I agreed, I felt a bit sorry for him, "Just don't-" I sighed.
"I won't!" he knew exactly what I meant, "Thanks, Kathryn!" he sat up, not wincing, not complaining, he was completely fine.
I walked past Mr and Mrs Malfoy as I left the Hospital Wing and (as expected) I heard Draco moan and groan in pain as soon as he saw their faces.
"Draco, my baby! My darling boy!" I heard his mother wrap her arms around her son. It was lovely that he had someone to visit.
"KATHRYN!" Hermione shouted as I entered the Great Hall for dinner. I was tempted to walk back out again, apart from the fact I felt completely drained and was hungry. "Kathryn, I-"
"I don't want to talk to you right now." I said, calmly putting some steak and kidney pie on my plate, along with some potatoes, veg and lashings of rich gravy.
"Kathryn, please-"
"No."
"K-"
"Do you want me to move? Cause I will! I'm not in the mood for this right now." then she decided to shut up and leave me be. Harry and Ron took the hint too, the conversation was light and awkward. As soon as I finished I got up and walked away. She made me feel like an idiot and patronised me, even though I know what I saw and if she didn't tell me the truth, I wasn't sure what I was going to do.
Later on that evening, Harry approached me and said, "Is everything ok?"
I nodded.
"You know you can talk to me, right?" he asked, placing an awkward hand on my shoulder and rubbing it gently.
I looked at him and nodded and then turned back to my work. All I could think about was how imperfect my family was. How I didn't have anyone right now that I wanted to talk to. How hard I had to work so that I could improve my grades, cause nothing was ever going to be good enough for Hermione's standards, her with her extra classes she's magically been to but couldn't have been but somehow was.
"Hermione must really have hurt her..." Harry said to Ron.
"Hermione has a short temper and we both know it."
A couple of hours later, Hermione sat down beside me as I was writing my Muggle Studies essay.
"I now know what I did… I'm sorry, Kathryn, can we talk?" Hermione apologised.
What took her so long to figure that one out? I sat and thought to myself, giving her the silent treatment, too.
"Professor McGonagall asked if you were okay after dinner."
Who cares? The woman is so nosey.
"How is Draco? Did you stay with him?"
I continued writing my essay, refusing to even have him as a talking point.
"How's your essay coming along? I haven't had a chance to start mine yet.."
Too busy lying, were we Hermione? Coming up with a story, Hermione?
"Not talking to me won't help."
Won't help? What?
"It's 1692 not 1892 by the way." She corrected me on my essay.
You can't help yourself, can you? Taking pride in my mistakes.
"Fine, but I'm not giving up on our friendship over this." She stormed off out the portrait door and away she went.
It would have helped if she explained, but she just kept going on and on. I sighed to myself. I really wasn't in the mood.
About half an hour later, someone entered through the portrait, "Uhh, Kathryn?" a very welcome voice sounded, I felt so embarrassed as I looked around at him, eyes red from recently shed tears, "Professor McGonagall has requested your presence in her office."
I looked Oliver straight in the eyes, "I don't want to go."
He smirked and bit his lip, "She reckoned you'd have that response and threatened a weeks worth of detentions if you didn't go." He handed me over a note, confirming his reply.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head at him, "You." Just looking at him made me feel a little better.
"Me?" he said, "What about me?"
McGonagall sent him because she knew he would get me there. That woman truly knew everything and just how to manipulate me.
"Come with me?" I asked, not wanting to walk it alone.
The two of us left the Gryffindor Common room and we chatted, "What's happened?"
"My friend Hermione lied to me and implied that I was living in a fantasy world cause I didn't have everything I want in real life. I confided in her and she threw it all right back in my face. I just want the truth, that's all!"
"Ouch." He bit his lip again, "I hope you don't mind me asking, but what do you want in life?"
"A family who loves me, grades I could literally only dream of and someone who-"
"Someone who, what?" he questioned, but I stopped mid-sentence on purpose.
"Someone..." I replied as we reached McGonagall's office, then I said the next two words to myself, 'like you.'
Oliver put an arm around me and said, "You never know. All the best."
Surely he hadn't heard..?
"Thank you, Wood." McGonagall spoke as I turned around, entering her classroom feeling a little mushy inside. A cup of tea and a ginger newt biscuit were waiting for me. Hermione was sitting on the seat beside me. Her new necklace was sitting on the desk and McGonagall sat down eyeing us cautiously.
"The following information I am about to divulge is both private and confidential and you have to promise you wont tell anyone." The seriousness in McGonagall's voice made me wonder what had I actually seen?
"I promise." I spoke.
"This," my teacher lifted up Hermione's necklace, "is a time-turner. This is how Miss Granger will be getting to all her classes this year. She will use this device to go back in time to a secure location, and take all of her, for example 9am classes on a Monday morning at the right time in the right place. Do you understand?"
I nodded.
"Your encounter with Miss Granger at lunchtime… how do I put this… The Miss Granger you were looking for was in the Gryffindor Common Room and the one you encountered was Hermione's future self returning from her Ancient Runes class. Are you still with me?"
I nodded once more.
"So… Miss Granger was with you in Muggle Studies this morning and Mr Potter and Mr Weasley in Divination as well as being in Arithmancy. I must urge you to keep this a secret, assume Miss Granger takes different timed classes, anything to prevent suspicion, such an outburst which leads to friends falling apart. Miss Granger pleaded with me to trust you with this information, so that you could understand."
"I wanted to tell you, Kathryn, I really did…" Hermione spoke for the first time.
I sniffed, "Your secret is safe with me." I didn't look at Hermione.
"I sense there's something else?" McGonagall asked.
"Just because you live in a fantasy world where you have a perfect family, an adoring boyfriend and perfect grades, doesn't make what you're accusing me of any more true!" I mocked her, letting her hear exactly what she said to me and how she said it.
"Do I really sound like that?" she asked.
"Yes and it really hurt. You've got great parents, perfect grades and could easily get yourself a guy, yet you, my best friend when I'm at my most vulnerable take me down another notch to prove that you're right, which we both know right now, that you weren't." A single tear rolled down my cheek.
"I can't apologise enough."
"That's quite enough drama for one day, don't you think? Why don't you both go back to the common room and forgive each other? And remember Kathryn, not a word."
"Yeah. Goodnight."
"Let's just forget today." I said to Hermione as I got tucked up into bed, "Goodnight, Hermione."
7th September
At breakfast the next morning the usual post came, I always ignored it as there was yet to be anything for me. Until today. A very fancy looking, well looked after eagle owl perched itself on my shoulder and dropped a parcel and letter on my lap. I nearly spat out my porridge. As soon as it happened, the owl swooped out of the Great Hall and left me to my surprise.
Opening the letter first, I didn't recognise the handwriting, but I read nonetheless:
'Kathryn,
I present you this gift as a symbol of thanks for saving my Son's life.
As I understand, Draco was viciously attacked by a Hippogriff by the name of Buckbeak in your Care of Magical Creatures Class. It was due to your quick-thinking and bravery that you managed to save his arm. Thanks to you he can continue his studies and pursue his many hopes and dreams.
To you, I owe my life.
Yours,
Narcissa Malfoy xxx'
I ripped open the paper which revealed a small black leather box with "BB" engraved it in gold letters. Faintly, I could see other letters, including "DR" and "KL" the latter of which appeared to be scored out. Cautiously, I opened the box and saw a beautiful heart shaped necklace. Made out of what looked like stained glass. The heart itself was predominantly blood red with hints of dark green and dark blue. The chain was a very thin piece of leather.
I had Ron, Harry and Hermione all staring at me, looking for some idea of who, what, where, when and why. I lifted the necklace out of the box and tried it on. It was the perfect length. A little note fluttered to the ground, I grabbed it seconds before Hermione could get her hands on it. It was an explanation from Narcissa,
'This is a family heirloom, passed from mother to daughter, I want you to have it.
Look after it for me.
N xxx'
A smile found my face. I would have done it for anyone. Surely I couldn't accept such a gift- it was an heirloom after all. I handed the letter to Hermione, who quickly read and passed on to the boys. I was very surprised that none of them had anything to say, only a smirk and a few strange looks at the necklace.