8th November

"Good morning." I said cheerily, forcing myself to remain positive.

"This morning you will be cleaning this classroom from top to toe." Snape said conjuring a duster, mop, polish, scrapers and other pieces of cleaning equipment. "There is a particularly large piece of fresh chewing gum under the back table." He got comfortable on the seat at his desk, took out a quill and started grading some papers.

I decided to keep myself occupied, I told Snape the biggest random pile of nonsense that came to mind. I told him about muggle clothing stores, Northern Ireland, muggle history, beauty salons, muggle schools, my expectations for the Triwizard Tournament and when my ideas stopped flowing as effectively as they had three hours prior, I informed Snape all about the joys of knitting. I enjoyed every minute as I knew just how excruciating it was for him to hear about things from an exceptionally girly perspective. (Put on just for his benefit, obviously.)

You can imagine how this went down.

Lunchtime seemed to fly by as my body ached from stretching up too high at hard to reach places and kneeling on the floor. In no time at all, the next thing that Snape said was, "This afternoon, since Professor McGonagall has commented on the amount of time you have spent in my classroom this weekend, will be used completing homework. In silence this time. I do not wish to hear a peep from you. Not a single word. I do not care about cuticle care or hair conditioner or how your grandmother can crochet a cardigan. You can begin with catching up on the work you missed during Friday's class written out three times."

"If we keep spending all this time together, Professor, people might think we're dating!" I chucked sarcastically. Snape ignored me.

I got on with my work, talking at frequent intervals, despite him telling me not to, asking him potions-related questions just for the sake of it. I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon, dare I say. At half five, Snape stood from his desk and said, "I will see you back here tomorrow lunchtime. You may take fifteen minutes to eat before detention with me for forty-five."

"You don't want to hear my story about-"

"Nothing will brighten up my day more than your absence. Now get out of my sight."

"Okay!" I said cheerily.

9th November

I was up early for some ungodly reason and headed down to breakfast where I found Katie, Alicia and Angelina who were all giggling over something in the Daily Prophet. "Poor Harry, I didn't think he was so in touch with his emotional side like that…" Alicia said, "Kathryn?" she grabbed my arm, making me sit down beside her, "Read this."

I took the paper from her, immediately drawn to the very large picture of Harry. Phrases that were terribly un-Harry-like filled the article. "I suppose I get my strength from my parents, I know they'd be very proud of me if they could see me now… yes, sometimes at night I still cry about them, I'm not ashamed to admit it…" I read aloud, trying to keep my voice as serious as possible.

"Isn't that so… cute?" Alicia smiled broadly.

"This Skeeter woman forgot a few really important details, though…" I spoke with a deadpan expression.

Katie shifted closer to me to hear, "Oh really? Do tell!"

"Well…" I began, "at least once a week the four of us sit in the common room and have a good old cry together, but I suppose it's only the three of us now that him and Ron have broken up… Harry seems to have taken it particularly badly…"

"Harry and Ron?" Angelina questioned.

"It's all bullshit. The whole article. Nonsense."

It was as though it was clockwork – Harry and Hermione both walked into the Great Hall together. Taking a seat at the opposite side of the table beside each other. I said, "I didn't know the two of you were dating," I spoke in mock outrage, "I can't believe you didn't tell me, your best friend. And I have to read about it in the paper…"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other before Hermione grabbed the Daily Prophet clean from my hands and the two of them read in silence for a couple of minutes.

"That's not funny Kathryn…" Hermione said as she finished reading first.

I rolled my eyes, "Of course it's not funny. Clearly I'm not good enough for you, Harry."

Harry glared at me before returning his eyes back to the article.

"You have got to be kidding me." he said, "This is all I need."

That afternoon in detention with Snape I was instructed to find and clear out the ingredient in his personal store that was rotting. When I opened the door the smell hit me and I immediately regretted shoving in a bowl of stew five minutes prior. It took me half an hour to open each jar individually, smell the contents, and deem it fresh or safe to use.

"Oh, I probably should have told you…" Snape's lips curled, "I laid down a rat trap behind the box in the back corner a few weeks ago. It's probably that. You can get rid of it, can't you?"

"Scared, Professor?" I said, re-entering the cupboard, getting on my hands and knees and indeed, finding a rotting rat in the trap.

"Are you?" he shouted back, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"No." I said, holding my breath, putting the rat into a bag without touching it. Then I had a not-so-bright-but-potentially-very-funny idea as I reset the rat trap.

"AHHHH!" I screamed letting out a petrified sort of noise as the rat trap clicked loudly. I heard Snape run from his desk into the tiny store. A cold sweat running down his face as I slowly got up off the ground. As he stepped closer to me I took the rat out from behind my back, swinging in the bag in front of me and laughed, "I've dealt with many a rat in my lifetime. Most of them similar in personality to yourself." I said matter-of-factly.

Snape smirked ever so slightly and shook his head, "I have come across rotting corpses less offensive than you are."

"Oh, but Professor it is my pleasure." I joked.

"Put that in the bin before you disease either one of us. I shall see you here tomorrow at 1600." He said.

10th November

I had now seen Snape five days in a row and I greeted him like an old friend as I entered his potions class. Draco even gave me a strange look, wondering why I was in such a good mood. "You're never in a good mood after History of Magic." He commented, "But either way, it's a nice change."

I reckoned that was somehow a compliment.

"Today," Snape began, "you will be working in pairs to conduct research on a particular cure. This will be an ongoing project over the next two classes. This day next week we will be putting your work to the test. Decide your pairs now and I will allocate you a cure."

"I'm working with Kathryn." Draco shouted, "If that's okay with you?" he smiled at me.

I was stunned at how quickly Draco had chosen to work with me, "Looks like I'm working with Draco." I said.

"I can't imagine a better couple." Snape sneered, trying to embarrass me, but he failed miserably. He continued to write our names on the board as we called out our pairings and the cure we are to research.

Malfoy and Pink – anaphylaxis
Crabbe and Goyle – allergy related rashes
Granger and Potter - burns
Longbottom and Weasley – bleeding
Brown and Patil - fever
Nott and Zambini - nausea
Finnigan and Thomas – anxiety
Dunbar and Midgen – acne
Bulstrode and Parkinson – food poisoning
Davis and Greengrass – common cold

Snape wrote further instructions on the board, stating that we had to research the cure and how to make the relevant potion and create a project on it. The final task was to brew the potion in class during next Tuesday's lesson. The winning pair will win a night off homework. "If Madam Pince reports poor behaviour in the library, you will be joining Miss Pink in detention this afternoon. Do I make myself clear? Off you go."

Draco and I shared a similar look of pure-excitement on our way to the library, "Let's do this." I said enthusiastically. When we arrived, we got straight to work, lifting down books about cures and potion-making in the hope that we would find something useful.

"Ah-ha!" Draco spoke aloud, and at Madam Pince's 'shhhhh' he whispered, "Imelda's Guide to First Aid."

"Perfect!" I whispered back, giving him a high-five, "Here's Finding Cures in Potions and it has a section on allergic reactions." I handed Draco the particularly large book.

"The Basics of Healing," Draco handed me a tiny book with miniscule writing, "This is the Bible for healers! I can't believe Hogwarts has two copies!"

With a pile of books and other members of our class wanting to steal our stash, Draco and I decided to get to work in a quiet corner of the library.

"Draco?" I asked.

"Hmmm?" he replied, looking up from one of his books.

"Why did you choose me?"

Draco cleared his throat, "Because the two of us work really well together."

I sat up straighter, "I hope you're not planning on making me do all the work."

"No," he said firmly, "I knew you'd otherwise be working with Granger, and I don't want to be stuck working with someone where I'd be doing all the work. Besides, we're friends, right? Friends work on projects together, don't they?"

"They do. Friend." I smiled, "Do you want to meet up after lunch to get more work done?"

"Sorry, I've Ancient Runes…" Draco stared at his book unblinking before looking up at me, "What about after?"

I laughed, "I've my detention with Snape, remember?"

"Oh yeah…"

A couple of hours later I was sitting in Snape's office working on the project, as per my orders.

"Sorry I'm late, Sir." Draco dropped his satchel to the ground, taking a seat beside me.

"Draco?" I said in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"Mr Malfoy," Snape began, "was seen miss-handling books in the library by Madam Pince. I have also warned you Miss Pink that I do not wish to hear your voice today, do you know what that means? Or are you too stupid to comprehend the meaning of the words I am saying?"

I glared at Snape and 'zipped' my mouth shut. Then I continued flicking through my library books, reading through all the relevant chapters, then compared all the potion recipes and instructions. I elbowed Draco in the arm and pointed at all the open books.

"Oh, good idea, Kathryn!" he nodded appreciatively, and then I pointed at three of the books which showed the exact same recipes, "so you think this is the best method?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

Draco lifted out his pocket-sized book 'The Basics of Healing', "Those recipes are the same as the ones here! I think we've found our method!"

I high-fived him. Then I looked at the instructions a little more closely and my eyes widened.

"What's wrong?" Draco said.

I sighed, wondering how I was going to communicate this one.

Draco turned on his stool, "Sir, let Kathryn whisper."

Snape slowly looked up from his work, "Fine. Whisper. That means quiet, Miss Pink."

"This method looks so difficult, I've never worked with erumpent horn, nightshade or occamy egg. Where are we supposed to source all of this stuff? Then how are we meant to make the potion, have you seen how complicated the instructions are? We've to make three potions all at the same time and mix them in specific ratios or it won't work…"

Draco laughed lightly, "Will you relax?" he lifted the textbook, "I'll get it covered. I think the first two potions are the most difficult, so we'll take one of those each, and the third we can manage together, is that fair?"

"Okay, I'll take epinephrine, you take the beta-agonist, because I don't know what a beta-agonist is. We can do that before dinner. And together we can write the section on the antihistamine/ cortisone duo next class." I suggested.

"Done." Draco nodded and the two of us got on with it, making the odd joke and laughing about the poor potions jokes printed in the textbooks. It was surprising how well the two of us got along when there was no one around to judge us.

11th November

I genuinely couldn't believe my eyes as I walked into the common room today after detention with Snape (where I was writing all about the properties of wormwood). I saw a baby elephant, a fluffy puppy and a horse frantically running around the common room floor. The puppy pawed at my legs, almost ripping my tights, so I lifted it up and stroked its brown fur lightly.

"Calm down," I said gently, "It's okay, I've got you…"

But the puppy scrambled until I put it back to the floor. It ran over towards the horse and the elephant and then jumped up on George, who looked bemused before getting a very nasty bite. The horse then went up on its hind legs and flicked its mane in a very particular way.

"Ange?" I said and the horse looked at me and neighed.

Ginny appeared at my side and sighed deeply, "George transfigured Katie, Alicia and Angelina and can't work out how to get them back to their normal selves again."

"Come here, Katie." I said, getting down on my hands and knees to pick Puppy-Katie up off the ground, "Make sure no one gets hurt, Gin. I'm off to get help."

I went straight to the one person I knew I could help me- Professor McGonagall. I knocked on her office door with some persistence, holding Puppy-Katie carefully under my arm.

"Miss Pink?" McGonagall said, "Is everything alright?" then she looked down at the puppy, "What-? why have you got a dog under your arm?" she was flabbergasted.

"This, Professor is Katie Bell. Can you transfigure her back to herself, please?" I said seriously.

McGonagall pointed her wand and Katie was revealed, her hair looking a little dishevelled after me stroking her fur, "Explain." McGonagall looked down at Katie, lips pursed, looking infuriated.

"Two words Professor: George Weasley." Katie coughed in a way that sounded like a bark.

Quicker than either of us could react, Professor McGonagall was half way up the stairs towards Gryffindor Tower. As we caught up with her, she had burst past the Fat Lady and was yelling at George whilst returning Ange and Alicia back to their human selves. "What do you think you were doing Mr Weasley? I am absolutely disgusted by your idiotic, irresponsible and highly dangerous actions. You will be in detention with me for a week where you will be thinking about how stupid you have been. Follow me." McGonagall rarely raised her voice, but she was mad, very mad as she left the common room followed by a very downtrodden George.

12th November

Today in DADA, Moody taught us about the Cruciatus curse and its effects.

"The term Crucio means 'I torture'," Moody began, "the curse was deemed 'unforgivable' by the Ministry in 1717, meaning that the usage of any of the three unforgivable curses on a fellow human being would earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban. During the First Wizarding War, Barty Crouch Senior, who at that time was in charge of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, legalised the usage of the three unforgivable curses for Aurors to use against Death Eaters. This was repealed once the war was over." He said gruffly. "The pain caused by the curse is all-consuming, excruciating pain, so intense that the victim often wishes for unconsciousness or even death to escape. Once cast, the victim has no means to protect or defend themselves. The curse does not physically harm the victim as it stimulates pain receptors, however if used against a victim for a prolonged period, the curse can cause individuals to become insane…"

As Moody paused for effect, I couldn't help but imagine what Neville's parents went through. I glimpsed the blank expression on his face as he gazed into the distance, trying his upmost not to concentrate on what he was being taught.

"To successfully perform this curse, uttering the incantation is not enough, you could all point your wands at me now and I'll be unharmed. The witch or wizard must possess deep desire to cause the victim pain, something that most people in this room will be unable to muster." Moody said, both of his eyes flickering to me for a second as he mentioned the deep desire to cause pain. I reckoned that stabbing someone in the shoulder or repeatedly punching and kicking someone may be somewhat close to the effects of the curse. I have known pain before, but I have never had the desire to make someone feel as I did.

"Fun fact," Moody said gruffly, "the Cruciatus curse cannot break through the Fidelius Charm as the information can only be passed on willingly and voluntarily… Now please open your textbooks at page four hundred and fifteen and make notes."

Towards the end of the class Neville and I caught eyes and he gave me a slight shake of the head, he didn't look alright, but to me, he was just trying to make it through the rest of the class without breaking down…

Immediately after DADA, I headed downstairs to the dungeons where I saw Snape looking awfully happy with himself. "My first year class managed to make a mess and you're going to clean it up and since you don't know the spell-"

"Scourgify." I said simply, waving my wand in an 'S' motion.

Snape crossed his arms as though he was ever-so-slightly impressed but disappointed all the same, "Alright. You can clean-"

"Is that all you think women are good for? Cleaning?" I challenged him.

Snape counted on his fingers, "And back cheek, nosiness, talking, complaining and in your case being completely overwhelmingly irritating. No wonder your parents hate you. No wonder George Weasley is ignoring you. I'm surprised you haven't been bullied, look at you, you're a mess."

"Thanks very much." I said, taking a step back, feeling offended.

"There's no need to thank me for insulting you, it was my pleasure." Snape said, showing me his yellowing teeth.

My eyes were filling with tears and there was nothing I could do about it, "Do you find great pleasure in making girls cry, Professor?"

"Do you need to go back to your Shrink, Miss Pink?" he knew he was pressing all the right buttons.

I toughened up on the spot, I had been through all that before, I knew I could get past this emotion, so somehow I did, "Who are you to judge? You are such a narcissist."

"Oooh, big word. Well done, where did you learn that?" he spoke condescendingly.

"I'm not as stupid as you think, Professor."

"You're an ignorant, selfish, self-centred little girl who needs to learn how to control her tongue."

"Perhaps Professor you should take a long, hard look in the mirror. Try taking that plank out of your own eye before pointing out the speck of dust in mine."

Snape looked livid, "I could say the same thing to you, but I'm afraid the mirror might break."

"Who rattled your cage? Who do you really want to bark at? …Who broke your heart?" I confronted him once more.

"Get. Out."

I stood, mouth half open, on the spot.

"GET OUT OF MY CLASSROOM NOW." He yelled ferociously.

I didn't need telling a third time.

I walked purposively towards the Gryffindor Common Room. I caught eyes with Hermione who was reading her Ancient Runes textbook. She immediately set it down, got up and grabbed me.

"Hermione I've really messed up." I was breathing heavily, "I'm dead tomorrow, he's going to kill me." My hands found themselves in my hair, and I felt as though I could have pulled it all out.

"What happened?" concern filled her eyes. Harry and Ginny soon found themselves beside me.

"Snape and I were arguing. I challenged him. He was really mean, he brought up my parents and George and being bullied, so I fought back and he yelled at me. Snape doesn't yell. He looked like he could have choked me. He rattled my cage and I took the bait…" I gulped, "Kill me, Hermione." By this stage my breathing had slowed right down and I submitted to what was going to happen. I flopped myself on the sofa behind me and stared into the fire.

"What exactly did you say?" Ginny sat down beside me.

I scratched my neck as I thought back to the conversation, "I asked him if he thought all women were good for was cleaning. He agreed and insulted me in five different ways before bringing up that other stuff. Then I asked him if he liked making girls cry and he asked if I needed to go see my shrink. I called him a narcissist. He called me ignorant, selfish and self-centred and I need to learn how to control my tongue."

"Well, that bit is true… About you learning to control your tongue whenever you get angry." Hermione added.

"I wouldn't be in this mess if I hadn't stuck up for you in the first place." I snapped at her, but seeing the look on her face I apologised, "Sorry, I didn't mean it…"

"It's okay…"

"I told him to take a long hard look in the mirror. He told me to do the same and then took it back in case the mirror might break. Then I asked him who rattled his cage, who did he really want to bark at and who broke his heart. Then he yelled." At that point I burst into tears.

"But that's not that bad, what you said, given Snape's standards… You should go to McGonagall about him, Kathryn…"

"And say what? It'll be my word against his! There's no point. It's just like the case against my parents, but at least I had bruises as evidence."

Ginny quickly interjected, "You had more than just bruises."

"My point is; I have no evidence."

"Let's go get some dinner."

"I'm not hungry." I said, grabbing my gym gear and working out until I was too tired to be angry any more.

13th November

The saying goes something like, 'the more you dread something, the faster time goes', well, today was nothing short of that. Soon enough I was walking back into Snape's classroom, taking my usual seat beside Draco. I didn't dare look at Snape, or speak or do anything other than start my work.

Ten minutes or so into the lesson Draco nudged me and whispered, "What's wrong with you today? You've gone all quiet on me… We're supposed to be working on this together!"

I set down my quill on the desk and looked up at Draco, blinking repeatedly.

"Miss Pink, did I give you permission to speak?" Snape snapped from his desk, "I do not wish to see you, never mind hear the awful sound of your voice and if you dare cry, I'll be forced to add to your detentions."

"Sorry Sir, it wasn't Kathryn who talked, it was me." Draco spoke.

"Having Mr Malfoy back you up today? You can't even stand up for yourself. You really are a mess." I heard the scratch of the chair on the stone floor as Snape stood. His footsteps got louder and louder as he walked and stood behind me. I took a deep breath to calm myself and continued on with writing my half of the project. "LOOK AT ME." Snape growled, making me jump.

Very slowly I turned on the spot, swinging my legs out from under the desk and I stood to face Snape who was only slightly taller than me. I looked at him with a set expression, the same expression I had when I knew my parents were going to hurt me. I took long deep breaths, trying to slow down the intense speed at which my heart was racing. "Your life is a train wreck, a series of mishaps, I'm surprised you're still alive, I heard your mother tried to abort you."

Something must have slipped in my expression.

He continued, "Then she tried to kill you over the summer… You just don't go away, do you? You are constantly there, like a bad smell. Taking up a shrink's time listening about your problems. Have you ever considered that you're the problem? I wish your parents had been successful. Then I could spit on your grave."

Hermione jumped off her seat and shouted, "THAT'S ENOUGH!"

I took a step forward so that I was unbearably close to Snape. I stood on my tiptoes and whispered, "That girl had a very lucky escape."

Snape then lost his shit. He lifted my stool and threw it at the wall opposite where it splintered in all directions. I could see the vain on his forehead pulsating. I took a few careful steps backwards, checking to see if my wand was in my pocket should I need to defend myself. I could see Snape's fist glide across the air towards my face. I grabbed his swinging wrist, twisted it and locked his elbow, forcing him to drop to his knees where he dropped his wand. I kicked the wand to Harry who was now standing alongside Ron and Hermione, poised and ready to fight.

"You can thank Professor Lupin for teaching me that one." I said, letting go of his arm and taking my wand out of my robes.

A red-faced Neville, who was closely followed by Professor McGonagall appeared at the classroom door. "I swear Professor – It was bang out of order" Neville puffed, "He was yelling at her, wishing she was… dead." He said the last word in a small voice.

"Are you okay, Miss Pink?" McGonagall tended to my side, encouraging me to lower my wand.

"Why is everyone so nice to her? You know her parents, you know what they've done! How can you stand to have her in your sight?" Snape mumbled from where he was crouched on the floor.

"Because, Severus, Miss Pink here is nothing like her parents, she is the child of horrible people and has gone through some damning experiences and has learnt how to defend herself when threatened. Perhaps you should learn a bit of perspective." She took Snape's arm, forcing him to his feet. "Your class is dismissed." She announced before saying to me, "My door is always open Miss Pink."

Our class slowly packed up and left the dungeon.

"What did you say to him?" Draco stared at me in wonder.

"He let slip his biggest weakness, and he just confirmed it." I answered, "You see, I'm good at reading people."

"So, when do you want to meet up to finish this project? I don't suppose you want to get it wrong on Tuesday."

"I suppose I don't." I said slowly, "I'll get it finished for dinner tomorrow."

"I hardly think this is an appropriate conversation for Kathryn to be having right now, Malfoy." Hermione stepped forwards, helping me pack my satchel.

Draco seemed a little sheepish as he said, "Of course, sorry Kathryn… Let me know if you need anything." Then he left the classroom, following Crabbe and Goyle who would be halfway to the Slytherin Common Room by now.

In the Common Room after dinner, (I found it very difficult to eat anything), I was sitting at one of the tables staring at my potions work. Hermione had excused herself to the library to do some more research and Harry felt like he had to go with her, even if it was only to watch her work.

Soon after they left, Neville slipped into the table, sitting opposite me. "You were very brave today," he whispered whilst pouring over a potions textbook.

"You coped well yesterday." I reciprocated.

"You had Snape take a swing for you." He said in admiration, "You fended him off!"

"People have tried hitting me before, Neville, most of them successful, I'm quite used to it." I spoke mildly.

"So what he said was true? About your parents?" Neville leaned forwards.

"I guess so, yeah."

"That's awful, I thought I had it bad…" sounding as though he was trying to soothe me.

"My parents want me dead, yours can't remember you, Harry's are dead. We've all got it bad, there's no point trying to categorise it."

"Oh. Sorry. I was just trying to say that I think you coped very well with Snape shouting at you, I don't think I could have done it..."

"I didn't during last night's detention. Last night I yelled back. It didn't do me any favours. I was prepared for him to attack me today. I knew I just had to stand and take it. That's what life is like. You win some, you lose some…"

"You sound like you've given up."

"I haven't given up, I'm just sick of everyone looking at me as though I'm an injured lamb. Something to be pitied. I'm fine. I've made it in life thus far, another day won't hurt. Tomorrow is another day. I'm not going to lose any sleep over him." I spoke softly.

Neville shifted uncomfortably on his seat.

"You don't need to sit here if you don't want to. I'll understand if you leave." I commented.

He rose and said, "Thanks, I'll talk to you soon, yeah?"

"Sure."

Out of the corner of my eye I watched as Neville walked to the other side of the common room where Ron was sitting with the twins, to pick up his belongings.

"Hey! Neville!" I heard George call out as Neville turned, then George lowered his voice slightly, "I wouldn't bother going after her, she's too far past complicated. Besides, she only feels sorry for you, so don't be thinking you've got a chance with her. And if she does, then we'll all know she's desperate."

I looked up from my work and saw Neville straighten up, "She's had a tough day, cut her a bit of slack."

My eyes widened. Who are you and what have you done with Neville Longbottom?

14th November

I was really hungry by breakfast this morning, not caring if I saw Snape, I had one over him and he knew it. I took a seat between Harry and Hermione who thankfully were talking to me like they normally would. This morning, however, Hermione started arguing with Harry about his lack of attentiveness to their project.

"You could at least write one paragraph. Say that you contributed. What happens if Snape makes you brew the potion on your own on Tuesday? Do you think you could do it?"

"Hermione..." Harry rolled his eyes wishing the conversation would end.

Professor McGonagall took a seat at the opposite side of the table and leaned towards me, "Everything alright this morning?"

"Yes, I'm grand."

"Good – your detention will be with me this afternoon instead of Professor Snape, be at my office for 1400." She said quickly before marching off as she usually did after another Gryffindor.

"Are you being serious?" I sighed, "Clearly nearly being assaulted by a teacher doesn't exclude you from detention. That'll be nine days in a row. I really hope Snape doesn't show up just to bully me. I'll probably be probed my McGonagall, though. Yay."

"I'd rather be in detention than deal with all the sly comments, dirty looks and the badges all day." Harry commented.

"With Snape, though? Are you wise?"

"You've got a fair point, actually. But if you want to face this first task for me, I'm sure you'll be well-equipped for survival." He said roughly.

I took a second before replying, "You will be fine. If Snape is the first task just ask him about the girl who broke his heart. That'll send him in a rage. Then I'm sure you'll use the perfect spell to blow him up with. That'll be a cheerful day for everyone."

"Excusez-moi? Kathryn?" I had a tap on my shoulder.

"Oh, François!" I said as I turned to get a better look of him, "How are – I mean – Ça va?"

The smile on François' face broadened, "Très bien, merci, et vous?"

"Je suis bien." I said.

"On pourrait peut être aller faire une ballade après midi?" I could see his cheeks redden slightly.

I hadn't a clue what he was asking me, and he had spoken that fast…, "Je suis désolé, je ne comprends pas…"

François sighed slightly, struggling to formulate the English translation, "Will you go walking with me zis afternoon?"

"Oh!" I was unsure of what else to say, "I have a detention this afternoon…"

He frowned before answering, "You are always in ze detention."

"I know." I looked at my feet for a second, feeling a tad ashamed.

"What did you do?" he got onto his knees, grabbing eye contact with me again.

"I was rude to a teacher who was rude to my friend." I said simply, looking at Hermione.

François took a hold of my hand that was resting on my lap, "Perhaps anuzzer time?"

"Perhaps." I nodded and François walked away.

Harry and Hermione both laughed hysterically.

"He's been staring at you ever since he got here two weeks ago," Hermione chuckled, "You can't say you hadn't noticed!"

"I genuinely hadn't." I grimaced.

I arrived at Professor McGonagall's office and sighed deeply. George was sitting at the front of the room looking at me expectantly. I did everything in my power to ignore him. McGonagall stood from her desk, straightening her glasses, "That's not the attitude Miss Pink. You are here to be punished."

"You cannot possibly be blaming me in this situation."

"Professor Snape's actions were not ideal, I'll admit."

"Snape tried to hit me, Professor. I call that highly inappropriate and unprofessional. Or are you just expecting me to be used to being pushed around? To not stand up for myself?"

"Of course not, but you have to understand from his point of view, he-"

"He wants me to be six feet under. I can add his name to the ever growing list. Yes, I yelled something highly inappropriate to deserve a detention and I realise that, but all I was doing was defending Hermione... Now I expect I'll be in detention for the rest of the year! What did I do to deserve this? It has been one thing after another. Why can't I get a shot at being happy for once?"

Professor McGonagall's expression changed and she walked towards me in her mother-like fashion, "Kathryn…" she whispered gently.

"Just get on with the detention, Professor. If I can't get you on my side I have no hope. I give up."

"You will be writing an apology letter to Professor Snape, Miss Pink and you will be writing apologies to Miss Johnson, Miss Brown and Miss Spinnet, Mr Weasley."

I sighed again, shaking my head disbelievingly.

"You will write the letter, Miss Pink. You can sit here all day if needs be." McGonagall pursed her lips again.

I took out some parchment and a quill and banged my head on the table in front of me multiple times, struggling to think of what to write. So I decided to put on paper how I was feeling.

Dear Professor Snape,
I am genuinely very sorry for the language I used and for offending you. I know it was very childish of me, but you have to understand from my perspective that I was only standing up for my friend. I would never say such things when unprovoked. You have to protect the people you care about.
I'm sorry for being annoying and talking too much. From now on, I will not say a word in your classroom unless spoken to first or engaging in group activities. I do not wish to cause you any annoyance. If you have any pointers for me to improve myself I will take them on board.
I am aware that my life is a mess right now. I already hate myself and my life enough without you making me feel even worse. Yet I probably deserve it. I certainly deserve everything that happens to me and perhaps you're right, I often wish I was dead, too. I wonder if the world would be a better place without me in it.
Sorry again,
Kathryn Pink

"I'm done." I said an hour later.

McGonagall looked up from her desk, "You will now deliver the letter by hand, then you will return here tomorrow afternoon at the same time."

Minutes later I knocked on Snape's classroom door and took a deep breath as I heard him say, "Enter."

I carefully walked across his room and set the letter down on his desk, "I'm sorry for everything, Professor." I choked back the tears as I turned to leave.

"Miss Pink?" Snape said calmly.

I turned and said, "Yes?"

"Here is my letter of apology." He handed me a piece of rolled up parchment.

I nodded and left the room silently.

Back in the common room I found myself a quiet place to sit and read the letter…

Dear Miss Pink,
After a long discussion with Professor McGonagall I have come to the realisation that my actions were inappropriate and I apologise. I am sorry for losing my temper with you and I promise that it will never happen again. I do not wish that your parents were successful in eradicating you. I do, in fact, believe that you are a very talented young witch who is very gifted at potion making. In future please refrain from sarcastic remarks and foul language.
Sincerely,
Professor Snape.

"I wonder how much truth is in there?" Ginny said after reading it, "No offence, but Snape doesn't appear to be the sort of person who apologises."

"Who uses the word 'eradicate'? They tried to kill you." Hermione added.

Harry looked up from the letter, "Well at least he's got one thing right, you are good at potions. No wonder Malfoy wanted to work with you."

I took a careful look at the three of them, "The two of us work well together, dare I say."

"I don't know if I could cope with you and Malfoy getting together…" Hermione pulled a face, "He's so rude to me, yet you're a muggle born, too."

"I've never understood him." I reasoned.

Ginny nearly choked, "Oh my goodness. You didn't even reject Hermione saying that you two might be together. Do you like him?"

I pulled a face, "No! He's Draco! We're friends, that's all!"

"That's how it starts, though." Ginny stated confidently.

I laughed, "Wise up, I don't fancy Harry, or Ron for that matter. It's okay for girls to have friends that are guys, you know." George then climbed through the portrait and approached Katie, Angelina and Alicia, each handing them a letter.

"Well, if it's not Malfoy, it'll be that French boy, or Neville… You've been talking to him more these days as well." Hermione listed.

"And you write to Wood." Harry commented.

Ginny mentioned, "And your eyes just followed my brother as he walked across the room."

"So who's it going to be, Kathryn?" Hermione joked.

"Go away." I said playfully, "I've got to do my potions work."

"Ah-hah! It'll be Malfoy." Ginny teased.

I slowly moved my head to give her the death stare, making her feel uncomfortable.

"Sorry Kitty." She said.

15th November

Today I received a return letter from Oliver which contained a lot of swear words. Half split between George and how unbelievably stupid he is being and how mean Snape was. The letter ended, "I'd hit them both for you, in the face, with my broom, at top speed. Don't lower yourself to their standards, rise above KP! Stay strong! Love, Ollie."

A few eyebrows were raised at the Gryffindor table at lunchtime as I giggled. "Is that lover boy making you smile again?" Ginny yelled from further up the table.

"Too right it is." I shouted back.

"Who is this lover boy?" Draco approached me from the Slytherin table.

I laughed, "Oh, he's nothing on you, sweetheart, don't you worry about that. Here's my half of the project, I'll be in the library after my detention, I'll see you then."

Straight after lunch I walked with George from the Great Hall in complete silence to McGonagall's office where she was standing waiting for us to arrive.

"Today Mr Weasley you will be writing out the laws around transfiguration and humans until I see fit. Miss Pink, you will be in my office, we need to have a discussion."

McGonagall had a copy of my letter to Snape sitting on her desk and demanded that I explain myself. She even got Maura to bring her appointment forward to take part in the meeting where the two of them quizzed me on my negativity and if I was feeling suicidal. I repeatedly told them that I did not want to kill myself, I only imagined what the world would be like without me in it. I explained that having a teacher make me feel like I was completely worthless didn't help, given that I already didn't feel great after what George had to say. Maura was completely outraged at my side of the story and what had happened with Snape. She counselled me for a while, making sure that I was properly prepared to move on from my incident with him in class on Tuesday. I assured both her and McGonagall that I was going to sit in his class and be a good little girl who only speaks when spoken to.

"Have you talked to George yet?" Maura asked.

"No I have not, and I told you, I'm not going to." I assured.

Maura flicked her hair out of her eyes and said, "I'm telling you, you won't get any closure until you talk to him and tell him exactly how you feel."

I slouched in the chair and folded my arms, "There is not a chance in hell that I am going to tell him how I feel. No way."

"Fine, you are dismissed. Professor Snape said that your detention is at 1600 tomorrow with him in the dungeons."

I walked straight out of McGonagall's classroom, neither looking at George nor at McGonagall who were both watching me walk away.

16th November

Detention with Snape today was calm. No shouting and certainly no fear. Yesterday, when Draco and I were working on our project together, we worked out that one aspect of our potion would take too long to brew within the hour and a half time limit. Draco had agreed to speak to Snape on our behalf to arrange a time for us to brew it ahead of the class. Snape had kindly let me count that as my detention.

So Draco and I worked on our potion, taking it very seriously but sharing a quiet joke every so often. He must have known that I would have been nervous and was extra nice to me, which was really sweet of him. Between the two of us we seemingly brewed the perfect antihistamine and cortisol potion just in time for dinner. (And surprise, surprise George was in the detention with us, as a favour to McGonagall for sorting me out over the weekend. So George sat behind us working on his own potions homework, not that I paid any attention to him being there.)

17th November

"Today is Project Potion." Snape said almost happily, which was completely out of character, "You have an hour and a half to brew each potion and test them. And again, the winning duo will win a night off homework. Begin."

As promised, Draco had supplied the hard-to-source ingredients and the two of us got started, making our two separate potions where the rest of the class seemingly only had once cauldron each. (If we hadn't worked out how long it would take us to make the third potion we would have had a third cauldron.) After an hour/ hour and fifteen minutes, the rest of the groups had finished their potion making, apart from Ron and Neville. I heard Ron yell at Neville at one point for putting a wrong ingredient into the potion and they had to start over! I had a suspicion that the rest of the class had significantly easier potions to make, but I didn't really mind as I enjoyed the challenge.

Around two minutes before the deadline, the time came for Draco and I to mix the three potions we had made together in three specific measures. The mixture had to go from red, blue and green to, hopefully, clear. I held up the vial as Draco added the three separate potions, taking deep breaths whilst doing so. I felt like we had the eyes of the entire class on us as Draco added the final drop which turned the potion clear. I quickly put a bung in the vial and set it down on the bench.

"WHOOOOOO!" Draco and I celebrated high-fiving each other in sheer excitement.

"We did it, Kathryn!" Draco grinned.

"We sure did!" I beamed.

Snape stood from behind his desk and smirked. "Now that you have all managed to brew a potion within the deadline, it is now time to test them. I think that Miss Pink and Mr Malfoy should go first. Miss Pink, here is a vial that contains a poison that will make you undergo anaphylactic shock, you had best hope that your cheering wasn't for nothing as Mr Malfoy will have to think of another way to save your life if it doesn't work. Come on, up to the front so we can all watch you suffer. Off you go."

I daren't say anything. The look on Draco's face said that he felt as scared as I was. My throat dried up and my hands shook as I took the bung off the poison. "Here goes." I said shakily, tipping the vial into my mouth. I immediately felt my throat close up and I experienced a sharp pain like a heart attack, my pulse raised faster and faster, causing me to drop the vial and to clutch my chest. I could barely see or hear anything as my eyes started watering, my nose started running and my ears popped. I heard muffling going on as I suddenly felt very faint, as though I was about to collapse. Everything was happening just as I had read in the literature. I got onto my hands and knees, gasping for breath when I felt Draco's warm hands on my back, telling me to turn around where he poured the potion into my open mouth. With instant effect, my throat returned to its normal diameter, my heart stopped throbbing and the worst of my symptoms disappeared. I coughed and coughed, gasping for breath as air rushed back into my lungs and I regained full consciousness. I felt like I was about to throw up, but there was no chance in hell I was going to show Snape any more weakness today.

"Are you okay?" Draco lent me a hand to help me up off the ground and cleaned me up with a tissue.

I nodded, "I'm alive, thanks."

"Well, now that's all over," Snape sneered, giving one member of each of the groups their ailment. Crabbe came out in a really itchy rash that only partly disappeared, Snape gave him his own cure. Hermione took the fall for Harry and got a massive burn on her arm which disappeared instantaneously. Neville took the potion for Ron and got a severe nosebleed which didn't stop with their own potion so he had to run to Madam Pomfery when Snape refused to help him. Lavender came down with a flu-like fever which resolved within a minute. Seamus had what seemed to be a panic attack which was relieved when Dean provided their potion. Millicent Bullstrode started throwing up when she got food poisoning, which didn't settle with their potion, Snape had to intervene. Blaise was hilarious as he had severe nausea which was, somewhat disappointingly cured by Theo. Fay grew severe acne and got rid of it faster than I've ever seen and Tracey Davis had the fastest cured cold.

"Unfortunately, I believe the theatrics of Miss Pink and Mr Malfoy earns them the night off homework. Now get out of my classroom, all of you. Miss Pink, I will see you for detention tomorrow at lunchtime." Snape said with a tone of regret.

I nodded respectfully, my throat feeling raw.

Hermione had been arguing with me all the way to get lunch. I was shaken up and wanted to be left alone, but she just kept going on and on. She was beyond annoyed at what happened in class with Snape and was terrified watching me suffer like that again. "You realise Snape tried to kill you, right?" she repeated.

I sniffled, having been crying solidly for the past fifteen minutes, my throat was aching and I had a sore stomach. "No he didn't, he's just trying to get one up on me again. It's all a big game to him. Besides, Draco was there, Snape knew the potion was brewed perfectly, as did I, which is the only reason I took the poison in the first place."

"The only reason you were stupid enough to take it. Did you not see the look on his face? He wanted you to die. You were just too busy lying on the floor close to death! Snape even told Malfoy to hold off giving you the potion so that he could watch you suffer that little bit longer! Malfoy had to step in to save your life!" Hermione stood up from the table at dinner as Draco entered the Great Hall, "Malfoy?!" she yelled.

"What, Granger?" he hissed.

Hermione must have pointed at me before shouting, "Malfoy, get over here a second."

"What do you want, Granger?" Draco sighed deeply, before coming to his senses, "Oh. Kathryn, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I said after blowing my nose, coughing to clear my throat.

Hermione stared at Draco the way she would do if she wanted something done, "The reason I asked you to kindly join us, Malfoy, is because Kathryn is of the belief that she deserved to be treated like that by Snape. She thinks that it's all a big game. I need you to talk her out of it."

"Why should I have to? You're her best friend! You, Potter and girl Weasley."

"You've been spending more time with her lately. She talks to you, no matter how much it pains me to admit, and you two even appear to be friends, so just talk to her."

Draco climbed into the seat beside me and said sarcastically, "It pains her that we're friends."

"I give up, Draco." I said as Hermione handed me another tissue.

"What? Why? What's happened?"

"You don't understand, do you?" I sighed, "Snape yells at me in his previous class, saying that he wishes I was dead. Then in our next class he gives me a poison that induces anaphylactic shock. I give up, Snape wins."

"You were mean to him. You know he prefers having the upper hand." Draco grabbed an apple from the table and started munching on it.

"Well sometimes in life you don't get the upper hand and he's got to learn to accept that." I sighed, "Look, the two of us rip shreds out of each other, but at the end of the day, I still like sitting beside you in potions, we get along, we have fun. Or am I really that annoying? Do you hate me, too?"

"Of course I don't hate you! You're a pain in the arse at times and you moan a lot, but you're a great person to work with and yes, you like to talk a lot, but if you stop talking, then Snape will get bored and he'll move on to his next victim. Maybe you just need to play ball until this all gets sorted."

"Play ball? By shutting my mouth and getting on with it? He's going to love to see me suffer some more."

"Just do it. Trust me. And… I'll talk to him for you."

"Thanks, Malfoy!" Hermione smiled.

Draco stood from the table, "I'm not doing this for you, you filthy little mudblood."

"You see what I mean? Always trying to have the upper hand?" I snapped, "is this a Slytherin thing?"

Draco stopped in his stride. Turning around he was shaking his head, "You have just failed the first lesson." He zipped his lips.

Harry leant across the table, "No matter how much this pains me to admit, I think Malfoy is right. You have got to keep your head down."

Hermione nodded, "You've got all this built up anger and you've just got to learn to release it in a different way and the same goes for you, too, Harry."

"Don't start." Harry warned.