2nd November

I don't think I can pinpoint what has made me change. Maybe it is the intensified flirting between George and me. The way we would sneak off and kiss in a deserted corridor. Or when he would surprise me when working, claiming that I need to take a break for a hug or to listen to a funny story about something he and Fred have done or plan to do. Perhaps it was Harry's more intense planning for the DA. Or it was Hermione's disregard for certain rules. Or Ron's added respect towards me. Perhaps it was the fact that I ignored Umbridge's existence.

Either way, we were fighting harder and felt stronger. 'No-one puts Katy in the corner.'

Hermione, Ginny and I all walked down to breakfast together this morning wearing red and gold coloured warm clothing including woolly tights, hats and our Gryffindor scarves. There was an air of nervous excitement in the Great Hall as the first Quidditch match of the season was about to begin. It was Gryffindor vs Slytherin.

George was making eyes at me across the table, beckoning me to join him and Fred. There was the occasional 'good luck' to be heard from Claws or Puffs to Gryffindor players, it really was a united front against Slytherin.

"Good morning," George kissed me gently, and whispered, "look, I need you to do me a favour."

"I'm listening…" I fixed the collar of his t-shirt in a very mothering way.

"Don't turn around, but… Ron looks like he is under the slug-vomiting charm again, and he still hasn't noticed the Slytherin badges." He murmured.

My eyes widened, "What do they say?"

"Weasley is our King." George wrapped my scarf a little tighter around me, "I doubt anything good is going to come from that."

I nodded understandingly, turning to see a very pale Ron, Harry who was trying to get him to eat and Hermione who was beckoning me to sit with her, "You're okay, right?"

"Me? Oh yeah." He said coolly, smoothing his hair.

"Good luck out there." I kissed his cheek.

As I sat beside Hermione, Luna approached Harry and Ron. She was wearing a life-sized lion's head hat, which was perched precariously on her head, "Look." She pointed unnecessarily, "Do you want to see what it does?" she asked, tapping her hat with her wand. It opened its mouth wide and gave an extremely realistic roar.

"Impressive, girl." I shouted across the table.

"I wanted to have it chewing up a serpent to represent Slytherin, but there wasn't time. Anyway… good luck, Ronald!" she said dreamily.

Ange, Katie and Alicia approached Harry and Ron next. Ange said, "When you're ready… We're going to go straight down to the pitch, check out the conditions and change."

"We'll be there in a bit," Harry assured her, "Ron's just got to have some breakfast."

"Oi, Weasley!" Draco shouted from the safety of the Slytherin team which was heading down to the pitches as well.

I stood quickly in defence, "I hope you don't catch anything out there today, Malfoy."

"Fifty points from Gryffindor, Pink!" Draco yelled back in his usual swagger.

Ernie Macmillan stood from the Hufflepuff table, "Sixty points to Gryffindor!"

I did finger guns at Draco, using my middle finger and blew off the 'smoke' pointing both middle fingers at him with a smirk.

Fred and George both patted my back as they walked past.

I sat down and had some breakfast, watching Ron stare at a slice of toast. I talked about anything other than the impending match, but Ron's mind was elsewhere. There was nothing I could do. Harry decided that there was nothing he could do, either. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and I walked to the end of the Gryffindor table and Hermione took Harry off to the side and I said to Ron, staring into his eyes, "You are amazing. You are brave. You are strong. I believe in you."

Hermione then stood on her tiptoes and kissed Ron's cheek saying, "Good luck, Ron!"

That perked him up.

I exchanged glances with Ginny who nodded with a smirk.

The three of us stood with Neville, Dean and Seamus in amongst the rest of the Gryffindors. The Slytherins were singing at the opposite end of the pitch. "Hermione?" I asked, "Is there any chance, in all that brilliance of yours, that you can perform a muffalito spell or silencio spell on mass?"

"No, it's not possible… Why?" she asked.

"Listen…"

Weasley cannot save a thing,
He cannot block a single ring,
That's why Slytherins all sing;
Weasley is our King.

Weasley was born in a bin
He always lets the Quaffle in
Weasley will make sure we win
Weasley is our King.

We groaned.

Both teams were out and Madam Hooch blew her whistle, and they were off!

"And it's Johnson – Johnson with the Quaffle, what a player that girl is, I've been saying it for years, but she still won't go out with me-"

"JORDAN!" yelled Professor McGonagall.

I think I would have laughed if I wasn't as tense as I was.

"-she's ducked Warrington," Lee continued commentating, "she's past Montague, she's – ouch – been hit from behind by a Bludger from Crabbe…"

"CRABBE?" I yelled above the crowds, "Oh Merlin, this is going to be good, those bloody buffoons."

"Montague catches the Quaffle, Montague heading back up the pitch and – nice bludger there from George Weasley,"

I cheered loudly.

"-he drops the Quaffle, caught by Katie Bell, reverse passes to Alicia Spinnet and Spinnet's away! Spinnet dodges Warrington, avoids a bludger – close call, Alicia – and the crowd are loving this, just listen to them, what's that they're singing?"

Lee paused.

I stared intently at Ron, who went progressively paler. His broom was drifting away from the middle hoop and was going towards the right. I looked away.

Lee quickly realised what the singing was all about and started commentating louder than before, "- and Alicia passes back to Angelina – come on now, Angelina – looks like she's got just the Keeper to beat! SHE SHOOTS – SHE – aaaah…" Bletchley the Keeper saved the goal…

"And it's Warrington with the Quaffle, Warrington heading for goal-" I saw Hermione beside me covering her eyes with her gloved hands, "he's out of Bludger range with just the Keeper ahead -" Ginny took a hold of my hand and was squeezing tight. The singing from the Slytherins got louder and louder. "- so it's the first test for the new Gryffindor Keeper, Ron Weasley, brother of beaters Fred and George, and a promising new talent on the team – come on Ron!"

Slytherin scored. 0-10

WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN
HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN…

"- and Gryffindor are back in possession and it's Katie Bell tanking up the pitch-" Lee yelled over the sounds of the deafening singing.

WEASLEY WILL MAKE SURE WE WIN
WEASLEY IS OUR KING…

"and it's Warrington again, who passes to Pucey, Pucey's off past Spinnet, come on now, Angelina, you can take him – turns out you can't – but nice Bludger from Fred Weasley, I mean, George Weasley, oh who cares, one of them, anyway,"

"IT'S GEORGE!" I yelled.

"How can you tell? They're wearing exactly the same thing and they're so far away!" Ginny yelled over the din.

I rolled my eyes at her, "And you call yourself their sister?"

Ginny and I managed to miss Pucey scoring. The give-away was the massive groan from three-quarters of the stadium. 0-20

Then it was 0-30.

Then 0-40.

It was beginning to get painful.

"-and Katie Bell of Gryffindor dodges Pucey, ducks Montague, nice swerve Katie, and she throws to Johnson, Angelina Johnson takes the Quaffle, she's past Warrington, she's headed for goal, come on now, Angelina – GRYFFINDOR SCORE! It's forty-ten!"

I squealed.

Luna's lion hat roared in the distance. I looked up and watched Harry and then Draco, both of whom were searching intently for the snitch.

"- Pucey throws to Warrington, Warrington to Montague, Montague back to Pucey – Johnson intervenes, Johnson takes the Quaffle, Johnson to Bell, this looks good – I mean bad – Bell's hit by a Bludger from Goyle of Slytherin and it's Pucey in possession again…"

Harry dived.

"HERMIONE-HERMIONE-HERMIONE!" I tugged her arm, Ginny had already noticed. Ginny's eyes had not left Harry for a long while.

Draco noticed Harry's dive and was quickly on Harry's tail. They were barely three metres from the ground. Ginny's grip was tighter than ever. They were neck and neck… Harry lifted his right hand from his broom, stretching forwards towards the Snitch, so did Draco. Harry leant forwards desperately and his fingers clenched around the golden Snitch. He pulled his broom upwards, holding the struggling ball up in the air for all to see.

"WE'RE SAVED!" Ginny let out a breath.

WHAM!

A Bludger hit Harry squarely in the small of the back, and he flew forwards off his broom, landing on the cold, hard pitch.

"FOULLLL!" Neville, Dean and Seamus yelled along with the rest of Gryffindor.

"Come on!" Ginny tugged me and we climbed down the stairs taking two at a time, Hermione was hot on my heels. We hurried onto the pitch, both to check if Harry was okay, and to celebrate. What met us when we got there, however, was shocking.

"- but you like the Weasleys, don't you, Potter?" Draco was sneering, he was very ugly when he was acting like he was better than everyone else. Who am I to say? He thinks he's better than everyone else, there's no acting required, "Spend the holidays there and everything, don't you?" My steps slowed as I watched the scene in front of me unfold, "Can't see how you stand the stink, but I suppose when you've been dragged up by Muggles, even the Weasleys' hovel smells okay -"

Harry grabbed onto George.

Katie, Ange and Alicia all held Fred back.

Draco laughed mockingly.

Madam Hooch was metres away, berating Crabbe for his illegal Bludger attack.

"Or perhaps," Draco leered as he backed away, "you can remember what your mother's house stank like, Potter, and Weasley's pigsty reminds you of it -"

George ran at Draco. I gasped, frozen on the spot. Both Harry and George were sprinting and tackled Draco to the ground, throwing punches at any bit of Draco's body they could. I watched as George drew back his fist and sank it into Draco's face, then again into his stomach, and again into his eye, and again and again-"

I could hear Ange, Katie, Alicia, Ginny and Hermione all screaming. Draco was yelling. George was swearing loudly. Madam Hooch was blowing her whistle but neither George nor Harry stopped. I watched as George continued, I could see blood spurt from Draco's nose, his lips, the groans of pain. I could see Draco fighting back, he was hitting, but his efforts were nothing in comparison. I clutched my own chest. I couldn't watch this any longer. I turned and ran.

In the Entrance Hall I saw Ron plodding about looking miserable. I ran up to him and wrapped my arms around him and sobbed. It was ugly crying, absolutely nothing dignified about it whatsoever.

"W-What's wrong?" Ron patted my back awkwardly, "I know I was awful, I should just quit, that song -" he walked me into the secret passageway where I sat on the floor and wept. I was inconsolable. I couldn't form words. My mind replayed George punching Draco, over and over and over. I felt sick. My body hurt all over. Then I stopped, it all stopped. I took some time to process how I was feeling.

"I don't want to talk," Ron spoke quietly, "I'd appreciate it if you left me here alone for a while."

I nodded and left.

I wiped my eyes and nose roughly with a tissue in the girls' bathroom. I stared at myself in the mirror, shaking with a mixture of shock and anger. I had gotten rid of most of the shock and now I was mostly angry. I knew there was only one way to get it off my chest.

I went straight to the hospital wing.

"Broken up with the Weasley?" Draco asked me from behind the curtain.

I pointed my wand at his nose, "Episkey."

"Ahhhgh."

"You can thank me later." I jeered.

"You're angry." Draco sighed.

I scoffed, "You have no idea."

"They hit me first."

"You deserved it."

Madam Pomfery placed a hand out in front of me, "Am I going to have to ask you to leave, Miss Pink? I do not want another fight starting on my ward."

"I have a little more self-control." I stated. I put on a pair of gloves and started cleaning out Draco's wounds, just as Madam Pomfery was doing, "I hope this serves as a reminder that the words that you utter from that fat mouth of yours have consequences. You cannot keep insulting Harry and the Weasleys. You can't keep thinking you're going to get away with it." I shook my head, leaning heavily on the cut around his eye, "Look at you." I was filled with disgust, "You are a mess!"

Draco was outraged at my statement, "Potter and Weasley are going to pay, just you wait until my Father hears about this!"

"No need for your father to get involved. I can assure him myself if needs be that I am going punish the two of them enough. I am repulsed by their actions."

Draco smirked, "They're going to feel your wrath, then? I must admit that it is pretty impressive. Mother says you were positively terrifying when you flipped out on her! And you're even more angry now by the looks of it."

"Not if you don't shut your mouth and feel it first." I threatened, "You are lucky to be alive." Madam Pomfery watched me.

I retrieved ointment from the store and started rubbing it on Draco's bruises, taking my time, being very gentle as I found myself soothed by my actions, and soon enough the blemishing had disappeared, the pain and swelling had gone and he looked at me strangely, "You care about me."

"Don't push your luck." I said, "You can say thank you and you can go back to your friends, the ones you appreciate any way."

"I-" he stopped himself, "You – Kathryn – I –" he sat up.

I shook my head at him, "You went back on your deal," I stared into his eyes, "You know I care about them. I asked you to stop and you haven't. You make it difficult for me to be your friend."

Draco put a hand on my arm, "You were miserable after coming back from seeing them, both times! Kathryn, I'm just looking out for you! All it took was for me to say a few things and you know what happened! I can't bear the thought of him hurting you, too. You know he's got it in him!"

"Stop." I said. I roughly wiped a tear forming in my eye. I didn't have time to cry.

"You know I wouldn't hurt you." He gently rubbed my arm.

"But you have, you do, all the time." I sniffled, "You hurt me without realising it. In the snide remarks, the insults, that bloody song, I know it was you –" I sighed, "You should go." I said, "the bruises are still healing, even though you can't see them. Take it easy, if you need more analgesia, I'm sure Madam Pomfery will see you right."

I watched as he walked away. I sighed to myself deeply. Madam Pomfery saw to cleaning up the mess left by Draco, burning the blood-covered items, changing the bedsheets at a flick of a wand, setting up a new tray of equipment.

"He's different with you." Madam Pomfery said quietly.

I looked up at her, "That is guy I spent the summer with…"

Moments later, the door of the Hospital Wing opened, "That was strange… he just walked past us… he didn't say a thing -"

"Katy?"

Madam Pomfery looked at me from inside her store. I shook my head, "I've got this."

"You." I pointed to Harry, "Sit there." I pointed at the bed closest to me, "And you?" I looked at George, "You're going to sit there and remain silent until I'm ready to deal with you."

George gulped and sat on the bed.

Harry looked at me, I could see that he was sorry. He showed me his bruised right hand, the cuts on his face, and most notably, the black eye that was beginning to form. He sat on the bed facing me and I stood in front, gently cleaning the wounds in his hand.

I must not tell lies.

The inscription on his hand, like a redefining phrase. I breathed deeply as I concentrated. After I cleaned out the dirt in his hand, I placed it in a solution that speeds up the healing process. I didn't look Harry in the eyes as I tenderly dabbed at his swollen eye. I remained silent the entire time. I caught glimpses of George, who sat with his head bowed, ashamed. The evidence that Harry had been in a fist fight was almost diminished when I was finished with him.

Madam Pomfery handed Harry a potion and he downed it, "I think you should leave these two to sort things out." She whispered to him just outside her store. Harry didn't need asking twice. I stood calmly and washed my hands before taking the next tray over to George.

I started by taking his hand and examining the bruising around his knuckles. It was far worse than Harry's. I used a pair of medical tweezers to pull out large pieces of debris. I could feel him jump, his grip tightening on me, but I was very gentle and persisted. I cleaned out the wounds with gauze and placed his hands in the same solution as I used with Harry.

I then dared to look up at his face where I saw his swollen and bloodied lip and the gash beside his right eye, both of which had ceased bleeding. He spread his legs further apart so that I could step in between. I tended to the gash first. I could feel his eyes watching me, I cleaned and dabbed and healed, lovingly spreading cream across the remainder of the wound to prevent scarring. Then I moved to his lips; any other time I had touched his lip had been for pleasure, but this was painful. I felt betrayed, "You did the one thing, the one thing -" my voice broke.

"I didn't think -"

"No, George, you didn't think, did you? You didn't spare a second for me and how I might feel in the middle of all this." I stared contently at his lip, putting on the solution that reduces swelling.

"I'm sorry…" he said, kissing my gloved finger as I felt along his lip for added swelling, as I touched the cut for signs of further bleeding.

"How am I meant to trust you?" I felt my chin wobble, I looked at my feet, "How can I trust you when I know what you're capable of? One day I might say something to offend you and you could turn on me -"

George put a finger under my chin to lift it, "Katy, I wouldn't! I would never hurt you!" he looked into my eyes.

"But you did!" I said, my voice was soft and weak, "You've seen what two on one looks like. You've seen my face… my body… how broken I was…" I turned my back on him, "I can't even look at you…" I stood, wrapping my arms around myself for comfort. My eyes were stinging, "He didn't have a chance… He had a broken nose, black eyes, bruising all over his face and chest..." I felt myself toughen as I felt anger kick back in, "He may not have been an innocent party in all of this, but he-" I stopped. I knew what I was about to say was a lie. "Who am I kidding? He deserved it, of course he deserved it and I don't even know what he said…"

George spoke slowly and diplomatically, "He called mum fat and ugly. He called dad a useless loser. He said that our home stinks, he called it a bin. He offended Lily. He said that you are too good for me." he paused, "That last bit is definitely true…" he sighed, "I'll never deserve you…"

I looked up and saw his eyes swimming in tears.

"Georgie…" I said in barely a whisper, stroking his cheek.

I sat up on the bed beside him and stared out the window. The odd flake of snow fell from the sky, fluttered gracefully and landed on the window ledge. George placed his hand on top of mine. Outside the skies were darkening; winter is well and truly on its way. George interlocked his fingers with mine. I felt a surge of warmth as I laid my head on his shoulder.

"I'm still mad at you…"

"I know."

"What did McGonagall say?"

"She was going to give us lines, but…" George sighed, "Umbridge declared Educational Decree Number Twenty-Five, which means she can now overrule teachers."

I swallowed, hard, "I'll get you Essence of Murtlap for later, then?"

"No, it's worse than that… a lot worse than that." He looked at me gravely, "She has banned Harry, Fred and me from playing Quidditch ever again."

"F*ck off."

"No seeker and no beaters…" he said grimly, "You may get on a broom and train up, because suddenly we've half a team…"

"Oh, George…" I felt so bad for him, "I'm so sorry…"

George smiled weakly, "Promise me you won't beat her up."

I gave him some serious side eye.

"Too soon?"

"Yep."