To say that Katie was shocked when she stepped out of the secret passage and into the Room of Requirement would be an understatement. The room had transformed from their usual DA practicing space. Instead, the room was now practically empty aside from a fireplace, a few chairs, and some hammocks and sleeping bags.

The people sat in the hammocks and sleeping bags had familiar faces: Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, Lavender Brown and — lo and behold — Zacharias Smith, who sneered when Katie and Draco emerged from the secret passageway.

"What are you all doing in here?" Katie asked of no one in particular, swivelling her head around to get a good look at the room.

It was Neville who answered.

"We spend nights in here when things get really bad in the school," he explained. "It's sort of like a hideout."

"What's she doing back so early?" Zacharias spat suddenly, not even bothering to try and hide the disgust in his voice.

Katie narrowed her eyes. "I just missed your company so much." she drawled.

"Weren't having a good time with your Death Eater buddies, were you not?" Zacharias snarled. At this, Katie plunged her hand inside her pocket in search of her wand but Draco grabbed her arm to stop her.

"He's not worth it." Draco said quietly, but unfortunately Zacharias caught ear of his words.

"Oh, I'm not worth it? I'm not worth it?" he raised his voice. "Who's the scum with the Dark Mark on his arm, who let the Death Eaters into the school, who tried to kill Dumbledore?"

Draco lowered his head shamefully. Katie pushed him behind herself and stood in front of him protectively.

"Knock it off, Smith." she warned.

"What would Potter say if he knew you were shacking up with Malfoy again?" Smith went on. He glared between Katie and Draco with utmost loathing. Katie was taken off guard by this question but managed to pull herself together to form some sort of a response.

"What does Harry have to do with anything?" she snapped.

Smith rolled his eyes, placed his hands on his knees and pushed himself to his feet. He was at least six feet tall but Katie did not let that intimidate her.

"Honestly, Blair, you've been jumping from one to the other since you were, what, twelve? I don't know how you keep up."

Ginny, who had been silent the entire time, probably because she shared Smith's hatred for Draco, angrily said, "Shut up, Smith. You know that's not true."

"But it is true," Smith pressed. "She goes from Potter to Malfoy — Potter, Malfoy, Potter, Malfoy. Merlin's Beard, one at a time, Blair."

Draco's hand latched onto Katie's arm. "Leave her alone, Smith." he warned darkly.

Smith ignored him and continued to address Katie. "What do you see in him, anyway? Malfoy, I mean. We all know he's nothing but a coward who—"

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Smith's arms clasped to his side, his entire body stiffened, and then he hit the floor like a board of wood. Katie pocketed her wand.

"That ought to shut him up for a bit," she said, then she turned to Draco. "Are you all right?"

Draco tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Me? I'm fine. It's you he was having a go at."

"He doesn't get to me." Katie lied but Draco saw right through her facade. Unknowing that everyone was watching them, Draco kissed her on the forehead and Ginny narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"Hey, Malfoy, come over here for a minute." Seamus Finnigan called from his hammock. Draco looked unsure but Katie gave him a reassuring pat on the arm.

"Don't worry," she smiled. "Seamus is nice."

Albeit hesitantly, Draco made his way over to Seamus, who was sitting with Neville, and Katie sat down on a sleeping bag next to Ginny, who was observing Draco's every move through narrowed eyes.

"He really does care about you, doesn't he?" Ginny said reluctantly, as if speaking these words caused her physical pain.

Katie smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I suppose he does."

"I still don't trust him," Ginny added sharply. "He's still — he still—"

"I know, Gin. It took me awhile to trust him again too."

Ginny turned her head to face Katie and frowned. "You know I just want what's best for you, and sometimes I think... that Harry is the better bloke for you."

"But, Ginny, you and Harry—" Katie gasped.

"Broke up because Harry is under-appreciative if my strength," Ginny finished calmly. "But he's never doubted you. The way he used to talk about you when you were together — it was as if you were Merlin himself, or something."

Katie sighed. "He was only trying to keep you safe when he ended things. He loves you."

"Does he?" Ginny countered.

"Gin, have you not seen the way he looks at you?" Katie went on. "When he looks at you, it's like he's seeing the universe for the first time."

Although she tried to hide it from view, Ginny's lips twitched as a smile played at her mouth. She tore her eyes away from Katie, instead focusing them back on Draco, who was laughing nervously with Seamus and Neville as they seemed to be chatting friendlily with the Slytherin.

"That's the way Draco looks at you." Ginny said. Katerina felt heat rising to her cheeks.

"That's not true—"

"Yes, it is," Ginny cut her off, smiling. "Maybe I don't like the idea of you two being together, but those few months in sixth year when you were together — well, I'd never seen you happier."

"I believe him when he says that he's sorry." Katie told her friend while she was pulling at the hem of her sleeve.

Ginny nodded. "And I trust you."

"So you trust Draco?" Katie asked hopefully.

"Merlin, no," Ginny said quickly. "But... I suppose I'm willing to give him another chance."

The two girls smiled at each other, but Ginny's smile quickly faded to a frown, which made Katie panic a little.

"Why did you come back early?" Ginny asked. "What happened at Malfoy Manor?"

Katie told Ginny all about how Harry, Ron and Hermione had been captured and taken to Malfoy Manor, how Bellatrix tried to make Katie and Draco identify Harry, how Bellatrix tortured Hermione, and how Katie and Draco escaped. She avidly left out any details about Voldemort.

"Why would Bellatrix think the sword of Gryffindor was in her vault?" Ginny thought aloud, her eyebrows furrowed. "It's been in Snape's office all year. Neville, Luna and I even tried to steal it."

Katie did not question the fact that Ginny, Neville and Luna had tried to steal the sword — it was probably the most Ginny Weasleyish thing that Ginny Weasley had ever done.

"I dunno," Katie shrugged, "but the goblin said that the sword Harry, Ron and Hermione had was a fake."

"Goblin?" Ginny questioned.

"Yeah, they were holding a goblin in the cellar," Katie shivered, "the whole time I was there."

She lowered her gaze to her lap, where her hands were resting, and Ginny must have sensed her shame and guilt because she wrapped her arm around Katie's shoulder.

"It isn't your fault." Ginny said softly.

"Ginny, I chose to go to Malfoy Manor. I fell for the trick. I promised Harry that I'd stay with him and I broke that promise."

For the next few minutes, Ginny tried to convince Katie to stop beating herself up, but she wouldn't listen, so eventually Ginny resulted to simply hugging her and trying her best to comfort her.

"Everything all right?"

Katie and Ginny looked up. Draco had returned and was staring down at them, his eyebrows twisted with worry. Ginny gave Katie's shoulder one last comforting squeeze.

"I'll leave you two alone." Ginny got to her feet, gave Draco a final, calculating look, then strode towards Neville.

***

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat around the fire in Shell Cottage, staring emptily into the crackling flames.

"I can't believe it," Harry muttered for what must have been the tenth time in five minutes. "I won't believe it."

Hermione sighed and gave Harry a sad look. "Harry, Ron and I don't want to believe it either, but she was at Malfoy Manor. She's joined him."

"No," Harry said defiantly. "She knew it was me — she knew it was us, but she didn't sell us out."

"Neither did Malfoy," Ron pointed out. "Just because he's a Death Eater, that doesn't mean he wants us dead. The same can be said about Katie."

As an effort to ease his stress, Harry ran his hand through his tousled hair, but to no avail.

"She lied, then," he said angrily. "There was no vision of Malfoy getting tortured. She just wanted an excuse to leave and join You-Know-Who."

A tear trickled down Hermione's face but she hastily wiped it away. Ron was staring despondently into the fire, as though he wished it would just swallow him whole.

"Looks like it..." Ron mumbled miserably.

Harry picked up a spare piece of parchment, rolled it into a ball and chucked it into the fire. Still, his stress and anger did not subside.

"Then there really are no Slytherins that aren't bloody cowards." he snarled.

"I can't believe — all this time — she was our friend," Hermione spoke through sobs. "And now — joined him — I can't believe..."

Ron wrapped his arm around Hermione and let her cry on his shoulder. Harry watched them, feeling a sliver of happiness at the fact that they were finally mending their friendship, but also feeling more alone than he ever had in his life.

Naturally, he also felt betrayed. Katerina had always been his friend — one of his best friends, even, and he would have trusted her with her life. As he had said before, she suffered at the hands of Voldemort more than most people; she was the last person he would have ever expected to join him.

***

Katie and Draco remained hidden in the Room of Requirement until Monday, when term resumed. Ginny sneaked food up to them. How the staff managed not to notice that the pair didn't arrive on the Hogwarts Express, Katie wasn't sure, but they somehow managed to get away with it.

On the third day of term, Draco received a letter from his mother, but he tore it up without reading it and tossed it in the fire when he got back to the Slytherin common room.

"What if it said something important?" Katie proposed as they watched the fragments of the letter wither and burn in the raging flames.

"I doubt it," Draco said. "Come on, let's go down to the Lake."

Although it was already late in the evening, Katie did not protest. It was April, so the sun hung high in the sky for a little while longer.

As usual, the setting sun cast ripples of orange and pink dancing across the inky surface of the Lake. The scenery was probably one of Katie's favourite things about Hogwarts, and it was even more beautiful in the light of the dying sun.

Katerina and Draco sat under the beech tree by the edge of the Lake. She leaned her head on his shoulder and took his hand, but Draco knew all to well that she just wanted to play with his rings. She loved to do that. Sometimes she wouldn't even realise what she was doing — she would fondle with the rings and twirl them around his fingers while she read a book, and he seemed to be mesmerised by the sight every time.

"I prefer the silver rings." she murmured.

"You told me that last night," Draco chuckled. "And the night before, and the night before, and the—"

"Yeah, OK, I get the message." she scoffed, making him titter in amusement.

Someway away, around the middle of the Lake, the giant squid emerged for the briefest of moments, before sinking back into the depths of the glittering water. Katie sighed in content.

"I live for moments like these." she said.

"Moments like what?"

"Moments of peace, where I can just forget everything. It's crazy to think..." she hesitated and gulped down a harsh lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. "To think that, right now, outside the castle grounds, he's gaining followers, taking control of the Ministry, killing people."

"That's true," Draco said. "But do you know what else is happening right now?"

There was a playful undertone to his voice, an undertone that Katie was very familiar with. It always meant trouble was brewing. She lifted her head from his shoulder and looked up at him, only to find him grinning mischievously.

"What?" she asked a little hesitantly.

Draco pointed out to the Lake and Katerina found herself following his gaze. "We're standing in the Lake, the water is just below our knees, the moon is rising in the east, and I'm taking the braids out of your hair because I know how much they hurt your head."

Katie couldn't help but roll her eyes. "That sounds lovely, but, incase you haven't noticed, we're currently sat on the cold ground under a tree and — hey, what are you doing? Put me down!"

Draco had wrapped his arms around her waist, picked her up off the ground, slung her over his shoulder, and was now carrying her towards the water. For such a thin guy, he was remarkably strong — or maybe it was just because Katerina was so small.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, I swear to Merlin if you don't put me down this instant—"

"If you insist." he said teasingly.

Before Katie could protest, Draco let her go and she fell towards the water, but he caught her around the waist before her entire body could be submerged.

"I swear I hate you," she swatted his hands away and tried to writhe out of his grasp, but he just laughed hysterically and held onto her tighter. "You've ruined my jeans, you stupid prat. They're soaking."

"Oh, what a shame," Draco simpered. "I suppose you'll have to take them off."

Katie gave him a disbelieving look, which only made him laugh harder. His smile still did not falter when she lightly smacked him upside the head.

"You're unbelievable." she reprimanded, shaking her head, trying with all her might to force back the smile that was threatening to burden her face. The twitching of her lips did not go unnoticed by Draco.

"You're trying not to laugh." he pointed out. His eyes twinkled mysteriously.

"Am not!" Katie countered defensively, but then her giggles erupted and there was nothing she could do to stop them.

Draco grabbed her waist once more,

picked her up and spun her around. Katie squealed. Water propelled around them, splashing them, but neither of them really minded.

"You're so beautiful when you smile," Draco placed her back on her feet and she felt a cold tingle ripple up her spine as her lower legs were submerged in the icy water again. "How did I get so lucky?"

Katerina smirked and ruffled his hair, making him grimace. He pretended to hate when she touched his hair, but even he couldn't object when she offered to stroke his hair while he rested his head in her lap.

"You're so cute." she lulled. He swatted her hand away and tried to scowl but a pout formed on his face instead.

"I am not cute," he folded his arms. "Slytherins aren't cute."

Katerina raised an eyebrow. "So you don't think I'm cute?"

As Draco realised his mistake, his face flushed red and Katie bit back laughter.

"No, no, no!" he said hastily. "I didn't mean that! I meant — er — Malfoys aren't cute."

"So, if we got married, I wouldn't be cute anymore?" she smirked. Draco looked utterly defeated.

"Why do you have to make everything so difficult?" he said, cupping her face.

"Excuse me?" she countered. "You're the difficult one, thank you very much."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really, Mr I-Really-Like-This-Girl-So-I'm-Just-Going-To-Be-Mean-To-Her-All-The-Time-And-Hope-She-Doesn't-Notice-That-I'm-Hopelessly-In-Love-With-Her."

Draco scoffed. "Oh, shut up."

Katie laughed triumphantly and Draco removed his hands from her face.

"You know what?" he said, smirking and stepping away. "I was going to kiss you, but after that extremely rude insult, I don't think I will."

"All right, then," Katie turned and started trudging out of the water. "I'll just go find someone else to kiss then."

"Merlin's Beard, you're impossible." Draco sighed and Katie smiled to herself. Then, Draco grabbed her hand, pulled her back into the water, and kissed her before she could fully comprehend what was happening.

Surprise kisses were his favourite. He liked to jump out at her in the halls, kiss her quickly, and then saunter away without a word, and no matter how many times he did this, it still left Katerina flustered.

As they were kissing, Draco's foot got caught on a rock and they stumbled, falling to the ground. Luckily, they were near the edge of the Lake, so there was no risk of them drowning, but Katerina wasn't particularly pleased about the fact that now, not only were her jeans wet, but so was her blouse. Water lapped around her and soaked her hair.

"You really are the worst." she smiled up at him.

"I am, aren't I?" he grinned.

Katie rolled her eyes for what must have been the millionth time that night. "I can't believe you're the one that my idiot self decided to fall in love with."

Draco froze. She heard his breath hitch. When Katie realised what she had said, she blushed fiercely, but she did not regret or retract her words.

"You — you love me?" Draco asked, his voice quiet yet filled with hope, his eyes wide.

"Well, it varies from moment to moment."

"Oh, for the love of—"

Katerina laughed softly and reached up, resting her hand on the side of his face. He subconsciously leaned into her touch.

"Of course I do, you prat."

Draco's eyes lit up like the first stars of the night that were shining in the sky behind him. Katie could have sworn that she saw tears welling in his misty silver orbs. He leaned down to kiss her, but she had other plans.

She placed her leg against the inside of his knee and pushed. He just had time to say, "What the—" before the force of the push knocked him sideways, and suddenly he was the one laying on his back on the sodden Lake floor as Katerina smiled triumphantly down at him.

"My hair gets muddy, your hair gets muddy." she said almost coquettishly.

"Hey!" Draco scolded. "It takes effort to have hair this good!"

She smirtled. "Harry's is nicer."

Katie knew how much this would annoy Draco and she was right. She had to bite down hard on her lip to hold back her grin of satisfaction as an expression of complete and utter disbelief and offence washed over Draco's face.

"You did not just say that!" he gasped.

"Oh, I said it all right."

Before Katerina could even blink, she was laying on her back again and Draco was kissing her, and it was quite possibly the happiest she had been in months.