Falling for the Enemy||Draco Malfoy Love Story Fanfiction

Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Suspicions

We talked some more, but then it was almost nine. I could tell Draco wanted to stay and talk for some more, but I didn't want him to miss his party.

"Happy birthday, Draco," I said to him one last time, then I plucked up my Gryffindor courage and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before hurriedly walking away, leaving him there stunned. My cheeks were flushed, even as I made my way back to my dorm.

We had another Hogsmeade trip scheduled a few days later. The four of us: me, Hermione, Harry and Ron, made our way into Hogsmeade. The weather was bitingly chilly, and I wondered if we were better off cozied up in the warm Gryffindor common room. I secured my scarf tighter round my neck. Zonko's had been boarded up, much to Harry and Ron's dismay, so we headed into the warm shop of Honeydukes. We ran into Slughorn, bought a few sweets, then Harry decided to go into the Three Broomsticks. It would be far warmer in there. We ordered butterbeers.

"You have uh, something here," Ron indicated the side of his mouth. Hermione hastily wiped it, and Harry and I gave each other knowing smirks. I frowned as I spotted a familiar white-blond headed figure walk into the Three Broomsticks. Our eyes clashed momentarily then he ducked out of sight. I bit my lip, my drink forgotten. What was he doing? I couldn't shake off the suspicious feeling.

We were mostly silent as we trudged back up to Hogwarts. Ahead, Katie Bell and her friend Leanne were arguing about something. She made to grab the package in Katie's hand, but Katie tugged it back. I caught a glint of silver as it fell to the ground.

At once, Katie rose into the air, not as Ron had done, suspended comically by the ankle, but gracefully, her arms outstretched, as though she was about to  fly. Yet there was something wrong, something  eerie…Her  hair was whipped  around her by the fierce wind, but her eyes were closed and her face was quite empty of expression. Harry, Ron, Merielle, Hermione, and Leanne had all halted in their tracks, watching.  Then, six feet above the ground, Katie let out a  terrible scream. Her eyes flew open but whatever she could see, or whatever she was feeling, was clearly causing her terrible anguish.

She screamed and screamed; Leanne started to scream too and seized Katie’s ankles, trying to tug her back to the ground. We dashed forwards, and together, managed to get her down. Hagrid came up to us and he picked Katie up, giving Harry strict instructions to only touch the package, and not the opal necklace. It was a cursed one.

Back at Hogwarts, McGonagall was inspecting it. Leanne and the four of us stood before them. I was worried for Katie. I hoped she would be alright.

"You are sure Katie did not have it with her when she went into the Three Broomsticks?" McGonagall asked Leanne.

"It's like I said," the other girl answered, "She went to the loo, and when she came back she had the package. She said it was important she delivered it."

"Did she say to whom?"

"To Professor Dumbledore." The words resounded in my ears. An unpleasant feeling twisted in my stomach. McGonagall drew in a deep breath.

"Very well, Leanne, you may go." The girl nodded, and left. Then Snape came, and lifted the necklace with his wand.

"What do you think?" McGonagall asked him.

"I think Miss Bell is very lucky to be alive," he responded. I gasped in horror at his words.

"She was cursed, wasn't she?" Harry spoke suddenly, "I know Katie. Off the Quidditch pitch, she wouldn't hurt a fly. If she was delivering that to Professor Dumbledore, she wasn't doing it knowingly."