PRINCESS ➳ harry potter, draco malfoy (NEW VERSION)

11 || Halloween

September flew by in what seemed like a mere moment. Perhaps being preoccupied with Quidditch pratice three nights a week on top of an abundance of homework made it seem as though time was moving much faster than it ought to, but before Katie knew it, it was Halloween.

The students at Hogwarts still attended their regular classes throughout the day, but they would be having the grand Halloween Feast come the evening. Katie had heard all about the Halloween Feast from Chris, and while he said that it was nothing compared to the marvellous banquet held at the end of every school year, she was giddy with excitement at the prospect of all the sweets and treats that would be available on Halloween night.

The last lesson of the day was Defence Against the Dark Arts and, anxious to be finished with classes so they could get to the feast, all of the students were restless and got little to no work done. When class finally ended, Katie rose swiftly to her feet, beckoning a goodbye to Theo before darting out of the classroom and through the corridors. She knew that the Gryffindors had Charms class, and she wanted to catch Harry and Ron before the feast. Chris had told her that he and his friends were going to light a bonfire down by the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and she wanted to invite them along.

When she reached the Charms classroom, the students were only beginning to file out, and Katie fell into step with Harry and a very aggravated Ron.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he was complaining. "She's a nightmare, honestly."

Someone shoved into Harry, in turn making him knock against Katie. She saw that it was Hermione Granger, and she was taken aback to find that tears were streaming down her face. Katie shot an accusing glare at Ron—she was almost certain she knew exactly who he had been loudly bad-mouthing only moments before.

"I think she heard you," Harry said.

"So?" Ron shot, but he did appear to be a little uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

"You're awful," Katie snapped. Ron turned his head sharply towards her, looking visibly affronted, but before he could say anything, she added, "I'll see you at the feast."

"Where are you going?" Harry called after Katie, who had begun to push her way through the moving crowd.

"To find Hermione."

Though there wasn't much finding to be done. Katie was sure she knew exactly where Hermione would be. She knew that if she was upset, the first place she would go to have a nice private cry would be the bathroom. Not at all to her surprise, Katie heard muffled sobs and sniffles coming from one of the cubicles upon entering the girls lavatory.

"Hello?" Katie said softly, rapping her knuckles gently against the cubicle door. "Are you okay?"

"Go away." Hermione's voice cracked. Sighing, Katie placed her hands on the door, taking perfect care to keep her tone both kind but not demeaning.

"It's Hermione, isn't it?" she asked. "I'm Katie Blair. We have Potions together. I'm a friend of Harry and Ron's."

There was a moment of thick silence, then the lock clicked and Hermione pulled the cubicle door open. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her cheeks were stained by streams of tears. She sniffed weakly, dabbing her nose on the sleeve of her robes, and offered Katie a saddened smile.

"You've come to tell me off too, I expect?"

"No, I've come to apologise on Ron's behalf," she said, clearly surprising Hermione, because her brown eyes widened. "I know he can be a prat sometimes. Trust me, he used to be awful to me too. But he comes around if you give him time."