Life Down at the Quidditch Pitch

Chapter Nineteen

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Katie's face was about to break. All she had done through the first hour of dinner
was smile fakely, and they'd only finished with their starters. Of course, the fact hat
Draco was sitting across from her and she was shoved between her Aunt Narcissa and
David Avery wasn't helping either. It was a bloody meal of Death Eaters. What had
she done in her life to deserve this sort of hell?
Luckily though, it seemed that most of the Junior Death Eaters, or what most people
referred to as Slytherins as, stayed at Hogwarts.
"So how is Hogwarts these days?" David Avery asked.
"Absolutely spiffing," Katie replied, with mock enthusiasm, which was rewarded with
a glare from her aunt.
"Kate's quite the little tiger out on the Pitch," Draco added.
"What position do you play?" Vincent Crabbe, Sr. asked, sounding intrigued.
"Ah, an infernal game," her Aunt Narcissa muttered.
"Chaser," Katie replied, delighted to see the food magically form onto her plate.
The conversation stopped as they all began to eat. The food wasn't too terribly bad,
she thought to herself. The company however was a completely different story.
"So what do you think of the way things are going, Lucius?" she heard Linus Zabini
ask from the other end of the table.
"Not making much headway," her uncle replied. Were they talking about what she
though that they were talking about, Katie asked herself. She saw her cousin turn
his attention from smirking at her to the other end of the table. Oh bloody hell,
she thought, she was in hell. They were talking about torturing and killing over
bloody Christmas meal. Was there no end to these people's madness? Was this normal?
Oh what she wouldn't have given to be locked in Gryffindor tower, with nice normal,
sane people. These people were mad, mad, mad....Slytherins.
"I think that we're going about it the wrong way," Aunt Narcissa said, surprising
Katie. She looked at her aunt and raised an eyebrow.
"Narcissa..." her uncle warned.
"Well, I've the right to my opinion, Lucius, just as you yours," she snapped. Katie
looked over at her cousin who was staring down at his plate, not making a sound.
"I digress," Aura Zabini replied. "I think that we're going about this exactly the
right way, the world needs to be rid of...the filth."
Aunt Narcissa was looking down her nose at the woman who was sitting on Draco's
right.
"It's not their fault they're filth," Aunt Narcissa replied. "Most of them don't
know how dirty they are, beating their wives, spreading disease, and infecting the
wizarding world with their plague. We need to separate ourselves from them and be
done with it."
"That's exactly what is going on," Aunt Alexia called from her seat on Lucius' left
side.
"No, its not," Aunt Narcissa replied. It was amazing to Katie, for two women so much
alike, to have such different opinions on this subject. Especially in a subject so
controversial in their circle. "What is going on is completely oppsisite, we're
alienating ourselves from the rest of the Purebloods. We need to convince them that
we're doing this for them, then completely separate ourselves from the lessers."
"I happen to agree," Elizabeth Avery replied from her seat. That topic was argued
through the majority of the meal until finally Uncle Lucius broke it up claiming
that there was no way for everyone to agree, therefore no use in arguing it out.
Katie noticed thought that Uncle Lucius and Aunt Narcissa stopped looking each other
in the eye when they spoke to each other, and Draco had become incredibly interested
in his food. Maybe there was more than met the eye.

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"Have you gotten any owls from Katie?" George asked, while they were sitting at the
table. Oliver looked over and raised an eyebrow.
"No, why?" he asked cutting his roast beef. George looked thoughtful for a moment.
"This is going to sound off, but I think I actually know why Angelina was worried," George muttered.
"What is going on with Katie and Angelina?" Ron asked, leaning over the table.
"None of your bloody business," George snapped. Ron dropped the roll, surprised by
his brother's tone.
"No need to get so snappy," Ron replied. "Just a simple question."
"Nothing with you is ever a simple question," George replied.
"Er..." Oliver interrupted but he was interrupted by Mrs. Weasley before he could say
anything.
"Boys its Christmas Eve, at least pretend like you like each other," she said.
George just glared at his brother, something Oliver thought odd, and then turned to
continue the conversation he and Oliver were having.
"We saw her leave the platform with the Slytherins, namely Malfoy, and he's a bad
egg, if there was ever one," George said.
"Ah, Slytherin's Seeker," Oliver said bitterly.
"Exactly, he's the biggest prat at Hogwart's, Katie's been acting odd, and they go
running off together? Doesn't sound good to me," George said. Oliver bit his lip.
"You don't think...that she's one of them do you?" Oliver asked.
"Oh Merlin no, I just am wondering what she's doing with that lot."
Oliver didn't say anything to reply, he was puzzled by the odd behavior himself. Of
all people, Malfoy? The rat faced, rich prat Slytherin? Was she having mad liasons
with him?
"You...you don't think that she'd be interested in him do you?" Oliver asked as quiet
as possible, but apparently it wasn't quiet enough, because Fred heard him.
"Katie like Malfoy?" Fred asked, loud enough for the whole Weasley clan to turn and
look at him. "Hardly not, she'd rather eat slugs than have anything to do with that
smarmy Slytherin."
"She left the train with him, didn't she?" Harry asked. "It is a bit odd, didn't
even say good-bye."
"That doesn't mean that she's off madly snogging Malfoy though," Hermione
replied. "They could have just happened to leave at exactly the same time."
"And she happened to get in line with the Slytherins, not hardly," Ron replied.
Oliver caught George giving Ron another dirty look, what was on with him today? He'd
never seen him act this way around any of his brothers, not even Percy the Pompous
Prefect.
"Wait, is it Katie Bell that you're talking about?" Mr. Weasley interrupted.
"Yes," Oliver replied.
"What's her father's name?" Oliver was confused by Mr. Weasley's sudden interest in
who Katie was.
"Sam...I think." Mr. Weasley shook his head.
"If I were you, I watch your friend when she gets back to school." George, Oliver,
and Fred all shared confused looks.
"Let's Floo her after dinner," George muttered. Oliver nodded and the two of them
finished their meal in silence.

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Katie couldn't help but notice the dirty looks she'd gotten all through the rest of
the meal and afters. Apparently most everyone had a problem with her being a
Gryffindor, though she could imagine why.
Bloody Death Eaters, she thought. She longed to go upstairs and crawl into her
bed. She shook her head, since when did she consider anything here hers? It had been
too long of a holiday, and she still had two weeks left.
Now that it was after the evening meal, she was forced to stand around and make
small talk. Rrather she and Draco spent the time glaring at each other while the
adults talked of 'important matters'. She and Draco were in the corner with Aunt Narcissa hovering over them, when she saw
Jeeves walking towards them.
"Miss Kate has a Floo in her guestroom fire," he said imperiously. Katie was quite surprised. Who would be sending her a message now? Aunt Narcissa raised an eyebrow.
"May I please be excused?" she asked, sounding more polite than she felt.
"Don't be long dear, people will wonder," Aunt Narcissa said, looking around. Her
eyes darted to her son. "Draco, go with her."
Katie stopped herself from throwing a tantrum in the middle of the floor. She simply
said thank you and left the room as quietly as possible. She ran up the steps, Draco
on her heels.
"Got a message from your Weasley lover, Tiger?" Draco asked. Katie resisted the urge
to turn around and smack him across his smug little rat face. She threw open the
door to her bedroom, George Weasley's head was sticking out of the fireplace.
"Hello Kaaaaa...why the hell is Malfoy there? And why are you wearing dress robes?"
George snapped, making Katie jump back.
"Dinner party," Katie immediately replied. Technically she wasn't lying, she was at
a diner party, it was just a dinner party that Malfoy had been invited to.
"You know, the type of thing you're family wouldn't be invited to?" Draco told him.
"Shut up," Katie snapped at him before George could say anything else. Draco and
Katie glared at each other for a second, then George began speaking.
"Actually I just wanted to wish you a Happy Christmas, but since you seem to be
bloody well engaged," George snapped. "Happy Christmas." Before Katie could say
anything else, George was gone.
"Thanks cousin, dear," Katie replied, opening the door and practically running down
the hallway.
"You don't need to hang out with the Weasley riff raff anyway," Draco
snapped. "They're a disgrace to Purebloods everywhere. Mudblood-loving fools."
Katie spun on her heal. "Shut your inbred mouth."
"Inbred? Eh? Well, dear cousin, since we're related..."
Katie huffed as she stopped at the door. "Why did you do that? Why couldn't you have
just let me have a conversation with a friend?"
"Don't you think it would look a bit odd? What if Zabini or someone had come to look
for us and you were talking to a Weasley?" Draco snapped. "They already were shocked
when you declared in front of Merlin and everybody that you were a bloody
Gryffindor, you talking to a Weasley would just be the icing on the cake!"
"What are you on about?" Katie asked confused.
"Don't you Gryffindors ever think?" Draco was now practically spitting with
rage. "The Ministry is conducting raids Kate. Raids! Anyone who is rumored in the
slightest to have anything to do with You-Know-Who is being searched. It would look
kind of funny if all of the sudden a house was raided right after eating a meal with
a Gryffindor who suddenly had a Floo! They'll think that you gave them away!"
Katie's mouth formed an 'o'. "Trust me, you don't want that to happen! So just
watch yourself!"
Draco flung the door to the sitting room open, surprising the Notts. Katie scampered
after her cousin, hoping that nothing was amiss. Draco had been right. She kicked
herself mentally. That had been a rather stupid move.

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"What are you wearing?" Katie turned around to see Draco standing behind her. She
was wearing her school uniform, minus her Gryffindor cloak. It was the most
comfortable clothing she had with her, so for the trip to Kent, she'd decided to don
it. She hoped that she had some trousers and a jumper at her grandmum's.
"Clothing," she replied rather smartly to him.
"I can see that," he replied just as nastily. "Why are you wearing those?"
"Because its better than wearing robes, you know, since I am used to Muggle clothing
and all," Katie replied, pulling a thick cloak around her. She was expected to leave
for Kent in under five minutes.
"Ah, I see, well are we ready to go?" Draco asked. He was wearing the thick, ice blue
robes that they'd picked up at Madame Malkin's only a week before.

"We?"
"As in, you and I? I know you're a Gryffindor, but..."
"Oh just sod off," Katie interrupted. "You cannot possibly be going with me. I don't
think that I need a chaperone, and you would hardly qualify as a good chaperone
anyway. You are a Slytherin, after all."
Draco smirked. "Well, Mum and Father think it best if I go with, just to make sure
that you, ah, behave yourself."
"Afraid that I'll tell all your dirty secrets?" Katie asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Hardly. Besides I'm interested in my other cousins. What are they're names again?"
"I can tell that you're incredibly interested," Katie replied
sarcastically. "Their names are Andrew and Emma."
Draco nodded. "So what is taking so long? Shouldn't we be leaving?"
Instead of answering, she pulled out Floo powder and yelled her destination,
disappearing in the green flames.
She landed in a heap, falling out of the fireplace. No one was in this part of the
house; she brushed herself off with the big feather brush. She heard a clunk. Turning she saw Draco in a heap in front of the fire place.
"Was it really necessary to Floo?" he asked bitterly.
"Just for seeing you in a dirty heap, yes."
He glared at her, stood up, and began brushing himself off as well.
"Kate!" Andrew and Emma called. They must have heard them arrive, Floo was not known for its stealth capabilities. There were two thumps against her, following but
excited chatter.
"You're here!" they both chimed, she laughed, happy to see her two siblings.
"Of course I am," she said, hugging them close. "Did you expect me not to come?"
"Well Aunt Alexia owled us and said that you were staying there for holiday," Emma
explained. "We thought that you might stay there."
"Not hardly," Katie replied. "It's boring and stuffy."
"She also said that we'd be meeting our cousin...Dragon or Droko or something," Andrew said. Katie snickered at them butchering his name. She turned to see Draco looking sour.
"Actually it's Draco, and he's unfortunately here with us."
Draco glared at her. "You must be Andrew and Emma." He was now looking at the twins
with a bemused _expression. Neither of the twins said anything, they were looking at
Draco with odd looks on their face. Finally Katie felt a tug on her skirt, and
realized it was Emma looking up at her.
"I need to tell you something," she muttered.
Katie was about to ask what when there was a crash behind her, making her jump.
Someone else had arrived by Floo, and it wasn't just anyone, no it was Oliver Wood.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded.

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Oliver looked straight at Katie, then the other people in the room, namely the prat
Malfoy.
"What am I doing here?" he replied. "Your grandmum invited me." He turned his
attention to Malfoy. "What's he doing here?"
"I was invited, Wood," Malfoy drawled. Katie smacked herself on the forehead and
muttered something about the holiday.
"Oliver!" Andrew exclaimed. He turned his attention towards Katie's little brother
and sister.
"Mr. Wood!" Emma said as well. "We're glad you came!" He smiled at them, even though he was wondering about Katie's involvement with Malfoy. He was sure that she'd never said more than two words to the git in her entire life, but now she was spending
holiday time and attending a dinner at her grandmum's with him.
"Grandmum's expecting all of you," Andrew said.
"Let's go see her, shall we?" Katie suggested. Oliver followed Katie and Malfoy out
of the sitting room and into the hallway. He couldn't help but notice their body
language, they didn't touch; Katie had her arms folder over her chest, and it looked
as if they were attempting to be as far away from the other as possible.
"So this is your grandmum's house, eh?" Malfoy asked, looking around.
"What scathing comment are you going to make about it?" Katie snapped.
"Nothing scathing, Kate," Malfoy replied, Oliver couldn't help but notice how he
called her Kate. Wasn't that a bit odd? Maybe they were a couple, he thought
miserably. Maybe they'd spent the whole week shagging each other like mad. "I was
just going to comment that its an awful nice house for someone who's a Squib." Or
not, he thought.
"You little inbred..."
"Remember, what I said about the inbred comment Tiger." Malfoy was grinning. Katie
scowled and looked away.
The entered the dining room. There was a table set, glittering candles were floating
around the room. Oliver raised an eyebrow, confused. Squibs couldn't use magic, he
thought. They didn't have any.
"Welcome!" Rose said from nowhere. Oliver jumped and turned around and saw the woman standing behind him. She looked a great deal frailer than she had the last time that he'd seen her. "I hope you like the candles, I've had Mr. Fletcher come and enchant
them for me."
"They're lovely, Grandmum," Katie said. He felt her push past him, and he watched
them hug each other tightly.
"I've missed you so much Kate," Rose said. "I hope everyone at you Aunt Alexia's is
treating you all right."
"Well they haven't tortured me and sent me to the dungeons yet, so it's been all
right, I suppose," Katie said lightly. "Though I'd rather be here."
"Of course honey, I would have loved to have you here." Rose pulled away and Oliver could have sworn that he'd seen tears in the woman's eyes. "Oliver, I'm glad that
you decided to join us. Draco, you too."
"Thank you for inviting me," Oliver and Malfoy said at the same time. He turned his
head to glance at the younger boy, but he was watching Emma and Andrew in interest.
"Now," Rose said, clapping her hands together. "Shall we eat?"
"Finally," Andrew muttered. They all took places around the table, Oliver wound up
across from Katie, who was between Malfoy and Andrew. She looked up at him with an
odd expression on her face, but it quickly changed to her usual unreadable self. He
shook his head and waited for the Rose to sit, so they could begin dining.

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"Kate, how's your holiday been?" Emma asked. Katie looked up to her sister grinning.
"Survivable," she replied.
"It's been hard for her, being away from her special friend," Draco said, through a
mouthful of mash. "Hasn't it Tiger?" Katie glared at him.
"I do not have a special friend, thank you very much."
"What's he talking about?" Andrew asked looking confused.
"The delusion that he has in his head," Katie said icily. Draco gave her an 'Aren't-I-
So-Innocent' smile. "How has your holiday been?"
"Brilliant!" Emma said with a smile.
"Emma,will you please pass me the mash?" Oliver asked politely, interrupting the
flow of conversation.
"So," Katie said, feeling quite uncomfortable, though unsure as to why. Then it hit
her, this had been the first time since he'd professed his love for her that they'd
been around each other. Well except for Quidditch, but they never really talked or
were by each other then. Oliver mainly talked to Angelina and Dean. "How has
Hogwarts been over the holiday?"
"Dull. No Quidditch or anyone stopping by to visit. Though I did pop by the
Weasley's yesterday." Oliver suddenly looked uncomfortable.
"Tell me is their mother..." Draco began, but was silenced by a shut up from Katie.
They glared at each other for a second. He was really an insufferable prick.
"So Draco," Andrew said, attempting to sound polite, though he looked rather
confused by the verbal exchanges. "Are you a Gryffindor like Kate?"
Draco snorted and held his chin up. "I'm in Slytherin."
"Ooo you must have done something awful to end up in there!" Emma said loudly and
looked quite shocked. Draco just made a disgusted sort of noise. Katie refrained
from giggling and saying some rather rude comment.
"You were in Gryffindor, right?" Andrew asked, turning towards Oliver.
"Of course," Oliver said. A smug smile appeared on his face as he looked at the sulking Draco "That means you probably saw Kate in her dressing robe!" Emma shrieked, half in
horror half in surprise. She turned to glare at her sister.
"Remember the time that Kate thought that the flat was on fire, and rushed us out of
the flat, and she was in nothing but that see-through nightshirt?" Andrew asked, his
voice full of glee. Katie felt herself turn a bright crimson. Draco sniggered, and
Oliver attempted not to giggle.
"Excuse me, but I think that this conversation is meant for younger ears only,"
Grandmum said, smiling. "I'll go and get pudding ready."
"See-though, eh Tiger?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow. Katie made a face at him.
"Why does he," Andrew glared at Draco, "keep calling you Tiger?"

Draco raised an eyebrow and made a 'come here' signal with his finger. Andrew left his
seat, still glancing warily at him. Draco whispered something into his ear. Katie
was dreading whatever the slimy git was telling her young and impressionable
brother.
"Kate," Andrew suddenly said. "What's sex?" Draco began laughing so hard he fell out of his chair, Katie felt herself blush a bright crimson, and Oliver spit part of
his food out onto Katie and began laughing as well. Katie slammed down her fork onto
the table and left into the sitting room.
"What's so funny?" was the last thing she heard as the door slammed behind her.

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