Easier To Run

A/N : Ok, hopefully this chapter reaches you before the weekend. Because this weekend is all about Chamber of Secrets. My butt is going to be parked on the couch and I'm going to watch it over and over again. In other words, no chapters this weekend. LOL. I will be mesmerized by the sexiness of Alan Rickman (evil), Jason Isaacs (EVIL), and Sean Biggerstaff, and enthralled in the cuteness of Tom Felton and Rupert Grint. *grin* They're too young yet, so they're just cute.

Hope you enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope you enjoy this one.

P.S. Just a note about the DVD Launch party that happened on Tuesday. If you're a Sean fan, you might want to check out the link that Mugglenet has. They have links for pictures and quotes. Click on the quotes one. A great picture of Sean and Tom. *sigh* So cute. And a great little section about Sean and how he feels about PoA.

****

Two weeks went by, and all had been arranged for Katie's trip to visit Hogsmeade that day. But Katie couldn't stop crying. She had to see Snape. She had avoided him at all costs after what she had said. She felt guilty. He was, after all, only trying to help. But Katie's mind still viewed this as pity. And pity wasn't to be tolerated. So, she had called upon the house-elves for meals and not left Gryffindor Tower.

She went into the bathroom and splashed some water on her face to take the redness away. She looked at her reflection.

"Well, I dug myself into this hole. I'll just have to dig myself out," she said, taking a deep steadying breath.

She walked from the bathroom and over to her bed. She pocketed her wand and left the dormitory. Waving goodbye to The Fat Lady, she made her way down to the entrance hall. As she walked down the marble staircase, she made sure her long skirt was straight. She looked up from the stairs and saw Snape standing at the bottom, waiting for her. She forced her tears down and gave him a small smile.

"Still alive, Miss. Bell? The Headmaster was about to interrogate The Fat Lady for your password," Snape said in a sarcastic tone.

'He's back,' Katie thought, regretting the fact that she had suggested the lack of change.

"House-elves are ever so helpful, you know. Ask for an apple and they bring you a fruit basket," Katie said, in her own sarcastic way.

"Indeed. Well, let's get going. I'm sure Mr. Wood will be out for blood if you're late, knowing that I'm escorting you," Snape said opening the front doors.

They walked down to the gates of Hogsmeade, enveloped in silence. Katie stole looks at the Potions Master every so often, but he stared straight ahead. About halfway there, Katie couldn't take it anymore. The tears were filling her eyes again and she knew it was now or never. So, she cleared her throat.

"You know. What I said. I shouldn't have been so mean about it. If I offended you in any way, I'm sorry. I know you were only trying to help," Katie said and chanced a glance at Snape.

He was smiling. "Thank you, Miss. Bell. Is that why you've been hiding for two weeks?"

Katie looked at her sandal clad feet. "Yes."

Snape allowed himself another smile as he surveyed Katie. "Well, I hope you enjoy yourself today at least."

"I will," she said as they entered Hogsmeade.

Katie's heart was threatening to jump out of her chest as they walked. It had only been three weeks since she had seen Oliver, but it felt like an eternity. Her eyes scanned the area, but she saw no sign of Oliver. She looked over at Snape once more.

"Lupin wrote me back," she said, initiating a conversation, as it was obvious that Oliver was not around yet.

Snape motioned to a nearby bench. "Did he? Are you trying to engage me in conversation, Miss. Bell?"

"I suppose so," Katie said, sitting on the bench but still keeping her eyes open for Oliver, "He, uh. He's fine. He said to ask how you are. Out of courtesy, no doubt," Katie said giving Snape a small smile.

He looked away from her, avoiding banter once more. "I hope you didn't speak ill of me."

"Of course not. I said that you were you, seeing as I was locked away in my Tower and had no way of knowing," Katie said, leaning back and crossing her arms across her chest.

"And whose fault is that, Miss. Bell?" he said, taking the bait.

Katie thought on that, and then looked at him, eyebrow arched sarcastically. "Touché."

Katie looked around the deserted area that was Hogsmeade and sighed, looking at her watch. "Are we early?" she said, worry clear in her voice.

Snape must have picked up on it, because he answered her, too quickly. "I'm sure we are. Or he may be running a little late."

Katie looked at him and the back out in front of her. Two faint pops in the distance alerted her attention and she looked down the main street of Hogsmeade. The sight that met her eyes almost made her cry. She stood and walked past Snape and down the street. She had to do everything in her power not to run over to them.

Because to her great surprise, both Oliver Wood and Percy Weasley were standing all of twenty feet from her. But the smile that broke out on Oliver's face was too much for Katie and she hiked up her skirt enough so she could run and ran to him. When she reached him, he lifted her off the ground as he hugged her. When he placed her feet back on the ground he kissed her. Only then did Katie really realize how much she had missed him. She pulled back and grabbed Percy.

"What the hell are you doing here!" she said, as Percy hugged her tightly.

"I'm just a messenger for mum," Percy said as he let her go and smiled, "That's why we're a little late. She wanted to be sure that I remembered to tell you everything."

Katie smiled. She had always loved Percy's mum.

"So, is he staying around, or what?" Oliver said rolling his eyes in Snape's direction.

"Uh," Katie said, glancing back at Snape and then back to Oliver, she shrugged, "He has to walk me back up to the castle later, and he's free to do what he wants while I'm here. He's not going t spy on us or anything."

"I don't know how you can trust him, Kate," Oliver said softly.

"I don't have any other choice," Katie said resignedly.

"Come on," Percy said, grabbing Katie's hand, "Let's take a walk. I'll tell you everything mum needs me to tell you and then I'll leave you and Oliver be."

Katie smiled and followed after him, Oliver lagging behind, shaking his head, smiling.

"What would they say at the Ministry, Perce? I can see the headlines now. 'Ministry worker Percy Weasley seen frolicking in the fields by Hogsmeade with amateur-professional Quidditch player Oliver Wood and unknown girl'," he said as they passed the Shrieking Shack.

Katie laughed loudly and then went silent as she looked at the Shack. She felt Percy tug at her hand, but she stayed still, just looking at the creaky building. A story flashed in her head that Angelina's mother, Adele, had told her.

Adele and Angelina's father, Michael, had snuck out for a midnight stroll and were in Hogsmeade. It was a full moon. They were walking by the Shrieking Shack and Michael was telling Adele all the ghost stories about the place. And that's when they heard it. An unearthly sound. A howl, not unlike that of a wounded animal, coming from inside the Shack. Well, they had run as fast as they could back to the castle. They said they heard the sounds all the way back to Hogwarts, and would never forget them.

But the Shack had been silent for years, and now Katie knew why. Remus wasn't in there every full moon now. A hand on her shoulder made her jump and turn. It was Oliver. He was looking at her with that bemused expression on his face.

"You ok? You looked like you were a million miles away," he said smiling.

"I was. I'm fine. Don't worry about it," Katie thought, shuddering at the thought of Remus, around her age, tearing himself apart in that Shack.

****

They found a nice knoll a short ways from the Shrieking Shack. Katie was seated between Oliver and Percy, completely content.

"So, like Oliver said. I got a job at the Ministry. In the Department of International Magical Cooperation. I haven't started working set hours yet. I come in when they need me. But in the coming weeks, I'm sure to be needed more. What with last minute planning for the Quidditch World Cup. And some upcoming events here at Hogwarts."

"Oh, like what?" Katie said interested.

"Can't tell you that. I'm just glad that neither you or the Twins are eligible," Percy said, concern gracing his face as he smiled, "And about them. Mum destroyed all their joke stuff."

Katie looked at Percy, eyes wide. "You're not serious? They've been working on that stuff for years."

"And they were planning to sell it at Hogwarts. The dangerous stuff. And Madam Pomfrey has her hands filled as it is," he said, seemingly backing himself up.

"I still don't think that's very fair," Katie said, not wanting to think bad of Mrs. Weasley.

"Mum thinks they need to concentrate more on school. The O.W.L.s were horrific-"

"What compared to yours?" Katie said cutting him off.

"No. In general," he said, hastily changing the subject, "And Bill and Charlie are staying with us for a while," he said, enjoying the blush on Katie's face at the mention of Charlie, "And yes, they both say 'Hi'."

Oliver looked at Katie oddly. "Is there something I don't know here?"

"Well, Oliver, if I must break it to you. You were not Katie's first crush," Percy said standing to avoid Katie's onslaught, "When we were younger, and I'm going back. Pre-Hogwarts even. Katie Bell had a crush on my brother, Charlie."

Katie kneeled and pulled Percy to the ground, punching him in the arm as she did. "You're such a jerk!" she yelled, blushing.

"How did you know Charlie?" Oliver asked, confused again.

"Her dad knew my parents. They always dropped her off at The Burrow. That's how she was corrupted by the Twins before she even started school," Percy said, dodging Katie again, and watching Oliver nod knowingly.

"That she was," Oliver said, standing and taking a few steps away from Katie.

Katie sat with her legs tucked under her, and crossed her arms across her chest. "Fine, gang up on me."

Percy ruffled Katie's hair and smiled. "I'm just teasing you. But seriously, they do say 'Hi'."

Katie laughed. "They probably don't even remember me."

"On the contrary, Kate, it was Bill who asked. He thought you had graduated this year."

Katie smiled and uncrossed her arms. "So, how's Ron and Ginny?"

"Ron's alright. He got a new pet. Won't tell me where he got it though. It's a little minute owl. Ginny named it Pigwidgeon, and Ron's calling it Pig. I feel sorry for it," Percy said laughing, "And mum sends her regards. Dad too. They want you to come to The Burrow sometime this summer. If only just for the day. Mum was really upset when I told her about your parents," Percy said, and catching Katie's glare, hastily continued, "She kept pestering me about why you were at the Leaky Cauldron when we got there last summer. She thought I would know. I held out as long as I could, but I can't lie to my mum."

Katie nodded resignedly. "Ok. Well, send me an owl of when would be a good time for me to come over. Merlin knows I have nothing to do here," she said honestly.

"So, how are things going here? You've been pretty neutral in your letters," Oliver asked sitting beside her again.

"Uh. They're fine really. Boring, but fine. I just know that the summer is going to stretch out and seem like forever. And Snape's not helping," Katie said and immediately regretted it.

"What did he do?" Oliver asked angrily.

"Did he say something to you?" Percy asked with the same venom.

"No, actually I said something to him. Yelled at him actually. And I shouldn't have. So I've been feeling sorry for myself for two weeks. I apologized earlier though. I understand that he's trying to help and all, but it was weird. He was trying to be nice," Katie said and shuddered, "I like him better when he's mean."

Percy and Oliver exchanged a look. "That's it, you're coming home with me," Percy said in a teasing voice.

Katie gave him a playful shove. "Bugger off."

Percy smiled and gave her a tight hug. "Well, I best be off anyway. Have fun you two."

And with that, he disapparated, presumably back to The Burrow. Katie looked to Oliver, who still seemed to think Katie was loony.

"I just don't understand how you can like that man in any capacity. He's just....mean."

"Not really, Ol," she said and held up her hand to stop him from saying anything further, "Let's just have a fun day, ok?"

Oliver scooted closer to her and placed an arm around her shoulders. "Ok."

****

Prying herself away from Oliver and watching him disapparate had been hard. But she fought back the tears that were welling in her eyes and walked over to where Snape stood, by the entrance to Hogsmeade.

"Did you have a nice day?" he asked, seeing her face contorted in concentration.

"Yeah. Yeah, I had fun," she said giving him a small smile.

****

A week later, Katie woke to the sound of thunder and a tapping on her window. Grabbing her wand and muttering, 'Lumos!', she walked over to the window near her bed. A flash of lightning revealed an owl on her ledge. She hastily opened the window and allowed the owl entrance. It perched itself on the window seat and dropped the letter onto a patch of dry stone. Katie picked up the letter and tutted at the owl.

"It's soaked," she said and muttered a drying spell on the parchment.

The words came into a better focus as they dried and Katie's breath hitched as she looked at the drying parchment. It had streaks of blood where fingers had folded it. She closed her eyes and upon opening them, went over to light her lamp to give her reading light.

Katie,

As I write this, my house-elf is packing my things. I'm sorry if I get blood on this, but its everywhere. I spoke ill of fucking You-Know-Who and father didn't approve of that. Didn't like that I didn't want to be a Death Eater. I can't stay here. I'm sending this with my owl. I know he's fast. I'm Flooing to Hogsmeade. Please come and get me.

Now he's moved on to mum and I'm getting dizzy. Please help me, Katie.

Draco

Katie threw the parchment down onto her bed and grabbed her cloak. Draco's handwriting had gotten sloppier as the letter went on and by his signature, was almost illegible. Katie folded the parchment carefully and placed it in the pocket of her cloak. One glance at her watch made her curse. It was late. Very late. But with only the thought of helping Draco flooding her mind, she blew out her lamp, lit her wand and made her way out of the Tower. She had a mind to go and fetch McGonagall, who had come back to the castle to do some work for Dumbledore. But she thought better of it. 'No,' she thought, 'Only one person can help me.'

"Snape," she said aloud and made her way to the dungeons.