Disenchanted

“He is at perfect liberty to kiss whomever he likes.” Hermione snapped, “I could honestly care less.”

Harry gave Kitty an exasperated look as she rolled her eyes and dipped her quill in her ink bottle, and hovered the tip over her parchment, before she growled as Hermione bumped into the table, slamming her books, causing the quill to hit the paper roughly, and ink to go flying in a splatter.

“Was I under the impression- oh no. Sorry Kitty!” Hermione squealed as she stared at her friend who was glaring daggers as ink dripped down the bridge of her nose.

“Luck’s never on your side is it Jenkins?”
Kitty frowned as Pansy Parkinson stopped in front of her aisle with a smirk on her face, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle accompanying her.

“Shove off Parkinson,” Hermione snapped.

“Yeah, we don’t want your face staying stuck like that, though it might make a good change,” Harry retorted, causing the pug face girl to lift a hand to her face with an exaggerated gasp.

“Gonna have a go Malfoy?” Pansy huffed, expecting the boy who had denied her weeks ago to come to her defense.

Draco met the ink covered girl’s gaze and watched as she looked somewhat put down by the teasing, and instead rolled his eyes at his companion, “No.” he uttered simply shoving around her and walking off.
Kitty couldn’t help but smile as Hermione and Harry scoffed at the Slytherin’s actions, and wiped ink off of the top of her nose, as she watched the boy disappear with a smug look on his face.

“Anyway, before I was so rudely interrupted.” Hermione said clearing her throat, “Was under the impression that Ron and I were going to Slughorn’s party, yes. But now under the
circumstances, I have had to make other arrangements.”

Kitty glanced up curiously from her paper, “A different date?”

“Yes,” Hermione said with a displeasing tone.

“Well, I was going to suggest that you and I go together, since neither one of us can go with who we’d really like to.” Harry said with a groan as he took a seat next to Kitty, his elbow pushing into Kitty’s, causing her quil to splatter ink all over her face once more, “Sorry.”

“Why didn’t I think of that.” Hermione exclaimed with a groan collapsing in chai directly across from Kitty, who immediately dropped her quill with fright.

“Who’re you going with then?” Kitty asked with a frown.

Hermione’s face immediately erupted in a pink tint, and she muttered unsure, “Uhm, it’s a surprise.”

“Well, who can I go with?” Harry groaned leaning against the smaller girl beside him, who shot him an annoyed look.

“You can’t just go with anyone Harry.” Hermione exclaimed, “Someone reasonable and trust worthy.”

As Kitty put her belongings away, Hermione made eyes at Kitty while Harry nodded.
“Kitty?” Harry said with a chuckle.
“Yes?” she glanced at him, with eye-brows raised.
“Go to Slughorn’s party with me?”
“Please?”
“Please what?”
“Say please, and I’ll go with you.
“Will you please go to Slughorn’s party with me.”
“Yes,” Kitty rolled here eyes and let out a small shriek that had the librarian glaring at the trio as Harry’s wand fell loudly against the table, hitting Kitty’s ink bottle with a spark shooting from the tip, causing the bottle to explode and splatter dark blue ink once more on the frustrated girl, who popped a candy in her mouth before she got up and walked away with an eye roll.

“Fall into a bucket of paint Jenkin’s!?”
“The color really suits you Freak!”
“Oy! Jenkin’s why so blue?!”

Kitty frowned as older Slytherin’s and the occasional Ravenclaw shot teases at her as she walked down the corridor, wiping furiously at her face, only knowing that she was making it worse as she smudged it.

“Aren’t your muggle parents proud of you? You’re finally painting!”

From the lawn, Draco rolled his eyes as Pansy yelled at the girl who had crossed in front of them, blue paint all over her face.

“Or did they already disown you from the family business for being a freak!”

Draco watched with a deep frown as the odd girl ducked her head, and walked away from the Slytherin’s and as she did Draco swore she heard her utter a small sob.

Like before, Kitty wasn’t at dinner, and Draco sat apart form his companions, a full plate of food before him, untouched. He hadn’t done anything, but guilt consumed him once more, having done nothing.
As the tabled cleared, he followed the crowd of students with a dazed look on his face, before he was cut off by Harry and Ron.

“Hope you had a good laugh Malfoy.” Ron said harshly.

“What are you talking about Weasley?” Draco snapped, with a scowl.

“Your girlfriend, better leave Kitty alone, is what.” Harry snapped back.

“Harry, Ron leave it.” Hermione said dangerously, but her voice faltered as Lavender Brown joined the situation, “She says he didn’t say anything, it was all Pug Parkinson.”

“What are you talking about Granger?” Draco snapped.

“Nothing,” Harry rolled his eyes, “Just keep your girlfriend away from Kitt.”

Draco’s first motive was to go check the classroom, but as he passed the main entrance and glanced out at the courtyard, he spotted a lone figure sitting against the wall hidden by the shadows. Judging by the sniffling, the posture and the faint blue glow on the face, Draco sighed as he recognized Kitty.

“What’s wrong?” Draco asked lowly, watching as the girl jumped at the soudn of his voice, before turning away from him, and hiding her face in her hands.

“Go away.” she sniffled softly, only causing him to let out an annoyed sigh, and grab her shoulders and turn her to him.

“Didn’t it wash off.” Draco stated with a cold laugh, pulling her hands away from her face roughly, only causing her to whine and duck away as tears spilled down her face.

“I-It w-wont come o-o-o-off.” she sniffled as she glanced at him.

At the sight of her, Draco couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. The ink was deep on her nose and splattered else where giving her a freckled look.

“Stop it,” Kitty cried, giving him a shove, “It’s your fault.”

Draco gave her an annoyed look, “How?”

“Because you wont defend your girlfriend, she hexed me with a permanent spell.” she cried glancing at him, rubbing furiously at her blue freckled face, “It won’t come off.”

Draco gave her an eye roll, which only caused her to shove him away before she stood from the stone bench and walked to another before hiding her face in her hands. Draco gave an angry groan before he stood up and under his foot he heard a sickening crack. Glancing down, he picked up a wallet sized frame. Inside was a picture, he frowned when he saw people in the photograph not move. He glanced at the girl who was crying alone and watched as she tipped over to her side holding her face. He thought she was being ridiculous, but he knew she hated being humiliated.

“Reparo.” Draco whispered with a point of his wan and watched as the frame fixed itself, before he walked towards the girl and took a seat next to her, and pulled her upwards into a sitting position on his lap as she sniffled and leaned against his neck, causing him to give an involuntary shiver as she breathed with a soft cry. He pushed the frame of her family in her hands and watched as she pocketed it quickly.

“Stop crying.” Draco ordered gently, watching as the girl pulled away from him with a frown, as he pointed his wand at her face, “Do you trust me?”

Draco watched the internal battle that girl had at his question, but pride filled him non the less as she nodded. She stared cross-eyed for a moment before meeting his eyes as he muttered a spell under his breath, and he watched as the blue ink disappeared from her face.

“There.” Draco said dully as he pocketed his wand once more, leaning against the back of the bench with a sigh as the girl turned around and leaned her back against his chest, the occasional hiccup from her change in breathing as she took his large hands in hers and intertwined their fingers and placed them with arms wrapped tightly around her waist, on her stomach with a content sigh.

“Draco.” she whispered as she leaned her head back into his neck, her nose grazing his jaw line.

“What?” he drawled softly, glancing down at the girl in his grasp as he held her closer, a bubbling feeling growing in his stomach at the closeness.

“Thank you,” she said gently closing her eyes.

Draco remained silent as the girl breathed gently below his ear, as he stared out at the dark sky, as snow fell once more on the Hogwarts grounds.