After the drama of that first Quidditch match, and her humiliating encounter, it was again a relief to be able to bury herself in work. Of course, where she had before entertained the hope that he would not dare do anything on school grounds, she now knew that was not to be so. She went about her lessons with a new weight upon her shoulders, the question of when he was going to show up next constantly dragging at her mind.
On a Wednesday evening a few weeks later in mid-October, Kathryn was to be found in the greenhouses working late on her herbology homework. It was eight o'clock and she was just finishing her work in greenhouse eight, a lean-to greenhouse up against the castle wall. As she replaced several large terracotta pots on the shelves against the back wall, there was a distant rumble. She put it down to thunder, as it had been raining heavily all day, and continued to stack the pots. She didn't remember a thing after that.
According to what Harry, Hermione and Ron told her on Friday evening; the rumble she heard had not been thunder, it had been the castle. A badly aimed stunning spell had hit the other side of the wall where she had been working and, seconds later, it collapsed. The third years had apparently been a little too zealous in their wish to practise the stunning spells which they had been taught in the last DA meeting and had taken to stunning each other in the corridors. Unfortunately for Kathryn, she had been directly underneath and wasn't discovered until teachers had been found and the wreckage cleared.
The damage had been bad too, which you would expect after what must have been nearly a ton of castle fell on top of you. She had been lucky though; most of her upper body had been shielded from the rubble thanks to the wooden beams that fell from the walls first. They had knocked her out, but they had also created a kind of defensive 'grid' over her head and torso. Her left arm, not having very much luck so far this year, was broken in several places and her right wrist fractured. Her legs had also not fared too well. Both had been broken in several places, her right leg was so badly crushed that Madam Pomfrey had sent for a Healer from St Mungo's to help her.
Adding all those injuries to the fact that she was also bleeding internally meant that Madam Pomfrey and the Healer had worked against the clock. Harry, Ron and Hermione had spent a sleepless night by the fire in the common room, waiting for news from the hospital wing. They had no doubt of the school nurse's prowess, as she had always healed whatever ailment that was sent their way, but it was nevertheless a harrowing night. Madam Pomfrey and the Healer had worked through the night, patching up the many fractures and breakages and working furiously to stop the internal bleeding.
She didn't wake up until Friday afternoon, Madam Pomfrey preferring to keep her asleep until the majority of her injuries had healed well enough to endure movement. When she did finally open her eyes, she found a small mountain of chocolates and sweets piled on the table at the end of her bed, as well as several anxious faces looking down at her. She spent Friday night in the hospital wing too, still too fragile to be moved; the copious amount of Skele-Gro used still doing it's work.
She woke late on Saturday morning feeling much better, but still not completely fit. Her whole body seemed to ache, but she gingerly wiggled her fingers and toes and they seemed to be working alright. After a few more minutes spent gently stretching, just to make sure everything was in working order, she heard the faint noise of footsteps and voices approaching the hospital wing. Moments later, the doors opened and an unfamiliar group of people were led in with Dumbledore at the head. Lying very still and very quiet, she surveyed the group. They seemed to be an even mix of men and women, maybe slightly more men, and amongst them was none other than Lucius Malfoy. From his presence, she could draw no other conclusion other than that these people were the Hogwarts Governors. Lying quiet and still, she listened as they walked through the long room, hoping against hope that they wouldn't come over to speak to her.
"Yes, we've had no major accidents, save what happened on Wednesday night." Dumbledore was saying. "I believe Miss Potter is still recuperating, her injuries were quite severe. Madam Pomfrey made the decision to call in a Healer from St Mungo's in order to treat the damage faster." She saw Mr Malfoy's interest flare as her name was mentioned, his eyes suddenly flicking over to her bed. She kept her eyes half closed, as if she hadn't noticed them, doing her best to appear oblivious.
"Ah yes, there she is." Dumbledore moved over to her bedside. The Governors followed, standing at either side of her bed, curious to see the Potter girl who escaped the curse of Voldemort.
"And how are we feeling this morning, Miss Potter?" Dumbledore asked with a warm smile on his face.
"Better, thank you Professor." She answered, slightly uncomfortable with the eyes of the Governors on her. She felt like some kind of museum exhibit. "I don't think I've had much luck with accidents this term!" she said with a small laugh which hurt her sides. "Although at least I'm keeping Madam Pomfrey on her toes!"
"Indeed, but you're recovering well, and these things do happen!" he chuckled. "I see you've had some small tokens from your friends and admirers," he commented with a smile, surveying her pile of sweets, "my my, you have done well here. Although I do believe Mr Weasley has started them for you!" He chuckled, noticing an empty box. She laughed as Dumbledore moved around to her bedside table and began to look at the cards she had been sent.
Whilst he surveyed the raft of cards offering their best wishes, she slowly moved her arms; trying to push herself up higher on her pillows. Her arms, however, did not want to comply and she winced in pain as they quivered with the strain. Moving with surprising speed for his age, Dumbledore took hold of one of her arms. She was also surprised to find Mr Malfoy, moving with the same degree of haste, taking her other arm and together gently lifting her up onto her pillows.
"Thank you." She said in a small voice, trying not to notice the way Mr Malfoy was looking at her.
"Well, we'd best be off." Dumbledore said as Madam Pomfrey bustled over with a breakfast tray and what looked to be some sort of medicine. Several of the Governors inclined their heads to her before following Dumbledore out and leaving Madam Pomfrey to fuss over her patient.
Kathryn wasn't even going to ask about going to see the Quidditch match; she couldn't see any way Madam Pomfrey would let her out of the hospital wing so she didn't bother to mention it. At half past ten, Madam Pomfrey came over again to check on her for what must have been the fourth time since breakfast.
"Well, aren't you going to the match?" she asked, nodding to the pile of neatly folded clothes lying on the end of her bed.
"I didn't think you'd let me." Kathryn raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Oh, go on. You're fine to walk, so long as I don't hear about any more stunts on a broomstick." Moving as quickly as she could, she clumsily dressed herself with the help of Madam Pomfrey and gingerly made her way slowly down into the deserted Entrance Hall. She reached the bottom of the front steps when she heard another set of footsteps behind her.
"She let you out of the hospital wing I see." Mr Malfoy said, coming to walk alongside her.
"And I see you have found the time to indulge in your favourite hobby of skulking around. First the Ministry and now here, whatever next?" the unexpected, sarcastic jibe shocked him and he found himself unable to reply. "And she did let me out, yes, although I didn't think she would. I thought she'd be too afraid I'd pull some stunt on a broomstick." She continued with a small laugh, mimicking Madam Pomfrey's warning.
"Well, no danger of that this time," he commented, "unless you have switched houses since the last match."
They walked in silence until they reached the steps that divided the main castle lawn from the Quidditch pitch; where, to her astonishment, he offered her his arm to help her down the wet stairs. She took it gratefully and kept her hold as they walked across the soaking ground towards the stadium. She stopped as they reached the entrance at the bottom of a different tower this time.
"These were not designed for people with leg injuries." She said, gazing up the many flights of steps. He was patient; holding onto her as she carefully climbed the damp, muddy steps. They managed to reach the main landing with the two exits leading off to the stands, both of which were full to bursting. Kathryn leant up against the inside wall, her face contorted in pain, rubbing her legs with her hands to try and soothe the stabbing pain.
"You can't watch from here, you can barely stand." He said matter-of-factly and, in one smooth movement, he swept her up in his arms. She flung her arms around his neck, more out of surprise than anything else, and held on tight, not daring to meet her eyes. Her heart was thudding in her chest, reeling from the shock, whilst he carried her up the final few flights of stairs. She did not know whose reputation he was trying to protect, but as they reached the top landing he set her down gently and walked out supporting her with his arm around her back.
She soon realised why they had entered through a different tower. Mr Malfoy was here with the Governors and that meant that they sat with the Headmaster. They edged their way along to the two unoccupied seats in the middle of the front row, several of the Governors standing and helping her along to her seat. They seemed quite excited to be so near to a Potter and they eagerly questioned her about how she was feeling and wished her well in her recovery. She was also reassured by Dumbledore's presence, as she knew that Mr Malfoy could not hope to try anything under his watchful gaze.
It was a fast paced match and, although the Slytherin team were more brawn than brains, their brooms allowed them to take the upper hand very quickly. It was a shame, as there was some considerable skill on the Hufflepuff team. Kathryn forced herself to clap politely when the Slytherins scored, but cheered a great deal louder when the Hufflepuff team did the same.
To her disappointment, Malfoy caught the Snitch after half an hour and the game ended with Slytherin winning two hundred points to seventy. She and Mr Malfoy remained in their seats until the stands below them had cleared and he once again helped her down the stairs. Her legs, stiff from sitting down for a prolonged period, gave in after only a few flights and, once again, Mr Malfoy scooped her into his arms and carried her the rest of the way.
She was surprised to find several of the Governors waiting at the entrance for them. They were very eager to talk to her and, although she knew that this was partially because she had survived Voldemort's curse, she still obliged them with conversation. Surprisingly, they were perfectly amiable and were more eager to speak with her about the school than they were to pry into her private life. Not an eyebrow was raised at the presence of her arm through Mr Malfoy's, all of them obviously assuming that she needed support when walking. She excused herself from their company when they reached the castle and she saw Harry, Hermione and Ron waiting for her. She carefully hid the fact that she was arm-in-arm with Lucius Malfoy as she said goodbye.
Being gentlemen, they bowed to her when she left, and then proceeded on into the Great Hall for lunch. Before the three of them could say anything, she walked as fast as she could manage into the Great Hall and grabbed a plate of sandwiches. Taking a jug of juice in her other hand, she led the way up to Gryffindor common room, leaving the others to follow in her wake. She didn't get far, however, before Hermione took the jug and plate whilst Ron and Harry swung her arms over their shoulders and helped her the rest of the way to Gryffindor Tower.
"Why did Madam Pomfrey let you out of the hospital wing?" Hermione said in an exasperated tone as Kathryn settled herself onto a sofa and began to eat. "I mean; you can barely walk."
"Hermione, stop fussing, I'm fine. My legs are a bit wobbly, that's all." Kathryn sighed, taking a long drink of orange juice.
"So what were you doing in the Headmaster's box then?" Harry asked directly, fixing his sister with a piercing stare.
"Well, when I say my legs are fine, I mean that they're still there." She explained with a sheepish look. "They still hurt like hell. I met the Governors this morning when they visited the hospital wing and they extended an invitation for me to join them at the match." She thought it sounded plausible, and at least half of it was true.
"But Malfoy's dad was there!"
"And what was he going to do?" she asked in an exasperated tone. "He would have been a fool to try something with Dumbledore so close."
"Point taken." Hermione noted, hoping to put an end to the discussion.
"I still don't trust him." Harry shrugged, a scowl plastered across his face. "Not within three feet of you."
"I'm a big girl, Harry," Kathryn smirked at her overprotective brother, "I can take care of myself."
At breakfast the next morning many people were surprised to see a shadow moving across their table. Looking up they could see a large package, carried by six screech owls, circling above their heads. What surprised them even more was when they landed in front of Kathryn. The package turned out to be a huge bouquet of flowers, in brilliant shades of red and gold, the Gryffindor colours, with a card wishing her well from the school Governors. They had all signed the card and Kathryn found herself blushing as she carried it out of the hall and back up to her dormitory. This also confirmed who had bought the mystery item from Dior as Lucius Malfoy's signature matched the writing on the card.