Later that day, a fully recovered Hermione cornered Kathryn in the common room to ask her about what she had seen the night before.
"How could you?" she whispered in a scandalised voice.
"How could I what?" Kathryn asked, exceedingly confused.
"I saw what you did last night." Hermione whispered angrily, grabbing her friend's hand and practically dragging her up the stairs to the boys' dormitory where Harry and Ron were still in their pyjamas playing exploding snap. They looked surprised when Hermione entered, looking positively fearsome and practically dragging Kathryn behind her.
"What's going on?" Harry asked cautiously as Hermione locked the door behind her.
"Hermione what's the matter?" Ron asked, looking concerned.
"How could you kiss him?" Hermione practically shouted at Kathryn. "How could you do such a thing?"
"Kiss who?" Harry asked, momentarily confused before the reality dawned upon him. "Not Malfoy?" he asked in disbelief.
"You have got to be kidding." Ron couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"It was supposed to be an act!" Hermione cried. "You weren't supposed to do that!"
"It's not like I instigated it!" Kathryn shouted back. "Do you really think that I would be stupid enough to do that?"
"What did you do then?" Harry asked incredulously, although inside he was privately very worried for the mess she could be in.
"If you saw it, Hermione, you should be able to remember what happened." Kathryn said pointedly. "We were just walking in the gardens and he cornered me." She explained. "It's not like I didn't try to get out of it but I couldn't reach my wand and, when something like that happens, you tend to find yourself rooted to the spot."
"But you didn't stop it!" Hermione sighed in a thoroughly exasperated voice. "Why didn't you end it?"
"Why?" Kathryn asked with a raised eyebrow. "Why give him cause to hurt me? Why make him angry?" she asked. "The last time I checked, that wasn't what we wanted to do. Besides, it's not exactly a natural reaction to pull away when something like that happens."
"It will make him expect more."
"But it will satisfy him for the moment." Kathryn told them rationally.
"You give an inch and they take a mile." Hermione warned.
"We'll I'll happily give an inch if it will pacify him for a while." Kathryn countered. "Besides, the next time we see him it will probably be at wand point." She shrugged. "And anyway, it was nice to be kissed." She admitted with a casual smile.
"You liked it?" Ron exclaimed, completely gob smacked.
"Well, I can't deny that the man, despite how repulsive he is, is a good kisser!" she smirked.
"You're hopeless!" Harry shook his head in disbelief.
"I don't care." Kathryn shook her head. "I've told you a thousand times that I know what I'm doing. Now who's up for some Quidditch?" she asked. "If you can actually be bothered to get out of your pyjamas!" she laughed, walking out the door to get her broom.