"Hold on—you're saying that the whole of yesterday you never showed up because you suddenly came down with a fever and stayed in bed for over twenty hours?"
Hermione's expression was unusually grave, her little brows knotted so tightly that even Kate, the one being questioned, couldn't help growing nervous.
"That's not the point. The point is—"
She tried to explain, but Hermione cut her off in exasperation: "How can that not be the point? And here I thought you'd missed class because something had come up!
Your hand only got hurt the day before yesterday, and then you had a fever the very next day—it must have been an infection from the wound not being treated properly!"
Kate could only sigh helplessly: "But my hand's already healed, and I don't have a fever anymore…"
"That won't do either. What if there are complications? We're going to the Hospital Wing right now to have it checked!"
And with that, Hermione dragged her bodily out of the Great Hall.
After being forced to stay in the Hospital Wing for a solid half hour, Madam Pomfrey finally told the two of them, her face dark: "There's absolutely nothing wrong with her body. She doesn't need any medicine at all. You can both leave now."
Hermione still wasn't quite reassured: "But Kate's always been in poor health, and winter's almost here…"
In the end, it was Kate who, braving Madam Pomfrey's positively murderous glare, forcibly hauled her away.
Once they'd finally gotten out of the Hospital Wing, Hermione was still studying her face with worry: "Are you really all right?"
Kate fell silent for a moment. In just this half a morning alone, she'd already heard Hermione ask that exact question no fewer than ten times.
"Gryffindor has Herbology this morning. You'd better hurry over, don't be late."
Having finally seen her off, Kate broke into a flat-out sprint and made it to the History of Magic classroom just before the bell rang—at least she wasn't late.
She'd originally wanted to ask Hermione to help her test out the spell, but it seemed that wasn't going to happen today.
So who should she turn to, then?
Her gaze drifted instinctively toward Malfoy, sitting off to the front. Her cheek twitched—never mind, on to the next one.
After finally enduring her way to the end of History of Magic, Kate packed up her books and quickly left the classroom, struggling to squeeze through the surging crowds in the corridor.
She'd just give Harry another try. Last time it was because of him that the Bluebell Flames jumped two whole levels—maybe this time there would be some unexpected effect as well.
Mulling over how to broach the subject while she shouldered her way along, Kate had nearly squeezed her way to the classroom for the next lesson when she came face to face with a familiar acquaintance.
"Cho Chang, did you just get out of class too?"
Pulling her over to the classroom doorway, Kate and Cho Chang each braced themselves against one side of the door frame—outside was a bustling throng of people, inside was an empty classroom.
"Yeah, I don't have a class for a while."
Cho Chang glanced at the friend who'd already been jostled further and further away in the crowd, then looked at Kate in front of her, and decided to put romance—well, friendship—aside once and for all: "Did you need me for something?"
"So, um…" Kate thought it over. "I've been practicing a spell lately—the one I showed off at the Dueling Club last time."
It was all just practice anyway; really, whether it was Harry or Cho Chang made no difference, as long as it served its purpose as practice.
And compared to Harry, she felt it would be a little more comfortable to do this together with a girl.
Cho Chang pondered for a moment before recalling that blue flame Kate had unleashed on the day of the Dueling Club—the one that had seemed almost alive: "That blue flame? You want me to help you test out how powerful it is?"
"Mm, I promise I'll keep it under control properly. There won't be another near loss of control like last time!"
Kate asked a little anxiously, "Can you help me?"
"Of course. I'd like to see just how impressive it is too."
Cho Chang nodded with remarkable readiness, and even stuck out her little finger as she said it: "Then it's a deal—this afternoon, I'll wait for you on the lawn behind the school."
Pinky-swearing, at this age?
Eyeing her little finger somewhat oddly, Kate had no choice but to put out her own hand and hook fingers with her, then laughed: "I'll be counting on you, then!"
"I should be the one thanking you, for giving me an opportunity like this." Cho Chang winked at her, her gaze drifting once more toward the direction behind her. "Looks like I'd better go."
With that, she turned and squeezed into the crowd, not forgetting to look back and wave to her: "It's a deal, then!"
"Mm! It's a deal!" Kate laughed and waved back, and the moment she turned her head, she saw that Hermione and the others had already come in through the front door.
For some reason, Harry's gaze was a little fixed, staring steadily in the direction Cho Chang had left until she was out of sight, only then drawing his eyes back and giving a light cough.
"What did you and Cho Chang make plans about that you won't even tell us?" Ron leaned in beside her, waggling his eyebrows.
Kate looked puzzled: "Nothing, really—just having her help me practice a spell."
As she spoke, she sat down beside Hermione, who hadn't said a single word the whole time.
Only, for some reason, the moment she sat down, Hermione nudged the book on the desk a little further away, as if deliberately drawing a line between them.
Leaning over to glance at her, a bit puzzled, Kate blinked in bewilderment: "Hermione, you don't look so well. Did you catch a chill?"
A place like the greenhouse may have magic maintaining a constant temperature at all times, but it was never as warm as the inside of the castle.
Reaching out to clasp Hermione's hand firmly, Kate raised an eyebrow in surprise.
How could it be so cold?
Taking advantage of the fact that class hadn't started yet, she hurried to tuck Hermione's hand inside her own robes, rubbing it over and over. Once it had finally warmed up, she took out a small bottle and lit the Bluebell Flames.
"Here—winter isn't even here yet, so you've got to be sure to keep warm." Kate paused, then smiled and winked at her. "After all, this is something you taught me."
Hermione's expression was clearly somewhat startled, but more than surprise, what showed was hesitation and wavering.
She took the jar and spoke haltingly: "Kate…"
"Hm?" Kate answered softly, her eyes curving with a brimming smile. "What is it? Even with me you're going to hem and haw?"
"It's not that…" Hermione hastily shook her head, her eyes reddening a little for some reason.
She quickly lowered her head, hiding her face behind her fluffy hair: "Why didn't you come to me?"
Kate didn't catch it at first and asked again, then promptly let out a small laugh: "I was going to ask you this morning, but you dragged me off to the Hospital Wing and fussed over me so much that I never got the chance to bring it up."
She said it cheerfully, then reached out to give Hermione's little cheek a gentle pinch: "It's all right—I'll invite you next time, okay?"
The little brown-haired head tilted, then toppled right into her arms, with a muffled reply thrown in for good measure: "Okay."
What a well-behaved little kitty.
Kate ruffled her head, and out of the corner of her eye caught sight of Professor McGonagall already walking into the classroom. Only then did she hurriedly prop her back up and start listening attentively to the lesson.
Seated behind them, having witnessed the whole thing, Harry and Ron exchanged a teeth-gritting glance.
So this was the legendary cat-petting master?
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