Katie Bell is cursed, and I cannot say a word.

I haven't had a conversation with Draco in over a week, thankfully, but that is on purpose. I have been avoiding everyone; I skipped more classes than ever in my whole life just to sit on my bed and stare, occasionally crying on my bed. I even missed the first Hogsmeade trip of the year, opting to stay inside instead. Susan brings me all the homework, and even though I tell her that she doesn't have to, she insists.

She is an angel, and I don't deserve her, no matter how much I want to be her friend.

I know for a fact that it was Draco who cursed Katie, even before Harry managed to tell me his suspicions in the one class I never skipped: Potions. Yes, Draco is in that class as well, but the only good thing I have at the moment is the Slug Club parties, and I cannot mess that up too.

Every time I see that bastard, I feel like his wand will be at my neck again. Or maybe his hands will wrap around it, and I'll choke until I die.

I don't know what I'll do if Katie dies. I could've stopped it, told somebody before she was in pain. But I didn't, because I'm selfish, because I don't want my memories to be washed out, because Draco Malfoy can erase whatever he wants.

"You need to get out of bed." Susan is standing at the edge of my bed, her eyes crinkled and face downcast. It is Sunday; do I have to? "Come on, Potter."

"I don't want to," I whisper, turning away. My annoying stomach flips, and I'm angered at myself for acting like such a brat.

"Just eat breakfast, for Merlin's sake," she mutters.

I turned to face her, sighing. My patience is reaching the limit. "I told you that I've been eating in the Kitchens ━━━"

Susan sighs, and it is now when I realize that she is dressed in muggle attire: a pretty white blouse with a sweetheart neckline, bell bottom jeans, and a silver heart necklace that gleams on her skin. "You think I wouldn't figure out that you were lying?"

I flinch. "I'm not hungry. And I wasn't lying."

My traitorous stomach growls. Susan raises an eyebrow, a ghost of a smile on her face.

"We're going to the Kitchens," she eventually says, as if it is final. It is not.

"What?" I ask, and then almost startle at the fact that I'm having a full conversation with the girl who I couldn't even speak to weeks ago. "No. Absolutely not."

"I thought you were eating at the Kitchens, Potter," she says innocently. "Unless I am right, and you are lying. We might as well go now."

Cursing under my breath, I shove myself out of bed, running my hands through my hair. Susan stares at me, expectant. I expect that she is disgusted by my messy hair, the dried drool on the corner of my mouth, and my loose pajamas.

"Give me ten minutes," I say, my cheeks maroon. My stomach flips. "I'll get dressed."

Susan shrugs. "If that's what you want."

I nod, grabbing some Muggle clothing that Remus gifted me last year and rushing to the bathroom, berating myself for looking so messy. I'm sure her horrible impression of me is getting even worse.

Ten minutes later, we are on our way to the Kitchens. We slip into the passageway in the Commons, where barely anyone is. I notice that Susan is constantly smoothing down her uniform and playing with her locks, occasionally glancing at me.

"You need to eat everyday," she tells me. "It's not good for you to be skipping meals."

"I'm eating at the Kitchens, Susan ━━━"

"Don't lie to me." Susan glances at me, letting go of her locks. "You don't have to."

"I ..." I trail off before sighing, feeling my throat ache. "Okay, fine. I haven't been eating at the Kitchens. I've been living off of my crisps stash. And it's alright," I say softly before Susan can open her mouth. "I'm not hungry."

"Please," she says, her voice tight as she stops. I look up to her, noticing how tall she is, how elegant she is. "I told you that you don't have to lie."

"Why do you care so much?" I blurt out, before my eyes widen.

My stomach is a rollercoaster, and my cheeks are fire, blazing with embarrassment. The only thing my eyes dare to look at are the jasmine flowers strung in Susan's hair, and nothing else.

"Is that wrong of me?" Susan dodges the question. "Look, we've arrived."

I sigh. I'm probably never going to get an actual answer from her.

As we enter, the House Elves greet us both enthusiastically. Susan and I sit down at a table, and the Elves give Susan and I steaming mugs of hot chocolate and two plates of warm scones.

Susan takes one, eating slowly and acting mannered. I stare at the scones, before I slowly pick one up and bite into it. It tastes like bliss; I don't know how to explain it, like the sweetness is warmly bursting in my mouth.

"You like it?" Susan asks after taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

"Yes, it's good," I said after gulping down a bite of my scone. I glance into her warm brown eyes. "Thank you, Susan. I ━━━"

"Don't worry about it," she murmurs. "And don't apologize, Potter."

"But, I'm ━━━"

"You're not being a burden," she says firmly. "I'm doing this because I want to."

We sit there in silence, eating and drinking and smiling. I glance up at her, wearing a soft smile and playing with her red hair.

I finally made a friend. After all this time, I managed to talk to Susan. My heart swells, and for a moment, everything is wonderful.