LIFETIME MATE

Chapter Twenty-Two


During Katrina’s next potions class, she was aware of her father glancing her way, and when he wasn’t, she was looking to him. She wondered why he had hard feelings towards her mother. She was also excited about meeting her grandmother Malfoy this Saturday. She was also nervous. What if her grandmother didn’t like her?

Draco walked around the classroom, making sure the students were mixing their potions correctly. There were a few students who needed a bit of extra help, so he patiently assisted them. He wanted to be a professor who the students could looked up to, where they wouldn’t be afraid to ask him anything.

He looked to the clock, surprised that the class was nearly over. “Okay class, pour some of your potion into your sample beakers and bring them up. We’ll test them next class.”

He sat at the desk, smiling to the students one at a time until Katrina came up. “Um...Miss Granger. Can you stay a few minutes after class?”

“Sure.” She sat back down near the front until the students cleared out of the classroom. “What can I do for you Professor? Did I do something wrong with my potion?” she asked worriedly.

Draco got up and went to sit beside Katrina at the desk. “No. Nothings wrong. Your potion looked fine.” He smiled, glad to see the worried look leave her face. “Actually, Miss Granger....Katrina, I know that you know that I am your father...” Katrina nodded, “.....and I would like to get to know you, if you are willing.” He finished hopefully.

Katrina smiled. “Of course I’m willing. I’ve been wanting to talk to you all week, but I wasn’t sure how you would react with me or if you wanted anything to do with me.”

Draco looked relieved. “Great. How about tomorrow night after dinner? Your mother gave me some photo albums to look over. I would like to share them with you.”

“Okay.” she got up and was about to hug him, but stepped back, suddenly unsure.

He sensed the hesitation. “This is all a little weird, isn’t it?” She nodded in response. “I just found out I have a ten year old daughter and you thought your father was dead. Katrina, I want to try to get to know you.”

Katrina hugged him, her arms going around his neck, while his went around her waist. “Do you know what?” She said against his neck.

“What?”

“Mum’s right. You do smell good.” She smiled then let go.

“She told you that?” He smirked.

“Yes, she said you always smelled goo She She laughed. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow after dinner.” And turned to go, closing the door behind a confused Draco.

Katrina found her mum in her rooms, going over some students work. She sat across from her, her chin resting on her hands, a big smile on her face.

Hermione looked up. “What are you glowing for Kat?” She laughed.

“I have a ‘date’ with father tomorrow after dinner.”

Hermione smiled, glad that Draco was making an effort with Kat. “That’s great. What are your plans for your ‘date’?”

“Nothing too much so far. We’re going to look through the photo albums together.” She smiled. “He said he wants go get to know me.”

“That’s good. How do you feel about that?”

“Good. I feel he really wants to make an effort to get to know me. And.... I want to get to know him. Does that bother you mum?”

“Of course not. I am very happy for you, for both of you.”


Katrina thought the next day would never end. After dinner, she changed into her jeans and her quiddich sweatshirt, then went to see her mum quick before she went down to meet her father.

When she entered her mother’s rooms, she found her in the fitness room working with the free weights. “Mum.” She waited until her mother looked up. “I’m off to see father.”

“Okay. Have fun.” Hermione smiled. Wishing that she could go too. “Oh.” She conjured up a framed picture. “Give him this, he seemed to like it when we were looking at some of the pictures the other day.”

Katrina looked down at it. It was the picture when she was about two, in her miniature quiddich uniform. She smiled, then looked to her mum.

“Why not come up her after Kat, spend the night here.” Hermione asked.

“Sounds good mum. Maybe father will join us.”

Hermione laughed. “Don’t hold your breath on that honey. Now you better go, he’ll be waiting for you. Have a good time.”

Katrina hugged her mother, then rushed out to go to the dungeons. Not noticing that when she left, Hermione sat there, her face in her hands while the tears flowed freely down her cheeks to the floor.


Katrina knocked on the door, for it to be immediately opened by Draco. She smiled up at him. “Hi. Sorry it took me so long. I stopped by to see mum.”

Draco smiled back at her. “No problem.” He took her hand to pull her inside. “Is it okay to just sit here to look at the pictures, or do you want to go somewhere else?”

“No. This is fine.”

They both sat down on the couch. “So you like quiddich?” Draco asked as he pointed to her sweatshirt.

“Yes. Ron has taken me to a few games. They’re really quite exciting. I hope one day to play.” She eagerly said. “Oh... by the way, mum gave me this to give to you.” She handed him the picture.

Draco looked at the young Katrina in the picture and smiled sadly. “I’m really sorry I wasn’t there for you, and your mother while you were growing up. If I would have known.....” He started.

“You had to do, what you had to do. I know I’m only ten, but I do understand why you had to go into hiding.”

“Sorry, there’s just a lot of things to sort out....but then there’s you, my daughter.” He reached out to hold her hand, where she grasped it back into her own.

She smiled. “Yes, your daughter. What should I call you?” She smirked.

Draco laughed. “Whatever you want. It should probably be Professor in class though.”

“Okay....father...should we look through some of these pictures?”

Draco sat closer, and they put the book between them. She opened the first page to see pictures of Hone one very pregnant, and after she had given birth to her. “You know I never understood my middle name until a couple of years ago, when mum told me about you, and what your name was. I always thought that Dracilla was a weird middle name.”

Draco laughed. “Yes, but the ‘c’ is pronounced like an ‘s’. It doesn’t sound so bad.” He looked at Hermione in the pictures, some she looked sad, others happy. “How come it took her so long to tell you about me?” He wondered.

She looked up into eyes so much like her own. “She loved you, you know. I knew it hurt her, thinking or talking about you. I knew she would tell me when she was ready, when it wouldn’t hurt so much.”

“She got over it though, didn’t she?” He said , sounding bitter.

Katrina grasped his hand tighter. “No, she didn’t.” She said simply. “So should we keep looking through these pictures, most probably quite embarrassing to me, I’m sure.” She said trying to lighten the mood and to bring a smile back on her father’s face.

He smiled back. “Yes. I want to see how you grew up to be such a smart, beautiful daughter.” He rubbed her cheek and kissed her forehead.

The next couple of hours they slowly poured thh thh the memories, Kat explaining what she could about them. Draco had noticed that Snape was in quite a few pictures, surprisingly enough, smiling.

“Snape seems to be in quite a few pictures in this last book.” Draco observed aloud.

“Yes. Severus has been a close friend to mum. He brings mother her potion that she needs for her cycles. He has also been teaching me some things about potions.” She smirked.

Draco bit back the retort that was on the tip of his tongue and instead chuckled. “So that’s why you have no trouble in my class?”

“Yes, it’s fascinating. There’s so much to learn in potions. I want to learn everything.” She said eagerly.

Draco smiled at the eagerness shown on her face. He happened to glance to the wall clock, noticing it was about 11:00 at night. “You should probably head back, it’s getting late. I’ll walk you to your dorm.” He got up and stood before her. “Katrina, I enjoyed tonight. How about we do something tomorrow?”

“Can’t tomorrow. I’m meeting your mum.” she smirked.

“My mother is coming here?”

“Yes. Mum owled your mother and told her there’s someone she wants her to meet. I can’t wait.” She hesitated. “Do you think she’ll like me?” She asked worriedly.

He laughed. “Of course, she’ll like you.”

Katrina sighed in relief as they walked the darkened halls of the dungeon. “Oh, I’m spending the night with mum, not in the Gryffindor dormitories. So we don’t need to walk up so far.”

Draco nodded his head, feeling all of a sudden tense, but tried to hide it from Katrina as she chatted away about her classes and the friends she has made.

When they got to the knight in the portrait, Kat leaned over and whispered the password. She walked through, pulling Draco’s hand to bring him in further into the room.

“Katrina, I really must go. I......” He stopped what he was saying when he saw Hermione walk through the bathroom door wearing low slung lounge pants and a short t-shirt. His heart stopped at the sight of her.

Hermione had heard the portrait open and went out to meet her daughter. “Kat, did you have a good....” and she stilled as she saw Draco standing there, in faded jeans and a tight black t-shirt. ‘Gods, he looks good.’ she thought as she mentally stripped him of his t-shirt.

“Hermione.....just wanted to make sure Katrina made it okay.” He smiled, looking uncomfortable.

Katrina looked to Draco then to her mother and smiled. There was hope for them yet she thought to herself. “Well, I’m going to change for bed.” She turned to Draco and hugged him tight. “Thanks father, see you in a couple of days.” Then rushed out of the room, leaving the two of them alone.

“So, uh...did you two have a good time?” Hermione smiled, knowing from the hug that everything went well for them. She stepped closer and leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest.

He smiled a genuine smile, “Yes, she’s a bright girl.” He hesitated. “You did a good job raising her.”

“Thanks, I like to think so.”

“So, I hear mother is coming tomorrow?”

“Yes. Is that okay with you?”

“Of course. I was going to tell her but I’m still trying to get used to it myself.”

“Yeah, I guess. Did you want me to let you know when she arrives?”

“No, that’s okay. I’m sure she’ll find me.” He smirked. He walked closer to Hermione and leaned over to kiss her lightly on the cheek. In his mind he was gathering her close and kissing her soundly on the mouth. “Goodnight ‘Mione.” and walked out through the portal.

Kat watched from the doorway as he kissed her mum, and then watched as she touched her fingers to the spot where his lips touched. Katrina went back into her room, smiling to herself.