Faith

Kat loked startled before nodding."Hermione didn't think he was."She sighed softly, not to wake up Harry. Kissing his forehead before walking downstairs with Draco, looking worried about Charles. If someone was killing the people involved with this...sighing she shook her head starting to get her breakfast of cheerios. yes, they were muggle, but she'd become addicted to the sugary sweet breakfast."There's only so many people who knew everything about harry. And even fewer who knew I was at brightwood. We'll figure it out."
 
Draco bit his lip a little and then. “that's why I'm worried Kat.” he admitted, wrinkling his nose at the cheerios, he despised the things, not just because they where muggle but also because. “i don't see how you can eat those, they taste like paper mixed with a little bit of sugar.” he complained, shaking his head a little. “there are only three people who know about Harry AND your past.” he explained calmly. “me, Blaise, and Hermione.” he explained softly. “i.. I think one of us talked... but don't remember.” he explained softly. “we're all susceptible to the impirio.... if, if we where put under the impirio, and then had a dose of veritisium.... we'd tell... and if out memories where wiped afterwords, we wouldn't even know we gave up secretes...” he explained, watching her with worried eyes. “i... I think... I think one of us has been...” he looked so worried, so afraid that he had spilled secretes without even knowing, or remembering it.
 
Kat snorted a little looking at him. "That kind of thing leaves traces, even if your memories wiped."She said softly, getting up and resting a hand on his shoulder, pulling him down and pressing a kiss to his forehead."No.That kind of abuse leaves mental scars...and like recognizes like."She said shaking her hed because it was her secret. the secret to her brilliant practice. She could see the scars going through someone's magic, because she'd been abused young, and some scars opened new ways of seeing things."No. We're missing someone."She said rubbing her face, feeling tired, but putting it up to stress even though shed just gotten up."we'll figure out who it is."She said waving a hand at him."You probably should be getting back to school. Classes start again tomorrow."
 
he sighed a little and closed his eyes, relieved. “and none of us show the traces?” he asked, worried, hie head tilted. “not Hermione Blaise or me?” he asked softly. “you've checked?” he asked hopefully. “recently?” he scowled a little and then rolled his eyes. “hey, I'm the headmaster, I should be able to do whatever I want!” he complained sulking a little. “are you trying to get rid of me?” he whined playfully, smiling at her. “Blaise isn't going to let you help him, I hope you realize this... you should go back to bed, you look tired still...”
 
"I checked when I realized just who had to talk for things to make easy sense."She shrugged a little before laughing, kissing his cheek."Ah, but being headmaster means you have even MORE rules then just being a teacher."She teased back, before sighing."I know he wont....I think I will. Bed sounds nice..."She said for once giving in easily to taking care of herself. Which just said how tired she was.
 
he sighed a little, relaxed and relieved now that he was sure no one had unwittingly betrayed her sighing as she made the point about rules. “yes well I'm the headmaster so I can change those rules!” he chirped nodding a little. “now you go to bed and I'll go run the place.” he smirked rubbing his hands together. “maybe I'll make tickling a proper form of punishment, watch all the wee little first un's wet their pants.” he decided vanishing in a swirl of green flames as Harry whined, snuggling into her once she laid down, using her as a giant teddy once more, utterly refusing to wake up. He had stayed up most of th night watching over her, so he was tired.
 
Kat snickered a little at his idea of punishment, smiling as she cuddled into harry, content to just sleep. For once, not trying to work to hard, just resting.

A month later Kat sighed softly as she looked out the window of Draco's office watching the first years head down for care of magical creatures. Showing up first thing in the morning she knew would alarm him, but she needed someone to talk to. It'd been a peaceful month, despite everything. Still on half leave-allowed to work but only do paperwork since Neville still thought it was her who had told the papers, but couldn't proof it. So she had her job back, and she had her best patient responding to everything, even if he didn't talk. But...she needed something from Draco, and she knew he was going to absolutely hate it. Espicially when she didn't tell him why.
 
Draco walked into his office grumbling about idiot teachers and nearly jumped out of his skin when he suddenly spotted Kat. “you scared the hell out of me!” he complained holding a hand to his heart before frowning a little. “.. Kat, why ARE you here? It's early, your never here early... has something happened to Harry!?” he asked nervously, sitting her down and handing her a hot chocolate that a house elf delivered, Draco couldn't go an hour without a hot chocolate these days, he was totally addicted and refused to admit it... at least it was healthier than his potions, which Hermione was starting to notice. If she noticed anymore she was going to realize what was going on and she'd make him stop. But Kat was in trouble so he needed to focus, which was getting harder with every passing day. “why do you look like your about to force feed me something wet and slimy?” he asked nervously.
 
"Nothing's wrong with Harry."She said with a small smile as she took his hot chocolate and sipping it before handing it over to the man. Knowing it was weaning him off the potions, so she was willing to let him get addicted to the drink. Smiling when she thought about feeding him something she turned back to the window, looking up, wrapping her arms around herself as she sighed."Because I know your not going to like it."She said shuddering a little."I need you to convince Hermione I can't treat Harry anymore....I'm letting all my patients go to someone else. But hermione refuses to accept I'm stepping down as head of psycology."
 
he relaxed, thankful that Harry was alright, frowning as he studied her lifting the cup to his lips before freezing, the mug falling from his hands to shatter on the floor, his eyes wide as he stared at her. “...w..why!?” he demanded, horrified. “Kat you cant! Your job is your most important thing!” he protested. “you need your job and we all know it! Besides Harry needs you!” Hermione would just take Harry out of Saint mungo's if Kat quit, she had put Harry in there and she could take him out anytime she damn well wanted, no matter what anyone said. He was already at Kat's house more than he was at the hospital. “Kat how can you just quit!?” he demanded taking her hand, looking worried. “what's going on?”
 
Kat swallowed hard shuddering at the contact for a moment before gently easing her hand away. Not ready to tell him."It seems I can just quit, since I already turned my resignation into Longbottom this morning and he accepted."She said rubbing her arms, waving a hand and cleaning up the mess from where his mug had shattered, wincing at the use. Wondering if being as brillant as she was was a good thing or a bad, considering what she knew was going to happen next."You know and I know I really don't need to work. I just enjoy-enjoyed doing it. Now it's time to move on to something else."She said refusing to look at him
 
Draco sighed as he watched her for a moment, his eyes sad. “oh alright.” he muttered softly. “i know your hiding something from me, but if you promise to keep treating Harry at home I'll tell Hermione your sick of all the accusations.” he promised staring at her, his head tilted. “your unusually pale today, are you not feeling well? Do you want me to have the school healer to look you over?” he asked gently setting a hand on her shoulder. “Kat what's going on? You can tell me.. you can tell me anything...”
 
Kat sighed quietly forcing herself to stay still under his hand."I'm..."She shrugged before rubbing her eyes."Fine.I'll keep treating harry at home."She said because she couldn't see a way around getting out of it, and well...she'd miss him if he was gone. While she still wouldn't admit to being in love, she did admit to caring for him, which is why she was trying to get him away from her,not that it was doing much good. Biting her lip she shok her head."No.I'm..."she stopped because seh couldn't lie to draco."I'm in the first stages of Ashcroft's syndrome. I-I can't keep any of you close...not anymore."She said begging him to understand, and needing someone to know the truth, even if she didn't want to tell him

Ashcroft's syndrome was much like lupus but instead of one's body turning on itself, it was one's magic. The very thing that made her unquie among others, would be the very thing that eventually killed her. If the treatments didn't work that is. Ashcroft's made touching, using magic difficult and painful, some days not worse then a slap, others it'd just be agony to be a witch. Treatment was long and painful, but usually successful when it was caught early, but it would make one wish they were dead because it was so painful to deal with....and she didn't want any of her friends around to watch her come apart."I wont let you suffer with me...you need to convince her I'm not the best for him anymore."
 
Draco stared at her in horror before snatching his hand away, realizing he was hurting her. “oh god Kat I'm so sorry.” he whispered his eyes wide and filled with emotion. “but I can't do that... I won't let you be alone in this... I won't tell them, not until your ready, but please... you have to let us help you...” he pleaded softly, biting his lip. “you need to realize, that we're never going to abandon you.” he whispered softly. “we're not going to leave you, Harry won't leave you....” he promised softly. “we need you, and you need us, we'll help you Kat in every way we can, through the treatment and beyond... please don't abandon us...”
 
"No!Draco no!"She screamed at him, angry that he wouldn't let her go. wouldn't allow her to shove them all away so that they wouldn't have to watch this. Smacking her hand against his chest she scowled, pain showing in her face."Please. Just go. Convince them to leave me alone. Please.Draco, I can't watch you guys get hurt."She said because for once, she had made enough emotional connection to the people around her that it was going to hurt to watch them suffer with her."Please!Harry's just recovering. He-He doesn't need to watch me."She said begging him, because more then anyone else, it would hurt to watch Harry suffer with her. Crumbling as she leaned into him, resting her head on his chest.
 
he shook his head. “we won't leave you.” he growled. “we won't let you do this alone, and we might hurt, but we'll all hurt together.” he promised pulling her into a hug. “Harry has recovered because he's taking care of you, he's always had a hero complex, having someone to take care of makes him feel better.” he promised smiling as he stroked her hair, kissing her forehead. “we all love you, and we didn't abandon Hermione when she got drunk, we didn't abandon Blaise when he broke his back, we didn't abandon harry when he stared off into space, you didn't abandon me when everyone found out I'm addicted to potions...” it was the first time Draco had actually admitted it. “we're not going to abandon you for being sick.” he promised smiling a little. “now, lets go home, and I'll tell them all your retiring. You have enough money to do so, and if you run out me and Blaise certainly make enough, not to mention what Harry has.” he promised. “do you want to tell them, or do you want me to? We can't keep it a secrete forever.” he admitted watching her.
 
Kat sniffled, crying softly as she rested her head against his chest, shivering a little."You admited to being addicted...good for you."She muttered, glad that he had admitted it. It'd be so much better when he realized he wouldn't lose everything as he weaned himself off of them. Swallowing hard she pressed her face against his chest, hating that she wouldn't be able to not tell them. Hermione,hell even harry was observant enough to realize something was wrong. "You can tell them... I want to go home...go to sleep."She said closing her eyes. Even just hours after getting up, she was feeling the strain of being up. Having quit her job, set up treatments, having a fight with Draco...yea it had been a busy morning. Swallowing she stepped back,"Let's go.Blaise should be home.He had the morning off and went shopping with Herm..."She said before apparating them to the huse, shuddering. It was...painful, but still it was the quickest way of doing anything. Life as a muggle was going to be such a pain.
 
he smiled and nodded. “yeah.. I've... Blaise is helping me.” he admitted softly. “Hermione noticed a few things and Blaise found out...” he admitted biting his lip. “alright, I'll tell them.” he agreed wincing as she apparated, stroking her hair again. “we'll get through this.” he promised guiding her up the stairs and tucking her in before heading downstairs to tell everyone the news. When Kat woke up there was a bowl of steaming hot soup, and a dozen pictures for her laying next to it. Harry's almost illegible 'get well soon' mixed with the other kid's scribbles and scrawls, only the eldest's, Lacey's, handwriting was legible wishing Kat to get better soon and that she and her would make cookies to make Kat feel better. Everyone else was talking downstairs, discussing the best ways to help Kat through the pain, Hermione talking about magic dampening potions, Draco about pain potions, and all of them worried about Harry's reaction to all of this.
 
Kat smiled as she looked through the pictures, amused to see not only the kids but harry's.Smiling as she ate the soup she sighed, realizing that she was going to have to talk to the others. Rubbing her shoulders she sighed, this was going to be bad. Bracing herself to face everyone she headed downstairs looking at them concerned before she realized what was really worrying her. Looking around for harry she smiled a little walking over and crouching down in front of him, gently brushing his hair out of his face,tucking it behind his ears before looking at Lacey."You want to make some cookies?How about you harry?"She said avoiding looking at the other adults, because she wasn't ready to discuss just how bad their treatments was going to be.
 
Harry brightened when she came down, happily bounding over to her, gently taking her hand, compared to the hard Glomp he usually gave her. Draco must have told Harry to be gentle with her, because he smiled proudly, pleased with himself for remembering. “yes! Lets make cookies!” Lacey agreed leaping to her feet. “and cake! Cake too!!!” she decided beaming happily, Harry nodding furiously and clapping his hands together. They had all discovered that Harry still loved to cook, and Hermione let him help with dinner every night, so he was excited to make something sweet and tasty and messy, and Lacey was too.
 
"Okay okay, cake and cookies."Kat smiled as she got the things out, looking surprised as she wasn't glomped, and just a little disappointed. Though it would have hurt, it was her usual greeting. "Guys, I'm fine. Really. You know how it is. Why don't we concentrate on how Draco admitted he's addicted?"she said looking at the other three adults sitting at the table as she started cooking with Harry and Lacey, trying very had to not think abut the potions they were already planning."Guys, I start treatment soon. I'll be fine."She said just a small quaver of fear in her words as she concentrated on the food.
 
Lacey giggled and Harry beamed happily as he started getting out the ingredients. “Chocolate!” he ordered, the first time he'd spoken since Christmas, it nearly gave Lacey a heart attack, she'd never heard 'uncle' Harry speak before. Draco blushed hard as Hermione turned to stare at him, Blaise sighing as Draco swallowed hard but nodded. “i... I have a problem.” he agreed, “i'm dealing with it.” he admitted. “Blaise is helping me.” “besides we're talking about for when you start treatment, there are ways to ease the pain and we're just trying to decide which one would be best, the doctors will suggest them as well, as a medical doctor I've seen this before, it's rare, but it happens.” Blaise admitted shaking his head a little as he stared at Harry. “did he just talk?” he asked looking stunned, Hermione clapping joyfully. “he did! He spoke!”
 
Kat grinned a little as she got out the chocolate like ordered, giving a smacking kiss to Harry's forehead as she sighed."Okay, chocolate."She grinned at him before looking at the others, sighing softly. Wishing that they'd leave her alone to suffer because she knew it wasn't going to be pretty, but like Draco said she knew better than to ask.Grinning a little happy that harry had talked.Anything else harry?Any more requests?"She asked looking at him. Shuddering a little as she studied the brunette. Being in the early stages of Ashcrofts meant she had more good days than bad, but it hurt still when she was around strong magical signatures. And in her time with harry as she helped him, she'd managed to forget he was a powerful wizard. Not that she was about to try to make him leave, at least not yet. While she wanted to save him from suffering with her, she knew better than to try and force him away. She had a feeling that he was going to protest, loudly.Smiling as she let Lacey mix up the mixing she sighed quietly, shifting and wrapping her arms around harry needing the hug more than she needed to be strong.Realizing for the first time, just how much she was in love wtih him, because it hurt to think about him hurting, and yet...she didn't want him to go anywhere. The soft emotion showing all over her face as she buried her face against his shoulder.
 
Harry shook his head and stole batter out of Lacey's bowl, the girl giggling a little as she playfully chastised Harry shaking her finger at him, Harry just grinning as he stuck his finger in the cake batter again and licked his finger clean, blinking as he was hugged, wrapping his arms tightly around her, nuzzling their Cheeks together before looking worried. “hurt?” he asked, worried about the woman he loved picking her up and setting her on a chair so she could frost the cookies, the funnest part in Harry's mind. He stroked her hair and then started braiding it, knowing she enjoyed it when he played with her hair, smiling as Blaise chuckled. “i think out of all of us, Harry's the one who see's what Kat needs the most.” he admitted.
 
"No. Not hurt."Kat smiled slightly as she relaxed under Harry's fingers, closing her eyes for a moment as she enjoyed him playing with her hair before cracking a eye to look at them as she started frosting cookies. Grinning as Hermione."He's talking."She said her voice soft and happy before wrinkling her nose looking at blaise."What I need if for you guys not to fuss."She said whining a little as she tilted her head back to look up at Harry. Amused because he seemed to be fussing just as much as Draco did.
 
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