Title: Invisible
Category: Books - Harry Potter
Challenge(s)/Prompt(s): Matchmaker Challenge(Romilda Vane/Cassius Warrington), Original Character Boot Camp Challenge(Don't you dare), MMORPG Virtual Game Challenge(Write about someone waiting for something or ignoring people or write about someone being excited for any reason.), Minor Character Boot Camp Challenge(fingers), and theCharacter Diversity Boot Camp Challenge(time).
Length: Drabble – 786 words!
Rating: K
Pairing or Characters: Cassius Warrington, Romilda Vane, and an OC named Astrid Arrystal.
Thanks: To one of my amazing betas, Katie! For being fabulous and reading over my work so quickly. Thank you my lovely!
Disclaimer: Though it pains me to say so, I do not own the rights to anything that belongs to the Harry Potter universe, nor do I make any money from writing about them. The only thing(s) that I can claim as mine own are the ideas and/or characters that may be woven into the wonderful world of all that is Harry Potter. Everything else is used in the spirit of good-natured fun or naughty shenanigans. What can I say? I just like to play!
Invisible
The faint sound of snow crunching behind him pulled Cassius' attention from the greenhouses he was keeping an eye on in the distance. A cloaked figure was slowly making its way toward him through the frigid curtain of crystalline white flakes fluttering from the dull grey morning sky. Though he couldn't make out the person's face, he knew by the outline of the petite body under the dark cloak and the long pale blond braid that it was his friend and fellow Slytherin, Astrid Arrystal. Cass cursed under his breath at the sight of her and turned his attention back to the greenhouses. The last thing he wanted to deal with at that moment was Astrid sticking her nose in his business. She was his very best friend—they had been childhood playmates—but sometimes the girl didn't know when to let up with her ceaseless prodding.
Cass waited in silence for Astrid until she drew up beside him to take a seat on the low stone courtyard wall where he sat hunched against the biting gale. While she arranged her thick emerald cloak snugly around her small frame, he said, "I don't suppose you came all the way out here in the freezing cold just to keep me company?"
For a few moments Astrid was silent. Her pale green eyes were thoughtful as she looked out across the grounds. Finally she voiced, "No, Cass, I didn't. I just came out here to have a word."
That was exactly the sort of thing he thought she would say. It would only be a matter of time before she went into her usual rant, the one that made him sound like a creepy stalker. His jaw clenched in anger and he snapped, "Don't waste your breath, Astrid. I'm not really in the mood to listen to another one of your tirades."
"Hey! Don't you dare get snippy with me, Cassius Warrington. I'm not about to give you another lecture, you great lump. It would only fall on deaf ears. I wanted to give you a bit of advice." Astrid's pale eyes flashed with a spark of heat as she spoke.
"Advice? What sort of advice could you possibly give me?" He threw a questioning and yet somehow sarcastic look in her direction.
Her eyes fell to the long blond braid hanging over her shoulder nearly to her waist. It seemed as if she were trying to avoid making eye contact. Again, long minutes passed before she finally looked up at him and stated, "Well, I know how much you really like that Vane girl. So much so that it is borderline creepy. I mean, look at you! You're sitting out here in the middle of a snowstorm just so you can catch a glimpse of her when she's finished with Herbology. Who sits around waiting for someone—?"
"I thought you said you weren't here to lecture me," Cass said, cutting her off in mid-rant. He gave her a narrow look that made her gaze flick back to the fingers that were playing restlessly with the end of her braid.
"You're right. I'm sorry," Astrid said. "What I meant to say is that I know you really like Romilda. You've been pining after her for over a year. I just thought that maybe you should ask her out for a butterbeer or something."
Cassius' mouth dropped open in shock. Surely Astrid, the girl who had given him such grief for liking someone three years younger than him, hadn't just suggested that he ask Romilda Vane out for drinks. Especially not after the amount of abuse she had given him over the year due to the fact that not only was Romilda younger than him, she was also in Gryffindor.
Before he could speak she continued, "Don't look at me like that. I mean, it isn't like dating a Gryffindor is the worst thing in the world, right? I've poked fun at you about her, but I've come to realize that you really do have strong feelings for her."
Having recovered from the shock, Cass said sadly, "It's pathetic."
"What is?" Astrid asked, confused by his words. Her brow was furrowed with concern at the sound of his sombre admission.
He turned his eyes back to the greenhouses where figures were starting to emerge. He spotted Romilda among a group of her friends, laughing merrily at something they were talking about. As he watched her, he felt his heart sink. Softly he said, "The fact that I'm in love with a girl that doesn't even know I exist . . . it's pathetic. To me she makes the world go round, but to her I'm invisible."
A/N: I really appreciate all of the people who take the time to read and review. I respect positive comments and constructive criticism. Both help to make me a better author which in turn makes my writing style improve for the better. On top of that I truly enjoy responding to all of your reviews. Also, thank you to those of you who favourite and/or follow any of my stories. It means so very much to me! So, thank you all so much!. You're all wee gems! =)