The cotillion (as Narsissa refused to simply call it a party) went exactly as Cassie assumed it would. She found herself glued to Pansy Parkinson's side the whole while, standing against the piano that no Malfoy could play and watching the others dance and mingle. Pansy was Draco's friend, not her own, and the two rarely spoke beyond idle small talk, however Cassie was grateful for her company. She was the only girl her own age that Cassie knew, and the familiarity was comforting.

"How can you stand these dress robes?" Cassie complained, fidgeting. The tight emerald green dress was fitted, meaning the cloth could not breathe, and neither could she.

"You get used to it." Pansy replied, looking striking as ever in a midnight blue dress.

"And that's my daughter now, over with her dear friend Pansy. Cassiopeia is attending Hogwarts in the fall, you know, health permitting." Narsissa called from across the room. The two girls rolled their eyes at each other, and Cassie bit back a cough.

"Are you alright?" Pansy asked. "Do you need to sit down? Do you want me to get you some water? A tissue?"

"I'm fine, Pansy." Cassie replied, straightening. "Just fine."

"Pansy, Cassie, how are you?" Theodore asked, coming over to their side. He hugged Pansy, giving her an air kiss on the cheek, but avoided Cassie so as not to 'contaminate' her.

"We're well, and you?" Pansy asked. Cassie didn't speak.

"Good, good." Theo replied, nodding. "So, you're starting at Hogwarts, Cassie. Are you nervous?"

"Kind of." Cassie nodded. "But I'm excited to leave the Manor for the first time in my life."

"Are you sure you should do that?" Theo asked. He and Pansy, like Draco, were against her leaving the safety of the Manor.

"Of course." Cassie nodded. "I'm the strongest I've ever been. And Madame Pomfrey will be there, so it will be like having a live-in nurse. Hogwarts is a safe place, you know it is." She didn't dare bring up the Yaxley thing, since he was probably in the room somewhere.

"We're very excited for you." Pansy declared, gingerly taking the smaller girl's wrist in her hand. "Let us know if there's anything we can do for you at school, alright?"

"Definitely." Cassie agreed.

"What are you drinking?" Theo asked, frowning at the glass Cassie was carrying. "Is that Fire Whiskey?"

"Relax." Cassie laughed. "It's my tonic. Prescribed by a Healer at St. Mungo's." She added, just in case.

"Good. Stay away from Fire Whiskey until you're of age." Theo nodded.

"It tastes disgusting, anyway." Pansy added. "Who's that talking to your mother?" Cassie turned, and noted her mother speaking with a man with dark hair who looked to be in his twenties.

"He looks familiar. Maybe a sympathizer?" Cassie shrugged, before remembering that it wasn't lady-like.

"Oh, you'll just love my darling Cassiopeia!" The trio heard Narsissa declaring from across the room, and Cassie winced. "She's very mild mannered and sweet. A very darling girl. You just have to meet her!"

"I made the mistake of telling her I would end up a spinster." Cassie explained, and her companions winced. "Now she's doubling her efforts to get me married before I turn twenty."

"That's Society." Pansy declared with a sarcastic smile. "That is, of course, why I hang out with your brother and his friends." Theo raised an interested eyebrow, and Pansy continued. "As long as it's well known I have… let's see…five male friends that I'm constantly seen with, Mother won't bother trying to set me up with men twice my age. Oh, bother, they're coming over here."

"Cassiopeia, darling, this is Selwyn. He just graduated from Hogwarts nine years ago. Perhaps he could tell you what to expect from it?" Narsissa cried, grabbing her daughter's arm and dragging her forward. Cassie abruptly let out a cough, covering her mouth with a handkerchief, and Narsissa elbowed her in the side. "Men don't like women who are ill, Cassiopeia, darling." she hissed.

"Oh, that's just what we were discussing!" Pansy cried, interrupting smoothly. "Theodore and I were telling Cassie how we'd watch out for her, weren't we Theo?"

"Oh, er, right." Theo nodded, and Pansy rolled her eyes at him.

"Pansy, you know rolling your eyes is not lady-like." Narsissa admonished. "What would Society think?" Pansy made a face to show exactly what she thought of Society. She'd never been very eloquent. Narsissa glided away, head held high, to give Selwyn and Cassie room.

"So, you've never been to Hogwarts before? You'll love it." Selwyn declared. "As a Malfoy, you'll rule Slytherin, of course."

"You do know that her mother is only trying to get you to marry her, right?" Pansy interrupted. "The more you talk to her, the more excited Mrs Malfoy will become. It would be best to run away as fast as possible."

"She's one of those parents, huh?" Selwyn asked with a sigh. "Alright, I'll save your skin. See you around, kid."

"Thank you so much." Cassie smiled, watching as he left her side quickly, making his way to the Bulstrode family.

"Really, you only need to watch out for Potter and his gang." Pansy advised with a grimace.

"They all think they're hot stuff." Theo nodded, and Pansy scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"They aren't even all that good looking. Even the Weasley girl, she's got every boy wrapped around her little finger, but she just looks so… poor. And freckly. I don't understand it." She added.

"They might go after you, since we don't really get along with them." Theo explained, and Pansy nodded earnestly.

"Potter and his little Potterphiles are quick to judge. They think they have morals, but I wouldn't put it past them to pick on you, even in your state. If any of them try anything, I'll hex them to next week, though, don't worry about that."

"What was that about Potter?" Draco asked, joining them with Blaise trailing behind. Crabbe and Goyle were nowhere to be seen, avoiding Cassie's 'cooties' most likely. Draco hugged Pansy, kissing her cheek, and shook hands with Theo.

"Oh, we were just telling Cassie how awful Potter and his friends are, and how she should watch out for them." Pansy explained, and Blaise snorted.

"Potter and his friends think themselves above teasing. If Cassiopeia would be threatened by them, perhaps she shouldn't be going to school at all." He stated, glancing at the girl in question.

"Cassie may not be the strongest physically, but she could run circles around them when it comes to wit. She's fairly good at magic too." Draco defended slinging his arm around his sister's shoulder. "She could easily outcast the baboons that Potter runs around with."

"Of course!" Pansy cooed, smiling widely at Draco, running her hand down his free arm. "I never doubted Cassie's skills. We simply didn't want anything to happen to her."

"Your mother just walked outside." Draco whispered out of the corner of his mouth, and Pansy dropped his arm, throwing her head back with a sigh.

"Finally." She groaned. "I swear if I don't get proposed to soon, Mother will be on my case as hard as Mrs Malfoy is on Cassie. Do you think they missed the memo that this is the twentieth century?"

"Possibly." Cassie smiled. "Sometimes Mother reminds me of Mrs Bennett in Pride and Prejudice."

"Reading Muggle books?" Blaise scoffed. "Don't tell me you're a blood traitor."

"Of course she isn't, you plonker. Even I've read it. It's a girl thing." Pansy declared, taking Cassie's arm in her own. "I think it's there's a law somewhere that all girls have to read it."

"Any rate, once you get to Hogwarts you can just be you." Theo stated. "You can't go too barmy, since someone will probably report back to your mum, but you can loosen up a lot. Just look at Pansy."

"What's that supposed to mean, Nott?" Pansy asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Only that you're a lot less… lady-like at school." Theo backtracked.

"It's because I pick on the no-good mudbloods, isn't it?" Pansy asked. "What, are only boys allowed to have some fun?"

"Pansy!" Narssisa admonished, joining the children once again. "You'd better not be speaking of what I think you are!" Pansy flushed as she realized Narsissa's implications.

"No, of course not, Mrs Malfoy. I was just saying that I wanted to try out for the Slytherin Quidditch team, but Mother won't let me because it's not lady-like."

"Indeed it's not." Narsissa nodded. "I wouldn't let my Cassiopeia try out even if she were healthy. Men don't want an athletic wife, Pansy, you know that. Speaking of men, Cassiopeia darling, where did Selwyn go? And Draco, get your arm off your sister's shoulder! Everyone will think that she's involved, and then she will never get a husband!"

"Mr Selwyn went somewhere that direction." Cassie pointed; accenting the Mr part. "And as much networking you and father do, I am almost positive that every person in this room knows that Draco is my brother."

Narsissa sighed at her daughter and wandered off to find another eligible bachelor.

"How much older?" Draco asked, and Cassie pursed her lips as she did the mental math.

"11 years, I think."

"Poor thing." Pansy sighed. "You could tell your Mother you're dating Vincent Crabbe. He'd probably go along with it if she asked. I think he's too thick to even notice, honestly."

"Mother would probably disown me." Cassie shook her head. "Mr Cassiopeia has to be perfect, of course."

"Do you two ever talk about anything other than marriage?" Blaise asked. "You're boring me."

"If Society thought we were useful for more things, maybe." Pansy glared. "We're allowed to complain. Is it too much to ask that I play Quidditch if I want?"

"Yes." Blaise stated simply, only to annoy her.

"Prat." Pansy grumbled. "Anyway, Cassie, your brother and I are both Prefects this year, so if there's anything you need, anything at all, just come find us."

"How are you getting to school?" Theo asked. "Surely you won't be taking the train."

"She's planning to Floo directly into Dumbledore's office. I'll probably go with her, so I might not be on the Express either."

"It'll be so boring without you on the train, Drakey!" Pansy cried, grabbing his arm again as her mother walked back into the room. "Can't you come?"

"Afraid not." Draco replied, stifling the urge to roll his eyes. "Cassie's never flooed before."

"Cassie's never done anything before." Blaise snorted, and Pansy elbowed him, hard.

"I will hex you." She threatened, and Blaise pulled a face at her.

"I wonder who our new defence teacher will be." Theo brought up, and the group frowned, thinking.

"Doesn't really matter." Blaise shrugged. "Whether we like him or not, he'll be gone by the end of the year."

"True. I kind of wish Lockhart could have stayed. He was kind of cute." Pansy sighed wistfully.

"He's kind of mental." Draco scoffed, and Pansy sighed.

"I know that now." She defended.

"You alright, Cassie?" Theo interrupted the debate. All eyes turned to Draco's sister, who seemed to be withering as they spoke.

"Yeah. Just… tired." Cassie replied, and Draco put his hand on his sister's shoulder.

"Go on to bed." He instructed gently. "I'll tell Mother. Did you take your tonic yet?"

"Of course. Thank you Draco. It was nice seeing you all." Cassie called, moving slowly down the hallway to her room. The others called their goodbyes, and Crabbe and Goyle joined them once Cassie had left. She collapsed on her bed and was asleep in minutes.