"If I Could Melt Your Heart" by Redcandle17
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and elements from the Harry Potter series belong to J.K. Rowling. No copyright infringement is intended.
It was easier than he'd thought. Most of the time he was with her, Cassius forgot about his plans. That was good though. If he was going to be married to her, he should enjoy being with her.
He laughed, causing Miles to look at him curiously. He didn't imagine that many Sixth Year students were planning their marriages already. But why waste time snogging senseless little twits when he already knew what he needed to do with his life?
Alicia seemed to be in love with him, and just as importantly, she seemed to think he loved her. He just had to maintain their relationship, and get her to marry him as soon as possible after they left Hogwarts. The rest would be easier after that. Most of his classmates accepted him as a pureblood – most of those in his house had their own family trees entwined with the Warrington line. So far no one seemed to have paid attention to his maternal bloodline.
He felt himself becoming angry as he thought about his mother and willed himself to breathe deeply and ignore those feelings. It didn't work. He went into the bathroom to avoid questions from Miles and slammed his fist into the tiled wall.
Damn his father for throwing away centuries of perfect, pure breeding for the sake of one little mudblood bitch. He felt no guilt about thinking of his mother in such a way. He didn't love her and never had. She stuck him with the squib housekeeper the moment he was born; she spent more money than they could afford; didn't bother to hide her affairs; all while his father hid at work. Was it worth it, he wanted to ask his father. Was it worth being disinherited for that bitch?
It didn't matter, he reminded himself. Alicia's bloodlines, on all sides, were as pure as possible. And though her own family was merely comfortable, she had aunts and uncles in control of businesses that spanned the entire wizarding world. He was bright, industrious, and ambitious. With Alicia's family's contacts, he would restore the Warrington name to what it should be.
He'd been prepared to endure the misery of dating a Gryffindor for the sake of all he could gain. It was fortunate that Alicia was such a pleasure to be with. The only problem was her softhearted stance on muggles and mudbloods – but then, it was that trait that Cassius was counting on. She wasn't the only girl who could be so beneficial to him, but she was the only one who wouldn't bother to make sure his blood was as pure as he claimed.
She seemed to want nothing more than his company and his assurance that he loved her. That was easy enough to do. Not only was he getting a hell of a deal, but it was enjoyable, too. Everything was perfect. He hoped his luck held.
And eventually he wouldn't be lying when he told her he loved her.