Chapter 14
Cassius already knew he was going to be in deep trouble with his parents.
Cassie was not going to change, not unless something drastic happened to Harry.
But Cassius was changing. He could feel it.
He was starting to get sicker with each thought of how to get Cassie to join him and he didn't want her too.
Cassius wanted to be on her side and it was slowly killing him, knowing that his parents would be betrayed.
He tried not to think about it; especially when he was around Cassie.
She had been joining them for dinner most of the week. Christensen still glared, but kept her distance with her group.
Most of Cassius's friends didn't know how to interact with Cassie; until she brought out her Defense Against the Dark Arts homework. Cassius told her to do that subject first since he knew it was Astrid's best subject.
And he was right.
Astrid was quick to offer her help and Cassius patted himself on the back for getting that friendship started.
After Cassie got the help she needed, she and Astrid ended up finding out that they had something in common.
They both disliked Moody.
After Cassie told the table why she disliked Moody, how he treated Malfoy before getting the whole story, everyone looked away.
"I hold no ill will towards anyone for something I had no control over." She said quickly.
"How can you not have any animosity towards us?" Leo Jones waved his arm around.
"What have you done to me?" Cassie asked him, taking a bite of her food.
"What have I -? I haven't done anything!" Leo was starting to get mad.
"Exactly. You haven't anything, not towards me, not towards my friends. Why should I hate you for not doing anything?" She asked him.
Leo blinked at her.
"If you have animosity towards me personally, I think you're an absolute walnut. Now my house, I understand." Cassie said.
There were several reactions to what she said. Some of the Slytherins spat out their drinks, others choked on their food, but they all covered their mouths.
"Walnut?!" Leo was offended.
Cassius couldn't help the laugh he let out.
"I haven't heard that one before!" Astrid nudged Cassie's shoulder.
Leo started to laugh.
"For someone who is fifteen -"
"Fourteen. I turn fifteen in a week." Cassie corrected him.
"Fourteen! You are wise!" Leo rolled his eyes.
Cassie laughed as well.
"The next Hogsmeade trip is after the Second Task, and it's after your birthday. How about we celebrate with another date?" Cassius asked her, keeping his voice low.
Cassie lit up, but -
"I can't. My friends and I are going to celebrate it at Hogsmeade." She said,
Cassius's face fell.
"Then how about I play a date for your birthday?" He asked.
"That can work. Do you want to do a date for my birthday, and then a date for after the Second Task?" Cassie asked.
Cassius's spirits lifted at that.
"Sounds like a plan." He said.
He put his hand that was under the table on her thigh, gently squeezing her thigh. She put her hand on his and squeezed his hand in response.
Cassius debated on what to do for their date. During his free period he went down to the kitchens and waited for a house-elf to help him.
"Hello sir!" One squeaked up at him.
"I want to bring a special girl down here for a date." He said bluntly.
"Of course sir! What would sir like for dinner?" It squeaked.
They all looked alike to Cassius.
"Chicken parmesan, salad, and garlic bread." Cassius answered.
"Very good sir. Will sir like a dessert prepared?" It asked.
"Yes, pumpkin pie and vanilla ice cream." Cassius nodded.
"Right away sir!" The else squeaked and ran off.
Cassius walked away.
The owl post had come in that morning but his present he had bought for Cassie hadn't come in yet.
He had gotten her a jewelry set. A pair of earrings that were rubies, with a matching necklace, and he custom ordered a gold lion shaped head nose stud for her. It was supposed to be here for her birthday; but he hadn't gotten it yet. It was frustrating, but there was nothing he could do.
He kept his distance all day, wanting to make the most of her birthday that night.
When it was time for dinner, he stood outside the Great Hall looking for Cassie.
She was with her friend and whispered something to Hermione.
"Hello, Birthday Girl." Cassius grinned at Cassie.
"Hi. I forgot that we were going on a date." She told him sheepishly.
He smiled at that.
"You look beautiful." He kissed her forehead.
"Thanks." She smiled up at him.
"Come on. We're going down to the kitchens for a private meal." Cassius took her hand and led her away from the Great Hall.
"That sounds great!" She said excitedly.
He looked at her.
'She's super excited to get to the kitchens.'
"Have you been there already?" Cassius asked.
"Yeah, with my friends." She told him.
He nodded and continued on his path. When he reached the portrait of the bowl of fruit, he tickled the pear and opened the door for Cassie.
"After you." He gestured.
"Thank you." She walked in.
"Miss Cassie!" Cassius heard a squeaky voice.
"Hello, Mindy!" Cassie hugged something that was below her waist.
Cassius was appalled that Cassie would let such a creature touch her.
"Mr. Warrington told us that he was bringing a special girl here. Mindy had no idea it was you!" She said cherrily.
Cassie let out a laugh and allowed the house-elf to lead her by the hand.
"Hello, Cassie Zwart." Another house-elf, to Cassius's horror, was wearing clothes.
"Hello Dobby." Cassie greeted the elf.
Cassius saw he was wearing mismatching socks, a maroon sweater with a gold 'R' that fit him, and a tea cozy as a hat. The tea cozy was pink with red hearts.
Cassius decided not to say anything, but instead pulled out Cassie's chair and watched her interact with the two elves.
"How's Winky?" Cassie's voice went low.
She looked over at the fire so Cassius looked in that direction. There was yet another clothed house-elf, but she had a stained front and was crying into a bottle of butterbeer.
"Winky's -" The house-elf, Dobby, started to say something.
"I understand." Cassie said when the two elves couldn't figure out what to say.
"I'll be right back with your meal." Mindy curtsied.
Mindy scurried off to get the dinner Cassius had requested.
"How are you enjoying work?" Cassie asked Dobby.
"Dobby is enjoying work, missus! Dobby just had his day off!" He said proudly.
Cassius was disgusted.
"That's wonderful! What did you do?" Cassie asked the elf.
"Dobby learned to knit! Dobby wants to make his own clothes!" Dobby said proudly, stretching the sweater he was wearing out to show her.
"That's wonderful, Dobby!" Cassie had the biggest grin on her face.
"Thank you, missus!" He beamed at Cassie. "I better get back to work, missus. Happy Birthday!" He told Cassie and then ran off into the kitchen.
Cassius was staring at Cassie.
He felt disgusted that she would treat such creatures like they were her friends.
"What?" She asked Cassius when she looked at him.
He decided to take a safer approach to his question.
"How do you do that?" He asked.
"Do what?" She retorted.
"Get people to like you." Cassius answered.
Cassie blinked at that.
"I put in the effort. Mindy was the elf who -" She trailed off.
"Mindy was the one who served me and George on my thirteenth birthday. She and I have gotten friendlier with my visits. Dobby used to be the Malfoy's house elf, when he was excused he came here and he wanted payment -"
"That's outrageous!" Cassius couldn't contain himself, "why would an elf want payment for their job?" Cassius was furious.
Cassie held eye contact with him.
"Repeat that question." She said.
"Why would an elf want payment for doing their job?" He asked again, maintaining eye contact.
"Repeat it again." She told him.
"Why would an elf want… payment…" Cassius heard what he was saying.
"I understand that there's more to these politics of servitude and wizards and elves and other things. But I don't understand why wizards won't pay their elves." Cassie spoke.
Cassius waited to say something when Mindy brought over their dinner.
"Thank you, Mindy." Cassie smiled down at the elf.
"You're welcome, missus!" Mindy grinned up at her.
Cassius nodded to Mindy and she walked away to help the other house elves with dinner.
"Because elves like doing what they do." Cassius said, hearing how adolescent that answer was.
"Do they know anything else?" Cassie asked.
"What do you mean?" He didn't understand what she was asking.
"Do they know anything outside of this?" She gestured to the elves around them.
The house elves had a role and they knew it well. Some were refilling jugs and refreshments. Some were replacing food plates with more food. And some others were preparing dessert. The rest were doing the dishes and were enjoying the work they were doing.
"Why does it matter?" He asked Cassie.
"Do you see that Elf, sitting by the fire?" Cassie pointed to the dressed elf with the butterbeer.
"Yeah, what about her?" Cassius asked.
"She doesn't know what to do with herself. She was excused from her household and now she doesn't know what to do. No one will hire an elf that was excused. She doesn't have any sort of hobbies to pursue. Dobby is learning how to knit, he gets paid one Galleon a week, and only one day off per a month. Because working is all he knows.
Winky didn't want to be excused from her job. Something happened to her and it was inevitable. But even if she was still at that place, wouldn't a hobby just be a better way of living?" Cassie seemed to really care about this.
Cassius hated to admit that she was right. House elves, even though they were raised for servitude, deserved more freedom. Something he wouldn't ever admit out loud to anyone but Cassie.
"Elves enjoy working." Cassius didn't want to give up so easily.
"Yes, yes, I've heard it from Ron before," Cassie was patient. "But do you want to live the rest of your life just working?"
Cassius felt the frown on his face.
"I'm not a house-elf." He pointed out.
"Neither am I! But they have minds of their own! Decisions they have to make! Right and wrongs are taught to them! Just because they don't look like you or me, doesn't mean they should be treated inferior!" She said, trying to be calm.
Cassius saw the roots on her head slowly start to turn red.
"They are a working class." Cassius didn't know what else to say.
"And wizards aren't?" She shot back.
He started to glare. Cassius didn't want to glare at her, but she was sounding like she knew what she was talking about and it pissed him off.
"I thought you were only focused on bringing the school together." He accused her.
"What about after school?" Cassie asked.
'What about after school?' Cassius asked himself.
"What?" He asked.
"When you're graduated and gone. What are you going to do after school? You're just going to go to work and be able to work with anyone? Or are you going to be prejudiced against anyone outside of Slytherin house?" She asked him.
'The Plan was to work with my father, and join the Dark Lord. But you had to come and ruin it all.' He wanted to say.
"I'm trying to bring this school together, just like you." He crossed his arms, getting defensive and wishing he knew what the right thing to say was.
Cassie put her hands on the table and leaned forward, making Cassius meet her stormy grey eyes.
"But what about the people outside of this school!? Work at the Ministry and hope for the best?" Cassie asked again.
Cassius did mean to glare this time.
'The people outside of this school are either going to be with us or not. And Pureblooded wizards are the true race and we must preserve our bloodlines.' He had always had the thoughts of purebloods, but for some reason, this time he didn't feel good about it.
"So it's only fair for us to have dreams outside of school, but house-elves, goblins, and other magical beings can't?" Her red hair was starting to grow out from her roots.
'There won't be any point of having dreams when the Dark Lord rises again, he's going purify the world of muggles.'
"If you don't want to listen to me anymore about this subject, I'll drop it." She told him after Cassius didn't respond.
"You make me think of things I've never had to think about before. I don't like it. But it's something I have to start thinking about. Looking at things from a different perspective." He admitted.
'Not that you haven't already, but now there's more I have to think about. Like is purifying the world of muggles worth it?' He admitted to himself.
Cassius attacked his dinner furiously, not sure of where else to put his anger.
Cassie let out a chuckle and started to eat her dinner as well.
"What are you planning on doing after you graduate, if the school doesn't have any openings for a teaching position?" Cassius asked, trying to bring the mood back up.
"Probably open up a muggle psychic shop." Cassie answered casually.
Cassius choked on his food but was able to clear his throat out. He looked at Cassie with a bewildered expression.
"I'm kidding! I'll probably just work at the Ministry or at a shop in Diagon Alley." She laughed.
"Why would you even think about going into the muggle world?" Cassius asked.
'There's nothing for you there. Your friends and family are of this world, aren't they?' He wanted to ask.
"I grew up in it." Cassie deadpanned.
'And I am stupid.' He thought to himself, feeling the flush building up on his neck to his face.
"Right, sorry. I forgot." He answered.
"But now that I think of it… Maybe a magical orphanage would be helpful." Cassie said thoughtfully.
"What do you mean?" Cassius asked.
"There was another girl there, her name was Gertrude. She knew I was a witch. I don't know if she was a Squib or a witch, but she knew. If there's an orphanage out there where all little witches and wizards could go, it would make the transition easier for when they come to Hogwarts," Cassie spoke her thoughts out loud.
Cassius was grateful that she did.
"Her name was?" Cassius caught the past tense.
Cassie froze.
"Yes, was. There was an incident and she died." Cassie told him, her voice getting softer.
"How did she die?" Cassius asked softly, thinking she would want to talk to talk about it.
Cassie looked at Cassius, and he only thought that she was debating in talking about it but he was thrown for a surprise.
"I killed her." Cassie admitted.
…
…
…
You what?" He asked, not sure if he heard her correctly.
"I killed her." Cassie repeated herself.
Cassius wasn't sure what to think of that. Suddenly his eyes went to her scar on her face.
"Did she give you that?" He dropped his fork and reached across to cup her face, horror filling his stomach.
"She did. Along with other scars I do keep covered up." Cassie nodded.
"What happened?" Cassius asked.
Cassie told him about the traumatic experience. He was surprised that she could still smile after what had happened to her.
"That's not your fault." He told her after she got done.
"Yes, it is. I pushed her away." Cassie disagreed with him.
"No! You didn't know where she was going to land, or even how she was going to land. You were only trying to defend yourself and it went wrong. But it was not your fault." He grabbed her hand.
He was surprised when tears formed in her eyes.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Are you going to break up with me now that you know that about me?" She asked.
Cassius blinked at her, and then realization hit him.
"Is that why Weasley and you stopped dating? He thought you were a killer?" He asked, his anger rising again.
"He thought like father, like daughter." Cassius could hear the bitterness in her voice.
Cassius pushed himself away from the table, breathing through his nose and out his mouth.
"What a bloody wanker." He hissed.
"He did try apologizing though. He wanted to get back together but I don't think I could ever get back with him. What's to stop him from breaking up with me again?" She admitted to Cassius.
'This is not how I imagined her birthday going.' Cassius admitted to himself.
Cassius reached forward and put his hand under her chin, lifting her head slightly.
"The only reason why I would break up with you is because you cheated on me." He said.
She shook her head lightly, pulling away from his hand.
He held his hand out for her still and she gently put her head back against his hand.
"I wasn't ready for this talk, but I guess now is better than never. I don't think it's fair to you, or to me, if we keep this up while you're out of school. You're going to meet women who are looking for a husband, or will share the same interests as you. And I'm still going to be here. Studying." Cassie said.
"No." Cassius shook his head.
"Yes." Cassie nodded.
"No. When that time comes we'll be prepared for it. Right now, I just want to enjoy you challenging me. Making me think from different perspectives. Living in the moment. Just spending time together." He said, his thumb moving back and forth on her chin.
"Even learning about the worst of each other?" She asked him, her voice quiet.
"Even that." He nodded.
'I'll wait until after the last task to tell her the truth.' He told himself.
The rest of dinner was spent with Cassie telling Cassius about her pranks she used to pull. He was sad to hear that she outgrew the powdered sugar bag, but glad at the same time.
For dessert, the elves brought out the pumpkin pie instead of the usual cake with her ice cream.
"I know you like pumpkin pasties, so I figured I would give you something else pumpkin." He said as she reached for the whipped cream.
"Thank you." She laughed and lightly blushed.
Cassie had told him that he didn't have to walk her to the Gryffindor common room, but Cassius insisted.
Not because he planned to have her pinned to the wall, holding her legs around his waist and moving her mouth against hers.
That just happened.
He had wanted to be a gentleman, but there was something about the way she bit her lip and he had to put his lips against hers.
Her legs wrapped around him drove him wild and he could feel himself reacting to her heat.
'I better be careful.' He vaguely thought to himself but then her hand moved from the back of his neck down his chest.
And he gave a small gasp of surprise when her hand pushed beneath his shirt to feel his skin, and her tongue was suddenly in his mouth.
He wanted her so bad…
He pushed himself against her heat, wanting to let his desire be known. He moved his legs to better hold Cassie when she pulled her mouth away.
"Wait," she was breathless.
"What is it?" He asked, just as breathless.
"Can you put me down, just for a second?" She asked.
"Am I going too fast?" He asked, unable to hide his disappointment.
"No, I am." She said and wiggled out of his grip.
"You… you haven't -?" Cassius asked, gesturing to her as she stepped away from him.
"No." She shook her head.
"You and Weasley?" He asked, not wanting to ask her.
"No. He broke up with me after our first make out session. And I haven't been interested in anyone since." She explained.
"Do you want to go slower?" He asked, having to readjust himself so he did the leg shuffle.
"Can I have a minute to gather my thoughts?" Cassie asked him.
"Yeah, sorry." He said, a little frustrated.
Cassie took a deep breath, held it, and then let it out.
"I want to… have sex with you." She admitted.
Cassius felt a painful throb of want below his stomach.
"But I'm scared since the most I've done is make out I would rather learn how to do other things before getting to the sex part of our relationship." Cassie explained.
Cassius nodded in understanding.
"You don't want to be standing in a place where we could get caught for your first time." He summarized.
"Exactly." Cassie nodded.
Cassius couldn't help his laugh.
"Okay, we'll just stick with making out in places where we could get caught." He teased her.
Cassie's hair turned pink as did her face, but she laughed.
"Can we just go a bit slower when it comes to the physical stuff?" Cassie asked.
"Yeah, we can do that." Cassius nodded.
"Thank you." Cassie gave a sigh of relief.
He waited a few moments before closing the space between them, cupping her face in his hands.
"Are you sure you want it to be me?" He asked.
"If it ends up being you, then it's you. If it ends up not being you, then it's not you." She answered in her usual blunt way.
Cassius couldn't stop the hurt look from escaping his face.
"I didn't mean to say that to hurt you. It's the truth. I don't know when I'll be ready, but I know it's not tonight." She put her hand on his wrists.
"I understand, you're just a blunt person." He told her.
Cassie laughed but Cassius couldn't resist kissing her again.
Which led to another make-out session.
Shout out to Pamela Hutchins for leaving a review!
Pamela Hutchins: I rewrote his thoughts a couple of times during their conversations and nothing sounded right so I hope it sounds okay!
