Harry woke up on Christmas morning and found himself smiling. If you ignored the fact that one day he would have to meet Voldemort again and that one of them wouldn't come out of it alive, life was pretty good. Their hunt for the remaining horcruxes was put on hold until after Christmas. They had been trying out some leads but so far they had just reached dead end after dead end. Draco and Cassie had remained at the Burrow, and he expected they would remain so until the end of the war. An end that seemed so far away. Draco had offered some helpful suggestions.

Harry had tried to apologise more than once to Cassie but she had shaken off any attempts. She had said that she understood why he had read it and that he had found it by accident. She wanted Harry to know that the diary was probably biased and focused on the unhappy times of her life. She had been firm that she wanted to put it all behind her, Harry reading the diary but also what had happened to her. Life was too short she had said. Every day Cassie seemed a little better than the day before and not just physically. Emotionally she appeared to be coming to terms with her past and was content with where she was now. Harry knew that soon he would have to act on his feelings and ask her out or something. Maybe today will be the day.

Draco was lying in his bed. He could hear more than one person moving about downstairs but he didn't want to venture downstairs, not yet. He was thinking about how different today would be compared to the Christmas he had last year. The Weasley's had less materially but had so much to give emotionally. There was so much love in this house and sometimes Draco found it overwhelming how encompassing it was that it even included him. Last Christmas had been far from a joyful event. Mother had been so stressed and had questioned him endlessly about how he was getting on with his quest to murder Dumbledore. Now, he couldn't even believe that he had gone along with that. He felt like a completely different person now.

Cassie's excitement was contagious. There was a hint of sadness surrounding her enthusiasm when the reason behind it was thought about. She had been denied having a family Christmas for so long and she seemed determined to enjoy every second of the day. Draco couldn't remember the last time, if ever, he had laughed so much. They had just shared an enormous dinner and were relaxing in the living room.

'I just love Christmas, don't you?' Cassie asked but didn't wait for an answer. 'I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for sharing today with me. I have had the best day ever. Thanks for my presents. Thanks for the dinner. Thanks for making today so special.'

Harry smiled, 'ok, Cassie, I think we get the point.'

Cassie blushed, 'I was waffling a little wasn't I?'

Harry nodded.

She hurried over to a tree and rearranged some of the ornaments.

'What we could really do with is some music, the radio is so depressing at the moment.' Ginny commented.

An idea popped into Draco's head, 'I don't suppose you have a piano?' he asked Mr and Mrs Weasley.

'Why, do you play?' asked Mrs Weasley.

'No I never really took to it. Cassie used to though and rather well didn't you?'

Cassie turned round at the sound of her name, 'what?'

'I was just explaining how you can play the piano.'

'Yes, but there isn't one here, is there?' If it was possible Cassie's eyes lit up even more at the prospect of being about to play. Draco remembered how much Cassie had loved playing when they were growing up. She would spend hours practising and would get lost completely in the music. They used to have to drag her away in order that she would learn something else and even then you could catch her taping a surface trying out the fingering of a sequence of notes. She could have played professionally.

Mr Weasley walked over to a bureau and got out his wand.

'What are you doing Dad?' asked Ron.

'You'll see,' came Mr Weasley's simple reply.

The bureau turned itself into an upright piano. Cassie exclaimed in delight.

'Where did that spring from?' asked Ron, taken aback.

'Molly used to play before we got married. We decided to hide it once we had children to prevent it getting damaged.'

Cassie, stroked it and smiled.

'It probably isn't in tune and not as grand as what you would have had at the Manor,' Mrs Weasley said apologetically.

'May I?' Draco didn't think anyone could have stopped her but Mr Weasley pulled out the piano stool and gestured for her to sit down.

'Be my guest.'

Cassie lifted the lid carefully and sat down on the stool. She gently placed her fingers on the keys and played a few notes quietly listening intently

'It seems to be in tune as far as I can tell, it has a lovely tone.'

'Music my dear,' Mr Weasley handed her some music books.

Cassie flicked through the books and said, 'you will have to bear with me, it has been a while.'

She chose a song, tucked her hair behind her ears, stretched out her fingers and then started to play. It was a popular muggle Christmas carol and soon everyone was joining in.

Cassie continued to amaze Harry. Her playing was beautiful and she could more than hold a tune as well. What was even more amazing was that she probably hadn't played for years. She seemed so happy playing. Harry wished he could make her that happy. They had been singing for a while when Mrs Weasley stopped them for a cup of tea and cake.

Cassie seemed unable to tear herself away from the piano and removed the music and started to play from memory. It was a beautiful classical piece that silenced everyone. Cassie seemed to put so much emotion and feeling into her playing, it was almost as if you were looking into her soul.

'That was lovely Cassie dear,' said Mrs Weasley breaking the silence that had continued after Cassie had stopped playing.

Cassie was staring unseeing at the piano and appeared not to hear. She was in her own world. Harry wondered what she was thinking. She paused for a little while before playing a more upbeat classical piece.

After a while, she seemed to notice that no one was talking. Instead we were all listening to the music transfixed. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

'Oh Cassie you are amazing,' Hermione smiled.

'Thanks,' she tore herself away from the piano and helped herself to a cup of tea.

The evening continued to be a pleasant one. One by one people made their excuses and retired to bed. As Mr Weasley got up to leave. Cassie looked anxiously at him.

'Mr Weasley,' she said quietly.

'Yes, dear.'

'Can I have a word?'

'Sure.'

'In private.'

Harry was more than a little curious when Cassie and Mr Weasley went into the kitchen but tiredness got the better of him and he decided to go to bed himself rather than investigate further.

It was two days later when Harry found out what they had been discussing. He had gone up to tell Cassie dinner was ready and found her packing.

'Cassie, what are you doing?' he had asked.

'Packing.' Cassie returned to her packing.

'Are you going somewhere?'

'You could say that, I was going to tell you but there never seemed to be the right time. Tomorrow I will be leaving.'

'And when were you planning on telling me? On your way out?' Harry could feel himself getting angrier and angrier.

'No, tonight, I was going to tell you tonight.'

'Where are you going?'

'Mr Weasley has found me somewhere in London. I will have my own flat and be able to go to college,' Cassie seemed unable to look at him

'And you are just going to walk out of here without so much of a backward glance.'

'Harry...'

'What about your safety? Who is going to protect you?'

'Mr Weasley ensures me that I will be safe, and I trust him. The flat will be protected.'

'Oh you and Mr Weasley have got it all sorted out haven't you?'

'Harry, please don't shout. Can't we talk about this reasonably?'

Harry knew that he was shouting but he couldn't help it, 'reasonably? What is reasonable about you running away from everything and everyone. Don't you care about any of us?'

'Of course, I do Harry, this has not been an easy decision to make.'

'Yet one that you have made.'

'Yes.'

'Well, I am disappointed.'

'Disappointed?'

'After all that we have done for you, now that you are better you are just going to leave.'

Cassie stared at Harry, 'I think you should leave now.'

'What so you can?'

Cassie opened the door. Draco was outside and appeared to have been just about to have knocked on the door.

'What is going on? What are you shouting about Harry?' he looked questioningly at Harry.

'Cassie is leaving. Tomorrow. But then I suppose you knew that.'

'No, I didn't know.' They both stared at Cassie.

'It started off as just an idea. I spoke to Mr Weasley who turned my idea quickly into a possibility. I was going to tell you both tonight. I am not going to change my mind.'

'I can't believe you can just leave like this.'

'It isn't easy, but I honestly believe that I need to do this.'

'Well as long as you are ok, how selfish can you be?' Cassie's eyes blazed in response to Harry's remark and she looked like she had been slapped around the face.

'What do you expect me to do then Harry? Watch from the sidelines as you all battle for your lives unable to do anything to help? Bandage cuts? Make the tea? Keep the troops entertained with my piano playing? I can't do anything. I am a muggle, a stupid useless muggle. Didn't meeting my father show you that anyone with a wand and a tiny bit of magic can control me? My father may have gone but what is to stop someone else doing what he did?'

'I will, I'll protect you Cassie,' Harry said desperately.

Cassie shook her head, 'no, you will have enough to think about without worrying about what is happening to me. I have just been a distraction and I realise that now. You need to put your quest first.'

'Please don't do this.'

'I have to, Harry. None of you should be distracted by my safety. I wish with all my heart that there was something I could do but there isn't. I feel so useless and I am doing the one thing I can do – taking myself out of this situation so I am no longer a burden.'

Harry turned to Draco, 'you agree with this?'

Draco paused before saying, 'if I had a choice no one would have to fight this war but as some of us don't have a choice. Cassie has had to deal with so much already. Truthfully I don't know if she could pull through another attack. She is lucky to be alive.'

'I know that it must seem so selfish to you Harry but this is your destiny horrible as it is. I am free for the first time in my life to do what I want to do and be who I want to be. To be the one making the decisions rather than having my whole life controlled. I need to explore this, make a life for myself rather than just live in the shadows of wizards and witches hidden away. I need to embrace muggleton if that even is a word,' Cassie pleaded with Harry to accept her explanation.

Harry found himself speechless. He could see where Cassie was coming from and wished that he could leave with her. But she was right this, whatever it would turn out to be, was his destiny. He swallowed and tried to collect his thoughts.

'I'm sorry for flying off the handle. It just came as a surprise. We will miss you, I will miss you.'

Cassie pulled him into a hug.

'Thank you for trying to understand Harry. I will miss you so much. You were the one, you know, that made me start to believe that I was actually worth something. That people could actually like me and would want to be my friend.' She broke away from the hug, 'I wish I didn't have to do this. I wish I could help...'

Harry put a finger to her lips, 'it's ok, Cassie.' They hugged again.

Draco watched Cassie walk away with Mr Weasley. There had been more than a few tears shed at her departure. He had wanted to accompany her but she had insisted that Mr Weasley would be enough. She wanted to get used to being on her own again and was worried that if Draco, or anyone else, came with her she would want them to say. They had agreed to stay in contact, by text message of all things. But this had seemed the safest way. Cassie did seem excited about the future and Draco knew that she deserved more than anyone to have this opportunity to build a new life for herself. He was going to become a fully fledged member of the Order of Phoenix and do whatever he could do to help them bring down Voldemort.

A/N - hope you liked it, please review :)