A/N: YAY CHRISTMAS WITH CASSIE.
"Can anyone tell me all the signs of a werewolf?"
A few hands lifted into the air, but Cassie's was not among them. It was the last day of classes before she went home. The last day of classes until Christmas break. She felt giddy, and unreasonably happy. She wanted to scream carols from the astronomy tower and dance to old rock n' roll Christmas hits on the way to class. The Christmas Holidays had always made her terribly excited and hyper, and this year was no exception.
Kelly giggled at her as she enthusiastically sang a chorus of Jingle Bell Rock, adding silly little dance moves and twirls at random intervals, making their way slowly through the crowds heading for lunch in the great hall. With a round of jazz hands at the shrilly-sung finale, she slid through the large wooden doors, a dorky grin from ear-to-ear plastered onto her face. As people were beginning to stare, Kelly dragged her friend over to the Hufflepuff table where the wonderfully smelling food was placed dutifully upon the table.
Now, Hufflepuffs weren't usually very fond of Slytherins, but through six years of witnessing various embarrassing and utterly strange actions from the short, black haired Prefect whom was obviously not wanted at her own table, they eventually took pity on her and allowed her to sit at their table and eat when Kelly was around.
Though she'd never tell Kelly, it slightly stung the Slytherin in her that she had to be pitied by Hufflepuffs. Stuffing these dark thoughts aside, Cassie decided to turn her attention into another sort of stuffing, namely, her face. She grabbed a pork-chop and began to chomp the meat off of the bones happily, successfully getting half of it on her lap.
When dinner was over, Headmaster Dippet rose to stand at the staff table. He called the students in the hall to order, and when they all finally were quiet he cleared his throat.
"Good evening, students. Now for this year's Christmas break, we have a few changes. Because of the war, over the Holidays Hogwarts is going to be a place where injured and recovering auror's can go to heal and spend Christmas with their families. Since Hogwarts is being used for the honourable cause, the students who are on the list to stay over break now must go home instead. If there are any issues about a place to stay, simply let myself or a teacher know and we'll help you arrange something. That is all."
After this speech ended and everyone began to get up and go to their common rooms, Kelly turned to Cassie with an excited expression.
"Oh yeah!" she exclaimed to her as they rose from their seats, gathering their things, "I forgot about my mother telling me that! She told me Dad would be staying here, so it looks like I'm not going very far!"
Kelly's father was a top Auror at the Ministry. He was well-known for his expanded magical ability and humorous comments even in the darkest of times. He was awarded a metal the past month for saving a group of kidnapped Muggleborns from Grindelwald's forces. He was injured badly, but Kelly had been happy to hear that he was recovering well. Though the Muggle portion of this horrific war had ended, Grindelwald was still running loose and the Muggles still had stray fights and war-aftermath to deal with.
The next morning found Cassie awake bright and early, packing her things into her trunk as she hummed tunelessly. Outside the snow fell merrily to the ground, heightening her sense of holiday cheer. She was wrapped in her favourite sweater, a purple one that her Grandma knitted when she was younger that held the design of a butterfly in yellow yarn on the back. When she was first presented it, it hung over her like a giant cape or a dress that fell to at least mid-shin. Since she never really grew all that much, it fell to about mid-thigh and was still as baggy and comfortable as ever. She wore on her legs a long, pink swing skirt with baggy pyjama pants beneath.
After all her things were packed, she tugged on her overlarge hiking boots and grasped the handle of her trunk and tugged it down the stairs. With every step her feet clunked and her trunk banged, causing a couple of students in the common room to give her annoyed looks once she reached the bottom. She gave apologetic looks, and continued to lug her trunk out of the portrait hole.
Most people didn't take their trunks home with them for Christmas break, but Cassie always did. It gave her time to clean it out and replace whatever needed replacing. She walked leisurely down to the main floor, placing her stuff in the pile of trucks and belongings by the front door that students wanted to take home with them. Then she skipped off to the great hall, the smell of breakfast calling to her.
After managing to devour her body mass in food, the time for leaving Hogwarts was fast approaching. Everyone was piling up in the main entrance, waiting for the O-Kay to start heading down to the train. Cassie grabbed one last thing from her trunk (her schoolbag that held many books to keep her entertained on the long train-ride) then thrust herself into the throng. Just as she was finding a comfortable waiting spot marginally near the front doors, a voice called out.
"Alright, then, off you go! Happy Christmas everyone!"
Like a tidal wave, the students walked forwards, pushing and thrusting the lone Cassie out of the way before she even had a chance to blink. In the fray, her bag was nearly ripped off her shoulder, sending her shooting to the ground painfully. The immense crowd of students eager to get home increased now, the late ones joining in and, because of her size, No one really noticed her until they were nearly stepping on her. This was why she hated crowds. She was that small that in a large, fast moving group of people, they wouldn't notice if she was on the ground. Being used to this sort of thing happening, she simply put her hands over her head to protect herself and waited for it to stop.
Suddenly, a hand clutched hers tightly and pulled her upwards.
As soon as she was standing, she stayed extremely near her saviour whom the tidal wave of students walked around. She was saved, and by the looks of the worn, hand-me-down school jumper, by Tom.
"Thank you..." she said breathlessly grateful, "I was gonna get stepped on in there!"
She let out a relieved sigh, then re-adjusted the strap on her bag.
He inclined his handsome head to her, than gestured for her to follow him now that they were in behind the bulk of the students.
They climbed into one of the last crowded carriages, forced very close side-by-side a gaggle of silly third years that talked behind their hands and cast longing looks in Tom's direction. Since the carriage was so filled, she was forced painfully between Tom's side and the carriage wall, her cheek flattening against the window.
Finally, half-way through, she gave up and leaned Tom's way instead, letting her cheek be pressed against his shoulder. It was quite a deal more comfortable, and at least his jumper was pleasantly warm as opposed to the cold glass of the window.
The little third years cast her scandalized looks that she would do such a thing as lean against their future husband, but she simply replied by immaturely sticking out her tongue and adding a rude hand gesture to match. Then a scheming little thought bubble floated across her mind and she giggled evilly, bending up and kissing Tom's cheek lightly. Gasps rang out from the gaggle of silly little girls, and they gave her looks that one would mostly reserve for something putrid they found at the back of the fridge.
Tom slowly turned to her and gave her a weird look, but she brushed it off, squashing her cheek into his school jumper once more.
The moment the carriage pulled to a stop at Hogsmeade station, Tom and Cassie made to get out quickly. The third year girls were beginning to wear on both of their nerves and they both decided it certainly would not look good for them to be found in a carriage with a group of strangled girls.
After Cassie quickly went to go check her trunk, she rejoined Tom in the line waiting to get onto the train. Once they were finally on the train, she grabbed an empty compartment and made herself comfortable, putting her bag on the floor and gleefully grabbing her newest book and gluing her eyes to the pages eagerly.
There came a cough from across her.
She looked up from her book, puzzled to see Tom still there. He smirked.
"You reading is all the entertainment I'll have on this long train-ride?"
She blinked.
"Well no...I just thought you'd go off to your Pureblood buddies is all."
He shook his head slightly, disagreeing with her.
"Well, as amazing as they promote themselves to be, they're not the brightest bunch, nor the best conversation. So for this train ride, you get to be blessed with my presence instead."
"Oh goodie", Cassie said, rolling her eyes but smiling anyway.
Cassie wasn't very good with conversation starters anyway, so she simply picked her book back up again and began to read. She was rudely interrupted though by a small "Hm!" of remark. Glare in place, she looked back up to him.
"You're reading The Incomplete Enchanter?" he asked her, having a hard time keeping the surprise from his voice.
"Yes, it's a great book!" she said, smiling.
"But...It's a Muggle book..." he said haltingly, seemingly not wanting to admit that he read such things as Muggle books.
"I know...My mum is a Muggle, you know" she said laughing, "she and I live in an old farmhouse just outside of a Muggle village called Ottery St. Catchpole! It's a lovely place...We've got lots of farm animals and mum makes us money by selling milk and crops in the village. We don't make an amazing amount of money, but enough to feed us and keep us warm" Cassie smiled warmly, remembering her home.
Tom looked almost...entranced in her description of her house, so she continued.
"The farmhouse is really big, and my father and I painted it sunflower yellow when I was small. The paint's starting to peel now though, so I guess I should re-paint it soon. The barn we painted red, and we have an old, cranky riding horse called Tessa, two cows called Bessie and GeeGee, and the old Border Collie called Shamus. Then there's the army of evil chickens that I have to feed all the time" she grimaced.
He smirked at her distaste, but his expression fell and became solemn when he began to answer her.
"It sounds like a lovely place to live" he told her quietly.
When the train pulled into King's Cross Station, Cassie hurried this time to grab her things and be rid of the masses of students. Tom followed closely in her wake, making sure that nobody tried to bowl her over like last time. Once he helped her get her trunk, they migrated away from the crowds to the back wall to wait.
Suddenly, a tiny little girl in a pink dress ran up to Cassie and hugged her legs with all her might. She looked down surprised, but when she saw the blonde hair, she recognized her in a second.
"Kali!" she said excitedly, picking up her little three-year-old niece and hugging her tight, "How are you?"
"Goodie!" Kali yelled with a smile.
Cassie laughed and ruffled her hair.
"Where's my mummy at?"
"I'm right here" said a voice.
Cassie's smile widened, and she leant in to hug the woman in front of her.
"It's great to see you, Cassie" Kara Smith told her daughter.
Then she spotted Tom.
Kara raised her eyebrows in a rather embarrassingly suggestive manner towards him, then turned her head to her daughter, jerking a thumb in his direction.
"Is he yours? I hope so, Cassie, cause damn! Youre good looking, boy. "
Cassie buried her crimson coloured face in her hands, shaking her head. When she finally had the courage to look up, she looked despairingly at her mother.
"Moom! What if I wasn't even know the guy and you said that" she sighed "His name's Tom Riddle and no Mom, he's not my boyfriend."
Tom watched the whole exchange with humour dancing in his eyes. He had to try very strongly not to snicker at Ms. Smith's very suggestive comment and Cassie's reaction.
"Well, Tom, if you ever want to pop by, our door is open" offered Kara Smith graciously.
Tom thanked them kindly, then turned and walked across the station.
A/N: Okay...This chapter was a little weak...But I PROMISE! The next chapter will be better!
Review please!