Cass looked so fucking beautiful. I mean, bloody hell, she always does, Enzo thought but there was something about seeing her standing outside of the Hufflepuff dorms with a nervous smile as she waited for him that made him fall that much more for her.
She was wearing a short yellow dress with a halter neckline made out of thin straps that showed cleavage Enzo was desperately trying not to stare at. Her hair was down in luscious curls and her face had just enough makeup to drive him wild. The lipgloss she wore would certainly be on his mind for many days.
"Hey!" Cass said brightly as he approached her with a dumbstruck look on his face. He could feel the way his jaw had dropped at the sight of her but for the life of him, he couldn't bring it back up. "Is this okay? I don't really know what Gryffindors wear to parties so I—"
He grabbed her hand before he could talk himself out of it and squeezed it. "You look beautiful, sunshine."
Now, Cass was the one gaping. "O-okay. Thanks. You do too."
He smiled because he knew that he wasn't wearing anything special—a white long-sleeve henley that was probably one size too small considering the way it clung to his arms and definitely a little too wrinkled for a not-date with her with some dark jeans. "You're too kind, Cass."
"Really. I think you do," she said with a light blush. For a moment, Enzo wondered if she felt the same things he did. If she wanted to know what it felt like to kiss him and hold him through the night like he did. If she spent every night and day dreaming of the moment when they might become more than friends.
After his complete breakdown over his younger sister and now-shitty family life, Enzo wondered if maybe they were becoming more than friends. She'd been his rock for weeks now, the girl who kept him sane when he felt like the world was caving in around him. When his entire life was crumbling, Cass was there to pick up the pieces and hold him as he healed.
Enzo was determined to do right by his younger sister, especially after being completely ignorant for years. He'd ignored his parents and planned on never speaking to them again. He walked his sister to classes, ate meals with her, and helped her study. He was trying to be the big brother he never was before and his relationship with Aria was never better for it.
There were still cracks. There always would be—healing wasn't a linear thing. She'd stare at the meals placed in front of her by Theo and fought herself on whether she deserved them or not. She'd scratch her arms to the point of bleeding if she ever felt a little insecure. The occasional nightmare brought her to Enzo's door for comfort. Throughout it all, he tried to hold it together but seeing his little sister—his kind, sweet baby sister—go through something this horrible was hard. So when his emotions felt too heavy and the world felt like too much, Cass was there with open arms and a gentle smile. She made him feel like things could be better. She was the sunshine he needed to stay bright.
But then she friendzoned him.
Enzo wasn't upset by it—well, he was but he wasn't angry and he wouldn't hold it against her because she didn't owe him her affections and he didn't blame her for not giving them to him anyway. But he was definitely a little hurt and a little disappointed and a lot less hopeful.
"That's rough, man," Mattheo wheezed through his cigarette as the four Slytherin boys sat outside the next afternoon, talking about the ordeal. "And here I was thinking she fancied you."
"She does fancy him," Theo muttered before snatching his cigarette back from his friend. "Didn't you see the way she blushed every time Enzo looked at her? She definitely fancies him."
"So why did she call him her friend?"
Theo shrugged. "Who knows? She might have been scared Enzo didn't feel the same. Or maybe she was too nervous to say something in front of everyone. I dunno. Girls are weird. Never straightforward."
Everyone looked at Theo like he was ridiculous because Theo was, perhaps, the least straightforward out of all of them. But Enzo had to hand it to him: he probably gave the best advice. Well, Enzo actually gave the best advice but it wasn't like he could give advice to himself so Theo was the next best bet.
And thank Merlin, too, because Enzo had spent days worried about taking her to this party, not sure if he should get his hopes back up or if he should cut his losses. In the end, Enzo decided that a little hope didn't hurt anybody and that a friendship with Cass was amazing. If he got more, then even better. Now, he stared at how bloody beautiful she looked in the cute dress that hugged her curves but was just loose enough to leave him a little to the imagination. Not that he needed his imagination with her. Her reality was better than his best dreams.
"It's too bad we couldn't have met at a Hufflepuff party. I would have known you a lot sooner," he said as he tucked his hands in his pockets and tried to be nonchalant. Enzo didn't miss the way Cass's eyes flashed to his forearms as they flexed. It just gave him a little bit more hope. So what if it took him months to work up the courage to ask her out? They'd be months spent in heaven. Enzo was prepared to play the long game. He was, after all, a Quidditch player. And they were known for their stamina—in many, many places.
Cass smiled and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, that would have been nice. But I'm not sure if we would've met."
He frowned. "Why not?"
"Andie was always super protective. I was pretty much a wallflower thanks to her. Plus, if you would have talked to one of us, it would have been her."
Enzo had a hard time imagining that was true. After all, he knew Andie and though she was great and incredibly funny, she didn't make his heart feel like it was about to fall out of his chest with one little look. He couldn't imagine watching princess movies every Saturday night with Andie or enjoying Charms class more than he ever had in his life with anyone but Cass. Enzo shook his head. "I think you underestimate how much I like talking to you."
She smiled gratefully at him. "I like talking to you, Enz. But don't worry, you probably didn't ever miss me at a party. Zach didn't like it when I went to them, even if they were just with Andie."
The mention of that prick's name made Enzo want to call Tom Riddle and ask him for a favor. He was glad his hands were in his pocket because the fists he was making to keep himself from seeking out the Smith boy and punching him were a little aggressive, even for him.
"Why not?" Enzo tried to ask calmly.
She shrugged. "I don't know. He never really liked it when I talked to other people. Said he didn't like sharing me." She chuckled to herself but Enzo didn't hear the humor within it. "Funny, because he didn't really like having me around either."
Yeah, Enzo wanted to kill him but part of him wanted to get on his knees and thank Zacharias too because if he hadn't fucked up, Enzo wouldn't be here with this incredible girl. "I think that's dumb," he said because there wasn't anything that could convey how idiotic Zacharias Smith was.
"Really?"
"Yeah. If I was your boyfriend—" he could feel his cheeks heating up at the words— "I wouldn't care who you wanted to talk to because you're your own person. Plus, I can fight if I need to."
"Really?"
The fact that she sounded surprised made him want to kill the Hufflepuff boy even more. Enzo just nodded and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ears, reveling in the way his fingertips brushed against her cheekbones. "Really, sunshine."
Finally, they reached the painting with the Fat Lady where the Gryffindor common room resided. Enzo smiled at the lady before saying, "Pygmy Puff." Cass looked at him oddly so he said, "Seamus Finnigan told me the password. It's how the Gryffindors get into their common room but they'll have it changed by the morning."
She nodded just as the painting swung open, revealing the room with booming music, warm, flashing lights, and a shit ton of sloshed Gryffindors. Cass looked nervous at the crowd so Enzo—deciding to follow his gut and not listen to the the thousands of insecurities that seemed to increase whenever he was around her—put his hand on her lower back and steadily guided her to the party. Her spine hardened at the contact—and, to be honest, so did his dick—but Cass quickly sank into the touch. Enzo just flexed his hand and decided to leave it there.
The music was much louder and a little more alternative rock than what the Slytherin parties typically played. The energy in the room was sizzling, like something was going to change as the bodies head banged in the center of the room. Instead of the illegally procured liquor that Mattheo smuggled onto campus (because, in Mattheo's words, he'd "rather be fucked by a Hungarian Horntail than give liquor to a Gryffindor), there was Butterbeer everywhere. Enzo offered Cass a cup but she shook her head so he handed her a water cup.
"Do you mind if I—"
"No, go ahead," she said with a light smile. "I'm just not a big drinker. I can have a good time without it."
"Normally, I'd agree with you, but this week has been stressful as fuck. I could use a little loosening up," Enzo said as he chugged the beer and grabbed another. The best part about magic liquor: it worked quickly. He knew he'd be feeling the effects of his little drink soon. And thank Merlin for that because he was eager to escape all of the drama, even if it was just for one night.
Cass gave him a pitying look. "Yeah. That makes sense."
Enzo looked at the way Cass's hair seemed to glow under the flashing lights and felt a rush of emotions overwhelm him. The need to kiss her, hold her closer, feel her body dance against his. Fuck. Maybe the butterbeer was getting to him earlier than he thought because Enzo suddenly found himself running out of reasons why he shouldn't place his lips on hers.
"Enzo! You made it!" Seamus Finnigan, one of Enzo's favorite Gryffindors said as he sidled up next to the two of them. "And you brought a pretty lady. Who's this?"
"This is Cass. She's a Hufflepuff."
"Pleased to meet you," Seamus said with a mischievous look as he grabbed the hand she'd stretched out to it and kissed her knuckles. Cass's eyes widened at the unexpected contact so Enzo quickly pulled it back and held onto it, wishing his friend wasn't such a bloody flirt.
"It's nice to meet you," she said politely. Enzo couldn't help but notice the way she shifted closer to him with a little bit of smug satisfaction.
"Can't believe Enzo's been keeping you from us. You have to meet everyone else," Seamus insisted as he gestured over to a group of people on the other side that included a couple of Weasleys along with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Dean Thomas. Enzo waved at all of them before grabbing a third beer and leading Cass toward his friends.
She introduced herself to the group and they all seemed ecstatic to make a new friend. Enzo smiled as Cass and Ginny quickly got into a conversation. He knew he could trust the Gryffindors to make her feel welcome. Though most of his house hated them, Enzo always thought they were rather nice. Sure, they were jocks but Enzo was too, in a way.
He quickly finished his beer and grabbed another, refilling Cass's water in the process. She looked up at him with the most beautiful fucking eyes he'd ever seen. "Are you sure you want to go that quickly?" she asked in a non-judgmental way. "Don't want you passing out on me."
Enzo could feel the grin he gave her turn lopsided. Fuck, maybe she's right. But whenever he thought about slowing down, his mother's face flashed in his mind before he grabbed another. "Yeah, Cass. I'm fine."
She nodded. "Okay. As long as you're sure you'll be okay."
"Oh, yeah, t-totally." He smiled. "And if I'm not, I can always sleep with you, right, sunshine?"
Fuck. Yup. He'd already had too much. Enzo Berkshire was definitely not going to be okay tonight.
I know it's a little more filler but we've gotta set up things, yk? Can't have a firecracker without a fuse hehe. Hope your week is going well! Sorry if updates are a little slower until Christmas. xx
