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Chapter Text

Introduction to Cassie Mink!

To understand Cassie Mink you must first understand how she was raised. The Mink family dynasty was world renowned in the muggle world, with properties spanning all across the Highlands of Scotland. They were known for being the best producers of the best quality wool that was shipped all around the world. What they weren't known for however was having a single shred of empathy, or kindness, lest it dampen their selfish desires. 

Cassie was born as the youngest of three daughters to Lila Mink and Alastair Athol Mink, the male heir to the Mink dynasty. She had icy blue eyes that sparkled, a button nose, and brown hair which would later become her signature silky curls. At the moment of her birth all the lights in a five mile radius flickered furiously as the first magical mink member of the family was born. Much to the absolute horror and disgust of her mother and father. 

Lila handed Cassie off to one of the house servants. A kind and loving elder lady, Maria Locke.

Maria raised Cassie as her own child, and for the first few years of her life, Maria was the only love and kindness she had known. But it was not easy. She was forced to wear rags, and treated no better than the servants of the house. Often worse! Beaten, broken, tortured and yelled at Cassie struggled to survive in a house so full of horror. Her magic had begun to manifest once again at the age of four, fuelling more hate and vitriol from her mother and older sisters. Her father however saw this as an opportunity. A weapon. One he could wield and use to his own advantages in life. And so the beatings got worse. The torture got more frequent. And Cassie was forced to hurt good, innocent people against her will, including Maria. 

When she turned eleven she lay motionless in the attic where she lived, covered in her own filth after being locked up there for days without food. She celebrated her birthday whimpering in pain from the beating her father had administered to her. She had failed to grasp control over her magic and he was an impatient brute. She looked up at the ceiling, ice cold tears falling down her face, praying to die so she did not have to suffer one more day. But instead of death the roof of the attic blew up on itself, shattering like fireworks into the night sky. Cassie could do nothing but widen her eyes in disbelief. She had never seen anything like it, and not one shard of debris hit her broken body. As she stared up at the night sky, awaiting the commotion from downstairs to bustle in and most likely blame her, she was zapped with a spark of light. Whatever it was, she healed. Her bruises, cuts, muggle induced injuries all evaporated. And she no longer felt any pain. Just a slight headache. 

Cassie sat up and dragged her body to the corner of the attic, afraid of what was happening. Until a tall, thin, silver haired and long bearded man dressed in purple robes stood in front of her.

"Take my hand child" He said, a smile she hadn't seen in a long time playing at his lips. Cassie stared at his hand, shaking as adrenaline surged her entire body rendering her frozen. Any minute now, she thought, and her father would burst in, demand she kill the robed man and then beat her more for the mess created. But her father did not come. Nor did anyone in the house make a sound. "Take my hand" the robed man said again, this time with more weight. "Do not be afraid child. You are safe now, to this I assure you" 

Was she safe now? Was she really?! Who was this man demanding she go with him?! Cassie had so many questions about this strange man offering her safety. Trust was not something Cassie had any of. In fact she barely understood the word itself, nor bore the fruits of it. But she also had never felt safe in her entire life, and this strange man was offering her an alternative to the one she had moments ago begged for. If she declined she would have to go on suffering at the hands of her father till she finally perished, miserable and alone. If she accepted who knew if her circumstances would get worse or not. She hesitated for what felt like hours, before her shaky hand reached out in front of her and touched the robed mans skin. He smiled deeply down at her, pulling her to her feet. Before she could open her mouth to speak, she was yanked into an onslaught of nothing she had ever felt before, nor wanted to feel again. It felt like being trapped in a category 5 tornado that she had only heard her father talk about existing overseas. Flung, and whooshed around a gust of heavy air, feeling as light as a bendable ruler. When she finally found her feet on the ground again she unsteadily fell and vomited on the stone below her. 

The robed man chuckled a little, which was a cruelty she was not unfamiliar with. However it was not at her expense. "First time Apparition can be unpleasant I do apologise. However I find it the most simplest forms of travel" He said his voice calm and sugary. Cassie looked up at him and then at her surroundings. She was high up somewhere, a tower possibly, with some mechanical mechanism in the middle of the open spaced area. "This is the astronomy tower" The robed man said as though reading her thoughts. The astro what now?! Cassie thought the confusion and puzzlement only growing. "I realise you must have many questions. However given all you have been through Miss Mink I must insist I take you to the hospital wing to be looked over. Questions and answers can wait, your safety and health cannot" He said gesturing for her to follow him. 

"Wh-where are we?" She asked tentatively standing up again, her body still trembling. 

"Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardly" he replied casually, as though this all just made complete perfect sense. 

"What?" She was startled, following slowly behind him as he lead her down the winding stairs of the tower. 

"You are a witch Miss Mink. To this you are already aware of as I believe your father made you aware" the way he said father was as callously as her father would say her name. "I have brought you here to learn to properly control your magic. Your father has over the years kept you very well hidden from us but I am no ordinary wizard Miss Mink. To this you will learn in time, however for now just know you are safe here. No one shall harm you again" his words were so assured that she felt comforted by them in some way. Though she did not even know this mans name, he seemed to know a lot about her, and so far no cruelty had taken place. She remained quiet as they walked through the halls of the castle till they arrived at the hospital wing. Cassie had been in complete awe of the surroundings. She was used to her families large estate, having been tasked with servant duties from the moment she could walk and understand commands. But nothing of this size. Cassie had never stepped outside the estates grounds, she wasn't allowed. The only interactions around large groups of people were at events her father would host at the estate. Where she would serve pompous, self righteous muggles just as slimy as her father. She was never allowed to reveal her true nature of being a witch, and if any lights flickered when guests were over she would be beaten to within an inch of her life. 

The hospital wing was huge. Beds lined the walls, all of them empty at this hour. Cassie felt herself yawn, as she was shown to one of the beds and given something to drink to help her sleep.

"Rest now Miss Mink. You are in good hands here with Madam Pomfrey" He smiled warmly at her, nodded to Madam Pomfrey and glided out of the room. Cassie could only watch in bemusement. 

"Drink this it will help aid you to a good nights rest" The nurse said, shutting the curtains around her to give Cassie her privacy. Cassie stared at the vile of liquid in front of her, hesitant to drink it in case it should be poison. However she soon assessed that even if it was it would not be a bad thing and swallowed the lot of it, laying down on the bed and staring up and the high stoned ceilings. 

It did occur to Cassie that this all could be a dream and any moment now she would wake up on that cold floor in the attic writhing around in pain. She was grateful that even if that were true, her mind had at least given her a fun little escape for just a moment. However this was not a dream, and her life very much was about to change! 

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I originally created this series to be short mini episodes on tiktok which are ongoing as of right now. However as there is only so much detail I can include in short mini videos I also wanted to write a fuller, more detailed version of this story to bring Cassie Mink to life! If you would like to watch the tiktok series which co-insides with this one you can watch it here - https://www.tiktok.com/@cassie_mink_malfoy/video/7447910277737188640?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7379712794994001441 

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 1

"Today is the day" Cassie exclaimed to herself, her fists clutched tightly together with anxiety. She was about to risk her life just to see an old, but dear friend of hers once again. She had heard whispers from the local town she frequented of his return. For the past four years Cassie had been surviving in the wilderness, only entering the local towns when she had need to steal something. Everything was either hunting, foraging or stealing for Cassie, and she had no one but her own self to rely on. It was fine though. She was a survivor, always had been. But the moment one of the local villagers uttered the name 'Draco Malfoy' her heart suddenly ached to once again see her friend. Loneliness had began to poke at her heart, pushing her to curiosity. 

Draco Malfoy, now a fully turned death-eater, had much blood on his hands. Four years had turned him cold and empty. At just 16 he was tasked with killing Albus Dumbledor, the beloved headmaster of Hogwarts where he had attended in his youth. It was there he had met the feisty Cassie Mink, whom quickly became his arch nemesis. But as time passed the two of them found a kinship and formed a special friendship which they both kept secret, given she was muggleborn, and he was pureblooded, and he had expectations to best her not befriend her. The day she ran away from Hogwarts devastated Draco more than he cared to admit. Though he soon felt relief that she wouldn't see what he was about to do when he took out his wand and took Dumbledor's life. 

Draco never wanted to kill anyone. Sure he was a school bully in his early years. He was extremely arrogant, cunning, ambitious, calculating and smug. He thought himself better than most, especially those who were not pure-blooded like him and his family. His ideals all stemmed from his own cruel, bully of a father Lucius Malfoy, who filled his head with nonsense and often beat him into submission. Draco acted tough, but deep down was cowardly and afraid, though very capable and clever. As a child Draco just wanted to have fun with his fellow Slytherin friends Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, Pansy and Nott. He found joy in adventures, pranks and sneaking around. As he grew the joy was sucked out of him by his father, who wanted to mold the perfect little soldier to add to Voldemort's army. Draco, now twenty years old, had not smiled nor felt joy since the day before Cassie had left Hogwarts. Life since then had been a world of hell. 

Days were spent doing either his fathers or Lord Voldemort's bidding in the brutal war that had begun the day Dumbledor fell from the astronomy tower, to his death. It often meant killing innocents, young old it didn't matter. If they were classed as enemies, rebels or just simply muggleborn, they had to die. Muggles were killed on sight if they got in the way, treated like Ants upon the war ground. For every murder another piece of Draco was lost. He did not know how much longer he could continue in this fight. He had no life. His mother, whom claimed to love him, never once stood up to his brute of a father. Often Lucius would beat the living daylights out of Draco for the simplest of mistakes. Draco would often go hungry, or be fed slop, because the demands on him were far too great for him to meet. And so his punishments were brutal and wicked. 

It was March 21st, the beginning of spring, and Draco had just gotten done with being tortured by the Cruciatus curse at the hands of Lucius. It was over a muggle escaping Draco's grasp thought to have information on the whereabouts of their old elf house slave Dobby. Lucius had used the cruciatus curse for at least half an hour this time, far too long, enough to break even the strongest of wizards in two. Draco felt tears burning down his cheeks as he sat exhausted on his bed, staring down at the death eater mark on his arm which he hated with a passion. He stroked the claw marks, and scratches over the mark where he had tried desperately to claw and cut it away, but had failed painfully. A thought had begun to form in his mind, as it had recently, of handing himself over to the rebels for them to kill him for his betrayal and alas be free of the suffering. Another thought was throwing himself off of the roof of Malfoy Manor. It would serve his father right to find him splayed all across the grounds. Though his mother would be devastated and even though she hadn't hugged or kissed him for four years now, nor protected him as she should have, he still cared. Draco was in a desperate state, all hope gone. 

Cassie thought to hell with it, it was worth risking her life, risking being returned to her father, to rescue her friend whom she knew was in trouble. The villagers had spoken of the Malfoys returning to their Manor a month or two ago. They were all afraid, more so of Draco given how many lives he had claimed. Cassie knew Draco better than anyone and she knew he wouldn't be happy where he was. She regretted abandoning him, leaving him to his fathers hands. She could smack herself for selfishly running off by herself. How could she have left him, or Nattie and Luna?! How could she have let fear overcome her. Perhaps if she had stayed she could have stopped Draco killing Dumbledor. She didn't even know where Nattie and Luna were, and she had missed them everyday for four years. That fear of her own father had taken control of her. She couldn't breathe, couldn't cope, with the mere thought she would have to face him again. He scared her more than Voldemort did, more than anyone did! She knew he had formed an allegiance with Voldemort. She knew as a child her father was involved with dark arts, and dark figures. He may be a mere mortal muggle but he had mighty power that he wielded. And so she ran as fast as she could, and made herself unknown, alone by herself like a lone wolf. She avoided the war, though she often heard mumblings. And she avoided any human contact or conversation. Until now.

Cassie stalked the grounds of Malfoy Manor, biding her time before entering and searching for Draco. She watched for the last two nights as death eaters came and went, even catching sight of Lucius himself leaving and re-entering the Manor. She eyed down the guards and where they stood, at what time they changed hands, and where the best entry points were. This would be her biggest challenge yet. She wasn't a stranger to breaking and entering but this was a fortress. Of course it would be. The Malfoy's were a close ally of Voldemort's therefor it would stand they would be heavily guarded. But Cassie was very clever and nimble. It was the 21st March and it was now or never. Night had fallen, and the guards had just moved to switch over. Cassie moved quickly shielding herself behind the bushes, the trees and jumped the fencing like a professional gymnast. She slid up against the side of the Manor, sliding her body across the brick and peering through the one window where the lights were switched off. 

"Alohomora" she whispered opening the window and slipping through it before the guards moved back into place. She tiptoed her way through the halls, hiding behind furnishings when necessary, and almost glided up the staircase with quick ease. 

She had a near miss with one of the house elves whom nearly caught her on the landing, but she quickly shielded herself behind a partition. Once the halls were clear again she tiptoed round till she found the door marked with Draco's name. Cassie took a deep breath prepared for what may happen. He may kill her dead in the doorway, or he might alert someone to her presence. It didn't matter. She had to see him. Had to apologise. Had to try and save him. To save her friend. She opened the door and peered into the room as Draco looked over at her in shock.

"Cassie?" He spoke "What the hell are you doing here?!"

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 2

Cassie hovered in shock in Draco's doorway staring at a face that she didn't recognise. Draco was so thin. His skin looked pale grey, and his eyes looked sore and empty. She felt tears prickling behind her eyes. He was hurting, worse than she had imagined. 

"Cassie what are you doing here?" He asked, his face unreadable. Cassie's cautiousness faltered, and all she could think of now was wanting to wrap her arms around him and hug the torment out of him.

"I-I..." She struggled to find the words. "You look like you need a hug" was all she could say desperate to hug her friend once again. Draco too was taken a back. He hadn't seen her for years now and she just shows up here, risking her life all to offer him a hug?! He furrowed his brows in anger.

"I don't need a hug!" He scoffed "Just go away!"

Cassie shifted awkwardly as she quietly closed the door behind her. 

"I dare say you need a hug all the same. And...I'm not going anywhere" she stated taking a tentative step towards him. Draco flinched slightly at her movement, shifting uncomfortably. 

"Don't come near me!" He warned, the sound of his voice hurting him as he spoke. "I'm a monster Cassie just go before I hurt you too. Before they find you and make me kill you!"

Cassie paused in her movement and swallowed hard, not in fear but it was killing her how broken Draco was. He was nothing like the boy she had been friends with. She started to worry that she had come too late that he was too far gone and that was hurting her. 

"Draco...what have they done to you?" She winced, tears prickling her eyes again. 

"Don't pity me!" He retorted "I don't need your pity" 

Cassie huffed. "I have many thoughts and feelings of you, pity isn't one of them!"

"Yeah well, I don't want you here okay? So just leave!" He turned away from her, his eyes pained. He struggled to even look at her, his old friend. A girl who had meant so much to him. She was also the girl who left him right before the very worst happened to him. He had carried a small resentment towards her for that. As if she never even cared about him the same way he did her. That bothered him. So why on earth would she come here now? Why would she risk her own life to stand in his room offering him a hug?! It seemed so futile, almost like a trick. His paranoid mind began to swell of thoughts of this being some form of sick twisted game. That or he was losing his mind and hallucinating her stood there. There was no plausible way she could have gotten in the manor and not been captured. Was there?

"I'm not going anywhere Draco, not without you!" Cassie responded, furrowing her brows in determination. Draco scoffed in her direction.

"I told you I would hurt you if you didn't leave! I'm not the same Draco you once knew Cassie. Leave now before you get hurt. You look like you've been living well these few years!" He said looking her up and down with an almost envious tone. "You don't need me! I'm no good to anyone...not after all the lives I have taken" His eyes washed over with sadness and pain once more as each life flashed before him, causing his body to tremble in response. Cassie moved closer once again.

"I understand more than you realise" Cassie spoke softly, her own past flashing before her as well. 

"What?! How the fuck could someone like you understand?! Look at you! Not one scar on that perfect skin of yours. Your clean and well fed enough. How can you understand murdering innocent lives?! No one has forced you to kill have they?" He said accusingly. Cassie felt a rush of anger fill her veins but she pushed it away with a deep breath and a light huff. Now wasn't the time to fight him on this. He was hurting, he was lashing out. It's what he did when he was suffering. She had once not known that and was good at giving as good as she got. But with time she learned his behaviours, and that this was a result of a lot of turmoil. That she did understand, and she learnt how to handle him. She took another step.

"Actually I do understand having your hand forced to take the life of an innocent" She informed, causing him to gasp and look at her with questioning eyes. 

"Wait what? You...you have taken a life? An innocents life?" He asked making sure he had heard her correctly. Cassie sighed and looked at the ground with shame.

"Yes. Your aware I'm muggleborn right?! Well I didn't exactly have a kind hearted family. They were cruel, in fact almost sociopathic the lot of them. I was the last born, the youngest, and my mother was so disgusted when she learned I was magical. She let a house servant, Maria, bring me up. In fact I can count on one hand the amount of interactions I had with Lila, my mother. My father on the other hand was pleased. Not because he had any love for me oh no, he finally had a weapon, a powerful one he wanted to wield. And he broke me down like one of his hounds, or horses. I was nothing more than his weapon, his property. He forced me to kill Maria when I was four, at gun point. I was so afraid of him. He would beat me daily, as early as I can remember. And he saw me smile once at Maria who was the only person who showed me any kindness. I chose my life over hers" Cassie's voice trailed off as tears began to fill her face. She wiped them away quickly and swallowed hard.

 "Hers was the only love I had ever known at that point, the rest of the time I was tortured. The attic was my home. It was dingey, dirty, and had no bathroom so till the age of eleven my bastard father allowed me lay in my own fifth for days on end when I had to be punished, which was often. I barely ate, and when I did it was scraps. And my two elder sisters were allowed to bully and torment me too. But the worst of it was my father. He would make me kill whoever had pissed him off, or gotten in his way. He forced me to use magic I did not understand, using dark wizards on his roster to teach me and cruciatus curse me when I failed. So Draco I do understand..."

Draco swallowed a couple times in disbelief. His chest fell, and his heart felt pained. He had no idea she had gone through any of this. The girl he knew at school was fierce, confident, academically genius, and also a rebel. She was fun, and always laughing and joking. 

"I-I had no idea! I...how did I not know you...I" He fumbled over his words, unable to form a sentence. Cassie fell to her feet in front of him to comfort him feeling his walls slowly starting to fall. 

Draco flinched in response but didn't move away or push her, he welcomed her close to him. He looked into her eyes.

 "You know thinking about it the signs were there. You were never really open with me at school about your family but when you witnessed my father you shifted the way you treated me. You always told me how you understood me, and felt a kinship...but I had no idea you had gone through so much at such a young age!" He said looking deep into her eyes, feeling a pang on guilt for all the times he had made disparaging comments. 

"I could never allow myself to tell anyone. Not even Dumbledor" Draco flinched at the mention of their old headmaster. "I should have been more open with you, and for that I am sorry. You were open with me...I let fear take over. But I'm not afraid anymore, I am only afraid of losing you...to the darkness. Let me help you now Draco. Let me take care of you" she begged.

"I'm not a child!" He scoffed defensively. He never did like to admit when he needed help. Cassie rested her hand comfortingly on his arm. The warmth of her touch affected him intensely. He had not felt human touch like this in so long. Not even from his mother. The small gesture of affection made him shiver, but he didn't push her hand away. "I'm too far gone to help Cassie, you should cut and run now" he said in a low, pained voice. 

"It's killing me seeing you like this. Please just let me help you. You can come with me, I will protect you, I can protect you! You can't stay here. This isn't who you are Draco I know it isn't, I know you!"

"You haven't known me these past four years Cassie, I've changed"

"So have I"

"Cassie it's too late"

"It's never too late! Just trust me, like you have before. Come with me you will be safe" 

Draco couldn't bring himself to believe that she could somehow be the light that would help him. At Hogwarts Cassie and Draco had shared a friendship that was secret. It hadn't started out that way but when they did become friends Draco learned to care for someone else. He had never had a close friend like her. Crabbe and Goyle followed him round like a dictator leader they were afraid of. Blaise and Nott were fun and lairy but he could never allow himself to really get close to them. Cassie had a way of breaking down impossible barriers. 

Their friendship was cut short when she had run away for reasons unknown to him. All he had felt was the cold, empty sadness of abandonment. It hurt him. Deeply. He had never had a chance to really work through that pain, as right when she left his father brought him to Voldemort and he was forced to bare the dark mark and become a death eater. 

Now after all these years the same girl he had once felt close to was back, wanting to rescue him.

"Why are you even here taking this risk? I'm too dangerous to be around. You could be killed any second why take this risk for me? It's been four years"

"Because I know you won't hurt me. Because I understand you better than anyone else can. Because I..." she stumbled on her words, feeling an intense regret and anguish for having taken so long to find him. 

"Because you what?" Draco asked curious and stunned at the same time. Cassie took a deep breath finding the words to describe how she cared and had always cared about him. Draco the arrogant, cunning selfish wizard whom she had always felt akin to after she broke through all that bravado. Deep down there was good in him. She had seen that good. She had felt it. 

"Everyone has always been wrong about you Draco!" She said so indisputably. "You are not now nor have you ever been a monster. You may think that you are but you're not! Yes ok you have hurt people but your not the monster that the others are. I've seen the good in you. You just hide behind what you're expected to be from the expectations of your pure blooded family. But that isn't who you are really. It never was. The real monsters are your father and mine, Voldemort, your crazy aunt, my entire muggle family! You are better than all of them combined. You could have treated me like an insect at Hogwarts. God knows I pushed your buttons often enough to begin with! But you didn't. You showed me kindness. A lot of lip too! But for whatever reason in the end you never held my bloodline against me. Other people might have believed you didn't care about anyone else but yourself but I knew the truth. You saved me once. Now I am here to save you. You have always hidden behind this monsters mask but it isn't who you are. It never was"

Draco was stunned. How did she know him well even now?! It was as if she had reached deep into his soul and plucked out every memory of every feeling, thought and decision he had ever made. It was true all of it. He had always carried the weight of expectation from his father Lucius. He came from a long line of pristinely perfect pure bloods. All who had served under the highest of positions in power, and gained great accomplishments and success. After his fathers own failures to the dark lord, Draco had been expected to step up, and was forced to kill Dumbledor. The moment he did something broke inside of him. He had thought it was the last shred of hope of a better happier life. 

Once he had killed Dumbledor everyone but Crabbe and Goyle looked at him as nothing more than a disgusting traitor to a school he had actually been fond of. At least at Hogwarts he could be himself, experience a piece of freedom and control over his life. And he was gifted in most things, particularly duelling and flying. He had dreams of becoming an auror one day, and having a family. But non of that was to be for him. As Crabbe and Goyle stuck by his side even praising him for killing one of the most brilliant Wizards of all time, Nott and Blaise distanced themselves. They turned traitors against the order, hiding out. He knew this because he had been assigned to find them and kill them and their families. He had failed to do such for the past year which had him regularly being tortured by the cruciatus curse and starved of food. 

Draco looked up into Cassie's pleading eyes and felt his own sting with tears. 

"Draco...you feel something, something like guilt for those lives you have taken. It's one hell of a weight for you to carry. I know this because I do to. I carry the weight of the things I have done. That servant the one my father made me kill, was a kind loving soul. Every single penny she ever earned she gave to the poor and needy in the local village"

"The only shred of kindness I ever received as a child was from her. She was a little beacon of light when I'd seen none and my father saw that and not only took it away from me but made me snuff it out myself. She had harmed not one hair on any living creature's head and yet I, me, took her life to save my own. I had a choice Draco"

"God Cassie you were only a child you didn't know what you were doing. You chose your life and did what you needed to survive. It wasn't your choice to end her life it was your fathers"

Cassie took Draco's hand in hers giving it a tight squeeze.

Draco flinched as her hand touched his. The warmth of her skin against his own, something he hadn't felt from another human in a long, long time felt a small bit comforting. 

"Can't you see Draco, the same applies to you! Was it your choice to kill everyone of your victims? Was it your plan, your desire, your wish? Or did others force your hands?! You too would have been killed had you chose to say no. We both made the same choices"

"We both did what was necessary to survive" Draco said solemnly. He could not deny she was right. His father forced him to leave Hogwarts, forced him to become a death eater and forced him to do Lord Voldemorts bidding. 

"Yes. And now we bare the weight of our choices and the guilt they hold. No other soul could ever understand. Non of it makes it right what we did but it's not right we ever had to make such decisions in the first place. And I would bet everything on the fact that your father and mine don't give a damn about the innocents they have hurt and killed! They aren't sat in their rooms like you are tormented by guilt. It makes you different from them Draco. It makes you...like me"

Draco is touched by her words and that she truly understands him. The fact that anyone could understand him made him feel a warmth he had not known possible. He felt seen for the first time in a long time, and suddenly he felt himself warming to the idea of going with her. 

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I originally created this series to be short mini episodes on tiktok which are ongoing as of right now. However as there is only so much detail I can include in short mini videos I also wanted to write a fuller, more detailed version of this story to bring Cassie Mink to life! If you would like to watch the tiktok series which co-insides with this one you can watch it here - https://www.tiktok.com/@cassie_mink_malfoy/video/7447910277737188640?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7379712794994001441

Cassie Mink is a character created by me :) As is Nattie Nemora (who you will see later on). 

Chapter Text

Lucius was not a man who failed. Nor was he weak. He often succeeded in all his endeavours and rarely ever had to be reprimanded for failing to step up to the mark. However he had really messed up royally by failing to obtain the prophecy and squandering a horcrux for Lord Voldemort. The dark lord was not a man you failed. He killed his servants for a lot less, so it stood to reason Lucius would have to pay a hefty price. 

"You are a pathetic disappointment Lucius!" Voldemort had scorned. "I have to question if you even have the stomach for war in your aging state"

"My Lord?!" Lucius uttered, swallowing hard as he felt Voldemort pacing back and forth behind him. His fingers clutched his lap tight awaiting the cruciatus curse to strike him in the back. That or the death curse. 

"I don't ask much from you Lucius not like my other servants, but your pitiful failures have left me without a capable right hand man!" Voldemort pierced his wand into the temples of Lucius's head as a threat. "Lucky for you, you have an heir who seems worthy enough to do a better job than you! I believe the boy is Potter's biggest rival?"

"Yes my Lord. He is although..." before Lucius could explain that unlike himself Draco was in his eyes a weak coward and his own personal biggest disappointment. 

"HUSH!" Voldemort hissed. "Bring the boy to me immediately, I wish to examine him myself!" Once Voldemort made a demand there was no saying no. Lucius nodded and reluctantly left to find his son and offer him up to the most dangerous wizard on the planet. 

"Please Lucius he's just a boy!" Narcissa begged. 

Lucius, as he often did, raised his hand and smacked Narcissa across her face sending her flying into the kitchen sink and onto the floor. 

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH! Do you want to get us killed?! Draco is 17 if he is not a man by now then he will soon become one when he takes on the dark mark. You will NOT stand in the way" He towered over her as she held her bleeding face. Lucius wore sharp rings. When he would hit her he would break her skin often and cause her to bleed to scar. Narcissa didn't even cry anymore, she was used to his temper. 

"I-I am sorry darling" She whimpered. "You are right of course" 

Draco listened in to the conversation flinching when his father hit his mother. His fists clenched so tight that his blunt fingernails made his hands bleed. Draco had learned the hard way what happened to him if he tried to stand up to his father. And he had on his mothers behalf since he was a little boy. But his father would turn his fists on him, and then his own mother would tell him off. Even though he was standing up to Lucius on her behalf, she would still take Lucius' side every time.  He loved his mother, but he also resented her. She claimed to love him, but she never protected him. She stayed with the monster that was his father. 

"Draco these grades are atrocious, do not anger your father like this it is not fair on him! You need to do better" She would tell him. Because of her and his father he grew up desperately trying to live up to Lucius' expectations. And whenever he fell short both Narcissa and Lucius would punish him. 

Now he was to be forced to become a death eater. He didn't want that! He was terrified of Voldemort, now he had to give his life over to serve him and his will. 

"Get up off that floor you stupid mongrel! Go fetch our darling son!" Lucius demanded storming away in a rage back to his office. Narcissa picked herself up, wiped away her tears and took a breath. Her expression quickly switched, and she looked dead. No expression, no emotion, just an empty vessel. 

"Draco you can come in now" She murmured coldly not even glancing in his direction. "Please do not skulk in the shadows, it is unbecoming" she scolded. "Your father wishes to speak with you, you better hurry along" And with that she turned and left the room. No hug. Not even a single glance from her. He missed her affection terribly. The only person who hugged him anymore was Cassie and he had to hide his friendship with her. His father would be disgusted if he knew they were friends. 

Draco aversely moved towards his fathers office, knocking on the door.

"Enter!" Lucius bellowed. Draco opened the door and stepped inside, his expression detached. 

"Ah Draco good!" He cast a menacing smile Draco's way. 

"I have wonderful news. The dark lord has specifically selected you for a very important task. This will solidify our family as the right hand of his lordship. It is integral you succeed Draco. Failure will result in your death, and your mother is too old to breed anymore heirs!" He avowed so nonchalantly. While Lucius was by no means a good person, he also had no appetite for women, not even Narcissa. Power and reputation fuelled him souly, much to Narcissa's dismay. She longed to have Lucius lay with her as he once had again. It had been a decade since he last had, not for lack of her trying. But he was hell bent focused on moulding his son into his perfect image. For the Malfoy's to be the top ranked pure-blooded family, above everyone else besides Voldemort himself. Intimacy with his wife was the last thing on his mind, and she did not seem to be able to produce anymore heirs. 

"W-What does he want me to do?" Draco asked his voice hoarse and jittery. 

"All in good time Draco. First we need to call on his lord" he sneered, rolling up his sleeve and placing his wand over his dark mark to call on Voldemort. It did not take Voldemort long to apparate into the room. Draco flinched and felt himself tremble with terror. He had never seen Voldemort in person before. It was as if all the air in the room had been sucked out, and a heavy icy sting replaced it. Voldemort studied Draco like a viper eyeing its prey. 

"Draco!" He bellowed. "It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance" the words felt more like a threat than a polite greeting. 

Draco swallowed what felt like acidic saliva, feeling sweat beginning to form on his forehead. "Likewise" He replied fearfully. Lucius noted his son's fear and glared at him in anger. 

"Come to me Draco, do not be afraid" Voldemort opened both of his arms, as though inviting him in for hug. Draco could think of nothing worse that having to hug him. Lucius hissed and clenched his fists at Draco's slow paced hesitation. 

"Do as he says Draco!" He threatened. Draco swallowed again. It suddenly felt as though he had far too much saliva in his mouth, and beads of sweat dripping down from his head. He put one foot in front of the other and tentatively stepped towards the dark lord whose cold, menacing eyes pierced holes into his. As he came close enough to touch Voldemort reached out and aggressively took hold of Draco's arm, stabbing his wand into Draco's head. 

Draco let out a painful shriek as Voldemort pierced through the walls of his brain and entered his mind. This was a different new level of pain in comparison to the cruciatus curse. That he was used to, this he was not. No one had ever forced their way into his mind before, and Voldemort certainly took no care in the manner in which he did. Every memory he unlocked felt like a cells of his brain being burnt by molten lava. It was as though Voldemorts snake like fingers were wrapping themselves around Draco's throat choking him of any air. 

"Ah interesting" Voldemort hissed as he unlocked another memory of Draco's examining it, playing with it, like a child playing with sharp knives. Draco had heard a rumour that Harry Potter had gotten one on one training on how to block legilimens. It was not something they had been taught at school, at least not yet. Because most wizards did not use it. It was illegal. Voldemort was in himself illegal, so therefor rules meant nothing to him. 

"Hmm...you seem to spend a lot of time with this girl Draco" Voldemort examined. Draco stiffened, and suddenly felt panic overcome him. He desperately willed himself to push Voldemort away from those memories however Voldemort himself moved on before finding out Cassie was muggle-born. 

"Very good" Voldemort pulled out of Draco's mind and swiftly glided away, pressing his fingers into each other in front of him. 

"I see you have already had many dealings with Harry Potter Draco?!" Voldemort stated coldly. "It pleases me to see you detest him as much as I do. If only your father hadn't failed in bringing him my way" He shot Lucius a disgusted sneer. Lucius looked down at his desk shamefully. "You will do well Draco, I believe in your abilities. Hold out your arm" He asked, pulling out his wand once again. Draco felt the full weight of what was about to happen pulling at him. He knew he could not refuse, he knew he had no choice. He gingerly pulled out his arm in front of him and turned away, tears prickling behind his eyes. 

It hurt. Boy did it hurt. It was if his arm was on fire and dripping ash all over the floor. Once Voldemort was finished he rested his arm down, not even wanting to look. But he felt it. Like a constant moving and tugging as though there were worms now forever wiggling inside his forearm. 

"I need you to do something for me Draco. I know you are fully capable of doing it, I have seen you in action. Use whichever death eaters you need they will be at your disposal. Find a way to bring them into your little school, and then I want you to find..." he paused his expression growing dark and sinister. "and kill Dumbledor!"

Chapter Text

"I think you are probably the only one whose ever known the real me Cassie. The me I hide from everyone, the real Draco Malfoy. You saw him before I even did. I never understood it till now, but we are a lot more alike than I had once thought" Draco confessed, his voice a wash with both sadness and also comfort. Cassie smiled a sad but knowing smile at Draco.

"The pain will drown you if you let it. I know because it does me. Just don't shut yourself from love and care. Let me help you Draco, let me hold your hand through this and show you the light again" she plead. The words expressing the feelings of both fear and trust that Draco is experiencing. The memories of which he had, including the first moment they actually met. The way she had been so fierce and unafraid of him, his friend and everything around them. Feelings that drew him to her, feeling he had been scared of for so long. Draco thought for a moment. He was afraid to let anyone get too close to him. Afraid they would hurt him just like his mother did every time she chose his father over protecting and loving him. But Cassie somehow had managed to sneak into his heart and leave her mark there. He felt something different for her, he always had, like an unspoken trust. An unspoken kinship. They were so alike in so many ways but he had always viewed her as too pure of heart for his dark one. Only now he realised they both had darkness inside their hearts. Yet even now he felt unworthy. 

She had chosen to run rather than join the war and be dragged into the dark like he had. She even now wanted to save him. Would he have done the same were the circumstances reversed?! It pained him he wasn't able to answer that. He hated himself so much. Cassie was probably the only person who had ever genuinely paid him compliments. Besides the many girls who lusted after him, like Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass. But with them they were desperate for Draco to like them. So much so he never believed what they would tell him because they would say anything just for him to pay them attention. With Cassie he never had to worry she was anything but her true self with him. She never shied away from telling him home truths, whether good or bad. 

The first day Cassie and Draco met had been a contentious one. Draco and his friends, Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott had been playing pranks in Gryffindor common rooms. On their way back laughing at the chaos they had caused, they bumped into Nattie Nemora. 

Nattie was just as beautiful as Cassie was, in a very different way. Her skin was pale like snow, with a natural blush to her cheeks. She had medium black straight hair, piercing dark eyes, and short height. She was tiny. Her signature look was a vibrant red lip, which she was never seen without. She loved that style of look on her and she rocked it beautifully. Nattie was also related to Luna Lovegood. They were both cousins, and very close. Though Luna was often thought of as the strange blonde haired girl with unique fashion choices, she was actually a very loyal, talented witch with a dreamy like disposition. Nattie, was more shy than Luna. She had a cookie cutter smart fashion style, almost Italian chic. She never deviated from this. In a way she knew herself well and what she liked, she just found other people daunting. Nattie was very guarded in that sense, where Luna would be friends with anyone who was kind enough. 

Once Luna and Nattie met Cassie it was as though they had found their 3rd cousin. Nattie admired Cassie's astute confidence. Cassie was feisty, and not afraid to stand up for what was right. Cassie was also unquestioningly loyal, and a devoted friend. She was there for Nattie and Luna whenever they needed her. They both loved her and she loved them too. 

The one thing Cassie had that Nattie wished she had more of was confidence around boys. Cassie could speak to any of them. Even the popular ones like Cedric Diggory. She was just fearless in every situation. Nattie from day one had formed a massive crush on Theodore Nott. The minute she spotted him across the room in Transfiguration class she was smitten. All his friends called him Theo.

Theo Nott was rich. Very rich. He was also Italian and had been brought up by his father only. This was because just after he was born his mother had died. It had been, in his opinion, the dumbest death and most painful. Dumb because a powerful witch as she had been, had been taken out by something as small as an allergy to bee stings. Nott had been a toddler at the time, and his father was out at work. His mother was in the kitchen preparing a pie when the bee in question flew in and stung her on the throat. Poor Nott watched as his mother writhed around the kitchen floor gasping for breath and desperately trying to reach for her wand. He was barely two years old and had just giggled thinking she was playing a funny game. But when he crawled over to her lifeless body and cried for her to stop playing and pick him up, he soon learned it was not a game. His father returned that evening to find Theo laying beside his mother having cried himself to sleep. Tiberius Nott fell to the ground and cried for the last time. He never shed one tear from that day on. It was as if he died too. 

Growing up Theo and Tiberius had a very strained relationship. Theo had begun to think it was because his father blamed him for his mothers death. If he had only been older he could have helped. A powerful witch like Sofia Nott should not have died from an allergy. Theo also blamed his father for not using their fortune to hire help around the house for his mother, that may have saved her life too. All the other powerful pure-blooded families had help around the house in the form of house elves, and wizard guard. He never understood why it took his mother dying for his father to finally bring in staff. Though he would sometimes think he was being stupid to think this way.

Nott was one of Draco Malfoy's friends. He was sorted into Slytherin just like his mother and father had been before him. And because of his families standing amongst the Malfoy's, The Zabini's etc naturally Theo became one of the boys. However he kept his cards close to his chest. Though he knew his father had strong beliefs that matched those of Voldemort's, Nott had never really shared them himself. He was more open to other ideas. He didn't share the same disdain for muggles and muggleborns as his father and the others around him did. But he could not be honest about that and so he kept to himself and went along with the motions.

So the day that him and his friends bumped into Nattie Nemora, Nott was not prepared for how he would react. 

Draco was known as a bully. But if he were being honest, his reputation as one came mostly from his friends Crabbe and Goyle. They both were the true tormentors of first years, muggleborns, and half-bloods. In fact so long as they weren't a slytherin, pretty much anyone were a target for Crabbe and Goyle. Now Draco was considered the leader of the boys, but he didn't always enjoy being a prick to just anyone. The only person at Hogwarts Draco had any kind of disdain for it was Harry Potter. And he would never admit it, but since the first day he met Harry and offered him his hand which was a symbol of offering him friendship, the rejection he felt pissed him off so bad. He had vowed to loathe Harry till the end of time. It got worse over the years at Hogwarts. Mainly because the 'golden trio' Harry, Hermione and Ron garnered the most special attention above everyone else by the school faculty. Besides Snape, every teacher seemed to give them special allowances. They were treated like royalty. That really made Draco's blood boil. So he was often very cruel to them. Hermione in particular by calling her mudblood, he hurt her frequently with that slur. 

Nattie Nemora however had not now or ever been on Draco's radar. She was a Ravenclaw student, and not in many of Draco's classes. He just didn't really know her or have any reason to interact with her. Her cousin Luna, he knew better because she was close to the golden trio, and also in Draco's mind a little too weird for his liking. But Nattie as far as he knew was a pureblood, and kept herself to herself. So when him and his friends walked the halls of Hogwarts after pranking the Gryffindors he hadn't expected Crabbe and Goyle to spot her and her pile of books, and run over and slam her into the ground. 

"FUCKING BOOKWORM SCUM!" Goyle yelled practically spitting on her, and him and Crabbe howled with laughter and ran off before getting caught by teachers. Blaise shook his head and followed after them saying nothing. Draco stood there for a moment looking at Nattie laid on the floor, her head dripping with blood, feeling a little guilty. But he laughed it off and followed behind. The laugh was fake. He didn't really find it funny, in fact he was pretty sickened by why they would do that to another girl. He wouldn't even do that to Hermione and he hated her. 

Nott however did not move. He did not follow. He walked over to Nattie who had begun crying and just as he was about to reach down his hand to offer to pick her up, Cassie came storming over.

"What the fuck did you do Nott?!" She yelled slamming his chest with her hands to push him away. Cassie had not seen the others, they had left before she had arrived, but she didn't trust a single slytherin, Nott included. 

"Hey it wasn't me, I did not do this!" Nott protested holding his hands up defensively. Cassie glared at him, her eyes piercing his like bullets ready to fire, and then quickly tended to her friend.

"Nattie sweetie what happened?" She asked, her voice suddenly soft and warm. Nott stood there awkwardly for a moment, but decided it was probably best he left. Cassie kind of scared him. She was an absolute beast in all her classes, especially when it came to dueling. He had once gone up against her and prayed he never had to again. And after feeling the force of her slam before, and the sting in his chest, he made his way back to the slytherin commons. 

"Guys what the hell was that?!" Nott scolded as he slammed the door shut behind him. Draco was sat off staring into space by himself, while Goyle and Crabbe pranced around laughing and joking. Blaise was smiling with them but he forcefully, and was not really amused just going along with the motions. 

"What?!" Crabbe barked.

"Since when do we go around knocking girls to the floor? Have you lost your minds! She didn't deserve that! That was fucking out of order man" Nott argued, his fists clenching at his sides. 

"Oh shut up Theo! She was asking for it!" Goyle snarked, as Crabbe laughed. Their casual carefree attitude was starting to really piss Nott off. He pushed up into Goyle's chest challenging him. 

"You should shut the hell up! That was fucking foul and you know it. You don't put your hands on girls!" He warned. Goyle squared up, his face betraying him as the coward he truly was.

"Oh yeah and what you gonna do 'bout it?!" He challenged back. Nott in a fit of rage grabbed Goyle by the collar and slammed Goyle into the wall behind him. 

"How about I show you?!" And with that he slammed his fist into Goyle's stomach. 

"WOAH WOAH WOAH!" All the boys suddenly rallied round to pull Nott off of Goyle and hold Goyle back from retaliating. Draco got in Nott's face, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Nott what's gotten into you?! Do you know her or something?" He asked concerned to see his friend turning to violently on his other friend. He had never seen Nott like this. It shocked him, even though deep down he sort of wanted to do the same thing. He hadn't liked it either. It reminded him too much of his father with his mother and it made him sick. But Draco was too cowardly to stand up to his friends. These weren't just any old friends, their families were all connected. And should it get back to his father that he stuck his neck out for some Ravenclaw girl...he was just too afraid to really show he too was disgusted. 

"What the fuck does that matter?!" Not yelled. "I don't give a fuck who she is, the point is Goyle and Crabbe shouldn't have fucking put their hands on her like that! Its so fucked up!" Draco pulled Nott aside away from the others prying eyes and ears. He agreed with Nott, he did, but self preservation overtook his sense. 

"Your right they shouldn't. You know how they get, their stupid. Always have to take things too far, but mate she ain't worth us all falling out over you know? Come on Nott this isn't like you at all. What would your father say?" Draco said. Nott swallowed back a bitter retort. He clenched his teeth and fists together and scoffed. 

"Whatever!" And with that he stormed off. Draco felt a brief pull to follow him. It was odd. This was the closest they had actually come to bonding. As odd as that sounded given the circumstances, in this moment Nott had shown his true feelings. He had stood up for what was right even if it meant going against their friends. Draco admired that, because short of scolding his friends if they were being dumb or stupid, he never actually told them when they were bang out of order. When they took it too far with a first year, nearly getting one accidentally killed once. Or when, like today, they showed violence to another female for no reason other than to just be utter evil pricks. Draco hated them really, but the bloodline must be united and protected! The pureblood supremacy was strong. 

A couple days after Draco was with Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise walking the halls of Hogwarts again in-between classes. He had stewed for days over what had taken place, really feeling guilty for not doing more to put them in their place. He felt bad for Nattie. She didn't deserve that at all. No girl did. He had even began to question his own behaviour with Hermione. That's when he met Cassie. 

He had never paid attention to her before. They had many classes together, but he just never looked her way. Today...he did. And the minute he saw her ice blue eyes staring into his grey ones the air flew out of his chest and hit the floor. He was no stranger to beautiful girls. Often he would have a little fan group of them following him around giggling and being all silly and girly. He loved the attention and all but he could never take them seriously. But there was no one who looked like Cassie did. She was breathtakingly beautiful. And he was breathless. Until...

"OI! I want a word with you four twits!" Cassie yelled at the four of them. And just like that, his breathe was back in his chest.

"And who might you be? One of Potter's little fans?!" He scoffed and smirked, glancing at Goyle and Crabbe who hyped him up with their chuckles. Cassie, her expression never faltering for a second, glared at Draco then at Crabbe. 

"Where the hell do you get off pushing my friend Nattie to the floor and making her bleed?!" She retorted her words laced with venom. Draco grinned looking Cassie up and down, swallowing back the guilt he had felt ever since that day.

"Oh so you're one of Nattie's little friends. Her little knight and shining armor. What exactly are you gonna do about it anyways?" He challenged. Most students were afraid of him, which he liked because deep down he was actually more afraid of them.

Cassie's head shot back in Draco's direction, her eyes narrowing in a menacing snake like response. "Oh trust me, blondie, you do not want to find out!"

Draco rolled his eyes performatively, but inside he was taken a back. Most girls would have run off by now, but Cassie stood, not one twitch or flinch of movement, or ounce of fear. No one had dared ever nickname him before. Blondie?! He scoffed, trying his best to look unamused, but it irritated the life out of him. "Oh yeah...what you gonna do? Hex me?!" He chuckled again, Blaise, Goyle and Crabbe all chiming in. Cassie pulled out her wand causing them all to take a step back.

"I just might" she said a Cheshire cat like smile forming at her lips. "Just because you four losers can't get a girl to fall at your feet naturally doesn't give you the right to pick on someone who has done nothing to you"

Draco smirked down at Cassie.

Leaning down close to her face he said "Oh yeah? Well then I dare you. Go on and hex me. We all know you can't. You're all bark and no bite" He challenged once again, feeling himself growing in confidence. Until Cassie leaned in closer to his face and snapped her teeth like a shark biting its prey. His expression waned. 

"Says you daddy's boy!" she spat, emphasis on the words daddy's boy as though she intended to plunge a knife deep into chest. It worked. Draco's smirk fell away, and his blood began to boil. The comment really got to him. How dare she speak to him like this, she was a nobody, a nothing. He was Draco Malfoy, from a long line of Pure-bloods who out ranked her everywhere it mattered. He was furious now. 

"What's it to you mudblood?!" He fired back matching her venomous tone. Knowing that she had gotten to him Cassie's grin widened as she looked him up and down like he was filth on her shoe. 

"Hit a nerve did I?" She said in a playful, cruel tone. "If I catch any of you anywhere near Nattie or her cousin Luna again..." her expression turned threatening once again "I will make the lot of you regret the day your fathers decided not to shoot into a sock!" she gave Draco one last dangerous look warning him that she was serious about her threats. Draco felt himself growing with fury. She had really gotten under his skin and he hated that. He hated anyone being able to push his buttons. How did she know just exactly which ones to push?! Her audacity to speak to them all like this was outrageous. His father would have hexed her on the spot for her insolence. Goyle and Crabbe glared back at her too cowardly to say anything and Blaise just looked uncomfortable and maybe a little impressed. Before Draco could cuss her out Cassie spun around and stormed away, her long, luscious brown curls dancing in the air behind her. 

Draco could do nothing but watch her walk away in disbelief. He couldn't stop looking her way. He was so vexed by her language and threats. Who did she think she was?! Though he was pissed off, he also felt something else...something that pissed him off more. Respect. Her fearlessness was respectable given who he was and who the other boys were. It was widely known about their families and how highly placed in society they were. Being married into any one of those families was a devout privilege, and no one ever spoke to them like that ever. But this girl, this muggleborn came out of nowhere and gave as good as she got, completely unmoved by fear. Draco on the other hand felt a lot of fear in his life. He was jealous. And he would soon have more reason to be jealous of her. 

No one else had ever dared stand up to him and his friends like she did before and he couldn't help it but a tiny smirk played at his lips as he watched her walk out of sight. A new rival for him. This would be fun!

Chapter Text

Draco stormed into his dorm room almost knocking Theo to the floor. 

"Woah! What's gotten you so worked up?" Theo questioned, crossing his arms over his chest and hanging a lit cigarette from his mouth. 

Draco grunted and slammed his body onto his bed staring up at the ceiling with fury.

"That fucking mudblood!" He cursed, crossing his arms over his chest looking like a toddler having a tantrum. Theo's lips curled into a cocky grin.

"Hermione punch you in the face again?" He mocked. Theo had actually thought Draco deserved it. 

"No not her!" He retorted shooting Theo a harsh glare. "Cassie Mink!" Theo stiffened and his expression fell at the mention of perhaps the only girl who terrified him more than his own father. 

"Oh...her" He muttered.

"You know her?" Draco cocked his head and furrowed his brow. 

"Sadly yes" Theo puffed on his cigarette. "I take it she gave you a mouthful over her friend as well?"

Draco scoffed and glared up and the ceiling again. "I don't know where she gets off speaking to her superiors like that!" He snapped. Theo sighed and shook his head.

"You sound obnoxious Draco" He judged turning away in annoyance. He really hated the idea that just because their families were prominent that meant they were better than everyone else. And more than that he despised people who said as much out loud. It was pompous and arrogant as fuck. Draco sat up and scowled at Theo.

"Me?! You know I'm right Nott and don't even act like you didn't just ask your father for an advance on your trust fund this month!" He smirked. Theo glared back angrily.

"So?! Just because my father is rich doesn't make me better than anyone else or you for that matter. Your a real ass sometimes!" 

"Hah" Draco grinned. "You sound just like that fucking mudblood Cassie!"

"Well maybe she has a point..." Theo said defensively, his hand starting to tremble slightly. He hadn't stood up to Draco like this ever, he kept his opinions to himself. But seeing Nattie Nemora a girl who had done nothing but walk down the corridor with her books, laying there bleeding, had affected him. "It was fucking repulsive what Crabbe and Goyle did to that girl! Cassie is just defending her friend which I don't think is a bad thing. Whatever she said to you, you deserve it!" He spat, leaning harder against the wall and toking on his cigarette. 

Draco scoffed in annoyance. Theo was right, but that didn't stop it pissing Draco off any less. 

"I know that Theo! But it's Crabbe and Goyle they barely have a brain cell between them, there's no controlling their behaviour. You keep bringing it up isn't helping anything. And if that mudblood thinks her little threats will ward them off as well she's got a hell of a shock coming her way!" Draco argued defensively. 

"Don't make me laugh! Those two brain dead imbeciles follow every word you say. All you'd have to do is tell them to stop being assholes to girls and they would pack it in. This isn't the first time the two of them have been aggressive towards girls and you know that!"

"Ugh!" Draco groaned rubbing his head feeling a mix of irritation and guilt. He did not like to feel guilty he hated that feeling. It went against everything he was taught to be. As a Malfoy he wasn't to care a single whisper for those who weren't like them. He was supposed to be fearless, strong, callous and powerful. Any sign of morality was a sign of weakness. And weakness had to be beaten out of him by his father. 

"It's not that simple Nott you don't understand!" Draco stated, wanting so very much to break down and share how he really felt. To tell someone for once that he was sick of Crabbe and Goyle and wished they would fuck off and die. They were both vile. Just like his father. Time and time again Draco had witnessed them push girls up against the walls, threaten them, even once try to rip off a girls clothes. They were the worst kind of wizard. And Draco despised them so much. But he feared the repercussions of being honest like Theo was being right now. He knew from his father the possibility of the dark lords return was assured. And should that happen if he was shown to go against his fathers orders and show weakness in anyway the dark lord would have no hesitations in striking him dead. He willed his lips to say as much to Nott who glared at him with the same desire as his. Theo longed to be his true self also. But he couldn't trust Draco. And Draco couldn't trust Theo so instead they clashed.

"Whatever! I'm going to the astrology tower, you can sit and complain to the walls about your little mud..." He recoiled at saying the word. "Mink problem!" And with that he left. Draco watched after him, sighing mournfully. Draco was alone again. Alone to fight the battle going on in his head. Between what he was supposed to feel as pertained to his upbringing, and what he actually felt. Cassie was right...and that vexed the life out of him. 

Theodore stormed through the halls of Hogwarts to the Astronomy tower which was his favourite place to go to when he just needed to hide out. It was getting late in the day, which meant no one would be around which suited Theodore best. He preferred his own company. The silence of the night sky. The taste of his obnoxiously expensive brand of cigarette. The light from the moon and stars. It brought him peace, something he wished he had more of in his life. 

Tonight was different though. He was not alone. There stood looking up at the night sky over the balcony, was Nattie. He took in a sharp breathe at the sight of her stood there, back turned. Her jet black hair sparkled as though wet under the moonlight. He was surprised someone else would be in his favourite safe space at school. He didn't like it. It was his. But it was her. And he hadn't been able to shift her from his mind since what his so called friends did to her the other day. He approached with caution. 

"Nattie?" He called out. Nattie jumped out of her skin and spun round clumsily almost falling to the ground. As soon as she spotted it was Theodore she skipped turning red and went green instead, feeling sick. She had thought he was cute the first time she spotted him but after the other day every Slytherin boy terrified her. She wasn't a fighter. She hated wars. She physically recoiled during duelling classes because she was allergic to conflict. She preferred figuring things out with intelligent discussions and communication. History had shown that some of the most wicked things had been done in wars, and yet some of the most incredible things had been done in healthy communication. Plus her upbringing didn't make it easy on her. She had grown up in a peaceful, loving family home. Her mother and father never fought, they had intense conversations to work through their issues. So she was a little shielded from the cruelty in the world. She just didn't feel confident enough to defend herself when faced with bullies like Crabbe and Goyle. Her skills were in transfiguration and potions. She was also brilliant in history of magic. 

So she was terrified being alone, at night, at the top of a high tower where she could easily be thrown over the balcony, with a Slytherin boy. Even if at first she had crushed on him. She nervously wracked her brain for what to do. How to get out of this situation with as little casualty as possible. Theodore noted her anxious demeanour and held out his hand. 

"It's okay Nattie I am not going to hurt you. I can...leave don't worry" He said softly, turning to walk away so's not to cause her any further harm. 

"No wait!" She called after him. She berated herself internally the minute the words fell out of her mouth. 'What did you do that for dummy!' she said to herself, wrapping her arms over her chest protectively. Theodore halted in his tracks, turning slowly round to make sure he had heard her correctly. 

"Yeah?" He asked tentatively. He really started to feel awkward himself. 

"Erm, you...don't have to leave. I mean...I can go it's ok" She fumbled over her words, looking at her feet awkwardly twisting back and forth across the ground. 

"No really it's okay. I didn't know anyone was up here, and I don't mean to upset you...especially after the other day" He said looking ashamedly down himself. Nattie looked at him, studying him, beginning to feel a little safer. His demeanour was similar to her own. He was timid too. She suddenly felt her body begin to relax a little more. 

"I don't mind sharing the space" She said smiling gently. He looked up locking on her eyes. Wow, he thought, she was so beautiful. Like Draco, Theo had girls sniffing round him. But unlike Draco he didn't entertain them. It wasn't that he didn't look. He did. But no one really made him feel the way he was feeling now. A fluttery, warm, gooey, toffee syrup tickling feeling in his stomach. She was a vision. He suddenly felt himself staring at her too long and awkwardly moved his eyesight everywhere else but her. 

He cleared his throat of the hundred frogs that were now forming inside of it and said "I never usually find anyone else up here at this time" Nattie felt her cheeks flush hot. Had he been staring at her?! No surely not. Not her. She wasn't anything special. That's what she felt. But just like Cassie and Luna she was very beautiful. 

"Oh. Yes. Well I just feel safe here I guess. And the view is very beautiful. I didn't think anyone else would be up here either" she replied. Her voice was mousey. Light and sweet, with a European twang to her accent. It was a mix of Lithuanian, Latvian and maybe a pinch of Macedonian. Beautiful, he thought, just like sweet butter melting on toast. He smiled at her timidly hiding his eyes underneath his mop of dark brown hair.

"This is my safe space too" He said softly. 

"Oh" She said sweetly, feeling herself blushing again. There was an awkward silence before he broke the ice.

"I should probably apologise on behalf of my other...Slytherin acquaintances" He said stopping himself before calling them friends. He really wasn't sure any of them deserved the title. Especially Crabbe and Goyle. Nattie's expression was unreadable but inside she felt the memory of that day pain her heart. 

"Yes. Well you didn't actually do anything" She murmured honestly. She didn't blame Theo she couldn't. He hadn't laughed and he had actually stayed behind. Though Cassie had darted over before he had gotten chance to do whatever he was going to.

"Exactly. I didn't do anything. They are fucking assholes the lot of them. It actually makes me feel ashamed of even being in the same house as them" he admitted pulling at his slytherin robes with disgust. His entire family, besides his mother, had been Slytherin. His mother had actually been a Gryffindor which would have been a scandal, had it not been for her large family ancestors being the greatest Italian wizard family to come out of Italy. It was a huge deal for his father to win over her heart. 

"You are not responsible for your friends actions. But I do appreciate your empathetic words. It was quite and unpleasant experience" She murmured sadly. 

"I wouldn't call them friends really"

"You wouldn't? But I see you with them all the time?" She questioned intrigued by his dismissal of them. Theo smirked. 

"Oh you see me do you? All the time" He coyly hinted, his smirk growing wider at the thought of her watching him. She blushed pink and looked away. 

"No! Just! Well...In classes...you know?!" She fumbled all her words together messily, barking at herself in her head for being embarrassing. 

"It's ok bella, I am just teasing" He smiled reassuringly, still liking the idea that she might look his way from time to time. He knew from now on he would be looking her way. Now that he had finally noticed her. 

"Oh its Nattie" She corrected him, feeling silly the minute she said it. He knew her name. And she knew what Bella meant in Italian. Now she was really blushing. He could see she was flushed and didn't wish to embarrass her. For all he knew maybe she just felt uncomfortable with him and didn't actually like him at all. He wasn't as cock sure of himself the same way Draco was. Draco knew he was good-looking. Theo was much less conceited than that. 

"Apologies that was a bit forward of me. Bella means beauty, its a term of endearment but you don't even know me. I'm sorry" He apologised again feeling stupid. Nattie was different to all the other girls he had met. She was incredibly closed off and shy. She was also very sweet, and kind. Vulnerable. He had a good sense of people and her vulnerability screamed out to him. He found himself feeling protective over her. Which was stupid, he knew nothing about her. And once she found out the extent of his families beliefs she would loathe him. 

"I know it was a stupid comment from me. Of course you know my name. I'm just...I'm unsure how to speak to boys" Nattie opened up. She couldn't believe she was opening herself up to him. This was the first real conversation they had ever had. Scrap that this was the first time they had ever spoken a word to each other. She just felt a pull to open herself up to him, even though the risks were huge. This could be another cruel prank. One or more of the Slytherin boys could run up any second laughing and humiliating her further. But she was starting to believe he wasn't like the other Slytherin boys. He felt safe. 

"Well you are speaking pretty well to me" He said, smiling again to reassure her. He too was feeling safe in her company. 

"Yeah I guess I am" she giggled. He smiled harder. The sound of her giggle setting something off in him again. Theo reached for his cigarettes and held them out.

"Do you smoke?"

"I do actually" She admitted. "Don't tell anyone though. Cassie and Luna would kill me" 

"Ah! Well in that case I shall take it to the grave" He smiled offering her one of his cigarettes. He liked the fact she smoked as well. She wouldn't judge him for smoking because it wasn't a habit he was ever willing to give up. The two of them sat down on either side of the walls of the balcony puffing away. He suddenly felt like he was back in Italy. He closed his eyes and pictured himself there with Nattie. 

The two of them sat in silence for a while, enjoying it the more time passed and they eased into each others company. Nattie liked it when she could sit with someone in silence and have it not be awkward. It was how she knew it was a proper true tested friendship. Because often she just needed to be quiet and regulate her emotions. Theo was much the same way. As it got later on Nattie began to get cold. 

"Here" Theo said pulling off his jumper and handing it to her. "I know it's not your colour but you need it more than I do" He said a small smile playing on his lips. She put his slytherin jumper on, it was a little too big for her but it helped her warm up a bit more.

"Your friend, Cassie, she's a little terrifying" Theo admitted lighting up another cigarette. Nattie chuckled to herself, amused by the comment. 

"She is if you get on her bad side. But actually next to my cousin, and mother, she's one of the greatest females I have ever met. I admire her confidence. She is completely fearless" Nattie said with fond admiration. 

"I noticed! She certainly got under Malfoy's skin"

"Draco?" She perked up, her smile fading. While Draco hadn't pushed her to the floor, she had heard from her cousin Draco a lot of his dickish behaviour towards her friends Neville, Harry, Hermione and Ron. Nattie didn't like bullies. Neither did Cassie. So Draco had it coming as far as she was concerned. 

"Mhm" Theo muttered back expressionless. 

"He's not very nice. Non of your friends are...I'm sorry to say" Nattie said bluntly. Theo liked her honesty, even if it did sting just a tad. He felt a pang on insecurity. He didn't want them to be the reason Nattie wouldn't ever speak to him again. He was enjoying this, a lot. A whole lot. 

"I'm not going to defend them. What they did to you was fucked up. What they have done to others, equally fucked up. I hate it. I hate them" He grimaced. Nattie studied him carefully.

"Then why hang around them?"

Theo sighed. "It's complicated bella. The way we all grew up, the way I grew up, we have been taught to not question the fucked up bloodline supremacy bullshit. I think I was lucky in comparison to the rest. Because after my mother died, my father softened in his broken way. He didn't push his beliefs as hard on me as the others did, however I was still expected to be careful. To do well. To stick with..." he gestured inverted comma's with his fingers "my kind. But it's all bullshit" He shifted uncomfortably, feeling himself getting riled up over a situation he could do nothing about.

"You know my family comes from a long line of what's considered purebloods but we don't believe in the ideology that, that makes us more powerful. I personally have seen witches and wizards who were half bloods, or muggle born do things I could never do. I've always been interested in where our magic originates from. Not much is said. A supernatural gift given to us from the god's but if anything that's what I question more so. The origins. The gods. But as far as bloodlines go, I don't think it makes a difference. It's just prejudice" She spoke so honestly. That was one of Nattie's strongest attributes. She was a straight forward talker. You always knew where you stood with her whether you liked it or not. She was blunt. 

"It is in some cases, the darker cases" He agreed. "Those that hold the belief the world should be cleansed of those they consider inferior, namely muggle-borns and half bloods. They see it as a way to return the magical world to a state of purity. Though they miss the factor that in doing so the magical world would be stripped bare with hardly anyone left in it"

"That and the fact that it's just barbaric to wipe out entire families, children, innocent lives for some ridiculous notion" Nattie felt sick. Theo felt guilty. 

"I share your sentiments. However it's complicated bella. Have you heard of the sacred 28?"

"Yes I have"

"Those 28 names have been passed down generation to generation. Though some of those families have veered away from the traditions and ideologies into more progressive ideologies, the majority of the families on that list have continued to pass on the pureblood heritage. My family being one of them. My mother was born in Italy to a long line and purebloods. They were not considered one of the 28, mostly because somewhere in their ancestry they believe a few members of the family mixed with muggles. Therefor they could not confirm them as sacred and pure. That and the fact her family is from Italy, and not British. My father however came from one of the 28 sacred families, the Nott family. His marriage to my mother was considered controversial to most, however my mother firmly believed in the supremacy ideologies as strongly as my father did. She was swayed by the dark lord's beliefs, as was my father. And they sought to create a union that would continue the Nott name upholding these deeply ingrained beliefs and traditions. My mother was also very well liked, amongst all the families. Once she died my father lost a piece of himself that he could not regain. And with the dark lord seemingly gone, he just didn't hold the same energy as he had done prior to her death. That allowed me to become more cultured with my own thoughts. However he still has made it quite clear he expects me to marry into a pureblood family. He expects me to stay close to the sacred families, the Malfoys, the Lestranges, the Parkinsons, the Greengrass' etc. In particular Draco. Because my father and his are very close, they work together, I am expected to be close to Draco..." he trailed off. 

"But you don't like him?"

"It's not that. Draco keeps his true intentions close to his chest. Most people look at him like he knows what he's doing and is to be feared, but I don't know I see something different..." 

Nattie furrowed her browns confused. What was he seeing that she didn't?! She just saw a pompous bully. "Something like what?" She pressed eager to find out.

"A bravado. I don't think anybody knows the real Draco, not even himself! He's a puppet. Most of the time he's putting on a show for everyone acting like the big bag wizard to be feared by all. It's annoying as all hell! Sometimes I see the mask slip but not nearly enough to gage what's really going on. If there is anything under that mask! He's...a coward"

"Wow" Nattie exclaimed. "I'm shocked, I thought you were close"

"Like I said we are supposed to be. But the only thing I feel close to at this school are my trusted cigarettes and this astronomy tower" he then looked over at Nattie, his dark blue eyes piercing into her dark brown ones. "And now you"

Nattie felt herself melt inside. Her heartbeat started to race, and she was feeling flushed again. She hadn't expected to bond like this with a Slytherin boy. Especially one from a prominent family that upheld beliefs she disagreed with. But as he stared into her eyes and she stared back she prayed this would not be the last interaction they had. She liked him. 

"Can I get your number?" He asked, pulling out a pen from his inner jacket pocket. Nattie felt her heart smile. 

"Yeah, sure, course" She said too eagerly. Nott smiled to himself. She took his pen and wrote her number on the back of his hand, feeling his warm breath on her forehead as she did. Her heart thumped. She had no idea that his too was thumping hard and fast. 

"I'll call you" He said casually, getting up and heading back to his room. Nattie tried to say something before he left but she was too speechless. She wanted to run back to her room and tell Cassie and Luna all about it but something about the secrecy of their private chat felt precious. Also she wasn't sure Cassie and Luna would approve. Especially Cassie.

Nott however didn't give a fuck what Draco and the rest would think. He liked Nattie, he liked her a lot. She was the most interesting girl at that school, and he found everything about her endearing and beautiful. As soon as he reached his room he pulled out a notebook and wrote her number down properly, placing the notebook under his pillow protectively. Luckily the rest of the boys were asleep. He laid down closing his eyes smiling as he thought about the girl with the black hair, the red lips and the killer smile. 

Chapter Text

"Alright" Draco murmured. "I will try and let you help me, but I won't make it easy" Draco said looking down at their fingers intertwined. Draco was scared. Scared to let Cassie in. He never let anyone get too close but something about her was different. She felt safe and he for the first time in his life trusted someone. He trusted her.

Cassie squeezed his hand "I wouldn't expect it any other way" she smirked, her smile kind. Draco chuckled a bit, an old familiar twinge of banter resurfaced between them. He felt a comfort he hadn't felt in a long time. The last time he felt any comfort like this was the last time his mother hugged and kissed him on his forehead, tucking him in at night to go to sleep. He was seven. His father soon discouraged her nurturing love, telling her Draco was old enough to put himself to bed now. Old enough to not need hugs from his mummy, or bedtime stories. That to continue on it would weaken and ruin him. 

"I will not have him turn into some whimpering, needy little crybaby Narcissa!" Lucius would yell at her, when catching her trying to show love to her son. After that Draco's only warmth was that of the sun when it shone outside during the summers. He did, at Hogwarts, have girls try to love on him but bar from enjoying the attention they gave him, he didn't see their touch as warm or comforting. It was for their benefit. They wanted him for his title, and for their idea of him. Not his true self. No one ever cared to search for that until Cassie. 

"You're something else do you know that?" Draco said a smile forming on his lips. "You some how got through to this stubborn ass wizard when he had made it his entire life's goal to cut off anyone from getting too close"

Cassie smirked, knowing what a stubborn girl she herself was also. "I just like throwing myself on fires I guess" She said. 

Draco chuckled. It felt so good to be able to laugh a little after being so serious and angry for the past four years. "Well I'm pretty much a forest fire, I'm surprised you haven't completely burnt out yet. I don't know how your still standing!"

"Ahh! Whats a few burns between friends" she joked, grinning widely. Draco smirked. 

"Good to know you can handle my heat, not many can" He looked at Cassie, his expression turning to an intense smirk. "Careful though if you get too close you might just go up in flames!" 

Cassie looked at him for a moment. "Let's test that theory shall we?" she grinned taking her hand out from holding Draco's and wrapping her arms around him, giving him the hug she had offered earlier. 

Draco was surprised by her wrapping her arms around him. He tenses at first but the minute he felt her body wrap around his he melted. He couldn't describe the feeling. Of course he had been hugged before. But it never felt like this did. The smell of her dark brown curly hair, the warmth radiating off of her into him. She felt soft. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly against him never wanting to let go. He had been starved for such affection for so many years.

Cassie had never hugged him before. They were close, but never got too close. Not like this. Once or twice he had wanted to hug her, but she was closed off to him then, until now. Feelings were stirring inside of him. Dangerous feelings. He began to feel for her, in a way that would crush his soul if anything happened to her. She was the best friend he had ever known, the only real true friend. It felt so good to mean something to someone, other than a tool to be used. Cassie cared about him, all of him, even the dark parts. 

Cassie rubbed his back softly, and kept hold of him firmly as though to hold him up. 

"I will walk through every fire with you Draco" she practically sung sweetly. The sound of her voice like a melody Draco never wanted to stop listening to. "I will remind you every day who you really are till you let the rain cool you" She tightened her hold on him. Draco felt tears forming behind his eyes at her words. He prayed to the gods that this was real, that he wasn't just hallucinating how safe and comfortable it felt with her. He felt so vulnerable right now, a vulnerability he had never felt with anyone before. 

"Thank you Cassie" he murmured his voice quiet with sincerity. "Thank you!"

Cassie smiled back softly then her face turned serious. "Draco, please come with me!" She begged him "I can protect you. I will protect you!" and she meant it. 

Cassie was no damsel. She was quick on her feet and an excellent duellist, and heavily skilled in the defence against the dark arts. At school no one ever wanted to go up against her when practising spell casting. She was too quick. Too clever. Too knowledgeable. When it came to Draco, Cassie knew she would fight to the death to keep him safe. He had managed to bury himself in her heart long ago when they were at school, and she was not going to let anything bad happen to him again. She just needed him to agree and go with her. She couldn't imagine carrying on without him now. Now that she had been reunited with him. Now that she too had felt his warm embrace. To go back to being totally alone felt worthless. Empty. Her eyes bore into his pleading him to say yes.

Draco looked back into Cassie's pleading eyes. All traces of cold, empty expression washed away replaced only with gentle warmth. 

"I'd forgotten what it feels like to have someone who actually cares about me" he said close to tears. Cassie too felt emotions rising within her. She placed her hand gently on his cheek watching as he closed his eyes briefly to her touch. She heard the unsure tremble in his voice, as he himself was questioning whether anyone ever truly had cared about him ever in his life. Maybe his mother but then if she did why did she abandon him to his father?! Why starve him of her affections?! Why yell at him on his fathers behalf instead of protecting him and taking him away from the danger?! 

"I promise you Draco I will take care of you. You just have to be brave and come with me"

Draco is in disbelief that after all he has done Cassie would want to protect him. "You would protect me? But I'm the danger. I'm a danger to everyone" He mourned bowing his head in shame as every one of his past four year kills swarmed his memory once again. 

"If you are a danger then so am I" She said back with conviction. "You know what I've done myself. And it's not as if you want to carry on doing it, do you?" 

"No. No Cassie I don't want to kill anymore. I don't want to be a death eater. I don't want to hurt anyone else ever again"

"Then come with me Draco" She plead one last time. Draco felt the overwhelming buzz of conflict at the thought of going with Cassie, the way that he wants to go with her but feels afraid. Not afraid of her but afraid of what could happen to them both with them both on the run together. He didn't want to be the reason she got hurt. He also didn't want to be without her. Everything he had ever known was here in this manor. It was all his to inherit but it was nothing but a void of nothingness. The manor was the darkness. Cassie was the light.

"Okay. I will come with you. But this isn't gonna be easy you know? We'll be running and hiding for the rest of our lives. Are you sure you want to take this risk for me?"

"I've already been running and hiding. I can handle it. You know...you won't ever be able to see your family again" she said gently, giving his hand a squeeze knowing how tough this was for him. 

"I know" his voice broke. "But honestly I won't mind not seeing my family anymore" he sounded so sad, as though he had lost hope of ever feeling the love of a family. He had been viciously jealous of those at school with families who were so loving and caring. In particular the Weasley's. As much as he mocked them for their hand me down clothes, and ridiculous knitted jumpers, a part of them always envied them. Their mother and father loved and cherished their existence. Deep down if he was honest with himself all he ever wanted was a loving family, all sat round the dinner table together discussing their day. A father to tell him how proud of him he was. A mother to embarrass him at the school gates by hugging and kissing him in front of his mates. A warm, home cooked meal shared with siblings. Petty squabbles over the bathroom, or the remote control. It pained him he would never know that. 

Cassie could feel the pain emanating off of him. It was a pain she knew well. She too had never known a loving family. It was only because of Maria, the first person she was forced to kill, that she had any knowledge of what loving care felt like. Had she not had that, who knows what kind of monster she could have turned out to be. 

"I understand the pain of having a family that treats you horribly. It's unforgivable. I will be here for you. I promise" she smiled. Draco smiled back. 

"Grab a few things to bring with you. You'll need decent shoes for the walking in the woods and such" Cassie said standing aside to wait as he gathered some of his belongings. Draco changed out of his fancy, black slick dress shoes and threw on a pair of dark, black boots. He grabbed a couple of warm jackets, his wand, and his old Slytherin locket that was sentimental to him. His grandmother had passed it down to him on the day he had been sorted into Slytherin. Though he didn't spend much time with her before she died, or know her well, it meant something to him. 

"Ok. I don't need anything else" Draco said throwing everything into an old backpack. Cassie held out her hand and smiled. He took it without hesitation, loving the way her skin felt against his. "I know a secret passageway through the manor to get out into the woods without being caught" Draco said. "Come on" and just like that he turned one last time to look at what had been his jail cell for the past four years. He knew he would never know the comfort of a big room, expensive comfortable sheets and a four poster bed again. But they were only things. They didn't make him happy. Not the way he felt holding the hand of his old friend. Someone he was only now coming to realise he had deep feelings for. 

As the both of them made there way to escaping the manor Draco thought back to a time when Cassie Mink would have never dreamed of wrapping her arms around him, let alone hold his hand. Back when she had scolded him and his friends over hurting her best friend Nattie. The aftermath of which made being friends with Cassie seem like an unlikely probability. 

Cassie never missed a chance to get under Draco's skin. Ever since Draco's cronies had hurt Nattie, she was adamant she would make sure he regret that. Today was no different. During transfiguration class Cassie thought it would be funny to turn her wand on Draco, turning him temporarily into a white ferret. She thought it was a perfect prank, considering Barty Crouch Jr disguised as Mad eye moody had once done the same. She also didn't care that she would cop another detention for it. 

"Miss Mink! Turn him back this instant!" Mrs McGonagall yelled. The whole class had erupted into laughter, even Nattie was laughing, sat next to Cassie. Cassie changed him back much to his outraged bemusement. 

"How fucking dare you! You wait until my father-"

"ENOUGH Mr Malfoy, sit down! I will deal with Miss Mink" Mrs McGonagall ordered pointing her pointy finger at his seat. Draco scuffed his face up like a mangled piece of newspaper and scoffed under his breath, sitting down and crossing his arms angrily. 

"Miss Mink you will report to my office daily during breaktimes for the next two weeks of detention. And should I ever catch you using transfiguration on students without permission again I will expel you immediately do I make myself clear?" she chastised, her frown pointier than her finger. Cassie felt her eyes roll in her minds eye. Two weeks detention was a lot but it was worth it to see the look on Draco's face. 

"Yes Mrs McGonagall" Cassie babbled back, turning to grin at Draco who was glaring scathingly her way. 

Draco did manage to get her back though. Not quite in the same brilliant way, but he and his friends set off fanged frisbees in the ravenclaw common's terrorising her and everyone else there. She soon dealt with them all though with her vast knowledge of spells. 

"You've gotta hand it to her, she's a pretty genius spellcaster" Nott suggested back at the Slytherin common rooms. Draco scoffed and glared Nott's way. 

"Genius, her?!" he practically spat. "She's about as genius as a swamp troll!" He sat down feeling the frustration overwhelm him at not being able to get even with the girl who vexed him every chance she got. 

"You are starting to become a little too obsessed with this muggle-born" Nott teased smirking and lighting up a cigarette. Draco glared his way looking him up and down and rolling his eyes. 

"Don't make me laugh Nott. Those things will kill you, you know" He jeered nodding pointedly at the cigarettes. Nott let out a chesty laugh. 

"So I've heard!" He retorted back still grinning with amusement. He went to leave the commons.

"Where are you going?" Draco questioned. He had started to notice the last couple weeks Nott spending more and more time away from the Slytherin commons, and the great hall for that matter too. Nott stiffened. 

"Anywhere but here. I'm sick of hearing you whine about this girl you clearly have an obsession over. You need to chill out bro, she's just lashing out at you for what happened to Nattie"

"Since when did you defend mudbloods?!" Draco felt furious. Why was Nott taking this whole thing like a joke. It wasn't funny. 

"Since you started defending the actions of those fucking abusive worms Crabbe and Goyle over everything!" Nott was angry now. He couldn't believe Draco didn't berate Crabbe and Goyle for their behaviour. To him that was weak. 

"Will you stop it with them?! I already told you, they don't listen. You think I like how they behave? They make a mockery of the Slytherin name"

"THATS the point though Draco. All you care about is how it looks. What it does for your precious name, for the Slytherin name. Who the fuck cares?! Honestly Draco get a fucking backbone!" And with that Nott stormed off again to find Nattie and calm down. Draco wanted to bash his head through the wall. Why did everyone expect so much of him? Why was it his fault what Crabbe and Goyle did. He was getting sick and tired of being blamed for things he did not do. 

He did agree somewhat, he had been obsessing far too much over Cassie. Her stunt in transfiguration class had pissed him off. The audacity she held, he had never met his match quite like this before. The fact that in some small way she actually impressed him was the most annoying part for him. 

When it came to his rivalry with Potter and his friends, it almost felt more like he was too good at getting under their skin and they retaliated. Like when Hermione punched him, and scared the shit out of him after he lied about the extent of his injuries from the Hippogriff. A tiny part of him had felt bad when he thought he had caused the hippogriff in question to be killed. In the moment he had overreacted. He always did. He was quick on the trigger, quick to hit below the belt. He was always on the defensive. But he had been the one to aggravate the hippogriff. He was jealous watching Harry Potter, the golden child, once again be the first to fly on the hippogriff, and bond with it. His ego and bravado took over as he ignored Hagrid's warnings. And when the hippogriff reacted, in his mind it was just another rejection. The same way his first ever pet, a rat no less gifted from his father, bit him when he had tried to pick it up and stroke it. He gave the rat back telling his father to kill it he didn't want it, but really it just hurt him that he felt the rejection from another living being. He was so used to that rejection from everyone. Just once can something or someone embrace him?! Harry Potter already had enough it wasn't fair!

When it came to Cassie however she wasn't rejecting him in fact she was standing in his way at every turn. Besting him in everything, and making sure he knew it. She was the one who wouldn't leave him alone. And as much as he would rise to her level she just one upped him every time and took pleasure in it. Nothing he could say to her or do to her bothered her even one iota. It was vexing.

The following day Draco had potions class in which Snape had assigned everyone a partner to work with for the end of the year. In an attempt to mix up the students from their status quo. 

To Draco and Cassie's misfortune they had both been paired together. Cassie had wondered if Snape had done it on purpose knowing how contentious things had been between the two of them for weeks now. But regardless they were stuck as potions partners for the rest of the year. Draco spotted her sat in the middle front of class writing in her work book. He sighed. He couldn't deny how pretty she was. Just another thing to vex him. With a slight nod he made his way over to her, his eyes briefly roaming over her before he spoke. 

"Looks like we're paired together" he remarked a hint of amusement in his tone. If he didn't find the humour in it, he would lose his mind. At least he wasn't paired with Neville. Blaise, much to his annoyance, had been. Draco thought it was hilarious. Neville was clumsy and accident prone, often finding himself knocked to the floor by his own haphazard actions. If Neville wasn't careful enough, Draco often thought, he would end up getting himself killed. 

"Good eyesight" Cassie retorted back sarcastically. Draco raised an eyebrow at her comment. Here she goes again with her sass. He smirked and leaned in slightly matching her tone.

"What an observant little witch you are huh? Impressive" he retorted taking a subtle glance over her again. She smelled like lilies and roses and her hair...no! He stopped himself shaking the thoughts off violently. 

Cassie hadn't glanced once his way. She had felt his eyes on her but cared non, she was focused on making notes for the potions they had to brew by the end of the week. "I know" she said so bluntly almost sounding like Nattie. "I am not so sure why the professor has paired us together. Some sick joke I imagine" she said, the last part of it almost a whisper under her breath. Draco found it amusing she seemed vexed to be partnered with him. Finally maybe he could get under her skin and gain the upper hand. 

"Right" he retorted, his tone still full of sarcasm. "Because this is just a fantastic pair. The top student paired with someone who would rather write love letters than get a clue of what their doing. Perfect!" Rather than react in the way he had hoped Cassie's lips curled into a smirk.

"That's okay! As the top student I'll make sure we don't fail this assignment" she retorted back turning his insult right back around onto him. Draco stared at her, his disbelief evident as a scoff escaped his lips his brow furrowed in annoyance. 

"Did you just insult me" he started his voice dripping with superiority "me Draco Malfoy? I don't think you realise who you're talking to, little girl"

"I don't think you know who you are talking to, little boy!" she snapped back with perfect quick witted timing. 

Draco's eyes narrowed at her come back, his patience wearing thin. How the hell was she always so good at responding back the way she did. The way her lips curled up in pride as she still continued to keep her eyes peeled to the work in front of her. The way her cheeks had a pretty flush of pink to them visible only when she had one side of her hair pushed back. Wait, Draco thought, I'm staring again. He scoffed and turned to look at his own workbook, clenching his fists. Cassie's grin grew wider. 

"Oh really" he said sounded childish in a way when a child didn't get his own way, even to himself. "I'm pretty aware of who I am speaking to, mudblood. You seem a bit delusional. Who exactly are you to talk to me like that? Some nobody trying to act all tough"

"Oh" Cassie said finally looking up at him. "hit a nerve did I? Better go run and tell daddy. I'm sure he just can't wait to hear about this" she smirked, her tone full of venomous sarcasm. She glanced away from him and back down at her notes feeling herself close to laughing. 

She had in fact hit a nerve. Draco's annoyance flared into anger at her words. Turning his own words against him to mock him. He should have realised by now how often he used the threat of 'wait till my father hears about this' like he didn't use it practically every day! But it was his right. How dare she. How dare she know him so well, and know which buttons to push. 

Draco leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low, threatening tone. "Watch your tone, or I'll do something that will make you regret ever stepping foot in this class" he warned, his eyes ablaze like a dragon ready to cook it's prey. Cassie didn't even flinch. Her grin grew wider as she continued to write notes.

"I would love to see you try blondie" she said. Draco's face flushed in anger at her insolence, but he maintained a cool exterior, refusing to let her bait him. 

"Oh you're playing with fire now. You have no idea what you're dealing with. But if that's what you want..." He trailed off, his eyes dark as if implying another threat. One he meant.

Cassie looked at him bang on in the eyes, her icy blue coloured eyes completely void of fear. 

"You do not want to finish that sentence, blondie. You have no idea who you are messing with. Now, if you're quite done with your little tantrum, allow me to finish acing this assignment for the both of us. The sooner we can be done having to sit next to one another, the better!" 

Draco was so caught off guard by her attitude. He couldn't believe a mudblood, a muggleborn was standing up to him so confidently and without fear. She was cool as a cucumber, and not in any way afraid of him. He could threaten anything and she would just roll her eyes. If anything he was more afraid of her threat than vice versa. She was completely different to girl, in fact every muggleborn he had ever met. Nothing fazed her, besides her deep loyalty to protecting her friends. He scoffed trying to maintain his air of superiority.

"Yeah, yeah, you're just trying to rile me up, trying to get under my skin. It's not working" he said, clenching his fists tightly under the desk so hard his knuckles turned white.

Cassie looked him up and down like a little insect under her shoe. "Clearly!" She retorted raising an eyebrow before turning her attention back to her notes. Draco's eyes narrowed as he watched her look him over and retort back. Her beautiful eyes, no her disgusting eyes! He hated them! But he could not stop looking at her.

 Something about the way she held herself. The fearlessness in her gaze, that both annoyed and piqued his interest. It was almost like, could he, could he actually be enjoying the interaction?! No, he decided looking back at his workbook and muttering under his breath "Clearly" mimicking her words. 

Cassie smiled to herself. She couldn't lie she actually was enjoying their interaction. She loved how easily she could work him up. She loved the thrill of it, and watching him throw his little stuck up tantrums. Getting to knock pieces of his ego down was more fun than quidditch! And he made it far too easy. It was no longer about getting even for her friend Nattie, though she justified it that way regardless. This was a game she was thoroughly unwilling to stop playing.

Chapter Text

Draco noticed Cassie smirking away and let out a guttural growl leaning back in his seat. 

"What are you smirking about?!" He asked through clenched teeth. 

"Your face" she answered back with a slight chuckle. 

Draco's irritation grew as her grin widened, her chuckle sending unpleasant electric shivers through his veins. 

He couldn't believe she was continually teasing him like this and enjoying it too. Had he not endured enough from her? Did he have to hex her into oblivion to be rid of her.

"What do you mean my face?!" His voice dripping with irritation.

"ENOUGH you two!" Snape bellowed as he towered over their desk staring down at them with a stern brow. Draco and Cassie both stiffened at the sound of Snape's voice. They must have been arguing too loudly, because when Cassie looked half the class were snickering back and forth while looking their way. Cassie furrowed her brow feeling cross. What were they saying?! Draco turned to glare at Cassie as if to blame her for getting them both scolded. She might enjoy detentions he certainly did not. 

"Mudblood!" He insulted with venom.

"Daddies boy!" She insulted back quickly and with equal measured venom. Draco's eyes widened. He hadn't meant her to hear that, he must have said it far too loudly. 

"Excuse me? Did you just call me a daddies boy?!" he asked his voice dropping into a dangerous tone as he leaned closer to her. 

"ENOUGH!" Snape's patience had reached it's limit. He was ready to chain the pair of them up in the dungeons for a week until they bickered the stupid out of themselves. He slammed his hand down on their desk as he barked out "One more word out of either of you and you'll be in detention for a week!" He glided away hissing hoping he didn't have to intervene again. He hated insolence, arrogance and recklessness. All traits Cassie and Draco both seemed to possess. That and Cassie was a contemptuous rule breaker. 

Draco and Cassie quickly stopped their bickering and quickly turned their attention to Snape, properly chastened by his sharp instruction. They sat in silence for several moments, avoiding looking at each other. Draco was fuming, but he knew better than to push Snape. Plus he didn't want to admit that he was feeling a strange mix of irritation and admiration for Cassie's stubbornness. 

The two of them remained silence for the rest of the class, Snape keeping a close watch on them both. Every now and then Draco felt his gaze shift towards her for the briefest of seconds. Once class ended Cassie hurriedly grabbed her stuff and handed in her parchment having completed the assignment.

Draco watched her walk out the room, his eyes tracking her movement for a moment as he handed in his completed assignment. He was sure he hadn't done too well, given his distraction. Snape had made a terrible decision to pair them together, Draco thought. How could he get his work done properly with her getting him in trouble. He had to admit though despite his annoyance towards her she was rather attractive. Plus she wasn't afraid to stand up to him, which he kind of admired. He hurriedly packed up his things then followed her outside of the classroom. 

Meanwhile Theo and Nattie followed each other to the Astronomy tower where they had begun hanging out together often. Nattie was enjoying his company so much, and she loved having a little secret. They had both decided to keep their friendship a secret for now, given the hostilities between the two houses currently. Even though Theo didn't care anymore what anybody thought. He liked Nattie a lot. She was so smart, funny, talented, and extremely beautiful inside and out. He hadn't been this happy in a long time.

"I cannot believe you have never travelled outside of England before" Theo said smiling as he handed her one of his cigarettes. 

"And I cannot believe you smoke this pretentious brand of cigarette, yet alas both are true!" She replied smirking and lighting up the overly expensive cigarette. 

"No seriously Bella, your family never wanted to travel abroad before?" He enquired interested in learning more about her family. 

"Wanted and doing are both very different things" she said. "Of course my father wanted so much to take my mother to the Swiss alps, and take me and my two younger brothers to America to meet some distant relatives. But money is tight. Both my brothers and I cost them a fortune to put through school, and buy new materials and such, we basically take most of what my parents earn just so we can come here. My dad works for his brothers newspaper, the Quibbler. It doesn't bring in much money but it was my dads brother Xenophilius passion project and no one else would hire him"

"No one else would hire him? Why not?" Theo enquired making a mental note of the quibbler in his memory. 

"Well my father, just like his brother, is a very eccentric character. My mother is much more zen and balances him out. My brothers take after him actually, as does my cousin Luna. I'm more like my mother I guess. More of an observer. He did try to take a job working for the daily prophet but was laughed out of the interview. I remember the day actually. It was like a light had gone out in his eyes. It really hurt him and he just lost all confidence in himself. When his brother offered him a position at the Quibbler he took it, and took me with him for his first day. I was so proud of him, and told him as much. That brought back the missing light, and he was back to his old self again. My mother works as a librarian in Hogsmeade. Both jobs pay enough that we can get by but not enough to go abroad. Perhaps maybe when myself and my brothers graduate and start bringing in money we may be able to" She said wistfully, hoping she could do that for her family. Theo noted her dreamy look. 

"Wow. You are very lucky Bella" Theo said, almost feeling a pang of envy. 

"Why do you say that?" She queried noticing his solemn expression. 

"I wish I had that close of a bond with my family as you do. It's a blessing. It's just me and my father. I think my father would have wanted more children, but the day my mother died..." Theo paused for a moment and then opened up to Nattie about his mother and that tragic day she died. Nattie reached her hand out to take his, to give him comfort. 

"That is awful Theodore I am so very sorry" She said squeezing his hand. Theo looked up at her from under the mop of hair he had tried to hide behind to hide the tears. He felt so close to her. Her beautiful dark eyes bored into his and he was lost in them. The soft touch of her hand in his. Without realising he rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. His eyes trailed down to her lips. Her red painted lips. He suddenly had the urge to smudge the lipstick with his thumb and then passionately kiss them. As his body began to slowly lean forward she turned away pulling himself together. 

"Theo. You can call me Theo" He muttered, his voice a little too high pitched. He wanted to kiss her he did. But it was not the right time to even see if she wanted that too. It was too soon, and he was too emotional in that moment it would not have been right. 

"Theo" She repeated. His stomach completely churned, flipped and twisted as her honey coated voice said his name. She had said his name before. In this moment he wanted desperately for her to say it again. And again. And never stop saying it. What had gotten into him?! He needed a cold shower, he decided to himself. 

"Are you not close with your father?" She asked delicately bringing him out of his amorous thoughts. 

"No. Not really. I don't agree with his beliefs. I don't agree with the traditions passed down. I've seen too much to make such bold statements as he does about the races" he answered coldly. There was bitterness there on his part. 

"Hm yes I understand. It is good though that you have been able to make up your own mind on things" She said. 

"It makes it harder actually. I can never be myself. Except when I am with you" He said looking up into her eyes once again. He meant it too. He was only his true self with Nattie, free to be himself, and express himself how he wanted. Nattie blushed, looking shyly to the ground. She was starting to feel something deeper than her original crush, and their new found friendship. She had the warm fuzzies tickling her belly right now. The idea that he was only himself with her made her feel happy, and yet also sad for him. She felt his gaze on her and was petrified to look up into his eyes. They were so beautiful. Dark blue like the ocean. She would get lost in them if she looked and he clearly just saw her as a friend. Someone like him would never consider someone like her for a partner. She gave his hand another squeeze and pulled back.

Draco had followed Cassie throughout the castle to the courtyard outside, where she took a seat on one of the unoccupied benches. He watched as she opened up a curious looking book and began to read it. 

Draco hesitated not wanting to disturb her but also feeling the need to say something. He was about to turn around and leave when he accidentally stepped on a twig, making a loud cracking noise.

"You following me?" Cassie snarked. Draco jumped slightly, surprised by her noticing his presence, and annoyed at himself for stepping on that bloody twig. He tried to play it cool, putting on his usual cool, arrogant smirk.

"What me following you?! Of course not. I just happened to be going in the same direction, that's all" he said smoothly, his nose stuck high in the air. Cassie looked at him furrowing her brow and the huffed in amusement. 

"Sure!" she replied sarcastically. 

Draco smirked and bit his lip, realising she wasn't buying his little lie. He stepped closer moving until he was now standing directly in front of her. 

"Alright fine I was following you. Is that what you want to hear?" He said looking her up and down as though to try to intimidate her. "I wanted to see what you were up to"

"Reading...Maybe you should try it sometime, or can you not do that either?" she retorted smirking heavily. He made it too easy for her to jab him. Draco rolled his eyes but couldn't help cracking a smile. She sounded so much like he did on a daily basis. He really had met his match. She was so damn sassy, he almost admired it. 

"Oh, really? You're just reading huh?! What exactly are you reading? Some romance novel perhaps? Something to keep you entertained while you wait for your Prince charming to show up?"

Cassie looked up feeling irked by that insult. As if she would ever be caught dead wasting time reading a romance novel. Those were for muggles who were foolish enough to believe in happily ever after! Love was cruel, and painful. Even letting Nattie and Luna into her heart had been difficult because should anything happen to them it would destroy her entirely. So the idea of getting carried away with notions of romance was completely off the table for her. 

"Actually, it's a lost Icelandic language book! I found it in the..." she trailed off, hesitant to finish her sentence lest he get her in trouble. 

Draco cocked an eyebrow surprised by her answer. He was expecting her to say something predictable, like a fairy tale or history book. But a lost Icelandic language book? He found himself intrigued by her now. 

"You found it in the what?" He asked curious now. Cassie sighed. She could not think of a good enough plausible lie so the truth would have to do. If he ratted on her, then she would hex him for it, she decided to herself.

"The restricted section" She murmured unreluctantly. She regretted opening her mouth now. She had been so quick to defend what she was reading that she allowed herself to slip up. With Draco of all people. She would be more careful next time. 

Draco's eyes widened in surprise. The restricted section! That was no simple thing to do to sneak in there. He had been caught the first and last time he tried to do that. Most students were unless they were lucky enough to be favoured by teachers to be gifted an invisibility cloak. Potter, he cursed to himself. 

"How the hell did you manage that?" He asked.

"With great ease" She boasted grinning wildly. Draco chuckled shaking his head in amusement. 

"Cocky aren't we? You think you're all that and a bag of chips, sneaking into restricted sections and reading obscure books? You must think you're quite the little rebel"

She raised an eyebrow at him looking up once again from her pages. "This coming from you?!"

Draco rolled his eyes amused at her retort as he bit his lip again. She was quick on her feet he had to give her that. 

"Oh please" he began, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Me, a rebel? I'm more like a model student, really. I do everything the professors tell me" he lied knowing that wasn't the truth in the slightest. Though he was just playing her game of sarcastic comebacks and jabs, Cassie's tone seemed to shift. She was annoyed. 

"Except when you and your cronies are bullying students for no good reason" She retorted back, reminding him she had not forgotten how Crabbe and Goyle had pushed her best friend to the floor, while they all laughed at her. She was reminding herself also. She had started to find herself enjoying this back and forth banter with Draco, though she would never admit it. She had to make sure he knew she was still holding a grudge.

Draco's smirk faltered slightly as she brought up his past bullying behaviour. More over his lack of stopping his friends from hurting Nattie mindlessly. 

"That, that, that was different. Crabbe and Goyle are just rough around the edges. They get a little carried away sometimes" He shifted on his feet feeling a pang of guilt, but trying not to show it. 

"Yeah well my threat still stands. If any of you touches Nattie again, I'll be the one getting carried away. And you won't want that, believe me" She threatened, irritated by the fact he just couldn't get it. He couldn't just admit they were wrong. He was still defending them. Pitiful, she thought to herself. 

Draco rolled his eyes again, though this time it seemed to be more of a defense mechanism than anything. 

"Ooo threats from the little mudblood! I'm so scared" He scoffed, his tone laced with sarcasm, trying to hide how he secretly respected her for standing up for her friend. 

"You should be princess!" She jabbed back, if he was so comfortable calling her mudblood she would find every uncomfortable insult she could to hit back. Draco's eyes widened at being called princess. He bristled, feeling his face flush in anger. No one had ever called him something so unmasculine before, especially not a mudblood. 

"Princess!" He spluttered, trying to regain his composure. "You think I'm a princess?!"

Cassie burst out laughing. She tried to contain herself at his outraged response, but she couldn't help it. Maybe now he knew in some small way what it felt like. 

"You sure act like one!"

Draco huffed in annoyance at Cassie laughing at him. He could feel his face burning, but he refused to show her how flustered he was. How dare she insult his masculinity and have the nerve to laugh about it. "Oh that's rich! You're the one reading some dusty old book in the middle of the school day, and you think I'm the princess. At least I don't hide out here all day pretending some kind of, of intellectual" 

"Don't be salty Blondie" She replied her tone laced with a patronising tone. "If you're nice, maybe I'll teach you how to read" 

Draco rolled his eyes, feeling more and more annoyed at her mocking tone. God she was annoying! He couldn't help but scoff at the suggestion. Him needing help with reading?! Never!

"I don't need any help learning how to read, thank you very much. I'm top of every class. I'm the smartest student in the whole school" He puffed out his chest a bit, trying to make himself look taller and cooler. 

"You have a massive ego, don't you?" she smirked raising her eyebrow and shaking her head. 

Draco stopped himself from smirking, feigning modesty for a moment. "You're right, of course I have a gigantic ego. But can you blame me when I'm this wonderful?" As he said it out loud, he realised how pretentious he sounded, but deep down he agreed with himself. 

Cassie choked on a chuckle. "Oh my god!" She scoffed. "You really are in love with yourself, aren't you?"

Draco folded his arms across his chest and grinned confidently. "What can I say? I'm charming, handsome and extremely talented. You can't blame me for loving myself, can you?" he retorted unable to hide his smirk now. Despite her teasing he was actually finding himself enjoying their banter. 

Cassie smiled too, hiding her face, as she too was finding herself enjoying the banter. It was like a fun game of cat and mouse that just never ended when he was around. 

"Yeah, you're a great catch!" She snarked sarcastically, still grinning to herself. 

Draco's smirk widened at her sarcastic remark. He couldn't help but laugh at her attempt to undermine him. "I know I am. I'm a catch for any girl in this school. They all love me" He cocked his head to one side, giving her a knowing smirk, as if to say except you, obviously. For a brief moment Cassie looked him over. She wasn't one for going round looking at boys and rating their attractiveness in her head. She looked him up and down and then into his eyes, as hers narrowed. She supposed he wasn't necessarily bad looking. His eyes were beautiful, a lovely light grey colour. When he smiled it made them sparkle just that little bit more, and that she determined was an attractive quality. And his hair was a unique ice blonde colour that made him distinctive next to all the other boys at school. He was alright, she supposed, given his personality. Her thoughts instantly went back to Nattie, and her expression turned serious.

"Just leave Nattie alone alright? She doesn't deserve the cruelty" though she was serious she kept her tone lighter this time as more of a plea than a demand. 

Draco's smirk faded a bit as Cassie's tone changed. He didn't like being confronted about the bullying, it brought up feelings of guilt. He hated feeling guilty, hated it with a passion. He rolled his eyes to himself.

"Fine. I won't let Crabbe or Goyle mess with your friend, all right? But that's only because you asked me to do it. Got it?" He said, scratching his head why he was taking orders from her. He couldn't stop himself.

"Nice to know I only need to ask and you'll do it" she smirked closing her book. Draco huffed a bit at her smug smirk, but he couldn't exactly deny she was right. Like she had this power over him or something. What the hell had gotten into him?!

"Yeah well don't get used to it. I don't take orders from anyone, especially not you" He retorted trying to sound self assured. 

"Hm" She studied him for a moment. "Well as long as you leave my girls alone, we don't have any problems, Blondie" 

Draco couldn't help but smirk again at the nickname blondie. No one had ever dared call him anything other than his name, and hearing the familiar yet insulting nickname coming from her mouth felt different somehow. He felt his stomach twist strangely, and before he could stop himself he responded. "Fine, I'll leave your little squad alone, but only because you asked nicely"

"Thanks. And if you wouldn't mind I would like to read in peace. So, you know, scram" she shoed him away with a hand gesture. 

Draco rolled his eyes, annoyed by her dismissal. 
"Fine I have better things to do anyway!" Shooting her another glare he shoved his hands into his pockets and turned to leave. He only stopped to call over his shoulder. "See you around Mudblood!"

"You better hope you don't, Princess" She retorted back, grinning. Draco paused for a moment and glared back at her as if about to say something. But he restrained himself. He knew she was just trying to get under his skin. And he probably shouldn't have called her mudblood. He didn't mean to its just she had a way. A way that made him reactionary in the moment and revert back to his bad behaviour. The behaviour that found him often being a bully. He was too quick to trigger. 

So instead of biting her bait he walked away without another word, his mind full of conflicting thoughts about the annoying girl with the big mouth.

Cassie looked up watching him go smiling to herself before getting back to reading in peace.

Later that evening Cassie was walking back to her Ravenclaw common room when she spotted Draco in a back and forth argument with his father, Lucius. No one else was around. She quickly hid herself from view as she watched Lucius slam his son into the wall and aggressively slap him across the face.

Draco had been surprised that Lucius had come to Hogwarts to speak with him. Lucius rarely bothered unless it was to scold him or scold the headmaster. This time Lucius was furious to find out Draco wasn't top of his classes, in fact Cassie was. 

Lucius eyes narrowed with disappointment as he looked at his only son with shame and fury. 

"The shame of my child, a Malfoy, allowing some filthy mudblood to out perform him in every class" He scolded his voice cold and menacing. Lucius was furious he had, had to be pulled away from his work for this. He hadn't raised Draco to be second place. Second place was in his mind first to lose. It was unacceptable for a Malfoy not to win everything. He had given everything to Draco. The best wand, broom, clothing, the best tutoring, tailors, hair stylists etc etc. Nothing Draco owned was old it was brand new and expensive to show their wealth and status. All he asked was Draco excel in everything he did. Losing to a muggleborn...of all things was the most disgusting failure Draco had done yet. And Lucius would not allow it to continue on. 

"Is this the legacy you want to leave behind Draco? Are you trying to make a fool out of me?" Lucius continued, whacking Draco's shoulder with his pointy cane. Draco winced but stood as tall as he could. He clenched his fists, feeling the weight of his father's expectations pulling him down. He felt the anger building inside of him, the anger he had to supress. Lucius was the one person he could not stand up to, and so all that repressed anger and resentment got pushed down. And he had a lot of it hidden away. 

"I'm doing my best father. It's not my fault the teachers aren't giving me the credit I deserve. They give her extra points just because she's..." He hesitated, swallowing the rest of his sentence. He knew it was a lie anyways. Cassie was incredibly smart. She earned her grades, though Draco wished he could prove otherwise. Suddenly Draco felt his anger turn inwards. How could he have been so stupid as to keep allowing Cassie to bait him like she did. Even finding himself enjoying himself in their back and forth banter. She was his enemy! He had forgotten. And now as Lucius cane slammed down hard over the back of his hand Draco was reminded. His hand began to bleed and he let out a tiny shrill squeal and grabbed his injury. 

Lucius snarked at Draco. "Quiet, boy!" he placed his cane at Draco's throat, piercing the tip into his skin drawing a tiny bit more blood. "You are so fucking weak! I didn't raise you to be this pathetic and pitiful! Pull yourself together and do what I asked of you. Top grades and nothing less. If I have to come back to this wretched school again just to hear some mudblood girl is besting my son again..." he leaves the threat hanging in the air. His eyes dripping an acidic glow. He used his cane one more time hitting the back of Draco's injured hand once again. Draco cried out in pain as the cane came crashing down onto his hand once again. The blood was now pooling all over his robes. He clutched his hands at his chests forcing the tears behind his eyes back down. 

"Father stop please your hurting me. I need my hands for..."

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Lucius lost it raising his cane a top of Draco's head, his arm stiffening in the way it did when he was ready to beat something black and blue. Draco flinched and cowered his eyes squeezing shut as he awaited the heavy blow that would probably knock him out. But Lucius held back. He did not wish to harm the boys face, for no other reason that needing it to remain unblemished so it did not look bad on the family. Imperfection was not tolerated. But how he had wanted to crack his head open in that moment. Lucius' fists clenched tightly. 

Cassie watched in absolute horror as Lucius hit and injured Draco. She winced at every blow, and clutched her hands to her mouth to stop from yelling out. A fear had washed over her. A triggered fear. Memories of her own beatings as a child flooding her mind. It was so similar. So menacing. Lucius was just like her own father. Suddenly she was now afraid of two people. 

Draco was breathing heavily still waiting to see what his father would do next. He daren't move, daren't speak. He knew doing so would make it worse it always did. Both his hands shook from the pain as his father placed his wand under Draco's chin and forced him to look into his eyes. He could see the anger and disappointment in Lucius eyes and it made him feel pathetic. He swallowed hard trying to keep his voice steady. 

"Do you understand what is required of you boy? Or do I need to show you again what will happen if you fail me once more?!" Lucius snarled. 

"I-I understand, father" he spoke through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse and shaky. He hated the way his father was looking at him with such disgust. "I will show her who is in charge. I won't let the filthy mudblood beat me again!" He promised, his voice more determined than ever. Lucius removed his wand and stormed off down the corridor cursing his sons name under his breath as he left. Once out of sight Draco let out a shaky breath. 

His hands were still throbbing with pain, and he could no longer hold back the tears. Without another moments hesitation Draco dashed down the halls of Hogwarts heading towards the prefects bathroom, needing somewhere to be alone. He would not let anyone see him cry. 

Cassie hesitated, feeling a pang of intense pity for Draco. In this moment she was torn. She had been so hard on him and it was making her feel guilty. She didn't realise Draco, like herself, knew such cruelty and violence. Perhaps this explained some of his behaviour, she thought to herself, overanalysing everything she thought she knew up until this point about Draco Malfoy. As she watched him run off looking so broken and upset the empathetic side to her felt pulled to go help in some way. 

Cassie followed him through the halls, unable to stop herself. She followed him to the prefects bathroom walking in to seeing him crying as he clutched the sinks in front of him. 

Chapter Text

Cassie's heart began racing anxiously as she stood in the doorway of the prefects bathroom looking over at a broken, crying Draco. This was a whole other side to him she didn't even think for one second existed. She just assumed he was some daddies boy with daddies credit card, being told his whole life he is better than everyone and spoilt rotten. But it was far deeper, far more sinister than that. Never in a million years did she think she could begin to relate to Draco Malfoy! Draco Malfoy of all people?! 

Draco was trembling, as he held onto the bathroom sink having splashed his face with cold water to try and stop himself from crying. 

His injured hand continued to drip blood into the sink. He was too caught up in his own pain and self loathing to notice Cassie had entered the room. 

"God damnit!" He cried out, his voice strained with both sadness and anger. When he did notice her he stiffened and felt his heart drop into his gut. There she stood, the girl who had caused this. She was the reason he had just been shamed by his father. He did his best to compose himself.

"What the hell do you want?!" he snapped, doing his best to hide his vulnerability by replacing it with anger. Cassie flinched backwards ever so slightly. She studied him, his red, puffy eyes, though he tried to hide them under the mop of his blonde hair. This was all too familiar to her. She felt so sorry for him. 

"I-I...heard someone upset. I uh, I was worried" she stuttered softly doing her best to not embarrass him while at the same time let him know she wanted to make sure he was okay. Draco was having non of it. He rolled his eyes and scoffed loudly at her reasoning. He found it hard to believe she of all people would even care about his wellbeing.

"Worried about me? Yeah, right! Why would you care?" He folded his arms across his chest and leant against the sink staring her down with vitriol. 

Cassie folded her arms defensively. "Well I don't...much" 

Draco laughed humourlessly. "Yeah that's more what I thought. You're probably just here to enjoy my misery or something, aren't you?! Well, congratulations you found it!" He said, hating her being here right now in his most vulnerable moment. Couldn't she give him a break just once. Did she have to come in here and start on him. 

But that wasn't what Cassie intended and his words caused a pain to sear through her chest. She shifted around on her feet awkwardly, not able to say a single word. What could she say? She didn't like Draco, but she felt sorry for him?! But then she wasn't even sure if she did or didn't like Draco, or if she had started to like him through finding a commonality. Her mind had become scrambled when it came to him now. When before it was simple. He was the slytherin boy who stood by while he friend got ruthlessly pushed to the floor. He was the boy who was known for bullying and acting like top boy at Hogwarts. Now he was the boy that just like her had an abusive, violent, menacing father for what reason?! Not one that would ever excuse Lucius' actions. 

Draco leaned over the sink to splash some cold water over his face again, to calm himself down. His injured hand shook as her did. He glanced in the mirror, seeing the awkward way she stood, shifting on her feet. He felt a pang of something almost like guilt. Perhaps he was being too harsh. But why was she even here?! Why act now like she cares all of a sudden.

"Why are you really here then?" he asked his tone softer this time. 

"I-I was just trying to be nice" she struggled to say, unable to look him in his eyes. "I'm sorry for disturbing you"

Draco rolled his eyes and let out a sharp laugh "You, trying to be nice? What a shock!" he mocked his tone sarcastic. 

"I'm not the bully am I?" She retorted defensively, frowning in frustration. She really had just been trying to be nice, having felt a kinship towards him after his exchange with his father. He was the last person on this earth she ever thought she would feel a kinship towards. But even now she understood his defensive attitude. Unlike her he mustn't have had a Maria in his early stages to show him kindness when others showed him non. Even though Maria hadn't been in her life long before she was forced to kill her, it had been enough to leave behind a shred of compassion within Cassie. She didn't want to fight with Draco right now, but he was making it impossible. 

Draco chuckled darkly, shaking his head as he responded. "Yeah, right! Like you're a saint" he spat looking her up and down like she was pure filth "I'm sure you've never been mean to anyone ever!" he sneered.

"Only those who deserve it!" she snarled. Now he was testing her patience. 

Draco felt a twinge of anger at her words. How dare she act all holier than now! 

"And who are you to decide who deserves what? You a measly mudblood, think you can just judge others?" He snipped in an attempt to make her feel small. The fact she felt she was the authority on who deserved kindness and who didn't made him feel sick. She had just as big an ego as he did, he thought, yet acted as though she was the saint.

Cassie was enraged. Though she felt sorry for him, she also felt so vexed by him. "When five stuck up little princesses decide to go around knocking girls to the floor just to laugh at them, then yeah, I judge, and I judge hard"

Draco clenched his fists angrily as she brought up Crabbe and Goyle's actions once again as though this was now her excuse for everything. He quickly stifled his reaction, not wanting to show her that it bothered him more than he let on. He was sick of her having the upper hand.

"They were just messing around. They weren't trying to hurt her" he lied "They're just, they're stupid that's all" he grumbled defensively. Though he knew the truth he wanted to get under her skin for once, rile her up. Make her blow a gasket. And it was working. He was getting to her. 

"Very stupid" she responded through gritted teeth.

Draco rolled his eyes, frustrated that she just didn't understand. "Yeah okay they're stupid, I get it, alright?! You don't have to rub it in" He said his guilt flooding to the surface. 

Cassie smirked, her bravado showing through as smug "That's because I'm better than you" her expression moved to serious "but that doesn't stop me from caring if I see-hear someone upset" 

Draco glowered at her smug smirk, his hands clenching into fists at his sides once again as she managed to rile him up so easily. Hearing her admit that she actually cared about his being upset made him scoff in disbelief. It was total crap. She was a stuck up muggleborn who didn't understand her place in society. 

"Why do you even care?! You hate me, why would you care if I'm upset?" He snapped, his voice dripping with annoyance.

"There are very few people I actually hate, and it's for a good reason. I don't hate you. I don't like you, but hate is too strong. And caring is what nice people do Draco" 

Draco raised an eyebrow at her words. Part of him wasn't sure if he believed her, but her statement only fuelled his annoyance. "Right. You don't hate me, you just don't like me. That's supposed to be a compliment?" He retorted sarcastically. "Caring is what nice people do huh?! And you - you think you're so nice because you stopped by to see if I'm okay? Who do you think you're fooling?!"

Cassie really felt enraged now. He was so vexing. "Someone like you wouldn't understand because I actually have a heart" she spat venomously in defence. She was beginning to wish she had just gone on about her evening and left him to it. Foolish of her to check on him. He was a miserable, whiney git and could fuck off as far as she was concerned. 

Draco clenched his jaw feeling a flash of anger coursing through him. How could she act all righteous like that? "Oh I wouldn't understand, because I'm the one that's heartless? Please!" He laughed darkly. "I have a heart like anyone else, it's just that I don't go around fucking advertising it like the show off you are! I think you are the one that's the princess here. Trying to seem more compassionate and caring than you probably are!"

Cassie felt infuriated. She felt the anger rising up in her to boiling point, unable to keep her cool. She moved forward squaring up in front of his face as though to challenge him. 

"You don't know a thing about me! It was stupid of me to even follow you to make sure you were okay. My bad! Don't worry your pretty little princess self, I won't make that mistake again!" She barked. 

Draco felt his own anger flaring up to match hers. How dare she stand there looking so defiant, calling him princess, and accusing him of being heartless. He stepped closer getting right up in her face. 

"Don't act all high and mighty!" He growled. "You think you're better than me because you act all fucking caring, but you don't know the first thing about me either. And don't you dare call me a fucking princess again mudblood! You have no right, you're nothing!" He spat. 

"I'll call you what I like, Princess, since you think it's okay to go around calling people mudbloods like thats not the most offensive insult in the wizarding world!"

Draco glared back into her eyes, feeling his temper rising with each passing second. Why did she have to be so stubborn?! It annoyed him so much.

"That's not the same thing!" He snapped his voice rising in frustration.

"No you're right it's not the same thing its actually worse! You act all superior and stuck up because why? Your a pureblood?! Congratulations, it doesn't make a damn difference. Just because daddy tells you you're better than everyone else doesn't mean you are! Blood, has nothing to do with skill!" She retorted in defence of all muggleborns. This infuriated Draco further. How dare she act like he was the one acting superior and stuck up. It was his birth right to be better, she had no idea what she was talking about. He wanted to shut her mouth. Snap it shut so she couldn't say another word. 

"Of course it makes me better than you! That's how the world works I'm sorry to say little girl. Just because your daddy didn't teach you, you're bottom of the fish pond don't take it out on me. Purebloods are just the better race, it's been that way for hundreds of thousands of years and will continue to be that way"

"Hah!" Cassie scoffed. "What a joke! Considering I am actually out performing you in every bloody class. I think that rather proves your little beliefs to be false princess!"

"Stop fucking calling me that!" He snapped his nose practically pressed up against hers as he towered over her in anger. "You think just because you get a few higher grades than me that changes the natural order of things? I hate to break it to you little girl it doesn't! You're just the exception that proves the rule. You're not really better than me you are just a fluke"

Cassie laughed in disgust. "Whatever helps you sleep at night. But you know I am better than you in everything, and yet I'm muggle born"

Draco clenched his jaw, anger blazing in his eyes. He felt a strong urge to show her, her place, to prove he was superior. "No, you're not better than me! No matter what grades you get. I don't care how good you think you are, you will never be better than me!" 

"Care to prove that?!" Cassie challenged a grin forming on her lips. Draco scoffed back. He could feel his adrenaline pumping as the words fell from his lips. 

"You really want me to prove that, huh? I'm more than happy to do it if you think you can handle it"

Cassie hissed. "I'll be perfectly fine. You on the other hand...I challenge you to a duel Malfoy. Midnight tonight, outside the entrance of the forbidden forest, alone, when everyone is asleep"

Draco was speechless for a moment, surprised she had challenged him to a duel. He just thought they would fight it out right then and there and he would torment her a little till she relented. 

"Wait you're actually serious? You want to duel me tonight?"

"Unless you don't think you can handle that princess" she mocked further fuelling his adrenaline. 

"I'll be there!" He replied firmly. "You'll regret challenging me little girl, just you wait" He threatened. "Don't expect me to go easy on you just because you're a girl"

"Yeah, same to you. Don't expect me to go easy on you just because you're a princess"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Stop calling me that! I'm gonna wipe the floor with you tonight mark my words! You won't be able to cast even the most basic of spells!"

Cassie cackled "Sure, we'll see" And with that she turned her back to leave. Draco watched her walk away, seething with anger and disappointment. How dare she think she was better than him! After tonight she will never step out of place again! 

"Until tonight then mudblood" He called after her letting the insulting nickname roll off his tongue. 

Elsewhere in the castle Nattie and Luna were worried they hadn't seen Cassie in a while. 

"It's not like her to be this late back" Luna said. 

"I hope she hasn't been caught sneaking into the restricted section again. I keep telling her she needs to stop. I am so worried she is going to get expelled" Nattie replied truly fearful given the amount of detentions Cassie was racking up. 

"Even Harry doesn't enter the restricted section that often and he has his cloak. We just have to hope Cassie will be careful" Luna said softly. Nattie nodded. 

"By the way cousin...you've been spending a lot of time with Potter lately, are you two..." Nattie enquired a tiny smile on her lips. Luna blushed.

"Oh no. Harry is very sweet. But he is like a loveable brother" Luna replied whimsically. "Besides I think he has his eye on Cho right now"

"Are there any boys you like, like?" Nattie pushed more genuinely interested. Since Nattie had sparked a close bond with Nott she longed to share with her cousin and Cassie but she was scared they would judge her for liking a Slytherin, and getting close to one. In particular a Slytherin like Nott who came from a prestigious family. 

"Nattie!" Luna giggled. "I am far too busy training in new charms right now than to think about boys. But I suppose Neville is quite cute" 

"Neville?!" Nattie was intrigued now. "Longbottom Neville?"

"Yes. He is very sweet, and he has a particular love for plants which I find very commendable" 

Nattie smiled. It was nice to be getting caught up with Luna. Luna had gotten very busy with her newer friends Harry, Ron and Hermione. So time was precious when they had some together. 

"He seems very nice I must say" Nattie said, contemplating telling Luna about Nott. As she went to open her mouth she spotted Nott in the doorway entrance to the ravenclaw commons gesturing for her to go to him. Her heart began racing. She had only just seen him, not that long ago. Now he was back. What did he want. "Give me a minute" Nattie said sheepishly, as she jogged to the door. 

"Hm...Odd" Luna remarked cocking her head to the side as she watched her cousin dash out of the commons. But Luna was not one to spy. If Nattie wanted her to know what that was about she would tell her. 

"Theo what are you doing here you could be caught?!" Nattie whispered under her breath and Theo pulled her into the corridor and into a nook in the wall out of sight. 

"I know I had to see you bella" He replied, his mouth curling into a sweet smile. As Nattie flushed hot she suddenly noticed how close Theo's face was to hers, his beautiful eyes boring down into hers. She swallowed hard.

"What is it?"

Theo had been wanting to do this since the first moment they spent talking in the Astronomy tower. 

He had wanted to kiss her beautiful, delicate red lips, and taste her lipstick. He wanted to run his fingers through her silky jet black hair and claim her as his. There was something between them. Something impalpable. A heavy magnetism that pulled them together every chance they could. As he reached his hand up to touch her soft, pale skin she closed her eyes and hitched her breathe. He ran his thumb along her lips, gently smudging her lipstick across his thumb. 

"Mi Tesoro bella, you have ignited a fire within my soul that burns brighter than any star in the sky" he murmured in his perfect deep Italian accent. Nattie felt her knees unbuckling, her head go dizzy, her stomach fluttering into specs of dust at his words. It was true there was a fire between them. The more they talked in secret, the more they began to like one another. He felt like the missing piece to her heart. A heart she never thought she would willingly give away. 

"Tell me bella, tell me to stop, I'll stop. Tell me what you want, mi amore" he was completely and utterly enamoured with her beauty and her heart. 

Nattie swallowed hard double over as her palms began to sweat. "I can't do that" she croaked her voice giving her away as her heart thumped in her chest. Theo smiled. A smile that finished Nattie off as his lips crashed into hers, his tongue passionately finding hers. He pressed his body hard into hers, as he pinned her hands against the wall, dragging his lips from hers down her neck, up to her earlobes as he nibbled them and soaked in her scent. 

"Mi amore bella!" He kept whispering as he kissed every part of her neck and face, and back to her lips. Her red lipstick stained his lips and smudged round the edges as he kissed her passionately. She did not care. She was completely and utterly lost in his kiss, in the fire that was burning between them. A heavy desire for more burned deep down inside of her. She felt herself pulsate in places she never thought possible, as her body cried out for more. A tiny moan escaped her lips into his mouth and he growled. 

"Bella you will ruin me" He moaned biting her bottom lip and breathing in her sharp gasp. He smiled over her lips, teasing her, as he pulled back and leant against the wall. Nattie was breathless and panting. Her eyesight was foggy as she opened them again to see him staring at her, with that smile. That absolute smile of lust as his eyes undressed her. She would ruin him?! No it was him who would ruin her. And she would let him. 

"Wow" Was all she could muster up to say. His smile intensified. 

"Don't you dare move bella, I'm not finished with you yet. I just thought you needed a minute to catch your breath" he teased his eyes trailing slowly down her body. Nattie's insides twisted into knots. What was he doing to her?! She would never catch her breath again if he continued to speak this way. He kicked off of the wall and moved into her body once more, gently touching his nose to hers. 

"You make me feel like there is sunlight illuminating my dark world Nattie Nemora" His fingers began trailing her collarbone as they found her hair. "Kissing you is like being kissed by the gods. I am yours bella, yours completely. You have my heart from now until eternity" his lips found hers once again, gently kissing her as his fingers entangled themselves in her hair. Nattie's heart had not stopped thumping and skipping with every word. She knew Italians had a way with their words. She had read many romance novels in the dark of the night to know this well. But something in his voice, in the intense way he had pursued her this night, in the way he looked at her, made her believe he meant every word. She could not believe her luck. Nattie giggled on his lips causing him to pull away and smile curious to her reaction. 

"Bella? My lips are funny to you are they?" He teased playfully smirking. 

Nattie got all flustered and her cheeks flushed pink. "No, no. I just...I thought you would only ever see me as a friend. This is quite the surprise you have given me tonight Nott" She smirked back. His hand cupped her face gently yet possessively. 

"Nattie Nemora I could never see someone like you as just a friend. You are a goddess carved from the gods. Your beauty bewitched me the first time I saw you. And then you allowed me to get to know you better and I knew I had to do something tonight or I would miss my chance" He brushed her lips sweetly with his, leaving a trail of kisses across her cheeks and up to her eyelids. The tickle of his lips made her giggle again.

"You are a poet with your words" She smirked, smiling sweetly. He looked into her eyes, his expression serious. 

"I mean every word. I am yours if you will have me bella" he waited for her response. Her hand gently pressed against his cheek causing his eyes to flutter shut and open again. 

"If you are mine, then I know I am yours without question Theo" she responded her heart still beating hard against his fast beating heart. He gently placed his forehead against hers smiling so deeply happy for the first time in a long time. 

"Mi amore, tesoro, you are mine forever" His hold on her was strong, possessive, and loving. Everything she wanted and more. 

The two of them were disturbed by Luna ducking out of the common rooms and walking passed them, gasping as she saw the two of them embracing. Nattie flushed red hot. 

"Oh! Luna!" She yelped, not knowing what to do. Luna's expression remained whimsical and sweet though. 

"Sorry if I disturbed you, Neville asked me to go to the Library to help him with an assignment. Continue as you were" she said sweetly, skipping off to the Library to meet Neville. 

"I guess that means she approves" Theo said smirking. Nattie chuckled both her hands clutching at her mouth. 

"I guess so! It's Cassie that will be the difficult one" Nattie replied, suddenly feeling a knot in her stomach at the thought of Cassie's reaction. She valued Cassie's opinion but Cassie didn't know Theo the way she did. And given his close association with Draco Malfoy and others she didn't think she would want to even try to get to know him. Theo gently stroked her cheek with his hand. He didn't care one bit what Cassie thought but he did care how Nattie felt. And Nattie did care about Cassie. Therefor he would have to try with her. 

"Don't worry yourself bella, I can be quite charming when I want to be" he smirked. 

"Oh I know you can" Nattie replied blushing. "But you don't know Cassie"

"Not as well as Draco does!" He commented with a sarcastic scoff at the thought. All the times Draco complained to him about her. He felt like he did know her. He heard her name more than his own! 

"Oh god. Does he talk about her as much as she talks about him?" Nattie asked curious now. 

"Nattie mi tesoro, getting him to talk about anything, anything else is impossible! He never shuts up about her. How annoying she is, and how much she purposefully riles him up. Honestly I think they should both just kiss and be done with it" Theo said rolling his eyes. Nattie gasped.

"No way! No! No no no, not Cassie and...Draco" and then something occurred to Nattie. "although...she does seem to go on about him quite a lot too. And I catch her sometimes when they are back and forth bickering, smiling to herself like she is enjoying the interaction"

"I'm telling you bella it's built up tension between them, they are just too blind to see" He said stroking her face. 

"Wow...I can't imagine it really. I mean Draco hasn't really been the nicest too me, but he hasn't been horrible either. Unlike Crabbe and Goyle"

Theo tensed and the mention of them and the reminder of what they had done. Now more than ever he would never let harm her again. If it came down to it he would protect her with his life. She had become very precious to him. Them he despised. As for Draco, well he thought him pathetic and weak. 

"Honestly she can do better than Draco. He's a weak person" Nott scoffed resentfully. He couldn't forgive Draco's lack of involvement when it came to what Crabbe and Goyle did. And just in general he was fed up of them all, and their superiority complex. He just wanted to be with Nattie. 

"Yes. I don't like him for her either. I will have to speak to her" she said feeling anxious now that she stop her friend from getting too involved with someone like Draco. This made Nott smile. 

"Ah now who is being the overprotective friend" he teased. 

"Not funny" she smiled back playfully pushing him back. "I better go it's getting late" she said not wanting to let him go. 

"Goodnight mi tesoro bella" Theo muttered brushing her lips with his once again and kissing her forehead. 

"Goodnight Theo" She muttered back, watching him walk away down the halls sighing. She could never have expected to feel this happy. Everything felt perfect. Surely nothing could come along and mess that up?!

Chapter Text

Back in the present Cassie and Draco had managed to slip out of the manor unseen as Draco lead her through the secret underground passageway. 

Once they had made it out of the manor into the woods clearing Draco stumbled grasping his arm in agony. 

"Draco?" Cassie called out concerned. Draco's face twisted. 

"It's the mark, it's burning. It must be because I'm leaving my post" He whimpered, his face scrunched up in pain. He clutched at his arm, where for the past few months he had been scratching the dark mark tattoo endlessly, desperate to get rid of it. "I need to get rid of it, they can track me anywhere I go with it"

Cassie felt sick with worry. She also felt conflicted. She knew of a way to get rid of the mark. It was a long shot. Something she found in a very old book of dark, untested magic spells. The book had been stored right at the back of the restricted section, alongside a few other books which were clearly marked as dangerous and to not be read. Of course Cassie disregarded the warnings and read them all. In one of them there had been a spell to rid of magical marks. At the time of reading it she thought it useless given as far as her and her peers were aware, Voldemort was no more. But her memory had retained the information for the spell. However given what she knew about it...it wasn't the best option by any means. 

"There might be a way I can get rid of the mark, but it's..." she trailed off feeling reluctant to even share this with him. Draco, who was desperate, looked up at her with pleading eyes. 

"But it's what?" He pressed, needing to know. If there was a way to be rid of it he had to take it. Otherwise he would have to go back home. He and Cassie would not be safe so long as he had it. "Please Cassie what is it. If there is a way you have to do it"

"Come" She said, wrapping her arm around him to prop him up and help him through the woods. "There's a herb I need from the forest. We can't hang around here, we will get caught" she hurriedly pulled him along. Draco clung to her, his arm burning so intolerably the further they ventured away from the manor. 

They both made their way further into the forest. Cassie began to explain what she knew about this spell.

"You have to trust me Draco. I can get rid of the mark for good, but it will be the worst pain you've ever suffered. Its a barbaric spell. If there was another way to do it I would I promise I would" She agonised over what she knew would be torture for Draco. He had already been through so much, she didn't want to put him through anymore. But in all her research she had found no other book of spells and potions ever mention removing dark magical tattoo's. 

"I do trust you Cassie" He whimpered. He didn't care what it took, he just needed to be rid of it. It was a stain. Every time he looked at his arm it made him feel sick and want to cry. It was a cruel reminder of all the terrible things he had done to innocents. 

"I trust you completely" 

Cassie felt her chest tighten and a strange feeling wash over her at his admission of complete trust in her. She swallowed hard and continued to explain.

"It will be the most unbearable pain you've ever faced. I will do everything in my power to help you through it. And after it's done I promise you can rest, I will watch over you" She promised him squeezing his hand gently as they continued through the forest. 

Draco bit his lip, a look of determination etched across his face. He was anticipating the pain that was coming, worse than what he already felt. But he was willing to endure it. In fact a part of him felt he deserved it. His memory took him back three years prior where he had been tasked with finding and killing Pansy Parkinson.

During the first few years of Hogwarts Pansy had been his girlfriend. It was nothing serious, given they were so young and also he wasn't all that interested in being serious. He just wanted to mess around with his friends and raise hell for Harry Potter and Potter's friends. Pansy followed him around everywhere. She had been infatuated with Draco since day one. No one else at that school had his ice blonde hair, and perfect, handsome features. She had ideas that one day she and him would marry have have a litter of blonde haired children. She would be forever tied to one of the most powerful families and therefor have a perfect housewife life in a huge manor, with everything she could ever want and dream about.

But fairy-tales are just that, and after year 2 at Hogwarts Draco broke things off with Pansy and asked her in his special not so polite way, to keep clear of him. 

Pansy did not take the news well. In fact she screamed his name in the hallways of Hogwarts crying hysterically and making a huge scene. She was a little unhinged. Over the summer break she would often cry in her room beside a shrine of photographs she had compiled on her wall of Draco the object of her obsession. As year 3 begun Pansy changed. She started wearing more makeup, and hanging around Blaise Zabini. Blaise was handsome, but a little shy and awkward around girls. So when Pansy wouldn't stop accosting him, he buckled and made her his girlfriend, much to Draco's annoyance. 

The two of them had a huge falling out, and it was only through pressure from both their fathers they mended fences. Draco had to accept Pansy would always be sniffing around. She had her ticket into their group, and Blaise wasn't smart enough to realise she was only using him. Using him to stay close to Draco who she hoped would one day change his mind. It was all very dramatic. 

In the last few years of Hogwarts when Draco had turned death eater and was tasked with Dumbledor's murder, Pansy became fearful of Draco. He changed quite rapidly over a short space of time. He became moodier, quicker to anger, and displayed aggression by punching holes in walls. Though he never raised a hand to anyone. Pansy started to take Zabini seriously and actually started to fall in love with him. He too fell for her, and stayed loyal by her side. Zabini, Pansy and Theo all began to distance themselves from Draco. And when Dumbledor was killed, instead of following Goyle and Crabbe's footsteps into joining the dark order, they pledged themselves to the rebels. It meant breaking ties with their own families, but Pansy had matured and actually had blossomed into a lovely girl. Zabini proposed to her, and she accepted. 

She became very close with Ginny Weasley, and helped the rebels with her insider knowledge gladly. Her own family disowned her, and told Voldemort of her betrayal. And so he tasked Draco with finding and killing her to serve as a reminder. If you go against the dark lord, and your own pure-blooded kind, you will be eliminated. Voldemort made it clear to Draco he was not to fail. 

Even though there was no love lost between Draco and Pansy he didn't hate her enough to wish death on her. He also cared for his friendship with Blaise. Even though it had dissolved, he still cared. Now he had to go and murder his old best friends fiance. 

It didn't take him very long to locate the pair. They were holding out in a little apartment close to Hogsmeade. Draco watched them for a few days to study their movements. He noticed that most days Zabini would go off to meet with the rebels. He found it odd they didn't go together though when he finally stormed into their apartment and disarmed Pansy he found out why. She was five months pregnant. 

He felt worse than he did when he stood in front of Dumbledor who had tried to plead with Draco that he understood and could help him. The moment he chose to cast the death curse he regretted the choice. But there was no going back he belonged to the dark lord now, and his father. He had no one who could rescue him, and give him another option. That had long sailed away with Dumbledor's death. They would kill him on sight if he even tried to approach the rebels and ask for amnesty. No he had no other choice. It was kill Pansy or face death himself. 

His hand trembled as he held out his wand. He chewed down on this bottom lip making it bleed into his mouth as he tried to stop the tears flowing. Pansy didn't deserve this. Blaise, certainly didn't deserve this. And so with a heavy heart, and a stomach full of acidic guilt, he cast the death curse, and ended Pansy and her unborn child's life. He fell to his knees, bursting into tears. Any last shred of hope he still had at that point was gone. This was his new life now, having to kill. And he knew at some point he would have to kill Blaise, and Theo, and whoever else the dark lord wished. But this one...this one hurt the most. He never stopped thinking about the unborn baby. Blaise and Pansy's child. Unfairly caught up in between the war of two sides of magic. Who knows what he or she would have become. Certainly someone better, more deserving of life than Draco. 

Draco would withstand any pain, any torture he had to. Cassie continued to guide him through the forest. Draco clung more and more to her as his face twisted in agony. The burning sensation in his arm was drowning him. Every step was a trial, and every movement of his arm sent jolts of pain coursing through his body. He looked pain, and a sheen of sweat covered his brow.

"How much further is it?" He gasped, nearly doubling over from the pain. 

"It's far" Cassie answered feeling so guilty and helpless. "Just hold on to me tight. I'd evaporate us but they will know and find us. I will carry you if I have to" she said feeling determined more than ever to get to the herb she needed. Draco nodded gritting his teeth. He clung to her tightly, relying on her strength to guide him through the forest. He could feel the searing pain, but he didn't let go, he just focused on putting one foot in front of the other. He would endure this, he kept telling himself, he would endure this. 

They finally reached an opening where the patched of weeds lay. There were assortments of weeds and herbs spread across wide and far, some glistening under the moonlight, others dark and damp looking. He didn't recognise any of them. Herbology wasn't his strong suit. Since the day Professor Sprout brought out the mandrakes, and he got his finger bit he detested the class. Gardening was not for him, it was pointless. Besides his father Lucius had a whole room filled with herbs and ingredients for potions that meant he had no use to learn how to gather himself. Now he wished he had paid more attention. 

Cassie placed him against a tree to rest on while she hurriedly foraged the herbs she needed picking up some silvery, lilac leaves, and blackened, dusty looking herbs. She grabbed a rock and crushed them against another rock turning them into dust before pulling out an empty vial from her bag and placing them inside. 

She rushed back over to Draco's side and placed a hand gently on his shoulder. 

"I have to draw blood directly from your mark for this to work" she said feeling so bad. "It's going to hurt, and this won't be the worst of the pain, but please trust me. This will work" She pleaded, feeling as though she could cry even asking this of him. If only she knew another way. Another possible pain free way. 

Draco looked at the potions and herbs his eyes widening at the realisation at what was about to happen. He gritted his teeth, his entire body tense with pain. He nodded, swallowing hard and holding his arm out reluctantly. Cassie took gentle hold of his arm, softly rubbing her thumb against his skin in a small gestured way to comfort him. 

"Go ahead" He rasped out his voice low and strained with pain. "Do it" Cassie looked deep into his pained eyes feeling such empathy for him and wishing she didn't have to do what she was about to. She pulled out her knife and cut along the outline of the dark mark allowing his blood to pour into the vial. She whispered inaudible words as she cut, that sounded like a mixture of Latin and ancient Icelandic language, completely nonsensical to Draco. She finished up by spitting into the vile and watched as it turned into black tar swirling around like a wormhole. 

"The spit is that of the one who is named healer" she said. Draco watched as Cassie went through the motions, watching as it worked, feeling his blood leaving him. It hurt like hell but he grinded his teeth through it, tears streaming his cheeks. He knew there would be much more pain to come and he was bracing himself for that as he watched the potion turn. He felt a mixture of hope and fear. It was working but at what cost? He felt suddenly chilled, as if the very air had turned cold. 

Cassie shuck the potion and then turned to Draco. 

"Okay. It's ready. This...this is going to really hurt, Draco. I am so, so very sorry. It'll be the worst pain you've felt in your life, you will beg for death. I promise I will hold you through it, but I have to ask...are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you are okay with this?" she asked.

Draco looked at her, swallowing hard. He could feel the sweat on his brow, cold and clammy, and the dread building up inside of him. But he looked into her eyes and found himself nodding. He was terrified and wanted to say no but he knew this had to be done. The alternative was to stay Voldemorts slave forever. And even if Voldemort lost and was killed, the dark mark would still be there haunting him. Reminding him of every life he took. Reminding him of Pansy and Blaise's unborn child. The mark had to go.

He reached out and held her hand tightly. His voice was barely above a whisper "I'm ready"

Cassie squeezed his hand and nodded, pain pouring from her eyes into his. She gently took his arm and poured the mixture over the open cuts she had just made. The potion quickly merged with his blood, and entered his bloodstream sending a bolt of unbearable pain searing through Draco's body like an explosion. Draco screamed, his whole body arching in pain, his eyes clenched shut. It felt as if someone had poured molten fire into his veins, the pain radiating through his entire body. Worse, far worse than anything he had ever felt before. He gasped out in agony, his voice cracking as he felt the potion working its way through his blood, burning through his very being. 

His visions swam, the darkness only intensifying, the pain only growing worse. He squeezed Cassie's hand so hard he felt the bones grinding together, but he didn't let go, he couldn't. He was trapped in a whirlwind of agony he could never describe. 

"Oh god please make it stop!" Draco screamed as he sobbed and writhed around in agony. Cassie pulled a writhing Draco onto her lap, wrapping her arms around him to hold him firmly in place. 

She closed her eyes as tears fell down her cheeks into his hair and hers. She held him tight, trying so much to comfort him through it, as she felt his body convulse, and twitch. The pain just got worse. The feeling of molten fire turned quickly to liquid nitrogen, and suddenly Draco begged for the fire to return. Cassie cried as he screamed. Watching him writhe in agony, was torture for her. Though she muttered every spell she could think of, every healing spell, nothing could take his suffering away and that killed her. She was desperate to make his suffering end. 

Draco's body convulsed as if the potion was tearing him apart from the inside. He writhed against her grip as the cold grew inside of him, more horrible than he could ever fathom.

"Make it stop!" He begged through tears and screams. He tried his best to draw strength from her touch, grateful to her for holding him but non of it making the pain easier to bare. This was it, he thought, this was how he died. In writhing, razor sharp pain, and in the arms of the girl who had tried to rescue him. The only friend of his who came to his rescue. Even though he didn't deserve it. The only friend who knew exactly what it was like to live in darkness as they both had. No one understood him better than her. He wanted to tear himself apart right now with his nails. It was too much, too painful, too unbearable. The dark mark on his arm grew and twisted, the evil of it seeping into the surface as if trying to hold on. 

"I'm so sorry Draco" Cassie sobbed. She knew there was nothing more she could do, that this was just going to be hell for him and she had to watch. She prayed this wouldn't kill him. She didn't want him to die, she only just got him back. She couldn't lose him again. 

Draco couldn't stop the cries and whimpers that escaped through his lips as the pain just kept building and building. He was completely at her mercy, completely helpless, at the mercy of the potions that were tearing him apart. All he knew was Cassie, her warmth trying to comfort him, her voice and the cold freezing him from the inside out. 

Cassie placed her hand through his hair to hold him tighter. "Shhh" She whispered through her tears, closing her eyes trying to imagine herself pulling the pain out from him and into her. She rocked him back and forth, comforting him the best way she could. 

They both lay like this for an hour before finally the pain disappeared. The life had been drained completely out of Draco, as he lay limp in her arms, her fingers gently tracing his face. 

Draco's body was completely spent. All the tears, whimpering and screams of pain had drained him completely. He was completely limp in her arms, his lips parted, his breathing shallow as he gasped in short, shaky breaths. His face was pale with beads of sweat still clinging to his brow. His grey eyes were blank, empty of expression. He had never felt anything as horrible, and his body still trembled slightly in the aftermath. 

Draco's voice was hoarse, his throat sore from all the moaning and yelling. He spoke in a raspy, exhausted tone, barely being able to muster the strength to talk. 
"Is it-is it done now?" He answered his voice low and raspy.

Cassie wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I think so" she replied her own voice shaky and weak. "Let me see" she gently took hold of his arm once again, being careful not to touch too much or too hard. 

Draco was exhausted. Every single one of his muscles was sore from fighting against the pain, and he looked as if he could fall asleep any minute. "Oh okay" he said allowing her to take hold of his arm. He closed his eyes briefly as he felt her grasp his arm with her gentle touch. 

Cassie looked and breathed a sigh of relief. "It's gone" she exclaimed, feeling as though she could breathe properly again. She gently placed his arm back down beside him, to allow him to rest. 

Draco took a shaky deep breath of relief when he looked down at his arm and saw the mark completely gone. It was a miracle. Tears pricked his eyes again, this time tears of sad joy. He was no longer branded by the dark lord. He was no longer the property of his bastard father and Voldemort. He was free. He looked up at Cassie his eyes wide. A wave of disbelief and gratitude washed over him, and his voice was filled with awe. He took her hand in his, holding it tightly, trying to comfort her. He saw the guilt in her eyes. He was just so grateful to her, she had nothing to be guilty about. What she had done for him was nothing he could ever repay her for. All the diamonds and gems in the world would not be enough. 

Draco forced a small weary smile. "Thank you" he said again. He squeezed her hand tightly, his eyes never leaving hers. He was free for the first time in his life. 

Tears fell from her eyes as she nodded. "Are you able to stand?" she asked tentatively. "There's an abandoned cottage not far from here, where I have been staying. It's unassuming, and the basement had all my things set up for resting. I placed charms around the cottage to keep it protected and safe, and now that the mark is gone, we cannot be traced there. We should be safe" 

Draco took another deep breath, feeling the exhaustion in his limbs. He didn't know if he was even able to stand, let alone walk any great distance. But the idea of a warm, comfortable place to rest sounded like a heaven sent dream right now. 

"I can try" He said, his voice still shaken and weak. Cassie helped him get up onto his feet, allowing him to lean against her. "I don't know how far I will make it though to be honest"

"I'll help you" She said wearily. She held onto him as she moved him towards a darkened path.

"It's not far I promise, and once there you can rest and recover" she ensured him, as they both began to head in the direction of the cottage. The path was covered in moss and trees, and the sky could no longer be seen. Draco held onto her tightly, almost completely depending on her for support. His legs were weak and unsteady, and he stumbled several times, leaning heavily on her to keep from falling completely. He took slow deep breaths, trying to push through his exhaustion that threatened to swallow him whole. 

Eventually the small, rundown cottage became visible to them both. It didn't look very safe. It was covered in moss and dirt, and their were a number of cracks in the wall, plus the roof was falling to pieces. Draco looked up at the cottage, his eyes studying its rundown exterior. He was still leaning against Cassie, relying on her for support, but he was glad they had finally made it. 

"How did you find this place anyway?" He asked in a weary voice. 

"I spend a lot of time in the woods" she chuckled to herself. Draco tried to force a smile in return, but he was too exhausted to do much more than that. He wanted to know how she had survived out here like this all these years. She had literally become a ghost to the rest of the world. He knew from rumblings that her name was on a list of witches to be captured and brought to lord Voldemort. She wasn't a priority name, but any mention of her was as though she was already considered dead. She had completely vanished from sight. Draco still was struggling with the notion that this was all a cruel hallucination. He prayed the opposite. 

"You must like nature" he murmured. The words came out as a statement rather than a question. 

"I've had no choice really. The forest is the safest place to remain unseen. I was lucky to find this place. I know it looks like a danger waiting to happen, but the basement is actually pretty cosy and warm. Main thing is, it's safe" She said reassuringly.

"Is there...is there a bed then?" He asked hoping to lay down and rest comfortably. He didn't relish the thought of having to sleep on the ground. Though he was that tired, he could sleep on spikes!

"Come on, I'll show you" she answered leading him to the door and inside the cottage. The interior wasn't any prettier. The wallpaper was stained and shredding off of the walls. There were cracks and holes in the walls, cobwebs everywhere and a few odd broken pieces of furniture scattered about. The floorboards were cracked and dusty. Cassie left him leaning against one of the walls as she opened the cellar door and helped him down the ladder into the basement.

Once inside the basement he agreed it did look cosy. There were sheets, and blankets strewn all over the ground, with some sleeping bags as well. 

"How did you get all this stuff?" He asked wondering how on earth she had managed to find all these blankets and sleeping bags.

"I stole them" she answered. 

There were lots and lots of books adorning the shelves and ground, as well as a packet of crackers and magical potions strewn across the floor. Candles too lay around the edges, which was the basements only light source. 

"You stole them?" He asked a little surprised. 

"Yes. It's not something I am proud of but I've had no choice. For most things I can hunt for and build myself but there's a lot I can't. So on occasion I have had to venture into nearby villages and take what I could. My bag has an undetectable extension charm on it so I can pretty much fill it with an entire store" She said handing him a sleeping bag and some blankets. Draco eyed the packet of crackers on the ground and his stomach began to growl. He couldn't remember the last time he had, had a decent meal. 

"It looks like you have been here a while. Why stay in one place?" he asked. Cassie sighed. 

"I er-" she shifted around awkwardly. "I was biding my time here until I could access you and hopefully bring you to safety. I had heard whisperings in nearby villages of the Malfoys return to the manor" she admitted looking at the floor.

Draco studied her face, and he could sense something off in her voice. It struck him that she was nervous about something, and when she admitted that she was just waiting for an opportunity to find him, he felt his heart skip a beat in surprise. He blinked and his voice was barely above a whisper. "Wait, you were planning this whole thing for me? How long have you been planning this?"

"A while" she blushed. "Before I ran from Hogwarts, I stole many books from the restricted section. You remember how often I was always in there? All the ancient language books I was always reading. Well many of the books in that section were ancient spells and potions, long forgotten. Not even Dumbledor knew of these spells, let alone death eaters. This books, just like the room of requirement, didn't want to be found by just anyone. Lucky for me, and now you, I know how to procure rare and difficult things"

Draco felt a wave of disbelief hit him, followed closely by a swell of appreciation and gratitude. He hadn't realised just how much time she had invested in trying to help him, let alone the risk it had all caused. She had stolen, learned and practised so much. She had risked her life all in the hopes of being able to save him, when she would have been safe to live out the rest of her life untouched. And now when he looked back at her, he could finally see the emotion behind her words. 

"I really tried to look for you before I left I swear. But Crabbe and Goyle found me and tried to kill me. They had found out about our friendship and blamed me for your distance from them. I had to cut and run. I knew if I stayed at Hogwarts Voldemort would find me and try to recruit me or worse...hand me back to my father" she gulped, the mere thought terrorising her.

"I couldn't...I could not go back there. I ran, and I found the woods. And with all the knowledge I had gained from the ancient texts and scrolls, I was able to protect myself for these years"

"Wait" Draco started shocked at her revelations. He had wondered why she had just ran out on him, now she was explaining the truth. The reason she abandoned him. In fact she had tried to come for him. "Crabbe and Goyle tried to kill you? I knew that they had evil tendencies, but seriously?!" He felt himself getting angry. He knew they had always been dickheads at school. And while he rarely ever agreed with the majority of their behaviour he never did anything to stop them. But the fact they had even dared tried to kill Cassie...this being before they became devoted happy death eaters. He was furious. "Those assholes!" He growled.

"Yeah...if they hadn't have shown up I would have found you and made you come with me"

"Wow" Draco exclaimed, the memory of that day clear on his mind. "I remember the day you disappeared from Hogwarts. Your friend Nattie came to me all accusatory, worried about you. I tried to look for you, but you were gone. And then..." Draco left the words hanging in the air as he wrapped the sleeping bag around himself. 

"And then all hell broke loose" Cassie finished his sentence, looking solemnly too the ground. 

Draco nodded in agreement, also looking down to the ground. How close they had been to running off together before any of the war begun. Perhaps Dumbledor would still be alive. If not at least he wouldn't have done it. And he would have never had to kill the many thousands he had. He wished they could go back to that day. That she could have found him instead of Crabbe and Goyle. He would have gone with her in a heartbeat. He'd have followed Cassie anywhere at that point. 

"I can't believe Crabbe and Goyle tried to kill you. That they got in the way of you finding me. How could they?!" He fumed.

"I'm a mudblood remember" Her words made Draco stiffen. To be reminded of how carelessly he had used that word to her face and behind her back. Before they had become friends, he threw that term around carelessly. 

"Mudblood...I'm sorry that I used that-that word" He mumbled bowing his head in shame. So much of himself he had such shame over. While yes his father had some major responsibility for filling his head with nonsense, and abusing him into submission, he still could have made different choices. Like Theodore had. How he longed to see Theo once again just to be able to tell him how right he was about everything. How brave he thought he and Zabini had been to turn against their own families to fight for the right side. How much he wished he had not been such a coward and stood for what was right too. Even if it meant losing his life. Gods he hated himself. Hated what he had become. 

"You don't have to apologise for the past Draco. You more than made up for it. I should have tried harder to find you before I left. I was just so wracked with fear. You always thought me utterly fearless, but my father...he's the one living being on this earth that brings me to terror. I know you know how that feels" she said.

He nodded wordlessly. She was right about that, just the thought of his father and the dark lord was terrifying and the memory of the punishment he had suffered when he failed still made him wince. "I understand" he said softly. "You were looking out for yourself and I can't fault you for that"

Cassie half smiled at him. "That is very kind of you" she looked at him for a moment as he looked back. She had so much to tell him, to explain, and so much she wanted to know from him. But he looked so withered. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

Draco swallowed his throat achy and dry, his stomach growling, as he remembered he hadn't eaten in over a day. He closed his eyes briefly before nodding in answer to her question. "A bit yeah" his voice was hoarse still strained from earlier. Cassie quickly foraged and pulled out an apple and the packet of crackers handing them over to Draco. 

"It's not much I know. In the morning I can hunt us some proper breakfast but for now this will have to do. There's a bottle of fresh water from the spring next to you as well" she smiled. 

Draco had never been very picky about food, but at the moment everything tasted like gourmet cuisine. He practically inhaled the apple, savouring the sweetness before the sour bite. When he realised that he had nearly polished off the entire packet of crackers he felt himself flush. 

"Thank you so much" he said almost laughing despite himself. "Crap I'm sorry did you want any?"  he asked sheepishly. Cassie chuckled warmly.

"Don't worry, I ate before I stormed your manor" she smiled at him reassuringly. "You should rest. We can talk more tomorrow. I'm sure you have more questions. I'll watch over you for a while and make sure your okay"

Draco nodded feeling exhaustion sweeping through his limbs. He looked at her with grateful eyes, glad that she seemed eager to stay up for a while to watch over him. "Right yes" he said slowly stifling a yawn. "I'll try to rest and we can talk more tomorrow" he let let help guide his worn out body to one of the sleeping bags and get settled in. The minute his head hit the pillow he was deep in slumber. 

With Draco asleep Cassie stayed awake for as long as she could watching him carefully. He looked so peaceful, so serene. There was a beauty to him she had never fully appreciated before. She checked the protection charms around the cottage once over before deciding to go to sleep herself. As she fell into a deep sleep her last thoughts were that of her best friend Nattie. 

Chapter Text

Nattie looked out the narrow window from the attic of the monastery she had been holed up in for the last month. She longed to go outside. It had been weeks. But it was too dangerous. There were many death eaters and snatchers in the local area sniffing around, looking for an opportunity to snatch a rebel. The majority of the muggles here had been tortured for information. Any purebloods or half bloods that used to live in the area but were not involved in the war were long gone. 

Four years of this war and it had been taxing. Many lives had already been lost. Mad-eye moody, Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, Nymphodora Tonks, Pansy Parkinson, Colin Creevey, Lavender Brown, Dobby to name a few. The rebels had scattered all over, some holding out in northern Ireland, the Highlands, and the Isle of Wight. Nattie was hold up near the village of Ottery St Catchpole in Devon close to where Luna and Nattie's childhood homes had been. Luna had been captured by Bellatrix Lestrange but had been rescued by Dobby resulting in his death. She had gone with Harry Potter and others to help on the front lines. Nattie, Theo, Blaise, Nattie's father and Theo's father were all staying in the monastery. They were due to head out to the Highlands soon, to try and take back Hogwarts school which had been over run with death eaters. It would be a massive fight, one with many causalities but the rebels were losing and they needed a strong hold. 

"This is a reckless plan, it's not going to work" Tiberius Nott exclaimed, crossing his arms angrily over his chest regretting his decision to leave his post. 

"Minerva is confident this will work, as is Snape. I trust them both" Neleus Nemora proclaimed. "My brother has sent word that they are in place, they have forces from Durmstrang,  Beauxbatons, Castelobruxo, Ilvermorny, Uagadou and Mahoutokoro have all flown in ready and waiting to fight. This will work I am sure of it"

"Neleus your brother is a fool! His own daughter was captured by Lestrange, and held for torture. Gods, we don't know the extent of information they plucked from her or Ollivander for that matter. Voldemort has spies everywhere. Hell we can't even be sure Snape is to be trusted!"

"Dumbledor trusted him! That is enough proof we can too" Neleus insisted. Tiberius was new to turn himself over to the rebels. He still held the beliefs similar to Voldemort. He still believed purebloods were the superior race. But he had been sickened by the senseless murders of so many innocent muggle families. He had watched babies burned in their cribs, children tortured to their last breath, parents twisted and turned into catatonic vegetables. He had seen evil and it wasn't right. Plus he never got over missing his son. 

"Father you need to listen to Neleus. Snape has been on our side for a long time, he has not stirred us wrong. He has played the dark lord well. We have the numbers we can take back Hogwarts and take out one of their limbs" Theodore stated his fists clenched. Tiberius could not believe this was his son talking. He was so grown up now, so sure of himself, so strong. He felt a mixture of pride but also worry. Theo was a man now. There was nothing he could do to stop him from charging into the war. Even if Theo was still young, he knew Theo would never listen to a thing he had to say anymore. His time at Hogwarts had only caused further distance between them. 

"Son...I have seen what the dark lord is capable of first hand. You do not know the lengths his power extends to. He has watchdogs everywhere listening, one step ahead of every move. Theres no way he isn't anticipating this. No way that it has leaked somewhere to his ears, he has moles everywhere" Neleus plead. 

"We have our own moles, our own intelligence, this will work!" Theo insisted in frustration. 

"Son you are wrong!"

"No I am not!" Theo slammed his fist down on the table. "Unless your a mole? Are you sending information back to your precious dark lord?! I wouldn't put it passed you, you've always been weak when it came to him!" his tongue lashed with such venom such hatred for his father. Tiberius was hurt. Yes he had once believed in what the dark lord did. But that was until he saw it play out. Watched families burn alive screaming for help. Families who were no threat. It was senseless, mindless culling's for fun. The dark lord didn't care about protecting the bloodlines of witches and wizards. He just wanted death and destruction, and power. Everything Tiberius had thought he believed came into question. And when he was asked to betray his own son, find him and kill him, there was no way he could continue on. He would never harm his son. Never. He was all that was left of his family, of his beloved wife. 

Nattie moved to Theodore's side and slid her hand gently into his giving it a squeeze and try and calm him. 

"This isn't getting us anywhere. The decision has been made, though no one is forcing anyone to join us. But tomorrow we will travel, and we will head up to Scotland to meet with the rest of the rebels. Be there or don't" Neleus stated, leaving the room. He hated the infighting. He hated the war. He just wanted to live in peace with his family. He headed back to his room where his wife was sat beside the fire crying. Their two sons, Nattie's brothers, were on the front lines. Helena hadn't seen her boys for so long and she wept for them. She knew there would be a battle before there was a chance for reconciliation for her family. And the risks were great. Neleus sighed in the doorway and tentatively joined his wife wrapping his arms around her and kissing her head. 

"Their just boys Neleus" She cried. 

"I know Helena, I know. And Nattie is just a girl. And we are just two loving parents with no taste for war" He said squeezing her to him tightly. Neleus was terrified. He didn't want his wife to see it but he was so rife with fear. Neleus, like his brother, was never one for confrontation. He preferred conversation and effort than needless arguing and fighting. But now him and his entire family had no choice but to fight an aggressively violent war against the most evil wizard the world had known. The chances of survival were slim and he could not bare the thought of watching any one of his children or his wife murdered. He was desperate to take his children and send them somewhere far away from it all along with his wife, but he couldn't. They had chosen their own path. Especially Nattie. She was an incredibly strong witch, and incredibly smart. He was so proud. But he was worried because she was determined more than ever to throw herself onto the front lines and fight with her fellow students and tutors. 

"Everything is going to be alright" he hummed kissing the top of her head trying his best to sound convincing. He needed his wife to be strong. But he wasn't even sure if he was strong enough himself right now. 

Back in the other room Theo was arguing back and forth with his own father. 

"Why did you even come here?! You don't believe in this rebellion you never have" Theo argued.

"It's not that, I have seen the other side of it Theo! You don't know the dark lord, you don't know his followers..."

"I know you!"

"That isn't fair!" Tiberius rubbed his temples frustratingly. "Son I am trying to keep you safe. I have only ever cared about keeping you safe! After your mother died..."

"DON'T you dare talk about her!" Theo warned clenching his fists. "You leave her out of this do you hear me?!"

"Son-"

"NO! You are not my father! Stop pretending like you have ever been my father, you have never been there. You have only ever cared about your good name, and your prestigious reputation with the other families. Making sure you stand in good stead for when the dark lord returned. And he did return and you chose to support him! You chose to kill thousands of innocent lives for him. And now you are here pretending like you give a damn about me, but we both know I have been dead to you a long time now! The very moment I stood up to you and stood against everything you tried to make me believe. Your egregious beliefs!" Theo was pacing. He was pacing back and forth as everything he had bottled up over the years began to spew out of his mouth. All Tiberius could do was stand there, painfully, taking the lashings. 

"My whole life you taught me that I was better, that we were better than everyone and everything because our blood is pure! You taught me that mixing with muggles was the greatest sin, that half bloods and muggle borns were abominations. You taught me it was up to me to carry on the bloodline and marry some pureblood witch, have a litter of babies. You enforced that my grades had to be top notch, that I would be a failure to you, to our heritage if they were not. Because you wanted me to work for the ministry of magic. Because that is where all your prestigious, stuck up pureblooded friends work, hoping to one day take over and right the wrongs of witches and wizards who ever dared mix with muggles in the first place. YOU taught me to hate muggles, muggleborns and half bloods, and yet isn't your precious dark lord a half blood himself?! Don't any of you idiots see the hypocrisy?! Your own leader is half blooded, an abomination you call it, yet somehow he has you all convinced he is somehow an exception. I saw through it dad. That's what pisses you off so much, is that I saw through the fucking bullshit. The hypocrisies, the lies, the prejudice. So do us all a favour and be honest. Because I will not allow you to screw this up dad, I swear to the gods I will end you myself if you try. I have people here I actually care about that I need to protect, and I will not let you fuck that up"

Theo was serious. He didn't care if he had to stop his father by force, he had already readied himself for that eventuality when the war began. When he chose to stick by Nattie's side and fight for good. Fight for all wizards, witches and muggles. 

"Son please" Tiberius begged his voice shaken and pained. "You are wrong about me, if you would just let me explain-"

"There is nothing to explain. I wouldn't believe a word out of your mouth anyway. I just want you to know I am having you watched. Your every move while your here is being watched every second of every day. So if you even think of flinching towards betraying us they will know and they will tell me and I will end you, do you understand?! Your staying here until after the raid and then the others can decide what we do with you, but until then I am making sure you do not screw this up for any of us!" He sniped, turning on his heel and exiting the room before Tiberius could argue. Tiberius fell into the chair and crushed his forehead into his hands. He just wanted his son to hear him out. This was hard for Tiberius. Incredibly hard. Everything he had ever believed ever been taught to believe was being thrown into question. The things he had seen haunted his nightmares nightly. The idea his own son would see said things haunted his every waking hour. Though he was not ready to wave off all of his beliefs just yet he certainly was questioning it all. And that battle inside his head was agonising. His head hurt in excruciating pain, the likes no spell could rid of. 

If only Theo would give him a the time to listen, but he was stubborn. Stubborn just like his mother had been. Gods how he missed Sofia. She would have known what to do, she would have gotten through to Theo. Sofia was such a beautiful soul. He hated the fact Theodore never got to know her and how incredible she was. He hated that he never got to have more children with her. That had been their plan. She came from a loving Italian family, a big family. They had dreamed and planned together to have the same. A hoard of children all with his good name and her brains and good looks. But that dream was cut short and Tiberius struggled to bond with Theo. He couldn't look at him without seeing her. He had her eyes, her personality, even her angry expression was the same. It hurt to look at him, but he did love him. Deeply. It was why he had lied for as long as he could to the dark lord and the others. To protect Theo for as long as he could. He would never allow anything to happen to his son. 

Theo stormed into his bedroom where Nattie was waiting for him furiously slamming the door shut behind him. He was enraged. He had been enraged since the second his father had shown up surrendering. If it had been up to him Tiberius would be dead by now. He wanted him dead, he hated him. He had never been a good father to him. He had never been like how Neleus was with Nattie and his two sons. And that pained him. 

"Theo" Nattie called out to him anxiously. She had been on edge since the day Theo's father arrived. It had put a strain on her relationship with Theo, because he was often frustrated and too angry to focus on anything other than the war. But it hadn't always been like this. 

The day Draco Malfoy killed Dumbledor and blew every students life into disarray Theo blasted open every single door till he found Nattie. Luna was with her, they had been looking for Neville. Theo took them and other students to safety, hiding in amongst the secret passageways inside the school. Others joined them, until it was safe to come out and stand at the body of Dumbledor laying dead outside the school. All the students, all the teachers held up their wands in respect as everyone cried. No one knew what to do now. In crisis everyone turned to Dumbledor. He was the headmaster, he was a leader. Theo wanted to grab Nattie and run far. He knew his father would come try find him. 

"Draco killed him!" Harry Potter had told everyone, having tried to go after Draco, Bellatrix and the other death eaters along with Snape. 

"Everyone go back to your dorms" Mrs Mcgonagall ordered, tears still streaming her face. She must be in charge now, Nattie thought, feeling heartbroken. 

"At least Cassie wasn't here to see him do it" Luna said in comfort to Nattie. Nattie was furious with Draco. She had never trusted him but she never thought he would do something like this. Betray them all. In a lot of ways she blamed Draco for the reason Cassie ran away. Maybe she found out deep down what he was really about. Maybe he killed her?! Oh god, she thought, could Cassie be dead? Before she could breakdown Theo slipped his hand in hers and squeezed it tightly. 

"I am never leaving your side tesoro" He promised pulling her hand to his lips to kiss it and reassure her that he was staying with her. 

"Theo I'm scared. What if Draco killed Cassie?!" She anxiously said her mind racing, multiple feelings spinning round her head. 

Theo placed his hands on both sides of her face gently "Tesoro, I know he did not hurt her. She is alive"

"How can you be sure?"

"Because I saw him when the panic began in the castle. He was terrified, searching for her. He got angry with everyone, and then he changed. I'm sure it was her leaving that pushed him towards his father and Voldemort. He was...different when she was around" Theodore said wistfully. He had noticed such a shift in Draco's personality and behaviour over time with Cassie around. At first he didn't know what was going on. Draco was still being secretive. So was Cassie. But when some of the slytherin girls had cornered her in the courtyard, Draco went to great lengths defending her. It exposed their friendship to everyone, much to Goyle and Crabbe's annoyance. It all made sense to Theo at that point. Why Draco had softened. Why he wasn't so aggravated raving and ranting about her anymore. Why he disappeared a lot, and even smiled a lot to himself. It was the same behaviour Theo was presenting, since Nattie entered his life. Cassie brought out the best in Draco and then she left. There was no way he was capable of killing her, besides she was too good to be beaten by Draco.

Theo's father did indeed send for him, but Theo refused. He pledged himself to the rebel forces, as Minerva worked with Slughorn, Sprout, Flitwick and Hagrid to devise a plan to protect the students who had joined the rebellion. Many of the Slytherin children left the school and joined their parents. A couple of the families ran away. But Theo stayed as did Blaise and Pansy. 

Professor Snape sent word that there was a huge attack imminent on Hogwarts. And there were not enough to fight to save the school at this time. It would have resulted in everyone's death. So they all dispersed, most of the students sticking with parents, and any students without family bunking up with other families. Theo went with Nattie and Luna to Devon where he stayed up until the present day, though the location in Devon had changed many times. Blaise had joined them two years in after his fiancé Pansy had been brutally murdered, as did others who had been hurt. 

Nattie's parents were unsure of Theo at first. They knew of his father's reputation and connection to the dark lord. They were concerned for their daughter being in a relationship with a Slytherin boy from a prominent family that held such dark beliefs. So for a year they monitored the two of them, making sure they slept in separate rooms, until they were sure his intentions were pure. Theo made it his mission to prove to them he was serious about their daughter. 

Theo was in love with Nattie. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, no matter how long either of them had left. A year into the war, after Luna had returned from capture, they all moved to stay with Bill Weasley and his wife Fleur. They had a nice little beach house in the middle of nowhere. It was protected by shields. Though it only had 3 bedrooms officially, Fleur and Bill had opened up the basement into two parts where Blaise and a couple other students who had lost family stayed. Neleus and Helena took one spare bedroom, Luna and Xenophilius took the other, and Nattie and Theo stayed up in the attic.

Theo pulled Nattie into his arms. It had felt like weeks since they had just had a moments peace and silence just the two of them. He breathed her scent in, his favourite scent in the world, and pressed his lips onto the top of her head. 

"Have I told you that I love you lately tesoro?" He asked softly. Nattie smiled resting against his chest, her hands trailing up and down his arm. 

"You have, but it's always nice to hear. And I love you too" she said sweetly. Theo placed his fingers under her chin lifting it gently so she was looking up at him. He smiled at her, that beautiful, warm, gooey smile that made her melt. She looked back up into his dark blue eyes her heart thumping in her chest. This was the first time they were sharing a room together...alone. She was nervous. Theo brushed her hair softly off of her cheek, keeping his hand against her face. He parted her lips gently with his thumb, as he ran his thumb over the outlines of her lips. 

"You're shaking mi amor" he cooed maintaining their eye contact. 

"Mhm" she murmured swallowing hard. 

"We don't have to do anything tesoro, just being here with you is enough" He reassured her gently smiling sweetly. Nattie was nervous yes. She had always been with Theo when they had been left alone. Especially back at Hogwarts when they would sneak up to the astronomy tower to kiss and be together. She worried he would have expectations, want more from her than she was ready to give at that time, but he didn't. He would never push her, he respected her. While their kisses were always passionate, always fiery, he knew the line. He knew when to let her breathe, when to pull back, when to cool off. But here now, Nattie had never felt more ready to be intimate with him. She wanted to give herself to him fully. He was everything to her, and she could not picture a life without him. 

War made everything feel like time wasn't guaranteed. At any moment they could be attacked. Nattie didn't want to die before she knew what it was like to give her body to the man she loved. She reached up and intertwined her fingers through his messy mop of hair pulling him towards her. 

"I want to Theo. I want to be intimate with you" she murmured, her voice shaky but certain. Their lips met furiously as his tongue parted her lips and pressed up against hers. He pinned her hands above her head on the bed, pressing his body into hers. She instinctively pulled her legs up and around his waist pushing him into her body tighter. Before Theo got too carried away he pulled his head back to look at her as she panted for breathe. 

"Are you sure tesoro?" He checked once more. She nodded biting her lip. "I need to hear you say it tesoro, tell me what you want" he begged wanting badly to bite her lip instead of her. She took in a breath, her body lighting up like fireworks. 

"I'm sure Theo, I want you"

"What do you want, tell me exactly" he ordered his voice practically purring in her ear as he nibbled at her neck. 

Through gasps and light moans Nattie answered "I want you inside of me. I want to feel you inside me" Theo growled against her neck, kissing her lips passionately once again with more need, more fire. As he kissed her lips, his hands slid down her body feeling every part, lifting up her top and pulling it off of her. As her breasts were exposed she bit her lip anxiously. Theo looked down at her as though looking at a piece of exceptional art. 

"Cara mia sei bello" he hummed calling on her beauty. He gently ran his fingertips over her collarbone, down her chest and over her breast and nipple wanting to taste every part of her. Nattie felt herself tingle all over her body as he touched her. It was a pleasure she had never felt before, made more intense by the fact it was him touching her. He wanted her, he was hungry for her. The most beautiful boy she had met at Hogwarts now grown up and he wanted her. He pushed his thumb into her mouth and as she suck it, he hungrily wrapped his lips around her nipple suckling and nibbling it making her body arch up in pleasure. Tiny moans exited her throat. He dragged his lips down from her nipple to the hamstring of her bottoms biting at them. His hand gently held her throat, not too tight, just a light possessive hold as he teased her. Teasing her as he pulled at her bottoms with his teeth. 

"Take them off" she begged, desperate for him now. His lips curled into a smile, his body trembling at her begging for him. 

"As you wish cara mia" he purred moving his hands to grip and pull off her bottoms in one fell swoop. Her panties remained on and as he dragged his lips back up her body to kiss her lips again, he used one hand to clutch her hair, as the other slid into her panties. Just the feel of his fingers over her most intimate part sent shockwaves through her body. She wiggled and writhed in pleasure her moans deepening. His body moved with hers, as his fingers began to enter inside her, his tongue holding hers hostage in her mouth. His fingers moved gently at first, stimulating her clitoris as the same time, making her wet. Wet enough for him. Wet enough for her to enjoy it. 

"Will it hurt?" she whispered nervously. Theo pulled his hand back and smiled down at her. 

"At first only briefly, but what I am doing right now will make sure it will feel good" He promised stroking her face softly. She nodded biting her lip which made him growl. "your biting your lip again, that drives me crazy" he said pushing his lips onto hers and biting her lip with his own teeth. She moaned her legs gripping his waist harder. He began rubbing her again in between her legs, this time more furiously. More fervently. As her body inched closer to climaxing he pulled back, leaving a trail of kisses down her body and pulling down her panties with his teeth. He removed them slowly making sure she watched him as he did. And then he used his tongue against her inner thighs kissing, licking, nibbling. Her moans grew louder, her body tremoring.

"Please" she begged "Please Theo" she pleaded, in between gasping for air. He gave her a little kiss over her labia and then he pulled down his pants took himself in his hands. He rested his lips on hers positioning himself, using his free hand to pull her legs up higher around him. 

"I love you tesoro" he murmured as he finally pushed inside of her, claiming her as his. Nattie gasped out, a half squeal, a half moan. He kissed at her neck bringing as much pleasure back to her quickly as her hymen broke, and he made sure to move slow, gentle. Nattie's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she brought her hands up clutching his hair, pulling it, pulling him deeper into her. He began to move faster, harder. She moaned loader, screaming his name. It was perfect. She was close to erupting, an intensity she didn't even realise was possible. She never thought sex was this incredible, it was almost too much. She was losing control. Her fingers, her hands were desperate, clutching his hair, clutching his back. As her fingernails digged into his back he yelled out in pleasure kissing her more ardently, with more force. The two of them moved together until she broke. She cried out in pleasure her body almost vibrating all over as she came on him. Her cumming finished him off not to long after that and he came inside her. They moaned into each others mouths as the pleasure singed every part of their nervous system. He fell on top of her, completely spent as they both gasped for air. They lay like that for a while, completely silent, listening to one another breathing, feeling one another's heartbeat against their chests. Though she was weak and trembled Nattie moved her hand to his head gently stroking his hair in gratitude. She knew she could die happy now. Having had this perfect, beautiful, incredible moment with the man she loved was all she could have ever wanted before she died. If she was even meant to die. 

Chapter Text

Back in the present Nattie watched as the love of her life paced back and forth ruminating over his argument with his father. Her fingers fidgeted as she tried to think of what she could do, how she could convince him to hear his father out. How she could bring Theo back to her. Since his father had shown up he had not touched her hardly. A few kisses, a handful of hugs, the odd hand holding but he had been distant. She was lonely and missed him in her bed. Though he lay next to her every night he wasn't truly there. His mind was elsewhere, in a place full of anger and resentment. She thought back to the first night they spent together when everything changed. When they found it impossible to keep their hands off of each other. 

Theo and Nattie awoke late the day after their first time making love. When Nattie tried to climb sleepily out of bed to dress, Theo pulled her back into his arms kissing her head, her face, her nose. She giggled. A sound that melted his heart as his hands stroked her body, gripping her thighs to hold her against him. 

"Theo we have to get up, it's late" Nattie chuckled, though she had no intention of moving. Theo, eyes still closed held her tightly in place, his lips kissing at her neck. 

"Just five more minutes cara mia" he begged. 

"We both know five minutes is not enough time for what's going on in our minds right now" she whispered humorously, finding his lips to kiss him deeply. 

"Mi amor you are right as always" he growled, flipping her over and climbing on top his eyes soaking in every inch of her naked body. She went to lean up and kiss him but he pinned her back down, using his lips to kiss down her body and down in between her legs where she was already a little wet in anticipation. As his hands kept hers pinned to the bed he thrust his tongue into her pussy and ate her hard. She squealed in intense pleasure her body trembling. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as he sucked her clitoris. He kept pushing his tongue in and out, in and out, humming as he did so to create a vibration to further pleasure her. 

"Oh god, oh god!" She moaned loudly, unable to take the pleasure. He devoured her pussy so much that when she came in his mouth she squirted. When he pulled up his face was soaking wet with her. His lips curled into the biggest victorious smile she had ever seen. 

"Oh my god I'm sorry" she cried, concerned she had done something wrong. She couldn't control her body. He chuckled.

"Mi amor there is nothing to apologise for that's normal...well it is when it's done right" he winked. She smiled relieved. 

"Kiss me" she begged. 

"You want to taste yourself?" He asked, feeling so turned on by the thought. She nodded and he fervently kissed her letting her taste herself on him. "You taste so fucking good" he murmured in between kisses. After a few more deep passionate kisses Theodore climbed off of her and held out his hand for her to join him. 

"Wait, your done?" She asked confused, hoping they would make love again, and again, and again...

"Oh not hardly. But we should show our faces before they come looking and find us in compromising positions" he smirked kissing her hand. Nattie blushed but smirked back pecking his lips before getting dressed. Before they made their way downstairs Theo pulled her into his arms holding her against him for a moment. 

"I really, really love you Nattie Nemora. You have stolen my heart" he muttered kissing her forehead gently. Nattie's heart skipped. 

"I really love you too Theodore Nott" she responded, kissing him softly, sweetly. 

Downstairs everyone had finished breakfast and were sat round the kitchen table reading papers, and listening to the radio. When Nattie and Theo entered, Neleus cleared his throat awkwardly, and Helena blushed and pretended to start baking. As she dropped flour all over the floor Bill and Fleur chuckled to themselves. 

"What?" Nattie said feeling as though they had all been speaking about them. But Theodore knew, as he took her hand and squeezed it. He leant in to whisper "I think they may have heard us last night Bella" and Nattie went bright red. 

"Oh gosh!" She said feeling a little sick. Her mother, her father. Oh no, she thought as she panicked. 

"You are glowing Nattie" Bill said smirking to himself as he drank his coffee. Fleur bashed his arm with her hand, but couldn't help smirk herself. Nattie got so embarrassed she walked out of the kitchen and into the living room closing the door behind her. She tried to scream into her hands but a tiny squeal came out. She was mortified. Had she been that loud? Had they been that loud? Oh gods, she could never do that again with him, not ever again. Just as she felt a breakdown overcoming her Fleur quietly entered the room and took her hand. 

"Stop that" she said softly. "Don't let yourself worry needlessly, what happened between you and Theo is your business. And it's natural" she reassured her, having stopped Theodore coming after her. This required girl to girl chat. So Theo stayed behind to chat with Bill and awkwardly avoid Neleus gaze. 

"Everyone heard us though. I can never show my face again! This is so embarrassing" Nattie continued to panic. Fleur guided her to sit down on the sofa and placed both her hands over Nattie's.

"Listen to me. When me and Bill fell in love we could not keep our hands off of each other. Everywhere we went, everywhere we just could not stop ourselves. When your in love that is how it is, you crave the other person. It's the honeymoon stages. Perfectly normal. But when Bill's huge family invite you to stay over for the Christmas holidays and your all staying in one shack, with thin walls...like I said we could not keep our hands off of each other. And Bill's family, in particular his siblings were relentless in their teasing. It was embarrassing at first, but no one really said anything. Because it's totally natural. As it was for Molly and Arthur. For me and Bill. And now you and Theo. Besides were in the midst of an ongoing war. A war that does not look to end any time soon. You have to take and enjoy these moments as much as you possibly can because tomorrow is not guaranteed" she said seeing a piece of herself in Nattie. Fleur had always been painfully shy and aware of others, though many looked to her as confident, brave and self assured. It was Bill that helped build her esteem up so she could shine as her true self. And she in turn gave him the love that he had been hoping to find one day. They were a perfect match. Much like Nattie and Theo were. 

"I'm glad I am not the only one. I just don't know if I can ever look into my parents face again" Nattie said blushing again still horrified at the thought. Fleur chuckled. 

"Yes, Bill didn't speak to his parents for days! But what can you do when you are in love?!" Fleur smiled. "Come on, come get yourself something to eat and you will see everything is fine. Your parents will be fine I promise" she assured her. Nattie nodded and followed Fleur back into the kitchen when Theo and Bill were deep in a conversation. Seeing Nattie enter the kitchen, Theo jumped up and wrapped his arm around her kissing the top of her head.

"Are you ok tesoro?" He asked in a hushed voice. Nattie nodded and smiled and then helped herself to some food. 

Later that day Theo took Nattie for a romantic walk along the beach side. It was a beautiful day, and they had this glorious beach to themselves. Nattie felt a little envious of Bill and Fleur, they really had found the most perfect home. When they were far enough away from the house, some sand dunes blocking their view, Theo pulled her into his arms and passionately kissed her. Nattie could not help but smile as his lips massaged hers causing him to pull back and question her.

"Something funny tesoro?" He asked amused. She shook her head, giggling to herself. 

"Just something Fleur said thats all" she said thinking back to Fleur talking about Bill's inability to keep his hands off of her. Theo was just the same, especially now they had, had sex. His hands never left her. 

"Tesoro do you have any idea what you do to me. What your laugh, your smile, those fucking eyes do to me! I am powerless around you" He murmured, his face closed to hers, his hands running up and down her body desperate to tear off her top. Nattie's heart began beating fast and she felt herself tingle in between her legs. She too hungered for him. 

"Theo it is me that is powerless. You drive me crazy I cannot..." before she could finish his lips pushed into hers. His fingers linked around the straps of her top and pulled them down, her breasts falling out. Before he devoured her body he took out the blanket he had brought and laid it down. He returned to kissing Nattie, picking her up with ease and laying her down on her back on top of the blanket. 

"Cara mia I love you!" He hummed kissing her neck, and dragging his teeth and tongue down her collar bone and over her nipples. He sucked and licked while his hands pulled down her pants and then his own. He took himself in his hand and entered her growling as he did. She felt so good around him. She arched her back up and into him as she moaned feeling him slide in and out of her. This wasn't as slow and gentle as last night. He wasn't making love he was fucking. And she loved it. Her fingernails dug into her back and in his hair, her body moving with every thrust. 

"God you feel good!" She moaned, as his penis slammed into her hitting every spot inside of her than drove her crazy. He clutched at her face, messing her hair up, groaning and moaning unable to stand how good it was to fuck her. When he came inside of her he let out the loudest moan, not caring who heard. She kissed his forehead as he lay his head down on top of her breasts, spent once again. 

It was not enough he wanted more he needed more and so did she. Later that evening the two of them had sex once again in their room this time he used his hand to muffle her moans. He flipped her round on her front entering her from behind, his hand tight around her mouth. She loved that. She loved his hand over her mouth while the other held her stomach. She loved how dirty it felt to be fucked this way by him. When he was done she pushed him back, desperate to make him feel even better than he already did. While he panted for breath she kissed and nibbled his neck. She ran her tongue in S shapes down his collar bone, over his nipples licking and suckling them gently to tease him. She used one hand to rub up and down his sides, the other to tickle his inner thigh. Doing everything but touch his hardened penis. She kissed and licked down his stomach to his waist, dragging her tongue in a straight line just above his penis making him shiver. 

"Oh fuck bella!" He moaned, his body desperate to grab her and fuck her harder than before. She drove him crazy. She trailed her kisses and tongue up and down his inner thighs further teasing him. And when he was barely able to handle it no longer she took him in her mouth and sucked down on him hard. He groaned. He groaned so much the rest of the house was definitely hearing him. But Nattie didn't stop. She kissed and licked his balls and sucked his penis sloppily till he came in her mouth and then threw her back down on the bed. 

"You...are...going...to...kill...me!" He growled in between shallow breaths. She giggled loving the effect she had on him. 

The following day the two of them escaped further through the beach to the nearby woodland are where beautiful trees stood next to each other. She pushed her up against one of the trees and kissed at her neck. 

"You know Theo at some point we have to stop this" Nattie said her eyes closed as his lips devoured her neck. She had no intention of ever stopping, nor did he. 

"Impossible tesoro, impossible!" He hummed pulling her leg up to wrap around his waist and sliding a hand down her pants, into her panties to rub her. As she moaned into his mouth they both were startled by a rustling sound. Theo jumped back a little as Nattie pushed off the tree and tried to look normal. They both waited to see Bill, or Fleur, or someone from the house come into clear view. But the both of them froze in horror as no one they knew walked towards them, a cunning smile upon his face. It was a snatcher. A lone snatcher and he was staring at them like two bunnies ready to be hunted and killed. Theo protectively pulled Nattie behind him. 

"Ahh the two lovebirds! Don't let me stop you, I enjoyed watching you on the beach the other day" the snatcher hissed, his face cunning and sadistic. Nattie felt her stomach churn wanting to be sick. He had been watching them. He had watched them having sex on the beach the day before. It was horrifying. He could have easily killed them yesterday in their moment of intimacy but instead he watched like a disgusting predator. His eyes trailed all over Nattie, as his licked his lips. 

"Take one more step and..." Theo started to threaten him. The snatcher snapped his finger up to his mouth and hushed him. 

"Ahhh no no no" he slithered closer towards them. "young lover boy you do not threaten me" he pulled out his wand and pointed it at Theo. Theo grabbed hold of his wand readying himself to fight. Nattie had left her wand back at the beach house. She clutched to Theo in absolute fear. This snatcher was much older, and much bigger than the both of them combined. 

"Run!" Theo demanded to Nattie. "Run now" the snatchers lips curled into a sadistic smile. 

"Haha yes little mouse you run, I'll catch you in my trap soon, this won't take long!" He hissed. Nattie didn't move. Theo turned and gave her a sharp look. 

"RUN!" he yelled again as the snatcher threw a hex towards theo. Theo managed to block it, as Nattie refused to leave.

"Not without you!" She said. Theo didn't have time to argue with her, he was too busy blocking the hexes the snatcher threw at him. Theo was not the best dueler, certainly he was bested every time when he came up against the likes of Cassie, Draco and even Blaise. But he was good. And he had Nattie to protect. If he died the snatcher would not just kill Nattie. Something more sinister was in the mind of this snatcher and Theo was motivated to stop him at all costs. 

The two threw spells back and forth, some hitting, some not. Theo had lashings on his body as though he had been cut. He was bleeding, he was hurt. Nattie could do nothing but hide. She had no wand. She looked on the ground below her looking for a rock, or a big stick, something, anything she could throw at the snatcher to knock him off his game. She found a rock, which she hurled towards the snatchers head clipping him and causing him to stumble. She grabbed Theo's hand and pulled him in the direction towards the beach. Theo threw a big damaging blow that took huge chunks out of the snatcher and then turned to run with Nattie as his sound. The pair of them kept looking behind them, as he readied himself to fire spells to protect them as they made their way to safety. But the snatcher did not follow. As they got back to the beach house Theo began to limp. He was hurt. And he was hurt badly. 

All hell broke loose the minute they entered the house. 

"Oh my god what happened?!" Fleur yelled panic written all over her face. 

"A snatcher! He found us! Theo damaged him but I don't know if he's dead" Nattie cried helping Theo to the table to lie down as Neleus assessed his wounds.

"They've found us, we can't stay here!" Neleus said. 

"Dad please Theo needs to be healed!"

"Nattie listen to me we do not have time!" Neleus responded with worry. 

"Wait a minute" Fleur said running into the other room and returning with a pouch. "This is floo powder. Use our fireplace all of you and escape to Diagon Alley. Head to Leaky Cauldron and speak to Tom. There's a few of us held up there, with potions too that can heal Theo" Fleur said handing over the floo powder. 

"What about you?" Helena asked. 

"We will be fine, we will head to Bill's family. All of you leave now quickly, we don't know how long it will be before more show up here, and the protective charms only protect so much" Fleur insisted. Nattie was so panicked as she helped Theo to his feed. He was bleeding profusely. 

"Please stay with me!" She begged through tears as they made their way to the fireplace and used the floo powder. They crashed down into the leaky cauldron causing punters to gasp. Once they saw Theo in the state he was, Tom the barman rushed over and gave them a hand into the back. 

"What on earth has happened?!" He asked. 

The rest of them followed besides Fleur and Bill, and Tom brought in one of the healers who had been hiding in the basement of the leaky cauldron for months now. The healer took one look at Theo and thrust out his wand using incantation after incantation to heal Theo. It was messy work. And theo was left with scars all over his body. But he did heal. 

"That was a Sectumsempra spell used on him! He's lucky to be alive. Drink this boy" The healer said shoving a potion down his throat. "That will 'elp ya sleep!" He said before heading back to the basement. 

Nattie having held Theo's hand the whole time stroked his hair, tears still falling down her face. Neleus stood beside Nattie one hand on her shoulder to help support his daughter. 

"He will be alright love" Neleus said kissing his daughters forehead and then leaving to be beside Helena who was crying. 

"We don't have the room in the basement for you all, but you all can camp here tonight. Tomorrow we will figure something out" Tom said, making his way back to behind the bar. Luna tried to calm her father who was himself panicked again he would lose Luna. Blaise paced anxiously back and forth biting his nails. His thoughts swirled with his fiance Pansy. How he missed her. How he wanted to find whoever killed her and his baby and make them pay. Nattie stayed by Theo's side, comforting him. He had fallen into a deep sleep. 

Later that evening Tom has provided blankets, cushions and some stew so they could all be as comfortable as possible for the night. Nattie lay against the table still holding Theo's hand as slept. Meanwhile Xenophilius and Neleus were deep in conversation.

"I have to get my Luna out of here Neleus, they are coming for her! They are going to take her again!" Xenophilius panicked. 

"Xenophilius they are coming for us all! I know you are worried about Luna, I am too, as well as Nattie. How do you know Ireland is any safer?"

"I have heard there are places there that are safe and free of snatchers and deatheaters"

"I have heard Ireland is overrun with deatheaters! We can't know where is safe and where isn't. We need a full proof plan before we act"

"Well where do you suggest Neleus?! We can't stay here. You don't think the death eaters won't raid this pub often?! It's right on the edge of Knockturn Alley for goodness sake! We can't stay here we have to leave" 

"Tom assured us we would be safe here for this one night. I agree we cannot stay here it isn't safe. I think we should head London where Minerva is. She has a safe house. If we send word we can get instructions and hide out with her and others" Neleus suggested. 

"London is rampant!"

"I know it is but we would also be close to Snape who has been helping us Xenophilius!"

"That may be but I still think it is worth trying Ireland. I was thinking bushmills where the giant causeway is. There are caves that are safe, hidden. We can fish" Xenophilius said hopeful. 

The two of them went back and forth till the early hours of the morning. 

Meanwhile Bill and Fleur had left behind their beautiful home. They stood in the distance watching it be burnt down to the ground by snatchers and death eaters. Fleur cried in Bill's arms as the two of them apparated to where Bill's parents were hiding out. 

Chapter Text

Theo was okay. He was scarred but he was okay. The next day he awoke, feeling groggy from the potion, but healed. He felt guilty as he stared down at his girlfriend Nattie who had not let go of his hand. She was slumped against the table asleep but purely from exhaustion. He kissed her hand and gently placed her lying down so she could rest much easier. 

All of them left sometime after lunch. They headed to northern Ireland where indeed it did turn out there were safe zones set up by muggleborns and half bloods who were on the run. Most of these places were set up on the outskirts, in the middle of nowhere. Minerva had sent word of Ireland, pleading with them to avoid London which was over run with death eaters. 

They stayed in these camps for short spouts of time, having to move when snatchers and death eaters would attack. It become frustrating for all of them. Never seeming to find a place to call home while they waited for orders from the front lines. 

"I don't understand why we are all just running like scared mice! We should be fighting back" Zabini argued, his anger becoming more and more of an issue as days went by. 

"Because their not ready for us yet. They need the numbers, they need the information" Theo argued back. 

"Minerva is not receiving much information from Snape these days. Slughorn says if we attack now we will lose numbers that may be vital closer to the time" Katie Bell added, who had been moving round place to place in Ireland after the war broke out. 

"We're losing numbers now!" Zabini slammed his fist onto the table. 

"Blaise calm down" Theo begged trying to comfort him. Blaise shoved him off and stormed out of the room as he often did. 

"I understand how frustrating this is but this is the best thing we can do for now until we can convince the other schools from abroad to join our forces. Everyone is afraid, that or they have been recruited by the dark lord. We are operating in the dark here" Katie added her face solemn. 

"We understand" Neleus noted, thinking his brother may have been right about them just finding a cave somewhere and surviving away from the mess. 

As time moved on Theo and Nattie found less and less time alone to be together. They were always sharing rooms, surrounded by others, and it was not safe to wander off. Time moved slowly. Hope was beginning to be lost as they received less and less news from the rebels across the UK and Ireland. All they could do was fight when attacked, move and establish a new safe zone. This continued on and on up until Theodore's father turned himself over to the rebels and was sent Theo's way. When he showed up the mood changed. He brought with him a lot of information which was useful. Other rebel wizards and witches on the front lines were able to take back smaller bases due to his information but it only went so far. After he had helped give up good information he was allowed to be taken to be with his son. At first there was hesitation. Some of the rebels believed he was there only to illuminate Theo, but it did not take them long to see Tiberius was serious about reuniting with his son and joining the rebellion. 

All this lead to the present day where they were back in Devon, and held up in a monastery just days away from heading up to Scotland to take back Hogwarts. 

Theo paced back and forth in his and Nattie's room. Nattie couldn't take it anymore. She could not take the emptiness she felt since Tiberius had shown up and taken Theo's focus. She glided in the way of his path causing him to halt and look at her questioningly. 

"Nattie?" He questioned, his tone harsh. 

"Theo I can't do this with you anymore!" She cried burying her head in her hands frustrated and close to tears. Theo's heart sant and his tone immediately softened. He went to her, placing his hands gently upon her. 

"What is it? What's wrong? Nattie what did I do?" He asked anxiously. 

"Theo we are days away from possibly dying in a huge battle! We may not survive this"

"Mi amor I know, I know" He said, trying to pull her into his arms. She pushed him back.

"No you don't get it. Ever since your father arrived you have been distant. At first I understood and I tried to give you your space to compartmentalise. But you haven't touched me!" she began to cry. "Every day you spend arguing with him, and then venting to me or to Blaise or whoever else in earshot, and then you go to bed angry and turn on your side...I feel so lonely!"

Theo felt horrible. He did not realise he had been neglecting her like this. He pulled her into his body immediately and this time she did not push him away as she cried into his chest. 

"Mi amor, mi amor" he hummed kissing her head over and over. "I'm so sorry mi amor! I'm so sorry" he began to tear up himself. The last person in this world he ever wanted to hurt was her. She was the very thing keeping his heart beating. Without her he could not go on. He felt a twinge of rage towards his father for causing this. If it hadn't been for his father showing up...no, no he couldn't blame this on Tiberius. This was on him solely. He brushed her hair with his hands and continued to press his lips into the top of her head holding her tightly. 

"I didn't realise it had been so long since I embraced you. I'm so sorry tesoro, please forgive me. I love you with all of my heart you have to know that. I promise I will do better" He added meaning every word. She was right. They did not know how much time they had left, and that very thought pained him. Time was so precious and he was wasting it being angry and resentful. He should be focused on her, on them. 

"I know things are strained with your father. I don't want to add to your stress, but I just miss you" Nattie said sniffling as she wiped her eyes. 

"You could never add to my stress tesoro you are the opposite" he ensured, kissing her once again. Nattie leaned in to him again holding him tight. "I am so sorry again mi amor. I have absolutely taken you for granted and I am forever sorry for that. Whatever is going on with my father I should never have let that affect our relationship. Especially when time is so precious" he gently gripped her face in his hands and looked down into her beautiful eyes. "You are everything to me tesoro please, please forgive me amor" he plead. She half smiled, feeling the love pouring from his eyes into hers. She was relieved that he was sorry. She was relieved that he was trying to make it right. But mostly she was relieved that he did still love her the same as before. They kissed, the sweetest kiss Nattie had felt in a long time. Her heart melted into the kiss as did his as his hands slid up the back of her shirt to rub her back. 

Nattie ran her fingers across his belt and began to undo it. She wanted him. She wanted to make love with him. She needed to feel that closeness. He lifted her shirt off of her head and tossed it to the side. 

"Tesoro sei bello, sei bello" he purred soaking in the sight of her and her beauty. He pulled down her pants and lifted her up wrapping her legs around his waist as he carried her over to the bed. They kissed hungrily, her hands tugging at his hair. 

"I love how eagerly you respond to me like this" he murmured as she pulled his mouth closer to hers. She smiled against his lips as he dragged them down her bare skin, kissing every inch of her face, chin and neck. She bit her lip loving the pleasure of his kisses. Before he hand chance she grabbed his face pulling him back to her lips then pushed him over, straddling his waste. 

"So eager, so impatient you naughty little tease" he smirked unable to deny how much he wanted her and loved when she wanted him this badly too. 

"Well you have kept me waiting a while" she teased ripping open his shirt and kissing his bare chest. Theo closed his eyes his body warm and tingling with her touch. When she took him in her mouth he gasped and moaned clutching the sheets of the bed. 

"Tesoro! Mi fai impazzire, you drive me crazy" he moaned his hips arching up as she took him deep into her throat. "fuu-uck!" He groaned barely able to take the pleasure. It had been a while and now he realised that. Never again, he thought. His hand clutched her hair instinctively as she swallowed him whole, sucking and licking, up and down, up and down. He bit his lip as he watched her, her eyes looking up at him like a hungry tiger. Her eyes dropped tears, not from crying, but every time she took him fully into her mouth and throat. 

"You're trying to kill me tesoro!" He panted losing complete control of himself. His breaths were short, his body vividly reacting. Before he fully lost control and came in her mouth he sat up, grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap sliding inside of her wet pussy. Nattie's nails ran down his back as he held her on him. She grinded her hips on him, riding him hard and fast the both of them moaning in unison. As hard as she pulled his hair, he too pulled hers. Nattie pushed him down, held him down on the bed with her hands as she grinded her hips faster and harder. As she grew closer to climaxing she closed her eyes her body shaking and vibrating. He worked hard not to let go before she did, as he gripped her hips and bit his lip. 

Her nails dug into his chest over his battle scars as she climaxed and came on him. She moaned feeling herself orgasm multiple times. Though her arms trembled she continued to move on top of him till he finished. Noting her weakened body he flipped her over and pulled her back up to hip doggy style. It did not take him long as he slammed hard into her cuming hard and falling on top of the back of her. They both lay gasping for breath until he climbed off and pulled her into his arms. 

"Gods you really are incredible tesoro!" He exclaimed through the gasps of breath. Nattie smiled laying limp in his chest. She felt satisfied, like a hole inside of her had been filled finally. After some minutes of them catching their breath, Theo kissed her lips gently and lovingly. He lay there kissing her sweetly for ages until she fell asleep next to him smiling. He lay one more kiss on the tip of her nose and forehead and then closed his eyes to sleep in her arms. 

In the morning Nattie was exhausted so he let her sleep in, going off to find his father. He thought it was time to try and put some of the tension between them to rest. It had affected his relationship too much for him to allow that to continue. He knocked on his fathers door who ushered him in. 

"Son" Tiberius greeted him, his face worn as though he had barely slept. Theo entered and closed the door behind him noticing his fathers stressed features. 

"I didn't come to fight" Theo reassured him, watching as his fathers shoulders relaxed. 

"That's good son because I do not wish to fight with you anymore" Tiberius said, his voice solemn. They both stayed silent for a number of awkward minutes just staring back and forth, mulling over the bad blood between them. 

"I made mistakes with you son, I know that. I should have been more present in your life after Sofia...after your mother passed" Theodore flinched at the mention of his mother. It was a sore subject for him but he did not interrupt. "Gods I miss her every waking second of every day" Tiberius began to tear up, much to Theo's surprise. "She was everything, she had my heart. It felt like my heart died the day she did, and that was not fair because you needed me more than ever. You lost her too. I swear sometimes when I look in your eyes I see her. It's painful son. But no more painful than it has been for you too. And I overlooked this and for that I will forever be sorry. I do love you son. I do! That's why I came here, why I had to see you, to fight with you. I may not quite be ready to let go of some of my beliefs but I know this...I believe in you son, and I refuse to be used by the dark lord as his weapon against you!"

"He tasked you with killing me didn't he?" Theo asked, having suspected much. Tiberius had not revealed this to anyone, but Theo knew. 

"Yes son he did"

"You can see why it's hard for me to trust you can you not? You thrust these very old out dated beliefs down my throat everyday since I can remember. You believed in them more than you believed in doing your duty as a father. You set out my whole life for me against my will, marrying me off to Millicent Bulstrode when I was seven! You never even asked me what I wanted to do with my life. You didn't trust me to find my own love in life like you found with mum" He flinched again, his voice cracking as he said 'mum'. Tiberius looked down fighting back tears of shame. "Hogwarts was so freeing for me, you wonder why I never wanted to come home during the holidays?! Because I found a home finally a place I could just be myself without your every nagging word dictating my every movement every second of every day! And I found my own love..."

"I know you did! And she is beautiful, and wonderful and..." Tiberius lost it as he broke down into tears. "I shouldn't have...son...I'm..." he could not find the words. Theo was taken aback. He felt pulled to go to him to place a hand on his shoulder to comfort his father, but affection was alien when it came to his father. He couldn't remember if he had ever hugged his father let alone been hugged back. 

"Forgive me son!" Tiberius cried. "Sofia my love forgive me" he cried out to his wife. 

"I want to trust you father, but I can't be sure your not here to kill me and my future wife" Theo said strained unsure of his own emotions right now. Tiberius looked up at him, through the tears. 

"Son I would NEVER ever kill you! Never! I would sooner fall on my own sword than ever kill you my boy. No supremacy, or old fashioned beliefs could ever, EVER, force my hand to strike you!" He adamantly stated, his expression serious and sincere. Theo swallowed hard as he studied his fathers expression. After a little time he nodded accepting his fathers words as truth. Tiberius wiped his face and pushed back the emotions clearing his throat. 

"There is a lot of bad blood here I know and it is my doing. But I am not too proud to admit when I have been wrong. And I was wrong to try and dictate your entire life. You have been more than capable at carving out a life for yourself. I only wish this damn war had not come about, because I am certain you, and your girl, would be doing incredible things in the wizarding world. As I said when your mother died, a huge part of myself died with her. And I believe in my stupid way of thinking, that carving out your entire life was my way of keeping you alive and safe so I did not have to worry. It was a way of me gaining control, when I could not control what happened to your mother. If I could just control my son's outcome then I could make sure nothing happened to him, is how I thought. But that was ridiculous, it was cruel. As for these beliefs, I am beginning to question many of them myself. But it will take me time to reconcile many of them. I too had them thrusted upon me by my own father. It's all I ever knew, it's all he ever knew. I thank the Gods you came along to break this cycle son. And I am very proud of you" he said standing and moving towards his son. Theo took a step back at first, wary of his father. But as his words sunk in he took a step towards his father. And for the first time in a very, very long time Tiberius hugged his son, and Theo hugged his father. 

Later that day as they all sat down to dinner, Tiberius made it a point to sit next to Nattie. Nattie smiled at him politely, as he smiled at her. When Nattie turned to smile at Theo, Tiberius noted how her smile changed. From polite yet cold to warm and loving. He understood. They had not really ever spoken, other than the back and forth conversation over how to navigate their next moves in this war. He felt compelled to change that as he cleared his throat to gain her attention. 

"This mutton is very delicious" he said making awkward small talk. Nattie forced a polite smile once again. 

"Yes, it is" she answered emotionless. She wondered why he was trying to make small talk with her. 

"Did you make it?" He asked, immediately scolding himself for sounding so presumptuous just because of her sex. Nattie shook her head.

"No, no I believe my father made this" She said taking a small bite of her food. 

"Ah Neleus, yes, excellent" he said awkwardly. He was trying, though it was difficult. He was a man of few words by nature anyways. During his youth while dating Sofia, she had always been the lively one lighting up the room, holding conversations with their guests. He never needed to do anything but sit in awe of her, and how she held the attention of an entire room. He loved that in her. It suited him perfectly. After she died he stopped attending or hosting gatherings. Not just because he would never be able to fill her shoes, but because non of them felt right without her by his side. 

As the conversation fell dead and flat, Tiberius tried to think how he could try and be a bit more like his beloved late wife. He wanted very much to know more about the girl who had stolen his son's heart. 

"You made Theodore very happy" He stated warmly. Nattie's eyes shot up towards him, narrowing slightly as she tried to assess him in some way. Was he being genuine or was this his way of trying to push her off of his son. Either way it didn't matter, she would never leave Theo's side. 

"Thank you" she replied smiling politely once again. 

"I mean it. I know I'm not the most warmest of people. That was my wife Sofia's gift. But he is different around you. More like she was" He remarked placidly as he looked over at his son who was chatting and laughing in conversation with Helena and Neleus. Sofia's expression warmed a little towards him. She looked at him with fresh eyes, seeing that he was really trying to bond with her in some way. 

"I wish I could have known her" Nattie stated softly. Tiberius nodded.

"I wish you and Theo both could have known her. She was like no other" he said, fighting back tears. 

"Was she anything like Theo?" Nattie asked. 

"Somewhat. I see her very much in his eyes, and in the rare chances I catch him smiling. Gosh her smile could light up a room!"

"That's how I feel about Theo's smile. It sparkles, you just cannot look away" She cooed fondly. His smile was her favourite thing about Theo. Tiberius chuckled.

"Yes Sofia's was the same. I am sad to say I don't often get to see Theo smile. My own fault" he stated, internally beating himself up once again for his mistakes. Nattie looked at him seriously.

"Theo did mention you both spoke earlier, and that things are much better between you?! I think that's wonderful, that you are trying" she said genuinely placing her hand on his arm and tapping it gently. Tiberius was touched by her small gesture of comfort and his smile brightened. 

"It is definitely a start. Hopefully a fresh start" He stated taking another bite of food. 

"I hope so too. He may never admit this but he needs you. And I think you need him too"

"You are right. Very astute of you" He said impressed. She was smart as well as beautiful, and she was not afraid to speak her mind. "You remind me of her...of Sofia" he smiled. This warmed Nattie's heart to hear. What a compliment. All she had ever heard about Sofia is she was one of the greatest witches and most beloved. Theo kept her picture on him always. 

"Thank you sir" she smiled.

"Please call me Tiberius" he smiled back. Theo noticed them getting along well and smiled. While things were not perfect with his father, he could really see him trying hard. And anyone who made the love of his life smile like that was worthy of a second chance. 

The evening continued with laughter and conversation before Nattie and Theo departed back to their room. Nattie jumped into his arms and kissed his face all over causing him to chuckle.

"Well hello there mi amor" he chuckled, kissing her back. 

"I'm so happy" she smiled in his arms. Theo ran his thumb over her lips and face.

"I can see Tesoro. You and my father got along well" he stated.

"He's a good man and he really is trying" she replied her face serious. "thank you for trying too"

Theo sighed. "I think he might actually be here to help us"

"I do too" she agreed. He kissed her forehead. 

"Mi amor" he hummed holding her close to his chest. "May this day never end. I wish we could all stay here forever" he said feeling a little solemn. Nattie gave him a little squeeze.

"I know. But lets not think about tomorrow, tonight is not finished yet" she smirked. He smirked back at her following her train of thought. 

"Cara mia!" He whispered devouring her neck and taking her to bed to do anything but sleep. 

The next morning things turned serious as they gathered in the war room to discuss travel to Scotland.

"It's not safe for us to apparate any longer. The death eaters have set up charms in many areas that alert to any apparition. It would be instant death if we landed somewhere where those charms are" Neleus stated. 

"Neleus is right, a number of witches and wizards have been captured from their apparating" Blaise added. 

"Muggle travel is out of the question. Any train, car will be stopped and searched. Even muggles are not safe out there these days" Helena said. 

"We have floo powder but the floo powder network is being heavily guarded by the ministry of magic. Which leaves flying there. It would be a risk, we would have to go during the night, and we would have to be careful to not fly too low" Tiberius suggested. 

"Unfortunately looks like that will be the only way" Neleus agreed. It would be dangerous, though there wasn't that many of them. 

"When did Minerva send word last?" Nattie asked.

"A week ago now. She wants us to arrive there by this Saturday. The plan is to storm Hogwarts the following Monday" Neleus answered. 

"Did she have any suggestions for the best ways to travel to where she is?" Nattie asked hopeful. Neleus shook his head. Whatever way they chose their would be risks. Nattie clutched Theo's hand. 

"We could use polyjuice potion to disguise ourselves as death eaters. Before I left I took some vials of blood samples taken from a few of them. It might help?" Tiberius offered. Everyone looked at him with surprise.

"Wow, that would actually be a fantastic! Do you know how to expedite making the potion?" Neleus asked.

"I don't, but my son does" he said turning confidently to his son. He may not have been an active member of Theo's life until now, however he received many updates on how Theo was performing at Hogwarts. And potions had been Theo's strong suit. 

"He's right, Theo is excellent with potions he could whip that up in one night I am sure of it" Nattie added smiling and squeezing Theo's hand. Theo shifted awkwardly but felt a little more confident in his ability with Nattie's encouragement. 

"Thank you love" he smiled kissing the back of her hand. 

"Then that's settled then. Theo, Tiberius we will leave you to make up the polyjuice potion and then we can prepare ourselves to leave" Neleus said feeling more confident in this plan. They were about to exit for lunch when one of the Monastery's occupants dashed in out of breath. 

"Owl...Mail" he said in between gasps of breath. He handed a wax stamped letter over to Neleus and then left. Neleus opened it hurriedly and began to read his eyes widening in shock. 

"It's from Professor Snape..." He said looking up and each of them in their eyes. "He says Draco Malfoy is missing...they believe he has been captured by the rebels...that or he is presumed dead"

Chapter Text

Cassie was pacing back and forth in the Ravenclaw common rooms, a look of thunder upon her face. Nattie entered the room spotting Cassie in a state of anger. 

"Cassie are you alright?" Nattie asked, concerned for her best friend, she had never seen her this angry before.

Cassie stopped in her tracks, her fists clenched as she looked over at Nattie. 

"It's that blonde, arrogant twit!" she exclaimed with fury. Nattie choked back an eye roll. The only person Cassie could be so easily vexed by could only be the Malfoy boy.

"Draco again?! What has he done now?" Nattie asked, crossing her arms and sitting on the armchair that sat beside the fireplace. 

"Yes! Draco" Cassie spat as she slumped down in the chair across from Nattie. She had really tried to be nice to him, and he had to go running his mouth. "He just vexes me" she grunted. 

"He vexes you because of how attracted you are to him, but you won't admit it to yourself" Nattie quipped, clearly not scared of Cassie when angry. She smirked over as Cassie furrowed her brow in disgust. Cassie's face flushed pink at the accusation. The idea that she would ever be attracted to Draco...preposterous! 

"WHAT?!" She exclaimed "Nattie, if Draco was the last boy on this planet, I would avada myself into oblivion. I'm not now nor will I ever be attracted to him. He's vile!"

Nattie scoffed, her smirk widening. This was classic. Cassie could not see through all her anger, the tension that was palpable between her and Draco. But Nattie could see right through her. All she talked about was Draco since her first encounter with him. And although it was to vent about him, the very fact he plagued her every thought was pretty telling.

"Sure, of course you're not...I believe that. Really I do" Nattie said sarcastically her smirk growing by the second. 

"Nattie after what his friends did to you, and the way he just stood by and watched...and even now how he still defends them...you know I could never!" she said defensively. Nattie's expression did not budge which further pushed Cassie to defend herself. She was certain she had no interest whatsoever in the blonde rich boy. "I did think maybe for one second in the bathroom that we could be...well no we could not be friends that's a lie. But I did feel sorry for him, for like a split second! But attraction? Absolutely no way! Seriously Nattie I hate him. I hate the casual way he calls muggleborns Mudbloods. Like that's not the most offensive slur you could call them. I hate his disgusting, abusive father. I hate how arrogant and bullish he is all the time, carrying this air of superiority like he's god's gift. He's just...UGH!" She grunted in frustration. How could Nattie for one second think this? Her type was...well she didn't really know what her type was if she was being completely honest. Romance had never been something that interested her. Flirting was something foreign to her. Growing up the way she did she accepted she would grow up being her fathers slave witch. And she had never known a family life, so it wasn't something she had in built in her for her own future. At Hogwarts boys had shown interest in the last couple of years, but she brushed them off. She didn't need a boyfriend. What would she have one for? Her friendships were what meant something to her. And in her future she hoped to become a teacher herself at Hogwarts. It was the place that had been home, where she felt safe to be herself. She never intended on leaving, let alone becoming somebodies house wife! 

"All of those are very good reasons to hate him. They're the same reasons I hate him. But you can hate someone all you want, that doesn't mean you aren't attracted to them" Nattie smirked. "I don't think I have ever seen a boy get under your skin like he can" 

"Well he certainly has today, I can tell you that" Cassie scoffed, ignoring Nattie's insistence that she was attracted to Draco. She didn't want to argue with her best friend. Especially over him. "Nattie, I need your help" she said changing subject as her thoughts turned to the duel she had challenged Draco to that evening. Nattie immediately perked up and sat forward. 

"What is it, what do you need?" Nattie asked.

"I need you to keep an eye out from midnight tonight. To make sure no one sees I am missing from my bed" Cassie asked. She knew it was a lot to ask from her friend. Nattie raised an eyebrow. 

"And may I ask why you need me to keep an eye out at such a late time? Why the secrecy?" She questioned, worrying about what trouble Cassie was going to get herself into this time. 

Cassie sighed "Promise me you won't tell anyone, okay?" 

"Who would I tell? You know I can keep a secret, Cass" Nattie said her voice serious. "Now tell me what you have planned"

"I may have accidentally, in violent justified anger challenged Draco to a duel...at midnight. Outside the entrance of the forbidden forest" Cassie admitted sheepishly. Nattie gasped in shock. 

"You did what?! Cassie that's so dangerous. And to meet there at that...place. Cassie I'm worried" Nattie knew what Cassie was like. She was stubborn and followed her own path with not much regard to the rules. It often got her in a lot of trouble. But this, this was a bad idea. Not only is the forbidden forest extremely dangerous, but to go there so late to duel with Draco?! Cassie could be walking into a trap knowingly. 

But Cassie just smirked, her confidence shining through. She wasn't afraid of anything, except her father. 

"Girl you know me I dominate when it comes to duelling, it's him you should be worried about, I'll be fine" she beamed so confidently. Nattie internally rolled her eyes. "I just need you to keep watch, I can't get caught again. I've already racked up enough detentions this week" 

Nattie shook her head. Trust Cassie to only be worried about one more detention. Cassie got so many of them that it was almost becoming a daily class for her. 

"Of course I know you can dominate, doesn't mean I can't worry about you. You need to be careful, Draco isn't to be underestimated. I'll do what I can to keep your midnight rendezvous a secret though" Nattie replied with a smile. Cassie leaned in and pulled Nattie into a hug. 

"Thanks Nat! I promise I owe you one" she smiled. "You can tell Luna if you want. I know she will keep my secret as well, and then your not on your own looking out" Cassie trusted Nattie and Luna more than she had ever trusted anyone in her life. They were her best friends, her sisters. While Nattie called Cassie out on her rebel behaviour sometimes, it was what Cassie needed, and it was in genuine care. Luna was a little more carefree like Cassie, just less in trouble. 

"You don't owe me anything Cassie, you're my friend you know I'd do anything for you. Besides I owe you for how you dealt with Crabbe and Goyle. I don't know what exactly you did but they leave me alone entirely now. In fact they almost cower when they see me in the halls, it's quite amusing" she chuckled to herself. Draco must have actually stuck to his word, Cassie thought. Another side of Draco she hadn't thought was there, honour. "Of course I will ask Luna to help as well" Nattie paused looking intensely into Cassie's eyes with concern. "Are you absolutely sure you want to go through with this? The duel I mean?"

"Oh I am definitely sure!" Cassie boasted with fire in her belly. "Time to show that little blonde moron who is the greatest, unbeatable queen of all time" she said so dramatically, her gestures completely over the top. Nattie chuckled and shook her head as Cassie chuckled too. 

"Be careful your ego is showing. It almost rivals Draco's at this point" Nattie said smirking. Cassie scoffed and stood up, turning to leave and go change. 

Nattie could only watch her walk away still shaking her head in amusement. Cassie was just like Draco, but she couldn't see it, though Nattie did. While Cassie wasn't a bully she certainly did have his level of arrogance sometimes when it came to showing off her skills. She was also stubborn, feisty, cocky and loved a good prank. Where Cassie walked mischief followed closely behind her. Same as Draco. The only difference between them that Nattie could see is that Cassie was actually kind whereas she had not experienced kindness from Draco. Though she had from his friend, Lorenzo.

Cassie headed to her room her eyes closely watching the clock as it ticked closer to midnight. She changed into comfortable, all black attire perfect for duelling in, readied her wand and then sat and watched the clock. She was excited to show Draco Malfoy he was wrong about muggleborns being inferior. Though she knew Draco would never admit defeat, she would get a chance to kick his butt and that was thrilling. Though a part of her still had a twinge of sadness for him, and his situation with his father. 

Meanwhile Nattie was filling Luna in on Cassie's plan. 

"Oh dear. Those two just keep bucking heads. I do wish they could sort it out in a non violent way but the tension has been building for weeks now" Luna said shaking her head. 

"I agree. The tension you could cut with a knife. I think there might be more under the surface" Nattie suggested smirking inwardly. Luna chuckled.

"Oh my. Draco and Cassie? You think they actually like each other? After all the fighting and name calling?" Luna's mind raced as she tried to make sense of the whole situation. Though she did not like how his friends had treated her cousin Nattie, Luna always tried to see the good in people. Tried to understand reasoning behind their actions. In Draco she saw a lost, misguided soul. She did not believe him to be evil, not like Voldemort who had no redeeming qualities. She merely chose a detached acceptance of Draco in hopes he might one day redeem himself. She even wished that for Crabbe and Goyle. Luna had seen so much darkness in the world, yet she walked a path void of any hate. 

"It's strange. Th..." Nattie nearly mentioned Theo however she was not ready to talk about him so she quickly edited herself. "Thinking about it myself, having talked to myself about it, often I do think there's a weird connection between them. Cassie never talks about it but she didn't come from a loving family, and we both know Draco's family is anything but loving. While she turned out to be a lot kinder, she's certainly not a bully like him, I don't know...there's just a vibe I pick up on" She said her mind working overtime like she was a detective unlocking secret mysteries. Luna had noted her quick shift away from mentioning Theo. Though Luna would never call her out on it, she smiled. Nattie had been so much happier lately and it was quite obviously down to Theodore Nott. Luna could see he wasn't like the rest of the boys he hung out with. He seemed more withdrawn, quieter. She never saw him pick on anyone. Maybe a couple of sneers and laughter when it came to Harry, but mostly he kept to himself. Until recently. 

"It is indeed strange. It is like they can relate to each other in a way no one else can and that kind of connection can be very powerful" Luna stated thoughtfully. Nattie looked at her cousin, seriously. Luna had put the pieces together in a beautiful simple way. Not just when it came to Draco and Cassie either, but with her own relationship with Theo. Nattie and Theo related to one another in a way she could not relate with anyone else, and he the same. It did make for a powerful connection but there's was obviously less contentious. Nattie didn't like the idea of her best friend being connected to someone like Draco, but if in fact they did have such a powerful connection themselves it is pointless to avoid it. Nattie scoffed.

"Cassie is far too stubborn to admit such a thing though, luckily" she added.

"Why luckily?" Luna asked curiously. It wasn't like Nattie to sound so negative. 

"Well he's Draco Malfoy. It does worry me I don't want her to get hurt. And he is a walking red flag"

"I am certain Cassie can hold her own next Draco. And while yes he may not be the most amenable option, if Cassie likes him we can't stand in her way" Luna reasoned. Nattie sighed. Luna was right, they couldn't meddle. Cassie and Draco would have to work out whatever it was between them. 

"I just hope they don't both implode with mutual destruction" Nattie joked although part of her was serious. Luna shook her head and put her specs back on to look round the room. Nattie was about to say something when her phone rang. 

"Hello?" She said picking it up quickly. 

"Chao bella" Theo hummed down the phone instantly bringing a smile to Nattie's face. Luna skipped away leaving her cousin to it as she examined every crevice with her spectacles. 

The clock struck midnight and Cassie grinned. 

"Time to kick that blonde twits backside into mush!" She exclaimed, exiting her room and heading towards the rendezvous point. As she was leaving she noticed Nattie giggling down the phone to someone looking sheepish. She would have stayed and listened in but there was no time, she had a duel and one she was adamant to win not forfeit. 

"I will have to get that piece of gossip later" she smirked to herself as she made haste through the castle and out the the grounds where Draco was waiting, pacing back and forth. 

Draco had arrived early, much to his regret as he was not at all fond of the forbidden forest during the daytime let alone at night. And he was alone. So when he saw Cassie's shadowy figure in the distance coming towards him he relaxed, before he began to feel excited. His lips curled into a cunning smirk as she approached. He had wondered if she would even show at all. 

"Finally I can wipe that smug look off of her know it all face!" He said under his breathe. As she came closer she flashed her his wicked grin. "Right on time mudblood! I was starting to think you'd chickened out" he remarked. 

"Wishful thinking on your part" Cassie retorted, her grin matching hers. His taunts and jabs only fuelled her further. Draco rolled his eyes with a slight smirk. 

"Whatever you say. So were really doing this then?" He asked feeling himself getting a little nervous. He would never let it show though as he continued to stare her down. She too was in all black attire just as he was. 

"We are really doing this, unless you've got cold feet" she teased mockingly. This made Draco's blood boil, and his smirk faltered as he glared at her. How dare she. He was so fired up to teach her a lesson. 

"Not a chance" he scoffed "Let's start shall we?" He asked eagerly ready as he took out his wand. 

"Let's" Cassie grinned taking a theatrical bow, her expression smug and cocky. Draco rolled his eyes. She was so damn dramatic and annoying. Wiping the floor with her would be fun. "I'll even let you go first" she added taking her wand out ready to show Draco who was really superior here. 

"Oh how generous of you" he retorted, raising an eyebrow at her antics. "You're gonna regret that!"

"We'll see Blondie" she smirked readying herself in defensive position. "After you"

Cassie awoke early in a fluster, as the candles had burned out and it was pitch black. She looked around in a small panic, clutching her wand and casting Lumos with a whisper. She felt instant relief as she saw Draco still there, fast asleep. She had been dreaming of him, back to their time together at school, and the night things had changed after their infamous duel. The dream had been cut short as she woke. She put out of the light and quickly and quietly grabbed her things heading off out into the woods to hunt for their breakfast. 

As she stalked the woods her mind filled with memories of her best friends Nattie and Luna. She wondered about them, and if they were even still alive. It was difficult, she wanted to go find them as well but that would not be easy. It would also put Draco at risk. It tore her apart not knowing if they were okay, if they had survived. She missed them terribly and had over the years. One of her biggest regrets was not telling them she was leaving. She had tried to go to Draco but not them. That played heavy on the conscience. 

It did fill her with some peace knowing that Nattie and Luna were lucky in that they both had loving and sweet families. Unlike Cassie and Draco, Nattie and Luna had loving support, kindness, care, a safe home. It gave her some comfort to think that they would most likely be with their families safe somewhere. Cassie would only be a danger to them if she went looking. So she kept away hoping one day the war would end and she could go reunite with them once again. She could finally reunite with the world again. As she continued to walk she sighed heavily. At least she wasn't alone anymore, she had Draco. She was grateful for that. Having him with her gave her a warm, comforting feeling. A feeling that was foreign to her. They were like family now, surviving alone together. 

Back at the cottage Draco had slept deeply for a good portion of the morning. He had been so tired that his body had pretty much given out on him, and even though he slept somewhat uncomfortably, he didn't stir much. When he finally did wake, he slowly sat up, stretching tiredly and groaning. Draco stood and when he realised that Cassie had left the cottage, he felt a brief moment of panic. He cast Lumos to look around the place, noting that it looked exactly the same. Had she left him? Abandoned him? He wouldn't blame her. Or was it worse, had she been caught? His worried were quickly assuaged when he caught the smell of fire and smoke. He hurried outside, exiting the cottage sighing relief as he saw Cassie had built a fire and was cooking their breakfast. He walked towards her, rubbing his eyes and yawning. As he got closer to her he noticed she was roasting a pheasant bird over the fire. It looked delicious. He was starving, his stomach rumbling. Back at the manor they hadn't been eating very well. Mostly scraps as punishment, sometimes no food at all. 

Draco remembered sneaking into the kitchen once, after a day of being tortured under the cruciatus curse. He tried to sneak some bread only to be caught and put under the cruciatus again. It was as if he had become a slave in his own home instead of the heir to the Malfoy name. His mother hardly left her room, while his father was the one doing the punishing. Daily living was brutal, and his father had only grown more cruel over the years. Lucius has become almost as bad as Voldemort at this point. 

Draco stood behind Cassie watching her cook, noting how beautiful she looked under the morning sunrise. He didn't say a word, waiting patiently for her to notice him.

"Morning" Cassie said with a smile. 

Draco ran his hand over his messy, silvery blonde hair, pushing it back as he replied groggily "Good morning" His eyes flickered over to the bird, his mouth watering a little. He pointed toward the bird. "How did you manage to get that?" He asked with a hint of wonder in his voice. 

"I hunted for it this morning while you were asleep" she smiled, poking at the bird. Draco blinked, surprised by the revelation. He smirked slightly, a hint of amazement in his voice, as he replied.

"Damn, you know how to hunt as well?! Is there anything you can't do?" 

"Nope" Cassie chuckled jokingly, grinning over at Draco. Draco scoffed at her answer, it was very typical Cassie Mink confidence. She had been the same at school too. Always so assured in her abilities. He had envied her that, because it was something he lacked. He never quite believed in any of his abilities he just pretended he did. 

"Man I wish I had your self confidence" he said aloud, not meaning to. Cassie looked up at him he expression turning serious. 

"A lot of that is pretend Draco don't be fooled" she said honestly "I work extra hard always have done to be the best at everything, almost pushing myself to the brink to do it. I had to because no one else was going to take care of me but me. Your family expected a lot of you, as did mine. In all the wrong ways. When Dumbledor saved me from that life all I had was myself. Even with my friends, I was still a loner" she sighed solemnly. It was true. Even if the war had not broken out Cassie would have finished Hogwarts and been on her own no family for her to go back to. No one expecting anything from her anymore, so if she wandered the rest of her life aimlessly with no talents to show for herself who would care? Maybe her friends, but they would have their own lives one day, their own families. She had never been sure starting a family was a good idea for her. 

Draco studied her as she spoke. He appreciated the fact she was opening up to him, she never had until recently, until the other day when she rescued him. This was a whole new side to her he had never been privy to. Where she had always managed to get him to open up to her, she remained a closed book, until now. 

"So at school when you would remind me how much better than me you are at everything..." he started. 

"Yeah that was all bravado" she finished. Draco was surprised. Normally he could see through bravado but hers was just so good. He genuinely thought she thought highly of herself. It used to annoy the hell out of him, because she actually was very talented at everything. 

"But you were actually the best at school" He said almost half accusatory half to understand her better. 

Cassie sighed again as she turned the bird over. "That may be true but I worked very very hard, harder than most. I would always be out of my bed during the night time in the restricted section of the library reading, studying. I pestered Snape to tutor me on the side even. I pushed myself, sometimes going without sleep, to be at that level. Because deep down I hated myself at all, and I guess I was trying to prove myself wrong in some way. Prove I wasn't some useless muggleborn" 

Draco was shocked. He couldn't believe this was coming out of her mouth. 

"I wish I had known" he said.

"What difference would it have made?" she asked. 

"All the difference! I told you everything about me, I shared so much. You never really shared anything with me"

"Yeah...I know. I regret that but I was young and I was never sure I could trust anyone then. Plus I have always been stubborn as hell" she smirked knowingly. He grinned, agreeing completely. She had always been so stubborn. 

"Well that's true" he smirked. He pulled a face at him teasingly, smiling. 

"I guess...I just thought that since I could always see through your bravado at school, maybe you would see through mine. And that we were both similar. Using the bravado as a defensive mechanism to protect our vulnerabilities. In the sense neither of us ever felt good enough ever in our lives" she continued. Draco looked over at her, as though seeing her for the first time. She was just like him always had been, the whole time. 

"Yeah you always saw right through me. But I could never see through you, you were too good at hiding that. I never knew" he sighed really wishing she had been open with him then. Even though he had been a little shit in his earlier years, when they had finally become friendly he had really wanted to know more about her. She had always been a mystery to him, one he wanted to solve but could never figure the first puzzle piece, let alone the last. She looked at him for a moment, not saying anything before looking away sighing once again. 

"Nor did Nattie or Luna" she muttered. With them though she loved them dearly she could never fully open up to them either. They never knew the true extent of her upbringing. She had only told them she was estranged from her family, nothing more. And neither of them ever pushed her, but Luna could sense a darkness. She regretted not opening up to them when she had the chance either. Now it could be that neither of them would ever know who she was. 

"Do you miss them?" Draco asked. It surprised him that even they didn't know Cassie well but given her history, he could understand her guarded demeanour. They were lucky enough to have born into loving families. Something Cassie and Draco hadn't been so lucky with. 

"Everyday" she muttered closing her eyes to push back the tears. "I just hope they are safe" 

"Last I heard they were" Draco said tentatively. He had only seen Luna's name on a list due to her aiding Harry Potter but she had been rescued. Cassie looked at him, searchingly. The fact he knew, that he could give her that knowledge, that peace. 

"They are?" She croaked almost brought to tears with relief. Draco nodded sensing her emotions. He wanted to go to her to wrap his arms around her, but she took a step back and busied herself with turning the bird over the campfire once again. 

"That is so wonderful to know! That's great!" She said, her voice betraying her as she hid her face from him. She started to smile. A beautiful, happy smile. Draco couldn't help but notice just how beautiful her smile was in this moment, as the morning light danced over her facial features. It wasn't like he hadn't admired her beauty before. At Hogwarts he had noticed her. More than noticed her. Those feelings he had, had towards her at school had only grown. They were different now. She was all he had in this world and as he watched her cooking, he knew he would give his life to protect her. 

"It's pheasant by the way. Tastes pretty much like chicken, but better I think" she said. Draco nodded, having already assumed as much. He had to admit it looked so tasty, and he was grateful she had gotten up so early to hunt. He hadn't expected they would eat so well, but knowing she was skilled in hunting filled him with relief. This being on the run in the wild thing wasn't as bad as he thought the day before. He glanced sideways at Cassie still a little confused about how she had become so versed in hunting in the forest. 

"How are you feeling?" She asked him gently, looking down at his arm and then back at him. Draco swallowed hard, realising that she was referring to the dark mark she had removed the night before. That memory washed over him like a sudden sense of doom. He quickly looked down at his forearm, seeing that the bare skin was unblemished. He met her eyes with the smallest glimmer of a grateful smile. There was nothing in this world he could ever do to thank her for what she had done. It wouldn't be enough. What she had done, was the impossible. Once you had the dark mark that was it, whether Voldemort lived or died it was there forever. But she had found a way. A brutal way, but still it had worked. 

"I'm alright" he smiled "The mark is still gone, don't worry" 

Cassie smiled, relief washing over her as she took a deep breath. "Good! I'm glad. I bet you're hungry" she said taking the bird off of the fire and cutting it up into pieces. She served him half in a metal container passing it to him. As he took the container from her their fingers touched for just a second, sending a shiver down his spine. He brushed it off, his stomach grumbling as the smell from the pheasant consumed him. His hands shook as he tried to eat, surprising him. He tried to act casual, but he was so hungry he was finding it hard. He looked up at her as he took a bite, still in a little awe.

"When did you learn how to hunt?" He asked curiously. 

"Well as you can imagine, I was not equipped with wilderness skills right away" she started with a mouthful of pheasant. "I luckily had a book on hunting and gathering. It taught me how to make my own bow and arrows from the tree bark, and string from hemp. There weren't many lessons on how to actually capture prey but I soon learnt after days of starving. You get desperate you know?"

Draco nodded slowly as he chewed a mouthful of the pheasant. Part of him still couldn't believe what she was telling him. How she had been able to survive out here by herself. He swallowed and gave her a curious glance, unable to hide the disbelief in his voice as he asked "so you just read a book and figured it out yourself?"

"Something like that yes. As with all the other stuff, the protective charms for round our camp, for defensive spells we never learned at Hogwarts, so much in case I should ever come across a death eater. I learnt all that from my time in the restricted section" she admitted. "For the breaking and entering and stealing and stuff that's all stuff I learnt as a child on the behest of my father. He would often order me to gather information on people. He thought a child snooping around was a good cover" she scoffed angry at the memory of the things her father forced her to do. 

Draco's eyes darkened slightly, the muscles in his jaw tightening as she talked about what he father had made me do. He imagined her, a young girl, rummaging through cabinets, and draws trying not to get caught, the risks that hung over her. Something protective flared inside of him.

"Your father sent you to steal and spy?!" He said his tone harsh. "Your father is a bastard!" Draco swore his voice tight as he felt an intense anger at the things Cassie's father had made her do. He clenched his fists his expression twisted with anger on her behalf. Cassie felt touched by his protective outburst. She understood his anger, its the same anger she felt towards Lucius. She smiled reassuringly at him. 

"Don't worry I am free from him now. And I suppose those skills have helped me in adulthood survive out here alone. A lot of things I have procured here I have had to steal from nearby villages. I try not to spend too much time around people though. To make sure I stay hidden and safe. And also not feel too guilty about having to steal from some of them" 

Draco frowned feeling an intense wave of protectiveness sweep over him. She was so small and fragile and yet she had been sent into dangerous situations like that when she was just a child. It sickened him. 

"Well you're not alone anymore" he said firmly his voice holding a surprising amount of gentleness. Cassie smiled, happy about that. As she swallowed the last of the bird she crawled over to Draco's side. 

"Right, let me see your arm" she ordered. Draco finished with his food put down the metal container and removed his shirt. He held out his arm silently as instructed waiting as she gently took his arm in her soft hands causing him to shiver again. Cassie averted her gaze as best as possible but it was hard, seeing him shirtless. He was looking a little thin, but still had a beautiful, toned torso. She had never really looked at the male physique before, let alone admired it. But something about him with his shirt off made her a little nervous as she examined his arm. 

"Any muscle weakness or tenderness?" she asked her voice breaking ever so slightly as she tried to remain serious. 

Draco flexed his arms, shifting the muscle a little. He tried to remember how it felt before the mark.

"It aches a little still, but it's not as bad as it was last night" he said his tone neutral. 

"How about dizziness? Any dizziness or headaches?" she continued to ask.

Draco paused thinking about it. He couldn't deny that there was definitely still a faint pounding behind his eyes, but he shook his head. "Dizziness? No. But I do have a bit of a headache. Nothing major though" 

Cassie gently touched his face, examining him for a moment before pulling back. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at him. 

"Miltant vá vitaloth jebóa feboath" she uttered sending a spark at Draco's head instantly relieving him of his headache.

Draco felt a tingle in his skull as Cassie pointed her wand at him. He flinched a little but then the headache he's been experiencing simply vanished. He blinked surprised, reaching up as if to touch the spot on his head where the pain had been. 

"What the hell was that?" He asked, impressed.

She chuckled. "Just a little ancient nordic spell for headaches. It would take more time to gather materials and brew potions. Spells are just quicker. I hope you don't mind" 

"Ancient nordic, ancient icelandic, ancient dark mark removal spells...Cassie you are a bloody marvel I swear" He exclaimed. 

Chapter Text

Cassie laughed off his remark, remembering the time he caught her reading an ancient Icelandic book in the courtyard at Hogwarts. Draco shook his head still in disbelief. He knew she was good at spells, but that she was so adept at them and that it came so naturally to her still surprised him sometimes. Even though he had been raised by a family of pure blooded witches and wizards, he'd never really heard of ancient Nordic spells before. The Malfoy's had always stuck to traditional, tried and tested magic. 

"I don't mind by the way" he said eventually still a little dumbfounded. Cassie smiled. They stared at each other for a moment. Cassie felt feelings twisting inside of her that she was new to feeling. Something was shifting inside of her, and she turned her gaze away to push the feeling away. 

"Um so do you think you might be up for some learning? I can teach you how to use a bow if you'd like? So you can hunt too" She suggested.

Draco felt a flicker of disappointment as she turned away from him, but he quickly pushed it down. He didn't know what it was in the moment, but it made his heart skip a beat. He swallowed and considered her question, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. 

"A bow hey?! Sounds a little medieval" he chuckled. The thought of him out there in the woods hunting, using a bow and arrow. He had never imagined it in his life. Though his life had been anything but a luxury at the hands of his abusive father, he did somewhat grow up in luxury. He never had to lift a finger, his fathers house elves did all the cleaning and cooking. He was just expected to pull good grades, have a polished reputation and marry whomever his father chose for him. Six months before Cassie had come to rescue him his father had pulled him in his office to announce the next decision in his life he had no control over. 

"You will marry Astoria Greengrass in the next coming weeks" Lucius said barely looking up from the papers on his desk. Draco stood there frozen, wanting to protest, but he didn't want to lose another day of eating. Just as his mother had been beaten into submission Draco too submitted as he nodded. Though the thought of being forced to wed now that he was an adult was sickening. Astoria was pretty enough he supposed. She was two years younger than him having just turned 18, so was old enough to marry now. At Hogwarts he only ever knew her older sister Daphne. As children Draco and Daphne were often forced to play together, their parents forging an alliance for them to wed when they both turned 18. Sometimes Astoria would play with them. Daphne had beautiful long blonde hair like her mother but Astoria's hair was dark brown like her fathers. Astoria was much frailer, due to the blood curse, but she didn't let it stop her. Draco looked at them both more like sisters to him as he grew up with them, and they were friendly, but he preferred playing with Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise at that age. Then at Hogwarts he had briefly dated Pansy Parkinson, but again he didn't feel the way you should feel when your in love and wish to spend the rest of your life with someone. He knew he wouldn't be able to choose his future wife anyway and that his parents had made a deal for him to marry Daphne. But she had chosen to defy her parents and fight for the rebels when the war broke out and ultimately her parents had her found and killed, leaving Astoria as their only heir. Draco felt the same way he did for Astoria as he did her sister, she was more like his sister, an old friend. Someone he would gladly protect but he did not love her. It wasn't like he had any choice though.

As he sat with Cassie mulling over what his new life would be like far from being waited on hand on foot he was surprisingly glad. He would take having to fend for himself, and struggle, and hard work over being free to make his own decisions any day. The freedom was so liberating. 

"It is pretty medieval" she smiled back as he began to put his shirt back on. Cassie stole a glance before looking away. "You up for it?" She asked casually, pretending not to be a little flustered as she was. 

Draco looked a little uncertain, but he couldn't deny the idea of learning a new skill excited him. Especially one that was so medieval. He remembered the fun he had as a child shooting plastic arrows at Crabbe's head with Blaise and Goyle. Until Theodore joined them and saved Crabbe from being their bullseye much to Crabbe's gratitude. 

"Well sure, but if I end up looking like an idiot, you can't laugh" he smirked. Cassie laughed at his remark. 

"Oh trust me, you can't be any worse than I was the first time I used a bow" she replied, memories of her first time using a bow causing her cheeks to flush an embarrassed pink. 

Draco smirked, silently amused at the thought of her, cute little Cassie, struggling to hold a bow or shoot an arrow. It actually made him chuckle a little, which he hoped she didn't hear. 

"All right, fine. Show me" he said jumping up onto his feet. Cassie led him deep into the forest, where she had gone that morning to fetch their breakfast. She showed him how to tread the ground carefully, so not to spook any prey. She showed him stances on the ground and how to hold the bow properly. She looked good doing it too, Draco noticed. He couldn't believe she had learned all of this by herself alone. She looked like a professional as she modelled the stances, and then had him try. His body quivered when she would adjust his arms from behind. 

When he had the stances down she then showed him how to shoot an arrow. First by shooting one herself, hitting a nearby tree with ease and prowess. 

"See that tree over there where I just hit? Aim for that" she said stepped back and watching him carefully. Draco eyed the tree she had just hit, nodding as he mentally planned out the aim he needed. 

"Line your body up perpendicular to the target" she instructed as she had explained earlier. He knew he had to imagine a line going from his feet to the target. His left eye was more dominant so he held the bow with his right hand, pointing his right shoulder to the target as she had instructed. He kept his back upright, his feet shoulder width apart. He raised the bow, pulling back the arrow and focused. With an exhale he loosened the string and watched as the arrow flew and hit the ground a couple feet away from the tree. 

"Not bad!" Cassie exclaimed impressed. Draco raised an eyebrow at Cassie's words, a little disgruntled with his own performance. 

"I wouldn't go that far" he muttered, lowering his hand that held the bow. "That was terrible!" the self doubt started to creep in. He wanted to drop the bow to the ground and just leave it. Just let her be the one to catch them food. Even if that meant he would be reliant on her. He wasn't any good at this stuff. He never would be. Cassie shook her head.

"I would! You should have seen me and my first try. Actually I take that back you shouldn't. It was probably my most embarrassing moment" she said cringing at the memory. Draco smirked, suddenly forgetting the self doubt and now wanting to know what had happened when she had first used a bow. The image of her, clumsily fumbling with a bow and arrow in his mind. She had always been so skilled at everything so this he had to hear. He couldn't help but think it might be cute, like her. 

"Oh come on don't hold out on me!" He encouraged. 

"Oh god!" she winced burying her head in her hands as she chuckled. "Draco it was so bad! I was searching the woods further north from here, definitely not paying attention to how close I had gotten to a working farm. I must have shot a thousand rocks before I finally landed my first shot...except it wasn't an animal I shot" she swallowed hard. Her cheeks were turning purple. "I accidentally shot a farmer in his backside" she cringed awaiting his reaction. 

Draco burst out laughing as she spoke. The image of a farmer shot in the ass by a stray arrow because of her made him snort. He could picture Cassie sneaking through the woods, blissfully unaware before letting loose a massive shot that went way off target. Even hearing her shoot an arrow, he had noticed how strong she was. The poor farmer must have been in a lot of pain. It was too funny. 

"That's brilliant!" He gasped between laughs. 

"Don't laugh!" She moaned, laughing herself. "It was so not funny at the time" she felt her face go bright red. 

"Oh come on! Accidentally shooting a farmer in the ass!" He repeated still laughing uncontrollably. She lost it too and the both of them stood laughing at the image of her shooting a farmer in the ass. 

"He was okay luckily but he definitely was not happy with me" she said after gathering her breath back. 

"Well yeah he wasn't happy because he got shot in the bloody ass!" Draco laughed unable to stop himself. The image was seared into his brain now, and the fact that it had happened to Cassie, of all people, made it all the more hilarious. 

"Stop it!" She exclaimed hitting him playfully on the shoulder. 

"It's too funny!" Draco retorted with a mock moan, rubbing his shoulder dramatically from her thwack. He smirked still picturing her accidentally taking out a farmer's butt cheek. It was nice to know she wasn't this perfect creature, that at least sometimes even she missed the mark. 

"Well at least you can say you're a better shot than I was to begin with" she said smirking.

"I guess" he smiled. He still didn't believe his shot had been good, but he was secretly pleased that his first try had gone better than hers. He glanced over at Cassie noting her radiant smile and sparkling eyes from laughing. His heart raced and the urge to touch her somehow grew. 

"Come on try again" she encouraged gently, with a smile still tugging at her lips. "Make sure your elbow is parallel to the ground, and rest your chin on your forefinger" she directed. Draco nodded, looking away from her in order to keep his focus. He adjusted himself as she instructed, copying the position she was showing him. Every time he glanced at her he felt himself getting distracted. The fact that her body was so close to his, when she moved to correct his placement was overwhelmingly distracting. He felt her hand on his, correcting the grip he had on the bow. 

"Close your non dominant eye, sight the target and hold steady" she continued to direct him. Draco exhaled and closed his eyes, fixing his aim. He could see the target now, and he tried to make it all he could focus on. He tried to ignore the fact that Cassie was still so near to him. Her scent enveloping him. The sweetness. It was addicting. Just her presence made his heart thump in his chest. 

"Take your time. Concentrate. When you are ready, release and follow through" she said. Draco inhaled shakily, his ears ringing and his palms clammy on the bow. He could feel her eyes on him and he didn't want to disappoint her, even though he knew she was more skilled. He drew the string back, his shoulders tensed. 

"Okay, ready" he stated focused. "I'll try not to shoot any farmers this time"

Cassie stifled a laugh at his quip. "Concentrate!" she ordered, hiding her grin, a hint of amusement in her voice. Draco chuckled his face flushing. Damn it, why was he so distracted, he thought to himself. He took a few deep breaths and tried to steady his voice. 

"Sorry, sorry! Okay here I go"  He focused himself once again keeping the arrow level with the target. He held it for a second before exhaling and letting the arrow fly. 

"Nice shot!" Cassie exclaimed, impressed that on his second try he had hit the tree like a bullseye. 

Cassie was so impressed. It had taken her a long time before she managed to hit a target, and even longer when it was a moving one. He was so good at this and it made her proud. The more skills her could gain the safer he would be should anything happen to her. 

Draco's eyes widened as he watched the arrow fly before a huge smile spread across his face. When he saw that the arrow had hit the tree he felt a joy he hadn't been sure he had ever felt. Pride. He was never proud of himself before. He had boasted he was but deep down he was always struggling to prove he was worthy. Prove he was good enough. When Cassie had suggested teaching him this new skill he had immediately gone to a negative thought process, that he would fail. And here he was landing a shot. His heart started thumping in his chest all over again. 

"Did you see that?" he beamed turning to Cassie, unable to hide his excitement.

"I did see that. You're a natural Draco!" She encouraged, her face glowing with happiness for him. She was just as excited as he was, that made him feel good. He beamed, feeling a rush of pride washing over him as she praised him. Praise was another thing he lacked in his life. His mother had probably been the only one in his life who ever filled him with praise. Not much of it though, lest his father find out and beat her for it. At school, teachers rewarded students who excelled, but never seemed to reward him. Now thinking back he had been a cocky little shit especially in his youth. He had acted superior than everyone even his teachers, remembering a time when professor Lupin taught them the Riddikulus spell. He had scoffed at the stupidity of it all, it had all been bravado. And also jealousy as he watched other students seemingly get preferential special treatment from teachers while he always seemed to disappoint. 

But now he was excelling on his own, and Cassie was impressed. He couldn't stop grinning as his heart fluttered for some inexplicable reason. 

"I think I've got the hang of it" he said feigning confidence. 

"Well let's see if you can hit a moving target now. Try for a rabbit. Ground animals are much easier than flying ones in my opinion. I always found them easier myself" she suggested still smiling confidently at him. She knew he could do it. He was a natural at this, and she loved to see it. Draco nodded his smile fading. He tried hard not to let his uncertainty show. 

Hitting a still target had been easy enough for him, but a moving one? This would definitely pose as more of a challenge. He was suddenly unsure of himself again, those feeling of self doubt creeping on in. 

"Draco I have every faith in you, you will do this!" Cassie encouraged noticing the doubt on his face. She had always been good at reading him, something that was a little frustrating. He didn't want her to know he was feeling unsure. He watched Cassie scan the field for a suitable target, and started to get antsy. 

"How do I, uh, know when to shoot?" He asked.

"Visualise where the target will be when your shot reaches it, and squeeze the trigger smoothly to avoid disrupting your aim" she answered. Draco nodded taking her instruction. He studied the field, keeping his eyes on the small moving animals. Finally he stopped as his eyes fixed on a small brown rabbit munching on grass in the clearing. 

"Okay I've got one. There the brown one, although..." he said trailing off.

"What is it?" She asked concerned. 

"I don't know how I feel about this, about killing a rabbit. Their...kind of cute" He said feeling embarrassed for finding rabbits cute and admitting to that. Cassie smiled kindly.

"Yeah I hated it too. I cried every time I had to hunt to begin with. It's natural. We don't ask where our food comes from when it lands on our plate cooked. We never had to learn to survive in the wilderness, and probably never would have, had this war broke off. But surviving out in the wild leaves not so many options. And this is safer than stealing food regularly. I try to avoid having to go near people as much as I possibly can" She sympathised. She didn't want to make him have to kill an innocent creature. She hated it herself. It was the best and safest way to survive out here though. Living off of foraging would weaken them. Especially since edible fruit and such were not guaranteed on the move. 

"Your right. I never thought about how the food got to my plate I just ate it. Starving isn't an option" he agreed self preservation swaying him. 

"No it's not. I wish there was a better way I do. It will get easier with time" She promised, having reconciled it herself. One day she hoped she could go back to being able to purchase her food from stores again, and live a normal life not out in the wild. 

"Well I think I want to try for that rabbit" He said taking a deep breath and readying his bow.

"Go for it!" She encouraged stepping back to watch him. 

Draco took his stance, holding the bow firmly and taking a deep breath. He kept steady, keeping the arrow level, and fixed his aim on the target. He tried to imagine where the rabbit would be. He felt himself get distracted ever so slightly by how close Cassie was again. But he focused himself, the thought of succeeding while she watched thrilling him. He watched the arrow fly. He watched as it flew too high and ended up taking out a small bird by happenstance. As it dropped to the ground, the rabbit and any other animals that were around got spooked and ran off. 

"Nice" Cassie beemed. Draco scowled. He couldn't help but feel like he had failed, though a small part of him was glad the rabbit got away. 

"Damn!" He muttered. "It was close but I fucking missed" 

"Hey stop that. You still managed to catch something" she said trying to encourage him. Draco grimaced a bit, still not too pleased he had missed the target. He handed the bow back to Cassie, disappointment all over his expression. 

"Yeah but I was aiming for the rabbit, not the bird" he muttered negatively. Cassie could see he was getting in his head again and she knew just how to bring him out of it.

"Hey, at least it was a bird and not a butt" she reminded him, hoping that would bring his smile back. And it did, he laughed at the memory of that. He shook his head. He appreciated her reminding him of her own failed attempt, and felt slightly reassured. 

"That was one for the history books Mink" he teased smirking at her. 

"Yeah...you are never gonna let me live that down now are you?!" she said bringing the bird over to him. Draco shook his head smirking wider. There was no way in hell he would ever let her forget the time she accidentally shot a farmer in the ass. It was now his favourite story that she had ever shared. If only he could have been there, he would do anything to have seen it. 

"Nope not ever" he grinned. 

"All I'm saying is thank the gods I'm a faster runner, because he definitely wanted to kill me" she chuckled, causing him to chuckle too. He pictured the entire event in his head. He could see the poor farmer in his mind, holding his ass with one hand, and angrily shaking a fist with the other. He imagined the farmer cursing her in pain, as she legged it far, far away. 

"Damn I would have paid to see the look on his face when you took off running" he laughed as Cassie handed him the bird he had caught. 

"Come on" she said "lets get back. All this time we have been out here, it's nearly dinner time now" she said smiling leading the way after a successful day teaching him how to hunt. 

As they made their way back to the cottage, Cassie foraged and picked some herbs to use for dinner. She taught Draco how to skin the bird and then placed everything in the pot she used to make up a stew. Draco listened intently as she taught him how to skin properly, and watched her drop everything in the pot. It smelled good as it cooked, his stomach now rumbling. He was glad he had been at least somewhat successful in catching them something. With her encouragement he hoped he would just get better the more he tried, so he could be as good as her. It made him actually feel good in himself that he wouldn't have to be completely reliant on her. He was doing things he could never have imagined he could do. It was uplifting. 

Draco was impressed with her vast knowledge on the environment and what herbs and such were usable. 

"So, how do you know all the different plants you can use for food?" he asked intrigued to learn more. She threw over a little pocket book she had in her pocket. It was a little book on herbs.

"This little thing is very helpful. It will show you which herbs you can eat and which ones are poisonous. Same thing with wild vegetables and fruits as well. You can take a look if you'd like" She smiled. Draco should have known. More books, more reading. It seemed Cassie had digested half a library, maybe even more. 

"Ah Cassie ever the avid reader. You know you remind me of another bookworm we knew at school" he said teasingly. She gave him a side look and rolled her eyes. 

"There is a lot to be learned from books you know" she said crossing her arms over her chest. He chuckled.

"Seems so" he smirked, picking the book up and flicking through it.

"Hey you won't be smirking when that book saves you from consuming deadly berries!" She said defensively, though still smiling. He scoffed. 

"Yeah, yeah bookworm!" He teased, though his tone was playful. He gave her a brief smile as he continued to scan the book. 

"Okay Blondie!" She teased back. He shot her a playful glare. 

"Oh not that nickname again!"

"Well if you insist of teasing me for my interest in gaining skills from books I will have to pull out my arsenal" She joked sticking her tongue out at him. She stirred the pot of stew as he rolled his eyes, chuckling to himself. He enjoyed their back and forth.

"You did so well today, Draco. I'm proud of you" she smiled at him encouragingly. Draco looked up at her, his face flushing faintly. The tone had changed from teasing to sincere and heartfelt. He didn't know why her words made his heart beat slightly harder, but they did. He tried to push the feeling down, keeping an impassive look on his face. He was sure she was just being kind. She never showed any interest in him other than friendship. The feelings stirring inside of him were more than friendship and he wasn't ready to face rejection. 

"I guess I wasn't half bad for a pure blood raised in the lap of luxury" 

Cassie half smiled, knowing his statement about being raised in luxury was far from the truth. Sure he had, had the finest things in life. The best suits, the best wand, the best robes, and lived in a mansion full of riches. But it was all material things. There was no joy in having multiple expensive silk shirts in different colours, and multiple gold embroidered robes. He wasn't free to live his life and spend how he wished. It was an illusion of luxury. 

Though it was hard work surviving in the wild he felt free. And the way it felt to him, the way freedom to be himself, with his own beliefs and ideals, without being beaten into submission...there was no price that could ever compare. 

"Tomorrow I can help you make your own bow and arrows so that you have your own tools" she suggested stirring the stew. 

Draco smiled slightly, a tiny flicker of excitement shooting through him. The thought of making his own tools instead of relying on Cassie's seemed impowering, almost manly. He liked this medieval style of living. Even though the thought of putting his hands to creating something seemed almost wrong. He had never crafted anything in his life. Not even a painting or drawing. He was never allowed to pursue anything like that so he just didn't. No, he told himself, don't be ridiculous, I shouldn't have to feel guilty for creating things, he thought. 

"Yeah really? You'd help me make one on my own?" He asked.

"Of course I would!" She replied. Draco's face flushed again. His heart feeling strangely light. Why was it that the thought of Cassie helping him excited him so much. He should have felt humiliated having to survive in such a primitive manner. But those were his fathers feelings. For so long he had learnt to follow his fathers word and not have any feelings of his own. He found himself looking forward to it. To crafting his own bow for his own use. He knew it would take time to undo all the damage his father had caused him, but he wasn't completely lost yet. 

The lifestyle of surviving in the wild wasn't necessarily something he had ever wanted. If he were being honest with himself he did much prefer the warm home comforts of a giant bed and fresh clean sheets. But this way of life had a strange satisfaction to it. As though he were actually achieving something. He thought to himself he was getting soft, but he wasn't sure he minded all that much. Especially when it meant being with her. 

"Well I guess that would be cool then, thanks" he said casually, avoiding her gaze. Cassie looked over at Draco, admiring him under the setting sunlight. He was still flicking through the pocketbook about herbs. She couldn't look away. Something about him, was different. He was glowing, in a way she had never seen. And the tiny smile on his face as he flicked through the foraging pocketbook made her heart flutter a little in her chest. She could get used to this. Used to living like this just with him by her side. When Draco glanced up and caught her looking she smiled. 

"It's..." she started trying to find her words, whilst her cheeks flushed a little pink. "It's really good to see you smile and actually laugh too" she said sweetly and sincerely. He had been through hell these past four years. And she would never forgive herself for not trying harder to find him that day in the castle. But would he have even gone with her then?! No one could have known what would happen not even Draco. He may have rejected her, stopped her from running, or gotten her caught. She would never know but she hated that in her absence he suffered as much as he did. 

Draco looked up quickly at her words, his pulse quickening a little. It was funny how someone could have the ability to make you feel so vulnerable, and yet he didn't feel the need to push her away. In fact thoughts swirled his mind of grabbing her and kissing her. He could no longer deny his attraction towards her. Even though he knew her smile, her beautiful eyes on his, were out of friendship for her, he couldn't run from his feelings. He would bury them, learn to live with them, but he wanted her, wanted to kiss her. Wanted to make her feel how she had made him feel. 

It was easy with her. Being so forthcoming with his emotions with her came naturally. And she didn't judge him, or mock him. She embraced him and encouraged him. He wasn't used to someone seeing through his icy façade quite as well as Cassie did. She didn't just read books well she read people well. 

Draco had been with women before. But it had been transactional. His first time was with Astoria Greengrass, his intended. A little after she had turned 18 her mother brought her over to Malfoy Manor for her to stay for the week during summer. It was a way for her to get acquainted with not just Draco, but Narcissa and Lucius, and the manor itself. Since she would inherit the responsibilities of running the manor alongside Narcissa as the woman of the house. Draco thought he should at least try with her. So they tried and it had been awkward and messy. He lasted all of two minutes. 

He awkwardly climbed off of her wiped himself down and then left without saying a word. It was out of humiliation, rather than meaning to be rude. But Astoria had been grateful he had left. Someone else had her heart, a boy in her year named Kaiden. Kaiden was a half blooded wizard though so not good enough for her family to ever accept. Her parents had become far stricter with her every move since Daphne had betrayed them. She had found moments to sneak out to meet with Kaiden but not that many and he eventually told her they should stop seeing each other. Not because he didn't care for her but because it hurt to much to be her hidden secret. To never fully be able to have a normal relationship. Which is what he wanted. She felt sick when she thought about him finding someone else to settle down with, knowing it would not be her. And no matter how hard she tried she couldn't force herself to love Draco.

He was beautiful to look at, especially his eyes. But there was nothing between them. They had nothing in common, nothing to talk about. She was mostly nervous about the first time they would have sex on their wedding night. Which is why she was glad he suggested they try it before. Getting it out of the way now rather than later. The pain was unbearable. Draco had gone slow enough but it was awful. For two minutes it felt like two long hours of agony. Afterwards she just felt dirty. So did Draco. 

Draco showered himself off and slammed his fist into the wall breaking off one of the tiles. After that he found himself craving sexual interactions more and more. It was as if he had opened pandora's box and unlocked some hidden, repressed need within him. Like a hunger. He wasn't interested in trying it with Astoria again so he ventured out, finding himself in seedy bars in London. They were muggle women, which meant he never had to see them again. He slept his way through most of the bars in London, learning to last longer, and enjoying it. But it was always transactional, meaningless. It beat using his own hand in his cold, dull bedroom back at the manor. One evening out Lucius had followed him, dragging him back by the tug of his hair and beating him nearly to death.

"YOU FILFTHY MONGRAL!" He screamed. "MIXING WITH THOSE MUGGLES I DIDN'T RAISE YOU TO TOUCH FILFTH!" Draco lay still in a pool of his own blood, taking his beating hoping he would die so his awful life would end. His father kicked him, smashed his cane into him, and used the cruciatus curse relentlessly in between hits. But he did not die. Instead his father forced potions down his throat to undo the physical damage he had done to him. A few days later Cassie burst into his room, and now here he was with her. Happy. Actually happy.

Chapter Text

Cassie served up the stew in their metal containers and surprisingly it tasted delicious. He put it down to her skills with flavouring from the herbs she had foraged. 

"It's been so long since I felt anything close to joy" he started. "I haven't smiled this much in a very long time, especially more than once in a day" he looked over at her knowingly, she was the reason that he was happy again. 

Cassie staring at the ground replied solemnly "Same" There was a sadness in her eyes, a vulnerability she wasn't used to showing. Draco and Cassie had been through so much in their lives. 

Draco looked straight at her this time, his grey eyes locking onto her blue ones. He could see the pain behind her gaze, the sadness in her eyes that mirrored his own. He cleared his throat trying to push away the tightness in his chest as he spoke.

"I'm - I'm sorry you've been through so much"

"I'm sorry you have to" she mumbled back allowing herself to cry for the second time ever in front of another person. She never let herself cry around anyone. Not since she was a child crying when her father beat her for disobeying his orders. He soon beat the tears out of her where no amount of pain could bring her to tears. She had cried while holding Draco through the agony of removing his dark mark. It was becoming easier for her to be vulnerable with Draco. 

Hearing her words, the pain in her voice felt like a punch to the gut for Draco. He had never wanted to comfort someone so much, yet been unable to do so. His body begged him to run over and kiss away her tears, and hold her in his arms. But he had no idea how she would react. It could go badly wrong, and then this, all of this would be over. She would close up again and they might part ways. He would be on his own once again. He was too afraid to lose her now. He tried to speak but no words came out. She was too close to the truth. Too close to finding out his feelings for her. 

He knew she could see he was hurting, and it terrified him. 

"We should stop apologising for things that aren't our fault. It's not our fault what we went through" He said staring at the ground solemnly. 

"You are quite right" she said wiping away her tears and swallowing down her pain. "No more apologising for things that aren't our fault, or have been out of our control. Life will be different from now on. Hard but at least we won't be forced to do anything against our will" 

Draco nodded, his gaze drifting back to her face. He was struck by her beauty, how pretty she looked in the firelight. The way the flames danced casting shadows on her fair skin, and brown curls. Gods, how could he ever get used to being in her presence whilst just being her friend. It was so easy to forget their circumstances when he looked at her like this, as if it was just them in the whole entire world. He glanced down at her lips. Her perfectly peachy lips. He would often catch her biting her bottom lip, a habit he had of his own. It made him want to bite it for her. He had to clench his hands together tight to push away these desires. 

"Yes" He said shaking out of the trance her beauty had him in. "We have each other"

"We have each other" she repeated looking up to smile at him, a smile that weakened him. 

Draco looked at her, his voice steady and sincere as he repeated the words in his mind. He meant them more than he had ever meant anything. His protective nature was kicking in again at the thought of her in danger. 

"And no matter what life throws at us, we'll survive this together. I'll always protect you, I promise" He said sweetly, a teeny tiny smile forming at the corners of his lips. Cassie looked at him for a moment in silence, as though seeing him in a different light for the first time. Draco met her gaze, feeling the weight of her eyes on him. It was like she was studying him, looking for something he didn't quite understand. He tried to remain still, but he could feel his heart picking up pace as she stared at him, searching for something. He was curious as to what she was thinking. 

Draco snapped back to reality, suddenly flustered by her intense gaze. His cheeks flushed pink, betraying his nervousness. And he felt his stomach churn awkwardly. He turned away quickly trying to hide his embarrassment from her. Damn it, he cursed to himself, why did she have such an effect on him?! It was ridiculous how easily intimidated he felt under her gaze. 

"We should go get some sleep, it's late" Cassie said quickly, feeling an intense nervousness herself. Draco had caught her staring at him. They had held each others gaze in silence. Her stomach was fluttering and she felt sweaty. Her feelings were shifting and changing. There was something familiar about them, but also foreign. As though they were a repressed memory of something she had long forgotten about, but she couldn't place it. She didn't even understand these feelings. The desire to touch him. What was wrong with her? She thought to herself. She had to snap out of it. 

Draco nodded, his eyes averted anywhere else but on her as his mind swirled from their interaction. It was late, she was right, and he felt exhausted both physically and mentally. 

"Yeah you're right we should get some rest" He didn't look at her once for the rest of the night, trying to hide the fact he was still flustered. He didn't want her to see how much her faze had affected him, in case it scared her and she abandoned him. He knew he could keep himself in check and that eventually the feelings would die down in time. But his heart betrayed him as it pounded in his chest. He made his way into the basement and lay down instantly closing his eyes and keeping them forced shut to avoid looking at her. 

As they both settled in for the night Cassie felt her mind wandering over their infamous duel at Hogwarts. That had been the night things in their relationship took a shark turn. 

Cassie and Draco stood opposite of each other in their duelling stances, smirks on both their faces. The time had come to see just who was superior out of the two of them. Once and for all Cassie was going to show him she was better, where Draco was ready to put her in her place. 

"I'll even let you go first" Cassie stated, her tone full of sarcasm. 

"Oh how generous of you" he retorted, raising an eyebrow at her antics. "You're gonna regret that!"

"We'll see Blondie" she smirked readying herself in defensive position. "After you" 

Draco hated that nickname. He hated all the nicknames she gave him, they were utter disrespect coming from a muggleborn to a pureblood like him. The rage fuelled him. He composed himself and aimed his wand pointed right at her. 

"Don't cry when you lose Mink" he taunted. 

"Oh don't you worry about that blondie!" 

Draco rolled his eyes in annoyance as she used that nickname again. He was ready to wipe the smirk off of her face. His expression was focused as he gripped his wand tight. "Don't say I didn't warn you" he smirked before shouting "Expelliarmus!" 

"Protego maxima!" Cassie yelled out right away blocking his disarming spell. "confringo" she hit back with a blasting spell. 

Draco was quick to defend himself, raising his own shield charm to block her blasting spell. “Impedimenta!” he yelled back before trying once again to disarm her.

"Protego!" She was too fast once again to block much to Draco's frustration. She smirked stalking his movements as she side stepped slowly. "Expelliarmus!" She retaliated with ease.

"Protego!" He was just in time to block her attack. He growled at her, frustrated his attacks weren't hitting, where hers came close. He took a step back to study her movements as well. 

"Your move" she muttered tauntingly a sly grin on her lips. 

Draco took a deep breath as he continued to study her every move. He saw an opening. In a swift movement, he suddenly disapparated and reappeared beside her, aiming his wand straight at her "Bombarda!"

"Protego!" She was just as quick to block the attack, it was almost too easy for her. "Expelliarmus" she retaliated back quickly, this time landing her hit and sending his wand flying out of his hands. He was infuriated as she chuckled, a slight malice in her laugh. 

He bent down to pick his wand back up quickly and hit her back "Confringo!" 

"Protego Maxima!" Again he blocked her spell with ease. "Stupefy!" 

"Draco was growing more and more frustrated. He attempted to dodge the stunning spell, but it still slightly clipped him. He stumbled but managed to get back on his feet and cast a counter spell “Impedimenta!”

"Protego!" Blocked again. Her mouth curled into a cunning smile. 

Draco continued to watch as she blocked every attack he sent at her. His annoyance grew with every failed attempt. After trying several more times, he gritted his teeth and muttered to himself, "She's too fast at blocking. How can she be so damn good?"

"Talking to yourself are you? Have I driven you mad already" she teased, goading him to retaliate. This infuriated him further. She could get to him like no one else could and it pissed him off.

"Shut the fuck up!" He yelled with bite. This only made her smirk wider. "Just counter already" he said preparing himself for her attack. She paced back and forth keeping her eyes on him like a tiger stalking their prey. 

"Bombardo!" She screeched. 

Draco managed to just dodge the blast, the ground exploding where his feet had just been "Expelliarmus!" He shot again, hoping to break her defence and knock her wand out of her hand.

"Protego!" Again she blocked his spell too quickly. She hit back with the bombardo spell again this time he was quick to block himself. 

"Not bad you almost got me" he smirked hoping to taunt her back, to knock her off her game. She was far too good at defending. 

"I'm just getting warmed up" She smirked back. 

Draco chuckled again, still amused by her confidence. He raised his wand once more, his gaze fixed on her. "Oh, I'm sure you are. But you won't last much longer."

Bullseye, Draco thought, laughing to himself to he finally got her. He watched her fall to the floor, laughing uncontrollably. He couldn't help but feel a sense of victory, seeing her momentarily defenceless. He finally managed to best her.

Through the fits of laughter cassie cast "Finite incantatem" charm to undo the hex, climbing back up her feet ready to get him back. 

Draco scoffed. It appeared the battle was far from over.

"Enjoy that one victory while it lasts" she warned "furnunculas" her hex hit draco causing him to break out in pimples all over, she chuckled. "Now you've got pimples blondie!"

Draco grimaced as the hex hit him, causing pimples to suddenly emerge on his face. "Damn it, you annoying little..." he cursed, feeling a mix of anger and amusement as he tried to swat away the pimples. He had to admit it was a clever comeback, though it annoyed the hell out of him. 

"Keep up Malfoy" She egged him on feeling more determined than ever. Him landing an attack on her only fuelled her further, it lit a fire in her belly and she was ready to unleash all hell on him to win. 

Draco gritted his teeth, feeling a mix of annoyance and excitement at her taunts. He wiped away a few pimples and replied with a smirk "Oh, you're going down, mink. Just wait and see." Draco, still trying to compose himself, wiped away some of the pimples with one hand while raising his wand with the other. He took aim, his expression focused.

"Levicorpus!" he shouted, flicking his wand towards her.

Cassie cast an immediate shield charm blocking his attack and then with quick ease yelled "Flipendo!"

Draco stumbled backward as her shield charm blocked his attack. He staggered, trying to steady himself as the force of her spell hit him. Before he could fully recover, he was hit with her "Flipendo" spell and was lifted into the air before being pushed backward and landing on the ground roughly.

He grunted in pain, a mix of frustration and determination filling him.

"Ugh... You're too fast."

"You give up?" She taunted smiling.

Draco scoffed as he got to his feet, dusting himself off. "Give up? Never." he said defiantly. Despite the pain and frustration, he was determined to win this duel. He raised his wand once more, his gaze fixed on her

"Petrificus Totalus!" he yelled, trying to immobilize her. 

"Protego! Petrificus totalus!" She blocked and used his spell right back at him hitting him directly

Draco was hit by the spell and immediately found himself frozen in place, his body unable to move. He struggled to break free but couldn't. He could only stare at her with a mixture of frustration and disbelief.

"Damn it..." he muttered through clenched teeth.

Cassie walked over to him and towered over him grinning. "Got you!" she teased feeling victorious. 

Draco grumbled as he lay there, still unable to move. He looked up at her with a scowl, irritated by his defeat.

"Shut up, you little.." he muttered, not wanting to admit how impressed he was at her quick thinking and skill. She was really good, for a muggleborn. 

"I believe this means I won" she smirked cockily. Draco grunted and rolled his eyes his ego bruised but not completely shattered. 

"Fine, you won, happy?!" He spat in aggravation. 

"Very" she smiled raising her wand "finite incantatem" she cast removing the effects of the curse so he could move freely again. She undid the hex of the pimples as well still smirking much to his annoyance. 

Draco let out a sigh of relief as the curse was lifted. He rubbed his temples as he got to his feet "Don't let it go to your head, mink" he said, his ego trying to keep up appearances.

Cassie smiled and folded her arms across her chest. "Now I just need you to admit that I, a merely muggleborn witch, am equal, if not a tad better to the great Draco Malfoy" she insisted. It was only fair. 

Draco clenched his jaw, still not wanting to give in. The idea of admitting she were better than him was a blow to his pride. He took a long pause, contemplating before finally speaking "Ugh, fine! I'll admit it. You, a mere muggleborn, has beaten me. I suppose you're somewhat better than me."

Cassie's smile turned smug. "Oh it's like Christmas Day! I'm so happy" she beamed leaning against a tree and folding her arms. 

Draco rolled his eyes again at her smugness. "Oh shut up Mink!" he grumbled though he was secretly amused by her victory celebration. It's only what he would have done had he bested her in the duel. She reminded him too much of himself. He couldn't help but feel a bit of respect for her skills, but he would never admit that. 

"Seriously how did you get so good? You're way too fast!" he asked, his tone a mixture of annoyance and genuine awe. 

"A magician never reveals her secrets" she winked, flicking her tongue to the side of her teeth and scrunching her nose cheekily. "But don't worry, I won't tell everyone how you lost to me again. It'll be our little secret" she teased. 

Draco scoffed, glaring at her cryptic response, but he couldn't help the smirk breaking out on his lips. She had beaten him twice, and she was boasting about it in the exact same way he would. Plus he had to admit her facial expressions though immature were kind of cute. He looked at her for a moment as she smirked back at him, his expression softening slightly. 

"You better not. I have a reputation to uphold, you know" he said, still trying to maintain his usual air of arrogance. 

"I'm not that cruel, don't worry" she smiled, her tone a little friendlier than before. She meant it too. She didn't need to prove anything to anyone else. This was about his beliefs that purebloods were superior to everyone else, and proving that she could be just as good if not better as a muggleborn. She was desperate to challenge his archaic views, and try and get through to him. She didn't really understand why she felt the need to so bad. 

Draco looked at her for a moment, his expression softening some more as he gaged her friendlier demeanour. He was sure she would be making posters by now to put up round school, to tell everyone how she had bested him. That she couldn't wait to tell the entire school she, a muggleborn, defeated the great Draco Malfoy. But she was proving him wrong. 

He nodded feeling relieved that she wouldn't advertise his defeat. He wouldn't be able to live that down ever, and if his father ever found out...relish the thought. Despite her besting him he was starting to find her mischievous and confident nature more and more intriguing. Cassie smiled at him putting her wand away. Draco too put his wand away, watching her closely. Despite the loss he really was amazed at her skill and wit. She was extraordinary for a muggleborn. He had never met anyone quite like her, and she was beginning to challenge everything he believed. 

With a subtle but genuine tone he admitted "You're good you know" there was an undertone of reluctant respect in his voice. 

"Thank you" she smiled genuinely. "Be honest how hard was that for you to say?" she teased playfully. Her shook his head, rolling his eyes but smirking hard. 

"Don't push it Mink!" He warned. She chuckled.

"You're not bad yourself. You did manage to land that tickling charm. Not even Nott can land one of his attacks on me" she stated reminding him of all time times in duelling lessons where she had been paired with Theodore Nott. Every single time she bested him, no matter what he did. He couldn't land one hit on her, and he tried. It didn't irk him as much as it did Draco however, he had shown her respect every time. But he did pray the teachers would let him duel anyone else other than Cassie Mink. 

"Yeah Nott always gets his knickers in a twist whenever he has to duel you in class. I can see why now" he smirked, remembering all the times he had teased Nott for getting beat by Cassie. He had boasted he would have no problem taking Cassie down himself, but now he could see he was mistaken. She really was just that good. Cassie chuckled at his response. 

"The teachers must like punishing him" she continued to chuckle. Draco let out a snort of laughter.

"Oh they do! It's hilarious watching him get all riled up when you disarm him every time" they both laughed. "You must enjoy this" he started after a moment of laughing together. "embarrassing purebloods during class" he finished a hint of teasing in his voice. 

"I enjoy it immensely" she teased back. Draco smirked at her admission, finding a twisted kind of amusement in her audacity. He continued his gaze on her.

"You have a taste for defying expectations, don't you Mink?" he smirked looking her up and down biting his lip. 

"Something like that" she smirked back. She found his lip biting smirk cute. "I guess you could call it a calling" she took another dramatic courtesy. Draco chuckled finding her theatrics suddenly and oddly endearing for once. She had a way with words, the same way he did. If he didn't know any better he was beginning to like her. 

"Well aren't you a strange one, Mink. A muggleborn with a knack for stirring things up and a flair for the dramatic" They chuckled together again, shifting around of their feet simultaneously. Draco's expression turned serious for a moment. He looked up at her with curious eyes. "In the bathroom earlier...why did you really follow me in there?" He asked, regretting slightly his earlier outburst. 

Cassie's expression matched his as she stared down at her feet. "I saw - I saw how your father treated you. I watched what he did to you. I wasn't meaning to spy or anything, I was actually on my way back to the dorms when I spotted the both of you. It was shocking and disgusting how he treated you. I followed you because I genuinely wanted to make sure you were alright. You didn't deserve that"

Draco stiffened his eyes widening. He wasn't expecting her to reveal that she had witnessed his exchange with his father. He rubbed the back of his still injured hand, his expression solemn. He never wanted anyone to see his exchanges with his father, it was humiliating. They would only mock him for being a coward. For being weak and helpless. Someone like Harry Potter would have fought back, but not him. Though he was too hard on himself, because in reality he had tried but it had lead to more pain. 

"Ah...So you're actually being nice, then?" He asked his tone less harsh than it had been in the bathroom. 

Cassie nodded. "I was genuinely being nice"

Draco looked at her for a moment taking in the sincerity of her words. It was a rare occurrence, a muggleborn showing him genuine kindness. Any witch or wizard for that matter. But he had been so cruel to muggleborns, so he expected them to hate him as he pretended to hate them. It was all an act. He was desperate to be like his father so his father would validate him for once. So he copied how he thought he was supposed to act. 

Trust was near impossible for Draco, he had been taught to distrust and despise those with muggle heritage. But there was something about her, about Cassie, that challenged his beliefs. She stood out. She was powerful, greatly powerful. And he had to admit...beautiful too. 

"It may not seem like it, but I am actually a nice person. Unless I'm dealing with bullies or mean assholes, then the gloves come off. Shoes off, fists and wands out" she scoffed. "Especially when it comes to protecting my friends. But in general, I prefer to be kind than cruel. I also can admit when I have been wrong about someone..."

He watched her as she spoke, surprise in his eyes at her words. "Wow that's different" he said, a hint of shame in his voice. "I'm usually not the nicest person unless I want something"

"I'm aware" she said expressionless, though she did slightly raise her eyebrow at him pointedly. Draco winced slightly at her blunt response, but he couldn't deny it was true. He had been less than kind in the past, but he couldn't help but be intrigued by the way she saw him. His gaze softened for a moment. He looked at the ground, feeling a pang of guilt. 

"I've been pretty unkind to you and your friend" he admitted, the words not coming easily to him. 

"I haven't exactly been all that kind to you either. I give you back as good as I get, but earlier..." she trailed off feeling guilty herself. "I saw how your father treated you. It, uh, well it's something I'm familiar with lets just put it that way. It isn't right though. I wanted to make sure you were okay, I genuinely did. And then we got into it and ended up here but...yeah" she wished she hadn't been so vexed to bite back at him in the bathroom. He was lashing out at her but he was hurting and she knew that pain well. Still the never would have ended up here and now talking, actually getting along for once. "I owe you a massive apology for calling you a daddy's boy. That was uncalled for and out of line. If I had known...I'm just sorry for judging you as harshly as I did. I just didn't like what happened to my friend, but that still doesn't excuse how far I took my words" she said honestly. 

Draco listened to her, his expression shifting from guilt to surprise. He had been expecting her to continue to condemn him, but her apology caught him off guard. Her words had cut deep at times, especially the daddy's boy nickname, but he had called her mudblood. 

"You...You're apologising to me?" he asked his voice laced with scepticism" 

"Yes" she said through gritted teeth. It wasn't easy for her to admit when she was wrong, but she had taken things too far. Further than she would have had she known the truth about how awful Draco's father was to him. She would never again in her life ever refer to him as a daddy's boy. No matter what he called her that was a button she would never press. 

Draco was stunned. A muggleborn had taken it upon herself to not only recognise his pain, but to apologise for it. Even though he had been so unkind to her, and deserving. The fact that she had witnessed his father's cruelty made it even more meaningful. 

"I thank you" Draco said his voice filled with a mix of surprise and sincerity. He met her gaze, his expression vulnerable for a split second. Despite himself, a small chuckle escaped Draco's lips. He shook his head, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You still kicked my ass, though" he said, his previous arrogance momentarily forgotten. 

"Of course" she smirked her tone cocky but in a playful way. "I can't go letting my reputation as Hogwarts greatest dueller sleep now can I?" 

Draco rolled his eyes but smirked in return. "Oh, please, I wouldn't call yourself the greatest just yet, Mink" he teased his competitive nature surfacing once again. 

"Do you want me to kick your ass again just to show you?" she joked teasingly, although she was ready to prove him wrong once again is necessary. 

Draco chuckled at her comment, his eyes gleaming with playful determination. 

"I suppose another little challenge wouldn't hurt would it?" He said, his competitive streak reappearing and matching hers. 

"Round 2 can certainly be arranged" she grinned. 

Draco grinned back, the idea of a rematch between them thrilling him. "Be ready to actually lose next time Mud...Mink" Draco paused catching himself quickly before he could use the slur again. It didn't feel right to use that word anymore. It was his fathers particular favourite slur. It didn't have to be his. He instead switched to using her surname, a hint of respect in his tone. 

"Until then I will keep this little duel a secret" She promised, noting his quick switch of words. She was surprised he had caught himself and not just used the slur. He used it all the time on muggleborns. Maybe, she thought, she was getting through to him. 

Draco nodded a hint of respect in his expression. "Good. I don't need anyone else knowing I got beaten by a muggleborn" He said his tone slightly teasing. 

"By a queen of a muggleborn" she teased back puffing out her chest in jest. Draco chuckled, amused by her playful banter.

"Oh a queen now are you? Quite confident aren't you mink" he replied, his tone a little flirtatious. "Well if you're the queen, then I suppose that makes me the evil advisor" he said leaning back against the wall and regarding her with a mixture of amusement and challenge in his eyes. 

"Queen's don't have evil advisor's" she teased back. 

"Oh really? Well in that case, I'll just be the evil king then" he said cockily. 

"Queens don't marry evil Kings. And besides who says I need a king?!" she boasted crossing her arms over her chest and sticking her nose up in the air playfully. 

Draco's smirk grew wider at her response. He leaned in slightly and matched her stance, crossing his arms over his own chest. "Oh so you think you don't need a king huh?! What you think you're some kind of independent woman who don't need no man?" he bit his lip again looking her up and down. She really looked quite beautiful in all black. 

"Something like that, yes" she replied still holding her nose up in the air in a mocking queen like manor. 

Draco smirked loving this banter and not wanting to let it go. "Well Mink, you may be independent, but you can't deny that a king can bring certain...benefits" he said biting his lip again, his tone playful and full of mischief. 

Cassie rolled her eyes and shook her head. She was never going to let him get away with a cheeky, suggestive comment like that. "Well I'm certain whatever those benefits are, I've got them covered" she smirked biting her own lip in response. "You wouldn't probably just be one of my evil subjects" she teased eyeing him up and down as he had moments ago done to her. 

Draco feigned offense, placing his hand over his heart in a melodramatic gesture. 

"Oh so I'm just an evil subject now, am I? How insulting!" He said his smirk still in place. He took a step closer to her his eyes glinting with playful defiance. "So queen what do evil subjects do then?" he asked a hint of challenge in his voice. 

"True evil subjects would use the cruciatus curse in a duel to guarantee a win. You on the other hand" she eyed him up and down "You are just annoying and irritating but mildly tolerable" she teased.

Draco raised an eyebrow, a smirk still on his face. "Well, at least I'm mildly tolerable" he said, feigning offense. "And besides, using the cruciatus curse in a duel would be a dirty move. I have my pride, you know"

"Good to know" she smiled. "You know, I don't think you actually are all that evil deep down" she noted.

Draco looked at her with a mixture of surprise and curiosity, his expression searching. "You think I'm not really evil? Why?" he said, his words laced with scepticism and a hint of curiosity. 

"Your more like an annoying brother type that plays pranks and has a cocky mouth and attitude on him, but I think you mask a lot. Bravado. I've studied you. You're extremely loyal to your friends, sometimes to a fault as some of them are heinous" she said almost spitting when she thought of Crabbe and Goyle. "True evil isn't loyal to anyone but themselves. You also could have really hurt me a number of times but you haven't, and you kept your word at keeping your boys away from Nattie" she answered honestly. She wondered if she had over stepped again, analysing him. It was a nasty habit she had of analysing people, watching them, learning who they are really deep down. She had thought she knew who Draco was but he was more complex than her original thoughts she deciphered. He had redeemable qualities about him, as well as ones that needed a good telling off over. 

Draco listened to her words as she analysed him, his expression shifting from surprise to contemplation. He hadn't expected her to be so observant and perceptive. He was taken aback by her insight into his behaviour and motives.

Draco couldn't deny that her words struck a chord within him. He had always believed being powerful and cruel was the only way to survive in his world, but her assessment of him felt different. It felt like she saw something deeper in him, something he had kept hidden even from himself.

He looked at her with a mixture of shock and awe, his voice betraying a hint of defensiveness. "How the hell do you know that about me?" he demanded, genuinely curious about how she had managed to see right through his façade.

"I'm perceptive, it's my greatest power. I can read people like books. And I know something is going on with you and with your father...how he treats you isn't right. You should find someone you trust, someone you can open up to. Don't bottle that shit up Draco" she said honestly.

Draco stared at her, his expression a mix of surprise and vulnerability. He had never had anyone offer genuine concern for his wellbeing before, and her words cut through his usual defences.

He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. He was torn between wanting to dismiss her words and wanting to let his guard down. Her honesty was a foreign concept to him. 

Draco's voice was barely above a whisper when he finally replied, "I...I don't do talking" he said, his usual confident demeanour cracking slightly. It was clear that he was unused to discussing his emotions or feelings, and the vulnerability in his voice was uncharacteristic.

"I know" she said quietly looking to the ground. She felt for him in that moment. She knew what that was like. She hadn't told Nattie or Luna about her upbringing and just how horrific the things she had been made to do were.

 Dumbledor had known some as he had rescued her, but he was very good about keeping secrets. He had many of his own. Cassie had determined that's why he had so much hair. Each strand was a secret he was keeping for someone else or for himself. He had never made her talk about it either which she appreciated because she couldn't open up about that. Even now, with someone who might actually understand, she wasn't yet sure she could fully give her trust over to him. Not just yet. 

Draco was taken aback by her response. Her words were simple, yet they conveyed understanding and empathy. It was a foreign feeling for him, and it stirred something within him.

He averted his gaze, looking down at the floor, unsure of how to respond. He was unaccustomed to such compassion, especially from someone he had previously dismissed as an enemy.

"Trust isn't an easy commodity. But there must be someone you can trust?" she said trying to help him. He had more friends than she did, a whole house full of them. All the slytherins stuck together. I mean they had to, they were sadly the most ignored house by the majority of teachers bar Snape. Mostly because of the bad rap they had. No one ever expected anything good from them. 

Draco's expression darkened as he considered her words. Trust wasn't something he had come to associate with in his world, where betrayal and manipulation were more common. He thought long and hard, trying to recall if there was anyone he could truly trust. He couldn't think of anyone, and that thought only deepened his sense of isolation.

He let out a sigh, his voice quiet and filled with resignation "No...there isn't"

Cassie sighed. "What about your other friends?" she asked side stepping Crabbe and Goyle who she would forever hate, she didn't care if they apologised now. 

Draco shrugged, his usual arrogant demeanour slipping back into place. "My other friends are Crabbe and Goyle. You've already seen their intelligence. Not exactly someone you can have fucking deep heart-to-heart conversations with." Cassie stifled back a laugh at that response. 

"While I whole heartedly agree with you about their lack of intelligence I meant your other friends. Theo Nott and I think it's Blaise Zabini right?" 

Draco's expression softened slightly at the mention of Theo and Blaise. They were his closest friends, although he would never openly admit it. Plus as close as they were they all had barriers up with each other. The natural way they had all been taught never to trust anyone. 

He nodded, acknowledging that they were different from Crabbe and Goyle, but he still felt a pang of reluctance. "Theo and Blaise, yeah..." he said eventually. "I suppose they're more...tolerable than the others, but still not the type for heartfelt conversations." His tone was guarded as he continued "The truth is, Cassie, I don't trust them. I don't trust anyone." His words hung in the air, the weight of his admission almost tangible.

Cassie nodded feeling a kinship in his words. She also felt sad for him. At least she had Luna and Nattie for some things, but he didn't have anyone he could trust?! "That's awful Draco. Everybody needs someone in their life even one person they trust"

Draco scoffed, his usual pride and arrogance resurfacing "Trust is for the weak. It's a liability, a vulnerability. I can manage just fine on my fucking own"

Cassie rolled her eyes seeing right through his bravado mask that he had put up. "Don't fucking do that Draco. Don't mask the pain. Don't shut yourself off from people like that. Not everyone is like your father, believe me"

Draco's expression hardened as she called him out on his mask. "You don't understand," he said, his tone sharp. "In my world, trust is a weakness. My father was right about that much. If you trust people, they'll stab you in the back."

"Not everyone will. I used to think the same way you did. But then I opened myself up to trusting and I have two amazing friends Nattie and Luna who are like my sisters. It made me a better person allowing myself to be vulnerable with others. It's just about finding the right person, perceiving who they are and how they conduct themselves. And if you get it wrong and get betrayed you can always hex them and find someone else" she said though there was some truth missing there. While she did open up to Nattie and Luna more than anyone else, she still guarded much of herself from even them. Just as she was guarding that from Draco now. 

Draco remained silent for a few moments, his expression guarded as he processed her words. He knew deep down that there was truth in what she was saying.

He let out a heavy sigh, his voice laced with a hint of vulnerability "It's easy for you to say that. You have those two girls, you have people you trust. I...I don't."

"You do realise that you somewhat in a small way have opened up to me tonight. Just by admitting that. So you are capable" she said raising her eyebrows at him. 

Draco couldn't argue with her logic, as much as he wanted to. He let out another long sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I suppose I have. But it's... difficult. My whole life, I've been taught to trust no one, to be strong on my own. It's hard to go against what's been ingrained in me."

Cassie looked at the ground shifting around awkwardly. She was feeling a pang in her stomach, a nagging feeling. Something she wanted to ignore but couldn't because she wasn't the person who ignored when someone needed help. Even if it was Draco Malfoy. "Look I know we might not exactly be the best of friends, but I'm not heartless and...well if you needed anything...if you need someone to talk to. I'm here" she said honestly, being vulnerable with him and feeling tense in case he bit back at her. 

Cassie couldn't deny she had very much enjoyed her back and forth banter with him this evening, and the duel. She was enjoying his company, which she hadn't ever expected to ever feel. Offering up her friendship to him was a big deal to her. She feared rejection just as badly as he did. But he really did need someone to talk to and she was willing to be that for him. But would he accept her offer? Or push her away?

Chapter Text

Draco was taken aback by her offer, his eyes widening slightly. He hadn't expected her to be so willing to help him. He was used to hiding his vulnerabilities and keeping his guard up, but her sincerity seemed genuine. He looked at her, his expression conflicted, unsure of how to respond. He wanted to reject her offer, to continue keeping his distance. But at the same time, there was a part of him that yearned for someone to talk to, to share his burdens with. 

He looked at her, torn between his usual defensive demeanour and a hint of vulnerability that was slowly surfacing. His voice was uncertain as he replied, "I don't know about that..."

Cassie nodded. "I get that. It's just an offer available to you. And I am a girl of her word. I will never repeat anything you have told me, even tonight, to a single soul" she said honestly looking into his eyes to make sure he could feel she was genuine. 

Draco's gaze lingered on hers as she promised her discretion. He could feel her sincerity, and it almost unnerved him how easy it was to be so open around her. His expression remained guarded, but there was a hint of vulnerability in his eyes as he nodded. "Alright. I'll...I'll keep the offer in mind."

Draco was surprised. Surprised that she was offering him an ear to his problems. She had surprised him many times throughout this evening. In her abilities, in her apology, and now this. She was a mystery to him. He never knew what would happen next with her, and in a way that was thrilling. 

Cassie smiled. "Well I guess that in some strange way makes us...friends?" she raised an eyebrow feeling awkward.

Draco smirked, a hint of his usual arrogance resurfacing. "I suppose it does, mink. Who would have thought we'd end up here?"

"Who indeed! But I think we should keep it, you know, on the down low. That were friends...I think the school would have a field day if they saw that Cassie Mink and Draco Malfoy were actually getting along" she smirked. She wouldn't know how to explain her sudden friendship with the notorious school bully Draco Malfoy. Even though she was beginning to realise he wasn't really that bad deep down, he had built up that reputation. 

Draco chuckled at her suggestion, his smirk growing. "Oh, absolutely. Letting people know we're friends would be more scandalous than the Weasley family showing up in designer robes. Wouldn't want to give them a heart attack, would we?"

Cassie chuckled. "Don't be mean! The Weasley's are alright" she said rolling her eyes. "I can see I'm going to have my hands full with you eh?!"

Draco flashed her a cocky grin, his arrogance returning in full force. "Oh, is that so? You think you can handle me, mink?"

"Shh no one needs to know that!" She joked. The two of them laughed. She would never let herself admit to anyone that she did have a little Slytherin in her. 

On the day of the sorting ceremony it had been a difficult decision for the sorting hat when it placed Cassie in Ravenclaw. She had all the characteristics of Ravenclaw. Wise, Witty and Creative and full of skill. But she also possessed ambition, resourcefulness and cunning, and a pension for trouble. All characteristics of Slytherin. She had no choice of her own either, to help guide the sorting hat, although she did have one thought. She didn't want to ever become like her father. He would have been Slytherin, without question, she had often thought. And so she was placed in Ravenclaw where she met her two best friends.

"So were agreed then. This newfound friendship is our secret right?" She said her smile gentle. 

Draco nodded, his smirk still in place. "Agreed. This friendship is our little secret. Can't have the school going into a panic now, can we?" He could hardly believe that their relationship was shifting from stark enemies to friends. He couldn't even remember if he had ever truly disliked her really. She definitely pushed his buttons, and he had gone into fits of rage over their interactions. But had he ever really hated her truly?! He didn't know.

Draco chuckled at her gesture and shook her hand, firmly gripping it. "Fair enough." He said. "And just so you know, I take secrets very seriously. You can count on me not to tell a soul."

"Same here. I can't imagine it would go down well for you admitting your friends with a muggleborn" she smirked, though inside she felt a little sad about it all. 

Draco's smirk faltered for a moment, replaced by a tinge of regret. He knew she was right. In his world, associating with a muggleborn, especially one he was supposed to hate, would be seen as a betrayal of his beliefs.

He looked away, his expression conflicted. He knew he shouldn't be friends with her. It was dangerous and risky. But there was something about her, something that made him want to risk it all.

Cassie shifted around awkwardly again. "Well it's late and we better get back before we get caught out of our dorms and have to explain why were alone, together, in the woods"

Draco nodded, his smirk returning. "Yeah, can you imagine the rumours that would start if we were caught out here together at this time of night? They'd have us engaged by supper tomorrow."

Cassie spat and snorted as she laughed. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed, he had caught her off guard and she allowed herself properly laugh. Her real, laugh. He too burst out laughing "Can you actually imagine!"

Draco couldn't help but laugh as well, picturing the look on everyone's faces if such a rumour spread. "Can you imagine my father's reaction? He'd have a heart attack."

Cassie's laugh faltered a little. She didn't want to ruin the moment. He was happy he was laughing, that was a good thing. But she knew what his father would do to him if he even thought they were friendly.

Draco noticed her laugh falter and he could sense a change in her demeanour. He knew she understood the implications of their newfound friendship. He sighed, the laughter leaving his face as well. He shook his head, his expression becoming serious. "Yeah, my father would be...less than pleased if he found out about this."

"Don't worry I won't be agreeing to marry you" she teased. He snorted still grinning. 

"Yeah, yeah Queen Mink, I know, I'm but your humble evil subject" he smirked. She chuckled and shook her head. 

"But honestly...you can trust me. No one will ever find out, at least not from me, about our new understanding. I won't be the reason you get in any trouble" she promised. 

Draco nodded, his expression still serious. He wanted to believe her, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this friendship was dangerous, that it could lead to trouble for both of them. He looked at her, his eyes searching hers, as if trying to see if she truly meant what she said. "You better not. If you get me in trouble--" He meant to sound threatening, but the words came out half-hearted, lacking conviction.

She grabbed his hand in a surprise move and squeezed it. "I'm a queen remember, Queen's don't break promises to their subjects" she winked smirking and then turned to walk back to the castle.

Draco was taken aback by her sudden touch, his hand tingling from the contact. Her words echoed in his mind - "Queens don't break promises to their subjects." He couldn't help but feel a flutter in his chest. He shook his head, trying to brush off the feeling.

He watched her turn away, a smirk on his face. "Queen, huh? Don't let it go to your head now, mink."

He watched her walk away, his eyes lingering on her figure for a moment before he looked away. He let out a heavy sigh, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Yeah...see you around, mink." He muttered under his breath, his mind still reeling from the events of the night.

Back in the present Draco woke up early the next morning, feeling more rested than he had in a long time. He rolled over and saw Cassie still asleep beside him. A warm, fuzzy feeling spread through his chest at the sight of her. She looked so peaceful, so innocent lying there completely vulnerable to the world. She was so beautiful to him. Draco felt a strong protective urge wash over him, as he just lay there and watched over her quietly, not wanting to wake her. 

He could no longer deny his feelings. They were strong for her. Everything she had done for him. Everything she had risked. He knew he could never be good enough for her but he wanted her. Wanted to run his thumb across her rosy coloured cheeks. He wanted to touch her lips, and run his hand through her hair. He never let himself imagine anything further than that. It felt wrong to, but it was difficult. He desired her. He desired more from her. 

Cassie began to stir awake, softly groaning as she came to. Draco watched at she slowly began to wake up, her eyes fluttering open sleepily. He had tried to look away, to pretend he hadn't been watching her sleep, but it was too difficult. The very sight of her, asleep, awake, laughing, crying, whatever it was pulled him in. His breath hitched as he took in her messy hair and sleepy expression. She was beautiful, even in this dishevelled, just woken up state. 

As her eyes finally flickered open and caught sight of him, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. As soon as she saw Draco lying there smiling at her, she smiled back, feeling a buzzy feeling all over. She loved to see him smile again, loved it more than anything. 

"Morning" she said yawning, still with a smile. As wiped the sleep from her eyes she suddenly thought she must look a mess. She never felt self conscious in her life about the way she looked. She just didn't care. But not, for some reason, in front of him she was starting to care. She ran her fingers through her hair to try to tidy it, realising it was no good he had already seen her. 

Draco watched as she tried to tame her bed rumpled hair, a small smirk playing on his lips. He found it adorable, her suddenly becoming self conscious about her appearance. She had always been so confident at school, and it showed. He had noticed a lot of the boys at school looked at her, though she never looked at them. She never had a boyfriend or showed any interest, and he wondered why that was but never questioned it. If anything he was glad she never did have a boyfriend. While he never would have asked her out himself, since their friendship was hidden, he also never wanted to see her with anyone else. 

She had no idea how attractive she looked to him, tousled hair and sleepy eyes. "Morning" he replied quietly, trying to hide his amusement at her fidgeting. 

"Have you been awake long?" she asked him averting her eyes from his. She could happily stare into them for hours, and that was making her question her sanity. What on earth was happening to her?! 

Draco noticed how she avoided his gaze, and how flustered she seemed to be trying to tidy herself up. Maybe just maybe she was starting to feel as he did. He dared to hope. He was enjoying every moment of it, especially the cute, flustered expression she was sporting. 

"A little while, I didn't want to wake you" he murmured softly. Cassie sat up and tidied herself some more. 

"I'm starving" she said looking elsewhere. She grabbed her bow and arrow and shot up onto her feet. "I'll go catch us some breakfast" she said hurriedly making her way out of the basement before he could protest. 

She was giving him whiplash. Her hot and cold switch was hard to decipher. He let out a sigh and let a hand run through his hair, exasperated by her stubbornness. She was always in a hurry, always running off into danger without letting anyone stop her. Least of all him. She was like the wild birds in the forest, beautiful to look at but impossible to tame. He didn't necessarily want to tame her, but he wanted to know what she was thinking. It was frustrating. 

"Bloody stubborn witch!" He muttered to himself feeling the frustration override him. Draco sat there alone for a while, his thoughts consumed by Cassie. She was a complicated person always keeping him on his toes guessing. He thought back to all their arguments and banter at Hogwarts. She was so stubborn and feisty back then. It was maddening yet endearing all at the same time. 

He felt something for her, something he had never felt before. The urge to kiss her, protect her, be with her and make her his was stronger than ever. If she had stayed and hadn't run off he might have tried to kiss her. He wanted her badly, he realised, not just for a fling, but for real. She was more than just a girl to him, she was THE girl. 

Draco's thoughts lingered on Cassie. She was beautiful that was a fact, but it was more than that. She made him feel worthwhile like he mattered. She made him question everything he had once believed in, opening his eyes to a new way of thinking. And now here they were, stuck together and forced to survive in this hell hole together. But despite the dire situation he was glad to have her by his side. She was the one person who understood him completely, who accepted him for who he really was deep down. 

Cassie ran into the woods, as far as way as possible as her heart pounded in her chest. She was starting to have feelings. Feelings she had never experienced, or wanted to for that matter. Draco was fragile. He had just survived something so intense. The last thing she wanted to do was mess him up. Especially when she wasn't even sure she wanted romance in her life. 

There was a never ending war going on and each day wasn't promised. Survival. That is what was important. That is what she had to focus on, and protecting him. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and readied her bow.

She took aim at a bird, letting her arrow fly straight. She brought the bird back to the cottage for them to have for breakfast, feeling her stomach churning at seeing him again. This was ridiculous, she thought to herself, how on earth would she survive everyday with him feeling this silly. 

Both Draco and Cassie sat in an uncomfortable silence as they ate breakfast. Cassie avoided making eye contact with him the entire time. This made Draco wonder if he had done something wrong. Maybe something had spooked her. Maybe she had found him out and how he felt and now this was her way of saying she wasn't interested. 

Once they had finished eating the tense silence remained until Cassie finally spoke up.

"So, you ready to make your own bow today?" she smiled swallowing down the swirl of butterflies that were dancing in her chest. 

Draco looked up surprised by Cassie's suddenly cheerful demeanour. She had pretty much ignored him since she left to go hunt. Now she was acting as if nothing had happened. 

"Uh - yeah sure" he replied trying to shake off the feeling that something was off with her. He was afraid to know the answer so he dare not question her. 

Cassie nodded and lead him into a small clearing in the woods where the bark of the tree would be good enough to turn into a bow. 

It took them days. Cassie taught him step by step, jumping in to help when he was unsure. But Draco did craft his own bow successfully. Each day had been much the same. Awkward silent breakfasts followed by chopping and carving until his bow was complete. She taught him how to make the string to finish it off. 

Every morning he would wake before she did, watching her, his feelings intensifying. She would smile at him and then grow cold and distant, but then later when teaching him she would be warm again. Once the bow was complete Cassie told him he could decorate it however he wished with carvings to make it uniquely his, just as she had done with hers. 

It was late afternoon when he finished and he held his bow up in disbelief and pride. Cassie watched him. The way he held it with such pride, smiling and practising his stance with it. She felt so proud of him herself. She felt assured that should anything ever happen to her, he would be able to take care of himself. 

Under Cassie's guidance, Draco finally had his own bow. It was crude compared to hers, but it would do the job. He ran his hand over the smooth wood, admiring how it had come together. He felt a sense of pride and accomplishment as held it in his hands, knowing that he could now fend for himself if needed. He glanced over at Cassie, feeling gratitude towards her.

"Thanks," he said, his expression softer than usual.

"Your welcome" she smiled back, her eyes searching his.

Draco met her gaze, his expression still uncharacteristically soft. He couldn't help but notice how her smile lit up her face, making her look even more beautiful than usual. He wanted to say something else, to tell her how grateful he was for her help, how much it meant to him. But he found himself speechless, lost in her eyes.

Cassie cleared her throat and looked away and then back again. "You feel up to catching us some dinner?" she asked feeling all silly again.

Draco snapped out of his daze when Cassie spoke, shaking off his thoughts. He cleared his throat and nodded, regaining his composure.

"Yeah, I think I can manage that," he replied, trying to sound casual.

Cassie nodded and followed him as he decided to try for rabbit again. This time he was successful as he shot the arrow and caught them a rabbit.

Draco couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction as his arrow hit its mark, bringing down a rabbit for dinner. He turned to Cassie with a smirk, feeling proud of himself.

"I did it," he said, holding up the rabbit triumphantly.

Cassie instantly regretted the hug. It wasn't like before, like when she was in his room begging him to follow her to safety. Her whole body lit up with fire as his arms wrapped around her. Something burned inside of her so intensely, and it felt too much, too overwhelming. She pulled back still feigning a smile as though nothing was wrong, but it was becoming increasingly hard to push away these feelings.

Draco was perceptive, he knew how to read people, and something was definitely off with her. He wanted to ask what was wrong, but the words died on his lips. He just stared at her, studying her expression, as if trying to decipher what she was thinking, what she was feeling. He could feel the tension between them, the unspoken questions that hung in the air.

Dinner wasn't as awkward, as Draco boasted about his new hunting skills and poked fun at Cassie's farmer story once again. She threw a piece of dirt at him and he dodged laughing. It was like old times again, like how they were in school. "Don't make me start calling you blondie again!" She teased.

Draco chuckled as she hurled a piece of dirt at him, narrowly dodging it. He retaliated with a smirk, throwing a small twig at her. The playful banter they were engaging in reminded him of their time at Hogwarts, the way they used to taunt each other on a daily basis.

"You're still calling me that in your head, don't deny it." she bit his lip again while smirking. 

Cassie chuckled. "Maybe!" her eyes were full of mischief. 

Draco chuckled at her admission, his smirk widening. He leaned back against a tree, fixing her with a cocky look.

"Of course you are. You love calling me by my endearing school nickname, don't you?"

"Well I did have many for you, but I suppose that one was the least offensive. You remember princess don't you?" she smirked, remembering how much that used to rile Draco up.

Draco rolled his eyes at the mention of that particular nickname. The memories came flooding back, and he couldn't help but scowl at her in mock annoyance.

"Yes, how could I forget? You used to taunt me with that one all the time. Thought you were being so clever, didn't you?"

"It was clever" she said smugly sticking her tongue out at him playfully. After they had become friends she never called him princess again. That had come from a defensive place, when she had misjudged Draco too quickly. But the memories still made her laugh, as they did Draco too.

Draco couldn't help but chuckle at her smug expression and the way she stuck out her tongue at him. He found her playfulness endearing, a side of her that he hadn't seen often before. They had come a long way from their old rivalry. He leaned forward, a smirk playing on his lips.

"You always had a way with insults, I'll give you that."

"Well what can I say, as Queen" she joked, reminding him of how she used to joke about being Queen of everything and him her evil subject.

Draco let out a scoff, rolling his eyes at her playful declaration.

"Oh, here we go again with the Queen schtick. You always did have a rather high opinion of yourself."

"Says you" she said playfully chucking some more dirt his way this time landing it on his forehead. She pressed her hand to her lips stifling a laugh back.

Draco's mouth fell open in surprise as the dirt hit his forehead, a small plume of dust falling down onto his nose. He shot her an indignant glare, brushing off the dirt with his hand. His expression was one of mock hurt and annoyance.

"You little—" He took a handful of dirt to get her back and she jumped up giggling running away from him. She hid behind a tree, keeping her eyes on his movements as he stalked towards her.

"I like how you think your going to get away from me" he taunted, grinning wildly as he glided. She stuck her tongue out playfully.

"You forget Draco when we go head to head I always win!" She smirked cockily. 

"That was then...I've grown since then, you have no idea who you're messing with" he teased back, his eyes full of mischief. 

"Oh is that so evil subject?!" she teased back. His grin grew wider. 

"Let me show you!" He leapt closer, she ran behind another tree laughing and screaming playfully. It was like they were kids again, and it felt great. 

"You'll have to catch me first evil subject!" She taunted, grabbing a handful of dirt herself. Just as she was about to make a move round the tree Draco stepped out in front of her. She screamed and ran laughing. "No!" She yelled playfully

Draco laughed as he saw Cassie grab her own handful of dirt, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He watched as she fled from him, trying to escape his retaliation. "Oh, you're not getting away that easily!" he called out, giving chase after her.

Cassie ran through the woods, with Draco not far behind her. She hadn't felt this young in years, as the two of them laughed. 

Draco's heart raced as he pursued her, adrenaline pumping through his veins as they ran through the forest. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this free, this alive. It was as if they had forgotten about everything outside of this moment, as if there was no war, no Voldemort, just them and the freedom they found in running. Draco's laughter echoed through the trees as he closed the gap between them, determined to get her back.

Draco caught up to her as Cassie screamed, she instinctively threw her dirt and covered her face up with no where else left to run.

"I yield!" She yelled, much to Draco's amusement. 

Draco's lips curved into a victorious grin as he finally caught up to her, watching as she frantically threw her own handful of dirt and then covered her face. He stood in front of her, a smug expression on his face as he cornered her between him and a tree.

"Got you now," he said, a hint of playfulness in his voice. Without any warning, Draco lunged at Cassie, tackling her to the ground. They fell onto the soft forest floor with a thump, a cloud of dust and dirt enveloping them. Draco landed on top of her, pinning her to the ground. He hovered over her, a victorious smile plastered on his face.

Cassie still giggling spat and blew the dirt out of her mouth and face as best she could but she was covered. She laughed up at Draco. He had bested her, not something she was used to, but his joy matched hers in the moment. 

Draco's laughter mingled with Cassie's own as he watched her struggle to clear the dirt from her face. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of her, all covered in dirt and laughter. He shifted his weight to lean on his elbows, his body still pinning her beneath him.

"You look ridiculous," he teased, his tone light and playful.

"Ah well I guess I look more like you now" she teased back her tone matching his. Though he didn't look ridiculous at all. He looked incredible. His beautiful grey eyes that sparkled now that he was happy. Now that life had come back into them. And his smile, however cocky and smug it was, was illuminating. She felt her stomach doing that thing again. She found her gaze moving down to his lips, her own dampening the more she looked, as though hungry. She had never kissed anyone, not even a persons cheek. The idea of such an intimacy repulsive to her, until now. She wondered how his lips would taste.

Draco raised an eyebrow at her comment, a small smirk forming on his lips. "Oh, you think I look ridiculous, do you? I'll have you know this is the Malfoy aesthetic. Pureblood perfection."

Despite the playful jab, his expression softened as he looked at her. The way she was looking at him, it was... different. The usual defiant and challenging glance he saw in her eyes was replaced by something else, something he couldn't quite place. It sent a strange sensation through him. 

Cassie's breath hitched, her heart quickening. She felt a lump in her throat, her stomach tickling her from the inside. She was burning again. Her voice broke as she cleared her throat. "You know we need to move on tomorrow" she said quickly to break the building tension. 

Draco's expression sobered up as she abruptly brought up the topic of their departure. The playful atmosphere between them shifted, and his eyes darkened slightly. He knew she was right, they couldn't keep avoiding the inevitable.

He sat up, freeing her from his weight, and leaned back onto his hands. "I know," he said quietly. "We can't stay here forever."

Cassie patted herself down, removing a twig from her lips, a small tug of a smile still playing at her lips at their fun exchange. "Yeah this is the tough part, having to move around so much. But you get used to it. I cant be certain we will have as nice digs as that cottage, but we'll make do"

Draco watched as she dusted herself off, a small smile still lingering on her lips. He noticed the way her fingers brushed across her lips as she removed the twig, and he found himself staring for a moment longer than necessary. He quickly snapped out of it and focused on her words.

He gave a huff, feigning annoyance. "Of course, I expect we'll be staying in the finest of places, fitting for a Malfoy," he said, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. He hadn't meant to sound ungrateful or rude. But he was growing frustrated, in a way foreign to him. If she hadn't broke the tension, if she hadn't changed the subject would they have kissed?! He wanted to badly. It was eating away at him. Pushing the feelings away was becoming impossible and it frustrated him. 

Cassie looked over at him feeling guilty. "Do you regret coming with me?" she asked sorrowful. She started to wonder if she was causing him more harm than good. 

Draco's demeanour softened as she inquired if he regretted coming with her. He could see the sorrow in her eyes, and it tugged at his heart.

He sighed softly, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "No," he eventually said, his voice firm. "No, I don't regret coming with you. This..." he gestured between them. "This is the first time in a long time I've felt like myself again. Like I'm alive." He looked at her longingly as she sighed relief. 

"Same" she said. "Well we can have all the dirt fights you want, we'll never be short of any dirt" she joked still smiling sweetly.

Draco couldn't help but return her smile at her attempt to lighten the mood with her joke. His eyes crinkled with amusement at her comment about never being short on dirt.

He let out a light scoff. "Oh, I'll hold you to that. You better prepare yourself for constant dirt fights."

"Looking forward to it! Next time I'm absolutely burying your behind!" she teased climbing up onto her feet.

Draco watched as she climbed up onto her feet, a smirk on his face. He stood up as well, dusting himself off, "Oh, you think so, huh?" he replied in a playful tone.

He took a step closer to her, his eyes gleaming with challenge. "I'd like to see you try." 

"Challenge accepted" she said feeling the fire again burning as he stepped towards her. "Come on we should rest, we have a long road ahead tomorrow. A lot of walking. We may have to stop by a local village or town to steal some food and stuff" she said as they walked back to the cottage.

Draco walked beside her, his hands shoved in the pockets of his hoodie. He listened as she spoke about the long road ahead and their need to steal food. The thought of going to a village or town sent a pang of concern through him.

"Do you have a plan for how we'll do that without being spotted?" he asked, glancing at her. "We can't risk exposure, you know that."

Cassie smirked "I've become quite the expert at breaking and entering" she snickered, though there was truth in that.

Draco's eyebrows raised remembering her admission as such. "Breaking and entering, eh? I forgot you're a regular little thief now!" He teased.

He tried to sound mocking, but there was a hint of curiosity in his voice. The idea of Cassie being a skilled thief was... intriguing.

"It's something we will have to do from time to time. But don't worry just follow my lead. I haven't even gotten close to being caught. But I will have to use magic to muffle our faces" she said as they entered back into the cottage and down into the basement.

Draco followed Cassie into the cottage and down into the basement, a feeling of unease washing over him at the mention of having to use magic to muffle their faces. The risk of exposure was something they couldn't afford.

"You're sure it's necessary?" he asked, his tone cautious. "Can't we just use regular masks or something?"

"Masks stand out too much, plus I am fresh out of them. But the magic does work it just aches a little bit and gives you a blinding headache after. However you know I have a spell that rids of that" she winked, referring to the one ancient spell she had used on him the other day that worked like a treat.

Draco nodded, still feeling a little uneasy. He did not want to get caught now, not now he was actually starting to feel happy and safe. He could not go back to how things were, but he knew they had to flee as far away from here as possible. But he trusted Cassie. He trusted her judgment and her skills. And he found he was willing to do almost anything, even risk everything, to stay with her.

Cassie reached out and gave his hand a squeeze. "don't worry please, I told you I will protect you with my life if necessary"

Draco's eyes met hers, the softness of her touch and her comforting words soothing his anxiety slightly. He squeezed her hand back, appreciating her reassurance.

"I know," he answered quietly. "I trust you."

And he did. Despite everything, despite the uncertainty and the precarious nature of their situation, Draco found himself trusting Cassie more than he had ever trusted anyone.

Cassie smiled and then lay down yawning. She was exhausted, and would need as much rest as possible, the next few days would be a lot.

Draco watched as Cassie lay down, her exhaustion evident in her yawn. He could see the tiredness in her eyes, and the thought of the upcoming journey was weighing heavy on him as well. He lay down beside her, his body weary from the events of the last few days. "You should sleep," he said quietly, his voice low. "You need your rest."

"You too, you need your beauty sleep blondie" she said quietly, smirking a little as she closed her eyes.

Draco rolled his eyes at her teasing remark, a small scoff escaping his lips.

"Ha ha, very funny," he retorted, a hint of amusement in his voice.

He shifted to get comfortable, his body easing into the thin blankets and the hard floor. Despite her snarky remark, he found himself feeling at ease beside her.

Draco closed his eyes as his mind began recalling memories of their time at school. He was reminded of all the pranks they pulled, the times they'd sneak around and get caught, the secret moments they shared when nobody was watching.

He let out a soft snort, a small smirk appearing on his lips at the memories. Even though those times ended, it was oddly comforting to think back to them - to better, simpler times.

Chapter Text

Cassie headed back to her dorm after duelling Draco, carefully avoiding being caught. Nattie was there waiting for her, looking very tired herself. Cassie felt too wired to sleep. Too energised. She couldn't believe the change in her relationship with Draco Malfoy, and hadn't expected they would make a secret friendship pact. If anything it was the last thing she had expected this night. 

Cassie entered her dorm which she shared with Luna and Nattie. Luna was fast asleep but Nattie was waiting up for Cassie. Cassie motioned for Nattie to follow her to the commons where they could chat and not wake up Luna. 

Nattie nodded her head eagerly and tiptoed out of the room with Cassie, making sure to move quietly and not draw any attention to themselves. She waited until the door was shut before she began talking, "Everything go alright?" She asked in a hushed tone.

"More than alright Nattie I won!" Cassie beamed cockily. "I kicked Draco right on his bum!" The sat opposite each other beside the blazing Ravenclaw fireplace.

"Oh my gosh! I knew you would that's so exciting. I have to hear everything, tell me" Nattie enthused eagerly wanting every last detail. She hadn't feared for a second Cassie would lose to Draco but she did fear other things. Mostly she feared them being caught, and given how often Cassie got into trouble, her being expelled might have been on the table. She did wonder if Draco would use it as an opportunity to bring all his friends and corner her. Though if he did she knew Cassie was clever enough to fend them all off and still have room left over for Draco. And then there were the fears of the forbidden forest itself. Even being outside the entrance so late at night was dangerous. Anything could come out of that forest and grab Cassie. Then who would save her? Draco would run off and leave her without question. He was a coward, so Nattie believed. But Cassie was back unharmed and smiling from ear to ear. 

"And I will tell you everything but first..." Cassie's smile became a mischievous grin. Her eyes were lit with a fire, almost like she was stalking prey. "I want to know who you were on the phone to earlier when I was heading out to meet Draco" 

Nattie felt a lump form in her throat, and her cheeks flush red. She hadn't thought Cassie or anyone had seen her on the phone. It had been a brief call between her and Theo. He wanted her to meet him at the Astronomy tower that night but she let him know she was covering for Cassie. Theo scoffed at the idea of Draco and Cassie duelling. 

"She will kill him" He had joked to her on the phone. 

"You don't have much confidence in your friend" she had teased him back. 

"I've duelled her before she is undefeated. And friend is a stretch..."

"You hang out with him don't you?" 

"Gah...Bella, that doesn't mean anything"

"We hang out too, do I not mean anything either?" 

"Cara Mia, Bella...that is very different and you know it is"

"Mhm!" She was grinning widely on the phone, giggling to herself. It must have been when Cassie had seen her. 

Now here Cassie was grilling her about it. And Nattie couldn't scramble to find the words. 

"Oh that was nothing Cassie, it was - it was just an old friend from back home no one of consequence" was all she could muster. Her cheeks betrayed her as they burned a hotter red colour. Cassie's smile widened. 

"Liar! Come on I'm your best friend Nattie you can tell me anything. Spill it now" she demanded. She knew Nattie all too well. There wasn't anything Nattie could hide from her. 

"I know you won't. I care for him deeply and he cares for me too. He is a good guy I promise he treats me with respect" Nattie smiled to herself full of love and joy. Cassie saw the look on Nattie's face. Nattie was besotted and gleaming with happiness. It was all Cassie could ever want for her best friend, to see her that happy. She couldn't be upset. I mean she was hiding a new friendship with Draco Malfoy, and most people at the school weren't as bad as Draco. So Theo must be okay. She'd kill him if he wasn't. 

"Seeing you this happy...if he makes you happy and he treats you well then I am over the moon for you little one" she smiled. 

Nattie moved over to Cassie and wrapped her arms around her pulling her into a hug. "Thank you Cass that means everything to me. And you don't have to worry Theo is the perfect gentleman. He treats me like I am the only one who matters to him"

"Good then he can keep his head" Cassie grinned teasingly. Nattie gave her a playful gentle push. 

"Come on your turn to tell me, what happened with Draco" Nattie smirked raising an eyebrow as if to suggest something. 

"Nothing like what is in your mind" Cassie rolled her eyes smirking. "He was there before me, and full of cocky confidence that he was going to win"

"Of course he was" Nattie rolled her eyes. 

"I proved him wrong. He did manage to hit me with a tickling jinx but I was quick at removing it and he never got another hit on me after that. It didn't take too long for me to hinder him and force him to admit defeat"

"I bet his face was a picture, I wish I could have seen it!"

"Oh it was. He was absolutely furious but I had him immobilised by the Petrificus Totalus jinx. So he had no choice but to admit his defeat and that I was better than him" 

"Careful you don't turn into him" Nattie teased though she knew Cassie was quite like Draco when it came to confidence. 

"I would never dream of it!" Cassie feigned offense chuckling. 

"What happened afterwards?"

"Nothing, we went our separate ways, with him admitting I was better than him at everything and him promising to leave me and my girls alone" Cassie lied. She felt bad for lying she didn't want to lie to Nattie. But it was safer that way, for Draco. Cassie didn't want to be responsible for him being tortured anymore by his own father. She trusted Nattie wouldn't say anything but for right now, it was better to be safe. 

"Are you sure nothing happened? You two didn't..." Nattie suggested, half teasing half quite serious. Cassie flushed red her mouth hanging open in shock.

"Absolutely not! Nattie stop it with that, there is nothing between me and Draco, except hate"

"If you say so" Nattie smirked raising her eyebrow. Cassie rolled her eyes. 

"I say so. And anyways I think we should go to bed now. It's late and I've kept you up long enough" she suggested desperately wanting to subject to end. Nattie nodded yawning as soon as Cassie mentioned going to bed. She stretched her back and stood. 

"These days of waiting up for your midnight rendezvous are going to kill me." She teased, a tired smile on her face.

Cassie chuckled. "Don't worry, I don't think Draco wants to lose to me again in another duel any time soon" she grinned wildly. 

Nattie couldn't help but laugh at Cassie's confident grim. "Good, and if he does want a rematch, make sure you put him in his place." She said with a grin. "Now, goodnight you crazy duelling queen."

"Night you crazy Slytherin lover" Cassie teased sticking out her tongue.

Nattie's cheeks flushed pink, but she just playfully poked Cassie's side. "Goodnight, Cassie." She said, waving goodbye and heading back towards their dorm.

Cassie sat for a little while before she finally went to bed. She was eagerly excited to see how her new friendship with Draco would go. They had always bickered and fought now things had changed. She looked forward to class the next day where she would see him again. 

Morning came and Cassie was exhausted but dragged herself up and out of bed. She changed into her uniform and made her way to her first class, Transfiguration. Draco was already in his seat when she arrived. He stole a quick glance at her, a tiny smile forming at the corner of his lips when he caught sight of her. She couldn't help but smile too as she walked beside Nattie. 

"What are you smiling about?" Nattie asked.

"Oh just picturing Draco's face when he had to tell his mates he lost to me in the duel!" She lied. Nattie chuckled.

"You are positively bad Cass, I love it" Nattie said with a smile, glancing over at Theo and giving him a nod. 

Draco sat at his desk, his gaze flicking to her. Despite their secret, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement at the fact that they were now friends. He couldn't help but glance her way. She was pretty, he had always thought so, even when he thought he hated her. He tried his best to listen as Blaise went on about Pansy's latest tantrum. 

As Minerva McGonagall began class having the class writing notes, Cassie wrote a note of her own to Draco Malfoy. 

She scrunched it up into a ball and when Minerva's head was turned she threw it at his head, stifling a laugh when it landed. Draco reached his hand up to grab the note and rub his head a little perplexed until he saw Cassie sniggering to herself. He grinned opening the letter to read. His grin widened as he read her message. He raised an eyebrow, curious and a little amused by her audacity. He looked over at her, their eyes meeting for a brief moment, his expression a mixture of exasperation and excitement. A challenge, from her. Nothing could be more thrilling. He hid the note inside his robes and gave her a smirk and a nod. 

Nattie looked up from her work curious why Cassie was snickering to herself and kept turning her head. She looked over at Draco, shooting daggers at him as she caught him chuckling Cassie's way. What on earth was going on, she thought to herself turning back to Cassie whose expression had turned serious once again. She furrowed her brows and got back on with her work, suspicions racing round her mind.

Draco noticed Nattie's curiosity and smirked to himself. He knew she had noticed something going on but he didn't care. He was too focused on the promise of a challenge with Cassie later that day. He wondered if she would challenge him to another duel. He would be ready for her next time. Even if they were friends his natural competitive nature overtook him. Just as hers did. It was one of the things he admired about her, her competitiveness. 

Cassie knew Nattie had noticed something so she kept her eyes on her work for the rest of the class. After Transfiguration class ended Cassie hurriedly made her way over to Professor Binns class to avoid Nattie questioning her. She also was eager to get it over and done with so she could hang out with Draco. 

Professor Binns taught a History of Magic and was a ghost known for taking many naps during teaching. He was also the most boring teacher at Hogwarts, and Cassie hated his classes. Though she excelled in her work, through her own interests in researching the history in the restricted section. However often when Binns would take one of his naps Cassie would feel the urge to create a little mischief. This was the third time she had been caught out and given a detention with him.

She sat in a half empty room next to other students who had done the same. She couldn't believe she was actually excited to hang out with Draco Malfoy. Maybe it was because the thrill of it all being in secret. The thrill of maybe getting caught, even though she knew that would end up being pretty bad. But she was a little intrigued to get to know this other side that had peaked her interest. 

He hadn't been what she thought he was. There was more there, a kindness in there, that made him redeemable in her eyes. Even when they hadn't been getting along he had promised to keep his friends away from hurting Nattie. At that time he owed her nothing so that must have come from him. His own conscience, even though Harry and his friends would say differently. 

She eagerly watched the clock throughout the detention which had been utterly boring beyond words. As soon as the time was up she grabbed her things, waited for the rest of the students to leave the class before her and then she exited to the halls to look for him. 

Draco waited impatiently for detention to end. He counted the minutes until he'd be alone with her. His mind raced with anticipation, his heart beating fast.

When he saw that she exited the detention room, he gave an internal sigh of relief. He made a beeline towards her, his gaze locked on hers as he approached.

Draco found an alcove in the wall and whistled over to catch her attention. She spotted him, her lips curling into a grin as she made her way over to him. 

Draco pulled her to him in the secluded alcove hidden from view, his body close against hers as the adrenaline spiked through him. He smirked at her, the excitement and danger of the moment driving his heart wild. He looked at her, his eyes dark, as if contemplating something. 

Cassie leant against the opposite wall, her expression full of mischief. 

"You keep landing yourself in detention, mink. What was it you did this time? Bore Professor Binns to death?!" He said, his gaze fixed on her face. His body still remained close to hers, his proximity sending bolts of electricity through him, his mind clouded with forbidden thoughts of her.

Cassie rolled her eyes still smiling. She gave him a playful shove noticing the way he was looking at her. "Oi!" she exclaimed though she couldn't help but be impressed by his insults. "For your information its Professor Binns who is boring me to death!" 

"Hah, typical. Blaming it all on the Professor, how very Slytherin!" He smirked. 

"Good job I'm a Ravenclaw then isn't it?" She said cockily. 

"Yeah so smart of you to get caught. What exactly is it that you did anyway?" He asked curiously

Cassie shifted around sheepishly. "Well...I may have set off some exploding bon bons during one of his many naps...if it hadn't been for that idiot Millicent Bullstrode I would have gotten away with it too. But alas here I am in detention" 

Draco regarded her, his eyebrow raised. He was no fan of Millicent Bullstrode himself, she was a nasty little wretch of a girl. She had caused him and his friends many a problem, even though she was Slytherin just like them. She was one of them that made it her mission in life to make everyone around her miserable. 

"Eugh, yeah sounds just like her" He scowled, the image of her making him quiver repulsively. 

"Mhm, little demon she is!" Cassie said matching his scowl. Draco grinned at her feisty retort. 

"Too bad she ratted you out. Sounds quite the little spicy addition to Binns class, wish I could have seen it" he grinned. 

Cassie took a theatrical bow, grinning "Why thank you my evil subject. Coming from you that is high praise indeed"

Draco chuckled heartily, his smirk deepening. "You're welcome, Your High-and-Mighty-Majesty." He teased, his voice dripping with sarcasm. She bit her lip hiding her smile. "Still it was pretty stupid of you to get caught even if you did get ratted out. You could have lied or something clever to wiggle out of detention that's what I do"

She rolled her eyes "That or..." she was going to tease him about threatening to tell his father but thought better of it. "...just whine or something" she said thinking quick on her feet. "You never get caught doing pranks ever I suppose?"

"I do pranks all the time Mink, I am just smart enough to not get caught, unlike you" he said eyeing her up and down his thoughts turning dark once again. He liked all this sneaking around, especially with her. She was becoming more and more attractive to him. Especially when she was extra sassy, he loved it. Loved that cocky smirk of hers. 

Cassie folded her arms across her chest smugly, as an idea formed behind her eyes "Is that so Malfoy?! Then you won't mind demonstrating one for me" she challenged, her expression full of danger.

Draco's smile darkened, that competitive fire in him roaring. "You want me to prove it, huh? Fine. But just you wait and see. I'll show you the proper way to prank and not get caught."

She raised her eyebrows at him as a challenge "Lead the way then...bestie!" 

His grin grew darker as he gestured for her to follow him. They made their way through the castle, Cassie walking just behind him pretending not to be together. He lead her to the Astronomy tower and up to the top where he opened the door for her and took a little mocking bow.

"Your Majesty" he teased waving her in. She smiled and playfully curtseyed as she walked into the tower and watched him shut the door behind them. 

"I can't wait to see this!" She gleamed. 

He smirked, his eyes dancing with excitement. "Trust me, Mink. You're about to witness a true show of mastery." He said, as he made his way over to the balcony, peering over the edge. He motioned her to join him.

Cassie eyed Draco cautiously as she slowly moved towards the balcony, her eyes narrowing. "Is this where you throw me over the balcony for all the times I called you Princess?" 

Draco chuckled lowly, giving her a sideways smirk. "Oh, don't tempt me, mink. But no, it's not. I have something else in mind." He said, his voice taking on a sly tone.

"Alright" she said a small amused grin on her lips as she stood beside him.

Draco reached into his cloak and pulled out a handful of dung bombs. He smirked, his eyes glinting mischievously. "You still want a demonstration, mink?" He asked, his voice a low whisper.

She plugged her nose with her fingers at the smell of the dung bombs. "As long as those aren't going anywhere near me or on me, yes" she replied curtly.

Draco let out a small chuckle. "Don't worry yourself queen, these aren't for you. I have a different target in mind" he said nodding in the direction of the courtyard below them. She looked over noticing a group of students gathered below them. One teacher too, though it wasn't clear who. 

Draco waiting for the perfect moment, as Cassie watched highly amused. She was enjoying having a sidekick with her for pranks. Nattie and Luna weren't too keen on playing pranks on people. Luna often would chastise Cassie in her special way. Nattie learned it was pointless, Cassie was untameable. A wild bird. Now that wild bird had another to play with, and it brought her joy.

Seizing the moment Draco launched the dung bombs down to the courtyard where it landed just in front of the teacher and other students. Cassie laughed hysterically as did Draco. 

"Oh I do not want to be them right now!" Cassie said in between laughs. Draco smiled over at her chuckling himself.

"No, no you really don't!" 

Cassie looked down, just as the students and teacher looked up. She quickly jumped backwards grabbing Draco. 

"Shoot, I think they saw us, come on!" She said pulling him to the door as she ran. 

Draco let out a playful laugh as she pulled him towards the door. He was enjoying her reaction, and the thrill of being caught. "Run, mink! Run!" He said, his voice both playful and exhilarated. The two of them ran out of the tower and through the halls laughing, until they were far enough away. They leant against the walls still laughing hysterically.

Draco couldn't remember the last time he laughed like this, his sides sore. "That...was...gold!" He managed to gasp between laughs, wiping a tear away from his eye.

"Yeah...impressive Malfoy, I'll give you that" she said still catching her breath. 

"I told you I know how to prank without getting caught, Mink. It's all about subtlety and timing" he said, his pride showing on his face.

Cassie pulled out her wand. "It's not over yet" she pointed her wand out into the hall, muttered a spell and suddenly all the doors start opening and shutting over and over again. Draco chuckled in amusement, impressed with her little charm. 

"You are full of surprised aren't you Mink?!" He smirked biting his lip with amusement. He could get used to this. This feeling. He had played many pranks before, and with his friends often, sometimes on his friends. But this was different. It excited him. Before he had chance to say another word Cassie interrupted. 

"Time to run again Malfoy, last one to the Ravenclaw common's entrance is a rotten egg!" She yelled shoving him backwards to get a head start. 

"Bad form Mink!" He yelled back, making chase. If there was one thing Draco could do better than Cassie it was running. He was fast, probably the fastest runner in school. Had they been muggles he definitely would have been on the running team, a typical Jock. But in the wizarding world Quidditch was their sport, something he was good at too. Cassie had been a keen Quidditch player herself in their first couple of years. But soon lost interest in the sport, to other activities, mainly reading forbidden books and scrolls. 

As the two of them ran through the halls, Cassie giggling trying her best to stay ahead, Draco was close to catching up to her. As they rounded a corner Draco shot passed her turning to glare at her smugly. 

"Looks like your the rotten egg Mink!" He teased. Cassie determined than ever not to be beat, grabbed hold of the ends of his cloak and pulled him backwards, taking over. "OI!" He yelled.

"I never said I'd fight fair!" She yelled back. Now she was the smug one. Just as they got closer to the Ravenclaw common's entrance Draco ran up behind her and grabbed firm hold of her. 

A sly smirk played across his lips as he held her against him. "Got you, Mink...you're mine now" he whispered, his tone both playful and possessive. She wriggled in his hold. 

"Says you, you rotten egg!" She teased.

"Draco grinned, his arms wrapped firmly around her waist. "Oh, I'm the rotten egg, huh? But I was the one who caught you, Mink. You're the one at my mercy here." He said, his voice dropping an octave as he tightened his grip on her. Cassie rolled her eyes. 

"Ok you can let go of me now Malfoy!" She warned, though still smiling. This was as close as she had gotten to hugging Draco, and it wasn't even a hug. Though she was starting to think it felt nice to be held by him. Suddenly she felt repulsed by herself. When he didn't immediately let go of her she elbowed him in the stomach. "Now Malfoy!"

Draco's grip loosened as he leaned against the opposite wall, both of them still catching their breath from the sprinting and laughing. "Alright, alright, I'll let you go, mink. That was quite the run we had, huh?" He said, his chest heaving up and down from exhaustion, a playful smirk still on his face.

"And I won as per usual" she boasted smugly. 

"Yeah by playing dirty. I didn't realise what an underhanded cheat you were. Now I'm rethinking even the duel" He teased. She smiled but glared at him with her eyes. 

"Oh come on, this wasn't a serious competition. I take competition seriously, this was just a bit of fun"

"If you say so Mink, I still think you may be a cheat" He smirked. She playfully shoved him again. 

"You wish! Okay I swear next time we race the halls I won't use any dirty tricks, I promise"

"I'll hold you to that"

"I don't doubt you will" 

They both stood staring at each other for the briefest of moments. Draco really enjoyed their banter, as did she. He finally had met his match in Cassie, and she had to admit he was the most interesting person at the school. Never a dull moment when she was with him. 

"It was fun playing pranks with you, we should do it again sometime" she said earnestly, smiling. 

"Oh yeah, does the queen herself think she can handle another prank with me?" She smiled back, his attitude and tone smug and cocky. 

"I think we have both established by now I can handle anything you've got Malfoy" she stated glancing him up and down. He grinned. 

"Cocky aren't we. Are you sure you don't belong in Slytherin house?"

"Hah!" She scoffed. "Ravenclaw suits me just fine thank you. Until the next prank Malfoy"

"Oh just you wait Mink. You havent seen anything yet. I have plenty more tricks up my sleeve that'll leave you speechless." He said as she turned to walk away. She glanced over her shoulder at him, her lips curled into a sly smile.

"Then I look forward to seeing them. Laters bestie!" She said walking off into her commons. Draco stood watching her until she was out of site then he left to his own commons. 

Back inside his dorm room, Theo was in there on the phone to someone, his smile full of lust. Draco thought he must have some secret girlfriend he didn't know about yet. Theo didn't really advertise his relationships like the rest of the Slytherin's did. In particular Blaise and Pansy who at every chance they got were making out. Draco threw himself onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling smiling as he thought of her. Cassie. He must have been lost in thought for a while because next thing he knew Theo was prodding him. 

"What's got you all smiley bro? Your usually pissed off and in a huff, but today...nothing but smiles" Theo asked pulling out a cigarette. 

"Maybe I have a secret girlfriend like you" Draco teased back, though he didn't understand why his stomach flipped at the idea of Cassie being his...nah, he couldn't, could he?!

Theo scoffed and rolled his eyes. "How many times bro, I do not have a girlfriend. I just have friends other than you lot of dicks" he retorted. 

"These friends make you blush often do they?" Draco continued to poke. He knew Theo was lying. Theo never looked like that talking to anyone. There had to be a girl involved, that or he was going loopy. 

"Shut up bro!" He barked back. Draco smirked, but he didn't push. He had his own secrets to carry. His father would beat him if he found out about him and Cassie hanging out today. Worse he would beat him if he knew just how fond of Cassie Draco was becoming. 

Chapter Text

The following morning at breakfast Cassie sat down with Nattie and Luna, stealing a quick glance over at the Slytherin table. Draco was laughing and joking with his friends over something, but he shot her a quick glance. She smiled as she bit into a green apple. She knew those were his favourite, they happened to be hers too. Draco smirked back, amused, as he picked up a green apple and bit into it as well. 

"Cassie, I think their announcing the Yule Ball today!" Nattie beamed, distracting Cassie instantly. The annual Yule Ball. Once it had been the celebration of the Triwizard tournament but due to it's popularity Dumbledor had decided to make it an annual event for all students to attend. Winter was just round the corner, which made Cassie melancholy. She loved the sunshine, and detested the cold. Flashbacks of her father locking her outside in the snow as punishment for hours and hours, just long enough so she would not die. 

"Oh no" Cassie exclaimed a feeling of dread overwhelming her. 

"Cassie! It will be so beautiful and amazing I'm sure" Nattie continued to beam, so excited. "And you will come too Cassie I won't accept anything but your attendance"

Before Cassie could protest Dumbledor stood up to speak. 

"QUIET!" He bellowed out, the whole great hall falling silent to listen to him. "It is my great pleasure to announce the commencement of the annual Yule Ball" The room erupted into excited whispers as the students began plotting who they were going to ask to be their date. 

Cassie sighed. A ball. She went to the first one. Her and Nattie spent the whole night hiding in the corners of the room, spiking the pumpkin juice. Cassie wore her robes, and was told she could never go again unless she would get herself a gown. That suited her just fine, she didn't much care for balls. They were for couples, and dancing. Two things that made her feel sick. 

"All students are invited to attend" Dumbledor continued. "This year we have the pleasure of an ex student, Lyra Jurro, performing for us with her band. It will be an auspicious evening. The event will take place the weekend before all of you head home for the winter holidays. Dance lessons with Minerva will begin in the next following weeks. You will be given leave to go shopping for your outfits in Hogsmeade. You may go about finding a date, but dates are not required to attend. However formal attire is required" He seemed to set his eyes upon Cassie as he said that. Cassie averted her gaze, internally scowling. She looked over at Draco who was grinning at her having noticed the same. 

"I can't believe Lyra Jurro is going to be coming back here! She's so famous now, more famous than the Weird Sisters!" Pansy rabbited on to Blaise, Draco and Theo. Draco rolled his eyes and scoffed. 

"Who cares! The yule ball is a bore" He snarled, annoyed at the sound of Pansy's shrill voice. Pansy glared at him.

"Blaise you'll be my date won't you my handsome prince" she ardently asked, fawning all over Blaise as her eyes peered over at Draco. Draco didn't care, his eyes glanced Cassie's way who looked just as bored as he did. That made him smile. 

A week passed by and Nattie and Theo had finally decided to be public with their relationship. Crabbe and Goyle gave him a hard time over it before Draco told them to shut up. Theo didn't expect that from Draco, never the less he was grateful. The whole school gossiped about them for a day and a half before they moved on to other things. Theo had of course asked Nattie to be his date, and Nattie has insisted Cassie was to go and she would even buy her a new gown. Cassie knew it was useless arguing with Nattie over it. 

Nattie was thoroughly overjoyed and couldn't wait for the ball. Her first dance with Theo. She wanted her best friend with her, to share in her joy. Cassie knew this and so she could not refuse her. 

Cassie was walking the halls of Hogwarts when she spotted Draco walking towards her. He smirked the minute he saw her, and she smirked back. 

"Hey bestie!" She greeted him.

"Hey Mink!" He greeted her back. 

Draco leaned against the wall observing her as she leaned against the opposite one. 

"So this Yule ball thing has got everyone's head in a fairy-tale spin" she remarked staring at her feet. Draco let out a scoff.

"Yeah, it's all anyone is talking about. Its all a bit nauseating. The dancing, the romance, the fancy music...it's overrated I think" he said folding his arms across his chest in disgust. He didn't much care for balls either. 

"I agree. I don't do romance. Though Nattie is pretty much forcing me to attend. I was thinking I could somehow make the evening more interesting with a few pranks perhaps. It might be worth getting expelled over" she grinned. 

"What a sight that would be" he smirked, a glint of amusement in his eye as he looked her up and down. She rolled her eyes. "Maybe I'll help you"

"Hah wouldn't that be fun?! But as much as I hate to say it, it would spoil Nattie's night with Theo. And as much as romance makes me barf, I don't want to do that to her. She's so excited"

"Ah the lovebirds. He is excited too he won't stop smiling. He has never smiled this much in his life. It is rather sickening to see them all lovey dovey all the time" He said, though his eyes were looking at Cassie, studying her. 

"Did Nott tell you or did you find out with everyone else?" Cassie asked her lips still half smiling. 

"Nott never tells us anything so found out with everyone else" he scoffed. "Now all he does is hang around Ravenclaw house, he's hardly ever around us anymore"

"You miss him?"

"Hardly. We're...we have never been that close. I thought once we might be, but..." Draco trailed off. Cassie could tell it was a sore subject. He had shared that he really didn't have a person he could ever feel close enough to share things with. It's why she offered a hand of friendship to him in the first place. She was now glad she had. 

"I had to pry it out of Nattie. That night, before we duelled, I caught her on the phone giggling away. So after our duel I of course prodded her, and she told me" Cassie smiled. Draco's grin returned. 

"Of course you did! You could pry information out of a dry brick wall" He teased. 

"Hah-Hah. Her smile when she told me, I don't think I have ever seen her so happy. They are so sickeningly cute" 

"It's enough to make me vomit!" 

Cassie threw a bit of paper at him, but she was still grinning. "Oi! It's nice to see her happy"

Draco's expression softened. "Yeah, it is...nice to see people happy..." He muttered, a hint of wistfulness in his voice.

"So come on Malfoy who are you taking to the dance? Wait! Let me guess...Millicent Bullstrode" she teased. Millicent Bullstrode was one of the most hated students at Hogwarts and that was saying a lot. She was Slytherin house, and had no friends. Mostly because she was a violent brute that attacked people for no reason, like she had Hermione in their second year. Now she went around attacking first years. She had bad hygiene which she was proud of, and yellow teeth. Her hair never looked brushed either. But Cassie could forgive personal appearances, it was her behaviour she detested. Even the Slytherin students hated her. 

Draco's expression turned to one of complete and utter disgust. "Oh please! As if I would stoop so low as to ask Millicent Bullstrode! I would sooner ask Hagrid to the ball"

Cassie laughed out loud. "Yeah, I suppose he is less hairy" she joked. The two of them laughed together. Cassie didn't feel bad about making such a mean remark about Millicent. She deserved the disgust. 

Draco chuckled at her retort. "He may be less hairy, but he's certainly got a more charming personality. And that's saying something, considering his taste in pets." He said with a smirk.

"Ah yes we all remember the incident with you and the bloody chicken" she mocked playfully. Draco cringed at the reminder. 

"Ugh thanks for the reminder Mink. I still maintain Hagrid was at fault" he snarled.

"Yeah, definitely not you and your impatient insistence of taking the creature for a ride, just because you saw Harry do it" She mocked sarcastically. 

Draco rolled his eyes "Oh shut up Mink. Besides why should Potter get all the fun? It was a learning experience. I learned I don't like chickens"

"Then you should also learn it wasn't a chicken it was a Hippogriff" she gently teased, a sly grin on her face. 

Draco groaned, his smirk turning into a scowl. "Ugh, why so pedantic? Who cares what it was! It was a nightmare, and I still have the scars to prove it."

"Aww poor baby" she teased biting her lip.

Draco rolled his eyes at her teasing. "Oh, ha ha, very funny, mink. I'm sure you would have been just fine when that..." He paused, searching for the correct word. "...thing tried to take a chunk of my arm."

"It was barely a scratch!" She said still amused. "You should try getting into a fight with a giant Acromantula"

Draco's smirk returned, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, yeah, sure, I'll go and find a giant spider right away. Sounds like a wonderful idea. You've clearly lost your mind, mink. I am not willingly going near an Acromantula."

She chuckled. "Pity. Such brave idiocy might make me consider taking you to the dance, since you clearly don't have anyone else to go with yet"

Draco rolled his eyes, a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, please, I have plenty of options. I'm just being choosy, is all."

Cassie looked away still smiling. "mhm" she muttered smirking to herself.

Draco smirked back, raising an eyebrow at her disbelief. "Oh, you don't believe me, mink? You think I couldn't find a single date, if I truly wanted one?"

"Is this the part where you remind me how irresistible you are, and all the girls want you" she teased. 

Draco chuckled, a hint of arrogance in his tone. "You mock me Mink, but I have a line of girls waiting to go to the ball with me. I just haven't decided who I want to take yet."

"Well, thank god no ones asking me. I might see if Hagrid will lend me one of his dragons to take. They didn't specify your dance partner had to be human" she joked

Draco chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh yes, I'm sure Hagrid would be thrilled to let you borrow a dragon, mink. Just imagine the two of you waltzing around the dance floor, breathing fire and scaring the day lights out of everyone."

She laughed. "Sounds perfect to me! It would probably get me barred for life from the future torment of a ball"

"Only you would think taking a Dragon as a date was perfect. And yes you would get barred, probably expelled too" he grinned. 

"Then you wouldn't have to put up with me at least" she grinned back.

"Your not that bad..." he smiled to himself. Cassie wanted to say something to that but she didn't know what. She just awkwardly grinned. 

"Well bestie cant stand around here all day chatting to the likes of you. If someone catches us what will they think?!" She smirked

Draco raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, so you're embarrassed to be seen talking to me now, mink? Don't want people to think you're rubbing shoulders with a lowly Slytherin such as myself?"

"Exactly" she said playfully.

Draco pretended to be offended, feigning hurt feelings with a hand on his chest. "I see how it is. You've suddenly discovered you have standards, have you, mink? And lowly me just doesn't meet them. That hurts, you know."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you'll cope. You have a line of girls waiting round the corner remember" she said walking off.

Draco chuckled, his smirk growing. "I'll cope just fine, Mink. And I'll make sure to let those waiting girls know that they have competition from a girl who'd rather dance with a dragon."

Cassie turned around at his comment still walking backwards as she replied. "So you're saying I have a chance then" she smirked, turning back around and walking away.

Draco couldn't help but smile as she walked away, her feisty attitude and defiance intriguing him. He shook his head, muttering to himself, "Yeah, you have a chance, mink." Then, with a grin, he turned and walked away.

Cassie was first to wake back in the present day. She started packing the things they would need to take as they ventured out to find a new temporary camp. She wondered how long it would go on for. How long they would have to hike through the woods, never able to find a home to call their own. She had even thought that at some point she would have to join the fight. 

Draco awoke, his eyes adjusting to the morning light, to see Cassie busying herself with packing their belongings for the journey ahead. He rose from his makeshift bed, rubbing his sleepy eyes as he padded over to her. He eyed the pile of items she had collected, a sense of uneasiness settling in his stomach. He couldn't help but wonder how long this would go on for. How long they would have to keep moving, never able to settle down and find a safe home. He felt a pang of worry for her, and her survival. 

"Morning Draco" she said expressionless as she packed the last of what they would need, including his sleeping bag. "We'll pick some fruit on the way for breakfast, there's not the time to hunt this morning if we are to get a head start.

Draco nodded at her pragmatic statement, his eyes following her as she packed the supplies into a bag. He knew she was right, there was no time to waste.

He ran a hand through his messy sleep-tousled hair, trying to shake off the last remnants of sleep. "Yeah, no hunting today," he replied. "Fruit will do for now."

They were both silent for the rest of the morning as they both left the cottage that had been their home for the last week. Cassie was unsure what they would find. She doubted they would have another cottage like this one. They would most likely be sleeping outside. She decided it was worth trying to steal a tent from a local town if possible. 

As they walked through the forest Cassie and Draco picked some berries and an apple or two to eat as they hiked. When they neared a local small town Cassie stopped in her tracks and looked over at Draco. 

"You stay here, I'll go and get the things we need. If I'm not back within the hour you carry on going, don't come looking. You have what you need now to survive on your own if that should be the case" she said solemnly. She knew there was always a chance she could be captured and she would rather it her than him. She could rest easy if she knew he was safe. Stealing was easy for her, she just hoped there weren't any death eaters about. 

Draco felt a knot of worry form in his stomach as she spoke. He didn't like the idea of her going into town alone, while he loitered in the bushes like a coward.

"No," he said firmly, his hand shooting out to stop her from going. "I'm coming with you. I can't let you do this alone."

"Draco I'll be fine. It will be more dangerous us both going. I can slip in and out quick and easy, I've done this a thousand times before" she insisted placing all her belongings on the ground and using a shielding charm to hide them. 

Draco frowned, his eyes darting around the forest. He knew she had a point, but he couldn't shake the feeling of worry in his gut.

"But what if something happens to you? What if you get caught or run into trouble?" he asked, his voice edged with concern.

"Then you keep going and you don't stop. Until the war is over, until its safe. You have all the skills you need to survive on your own" she enthused. His expression shifted at her words as if she had said the worst thing possible. Draco's hand reached out and wrapped around her wrist, his grip tight. "I'm not leaving you," he said firmly. "We've come this far together, we'll stay together. I won't let you go alone."

There wasn't the time to argue with him. She sighed and nodded using a shielding charm on his belongings too. 

"I'll have to muffle our faces, it will sting but it will keep us from being recognised" she said. Draco didn't relish the thought but he knew there was no other way. She raised her wand and pointed it towards him uttering the words "hlýja andlit". Draco gasped as the snap of the spell stung like being punched in the face. He was glad there were no mirrors around to look at himself. Cassie then pointed the wand at herself and did the same. 

"Fuck" Draco exclaimed. "I hope I don't look that bad!" Cassie smacked his arm, as he smirked at her.  

"Hey don't be a dick" She said but she half grinned with amusement. "Now make sure you stay close to me, follow my lead. Try to avoid eye contact with anyone" she instructed as she started to make her way over to the village, Draco following closely behind. 

"Right, ok" he responded doing as she said. 

The town was busy that day, full of muggles, but luckily no sign of any death eaters around. The sun was shining, so there were a lot of eager shoppers soaking up the sun and towns beautiful character. Keeping their hoods up Draco and Cassie did their best to blend in and walk through the town, as Cassie looked out for an outdoor shop. Luckily for them, there was a small one. Cassie entered the shop, her wand carefully disguised under her sleeve as she magically locked the door behind them. 

The shop was empty, besides the shopkeeper. Cassie went over to the shopkeeper and while he had his head turned she used a spell to carefully knock him out flat. She made sure he wasn't harmed. 

Draco watched as she efficiently took control of the situation. He was impressed by how quickly she had neutralized the shop owner and gathered the necessary items. Cassie managed to find them the only tent left in the shop and even some walking boots for Draco. 

"Here, these will be better for you, try them on" she said handing him the boots. 

He looked at the boots she handed him, appreciating the practicality of them. "Thanks," he said gruffly, slipping them on and tying the laces. "You're good at this, you know."

She chuckled a little. "Of all the things to be good at..." she remarked smiling over at him.

Draco couldn't help the small smile that tugging at the corner of his mouth at her words. Despite the gravity of their situation, he always found himself amused by her casual demeanour.

"Well, we all have our hidden talents, yours just happen to be of the criminal variety" he teased, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Hah hah" she rolled her eyes. "Wait here and keep a look out. I'm going in the back to see if I can find any food" she said making her way into the back of the shop, a small area which had a mini fridge. She opened the fridge and stole the sandwich that was obviously the shopkeepers lunch. She felt guilty but it would be too risky stealing food from another store. Plus hunting was a more time consuming option. 

Draco obediently stood guard, keeping watch for any potential threats or unwanted attention. Cassie came back and the two of them left, quickly making their way back to the woods to grab the rest of their belongings. They got back just in time for the spell to ware off. 

"That's better" he smirked as Cassie's face morphed back to its normal, peach tinted cheeks, flawless skinned self. She rolled her eyes again at him. 

"You know you didn't look all that hot either" she retorted. 

"Impossible. I'm Draco Malfoy I always look hot" he smirked back. Cassie shook her head, grinning amusingly. 

"Well here hot stuff" she said offering up half the sandwich she had stolen. It was egg mayonnaise, not her favourite or Draco's for that matter. But as they took a bite, it may as well have been steak. 

Draco accepted the sandwich half she handed him, and they both bit into it. The sandwich tasted mediocre, but they were both so hungry it seemed like a luxury meal to them.

"Definitely not my favourite" he said after swallowing a bite. "But beggars can't be choosers, i suppose."

"Let us hope the next time we have to steal a shopkeepers lunch they have chicken, bacon mayonnaise instead" she grinned.

"Or grilled cheese," he agreed, the thought of it sounding even better. His mouth almost watered at the thought of a warm, gooey grilled cheese sandwich.

"Of all the food in the world it's cheese I miss most" she said her mouth watering also at the thought of cheese.

"My sentiments exactly" Draco said, his expression one of almost comical sadness. "I would give almost anything for a good sharp cheese right now. Or even a proper steak."

"Or both together" She smiled as she grabbed her belongings to continue walking. 

The two of them walked talking about food for hours until it was time to make camp. They found a perfect spot to set up the tent for the night. Cassie moved around the camp to lay out the protective charms as Draco wrestled with putting up the tent. It was proving more difficult than it looked. Draco had never liked the idea of camping. He liked a warm bed. The idea of sleeping outside under some fabric felt beneath him at one point in time. But a lot of that was how he was raised to think and feel. Cassie was the only person who ever saw anything deeper in him. 

Cassie looked over at Draco as he was getting more and more frustrated with putting up the tent. She chuckled a little.

"Just use magic!" she teased though it was said with some affection.

Draco shot her a glare as he continued to struggle with the tent poles. "I'm trying to do it the muggle way. It's not that simple" he protested, trying to hide his slight frustration.

She smiled. "The more things change the more they stay the same" she muttered. 

She thought back fondly of how easily he got frustrated when things didn't go his way. Like with the bloody chicken incident in year three. When he saw Harry fly the Hypergryph he got jealous and stormed his way over frightening the Hypergryph into a defensive stance. It caused a small cut on his arm as he fell back, and made a huge deal over it. Or when he snitched on the golden trio sneaking out in the middle of the night only to land in detention himself along with them. Now he was getting frustrated with this tent. 

Cassie walked over and started helping. 

Draco grumbled to himself as Cassie came over to help with the tent. He hated feeling incompetent, and the tent was proving to be more difficult than he thought. "Stupid muggle contraption," he muttered under his breath, reluctantly accepting her help. A part of him was annoyed with himself. When he was back home, firstly he would never ever have dared sleep in a tent. But secondly he had elves around the house that would do this stuff. Put up furniture, clean up, cook, tidy everything. It was as though he was having to learn to do everything for himself, what most people did as children. And it frustrated him that he felt so helpless. It also annoyed him that he missed the help. He didn't want to be that person anymore. He didn't want to be his father. 

"Just breathe Draco. A little patience goes a long way. You remember how frustrated you were with learning to hunt at first until you focused" She reminded him gently. She could tell he was worked up. 

Draco took a deep breath and steadied himself somewhat. 

"Yeah, I was convinced I would be shit at it" he said plainly. 

"And yet you proved yourself wrong. You were a quick learner and now your able to hunt yourself without any help. You learned quicker than I even did. You are capable Draco you just need to believe in yourself a bit more. The way I believe in you" She smiled. Draco felt his stomach do somersaults. He had never had anyone ever believe in him. The only thing people believed was that he was trouble and a brat. 

"It's just frustrating that's all. I don't like being this...pathetic" he sighed solemnly. 

"Hey. Your not pathetic stop that. At least you can't shoot anybody in the ass putting up a tent" she smirked reminding him of her early days learning to hunt. Draco chuckled, feeling himself relax a tiny bit. 

"True, but I'm sure I could find some way to mess up" he said, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Draco...for once in your life will you not be hard on yourself. You were a fast learner with using a bow and arrows, you've always excelled at things even at school you just are so darn hard on yourself" she enthused. 

Draco's eyebrow raised at her words, an almost defensive expression crossing his face. He was used to high expectations, not praise. "I just... I don't like failing at things" he admitted, his voice quiet.

"I know you don't. I also know unless it's perfection, unless you are top at everything, to you that's failure. Because your father told you this from the day you were born. He couldn't be more wrong. You have never been a failure Draco. I know I used to get on you about beating you in every class but you were right there behind me. Your scores were just as high as mine" she looked at him, serious affection in her eyes.

Draco's expression softened as he met her gaze. He knew she was right, he had always been a perfectionist, striving for excellence in everything he did. But hearing her say it, hearing her reassure him that he wasn't a failure, meant more to him than he could express in words. He felt a sense of vulnerability, something he rarely allowed himself to feel. But with her he couldn't hold back, her words pierced right through him.

She smiled at him and then continued to help put up the tent just as it began to rain. The two of them took shelter inside the tent, unable to build a fire as the rain fell hard.

As they sat in the shelter of the tent, listening to the rain fall outside, Draco's mind wandered to the words of reassurance Cassie had spoken earlier. He found himself feeling uncharacteristically vulnerable, something about her always seemed to bring out this side of him.

He looked over at her, sitting across from him in the tent. "Thanks for the pep talk, earlier" he said gruffly, his voice quieter than usual.

"A little" she replied gently. But she was a lot more than a little cold. She was craving the warm blaze of a fire. She was craving a warm bedroom. But she had had many nights like this alone. Feeling as though she would freeze to death, but always managing to pull through. 

Draco shifted a little closer to her, trying to provide some extra warmth. "Here. Come closer, it will be warmer" he said, gesturing for her to move closer to him. His heart pounded in his chest. Any chance to be close to her. He wanted to. He wanted her. If she were his he would never let her get cold. Even if she wasn't his he would do anything to make sure she was okay. He was falling in love with her. 

Cassie felt her stomach flip at his suggestion but she was too cold to refuse. She backed up into him and the two of them lay down, under the sleeping bags to stay warm. The feel of his body pressed into hers, his warmth melding with hers, was addictive. She was falling in love with him. 

He tried to ignore the way his heart was suddenly racing, and he tried to focus on keeping warm.

He could feel her shivering as the rain got heavier outside the tent. Without thinking too much, he took his arm and wrapped it around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

Unable to control it, her eyes fluttered open and shut at the feel of him holding her around her waist. His touch was gentle and comforting. This fire that had ignited within her lately was burning harder. She did no longer know if she was shivering or just trembling from the cold or his touch.

Draco was acutely aware of her every move, the way her body responded to his touch. He could feel her trembling against him, and he was torn between wanting to comfort her and wanting to pull away. But something deep within him had taken over, something primal and animalistic, and he couldn't bring himself to let go.

He pulled her closer to him still, his arm wrapped around her tightly, holding her tight against his chest.

Cassie fell asleep comfortably in his arms. It was possibly the best nights sleep she had, had in a very long time.

Draco stayed awake for some time, simply listening to the sound of her breathing, the feel of her chest rising and falling as she slept. It was a soothing sound, and he found himself almost zoning out.

As he looked down at her, he could see the way her face relaxed in sleep, and he realised that he had never seen her look so peaceful before. He wanted to touch her, to caress her face, her lips. He knew he would have to tell her how he was feeling soon or he would burst. 

They were falling in love with each other, and neither one of them knew how the other felt. Neither one of them had ever known love before, at least not the real sense, especially Cassie. So they were scared, but the magnetic pull between them was growing stronger. And sooner or later one or both of them would break.

Chapter Text

The following evening Draco and Cassie found a more shaded spot to set up camp for the night, however it did not rain. They had just finished eating the dinner that Draco had caught.

As the fire crackled in the background, Draco couldn't help but stare at Cassie. She was lit by the warm glow, her cheeks flushed pink from the heat of the fire. He had been finding it hard to tear his gaze away from her the last couple of days. There was just something about her that kept pulling him in.

As their eyes met, he saw her blush and he couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. He took a moment to compose himself, the words he wanted to say sitting on the tip of his tongue.

"Draco" she muttered, her voice shaky. 

"Cassie" he muttered back, his eyes searching for hers. 

"Do you - do you remember the last Yule ball we went to?" she asked averting her gaze. 

Draco felt a lump in his throat and chest at the memory. "Of course I do" he murmured. 

"Remember our colossal falling out the week before? I've been thinking a lot lately...about it. About that ball"

Draco sighed heavily. ""Yes, I remember it well." he said quietly, his voice filled with a mixture of regret and sadness. "I made a stupid decision, and I hurt you."

"And I was stubborn and unforgiving" she inhaled a large breath as she recalled her true feelings then. "The truth was, it hurt me more than I had expected at the time. Not just that you had shared something personal with your friends, but...the Yule ball itself. Seeing you there...with someone else. Knowing that I had coldly ended our friendship. I wish I could go back and just have tried to see things from your perspective"

The two of them recalled that awful week before the ball. Nattie had insisted on taking Cassie shopping for a gown and paying. They had argued over it, but Nattie won. Nattie was perhaps the only person in the world who could win an argument with Cassie. Plus she knew if she didn't go Nattie would only go out and buy one for her anyways. At least this way she could pick the cheapest dress. Though Nattie had other ideas. 

They both headed into Hogsmeade village to a cute little dress boutique store full of beautiful, exquisite dresses fitting for a princess. Cassie felt overwhelmed by the amount of dresses inside. A lot of glitter and sparkly. More than she was used to. 

Nattie's favourite colour was red so she was drawn to trying on the red gowns where Cassie quite liked a baby blue silk dress. When she saw the price she asked for cheaper versions to try on in a similar colour. 

"Cassie please try on the one you like" Nattie insisted. 

"It's the most expensive dress in the store, no way I am touching it" Cassie insisted back. Nattie sighed. 

Draco had been walking through Hogsmeade buying himself a few new products from Zonko's and some candy. As he made his way down the streets he noticed Cassie and Nattie in the dress shop and stopped in his tracks. 

He smiled. She looked so beautiful, more beautiful than he had ever seen her. He felt himself eager to walk in there and demand she be his date to the ball, to hell with what others would think. To hell with his father. There wasn't any other girl in school he wanted to dance with more than Cassie. But before he could go ahead and do something that would land him in a lot of trouble, his two friends Goyle and Zabini walked up behind him. 

"Draco, who are you spying on" Blaise asked as they both peered into the window to see who Draco was looking at. Goyle's lips curled into a sadistic smirk as he spotted Cassie and Nattie. 

"It's the mudblood and her pet rock" Goyle noted with merciless vitriol on his tongue. 

Draco felt his blood boil but he found himself stunted and unable to do anything. Suddenly the realties of anyone finding out about his secret friendship with Cassie locked him up with fear. He had to grin and bare whatever his friends were going to say and keep up pretences. Goyle walked into the store, with Blaise following behind. Draco reluctantly followed them in, his eyes to the floor, his heart sinking in his stomach. He had a horrible feeling this was about to be carnage. 

"Well, well, well if it isn't the two peasants dressing up in princess dresses like they belong. As if this Yule ball wasn't bad enough" Goyle spat as Blaise laughed along. 

Cassie rolled her eyes as Nattie stood arms crossed irritated they had come in the shop to purposefully spoil their day. 

Draco stood there silently, his expression remaining neutral as he observed the scene. He wanted nothing more than to shut Goyle up and protect Cassie, but he knew he couldn't show any signs of friendship with her.

"Come to find a dress Goyle? There's a pretty glittery one over there that will look lovely on you" Cassie retorted, a challenging smirk on her lips.

Goyle's eyes narrowed, a snarl forming on his face. "Shut it, you little freak!" He retorted, his tone dripping with venom.

She stifled a laugh with a scoff. "Or what?!" she looked over at Draco who stood silently looking at his feet. She understood in that moment he was still keeping his friendship hidden as they had agreed to. But she still hoped he would defend her, step in, stop his boys. Like Theo did for Nattie. 

Goyle hated Nattie for taking one of his boys away. Theo never spoke to any of them anymore besides Draco and Blaise. 

Blaise smirked, joining in the taunting. "Yeah, what are you going to do, mudblood? Hex us with your silly little spells?"

"I might if you continue to bother us" she answered back defiantly.

Draco didn't know why he did what he did next. It was almost out of his control, like word vomit. The pressure he felt from his friends, from his father had created this angry, mean, school bully and brat. But then she had to come along and make him question everything including the person he truly wanted to be. But the pressures to continue the facade of the old him were weighing heavy. His internal battle was about to spill out.

"Empty threats, mudblood. You don't have it in you to hex us." He said mockingly, the words leaving a bitter taste in Dracos mouth the minute he said them. 

Cassie couldn't believe Draco said that. They had promised not to use insulting nicknames with each other anymore, and even if they had to keep their friendship secret...it still hurt. Her lips pressed tight and her eyes narrowed as she glared back at him. "You sure you want to go down this road again with me Malfoy?! Did I not teach you enough of a lesson" she barked back her chest feeling pained. 

Draco's gaze hardened, his smirk faltering ever so slightly, the mention of their previous altercation clearly striking a nerve with him. "Oh, you're still on about that, mink? You got lucky last time" He retorted, trying to keep his expression indifferent. He wished he had kept his trap shut. 

"She probably cheated. These filthy mudbloods always cheat. They can't win at anything otherwise" Goyle added with venom. Goyle didn't feel an ounce of regret in his cruel words. He hates Cassie with a violent passion. And now her friend Nattie had taken away one of his friends, causing Theo to treat Goyle like shit on his shoe. He didn't like that. Theo should have his back not Nattie's. Cassie felt her blood boil. Nattie placed her hand on Cassie's harm sensing her about to blow. Though it helped some, Cassie was losing control fast as she continued staring daggers at Draco.

Draco clenched his fists, trying to hold back the urge to retort at Goyle. He knew he couldn't show any signs of defending Cassie or he'd blow both their covers. But his internal battle was making him feel ready to explode and punch Goyle in the face. 

Goyle, seeing the tension rising, continued with a smirk, feeling egged on. "Yeah, they always cheat, they're never good at anything without cheating"

"How are you even planning to buy a dress anyway mudblood? You're poor aren't you?!" Blaise added, though he did feel somewhat bad. He always felt bad going along with the mean things the boys said about others. But he didn't want to be cast aside by Draco and the others. Mostly Draco. Blaise had wanted to be brothers with Draco since they first were introduced as kids. He did everything he could to impress Draco, to stay in his good books. And if that meant accosting Cassie Mink, a girl he had no issues with, he would do it. Goyle laughed as Cassie scowled at him.

Meanwhile Draco felt the guilt rising up inside of him. 

Cassie could feel her anger boiling as Goyle and Blaise continued their insults. She was fighting the urge to unleash her anger and defend herself. The mention of her financial situation was especially infuriating.

"Yeah Draco told us your penniless, that your parents hate you. Can't blame em really you are just walking talking garbage" Goyle said. This hurt Cassie deeply. She had confided in Draco about not being close to her family, to the point where she was cut off from them. She had not told him why, only that she had no family, and not a penny to her name. Why would Draco tell them things she had confided in him about?! Why would he betray her like this?! Now she was furious. She whipped out her wand and pointed it at Draco's face fury and rage in her eyes.

Draco froze as the tip of her wand pressed against his cheek. He could see the anger in her eyes, the pain from his cruel words and his betrayal of her trust. He opened his mouth to defend himself but stopped when he noticed Goyle and Blaise watching them.

"GET OUT, all of you, before I do something I won't regret" Cassie yelled with vitriol. 

Goyle and Blaise looked at each other, not sure what to say to this threat. Draco looked at Cassie, his heart pounding in his chest. He could see the hurt and anger in her eyes, and he knew he had messed up. He had a horrible pit in his stomach, and a familiar feeling of self hatred brewing. 

The three boys left. Draco walked out behind them, his mind reeling. He wanted to scream at Goyle and Blaise for pushing the insults so far. But mostly, he wanted to seek out Cassie. He felt this overwhelming need to see her, talk to her. Apologise to her for his awful words.

Cassie and Nattie stood in the dress shop. Cassie was still reeling as her chest rose and fell at a quickened pace, whereas Nattie tried to comfort her. Their beautiful day had been spoiled. 

Cassie got dressed, not really saying much to Nattie as the two of them left and headed back to the castle. 

Later that evening Draco sought Cassie out, finding her and following her as she made her way to the Astronomy tower where she sat and mulled over the horrible day she had endured.

Draco found Cassie sitting alone in the Astronomy Tower, staring up at the sky lost in thought. His heart felt heavy as he watched her, seeing the pain and anger she still displayed from earlier that day.

Cassie heard something move and her head spun. When she spotted Draco standing there she stood up her face flushing with anger once again. "What are you doing here?" she asked coldly.

Draco swallowed hard, the sight of her anger making his heart ache. He took a few steps towards her, his hands shoved into his pockets. "I...I wanted to talk to you" he said softly.

She scoffed. "I can't imagine you have anything left to say to me I wish to hear"

Draco took another step closer to her, his expression filled with remorse. "Please, mink, just give me a chance to explain"

She eyed him carefully, her expression still stern and unyielding, but she nodded allowing him to explain himself.

Draco's shoulders relaxed slightly when she nodded for him to explain. He took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on her. "I-I didn't mean what I said back there. I didn't mean any of it" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Did you mean to tell your so called friends things I shared with you privately?!" she scorned. "Did you mean that?"

Draco's gaze dropped to the floor, shame washing over him. "No, I didn't. I never meant for it to get out, mink. I - I was caught up trying to keep our friendship a secret. Goyle and Crabbe started...running their mouths and I - I fucked up. I'm really, really sorry Cass I did not mean to I swear. I never wanted to hurt you like this" he begged, knowing it was hopeless. He had really messed up big time. The instant the words had come out of his mouth to Goyle and Crabbe he internally kicked himself. It was like word vomit almost. But he had betrayed probably the only person in the world who brought out a side to him that made him happy. 

"I'm not hurt" she lied. "I expected sooner or later you would do something like this. I bet you had a right laugh didn't you with your lovely friends. I tried to be a friend to you..." she stopped herself the hurt boiling to the surface, but she refused to shed a tear over him.

Draco's heart sank, her words like a punch in the gut. It was clear the pain and disappointment she was trying to hide. "I didn't laugh, mink, I swear. I should have told them to shut up, instead I...I just let it happen. I was trying so hard to keep our secret, so they wouldn't suspect anything between us, and I...I shouldn't have let them say those things to you. I know how sensitive that subject is to you, and I...I should have stopped them."

Cassie scoffed shaking her head. "Should being the operative word. It's too late now isn't it?!"

Draco hung his head down with guilt. "I'm sorry" he murmured. 

"Just go Draco. Go back to your friends. This friendship isn't going to work we were fooling ourselves to believe it would. Our worlds are too different, and you have too much to lose. Besides, it's not like we mean anything to one another" she lied again though convincingly as it hurt Draco.

Draco's eyes widened, pain flashing across his face at her words. He shook his head, a mixture of denial and despair in his expression. "You don't mean that, mink. I-I know you don't"

"But I do. This friendship is a farce. Going forward I think we should just avoid each other. Pretend we don't exist to one another. I won't bother you if you don't bother me, Nattie or Luna" she said coldly, expressionless.

Draco's walls came flying back up. He felt his arrogant, defensive old nature rising to the surface once again. He words cut him deep. It was as if she never truly cared about him. Even though he had fucked up, he was angry. Mostly at himself. But her rejection, her words, was the worst feeling. Almost a betrayal in itself he felt, though deep down he knew this was all his doing, he couldn't help it. "Fine by me, Mink" he spoke through gritted teeth and clenched jaw. 

"Goodbye Malfoy" Cassie said coldly as she left the Astronomy tower, avoiding looking at him as she walked passed him as though he were not even there. 

Draco responded coldly, his voice as hard as steel. "Goodbye, mink."

Back in the woods Cassie and Draco were both remembering that time with such sadness and regret. Cassie had just been hurt. It was her natural response when she felt slighted, or betrayed in some way to switch to defensive and push the person away. She never had to do that with Nattie or Luna, and she guarded herself from others to avoid it happening. But she had let Draco in, feeling a kinship with him, and then he let her down. Though looking back she regretted lashing out so harshly. 

She had known it would be difficult for the two of them to navigate a hidden friendship. The stakes were higher for Draco and she knew that. But in that moment of hurt she just pushed him away.

In Draco's case he had never begun to open up the real him to anyone before and he had with her. Then he went and messed up, and he hadn't meant to but he did. But feeling her rejection, her cold words of not meaning anything to one another, he did the same thing she did. He became defensive and cold. He ignored her up until the Yule Ball, as she ignored him. Though as days went by she felt a niggling feeling in her stomach. She missed him. 

The Yule ball was a magnificent event, and just got better each year. 

The Great Hall was adorned with ice crystals, chandeliers with candles, and even the ground was like snow. The string cortet band played whimsical music as students and teachers moved around the dance floor, laughing and joking with their friends and dates. Nattie looked absolutely stunning in her long red gown. Theo had, had the wind knocked out of him when he saw her. 

"Cara mia!" he uttered breathily. Luna was Neville's date. They were awkwardly shy with one another, but comfortable. Cassie noticed the sweet little looks they each gave each other. She was happy, seeing them so happy. 

Cassie herself was stunning that night. Nattie had gone back the day after their disastrous Hogsmeade trip, and bought the icy blue gown Cassie had eyed. Cassie groaned at first, knowing how pricey the gown had been but Nattie wouldn't hear another word on it. And it did look beautiful on her. Even Neville and Theo noticed, she looked like a princess. 

As Cassie walked around the room her eyes fell upon his. He had watched her enter the room, his breath hitching in his chest. It was like a lump had formed in his throat. He couldn't swallow properly. He suddenly couldn't be angry with her anymore for rejecting him, his guilt had returned. Nothing but regret drowned him as he soaked in her beauty from across the room. And when she spotted him his heart stopped. 

Her stomach turned when she saw him. He was dressed handsomely in a dark green suit and white shirt and tie. She had never admired a males looks before, those things were lost on her, but in that moment she really saw him. He was beautiful. That just angered her more. She averted her gaze but somehow it would keep finding him. 

Draco had asked Daphne to the ball, since she was his intended future wife at that time. Daphne wore a long green gown, and her blonde hair was tied up. She was elated Draco had asked her. She and most girls in their year, had crushed on him for years. Once Cassie spotted him dancing with her on the dance floor she felt a sadness that she didn't quite understand. She tried to focus on Nattie and Theo dancing, and Luna having the best time with Neville. But she could not stop from glancing his way.

The moment Draco kissed Daphne crushed Cassie to a point she could not control her emotions. She hid out in the hallway, crying. The tears the fell she didn't understand why she was feeling this. She missed his friendship sure, but he betrayed her. And just because he was kissing another girl why should that matter? All Cassie knew in that moment was that she would never again allow herself to cry over a boy. But especially Draco Malfoy.

Back in the present Draco hung his head down feeling the weight of regret. 

"I was a fool, Cassie" he said quietly, his voice tinged with regret. "I let my pride get in the way and it cost me the chance to have you as a friend...maybe even more."

Her breath hitched at his last words. She swallowed hard as she tried to focus on what she wanted to say. "I know we mended our friendship in the end, but..." she couldn't think. Her words were muddled.

Draco leaned forward, hanging onto her every word. He waited patiently for her to continue speaking.

"It killed me that we weren't speaking. That you didn't seem to really care that we weren't or at least that's what it looked like. And I guess I had thought...before we fell out that you may have...even just as a friend, asked me to go to the ball with you. Even though now I know how stupid that sounds given that our friendship was secret but I just thought"

Draco took a deep breath, his heart heavy as he looked at her. "You know...that night, I wished I had been there with you instead of Daphne. I kept looking at you that night, and catching you smiling looking happy. I felt miserable. I tried my best to be there with Daphne but I wished she was you. That's a regret I've been carrying with me for a long time, especially lately." His voice was soft, his eyes searching hers.

Her breath hitched again. "Why lately?" she asked her voice a little shaky.

He felt his throat constrict with emotion, the words struggling to come out. He took a moment, trying to find the right words to express himself. "Because. Lately, every time I'm with you, I feel this...this pull." He said. "And I can't help but think about what could have been, could be, between us."

Suddenly her lips were dry, her mouth and throat dry. Her heart pounded in her chest. She wasn't used to feeling like this. So out of control with her feelings and emotions. Except that night at the Yule ball when she had felt out of control of her emotions there too. Now she understood those previous feelings at the ball. Now that she was older.

Draco could see the effect his words had on her, and it made him want to say more. But he held back, the fear of being too vulnerable still present. He took a slow, measured breath. "Cassie, I... I've been wanting to tell you something for a while now."

Cassie looked up. "Tell me"

Draco inhaled deeply, the nervous feeling now overtaking him. This was the moment he had waited years for, but he was unsure how she would react. "I have feelings for you. Deep and complicated feelings that I've struggled to understand myself." He said his eyes piercing into hers.

She didn't know why but tears began to prick behind her eyes. "Yeah I think I have feelings for you too..." the words fell out earnestly.

Draco's heart skipped a beat at her words. He had waited so long to hear her say that, and now that she had, he felt a mix of elation and relief. "Can I... Can I say something else?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper.

"Please" she said her breathing heavy.

Draco took a step closer to her, his expression serious but his eyes full of emotion. "I was a fool, Cassie. I was stupid back then. I made so many mistakes, but the one that stands out the most is not seeing what was right in front of me all along." He paused, gathering his thoughts before continuing.  "I have always wanted you. Even when I didn't know it. But now, especially so. You make me feel good about everything. You saved me, you saved me from my father, and from the darkness of the Dark Lord. You freed me from the dark mark. You have been the only true friend in my whole life who ever believed in me and told me I was worth something, something more than what my father wanted me to be. It's you. You're the one I... I want to be with. Not Daphne, not anyone else. Just you"

Cassie's heart was beating hard in her chest, she could barely breath. She wanted to protest to tell him it was too dangerous, that it could never work them just out here surviving one day at a time, but it would be a lie. Draco stood up and held out his hand to her. He wanted to ask her to dance like he should have the night of the yule ball.

"Dance with me." His voice was a whisper, but there was a hint of command in it that she couldn't refuse even if she wanted to.

"Draco, I...theres no music" Cassie replied, going red at the cheeks, a small nervous smile playing at her lips.

Draco smirked slightly at her comment. "I don't need music," he said, his hand still outstretched.  "Dance with me Mink, like I should have danced with you at the Yule ball."

Cassie, smiling, held her hand out and allowed Draco to pull her up from her feet and into his arms. There was no music, but there may as well have been. She was lost in his eyes, and he was hers. They swayed together, as he held the small of her back with one hand, and intertwined his fingers with hers in the other. 

The fire inside them both was burning hard. This moment had been a long time coming for both of them. Cassie leant her head against his chest, her eyes closed as she listened to his heart beating. He inhaled her scent as he buried his face in her soft curls. 

The music from the Yule Ball filled their ears from memory. Draco spun Cassie around and back, the two of them laughing and smiling, just as they would have that night. 

Draco lifted his hand to hold her face as gently ran his thumb across her lips. Her eyes fluttered shut and open at his touch, that sent tingles all throughout her body. 

He couldn't keep his eyes away from hers. She had never looked this beautiful to him before, and he had never felt this good so close to another woman. He was completely smitten. His hand lingered on her cheek, as he leant his forehead against hers. 

Cassie's heart was beating fast. This feeling, this pull was so strong, and she was helpless to pull away from it anymore. Having his arms around her, his hand in hers, his hot breath warming her face, was intoxicating. 

As they continued to sway together, Draco's eyes locked on to hers. The moment was charged with tension and emotion, and it was as if time had stood still. He leaned in, closing the distance between them, his hand slowly pulling her closer to him. And finally, gently, he pressed his lips to hers.

The feeling of her soft lips against his was like nothing he had ever experienced before. It was a moment of pure, unfiltered emotion. He wrapped his arms around her pulling her closer, deepening the kiss. His tongue ran along her lips begging for entry. 

Cassie's head was a jumble of emotions, her heart racing with joy and nervousness as she deepened the kiss. Her mind was flooded with thoughts and feelings, but foremost was the overwhelming feeling of love for Draco. In that moment, there was nothing else in the world but him, and she felt like she was floating. It was as if she was finally able to let herself fully feel for the first time. 

Slowly Draco pushed her backwards, pushing her up against the tree as she moaned into his mouth. Her fingers entangled themselves in his silvery blonde hair, as he pushed his body against hers. 

All the pent up feelings between them, the tension, the passion just rose to the surface. The moment a moan left her lips reverberating into his mouth sent him into a craze. He bit her bottom lip where he had run his thumb just moments prior, claiming her lips as his. The heat between them was palpable. 

He dragged his lips back wards, his eyes full of desire burning into hers.

She whimpered, the sensation of his lips and teeth leaving her a mess. The intensity and possessiveness in his gaze made her shiver, her body yearning for more of his touch. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer, desperate to feel more of him

"Why'd you stop?" she asked barely above a whisper. 

He groaned slightly, his resolve almost gone. He leaned in and nipped at her earlobe, his voice rough and low "Because I was trying to show some restraint... but if you keep making noises like that, it won't be long before I completely lose control"

She chuckled softly, almost a nervous laugh. "If you keep touching me like this I won't stop you" she whispered. 

He let out a strangled noise, trying to restrain himself. He moved his hands to cup her face, his eyes still locked on hers. "You don't understand just how hard it is for me to hold back when you say things like that"

"I thought we were done holding back Draco?" she smirked, her voice low and husky. 

He groaned, his restraint completely gone. He pressed her body flush against him and the tree, his hands moving to her hips, his grip tight

"You have no idea the effect you have on me...the things you make me want to do to you. I told you, I'm not holding back anymore" he said, his voice thick with desire.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, her hands in his hair. She pulled him closer, pushing her tongue deeper into his mouth, the kiss fiery and intense. He lifted her off the ground up against the tree, holding her body against his as the kissed deepened, his hands roaming over her. 

She grabbed onto his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin. She gasped as he pressed her harder against the tree. Her body ached for him, her mind clouded with desire. She pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, her own filled with passion and excitement. Her hand clutched his cheek, her breathing heavy. 

He could see the fire in her eyes, and he knew that he couldn't hold back any longer. He leaned in to nibble on her neck, his teeth grazing softly over her sensitive skin. His hands moved to her waist, gripping her tightly as he bit down.

She closed her eyes, her head rolling back, exposing more of her neck to him. She let out a soft moan, her body arching into his touch. The sensations he was causing were overwhelming, and she needed more. She pulled his face back to hers, capturing his lips in a desperate kiss.

He broke the kiss after a few moments, his breathing ragged as he spoke "Cassie... are you sure you're ready for this? I don't want to hurt you"

His breath was hot against her face as she hovered her lips over his smiling. "I'm ready for you, Draco" she purred. She trailed her fingers gently along his jawline, drawing his face closer to her, her voice was a low, seductive growl. "A little pain doesn't scare me, if anything it turns me on thinking about it...thinking about you breaking through that...barrier I've fought to protect" 

His eyes darkened, his breath catching in his throat. He couldn't deny the effect her words were having on him, the desire and need in her voice igniting something deep within him.

"Cassie... I don't think you understand just how much your words are affecting me right now" he said, his voice ragged with desire. "You have no idea how much I want you"

Cassie pressed her lips against his earlobe. "Oh but I can feel just how much I'm affecting you" she purred. "You are rock hard for me"

He shivered as her lips touched his ear, his body responding to her every move. He let out a low groan, his grip on her hips tightening. "You're driving me fucking crazy, you know that? The things you do to me..." he said, his voice thick with desire. "And you're right... you have me completely at your mercy"

She smirked. "I always did" And with that she recaptured his lips with hers. 

He kissed her back carrying her over to the blanket laid out on ground beside the campfire. He placed her back on her feet, hurriedly undoing the buttons of her pants as she pulled her hoodie off. There was just her vest left. He bent down kissing softly against her stomach, above her undone trousers as he gently pulled up her vest tossing it to the side. His eyes soaked in her body. The way her body was shaped, every curve, every detail, and her beautiful breasts. 

She pulled at his hoodie, and he helped her remove it. She had seen his bare naked chest before, and it had been just as beautiful then as it was now. She trailed her fingers across every indent in his abs, biting her lip. He furiously gripped her chin and pulled her mouth to his. He pushed her teeth back with his tongue and then bit her lip instead. "Mine" he growled. 

Cassie softly moaned as her hands fumbled to undo his trousers. 

"Yours" He growled again smirking as he nibbled at her neck. His hands were in her hair holding her firm but gentle as he kissed every inch of her neck and collarbone wanting to taste every part of her. He moved his lips down her body, his tongue sliding out as he wrapped his lips round her nipple. She threw her head back gasping with pleasure, her body instinctively pushing into his. 

He grinned as he wrapped his lips around her nipple, his tongue swirling around it, drawing out soft moans from her. He pressed his body closer to her, wanting to feel every inch of her. His hands left her hair and gripped her hips, trying to keep her steady as they stood beside the fire, their bodies intertwined.

He moved his lips down her body, leaving a trail of kisses across her stomach, leading to her trousers. He looked up at her, his eyes dark

"I want you out of these right now!" He said his voice husky. 

He grabbed onto the hem of her trousers, pulling them down without waiting for a response. He looked back up at her, his eyes filled with an almost animalistic desire. Her head rolled back as she gave in to how good it all felt. 

The feeling of her bare thighs in his hands was driving him wild. He ran his lips across the sensitive skin, nipping and biting gently, his hands exploring every inch of her legs. Until his lips reached in between her thighs, her panties still on. He left a kiss there on top of her panties. Her head rolled back as she moaned. He gripped hold of the hem of her panties in between his teeth and pulled them down. She moaned again the heat inside her rising. This was so fucking hot. 

He could smell her arousal as he pulled her panties down, and it only served to drive him wild even more. His lips moved lower, his tongue flicking across her sensitive skin, tasting her. She was already so wet, and he could feel her body trembling beneath him

"You're already so wet for me, aren't you, Cassie?" he whispered, his voice low.

She couldn't speak, couldn't form sentences, all she could do was whimper and move her body in a way to desperately ask for more.

He chuckled softly, amused by her responsiveness to his touch. "Use words, baby. I want to hear you ask me for it"

She let out a strangled whine but managed to find her voice "Please...please...I need you" she begged.

"You need me?" He said, his lips against her inner thighs, his tongue teasing her. "Beg" he whispered, his breath hot against her skin.

"Mmmff stop fucking teasing me" she demanded, her body trembling. 

He chuckled, his breath hot against her skin. "You're not in charge here, remember?"

He moved lower, his tongue flicking at her clit, tasting her wetness. She gasped as the sensation shot through her body, her hips bucking involuntarily. He held her in place, his fingers digging into her flesh as he continued to tease her.

"Beg for it," he said, his voice low and commanding. "Beg me to make you cum"

She was a mess, completely lost in pleasure. His words didn't help the battle within her to give in and submit to him against her constant need to one up him. She whimpered and looked down at him. 

"Your the one on your knees, and I never beg, but I'll make you beg" She teased defiantly biting her lip. 

A low, almost dangerous growl escaped him, his eyes darkened in response to her defiant words. The challenge in her tone only fuelled his possessive desire. He smirked, his eyes glinting with a dangerous edge. He wanted her, needed her, more than he needed to breathe. He pushed his tongue aggressively into her labia, pushing her lips aside to find her opening. 

She gasped, her eyes wide in pleasure, but her defiant smirk didn't waver. She tried to hold back from completely losing control, trying to maintain her composure. But legs buckled and she fell to her knees. Draco was there to catch her, pulling her mouth to his so she could taste herself on his lips. 

He pulled her close, kissing her hard, their tongues battling for dominance. But he was too strong, too in control, and soon enough she was melting into him. He could feel her body trembling in his arms, could hear the soft little moans and mewls escaping her lips. 

"You're mine. You said so yourself. And you're going to submit to me, one way or another" he growled into her ear.

She held his face her defiant smirk back on her lips. "Now when exactly did I say I was yours" she teased. "I seem to remember you saying that, and I just moaned"

He let out a growl, his eyes darkening with desire and dominance. He pushed her down roughly, pinning her wrists above her head.

"Cassie Mink, deny it all you want. Your body completely betrays you. The way you moan, the way you tremble, the way you squirm. Deny it all you want your mine" 

She ran her hands up his naked chest and around his neck. "Fine you win, now shut up and take off your pants" she purred. 

He smirked at her response, his lips twitching in amusement. He released her wrists, sliding his hands down to pull them down, kicking them off along with his shoes, leaving him bare before her. He climbed on top of her once again both hands beside her head. He used his legs to push hers aside. 

She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist pulling him down, his waist rubbing bare against hers. He groaned as her legs wrapped around his waist, his body reacting instantly to the sensation of her wetness against him. He placed both hands on her forearms, pinning her down as he leaned closer to her.

"God your fucking beautiful. Are you ready baby?" He whispered, his voice low and hoarse. His face was only inches away from hers, his eyes locked on hers.

"Yes.." she whispered back, her voice trembling with anticipation and desire. She couldn't hide the way he made her feel, her body trembling in his grip.

He smirked at her plea, knowing how desperate she was for him. He knew he had her at his mercy and he intended to savor every moment of it. He slowly positioned himself at her opening, his breathing ragged as he felt her warmth against him. He leaned down, his lips hovering just above hers.

"Is this what you want, babygirl? You want me to take you, claim you as mine? Are you ready to surrender to me completely?"

"Yes...God yes" she whispered, her voice quivering with desire.

Her words caused his eyes to darken once again. He leant in to her ear nipping it with his teeth. "MINE!" He growled before he pushed himself inside her and claimed her. 

Chapter Text

Cassie had never really thought about the first time she would have sex. She just never imagined it would happen, because she would probably die young. Given the state of the wizarding world and the war, sex was the last thing she thought of. Until Draco. she rescued Draco, and spent day and night alone with him. And feelings began to brew, feelings that she only now realised were there before. And when he kissed her by the fire she couldn't get sex out of her mind. As though pandora's box was opened.

Now Draco had her pinned to the ground, fighting her for dominance. And she was giving in. Something about the way he wanted to claim her, calling her his. She felt things beginning to throb and pulsate in between her legs. Her mind swirled with impure thoughts and desires. And there she was completely naked. Draco, was completely naked. And he was inside her. 

The pain made her gasp, and dig her nails into the soil either side of her. Before he could check and make sure she was ok she instinctively pulled her legs up, and tight around his waist pushing him in deeper. She liked it. She took one of her hands and firmly dug her muddy nails into his back. 

He let out a low, throaty moan as her nails dug into his back, the sharp pain adding to his desire and the need to claim her as his. He leaned down, his body pressing against hers

"Cassie..." he moaned, his breath ragged against her skin. "You feel so good"

She whimpered. She was intoxicated in the moment, unable to breath, unable to speak words. She was completely gone and lost in the pleasure he was giving her. The primal way their bodies melded together. The way she clawed at him, as he gripped at her. Draco pulled her up from the ground so she was sitting upright with him, him still inside her. 

He held her firmly in his arms, their bodies pressed tightly together. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck, holding on tightly. He could feel her heartbeat against his chest, her breath hot against his neck. She was lost in him.

He grabbed a fist full of her hair, yanking her head back to look up at him, his eyes dark, possessive, almost predatory as he moved his lips to her neck, his teeth grazing her skin.

"I'm going to make you scream my name. You're mine. Completely mine" he growled. She gripped hold of his hair in response, a tight firm squeeze of her palm. Her hips grinded on him roughly, her body undulating. They weren't making love, they were fucking, the flames of the fire dancing across their naked bodies. 

Her body began trembling, the intensity of the pleasure and heat building within her almost unbearable. She let out a low, guttural moan, her nails digging into his shoulders. 

"Dr- Draco...oh god," she gasped, her body moving in rhythm with his.

His grip on her hips tightened, his fingers digging into her flesh. "You're mine," he repeated, his words hoarse and possessive as he nipped at her neck. "Say it. Say you're mine. I need to hear you say it"

"F-fuck" She moaned louder, delirious now with pleasure. She felt out of control, ready to burst, ready to explode. 

He felt her body starting to tense, her body shaking as she got closer to the edge. He slowed his movements, wanting to prolong her pleasure and draw it out. He leaned down to her ear, his voice a low growl.

"Don't you dare come yet. Not until I say so" He nipped at her earlobe, his teeth grazing her skin, feeling her body shiver. "Say it," he whispered again. "Tell me whose you are"

She shoved him back, aggressively, digging her nails into his chest. It was a tug of war for dominance between the two broken souls. 

"I'm..." she began to growl, her voice husky and coarse, as though she were part human part animal. "fucking..." her movements fastened, her thighs tight on top of him as she rode him savagely. "YOURS! Malfoy I'm yours!" 

A moan ripped from his throat as she rode him so powerfully. He smirked, his dominant instincts taking over as she confessed her submission to him, while taking control herself.

"Good Girl" He growled back. He took her hand and took firm hold of her throat, careful not to hurt her. Cassie forcefully grabbed his hand and slammed it behind his head, pinning his wrists down. 

"Your...fucking...MINE...Malfoy!" She moaned, getting closer and closer to the edge. 

He snarled, his heart racing as she took control. He tried to resist, to take back control, but he was too lost in the moment, too lost in her. The feeling of her holding him down, of her taking control, was driving him wild.

"Yes...yes...I'm yours" he groaned, his words breathy and ragged. He bucked his hips up in her, hard, fast, over and over, causing her to squeal. She moaned his name, her body trembling, her breathing coming in ragged gasps. She leaned down, her forehead resting against his, her face glistening with sweat. She pressed her lips against his, desperate to feel his lips on hers, to taste him.

He wanted to finish her off before he did, he was too close to losing control. He bucked his hips, slamming up into her one more time. That was all it took. She came, hard, her nails digging into his skin, her body shuddering and trembling as she screamed his name, she felt like she'd lost all sense and control of herself. As her body went limp, he grabbed hold of her flipping her onto her back gently as he continued to move inside her. 

The pleasure was still rushing through her body in waves. She was sensitive, but she didn't want him to stop. She wanted him to continue, to take all of her. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and wild. He looked down at her, seeing the look in her eyes. She was totally gone, completely surrendered to him. He smirked, feeling the power he had over her. He wanted to push her further, to take her even deeper. He gripped her wrists in his hands, pinning them down on either side of her head, his body still moving against hers

He increased the pace, his body moving faster, more frenzied. He leaned down, his breath hot against her neck, his teeth grazing her skin. She dug her nails into the soil once again holding on for dear life. She felt overwhelmed, her body trembling beneath him, the pleasure more than she could bear. She wanted him to finish, to release the tension that was coiled so tightly inside his body. 

"Cum Draco, cum!" She begged, barely able to speak. He gritted his teeth, desperately trying to hold back, to make it last as long as possible, but hearing her moaning his name, hearing her begging him, it was too much for him to hold back. He groaned loudly as he climaxed, his body shaking and shuddering as he collapsed on top of her.

The two of them lay there gasping for air, both unable to move, sweat dripping off of them. He moved to her side, pulling her closer, wanting to feel her body against his. He had never felt such a connection to another person. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in her scent, his hands gently stroking her bare skin.

"I didn't know you were a virgin" he murmured quietly. Cassie instantly seized up feeling self conscious. In the moment she had let go of herself completely, now she was able to form thoughts again she worried. Had she been a disappointment?! 

"I'm sorry!" she mewed. 

He was shocked at her apology, and his expression turned to one of concern. "What?" he asked, his voice soft as he pulled her closer. "Why are you apologizing?"

"If I was...if it was bad" her voice was barely above a whisper as she hid her face in the crook of his neck. 

"Bad?" he repeated, genuinely confused. He wrapped his arms around her tighter, his fingers tracing patterns on her back. "Cassie look at me"

Cassie groaned hiding her face more. 

He chuckled softly and gently shifted her so she was facing him. "Come on, look at me."

He gently lifted her chin with his fingers so she had to look up at him. 

"I need you to hear me when I say this...don't you dare ever apologise, that was the best night of my life by miles!" 

"Really?" she asked blushing crimson. She hated that he made her blush, that he made her nervous like this. She hated it, but deep down she loved it. 

"Really, princess. It was perfect. You were prefect. And do you know why?"

"Why?" She asked tentatively.

He gently lifted her chin with his hand, his gaze locking with hers. "Because it was you. You make me feel things I've never felt before. You make me want things I never knew I wanted. With you, every touch feels like fire. Every kiss feels like electricity." he said, pressing his lips into her forehead. Cassie smiled, clutching him tighter. 

"Really?" she smiled like a lovesick puppy. He turned her over onto her back looking down at her.

"You want me to show you just how good you make me feel?" he asked seductively. 

"Mhm yes I think I do require a demonstration" she seduced him back. He growled leaving a trail of kisses down her body, lifting her thighs around his shoulders as he got in between her legs. 

She gasped, her body already trembling in anticipation. She was still sensitive from before, and the feel of his lips on her skin sent shivers down her spine.

He smirked his lips and tongue hovering right over her teasing her. 

He started slowly, his tongue exploring her sensitive flesh, teasing her in a way that would drive her crazy. He could hear her breathing grow ragged, her hips starting to roll against his mouth. He smiled against her skin, loving the way her body reacted to him, reaching up, his hand wrapping around her thigh to keep her in place. Draco wanted to savour every moment, drawing out the pleasure as long as he could.

"Mmmf" she moaned. 

Draco started drawing letters with his tongue against her clit, humming and groaning to add vibration, driving her insane. 

"Oh fuck your good at that!" She breathily yelled. 

He pulled away slightly, his eyes flashing with mischief. "I know" he said, his voice a deep growl, before he dived back in, his tongue and lips returning to her core. He wanted to hear her moan his name, to make her forget everything except for his touch. His fingers dug into her thighs, holding her in place as he continued to drive her crazy with his tongue. He moved his other hand, reaching up to gently cup her breast, and play with her nipples in-between his fingers. 

Cassie's eyes rolled into the back of her skull. Her face was flushed, her body trembling. She was completely lost in pleasure, completely lost in him. Her body was trembling, she was making sounds she never knew she could make, unable to control herself. She was going off a cliff right now and it felt so good. 

Draco was getting more and more turned on, his desire for her nearly consuming him. He could feel her coming undone under him as he continued to move his tongue against her, wanting to push her to the edge. He wanted to make her come so hard that she would forget her own name. He wanted to mark her, to make her remember him every time she felt even the faintest twinge of pleasure. He wanted to make her his, to make her completely and utterly his.

As Cassie climaxed her body contorted, her fingers ripped up the ground below her. She didn't just come, she squirted all over his face. He took two of his fingers and dragged them along his bottom lip. He held her gaze as he shoved his fingers in his mouth wanting to taste and swallow every last drop of her. 

"God I want to do that again, just to see you come undone for me again and again and again" He muttered huskily. Cassie was still regaining consciousness from being sent over the edge. 

"Huh...yeah...yeah you can definitely do that again" she panted. 

"Good, because you have no idea how badly I want to taste you again and again, until you beg me to stop." he murmured, his words hot against her skin, as he ran his teeth along her thigh.

She shivered. She didn't know how much more pleasure she could stand. 

His smirk widened into a cocky grin. He liked that look on her face, all vulnerable and trembling. It made him feel powerful, and he loved it. He bent down and got eye level with her face "Can I ask you something?" he asked, his voice gruff.

"Uhuh" she answered still panting. 

"Have you really never been with anyone else?" He asked. She shook her head.

"Does that bother you?" She asked worried that her inexperience may not live up to his standards. She could not be more wrong.

"No, it doesn't bother me. in fact," he leaned in closer, his voice lowering. "I like it." he murmured, his eyes darkened with desire. "And by the way...you were phenomenal in every way possible"

She smirked. "Good"

The two of them lay, bodies entangled, falling into the most peaceful sleep they had, had in a long time. After years of yearning, they had finally come together.

Draco awoke to find the early morning sunlight filtering through the trees, casting a soft glow over the campsite. He looked beside him to see Cassie still sleeping, her face peaceful in the early morning light. He took a moment to watch her, admiring the way her hair fell across her face, the way her chest rose and fell softly with each breath she took.

Draco was struck by the thought that it had taken so long for him to become the person she truly deserved, and he longed to turn back time and undo the mistakes of the past. But here, in this moment, holding her close to him, nothing mattered more than this, than her, than them. He would wait a hundred more years, a thousand years, if it meant she would be his.

Cassie began to stir from sleep, smiling as she awoke in Draco's arms. 

As she woke from her sleep, she could feel the warm weight of Draco's arm wrapped protectively around her waist. The sense of safety and security in his embrace sent a shiver down her spine. She smiled softly and snuggled closer to him, her body melding perfectly against his.

"Morning" she purred softly. 

"Morning" Draco responded with a small smirk. "You slept well?"

She turned to look sheepishly into his eyes "What do you think?"

"I can take a guess" he retorted playfully, his smirk growing into a grin. "I take it you find me comfortable to sleep next to, then?"

"That and other things..." she grinned widely.

"Uhuh, and what would those be?" he smirked sheepishly.

"The work out you gave me certainly helped" she replied cheekily. A small growl exited from his chest. 

"Careful, I might just have to give you another...work out" he teased kissing her neck. 

"Well...Draco...by all means...work me out" she murmured seductively, tracing patterns on his bare chest with her fingers. 

"Don't say I didn't warn you" He groaned turning her onto her back and kissing her hungrily. He was completely feral for her. Like a wild animal. As he gripped her hips, and slid inside her once again, he was lost in her. 

She pulled her legs up, tightening them around his waist so he could push deeper in. The two of them groaned, and moved together in sync. Her fingernails dragged along his back. He was lost in her again, his world spinning as, he moved inside her again and again. The sound of her breathless moans in his ear, and the way she fit so perfectly around him drove him insane. 

The two of them continued making their way through the woods, though now everything was changed. Weeks passed by. Weeks of them walking hand in hand, stealing sweet moments of kissing up against trees, and sometimes even impromptu sex against said trees . Mostly though the two of them shared passionate, intense moments under the stars, in their tent, morning and night every day. They were completely enamoured with one another, unable to take their hands off each other. 

For Draco, this happiness was foreign yet so fulfilling, something he had never believed possible for him. He had always thought his life doomed to darkness, destined to wallow in misery.

It was as if Cassie was his guiding light, a beacon of hope that chased away the shadows that had long haunted his heart. She saw the real him, the one hidden beneath layers of pretence and expectation, and she loved him despite it all. She believed in him, she encouraged him to hope, and in doing so she was giving him the world.

Cassie was just as happy. Draco challenged her. No one could make her laugh and smile as much as he could. He made her feel things she never thought possible, and broke through her barriers. He was the first person she fully felt able to open up to about her life, her dark past. They were both healing as the days went on. The free life of living in the wilderness suited them both beautifully.

Everything was perfect. Everything that is until...

"Well, well, well. Isn't this cosy?!" Lucius Malfoy hissed like a snake from behind them.

Back where Nattie and Theo were they had just received news from Professor Snape that Draco Malfoy was missing.

"They presume he's been captured by us? Our side?" Blaise asked furrowing his brow with confusion. 

"That's what the letter says yes. Snape has written Lucius Malfoy has become unhinged with fury, killing thousands of innocents just to find him. He's a loose canon" Neleus said. 

"But do we have him? Does our side have Draco Malfoy?" Nattie asked concerned. She knew just how powerful an enemy Draco had become after murdering Dumbledor. 

"No. Snape is certain we don't"

"So he must be dead then" Blaise added a little solemn. He looked at Theo who carried the same expression. Though Blaise had no idea Draco had been the one to kill his fiancé and child. Draco had been Blaise and Theo's friend at school and while they never truly bonded, they did all have loyalties to one another. 

"Whatever the case this changes nothing. My father and I will work on the potion" Theo said expressionless. He turned to Nattie and gave her a half smile, then left with his father. 

Nattie stepped outside into the Monestary's small courtyard, lost in thought. Neleus followed her out.

"Sweetheart are you alright?" He asked placing a hand on her shoulder. 

"I'm just thinking...about Cassie" she sighed. 

"No one has seen her. There's not been a trace of her or sighting anywhere" he mumbled, having feared the worst had happened to her long ago.

"I know dad" Nattie started, her voice cracking with the tears that were building behind her eyes. "I know she is probably dead. But I can't shake this feeling, like she's out there somewhere. And Draco missing...I don't know I just have this feeling"

"You think Cassie took Draco?" 

"You didn't know them. You never saw them at Hogwarts I did. She was the only one who could tame him. She never knew it even, but he was different around her. She always thought she was being careful and secretive about hanging out with him, but I knew. I caught them once, laughing together"

"Hm. Interesting" Neleus mused.

"I don't think I had ever seen him smile like he did when he was with her. When she left Hogwarts that night, he changed. He went dark. It was like she was holding him back from becoming dark. She kept the light on. Even with the influences around him at that time, she still managed to keep him in the light" Nattie continued. 

"She sounds wonderful Nattie" 

"She is, was, I don't know. I miss her. I'm scared I will never see her again"

"I know darling" Neleus wrapped his arm around her. "This war has cost everyone a great deal. I fear for your mother, your two brothers. But I don't fear for you so much, do you know why?"

Nattie shook her head. 

"Because you are the strongest of all of us. You always have been.  Ever since you were a little girl. Before you could walk you could do magic. You gave your mother and I a real shock"

"Wait...I did magic that young?" She asked, surprised. Neleus chuckled sweetly at the memory.

"You did. Your mother walked into your nursery to get you for breakfast and found you levitating Cuddles and Pandapop around the room" He smiled fondly. Cuddles and Pandapop were Nattie's childhood teddies. She could never sleep without them in her cot. She kept with her to sleep at night up until she went off to Hogwarts where she felt she had to grow up. Though she still snuggled them from time to time when she visited home. 

"Did the Ministry know?" Nattie asked, knowing how the Ministry felt about untrained students using magic outside of Hogwarts. Most children didn't notice anything until they were about ready to leave for Hogwarts. And by then they already knew they were witches or wizards. It was very rare for anyone so young to display it.

"Dumbledor intervened. He was able to cast a form of protection spell in a necklace that would control your abilities until you were ready to learn"

"Wait so that necklace, the red one I thought I lost it the morning I was leaving for Hogwarts for the first time...I didn't lose it did I?" She asked, having searched that day for hours, even crying, to try and find that necklace.

"No sweetheart you didn't lose it. You just didn't need it anymore. We gave it back to Dumbledor for him to give to another child who might be as rare and talented as you were, and are" Neleus said. 

"I know you will survive this. I know you will survive the war, I feel it with every fibre of my soul" He continued.

"Dad..." Nattie reached out her hand to take his. "We are all making it out alive" she said, tears forming behind her eyes. "All of us!" 

Neleus gave her a weary but kind smile. He wished he could believe her, but he knew how cruel life was, and how relentless this war had become. He threw his arms around her hugging his daughter tightly, closing his eyes and remembering her this way. 

"Come on lets go check on your mother" He said as the two of them went to find Helena. 

Later that evening everyone was a wreck with nerves for the following morning. The plan was for them all to leave no later than 4 in the morning. No one wanted to sleep. They knew it would be pointless. Tiberius and Theo had been successful making enough polyjuice potions to disguise everyone. They just had to wait out the clock now. 

Theo noticed Blaise was pacing a bit more than usual. Blaise was eager to get going. He wanted revenge. Revenge on those who has killed his wife and child. He had no idea it had been Draco Malfoy, on Voldemorts orders. But as long as Voldemort and his followers all died, Blaise felt he would finally have justice. 

"You alright bro?" Theo asked him tentatively. 

"No" Blaise answered coldly. Blaise was a shell of the person he was. His family had disowned him, had wanted him dead. His fiancé and unborn child murdered. He had no one left. No one he was close to. Nothing left but his vengeance. 

"You thinking about her?" 

Blaise winced at the mention. "Always" 

"I'm..." Theo didn't have the words. He wanted to be there for Blaise, but he couldn't sympathise. If anything happened to Nattie, he would lose his mind, it would end him. Nothing he said could help Blaise, or ease his suffering. 

"Your sorry I know..." Blaise said in the silence, his expression pained, his tone frustrated. 

Theo shifted awkwardly. He pulled out a half smoked packet of cigarettes and offered Blaise one. Blaise took one and the two of them stood smoking in silence. 

"Life was so much easier at Hogwarts" Blaise said eventually. "Not having any care in the world. Parties most weekends, pranks in classes, ditching classes to hang out with our girlfriends. Before our parents tried to kill us. Before some fucking death eater killed an innocent pregnant woman!" He clenched his fists. Theo couldn't look at Blaise. His father, Tiberius had told him who exactly had killed Pansy. He hadn't even told Nattie. He didn't want to believe his school friend, Blaise's so called best friend murdered pregnant Pansy in cold blood. But it was true. Under the orders of the dark lord. 

"Yeah it's fucked bro!" Theo sighed. 

The two of them stood for a while in silence before Theo went to check in on Nattie. It pained him to keep this information to himself. But what good would it do? Besides Draco was probably dead now. Just as well. Theo didn't want to have to go up against him. Draco was, second to Cassie Mink, the best dueller, and magic practitioner. Besides that, he really didn't want to have to kill his friend. 

As 4am approached everyone gathered round, their expressions so full of every emotion. They knew there was a chance this could be the very last time they would all still be alive, though they hoped it wouldn't. Each of them looked around. Theo looked at his father, whom he had only just begun somewhat of a relationship with for the first time ever. Nattie looked at her mother, who looked back at her only daughter and her beloved husband. Helena didn't want to be the weakest link, and pull everyone down. She knew she wasn't a fighter, she knew she would be useless in this war, but she had to do what she could for her family. Neleus wanted badly to take his wife and children somewhere safe away from everyone else. Blaise looked into the fire from his lighter. He tried to picture Pansy there with him. Tried to see her within the flame. 

"I'll see you soon" he whispered in his mind to her. "After I avenge you"

Tiberius cleared his throat handing out everyone a vile of the potion for them all to drink. With one last look, Theo grabbed Nattie's hand, and everyone swallowed the potion. It burnt their throats, making them all gag and retch. Theo's hand tightened around Nattie's. Their faces began to distort and alter. Their heights began to increase or decrease. They became the death eaters Tiberius had taken blood samples from. All ruthless killers. All frightening to look at. 

Once the potion had taken hold everyone mounted their broom, bid their farewells to the Monastery occupants who had shared their home with them, and left into the early morning sky. 

The moon was still shining brightly as each one of them flew through the clouds. It was a long journey, and they could not afford to stop for rest. Tiberius stayed at the front ahead, minding the skies and weaving when necessary to keep out of view of death eater check points below them. 

At the back Neleus watched on, keeping close eye on his family especially. Theo who was just in front of him regularly looked back to check behind them and make sure they weren't being followed or attacked from behind. Nattie helped too, but her job was checking to the right of them, where Blaise had left side. Only Helena was in the middle, protected, and to focus on moving forward. 

Everything seemed fine, up until they flew over the Midlands. All of a sudden a group of death eaters emerged forming a circle around the group. They snapped their wands throwing warning sparks at them all, in order to halt their movement so they could identify them. Though they could not stop. They all knew this was high risk, and how easily their masks would slip should they be forced to identify to the other death eaters. If they stopped that would be it, they would be surrounded on the ground, and the dark lord would be notified. So that meant one thing. They had to fight.

There were double the amount of death eaters compared to them, so it would not be easy. 

"Form up!" Tiberius yelled. Theo flicked his wand first, casting confringo, which exploded in a fireball that forced one of the deatheaters back for a moment. The battle then erupted in a storm of light and thunder. Hexes, curses, and counter spells lit up the sky like fireworks. Nattie stayed close by Helena as they fought and defended attacks. Nattie's spells were brilliant and precise. Blaise dropped lower through the clouds to flank the enemy, catching two deatheaters unaware. Tiberius held the front at high level, his wand moving in brutal, surgical strikes. 

But the deatheaters had the numbers, they pressed harder, forcing everyone into defensive spells, unable to find a moment to strike back. Blaise had managed to take out the two deatheaters below, and he came back up to help Theo take out another. Tiberius got hit in the arm, blood splattering everywhere, but he was quick to respond and take out another deatheater. 

Two deatheaters surrounded Theo, as one hit him hard causing him to cry out in pain. Nattie screaming fled to him taking out the deatheater with one, hard blast protecting the man she loved. That left Helena open. 

One of the deatheaters who had held back watching and waiting seized his moment and hurled towards Helena. He held his wand toward her casting Crucio. She did her best to block but she was weak. Neleus seeing this darted and dived in front of her taking the curse as it hit him squarely.

"NELEUS!" Helena screamed. Neleus grunted, his broom wobbling as his body felt the excruciating pain of the crucio curse. 

Everything seemed in that moment to go in slow motion, as though time was standing still. Nattie turned to see her father screeching in pain unable to move or cast any spells. Her mothers eyes were wide with fear as she watched unable to do anything, her husband, vulnerable and open unable to defend himself. 

Another deatheater held out his wand and cast the final blow. "AVADA KEDAVRA!" Green light surged through the dark sky, and found its target. And as Helena's screams shattered through the wind, along with Nattie's cries, Neleus fell. He fell through the clouds, wand slipping from his hand, eyes never leaving Helena's. 

Chapter Text

The sight of Neleus falling ignited a fury in the others. Tiberius summoned a storm of fire with a wordless curse, engulfing several deatheaters. Blaise took down two more in rapid succession. Nattie, furious and heatbroken, summoned a gale force wind that scattered the last of the attackers. And Theo helped aid taking the last of them down. 

The battle ended as suddenly as it began. Above the clouds, silence fell. The stars blinked down coldly. And in the space where Neleus had just been, there was only wind and open sky. Helena hovered there, numb, her broom unmoving. 

"He saved me" She whispered through her tears and state of shock. 

"Yes" Nattie said through her own tears of grief, her voice shaking. "He did"

With heavy hearts, they all turned their brooms towards the rising sun, the loss of Neleus a weight that would fly with them. 

Once they reached their location, Minerva was there to greet them along with others. They touched down one after the other, faces solemn and grey. Helena's feet were weakened and unsteady, and she felt on the verge of collapse. Tiberius took hold of her arm steadying her. 

"Where's Neleus?" Minerva asked her expression worried. As she watched the others expressions wince at her question her heart sank. She nodded knowing exactly what had happened. "Come" she said gesturing for them all to follow her inside.

Inside the building the rest of the witches and wizards, plus a few loyal squibs and muggle families in hiding, were littered around the room. 

"Your the last to arrive" Minerva said. "Half of Ilvermorny School did not arrive, we believe they have been captured. And Durmstrang have backed out of any involvement"

"What?! Your kidding?" Blaise exclaimed with frustration. "Cowards!"

"Mr Zabini, while I share your frustration, this war has taken a huge toll on the entire Wizarding world all over" Minerva explained, her expression stoic. "We are lucky more schools didn't back out. Look what has happened to half of Ilvermorny. And that's after their own school was attacked also. Everyone here is taking a huge risk in fighting with us. To take back Hogwarts, a school not even theirs" 

"What about the families?" Tiberius asked. 

"Many are dead, held captive or in hiding. The rest are here willing to die for the cause. I won't lie to you the dark lord has the numbers. Snape is doing his best to provide us with information, and we eagerly wait for Potter to return"

"Potter isn't here?" Nott asked.

"No Mr Nott, Potter is not here. Nor is Hermione or Ron, however the rest of the Weasley family are here with us" Minerva gestured over to where Molly and the rest of her surviving family members stood. George looked so lost and broken. He bore a huge scar on his cheek. 

While Tiberius spoke with Minerva, Theo turned to check on Nattie who was comforting her mother. Helena looked so pale, while Nattie was tearful. Theo moved to wrap his arm around Nattie. 

"Come, lets find somewhere a bit more private" Theo said, unsure if there would be anywhere quieter. They moved throughout the apartment building finding the back of the kitchens empty. Theo pulled out seating for them. Both Natties brothers entered the room searching for their father. Seeing their faces caused Helena to break down into tears. 

"Nat?!" The youngest brother cried out. "Where's dad?!" 

Nattie turned to him, her face fallen, her eyes full of pain. Her mouth moved, the tears dripping down off of them, but no words came out. Theo stepped up.

"I'm afraid he didn't make it. He died protecting his family" Theo spoke softly, his expression full of sorrow. The eldest brother punched his hand into the wall. 

"How...how did it happen?" The youngest asked. 

"A deatheater cast the killing curse" Theo answered again. 

"The curse was meant for me! But your father...your father..." Helena cried, the guilt drowning her and Nattie tried to hold her but she was barely holding it together herself. The youngest brother fell to his knees crying painfully, the eldest was angry and fighting the tears. Theo felt helpless. His own eyes stung, tears forming. Had life been different, had this war not raged on for four years, he had imagined at some point he would have asked Neleus for Nattie's hand in marriage. And that he would have become part of her family. Now the person he loved the most in this world had lost her father, and her family was broken. 

Tiberius stepped in with a potion. "Helena, drink this. It's draught of peace...it won't take away what has happened but it will ease your suffering" He said. Tiberius wasn't good with words and comfort. But he was practical. Draught of peace had helped him in his grief after he lost Sofia. 

"Nattie there is one for you also" He said handing her a little vile of it. Nattie fell into Theo's arms, tears pouring. 

"Nattie mi amor I am so sorry" Theo whispered as he buried his face into her hair. He ran his hand up and down her back, while the other traced circles on her shoulder to soothe and comfort her. 

"It's my fault" Nattie cried, her voice low and teary. 

"Shh no it's not. Its no ones fault tesoro. The only one to blame is Voldemort!" Theo reassured her. Though deep in his stomach he felt a little sick. If he hadn't been hit, Nattie wouldn't had fled to his side to defend him, leaving Helena vulnerable. He hated being the reason Nattie had to lose her father, but more so that she would blame herself and not him. 

Tiberius tended to Helena, finding her some blankets for her to lay down and get some sleep. Given the amount of people gathered, they had nothing but the floor for sleep. It wasn't ideal, but beds were being saved in the building opposite for medical attention. Once Helena was settled he went across to have his arm looked at. There Madam Pomfrey and Miriam Strout were tending to patients. Every bed was full. 

"Where are all the healers?" Tiberius muttered to himself. Hannah Abbott, who was same year at school as Nattie and Theo, overheard him. 

"One or two of them are injured themselves. The rest are either new trainees like myself, captured, or dead. Unfortunately there was an organised attack by the dark lords followers on the wizarding hospitals. Non are left standing within England or Ireland" She answered with a monotone voice. 

"That's...horrific. I had no idea" Tiberius responded, falling back into the chair bewildered. He had, had no knowledge of planned attacks against the hospitals. As far as he was aware the hospitals were considered even ground. For anyone injured in the battles to recover or die with dignity. But nothing about Voldemort was dignified. 

"The dark lord doesn't care about healing the wounded. As far as he is concerned if you are injured, you are liability and no longer serve a purpose" Hannah added. Tiberius turned to face Hannah, noting the exhaustion in the young girls face. Of course in his time spent doing the dark lords bidding he had met many a young witch and wizard like Hannah. He had been forced to kill a few even. Tiberius survived by not thinking too hard about who they were, their families, their particular talents. He couldn't let himself. He didn't even know at what point he turned the humanity switch off, but he had. And now that the switch was back on, he was swarmed with the guilt of his choices. 

"How can I help?" Tiberius asked. He wanted to be useful. He wanted to make amends in whatever way he could. 

"We need supplies. Ingredients for potions, pretty much every one you can think off, potioneer's in particular highly skilled ones. We are in dire need of an Alchemist, we don't have one right now and some of the wounded are coming in with elemental damage that is beyond our healer's abilities. We always need more healer's. Like I said I volunteered as a trainee. I was never a skilled dueller, defensive and offensive spells were not my thing. But helping people...I can do that" she replied, the desperate situation evident on her face. Tiberius nodded taking in the information. 

"I have a lot of experience with potion brewing, as does my son. I believe my son is determined to fight on the front lines. I would but as my arm would suggest, I'm far past my prime to do battle. 

Hannah Abbott took a closer look at his arm. "This looks nasty, you need that looked at wait there" She said going over and calling Madam Pomfrey over to take a look. Her face dropped when she saw him. 

"Tiberius Nott...what the hell are you doing here!" She scowled. 

"Poppy Pomfrey" He greeted her. Pomfrey and Tiberius had both gone to Hogwarts together in the same year. Poppy had been sorted into Ravenclaw whereas Tiberius was of course Slytherin. At school Poppy had, had a crush on Tiberius for many years, though he only had eyes for Sofia. He was never cruel to Poppy though, always polite. For a while they were even friends. Until the fifth year when Tiberius family applied more pressure, as did his friends. Poppy was a half blood, so in the minds of his family, his friends and their families, she wasn't pure and therefor inferior. He became callous and cruel, and even resorted to hexing her which resulted in his temporary suspension. 

Poppy was devastated. Having become a main target for bullying and ridicule from Tiberius and his friends made school life very difficult. She had at one time considered taking her own life, but luckily chose another path. The path that ended with her being an extremely experienced healer, and a cherished healer at Hogwarts. She never married. Tiberius had broken her heart not once but twice. She never had children. But every child that came in and out of her hospital wing, she treated as though one of her own. Even Tiberius son Theodore.

She had hardly been surprised when hearing Tiberius had taken the dark mark, and even less surprised that he chose to fight beside the dark lord. But seeing him here and now in front of her, that was a surprise. A very unpleasant one.

"I ask you again" she scowled bringing her wand up, gripping it tightly. "What are you doing here?"

"I came here with my son, to fight. To fight against Voldemort" He said plainly, not even reaching for his own wand. He wouldn't fight Poppy. She had every right to be cautious and he knew that. 

"You...why don't I believe you?!" She said accusatory. 

"Because you have every reason, every reason in the world to not trust me" he admitted. "Out of everyone I have ever hurt, you were the worst. You were the one who plagued my nightmares, the one I felt most guilty for my actions. The guilt I carried and tried to ignore. I could apologise a thousand times over Poppy it would never be enough for what I did to you. I don't ask for your forgiveness nor expect it, but please...allow me to at least help in whatever capacity I can. It's the least I can do" he plead with her. 

Madam Pomfrey studied him carefully, taking in every word. Even now his eyes, his beautiful eyes, bewitched her. But she didn't trust him, and she never would. 

"How do I know you're not still working for him, for that beast of a creature! You and your blood supremacy ideals. How could you expect me to believe you've just suddenly changed your mind?" She snarled. She wasn't buying it. He was up to something she was certain of it. Hannah stood by in shock. Had she just allowed a traitor into their midst?!

"I promise you Poppy I no longer work for...him. If I had known...if..." he felt himself overcome with guilt, in a wave of emotions he hadn't allowed himself to feel for so long. "I let my son down. I wasn't there for him, I was cold. I tried to engrave ideals that had been engraved into me. I didn't know any different. In my family you weren't allowed to question you were just told how it was. As kids is was different, we had more freedom. More freedom to choose our friendships and the ability to have fun. I wish I had been as strong as my son was to see the truth. To see through the bigotry many pureblooded families continue to spew. It took having to witness it first hand. See the cruelty, the savagery. The constant torture his dark lord put us under for even the most minor of negligence...I had to see it for myself to wake up and realise what I was supporting and throwing my life away over. It wasn't what I truly believed. Even now the battle is harsh in my mind, between what I've always been taught to believe, to what my true self believes. I owe it to my son now to do better, for however much longer I have in this world. Please allow me to prove to you I can be of help. You know me better than anyone, you know my level of skill with potions. Let me help" He plead his case, the honesty pouring out of him.

Madam Pomfrey's resolve broke somewhat as she felt herself possibly believing what he was saying. Though there was a strong voice in her head telling her to strike now, her heart was telling her he is genuine. She lowered her wand. 

"I swear Tiberius do not make me regret trusting you here" She warned, her body shaking. Tiberius nodded, his expression gentle. "Now whats this about your arm?" She asked coldly. She examined his arm injury matter of fact like, her eyes watching him like a hawk. 

"Do you know what spell did this?" She asked emotionless.

"I believe it was the confringo spell" He replied.

"Hm wait there" Madam Pomfrey scooted off to the cupboard to collect a couple of potions, and a bottle of solution. She poured some solution into a metal pot and began cleaning the wound. Tiberius gritted his teeth at the pain, though he was used to such pain and was able to keep still.

"After I have cleaned the wound I will have to use a couple of counter spells to repair the damaged tissue. It is quite a mess this wound you should have come here right away" she sniped, her touch less gentle than usual. 

"I was taking care of my...people. Those I travelled with, my son's girlfriends family. Nattie she lost her father and her mother Helena was in much distress. I made sure they were tended to before I came here" He replied, his concern for Helena growing. 

Poppy glanced at him searchingly for a moment, surprised. "Hm. For once putting others first, that's very...new" she jabbed. 

He sighed. "Yes. I'm not the same man you knew Poppy" he said. She huffed at that, muttering something inaudible under her breath. 

"Finite Incantatem" She cast the first spell to terminate all effects of the confringo spell that might still be present. She then cast Ferula and Rennervate to repair the tissue damage and promote the healing. She handed him a small vile of Wiggenweld and Skele-gro. "Drink both of these, the wiggenweld first and the Skele-gro" she ordered, and with that she left him to tend to other patients. 

"Thank you Poppy" he muttered, accepting that things were not going to be easy between him and her. 

Back in the opposite building Helena had fallen asleep, just as Theo had forced Nattie to take her potion also. He held her on his chest, and she fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat. He continued to caress her hair and head gently his mind still reeling over his guilt. 

Blaise had found himself catching up with Neville Longbottom and other students like Dean Thomas and Tracey Davis. Tracey was morning the loss of her husband and mother. She still mourned for Pansy also, given Pansy had been her best friend at Hogwarts. It was both a small comfort for Blaise and Tracey both to speak with one another. Though they had suffered greatly. 

Everyone settled down for the night, readying themselves for the battle to begin the following day. Potions had been dealt out to those who felt too anxious to sleep. It was integral everyone was as well rested as possible, while those who were staying out of the battle and more behind the scenes, kept watch. 

The whole building which spanned the entire block disguised as apartment buildings, was filled with thousands of witches and wizards. Tiberius has secured a spot for Helena to help within the infirmary the following day. He knew it would be what Neleus would have wanted. He also knew Helena was not equipped for the front lines of a war, with or without Neleus. Tiberius got to work throughout the night. He went hunting in the nearby forests, for herbs that could be useful for the ingredients of potions they were running low on. Tiberius was a master potioneer. He knew how and where to find rare ingredients, and though he could not trek too far, he was able to acquire quite a lot. 

When he returned to the infirmary only Madam Pomfrey was still awake watching over her sleeping patients. She glanced his way, her eyebrow raised watching him serious at work brewing up potions. She didn't know why, she owed him nothing, but she decided to make him a drink. She placed it next to him and turned to leave.

"Your special brew?" He asked, his tone almost hopeful. One thing he liked about Poppy at school was that she made the best brew of coffee he had ever tasted. It was pure magic, only she could make. No coffee ever matched up and he had been all over the world. She didn't turn but she nodded. "Thank you Poppy!" he said warmly. She turned to look at him, unsure of herself. 

"Your welcome" she replied, wishing she hadn't immediately. He didn't deserve it, he deserved nothing but cold ice. But she couldn't help feel a small seed of gratitude growing within her. "You should get some sleep at some point, it's going to be a long night and day" she added.

His lips curled into a small, warm smile as he continued to work. "Sleep is for the dead Poppy. You need potions, and lots of them. Tomorrow is going to be hell" he said solemnly. She sighed.

"I wish you were wrong about that but yes...tomorrow, I dread to see who bursts through our doors" There was a sad, wistful tone in her voice, as she thought of every person she knew and cared for who would be fighting tomorrow, knowing many of them would not survive. "There aren't enough healers here, not nearly enough. It's bad enough many will die during battle, but even worse when us healers have to pick and choose who to save. Impossible to save everyone" she continued to rant, the stress pouring out. Poppy had kept so much of her stress and anxiety to herself. There wasn't anyone else to talk to about it, not without bringing them down too. Staying positive and practical was the best way for everyone, but not for her. Though she didn't necessarily trust Tiberius, she wasn't too bothered if she upset him or not. It made him the perfect listening ear. And he was. He stayed with her all night, making potions and listening to her talk about the horrors she had seen, and her worries for what the future held. 

As the morning approached Professor McGonagall stood in a wide sitting room the had been cleared of furniture. At its centre hovered a magical map of Hogwarts and the surrounding grounds, suspended in the air by a humming enchantment. Teachers, ex students, parents and order members all stood around, faces solemn with anticipation for the battle they were about to face. 

Professor McGonagall tapped her wand to the floating map sharply. "The death eaters have strengthened the perimeters overnight" she said, her voice clipped. "Wards, lookouts and dark enchantments. We cannot simply walk through the gates" 

Blaise, arms crossed, studied the map with a cold, calculating gaze. "Then we force them to split their defences. Hit them from multiple sides at once. They'll have no choice but to spread thin"

McGonagall nodded. "Exactly. We'll create chaos - use it to our advantage. Professor Slughorn, Professor Flitwick and Molly Weasley I will require you to accompany me to the front of Hogwarts. There is a spell I require help with, to animate statues and suits of armour. Hogwarts is still loyal to Dumbledor and his order. It will create a distraction, while a group will go in the back"

Professor Capucine the charms teacher from Beauxbaton's waved her wand to zoom closer to the central courtyard. "If we breach the charms around the south entrance" she squeaked "I can trigger the ancient defences, the staircases, even the old defensive spells from the Founders' time. I will take a group with me"

Sprout spoke from where she stood by the window, her weathered hands steady. "The greenhouses are prepped. If they try to retreat through the grounds, they'll find more than they bargained for"

Nattie stood beside Theodore, arms folded her mind in multiple places at once. She had taken her mother across to the infirmary leaving her with Tiberius who had sworn to protect her with his life. Her two brothers were stood in front both determined to be involved in this fight. She couldn't stop them, even though everything in her wanted to. Theodore flicked his wand adding glowing marks to the map where ambushes could be set. 

"We have our strongest duellists on broomsticks ready to strike from above. If we lure them into the open, the sky will be ours" he said stoically. 

"Their arrogance will be their weakness" Blaise murmured. "They won't expect the kind of fight we're bringing"

A few of the parents clutched borrowed wands, faces drawn with fear but set with fierce determination, nodded from the edges of the room. Ex-students who had once roamed Hogwarts as carefree children now stood ready for war. 

"We shouldn't underestimate them" Neville Longbottom spoke up, his now wife Luna Lovegood right beside him. She had left her father with Helena in the infirmary. Xenophilius wasn't a fighter even though he wanted to be with his daughter and shield her, he would only be a sitting duck. After learning his brother had fallen, a part of Xenophilius died. Now he had no wife, and no brother. Luna, Nattie and Nattie's two brothers were his only family left. And now he might lose them too. 

Neville and Luna had recently married in a quick, fuss free ceremony. Time wasn't guaranteed and they both wanted to be together properly, before they potentially died. 

"Neville is right. They have the numbers, the dark magic. Be prepared for anything" McGonagall warned. "We are fighting for more than revenge, more than a school! We fight for the right of every child to learn in peace, pureblood, half-blood and muggleborn. We fight for the muggle children who know nothing of this war. For every family torn apart by Voldermort's cause. For every fallen friend" her words carried as her gaze swept across them all, resting a moment longer on Nattie. "This won't be the end of the war, but it will give us back the advantage. Holding Hogwarts will leave a very large dent on the opposing side. It's integral we get it back!" 

"I'll command the east flank through the tunnel by the Shrieking shack" Dean Thomas said, with Seamus by his side nodding. "Theodore take your force through the underground passages to the Ravenclaw Tower wing, take the Ravenclaws with you"

"Yes and Zabini you will take a group to breach the western courtyards" McGonagall added. "And I will lead the final charge through the entrance after activating the statues and suits of armour"

Blaise stepped forward, his voice as steady as iron. "We strike on your signal. No early movements. We hit together, like a hammer from every side"

A shiver of anticipation ran through the room. The first light of dawn began creeping through the cracks in the enchanted curtains. Distantly, beyond the apartments protective spells, the black banners of the Deatheaters hung over the castle turrets. Not for much longer.

McGonagall gave a final nod. "Ready yourselves. Within the hour, we take back Hogwarts"

In the quiet that followed, wands were checked, spells murmured under breath, and goodbyes, silent but painful goodbyes. 

Theo pulled Nattie to one side to press his lips against hers, neither knowing if it would be their last kiss or not. Her lips swelled with the feverish way he kissed her. When he pulled back he rested his head on hers.

"Siamo angeli con un'ala sola possiamo volare solo se abbracciati" he muttered in a delicate whisper. "It means we are one-wing angels we can only fly together. Ti amo Nattie Nemora mi amor" And as tears streamed down her face they said their farewells.

A cold mist clung to the ground as the witches and wizards split into their assigned groups and departed from the protection of the spelled apartments. They moved through the hidden paths and underground tunnels, old routes that only Hogwarts oldest allies remembered. Nattie alongside her brothers, students parents including Arthur Weasley and ex students headed separately from Theo, as one of the stronger duellists on broomsticks above the skies. They waited under temporary disillusionment charms high above the skies for McGonagall's signal. Once the suits of armour and statues were activated the attack would begin. 

They all moved through hidden paths and underground tunnels. The kind of passages the Marauders once used for mischief were now conduits of war. 

Professor McGonagall, wand gripped tightly, led her group through the forbidden forest's edge. Her face was a mask of grim determination. Molly stood close beside her, with Flitwick to the left and Slughorn close behind. Every branch that cracked underfoot, every owl hooting from above, made their senses twitch. 

Far to the east Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Ginny and George Weasley lead some younger and older ex students to a spot close by the hidden tunnel beneath the Shrieking Shack. George was feeling particularly useless in his being there. He had not been able to produce a patronus charm since the death of his dear twin brother Fred. A loss that had caused great sadness within him. Though he did not mind if he died here tonight. Some months prior his long term girlfriend had been killed in an explosion which took out many order members including his girlfriend and Mad Eye Moody. Since then he had not once worn a single smile upon his lips. 

Theodore Nott took his group of Ravenclaws including Luna Lovegood, Cho Chang, Anthony Goldstein, Padma Patil, Mandy Brooklehurst and Terry Boot towards the underground passage that lead to the Ravenclaw tower wing. 

Blaise readied with his group by the western courtyard waiting for the signal to breach the walls and attack. They readied their wands to hit with explosive spells at the same time which would penetrate the wall. 

A hush fell across the grounds. The silence before the storm truly began. Mandy reached for Anthony's hand, as Cho Chang pulled out a tiny moving picture she carried of her lost love Cedric. Padma Patil thought of her sister who had lost both her legs in the early days of the war and hung back at the Hospital. Molly said a silent wish that she see the rest of her family again. After the loss of Fred she lived with the fear of losing another beloved child or her loving husband. Everyone was tense, tightly gripping onto their wands and taking deep slow breaths. 

McGonagall looked to the castle ahead. She pulled her wand out in front of her ready. The time was now. 

"Piertotum Locomotor" and as the statues and suits of armour roared to life, the signal was sent and the battle could begin. 

Chapter Text

It wasn't supposed to end like this. She was supposed to live, she was supposed to survive. But as she lay, blood gushing out from her, her breaths shallow and strained, she felt death knocking. She felt her life fading. And all she could see in her final moments, was his head...cut from his body.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Nattie hovered above the hushed skies surrounded by a flurry of the best dualists in the rebellion. She waited patiently with bated breath, thoughts of Theo holding her in his arms once more warming her cold body. She quickly pushed forward the sight of her father falling to his death in order to fuel herself with the hatred she would need for this battle. She was going to kill many deatheaters tonight. No mercy would be shown. 

As the statues and suits of armour animated to life and began marching to the front of the castle, the battle commenced. Almost immediately chaos ensued. 

From the West an explosion shattered the skies. Blaise's team struck first, blowing into the Western courtyard with ease. A number of deatheaters were taken out in the explosion, as others lay screaming limbs torn from their bodies. Many deatheaters swarmed in their teams, stomping over their injured brethren, as easy as stepping on stones. Blaise and the rest began countering their cursed spells, disarming where they could, and throwing explosive charms in between. 

Nattie, her two brothers and many other duellists skirted the skies with ease as they threw down their spells helping Blaise and the others breach the Western side. A number of students began to fall from their brooms as curses spliced through their bodies like cutting through cream. So they began to circle the castle, separating as a group and using the fog to their advantage. They would assess who they had lost when it was over. 

From the East Dean Thomas and Seamus led the charge with brutal efficiency. Their spells as well as the group of ex students, parents and a few teachers took out the guards with ease. Within minutes they were inside the castle walls, moving with swift, deadly resolve. Seamus narrowly dodged the death curse from one of the guards, quickly retaliating with a confringo attack blasting the guard into the wall, crushing his skull instantly. Dean equally managed to fend off a number of guards desperately flinging curses his way trying to take him out from all sides. 

There were several dementors that had descended on the rebels, one in which had knocked Ginny Weasley off of her broom to the ground below. Luckily she had been flying low trying to take out a few werewolfs who were chewing down some of the younger students who were on the battlefield. But the slam into the broken concrete below snapped a bone in her shoulder and winded her, rendering her vulnerable. One of the wolves clamped its hot, blood sticky jaw over her ankle biting into her skin as the dementor hovered over her to suck out her soul. Her mother Molly Weasley noticed her daughter in peril and blasted the wolf, its blood splattering everywhere like paint. Just as she was able to cast her patronus at the dementor, a deatheater shot the crucio curse her way. Molly spasmed in blinding agony on the ground, her body feeling both on fire and frozen at the same time. 

Meanwhile Theodore and the Ravenclaws had infiltrated the Hogsmeade to Hogwarts secret passage which was being manned by a dozen strong guards. Luna and Theo were quick to take out a couple with ease alerting the rest to block their pathways. Given the small space, spells were not easily dodged. Mandy Brocklehurst and Terry boot threw up protective charms to ward off curses. Meanwhile Anthony Goldstein used his knowledge of muggle weaponary to fire bullets into the skulls of the guards. But the bullets soon ran out, as deatheaters apparated behind them surrounding them.

"Stridens Clamor!" The deatheater yelled casting a deafening banshee's wail loud enough to knock them onto their feet. Padma's ears begin to bleed as she lost consciousness. Terry was knocked to the ground, while the rest clawed at their ears.

"Avada kedavra!" green sparks hit Mandy straight to her chest as her corpse fell into Anthony's arms. He tried to cry out, to scream, to will her back to life but no sound came out. His love was gone but he didn't have much time to grieve as he was hit with the cruciatus curse. He didn't know which pain was more excruciating, the loss of his love or the curse itself. He writhed across the ground like a suffocating fish clawing his throat for air.

"Bombarda!" Theo hit the death eater straight into the eye of the deatheater. The deatheater wailed as the blood spew from his face. He grabbed Anthony to his feet. "I'm sorry Anthony but you need to push through!" He encouraged. 

Luna had managed to subdue two of the deatheaters under a sleeping curse. Cho Chang with the help of Terry Boot disarmed and used the incarcerous charm to the remaining deatheaters, though Terry had been left with permanent hearing damage. 

And then the real battle began. The Castle howled. 

Sirens, magical and ancient, rang through the walls. Dark enchantments flared to life. The deatheaters regrouped with inhuman screams and charged down the staircases. 

McGonagall and her group surged through the main gates, blasted open by combined fire from three other professors, into the entrance hall. The sound of clashing spells echoed from every corner of the school. 

"FOR HOGWARTS!" Someone shouted, and the cry spread like wildfire. 

Professor Capuchine lead by a small group up through to the magical staircases. Spells blazed from their wands as she triggered the ancient defenses. The staircases began to bend and slam into one another, causing many of the deatheaters to fall to their demise. Etchings of bats and eagles on the stone walls came to life, biting and blinding many of the enemy. Gargoyles leapt from ledges, slamming into masked figures. Portraits shouted warnings. The deatheaters retreated further back. 

In the dungeons, Sprout and a group of herbology-trained fighters including Neville Longbottom enchanted vines that dragged deatheaters screaming into the darkness. The vines snaked themselves around their bodies, crushing and snapping every bone inside their bodies pushing blood out of their eyes and ears. It was gruesome and utter torture before they finally succumbed to death. 

Nattie had reached the Astronomy tower with a number of others. They took out the handful of deatheaters in the tower with ease, blasting them over the balcony. Nattie and the others then launched magical fire down upon the advancing enemy lines from below. The deatheaters were being squeezed from every direction, with no time to retreat and strategize. Their numbers were greater but the rebels were smarter, faster and fighting with nothing to lose. It seemed the rebels were winning. 

As the remaining deatheaters gathered themselves within the central walls of Hogwarts, McGonagall met with Blaise, and Dean Thomas' team. 

"We've taken the eastern wing, and the Astronomy tower" Dean said. 

"They have been herded like sheep inside" Blaise spat with raging vengeance, as deatheater blood dripped across his face and body. He had delighted in slicing many of them into pieces, obliterating them with dark magic. His eyes now had blackened, as did the veins beneath his skin. His bloodthirst and use of dark magic had taken firm hold. He was destroying his soul. 

Molly Weasley had made it out to take her daughter to the infirmary where an onslaught of injured witches and wizards poured in. 

Poppy was dashing around the infirmary as quickly as her tired feet would carry her. They had run out of beds almost immediately as the battle had begun. The floors were strewn with injured witches and wizards holding lost limbs, deathly cuts, and worst of all riddled with curses. 

Ginny's screams were muffled by the screams of the other injured, just adding to the frightening wails filling the infirmary. Miriam Strout potted over noticing the large gashes across Ginny's leg. She quickly assessed her. 

"There is poison in the lower wounds of her leg, and three ribs broken internally though luckily no organs have been pierced. There is no way to determine what poison this is, I'm afraid its spreading. We will have to amputate" Strout informed solemnly. Molly went pale. Her only daughter, her beloved youngest child, to be maimed or die a slow death. She wished to take her place. 

"No please! Please I need my legs!" Ginny begged, her eyes red and swollen. 

"I'm afraid there is no other choice. This poison will spread and if it goes passed the thigh you will die. Drink this, it will dull the pain" Strout forced a potion down Ginny's throat, knocking her into a dreamless sleep. She then quickly got to work in removing her leg from the knee point and cauterising the wound. 

Hannah Abbott was desperately trying to cure a young boy whose eyes were hanging out of their sockets, as magical bugs began to chew away at his skin. 

"I've seen that curse before" Tiberius said panicked from behind her. "Their dermestids, flesh eating tiny beetles. They take months to finish the victim off. Your alive for most of it suffering endlessly. Some of the deatheaters of top rank use it as a form of interrogation promising the antidote should the victim comply"

"What is the antidote?" Hannah asked in a panic. 

"That's the problem...there is non" Tiberius hummed as he looked around at the many witches and wizards who had been hit with the same curse, some clawing at their skin to the bone to desperately be rid of the bugs. 

"What can I do?!" Hannah cried out, swallowing back her empathic pain watching the poor young lad scream for mercy. 

Tiberius took out his wand and held it to the boys face.

"Pone Oculos retro" Tiberius uttered, placing the boys eyeballs back in his sockets. His face immediately dropped.

"What can we do about the curse?" Hannah prodded again. 

Tiberius swallowed down the bile that threatened to spew out. "There...there is nothing that can be done. Other than making...making...him comfortable" he answered, his tone grey and withdrawn. Before Hannah could speak a violent mothers cry came from behind them. Helena fell to the young boys side grabbing hold of the boys hand. It was her youngest son, Nattie's brother.

"NO NO NO! Not my boy! Not my Neal!" She cried beyond repair. Tiberius grabbed a hold of her as Hannah administered calming potions. 

Back at Hogwarts the halls were choked with smoke, blood and broken stone. The cries of the wounded echoed from the stairwells, and the air crackled with the sharp scent of burning magic and corpses. 

The battle pushed inward, the majority of the deatheaters held up in the Great Hall. Once a sanctuary of learning, feasts and celebrations, had now become a crucible of fire and fury. Tables lay splintered, floating candles shattered midair. Blood pooled on the checkered floor. 

A colossal blast of green light exploded across the hall, and a body fell hard at McGonagall's feet. A parent. A mother. She'd barely known how to cast a shield charm. McGonagall's face twisted, not in sorrow but in wrath. Her wand arched upward. 

"Ignis Fulgor!" A wave of silver fire shot from her wand consuming a number of masked deatheaters who had advanced through the smoke. Their screams echoed briefly then silence. 

On the staircases above, Nattie Nemora fought with two wands, her own and her late fathers. She moved like a whirlwind of vengeance, as her brother Nicholas fought beside her. Her black hair was soaked with sweat and blood, her robes torn, her arms adorned with cuts and gravel. 

A masked deatheater lunged for her from behind. 

"NATTIE!" Her brother screamed. She turned just in time catching the spell with Neleus's wand and hurling a crackling red curse through the mans chest. He slammed into the wall, his blood splattering across the ancient tapestry of the founders. 

Every step Nattie began to take was fury. She wasn't dueling she was destroying. 

Theodore Nott fought at the center of the hall like a war-hardened general, as Blaise stood beside him barking orders between savage curses. Blaise conjured a black spectral blade that moved as an extension of himself, slicing through attackers with no mercy.

Then came Dolohov. A high ranking deatheater, pale as bone, with eyes like ink and robes dripping with enchantments. He stepped over the corpses of his own allies as if they were stones. His eyes were as focused and emotionless as a machine. He was praised for his controlled nature. Even the Dark Lord was quick to temper, Dolohov however remained unfazed in every situation. This was no different. 

Before the war had begun Dolohov had used his position as a well respected pureblood to climb the ranks within the ministry. The ministers of the ministry always appeared to be the ones in charge however it was crock of shit. They were the face, the puppet, the tape recorded voice for all to hear. They bore the blame when things went wrong. When decisions caused major trouble. But the true power came from the advisors whispering in the ministers ear. And Dolohov was the master of whispers. 

Even Lucius Malfoy himself was afraid of Dolohov. He was not someone you wanted to go up against. He had the skill to cut you in half before you even saw him raise his wand. Some said he could perform magic without a wand, but he never confirmed the gossip. After all he knew that silence was the best way to confuse your enemies. 

As a young boy he had always been very serious. Only speaking when absolutely necessary. He saw no use in having friends, only forming alliances with those he would eventually go on to betray. When he was 18 his father found him another pureblood wife to marry and breed heirs. However on the night of the wedding instead of bedding his new wife, a sweet young girl named Ivy, he did something wicked. He tied her to his bed and carved her skin from her bones piece by piece. Hours of her tortured screams until she died. After that his father never forced him to marry again.

As he aged he only grew more gruesome and sadistic. He delighted in making his victims suffer for as long as possible. He found ways to torture them to death then revive them just to repeat the process. He toyed with the darkest depths of dark magic, which resulted in his frightening appearance, and ghost white skin. He could even take out the Dark Lord if he so chose to. Though luckily for Voldemort, Dolohov remained his most loyal servant.

His wand was black, carved from yew, and its magic was like him acidic, burning holes into the very walls of Hogwarts. 

"You'll never reclaim this castle" he spoke with a tone so chilling, it made the air cold as ice. He hurled a blast that cracked the enchanted ceiling. Spell after spell collided, explosions rattling the foundation. Dean Thomas flanked left, hurling silent hexes. One came close to striking Dolohov's face but he was quick to move and throw a curse back. The curse hurtled towards Dean within seconds, slicing his head in two. As his body fell to the ground Seamus jumped in with rage but Dolohov blasted a firebolt through his stomach. 

As Dolohov picked witch and wizard off one by one as easy as stomping on ants he chuckled to himself. 

"Your heroes die like insects. Your walls bleed. Your beloved school...is dying" He slithered. A young witch tried to flee. He cut her down with a slashing arc of black energy, her body thudding limply to the stone. 

McGonagall appeared in the haze of smoke, walking directly into the path of chaos. Her robes were in tatters, one arm hanging limp at her side, but her wand was steady. 

"You have desecrated this place long enough!" She said fiercely, her voice filled with grief and fury. "And I will not let you take one more step."

Dolohov raised his wand but a sudden blast of magic hit him in the ribs from the side. Filius Flitwick. 

Blood poured from a deep gash on his temple but he moved with the force of a younger man, erupting his wand like fireworks towards Dolohov. 

"Get away from her, you corpse souled bastard!" He yelled as more professors and parents joined behind him and McGonagall fighting in tandem. 

Meanwhile Blaise and Luna were fending off a large group of deatheaters who had surrounded them. They kept their shields up high and strong, unable to let their guard down for a second to fire anything back. Other students came to help, many were killed instantly, but Luna had something up her sleeve. 

"You are doing so beautifully Blaise, I am going to need you to keep that up just for a moment. I'd like to give these men a present" she sang in the melodic way her voice spoke. Blaise didn't have time to question her as she dropped to the floor in quick succession and threw a fistful of gobstones at the deatheaters. She had enchanted the gobstones to spit an unforgiving acidic spray which began to dissolve their skin quickly. But one of the men threw a cruciatus her way causing her to writhe. Before the deatheater managed to kill her, Blaise raised his wand and unleashed a curse. Purple, spiraling, twisted like a blade. He cut the deatheater to shreds. 

"Well done Blaise that was quite spectacular" Luna praised, blood dripping mildly from her lips. 

Suddenly a large portion of the ceiling beam collapsed. Dust billowed, screams echoed as debris rained down. McGonagall was trapped under the beam, which had killed a deatheater, and knocked out a number of students. Dolohov laughed evil maniacally as he dodged and blocked counter attacks. 

Through the smoke Theodore Nott, bleeding heavily from the thigh, dragged two unconscious students behind a pillar. He turned, screamed an incantation, and sent a violet slicing hex directly at a couple of deatheaters. The curse missed. He was blasted into a nearby wall falling to the ground with a grunt. Terry Boot threw a blasting curse, and once again missed being hit with a counter blasting curse that sliced a chunk of his shoulder off. He yelped in agony, clutching at his shoulder wound as he tried to retreat but was met with a swift killing curse end. 

Neville and Sprout were able to step in. Professor Sprout slammed her hand into a sack of Snargaluff pods. They burst open, sending thorned tentacles whipping forward towards the deatheaters. They screamed as the vine wrapped around their throats and yanked them so hard they snapped their spines. 

Neville shouted an incantation, and Venomous Tentacula exploded from the cracks in the stone, its fanged leaves slicing and biting. A masked attacker tried to run, but Neville caught him with a mandrake root curse, dragging the man into the earth up to his neck before crushing his skull with a final hex. 

One deatheater hurled a killing curse but Sprout caught it with a conjured carnivorous plant, which ate the green light and spat acid back in the casters face. His scream ended in gurgling silence. When the last black robed figure lay twitching dying beneath writhing roots, Neville turned to sprout, panting. 

"Garden's pruned" he said with a slight smile. 

The Great Hall was a cathedral of carnage. Dolohov stood at the far end like a butcher behind his altar. His face was half melted from the earlier fight, some of his mask had burnt into his skin. Next to him stood another well known deatheater, Thorfinn Rowle. Skin hung in wet ribbons down his jaw, and his eyes were blood red with fury. Behind them, the last circle of deatheaters, cloaked in black and blood with their wands raised. 

"END THEM ALL!" Dolohov roared. The curses came faster and much more furious. Bone splintering hexes. Blades of black fire. Blood boiling jinxes. 

A scream tore through the air as a sixth year was hit by a dark cutting curse. His chest peeled open like parchment, blood spraying across the floor. Professor Flitwick was in the center, casting faster than any could follow, shielding three wounded students. While Sprout and Neville helped McGonagall. Rowle took his chance to end McGonagall's life. She would be a big hit to the rebellion, as she was one of its leaders. 

As Sprout and Neville defended oncoming curses, a couple of deatheaters flung them to the ground leaving McGonagall open. 

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Rowle yelled as the green death curse hurdled towards McGonagall's heart. Flitwick leapt out in front deflecting the killing curse, then another. But a third deadly curse struck him in the gut, a grey curse that burst outward. He gasped, mouth full of blood, and fell to his knees.

"Get...them out..." he whispered, before a second blast struck him in the back, blowing open his tiny frame and splattering the stone with blood and bone. 

He fell forward. Gone. The air thickened with screams. Padma Patil, wand held high, was rallying a group of Ravenclaws, sending stunners and fire curses towards the advancing deatheaters. She turned to call out just as a deatheater flanked her from behind. A jagged, obsidian spike burst from her stomach. Her mouth opened in shock, then horror. She turned, blood pooling from her lips as the deatheater whispered "Avada Kedavra!" 

Her body was thrown across the hall, lifeless before it hit the ground, leaving her sister completely alone in the world without any surviving family members. 

Theodore Nott was roaring in rage watching everyone he knew and loved fall to their deaths. They couldn't lose. They had to win. They had to survive. His eyes found Nattie who was fending off strikes from Rowle, with her brother Nicholas and George Weasley. 

Theo's eyes burned holes into Rowle as he hurled one hex, after the next, after the next until finally he sent a blinding light bursting from his wand, hurling Rowle into flames. Rowle screamed as he burned alive, the smell of rotting flesh permeating the room. Luna hurled vomit all over her ruby shoes, blood mixed in with the sick. She was bleeding internally but that wouldn't stop her.

Suddenly a hoard of Dementor's descended from the skies through the broken ceilings. They dragged Theodore, Nattie, Nicholas and George to the floor, sucking the life out of them bit by bit. 

Dolohov was easily fending off attacks from an injured McGonagall, Professor Slughorn and Professor Sprout. Madame Hooch enchanted the brooms to fling themselves at deatheaters and Dolohov, to try to disarm them. When she ran out of brooms she used her wand to summon gusts of wind knocking many of the deatheaters onto their backs. 

"You won't win you know" Dolohov purred to provoke them. "Look at how easily we pick you off one by one, its like plucking precious flowers till they wilt and die. You are all nothing but vermin. And it won't be long now before every one of your corpses lines the walls of this dreadful place" he continued to antagonise. "I'll make you all a deal. Surrender now willingly and I'll make your deaths quick and painless. Refuse and I'll be sure to make you suffer"

For a moment there was silence. No one moved, no one breathed. The dementor's held back for the briefest of moments under Dolohov's command. The rebels took the pause to regain their breath, to observe the damage around them. They had lost so many already. 

But their resolve was strong. If they all perished today so be it, but it would not be in surrender. It would be taking down as many of Voldemort's filthy deatheaters as they could. McGonagall grunted as she pulled her broken self up onto her feet, rising with strength though her body pained. She looked over at the corpse of Professor Flitwick, the beloved Ravenclaw Head of House, and her dear friend. His loss pained her as deeply as Dumbledor's had. She took in a deep sigh and then laid her eyes upon Dolohov who stared her down with the slyest of grins. 

"We are the Order of the Pheonix! We do not surrender. We will NEVER surrender. So do you worst demon, and we will do ours" She spat, her words firing out to him like curses. 

Dolohov's lips curled into a pleased smile as though he were hoping she would say that. 

"As you wish" He mockingly curtseyed, before the hall erupted into chaos for the final time. 

McGonagall battled Dolohov as though they were two titans clashing with blinding rage. Their duel was a blur of fire, darkness and hate. The floor cracked beneath them, shards of stone cutting into their legs. Neville's wand caught his shoulder, and Dolohov retaliated with a serrated hex that ripped through his abdomen, blood gushing across his chest. He fell to the ground. 

Luna cried out with a high pitched screech. 

Fire blasted from her wand towards the deatheaters who tried to finish Neville off. She would not let her husband die today. Filled with the pain of all the dark death she had seen in her life she cast the most blinding blue sparks.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" She yelled, as her Patronus flung through the room, taking out the dementor's in their path and a number of deatheaters too. The Patronus knocked Dolohov unsteady to which he growled. 

Nattie was already on her feet throwing slicing hexes towards Dolohov. He shot three more serrated hexes back in quick succession. She narrowly avoided two but the third was heading straight for her head. George Weasley slammed her body to the ground. The shrapnel beneath her cut into the side, penetrating deep. She cried out in pain, feeling vital organs being stabbed. 

The pain of it distracted her from what had just happened behind her. That hex that was meant for her face had hit Nicholas' neck instead. His head rolled back and forth against the ground as his body fell. Once she saw him, saw his decapitated body something inside her went completely numb. She tried to scream but no sound came out. Her whole body went cold. 

Blaise had had enough. He didn't care what it cost. He didn't care if he turned as monstrous looking as Dolohov. Who did he have left to look handsome for anymore?! His love was dead and all he had now was his vengeance.

He didn't blink. He didn't hesitate. 

"INFERNUS TOTALIS!" He roared. The fiendfyre erupted. It wasn't a spell. It was a curse. A living apocalypse. And with all of his might and rage he controlled the fiendfyre as though he had become one with it. 

A demonic serpent of black and orange flame screamed into existence, writhing like a god of wrath across the Great Hall. It devoured a fleeing deatheater in one gulp, his body melting mid scream. The others panicked, retreating, stumbling, trying to vanish into shadow and stone. But Blaise was not done. 

His eyes burned. His lips moved with a language darker than Latin. The fiendfyre surged and wrapped around Dolohov, who tried to raise his wand. The fire bit him. His robes caught, then his skin, then his soul. He shrieked, a sound like metal screaming and children crying all at once as the fire swallowed him whole.

He burned. Slowly. Alive. Until he was nothing but ash in the wind. And the remaining deatheaters fled, howling, vanishing like smoke. 

Silence returned. The only sound was fire crackling across the broken stone. Blaise fell to his knees, the dark magic he had just exuded taking hold of him, blackening his heart. 

Luna apparated Neville to the infirmary, her eyes pouring rain with fear of losing him. Professor Slughorn himself helped gather the injured. Professor McGonagall sat on top of an unbroken ledge gasping for air. And Theo...he looked desperately for Nattie. When he finally found her, George hovering over her trying to help as she lay dying, blood spewing out from the side of her stomach. 

It wasn't supposed to end like this. She was supposed to live, she was supposed to survive. But as she lay, blood gushing out from her, her breaths shallow and strained, she felt death knocking. She felt her life fading. And all she could see in her final moments, was his head...cut from his body.