XXVIII

Cassiopeia froze in her spot when she reached the turn in the library and came face to face with Potter.

" What are you doing here?" he questioned quickly, almost taking the words directly from her pinkish lips.

" What-" she started, but was quickly interrupted.

" It's okay," Ronald stood up. "Harry, that's George's girlfriend."

The green-eyed teen's eyes widened.

" What?"

When the girl looked behind him, she quickly recognised her boyfriend's younger brother and his best friend, and the girl gave them a polite nod that was returned.

" It's a long story," she decided. "Your friends can explain it better than me."

He just continued to stare at Cassiopeia, flabbergasted, and the girl held her books closer to her chest.

Her table was just two shelves away, and she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with people lurking around her.

" George is sitting there waiting for you," Ronald continued. "I think he needs help with transfiguration."

Cassiopeia nodded, still feeling stiff.

" Excuse me."

The girl found her boyfriend reading the transfiguration book with a frown and his eyebrows furrowed, but his face lit up as soon as he raised his eyes and saw her.

"Cas !" he smiled. "You came."

" I always come," she sat by his side. "And you're always surprised when I do."

He blushed, scratching the back of his neck.

" I guess I still can't believe I got you as a girlfriend, then," he smiled. "So, have you gotten around the Partial Transformation Spell? Cause I'm really lost here and Fred is of no help."

The two proceeded to spend the following hour like that, finishing her homework for the night, and George turned to her with a curious look and half a smile on his face.

" Did you really leave Umbridge's class this morning?" he enquired. "And without losing any house points?"

" I did, yes," Cassiopeia nodded. "I mean, I only did Defence Against the Dark Arts because it was an interesting class and turning to a stupid book isn't gonna be really that interesting. And I really dislike her, so why insist?"

His face lit up with a surprised smile.

" My girlfriend is so badass she walks away from a class with no damage," he said proudly. "Man, I'm so lucky."

She just laughed.

" Silly," she rolled her eyes and he leaned forward.

" But you like me, right?"

Cassiopeia followed the gesture, staring right into his eyes.

" I do," she whispered and laid a peck on his lips.

" More than your French boyfriend?" he asked with a wicked smile.

She let out a short laugh. Well, apparently he'd heard the story.

" Way more than my French boyfriend."

He kissed her lips again and shifted on his seat.

"Cas …" he said slowly. "You know we don't judge one another, right?" he questioned in a whisper.

The girl nodded.

" And I know we keep some stuff from one another," he continued.

" Yes."

Her boyfriend looked into her eyes for a moment before averting his gaze.

" Is Harry right?" he muttered. "Is You-Know-Who back?"

She distanced herself from him for a moment, standing up and walking to a shelf.

" I'm sorry," George quickly stood up. "I'm sorry, I won't bother you with that. It was stupid of me bringing it up."

" Yes," she interrupted him, turning in her boyfriend's direction.

George stopped in his place for a moment and rushed to her side.

" There's a reason why my mother wanted me out of the house during the summer. Their visitors are not friends."

He stared at Cassiopeia, his face a mixture of sadness and fear.

" Honestly, the only reason I'm not freaking out right now is because I'm at Hogwarts, but I don't know what I'm gonna do after the school year is over. I don't want to go back there."

George's mouth opened and closed for a moment.

" But you just have to stay away from them when you go back home," he said like it was obvious. "It's simple."

Cassiopeia shook her head.

" It's not. They are trying to lure me in, to make me join them."

His brown eyes widened just as he ran in her direction, and soon George's hands were holding her by her elbows.

" You can't do that!" he exclaimed. "You just can't!"

" I know," the girl braced herself. "I'm just afraid. I'm… more than afraid, I'm terrified."

Cassiopeia felt his arms surrounding her body, and George kissed her forehead protectively. His embrace ended suddenly, though, and he looked at her with a face of someone who'd just had the most brilliant idea.

" Come home with me for Christmas."

She frowned.

" What?"

" Please," he insisted. "I have to talk to my parents, but I have an idea."

The girl bit her lip.

" George, I don't know..."

" Please," he insisted. "Trust me. Just trust me."

The blonde girl stared at his face, still unsure, but sighed.

" Fine. Okay. I'll go with you."