II

"Mother didn't want to have Cassiopeia too far from home," Draco explained on the cabin right across hers. "And father decided not to have us apart when it was my time to go to school as well."

The Malfoy siblings always sat across each other since Draco had joined Hogwarts. There was something comforting in having each other the closest way possible while being so far from the other half of their family.

"Is the true?" Eleanor questioned, turning to her curiously.

"Yes," she confirmed. "Durmstrang had a good program. They teach the Dark Arts, not just defence against it. Father thought it would be a good choice but mother intervened."

Cassiopeia stood up before any other subject was brought up. She was tired, and would rather stay in silence for a bit and maybe sleep while she could.

"I'll go change," she let them know. "I'll be back soon."

Minutes later, she was fixing her hair in the mirror, trying to make it fall a certain way, before eventually giving up. The blonde-white locks insisted on curling to a direction opposite to what she had tried to put them on.

She had just closed the door and stepped forward when the train made a turn that sent the girl in a wrong direction and, once again, a pair of arms caught her before she could fall on the floor or on someone else.

"I'm starting to think you do that on purpose."

Cassiopeia froze and her grey eyes opened quickly, widening instantly.

"Beg your pardon?!"

"Well, you're always throwing yourself into my arms every time we see one another."

Weasley was staring just above her, and he was probably the same one that had held her when she slipped during the cup. On his face, he held a smug smile that, honestly, made Cassiopeia want to punch him.

Quickly, she pulled herself from his grip, straightening her clothes and putting on an angry face just as her pale cheeks reddened furiously in embarrassment.

"I'm… You… I…" she stuttered.

"You know, I'm starting to think you fancy me, Malfoy."

She almost slapped him.

"Me? Fancying you, Weasley? Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror? What an absurd…!" the young Malfoy said, forcefully keeping her voice down. "You could be the last man in Hogwarts and I wouldn't even glance at you. I don't know what you're thinking but I'm not desperate."

"Cassiopeia," she heard behind her and turned her head to find Draco right behind her. "What's going on?"

"Weasley is being absurd as always!" she accused.

Draco put a protective hand on her arm, ready to pull his sister to stand in front of her.

"Who do you think you are to even say a word to her, Weasel?" he said, almost ready to spit on Weasley's face. "Don't you…"

But Cassiopeia just squeezed her brother's hand carefully before he continued, not wanting to make a scene.

"Come on," she pulled him carefully. "He doesn't deserve our attention, Draco."

Before anyone could say anything else, she walked her away, back to their cabins.

"Stupid Weasley," he muttered under his breath. "Thinking he can come around and dare to…"

"Let that go, Draco," she interrupted him. "Thank you for trying to help me but I can deal with my own problems, okay?"

He glanced at her, entering his cabin with his friends as she sat down and crossed her legs, earning a glance from Eleanor.

"What happened?" she enquired.

"Nothing," she moved her eyes to the window.

It wasn't worth talking about.