VIII

Narcissa was too much of an uptight woman to send Draco a Howler, but she certainly would do so if she could. The day after the Yule Ball, she'd sent her kids two letters, and his honestly looked the size of the Daily Prophet. Cassiopeia had caught a glimpse of it and was very surprised her mother's quill hadn't torn the paper with how aggressively she'd written that.

So, now, he was almost shielding her from every single boy and man in the school's territory. Anything that carried a male sexual organ was imminent danger.

It was the last day before everyone was back to the usual school routine and everyone who'd gone home was coming back, and their father had decided to show up to see the two young Malfoys without warning them. Cassiopeia was wearing the scarf George had given her when she heard he wanted to meet them. She quickly hid it very deeply in her chest before dressing up with something he'd already seen her with before. She left the girls' dorm just in time to see him entering the common room.

Cassiopeia swiftly walked in his direction.

"Father," she said politely and sweetly. "Hello."

Draco moved to his sister's side almost instantly.

"Cassiopeia,"he ran his eyes over her and then the boy by her side. "Draco."

"Father."

Everyone could tension increasing. From the corner of her eyes, she could see students leaving to 'give them privacy.'

"What do we own the visit?" she tried to keep her words light.

"Your mother told me about your incident at the Yule Ball, so I came here to discuss the situation with the headmaster and see if my daughter is in her best state."

Cassiopeia knew that voice.

'It's in the past. Put yourself together.'

Not the most comforting words, but Lucius was never good with those.

"It's gone," Cassiopeia affirmed. "There is no need to drag it for longer than the needed."

He watched his daughter's face for a bit and finally nodded.

"That's great."

He turned to Draco, and his face was as stoic as a rock.

"Draco, would you come with me?"

The boy glanced at her for a moment and swallowed down saliva.

"Of course."

The two left, and she fell on the couch.

Good Merlin.

Cassiopeia made her way back to the girl's dorm, deciding to just get into her bed and under the covers with a book in hands, she had plenty of those. She was already half a book in when her eyes fell on the chest on the end of the bed, debating over getting or not the scarf George had given her at Christmas after giving up and doing so. She had just laid under the covers when Eleanor opened the door.

"Hey," she sat on her mattress. "Nice scarf."

She felt her cheeks get red and hot.

"Thanks," she looked down to her book, trying to hide her embarrassment.

. . .

"So he just… Showed up?" George questioned in a whisper. "Out of nowhere?"

Cassiopeia nodded.

They were sat in the in the emptiest corner of the library. He was almost laying on the table, with his hands randomly playing with his wand.

"He does that sometimes," she moved her eyes from the parchment to look at him, grey-blue eyes boring into brown ones. "It's not a surprise."

She had come there alone to study. This was her favourite spot, where she could be away from the noise, the people watching her, or couples kissing.

"So, he just comes to watch you and see if you're in line?" he raised his eyebrows to her. "Wow. Controller much?"

Cassiopeia frowned, turning to him.

"I'm sure he has the best intentions," she defended her father. "He just wants to make sure we're okay."

"That's what you're saying," he whispered, sighing. "You're done?"

George had come in with no clear reason and tentatively sat with her.

"Bored?" she dipped her quill in ink.

"Well, it's a perfect snow day outside and we don't have anything to do for an hour or so. And I know a very nice place to have a snowball fight that happens to be mostly empty during the day."

Cassiopeia smirked at George, then stopped for a moment.

"Alright."

She put her things in her backpack and followed him, all the while George hada tiny smirk on his face. When the two reached the empty patio, he stopped to watch her looking around. The snow was reflecting the sun all over her pale face and her eyes had changed to a full grey with all the white around her.

She was so bloody beautiful.

He woke up from his state when a snowball hit him on the face.

"Didn't your mother tell you it was rude to stare?" Cassiopeia smirked at him.

He felt his cheeks, neck, and ears deep red in embarrassment before recomposing himself.

"Come on," she smiled fully, grabbing more snow in her hands. "You're not afraid of hitting me, right?"

He was, but just a bit. But when his first snowball hit her on the chest after her teasing words, he completely left his fear aside and ran to find a place to hide while the girl did the same.

They played like two kids and, when the two realised it, they were already covered in white snow and, in a miscalculated movement, fell together on the ground with her on top of him.

He just stared at Cassiopeia with his mouth slightly open, watching as her soft giggle slowly died and her eyes bore into his.

She opened and closed her lips hesitantly twice before finally speaking.

"I think I should go," she decided, standing on her feet. "It's getting late."

"Yeah," he sat up. "You're right."

The girl nodded, putting a strand of blonde-white hair behind her ear, and he scratched the back of his neck.

"See you tomorrow?"

"Sure," she said quickly. "Bye."

She took off almost running, and he was left behind, letting out the longest sighed.

Bloody Merlin… What was she doing to him?

"Bye."