Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Lᴏʀᴅ's Aɴɢᴇʟ | Tom Riddle √

09: Rumours and Warnings

Cassiopeia Black's night was fraught with restless dreams, leaving her sweating and anxious. The morning sun bathed her room as she awoke to find Pansy already dressed and waiting by the door. Her thoughts lingered on the unsettling dream, far more mature than one would expect for someone her age.

Before she could ponder further, Draco and Blaise entered her dormitory, a surprising intrusion. Draco, with a certain air of mystery.

"What did you do? Ran a marathon?" Draco's voice echoed in the room as Cassiopeia rubbed her temples, still recovering from the vivid dream. Her brows furrowed as she watched Draco and Blaise, who had joined him.

"What are you doing in the girls' dormitories?" Cassiopeia questioned with a raised brow, taken aback by Draco's unexpected presence. He glanced at Blaise, who stood beside him.

"To see my cousin, of course," Draco explained, further bewildering Cassiopeia. "Can I talk to her alone?"

Blaise voiced his disappointment but agreed to wait in the Common Room, leaving Cassiopeia alone with Draco. The tension in the room was palpable as Draco inquired about her distressing dream.

"What was that dream that made you sweat and breathe like that?" Draco's brows furrowed as he sat next to Cassiopeia, who leaned against the headboard. She contemplated how to explain, but Draco warned her, "No lies."

Sighing, she gazed at the sheets that covered her, debating how to share her strange dream. Eventually, she admitted, "Tom Riddle proposed to me, asked me to marry him."

Draco, however, seemed more interested in the pressure Tom had exerted to elicit a response from her. Cassiopeia found herself bending the truth, but the guilt that usually accompanied such actions was conspicuously absent.

"Did he hunt you down to get an answer?" Draco inquired, teasingly observing her wiping the sweat from her forehead.

"I was just scared," Cassiopeia replied, struggling to describe her feelings accurately.

Now it's a lie, Cassiopeia. You already broke the first rule.

"I didn't want to have them again," she continued, avoiding the truth that she had found a strange allure in the dreams.

Draco then suggested seeking assistance from Madam Pomfrey for her nightmares, prompting Cassiopeia to consider the idea. As she attempted to stand up, an unusual sensation between her legs drew her attention.

"No, it can't be. It's just a dream," she thought, trying to dismiss the inexplicable soreness she felt. With a gulp, she touched the floor with her toes, debating whether she would be able to stand properly. Eventually, she stood up straight, realizing that there was nothing physically amiss.

#

"The Yule Ball," Snape announced as he entered the hall, where Slytherin boys and girls were seated separately. Cassiopeia knew this event was destined to be filled with drama, and it was the same occasion for which Tom had asked her to be his date. She wondered why she had seen it in a dream during her sixth year, rather than experiencing it in her fourth year.

"An opportunity to socialize with our foreign guests. A sort of slow dancing, thus everyone here better to—," Snape's eyes met hers, and she quickly averted her gaze. "—know slow dancing rather than daydreaming."

He emphasized the importance of practicing for the event and sternly warned against embarrassing the name of Slytherin.

His wand gestured, and students were magically paired up. Cassiopeia hoped to be paired with someone she was comfortable with, and Merlin seemed to grant her wish as she found herself partnered with Blaise.

"I'm a terrible dancer," she admitted as Blaise's hand rested on her waist and his other hand held hers. He disapproved of her self-assessment.

"Let's try!" The slow music filled the room as they swayed and stepped in time with each other. Cassiopeia did her best to keep pace, and Blaise patiently taught her the steps, ensuring her feet didn't trip over his.

"Instead of a terrible dancer, I should say a fast learner," Blaise commented as he spun her around, making the experience enjoyable.

"Credit goes to Zabini!" Cassiopeia winked her eyes at him.

As they danced, Cassiopeia observed Draco, his silver-blonde hair caught her eyes as he danced with someone; Pansy Parkinson

"What do you think about Draco and Pansy?" Cassiopeia asked Blaise.

He raised an eyebrow in response. "I'm just asking for an opinion. I think they are good together, isn't it?"

Blaise countered, "But, Cassie, you are already aware of the girl he likes most." This left Cassiopeia momentarily speechless.

"Actually, is it that hard to move on from your dead boyfriend? Why don't you give Draco a try?" Blaise suggested.

Cassiopeia conveyed her thoughts about Draco, "Moving on is harder, regardless I really never had such feelings towards Draco. He's a good friend and also a brother I never had."

Blaise probed further, "So, what about your boyfriend?" Her eyes widened. "I mean, Draco told that you were dreaming about him every night since his death."

Cassiopeia played along with Draco's lie, "Someone used an unforgivable curse against him; he's a half-blood."

"Seriously?" Blaise looked surprised. "I thought he was pure-blood."

"C'mon Zabini, I'm pure-blood but not insane about people's blood status. Every human has a right to live on Earth," Cassiopeia emphasized as the music gradually faded, and they parted.

"Not positive as per Malfoy," Blaise commented, making Cassiopeia laugh. She bid him farewell before heading to the Great Hall, with nowhere else to go.

In the corridor, she encountered a familiar face she had missed talking to due to the incident of an underage boy participating in the tournament.

"Harry!" Cassiopeia exclaimed when she approached him, with Ron accompanying him.

"Where were you in the last few days, Cassie?" Ron wondered. "You weren't there for his first task."

"My apologies then," Cassiopeia said, offering an apologetic smile. "I needed some space to process everything that's been going on."

"Is it Draco?" Harry asked, and Ron playfully elbowed him, prompting a minor outburst of pain.

Cassiopeia, curious about the conversation, inquired, "No, why? Why do you ask like that?"

Ron responded hesitantly, "Just... I think we've got to go."

"No, wait," Cassiopeia stopped them before walking past her. "Tell me what's in your head, both of you"

She insisted, looking back and forth between both boys. Harry nervously rubbed the back of his neck as Ron tried to utter something.

"Is it true that Draco and you have something?" Ron blurted out.

"No, never," She furrowed brows stared at them. "Who said something like that?"

"Actually, there are some rumors going around, Cassie." Harry nervously stated as Cassiopeia chuckled.

"Even though he's the last boy in the world, I will never date him. How can you be with a man who knocked you out of bed for waking up a little late?"

The trio shared a laugh, and as they parted ways, Cassiopeia couldn't help but wonder who was spreading these rumors about her and Draco.