Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Lᴏʀᴅ's Aɴɢᴇʟ | Tom Riddle √

25: A Nightmare Revisited

Cassiopeia's scream pierced the silence of her room at the Malfoy Manor. Her heartbeat raced, and beads of sweat formed on her brow. The door flew open, and in rushed Draco, her aunt, and uncle. She clutched her head, trying to regain her composure.

"Cassie, you okay?" Draco inquired as he settled beside her on the bed, but she angrily shoved his hand away.

"Don't you dare to touch me, Malfoy," she snapped, sending him a withering glare. The confusion in their eyes was evident as they tried to understand what had triggered Cassiopeia's panic. She attempted to speak but began to cough uncontrollably, her hand moving from her forehead to her chest.

"You okay?" Draco asked, offering her a handkerchief.

Taking it, Cassiopeia coughed, her handkerchief collecting crimson spots. "Mum, she's coughing blood," Draco stammered, holding her hand tightly.

Narcissa stepped in, pushing Draco aside and sitting next to Cassiopeia. She gently touched her forehead and then her neck. "The fever is gone!" She looked at Lucius, who nodded in agreement. "Are you okay, darling?"

Cassiopeia nodded but couldn't hold back the tears streaming down her face. She sobbed into her aunt's shoulder as she tried to console her. "We're here, love, don't worry."

"Cassie, what happened to you? Why are you crying?" Lucius showed concern for the first time. Cassiopeia pulled away from her aunt and looked at him.

"I'm—" She coughed twice. "—okay, just a nightmare." Another cough racked her throat, and she tasted blood in her saliva. Her stomach growled loudly. Her aunt handed her a glass of water, and as she took the first sip, her throat throbbed with pain. She initially refused to drink, but her aunt insisted, and she slowly sipped the water. "Thank you."

"Drink it fully, Cassie," Narcissa urged, and Cassiopeia complied, trying to soothe her dry throat. Lucius left them alone for dinner.

Cassiopeia asked, "How long have I been sleeping?"

"It's been four days since you lost consciousness," her aunt replied. Memories of Hogwarts, Cedric's death, and Voldemort rushed back. "We'll talk later. First, let's have dinner, you need proper meals."

Narcissa smiled warmly and nodded to Draco before leaving the room. Cassiopeia glanced at Draco, who was already looking at her.

"I'm sorry," she said, recalling how she had yelled at him. "I—I was just—"

"That's alright, are you okay now?" He asked, wearing a concerned expression and sitting beside her on the bed. She nodded and managed a faint smile. Draco then checked the door to ensure they were alone. "Was it Tom Riddle?"

Cassiopeia shook her head. Draco's brows furrowed.

"I know the man who murdered me, years ago," she explained, and Draco's eyes widened. "Malfoy, Abraxas Malfoy."

"Don't joke," Draco half-laughed, but then he met her eyes and realized she wasn't joking. "Seriously?"

She nodded and leaned against the headboard. "He used that Unforgivable Curse on me. It was a green light, and then everything went black."

"Where was Tom at the time?" Draco asked, puzzled.

"I left him after an argument. It's a long story," she sighed.

"Long stories can wait. Come, let's have dinner," he said, helping her to her feet. Cassiopeia noticed that her clothes had been changed.

"Who changed my clothes?" she asked, frowning.

"House elves," he chuckled, leading her to the dining room.

#

Lucius began with a solemn tone as Cassiopeia sipped her soup, seated at the dining table alongside Draco, her aunt, and Uncle Lucius, who sat at the head of the table. They all turned their attention to him, momentarily setting aside their meals.

"I have an important matter to discuss with the three of you," he began. "I have arranged a marriage for Draco."

Cassiopeia's first thought was that it didn't concern her, and she continued sipping her soup.

"But he's still a child," Narcissa defended Draco, who remained silent, seemingly unwilling to object to his father's statement. Cassiopeia heard a heavy sigh escape from his lips.

"I know, Narcissa. Not now, but when the time comes," Lucius responded firmly. "Initially, I considered proposing to the Greengrass family."

"Grass is always green," Cassiopeia muttered to herself while taking another sip. A sudden silence settled in the room, and she wondered why her uncle had paused. Their gazes focused on her, and for a moment, she wondered if she had spoken aloud. "Sorry," she gulped and continued her meal.

Lucius resumed, "Then an idea struck me. Why look elsewhere when we have a pureblood lady in our own family?"

Cassiopeia remained indifferent to the conversation, as family matters were not her concern. A heavy silence weighed down the room.

"What do you mean, Lucius?" Narcissa asked, puzzled.

"I thought to arrange his marriage with Cassie," Lucius stated. The words hit Cassiopeia like a blow. She nearly choked on her soup, coughing uncontrollably. Draco patted her back.

"What!?" Her eyes widened, staring at her uncle. "I—I cannot."

Cassiopeia quickly protested, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief.

"Why not?" Lucius inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"To me, he's like an elder brother," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. She abruptly stood up. "Excuse me."

She walked briskly to her bedroom before he could say anything further. This was absurd. Must she always be entangled in the Malfoy family's matrimonial affairs? She muttered curses under her breath as she entered her room and closed the door.

Sitting on her bed, Cassiopeia buried her head in her hands, letting out a sigh. She couldn't believe it. It was a Malfoy who had uttered the Avada Kedavra curse, yet she was fated to be adopted into their family. What was happening?

A sudden knock on her door made her lift her head and look towards it. "Come in."

Draco entered, and their eyes met, but Cassiopeia quickly averted her gaze, looking at the floor.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he settled on the bed next to her.

"You know the answer, Draco," she sighed, still not meeting his gaze. "Maybe you're pleased with your father's decision, but I'm not."

"I know I can't persuade you to love me," he said, making her look at him. His eyes were gentle, fixed on hers. "Your heart has already been taken by someone else, but remember—" He took a deep breath. "He won't be coming to you. He's not the person you love, Cassie."

"I know, but that doesn't change how I feel," she replied, maintaining eye contact. "I will try my best to bring Tom Riddle back."

"Are you really that determined?" His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at her in disbelief. "He's changed."

Cassiopeia remained silent, reflecting on those words.

"A true feeling of remorse can reverse the Horcrux."

"By the way, Professor Dumbledore visited you while you were unwell," Draco added, pulling an envelope from his pocket. He extended it to her, and she took it, puzzled. "He wanted you to read it."

Cassiopeia nodded, examining the envelope. She sensed that there was something more than just a letter inside.

"I told my mother everything about your dreams and all," Draco stated casually.

"What?" Cassiopeia's eyes widened. She hadn't intended for him to tell her aunt; she wanted to be the one to do so.

"Yes, she was worried about you. But she assured me that she'd help you without hesitation," he said, a faint smile gracing his lips, which she returned.

"Thank you, Draco," she said gratefully before explaining her dreams, excluding the part about the Horcrux.