Hateful Love

Chapter Forty-Three

NOTE: I do not own any of the ideas or characters expressed in this story (except Cassie Jackson). All of these belong to J.K. Rowling.

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Cassie P.O.V.

          I do my best to keep a bright smile plastered on my face throughout the duration of Christmas. After what happened on the train, I was worried I’d feel numb like that for the rest of the holidays, but the feeling gradually went away once my mom convinced me Luna would be okay. She told me Luna must have been taken because of how openly supportive her father was for Harry Potter, so they’d only keep her somewhere until he stopped writing about it in the Quibbler. I was just happy to know Luna wasn’t going to be killed.

          Even though I know Luna is okay, I can’t help but feel immensely guilty for what happened on the train. I should have gotten up faster to help, to do something. But I can’t even imagine how Neville must be feeling—he didn’t say one word after Bellatrix took Luna.

          Now, I’m chewing my nails in nervous anticipation, my heart pounding with excitement. It’s New Years Eve, and in just a few minutes I’ll be seeing Draco again. I’ve forced myself to push all worries of Luna away for just tonight, so for the first time this week I don’t feel sick with concern. Since Draco decided to stay at the castle over break, we had to figure out all the details before I left Hogwarts. He refused to tell me exactly where we’re meeting, only that I need to Apparate into Hogsmeade around 11:00 and look for a black building with a cracked red sign. I’m only nervous because I’m afraid I won’t be able to find the building and Draco will think I’ve stood him up.

          I sigh and run my fingers through my hair for the last time, the bright red digital numbers on the clock beside my bed telling me it’s almost 11. Tucking my wand inside my coat pocket, I straighten my jacket and take a deep breath. I pray that my sleeping parents won’t hear the resounding crack as I twist to the side and Disapparate.

          When my feet hit solid ground again, the temperature is much colder than it had been in my room. As I shove my hands into my coat pockets, shivering, I look around to see people bustling past me and snowflakes drifting down from the cloudy night sky. My eyes search the cramped buildings on either side of the street, but I don’t see any with a red sign. I blink through the bright, twinkling lights and start walking down the street, bumping past a group of staggering wizards that smell strongly of beer.

          Twenty minutes later, I’m silently cursing Draco for not giving me better directions. My feet are starting to fee numb from the cold, and my hair is damp from all the snowflakes stuck in it. I’ve been wandering around Hogsmeade looking for the stupid building all this time, but I’m starting to get seriously frustrated. He could have just given me a better description of the building so I could Apparate right outside of it, but apparently he wants me to find it myself. What a moron. I glance hastily at my watch to see that it’s nearly 11:30, and I bite my lip with nervousness. I’m going to be late, and Draco’s going to think I’ve decided not to come.

          Just then, I look up from my watch to focus my gaze directly on a red sign in front of a black, rundown building. A cracked red sign. My breath catches in my throat as I realize that I’ve finally found it and, without hesitation, I cross the street and head towards the building.

          I climb up the icy steps carefully and try the door, but it’s locked. I pull out my wand with frozen fingers and whisper Alohamora to unlock it. The bolt slides away inside the brass knob, so I quickly push the door open and step inside.