Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Lᴏʀᴅ's Aɴɢᴇʟ | Tom Riddle √

49: A Frail Morning

Cassiopeia lay in her bed, the room still dimly lit by the morning sun filtering through the curtains. She had hardly slept during the night, thoughts of Tom swirling through her mind like an unending storm. As the dormitory door creaked open, Pansy's voice pierced the air.

"Aren't you coming? You can't skip your breakfast," Pansy almost yelled from the doorway.

"I'll join soon." Cassiopeia groaned in response, her voice muffled by the pillow that she'd buried her face in. She heard the door close, leaving her alone in the room. With a heavy sigh, she pushed herself up to sit on her bed, her thoughts once again consumed by Tom.

She rubbed her tired eyes, feeling the exhaustion in her bones. Her eyes, normally vibrant, now looked dull and weary. The stress of recent days had taken a toll on her. She'd barely eaten, her appetite vanishing as her mind grappled with the weight of her situation.

Tomorrow, Christmas holidays would begin, and they were expected to go home. Cassiopeia had reservations about returning to Malfoy Manor. Her aunt Narcissa was well aware of Voldemort's desire to kill her, and she feared what might happen if he discovered her presence there.

Cassiopeia reluctantly tore her gaze away from her own reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her pallid skin and dark eye bags were stark reminders of her sleepless nights and the constant turmoil in her mind. She quickly washed her face, hoping to remove the evidence of her emotional struggles.

As she left the bathroom, she couldn't help but look at herself one more time in the mirror. With trembling hands, she applied a bit of makeup to conceal the signs of her exhaustion before hurrying to her first class, History of Magic.

In her haste, she collided with someone at the classroom door, losing her balance and falling to the ground. It was Blaise who had unintentionally bumped into her.

"Oh, Cassie," Blaise exclaimed, reaching out to help her up from the cold stone floor. Cassiopeia quickly accepted his hand, dusting herself off and offering a small smile.

"Good morning," she greeted, but Blaise's expression wasn't welcoming. He looked horrified, causing her to furrow her brows in confusion. She snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"What's the matter, Blaise?"

"You are cold like ice, Cassie," he blurted out, his grip on her hand tightening. "Are you really okay? You skipped breakfast, and—"

The rest of his words faded into the background, the world around Cassiopeia blurring. She could barely hear Blaise calling her name before everything went black.

————

Cassiopeia's senses slowly returned to her. She heard the murmur of voices, but her vision was blurred, and her body felt heavy. Gradually, the voices became more distinct.

"I think she has no energy due to the lack of food she had," a feminine voice said.

"She skipped meals from yesterday's lunch," she heard Draco's voice in response. "Is she okay now?"

"Yes, for now," the previous feminine voice spoke. "Here, give her this soup, then this potion. It will help to regain her energy."

Footsteps receded, and the room fell silent. A wet cloth was gently wiped across her forehead and face, refreshing her senses.

"Her face is paler, Draco," said Pansy. Cassiopeia slowly opened her eyes, trying to adjust to her surroundings. She found herself in the hospital wing, and she assumed the feminine voice belonged to Madam Pomfrey.

Pansy was sitting to her right, holding a damp cloth, which Cassiopeia had felt on her face before. Blaise occupied a chair on the left, and Draco stood at the edge of her bed. Pansy's expression lit up as she noticed Cassiopeia was awake.

"Oh, you're awake," she said with relief. "How are you?"

Cassiopeia felt weak but managed to sit up. Pansy and Blaise gently helped her, and she was grateful for their support.

"You scared me to death, Cassie," Blaise's voice trembled with frustration, but Cassiopeia managed a weak chuckle.

"I'm alright, dummy, thank you," she said, gently patting his arm. He offered a small smile and looked at Draco, who remained silent.

"Can I talk to her alone?" Draco finally asked, prompting a curious exchange of glances between Pansy and Blaise. Cassiopeia furrowed her brow at his request.

"Here's the soup, Cassie. Have it and then this medicine, alright?" Pansy offered a tray with a small covered bowl and a glass of light blue liquid. Cassiopeia nodded and smiled at Pansy's care.

"Take care, Cassie," Pansy said, giving her a small kiss on the temple before leaving, followed by Blaise.

Cassiopeia turned her attention to Draco. His expression was serious, and she could sense he had something on his mind.

"What's going on, Cassie?" Draco took the spot Pansy had vacated. "Do you still have those dreams?"

Cassiopeia looked at him, her heart racing. She shook her head, trying to suppress her anxiety.

"Recently, I lost my appetite," she admitted, her gaze drifting downward.

"There's something you're hiding, isn't there?" Draco asked, a mixture of anger and concern in his voice. " Cassie, look at me, I'm talking to you."

His stern tone prompted Cassiopeia to meet his gaze.

"I don't," she stammered, but her trembling voice betrayed her unease.

"Let me be clear," Draco said, his grip on her hand tightening. "Where do you go at night? Where did you go yesterday? Potter said you left him on your way to dinner. Where were you, and why were you crying? What's the connection between all this and your dreams, Cassie?"

He spoke quickly, and Cassiopeia felt like he had been closely monitoring her. He seemed to know more than she had expected. He released her hand, and his frustration was palpable.

"I—I wanted to spend time at the library," Cassiopeia lied, her words faltering. She desperately searched for more lies to complete her story. "I've been visiting the restricted section at night to study Dark Arts."

Her breath was uneven, and she did her best to maintain composure.

"Don't lie to my face, Cassie," Draco admonished. "You're up to something, and I know it has to do with that Tom Riddle."

"No, I haven't had dreams of him lately," she quickly protested, not wanting any association with Tom. "Umbridge's teaching is inadequate, so I thought I'd sneak into the library at night to study Dark Arts."

"Why didn't you talk to me?" Draco's voice held a note of dejection. "You've changed, Cassie. You used to come to me with everything, whether it was good or bad. But now you're keeping everything to yourself. Is it because of what happened between us last year?"

Cassiopeia reassured him, "No, it's not that." She reached out to hold his hand, wanting to ease his worries. "I just needed some space. When I stopped having those dreams, I felt lost, like nothing mattered in my life."

She spoke a half-truth, hoping to divert his suspicions.

"Please, be yourself again. Like you were in our first year," Draco said, standing up and gently patting her head. "Spend time with us, have fun. These are the teenage years, and we should be making happy memories for the future."

"I know right." Cassiopeia smiled at him, and he returned the gesture.

"For that, you need to have some energy." He picked up the tray with the soup and medicine, placing it within her reach.