Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Lᴏʀᴅ's Aɴɢᴇʟ | Tom Riddle √

84: Midnight Troubles

In the middle of the night, Cassiopeia awoke suddenly for no apparent reason. She sat up on her bed, pondering the cause of her sudden awakening. The clock displayed 1:30, indicating that it was well past midnight. Her gaze shifted to the boy peacefully slumbering next to her, and she found herself unable to look away from the sight of the shirtless man beside her.

Cassiopeia couldn't help but question her own naivety in falling for him. The nightmare that had previously troubled her seemed to have less of an impact after her open conversation with Tom. She realized that it had been triggered by his intrusion into her mind, yet she felt less agitated.

She made her way out of bed and ventured downstairs, noticing that the water jug was empty. With a yawn, she rubbed her eyes and stretched her arms into the air before sighing contentedly. However, as she was about to take her first step, she heard faint whispers. Her ears perked up, and she found herself drawn toward the murmurs.

The whispers grew more distinct as she got closer, and they seemed to emanate from the room where she had invited Draco to stay the previous night. After a day spent exploring, she had insisted that he rest in their home.

Cassiopeia stood there for a few moments until she was sure she was hearing fearful, mumbling sounds. She cautiously opened the door to find Draco muttering in his sleep. This was the second time she had seen him like this, but it felt different. Whatever he was experiencing in his slumber seemed to be quite distressing.

Strands of hair clung to his perspiration-drenched forehead, and he gasped with each unsteady breath. His mumbles evolved into the recitation of spells, and his closed eyes were moistened with tears.

Cassiopeia moved closer and sat beside him, gently patting his shoulder. "Draco?" she called, watching his ongoing struggle. "Draco, wake up."

Her attempts to rouse him gently appeared to have the opposite effect, intensifying his distress. The mumbles shifted to spells, and a few tears escaped from his closed eyelids.

Cassiopeia, growing increasingly concerned, shook him by the shoulders to wake him up. "Draco, wake up!" she exclaimed, unsure of what to do. She wondered if this was a one-time occurrence or a nightly ordeal for him.

Draco's eyes snapped open, and he gasped for breath. "You scared me to death," Cassiopeia scolded him softly.

She handed him a glass of water from the nightstand, her hand gently squeezing his shoulder. "Breathe, Draco," she reassured him. "Drink." He nodded, perching on the bed and downing the water in one go, as though he had been parched for a long time.

Meanwhile, Tom Riddle turned around abruptly and placed his hand on the empty space beside him. His eyes flew open, and he was met with the absence of Cassiopeia.

A sense of unease gripped him. He hurriedly left the room, not bothering to put on a t-shirt. His mind raced with worry. Had Cassiopeia experienced another nightmare? He couldn't bear the thought of her in distress.

He was aware that her doubts and fears about their relationship stemmed from the her previous nightmare. He had no intention of hurting her, and he didn't want her to think otherwise. His heart belonged solely to her, and he couldn't bear to see her in pain.

In the hallway, he overheard a heated conversation from Draco's room. Draco's voice carried frustration and anger. "This is all because of your boyfriend, Cassie? Don't you understand?"

Curiosity got the best of him, and he approached Draco's room, positioning himself behind a wall where he could eavesdrop on their conversation.

Cassiopeia's voice, filled with concern, responded, "Draco, what happened? Does this happen to you every day? You never told me!"