Blood Magic ✤ George Weasley ✓

28 - Shifts of Nature

musical mood: king of rome - pet shop boys

After only five days into summer break, Cass caved. Sure, she was still beyond furious at Connor, but it was impossible to exist in Stromness without him, when he was right across the street. The temptation was too much. It was worth the initial awkwardness, spending time with her best friend.

They had a silent agreement, not to speak about what happened. He was simply emotional, from the funeral, from his father and brother's untimely death, and acted on impulse. It meant nothing. Or so Cass convinced herself. It was easier than indulging in the idea that Connor could possibly have feelings for her.

Now, she was lounged on his couch in the basement, one of the Moore's three cats on her lap, as they watched some terrifying Christmas movie on his VHS. At least, Cass thought it was fucked up, while Connor was laughing his ass off the entire way through.

"Bloody hell!" Cass jolted, as the bad guy burned his hand on a scolding hot doorknob. "How is this for kids? This is a horror movie!"

Connor looked at her, eyebrows raised in amusement. "You think Home Alone is a horror movie?"

"Yes!" She cried. The cat leapt off of her lap at her outburst, landing on the floor and scurrying away. "See, it even scared Cheddar away!"

"It's literally a comedy." He insisted.

"How?! His family left him alone and now he's torturing some burglars who want to kill him! This is sadistic!"

"It's funny."

"Are we watching the same movie? They're trying to kill an eight year old!"

Connor simply rolled his eyes, biting his lip as a smirk formed. They continued to watch the movie in relative silence, Cass cringing with every bit of violence that occurred.

This is the type of movie George and Fred would like. She thought to herself while shaking her head.

"Well, that was horrific." She said once the credits began to roll, and Connor removed the VHS, putting it back in the box.

"Yeah, well..." He shrugged, sitting back down on the couch, avoiding eye contact. "Fionn loved it. My dad would've agreed with you, though. He hated violent movies, even the funny ones."

"Is that why you chose to watch a Christmas movie in the middle of summer? Because you miss them?"

He shrugged again, his hair flopping as he did. He'd grown it out quite a bit, it nearly reaching his shoulders. Cass was surprised his mother Catherine didn't oppose it. Maybe she was too consumed in her own grief to care about her son's haircut.

"I'm not very good at this whole grief thing." Connor said finally.

Cass bit down on the side of her cheek, rubbing the scar under her eye. "I don't think anyone is."

"Really?"

She nodded.

"You seem good at it."

She frowned at this. "I've never lost anyone, though."

"Your mum."

"That's completely different." She blinked, staring at him in confusion. "I didn't know her. You can't grieve someone you didn't know. You knew your dad and brother."

"I suppose. Like I said, I'm not good at it. Especially compared to the rest of my family...they're so...normal. Like it didn't even happen. Like they never even existed. They don't even talk about it. Except mum, I guess, but that's nothing new."