way to go, tiger | Lorenzo Berkshire

࣪𖤐 Y6 | 15 . Scents

WHITE WINTER HYMNAL
— FLEET FOXES
'I was following the pack, all swaddled in their coats.'

Cassie doesn't sleep that night. She stands on the Astronomy tower staring at the same old stars. She isn't alone for very long, however. Harry stands next to her, anxiously tapping the railing.
"I need to get rid of the book." he states.

Cassie nods, her gaze locked on the starry sky. "I agree." she pauses, taking a long, deep breath. "What you did earlier was reckless and if I'm honest, a bit out of character for you, Harry. I'm not annoyed at you, he threw the first spell. I just— I don't like seeing you like that. It's not how I'd like to picture you, Harry, you know that."

"I know." he sighs. "I thought you hated Draco." Harry questions.

Cassie frowns, "I did— I have... multiple times. But letting him bleed out was not an option for me, Harry."

Harry shakes his head, "Yeah, yeah I know. Stupid question, sorry."

"It's fine. Poppy says he'll be okay soon enough. If I know Draco, he'll be too embarrassed to be in the infirmary by the time it's morning anyway."

Harry scoffs. "I'd say sorry but, honestly Cassie, I don't feel guilty. Malfoy's been nothing but a prick to me, you and pretty much everyone since I've known him."

"I know— believe me, I do— but Draco's a very complicated person. I'd never defend his actions, but I've learned to not be so quick to punish him for them. I often think about his father and that horrible family. They're to blame." Cassie shrugs. "Not saying that's an excuse or anything— he still has a choice at the end of the day, I s'pose, but to me it's always been about perspective with him."

"Perspective."

"The Black family is the only family of Voldemort's followers that have abolished all pureblood values. You have to realise that it's honestly not that easy for Draco to know any different. Sirius scraped by because he had his friends, and had your grandparents to support him. Draco, however, he's surrounded with dark wizards and fellow Deatheaters. I know I shouldn't, but I'm always holding out for hope with him. Even if it's just a tiny bit— it's something, Harry. I'd rather have that than lose him completely."

"Did he ever open up to you? Like— back before this all started."

"Not particularly. Mattheo is the only one that's ever opened up about home life. Everything pureblood and family related was always off the table for us. It was sort of always the elephant in the room, y'know? Especially the few days after Ced and dad died. Oh, it was horrible, Harry. They all looked guilty. I see that look in their eyes in my nightmares sometimes."

"So you really have no idea what their families are like, then?"

"No, but based on what I've inferred and what Sirius told me about each of their parents, I'd say I have a good understanding. Draco used to come back to school with bruised knuckles and a limp— he never said the words, but we all knew what was going on. It only stopped when Mcgonagall picked up on it and went to Lucius herself."

Harry's gaze shifts slightly, his eyebrows heavy like the rain. "When was that?"

"Second year." Cassie shrugs. "I assumed it was to do with the whole Heir of Slytherin rumours that went around— but I reckon it was much bigger than that." Harry chews his bottom lip subconsciously, his pupils dilating back and forth. He looks so deep in thought Cassie wonders if he's present. "What I'm getting at, Haz, is that you need to let this go. Stalking Draco on the map twenty-four-seven isn't doing anyone any good, and you know it. He's going to keep making his father proud whether we like it or not. The quicker you accept that, the easier it becomes. I'm not saying I'm over that fact, or I'm able to move past it easily, but I've given up trying. It's the same with the others— they're too far in it now. We just have to sit back and see where it leads them, and where the hell we fit in, yeah?"