Tainted Blood (WATTY AWARDS 2012)

7. The Long Wait

When she woke up with a small smile on her lips, she slowly sat up and looked around the dormitory. Most of the girls were still asleep so she slipped into the bathroom, had a quick shower and made her way back to her bed where she pulled a pair of jeans and a green polo-neck jumper. She used a spell to instantly dry her hair and then straightened it with magic also before slipping a thick black hairband in and applying some eyeliner around her eyes to define them slightly. After applying a slick of clear lip gloss, she lay down on her bed and began to read one of her many books. It was at least an hour later before Violet woke up and got herself ready, the pair headed down into the common room but seeing as Sirius wasn’t there they just made their way down to the Great Hall before they missed breakfast. “I sent letters to mum and dad, Hermione and Draco…” she said softly, Violet looked slightly shocked but motioned for her to continue “Well the letter to mum and dad saying that I wasn’t going to be coming home for Christmas… They think I just have a lot of school work to catch up on and Sirius has agreed to go along with the story as he still wants to go home for the holiday” she whispered with a sigh, it was obvious she was upset about being separated from her twin.

Violet could tell what was bothering her friend so she wrapped an arm around her and gave her a quick hug “So what did you say in the letters to Draco and Hermione?” she asked curiously as they entered the Great Hall, the smell of the food making them smile. “Well I sent them both the same thing, simply asking them if I would be able to stay at their houses over the Christmas holidays because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go home yet. I explained to them that I understood if this wasn’t possible as I know I had only just came into their life and if I couldn’t, Teddy was going to ask his gran if I would be able to stay at their house so I’m not at Hogwarts myself” she said with a large grin placed on her lips. Violet just stared at her friend as though she was speaking a different language, she couldn’t believe that she had asked two people that she had not long met if she could stay with them over the holidays! The pair sat at their usual spot at the Slytherin table and began to eat their breakfast though as always Cassi wasn’t eating a lot, this had been happening since the twins had started Hogwarts, her eating had just been getting worse and worse…

Sirius never appeared at breakfast at all which did worry Cassi but she tried not to let it show as she made her way down to the Black Lake to sit. She knew that things would be difficult between her and Sirius for a while seeing as they wouldn’t be seeing each other over the holidays and it would have been the first time that had ever happened to the twins. Cassi sighed as she looked over to Violet who gave her a sympathetic smile, trying to cheer her up a little but she knew that it probably wouldn’t happen. Cassi knew that her brother was annoyed at her for not wanting to come home for the holidays but he could at least talk to her and spend the time they had together before they left for a while. It was only a couple of days before the students were being sent home that a letter arrived for Cassi. She smiled as she opened the envelope and read the letter, her smile increasing as she read further down the writing, she couldn’t believe that this was happening!

Cassi

                Of course I don’t mind you writing, you are my daughter after all. I guessed when writing this that you had written to both me and Draco so I got in contact with him and we have come up with an arrangement. Seeing as I will be with a large family on Christmas Day, for the first week you will stay with Draco, Astoria and little Scorpius. I will come over on Boxing Day with Ron, Rose and Hugo and if you could ask Sirius to come to Malfoy Manor that day too… We can all spend a day together, getting to know each other. For the second week you can come and stay at my house as it will be quieter then. I understand how you are wary to return to your adoptive parents’ house after all this information but you can’t just cut them out of your life. They were the ones who raised you and made you the girl you are today. You may have only just come into our life but you are still our daughter and we will take care of you.

Looking forward to seeing you soon

Hermione x

Cassi couldn’t believe what she was reading, she showed Violet the letter who smiled and gave her a tight hug “At least you aren’t staying here yourself over the holidays” she told her best friend who nodded. Sirius looked over and bit his lip “So, where you staying?” he asked in a cold voice, obviously still really annoyed at her. “I’m staying with Draco for the first week and then with Hermione for the second… Oh and I’ve been told to ask you to come to Malfoy Manor on Boxing Day, so we can all get to know each other” she said with a soft sigh, it was obvious that she was suffering from hardly talking to Sirius. He nodded simply before going back to the conversation he had been having with a group of Slytherin boys. After lunch Cassi made her way to her usual spot by the Black Lake and smiled to see that Teddy was already sitting down there. “Hey babe” she whispered softly as she sat beside him and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Teddy smiled as he wrapped his arms around Cassi and held her close to him “Hey… What did the letter say?” he asked guessing that it was from one of the people she had been expecting a reply from. Smiling, the young blonde pulled the letter out and let him read it for himself.

Teddy smiled “That’s great” he said as he gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. Cassi couldn’t believe that she was actually going to stay with Draco and Hermione but she stayed curled up in Teddy’s arms “Hopefully I can see you over the holidays too” she said softly and he simply smiled “I’m sure you will” he whispered, knowing that he spent a lot of time at the Burrow and she would more than likely pay a visit their at least once during the week she stayed with Hermione. Cassi jumped up and kissed him softly before making her way towards the dungeons and into the Slytherin Common Room, she had to make sure that she had everything packed that she would need to stay away for the holidays. She frowned slightly knowing that she didn’t have any Christmas presents for anyone and she really wanted to get something for Sirius, Teddy, Violet, her mum and dad, Hermione and Draco.

The last few days passed and soon Cassi found herself on the Hogwarts Express on the way back to London. “I’m going to miss you Sirius…” she whispered to her twin who was sitting beside her. Suddenly he wrapped his arms around her and held her close “I’m gonna miss you too Cass” he mumbled in her ear as he stroked her hair, not wanting to let her go. Teddy smirked “Now, now, Sirius… let my girl go” he smirked as he ran a hand through his jet black hair; he had decided to look like his godfather once again with his green eyes. A few hours later they arrived back on Platform 9 ¾ where the twins looked around, Sirius spotted their parents and quicklyhugged their friends and Cassi before running off to see them “Aren’t you going to say hi?” Violet asked Cassi who shook her head “I can’t let them see me… They think I am still at Hogwarts” she explained before smiling softly as she caught sight of the blonde haired male, a blonde female beside her and then the little blonde boy who was hiding behind his mother. “Bye you two” she whispered as she hugged Violet and Teddy goodbye, giving Teddy a light kiss on the cheek before she made her way over to the Malfoys, she couldn’t believe how cute young Scorpius looked.