The Grim - PoA

Chapter Three

The next few days passed by horribly uneventful. Cassie hadn't spoken to Ron or Harry again, and only answered politely when Hermione had asked if she was still enjoying her classes. She'd received a cold glare from Ron, then, but hadn't paid it much mind. She was used to glares and strange looks, especially now that Sirius Black had escaped Azkaban. Contrary to popular belief, she wasn't in cahoots with the murderer, nor did she want to be. Of course, no one would ever believe that.

Cassie had, however, achieved one small victory. She'd seen her Divination partner, Neville Longbottom, at lunch the day after their first class. Cassie assumed, since he was friends with Harry and the others, that he'd want nothing to do with her, so she'd offered to move seats, explaining that she wouldn't be angry with him. She'd even managed to do so without stammering around her words, like normal. Luckily, Neville didn't seem to know what she was talking about, and assured her that it was him she might want to get away from, not the other way around. Cassie wasn't sure if this made them friends, but she couldn't help but feel excited — it wasn't often she had someone to talk to. Although it seemed he was still too scared to talk to her much, outside of class.

Draco was finally released from the hospital wing on Thursday, half way through Potions. It just so happened that the Slytherins shared this class with the Gryffindors, as well. Cassie hadn't visited him, she figured he was milking it with everything he had in order to miss more classes. And she truly hadn't thought he'd have to stay there this long. Still, the longer he stayed, the more she dreaded his return.

When Draco walked into the dungeon's, looking even more smug than usual with his right arm bound in bandages and a sling, Cassie was sure Pansy Parkinson would faint. Surely he didn't need that many bandages, did he? Usually, Madam Pomfrey would have a wound like that healed up nicely. Cassie only spared him a quick glance before turning back to her potions textbook, pretending to be more invested in the Shrinking Solution they would be brewing. To her despair — she rather liked sitting alone — he took a seat right next to her, the class following his every move. Pansy, who had switched places to sit directly behind the two of them, leaned so far over her table she was practically sitting with them.

"How is it, Draco?" She asks, with a pout. "Does it hurt much?"

Draco grimaced, almost convincing, but not quite. "Yes." He said, sending a wink to Goyle and Crabb me across the isle.

Pansy swoons, putting a hand over her chest, as if she was saying, 'Oh, bless his heart! Poor Draco Malfoy!'

"Settle down, settle down." Professor Snape says in his usual monotone.

Draco turned to her, then, "I'd have thought you'd have visited me in the hospital wing, Cassiopeia."

Hadn't it ever occurred to him that he could simply say hello to her? Cassie looks up at him with one eyebrow raised, "And why would I do that? You seemed perfectly fine to me."

"I was attacked!" He insisted.

"So you were," She muses. "If you ask me, you're exaggerating, just a tad."

He smirked, "Well, it's a good thing no one asked you, then, isn't it?" He mimics her.

To her own annoyance, Cassie laughs lightly. It was undeniable; having someone to talk to was nice, even if it was Draco (he seemed to be the only one truly interested in talking to her, most days, though Cassie often questioned his motives). Draco picked up his cauldron, eyeing Harry and Ron's table with a look that screamed trouble.

"Oh, no you don't." She hissed, grabbing his cauldron and setting it back onto  their table. Trouble with the Gryffindors was the last thing she wanted to deal with today.