Cassie bit her tongue, struggling to refrain herself. Even from across the room, she could see that whatever Professor Snape had said to Neville had mortified him.
After word had spread to the other houses, specifically Slytherin, that Neville's boggart had turned into Professor Snape, they had been relentless — even Snape, himself.
"Cassie!" Draco snaps, "Watch it!"
Cassie's head whips back around, giving Draco a sheepish look. "Sorry."
"If you can't start paying attention in the actual class, Cassiopeia, you'll never be able to catch up on what you missed." He scolded her. "This potion could, quite literally, blow up in our faces."
Cassie sighed, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. They were brewing in partners today, and Draco had insisted the two of them work together. After their argument outside the hospital wing, he had been... civil. Never nice, but had he ever been that nice to her in the first place? Cassie just considered herself lucky he had still agreed to tutor her. Say whatever you want about Draco Malfoy — he's bloody brilliant at Potions. Usually, Cassie was fairly good herself, but lately she found it hard to focus in any of her classes, especially after returning from the hospital wing.
Draco narrows his eyes at her, refusing to let her help him put in the next ingredient.
"Draco, I said I'm sorry." Cassie deadpans. "I'm just... distracted easily."
Draco raises one of his pale eyebrows at her, "Really? I'd have never guessed."
This time, she rolled her eyes at the blonde Slytherin with no remorse.
"So, what'd Loony Lupin say this morning?" He mused, seeming proud of the nickname.
"Excuse me?"
"Haven't you heard? That's what Peeves calls him. Fits well, don't you think?" Draco snickers.
Cassie scoffs, "I honestly don't understand your grudge against him, Draco. He's a wonderful teacher, best Defense Professor we've had, I'd say."
Draco frowns deeply, his tone condescending, "He's absolutely mental. And have you seen his robes? He dresses like our old house elf, Cassiopeia."
"I don't see what that has to do with his teaching." Cassie mutters bitterly, "Not everyone is born with a fortune to their name."
"No, but the important ones are." He states smugly.
"Do you even realize how close-minded you sound? Honestly, it's ridiculous. You are being ridiculous." Cassie snaps, before she can stop herself, "Besides, you do realize that once upon a time the Malfoy's had to work for that fortune you brag so much about? Just like everyone else. Just because you aren't at the bottom doesn't mean you didn't start there."
Draco presses his lips together tightly, turning his focus back to the potion, "Alright, alright, enough. Start chopping these up," His grey eyes skim over the textbook again, shoving the next ingredient towards her. "Sometimes I think you forget your last name, Cassiopeia. You and me, we aren't so different."
Cassie stops cutting, fingertips turning white as she grips the knife hard. "Sometimes I think you forget that I'm an orphan, Draco. My last name means nothing to me, nor does the superiority you claim comes with it."
Draco's shoulders fall, and for a moment Cassie could swear he looked genuinely sorry. He turns his full attention to the cauldron sitting on the table between the two, letting silence fall between them. Cassie passes him the next ingredient, looking back towards Neville.
YOU ARE READING
The Grim - PoA
Fanfiction"So what was worse? Being a liar, a traitor, or being honest about what she was planning? Certainly the last, she thought. They could never know. She could easily imagine what they would think of her then, and perhaps it was selfish of her. But Cass...
