The Girl Who Had No Escape [1]

Year 2 - 4

When Cassiopeia arrived, she saw two figures down by the lake, as she got closer, she saw that Amelia was laying by the side and Draco was standing in the gazebo. Cassiopeia made her way to the gazebo and hugged Draco from behind. He gasped and spun around, he then pulled Cassiopeia into a hug.

"I missed you, over the holidays." Draco whispered into her hair.

"I missed you too." Cassiopeia replied. When they pulled apart Draco took Cassiopeia by the hands and took in her appearance. He noticed that she was pale and also dangerously skinny. He then looked to her wrists, pulling up her jumper, and looked at the scars. Cassiopeia noticed but didn't stop him, with the fact that he saw them at the end of last year. However, right now they were much worse. His eyes widened when he saw them, he then looked to Cassiopeia to see her looking at her wrists.

"Cass, what are they?" Draco asked. "Why are they redder since the last time I saw them?"

"Draco," Cassiopeia begun. "They're not redder."

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Draco replied, getting angry.

"No, you don't understand. They're not redder, but I grew paler from my illness. They stand out more against my pale skin, making them look redder." Cassiopeia clarified. Cassiopeia hated lying to him, but she knew she couldn't tell him the truth.

"Will you tell me what they are?" Draco pleaded.

"No, just remember what I said last year. They are old and don't hurt anymore." Cassiopeia reassured, putting her hand to his cheek. "You just have to trust me when I say that they mean nothing to me anymore."

"Fine, but one day you are going to tell me what they are, when there's nothing holding you back." Draco said, ignoring the blush on his cheeks, from beneath Cassiopeia's hand. They broke away from their eye-contact and looked towards the river. Cassiopeia sighed, just standing there looking out at the peaceful waters made her happy, knowing she was here with her friends and that she didn't have to worry about how she acted or who she was with, she could just be herself.

Before either of them knew it Cassiopeia's lack of food was beginning to kick in, she began to feel weak. "Draco..." She muttered, before collapsing in his arms. He was completely shocked when the fragile figure landed in his arms, he stared down in shock. He then snapped out of it and saw Amelia still laying a little distance away.

"AMELIA!" he called, she heard it and rushed over. She gasped at the sight of her friend. "Go and get Mr. Reid." Draco ordered, she nodded and ran off to the house. Draco shifted the girl in his arms, to make her more comfortable, and then he heard running. He looked up to see a group of people rushing over, William reached the pair first and looked down at his 'daughter'.

"What happened?" He asked Draco, kneeling down opposite him.

"We were just looking out on the river, and then she muttered my name and then she collapsed onto me." Draco replied. "What's wrong with her?"

"Well, considering she was in bed most of yesterday from exhaustion, I think that today has just been too much for her." William commented, taking out his wand.

"Is that from her illness?" Amelia asked, William nodded.

"I'm sorry, I didn't let you around when you asked, she said she didn't want her friends to see her in her weak state." William said, talking to the two children.

"She never does." Draco commented, still looking at the girl in her arms.

"Do you want to have her rest in one of the guest bedrooms, William?" Narcissa asked, sadness clouding her eyes from the condition of her family friend.

"If that's alright with you?" William asked.

"Of course, follow me." Lucius said, gesturing for William to follow him. William nodded and lifted Cassiopeia off of the floor, and Draco.

He had put Cassiopeia in a guest room and left her to rest, but when the others weren't looking, he put the self-preservation spell on her that he had used for the past 2 months. He smiled down at the girl laying in the bed below him, for despite the front he puts up, he loves her. He noticed some instruments sitting in the corner, including a piano, and smiled, being sure that Cassiopeia would probably play something when she awoke. With that he left the room and went to the dining room where the others were beginning lunch.

"Is she alright, Mr. Reid?" Draco asked, when William walked into the room.

"Yes, Draco." William replied, taking his seat. "She was just tired, I'm sure she'll be awake soon." With that the group continued eating and then moved onto just conversing. A house-elf then appeared in the room.

"Ahh, Dobby." Lucius said, looking at the house-elf.

"Master Malfoy." Dobby said with a bow. "Mistress Reid is now awake. Dobby thought Dobby should let you know."

"Okay, Dobby." Lucius replies. "You may go." With a nod, Dobby evaporated. 

-----***-----

Thanks for reading

-Zoe