𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑠𝘩𝑎𝑑𝑒'𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝗁.𝗉. 𝗇𝖾𝗑𝗍 𝗀𝖾𝗇.

.three.

Cas stayed close to Al as they waited to enter the Great Hall, she could feel the excitement in the air and couldn't help but smile as she felt the familiarity settle into her stomach at being in her home away from home. The halls were crowded and the sound of students greeting old friends echoed off the large stone walls. She scanned the crowd of fifth-year students waiting to be let into the Great Hall and saw many familiar faces, a few even waved and she returned the gesture politely. Still scanning the many faces, noticing how they grouped off, some brave with many different colored ties, other groups all one color, everyone buzzing with excitement.

Then she saw the pale head of hair. Cas internally cursed as her heartbeat picked up and her palms turned sweaty. She looked away from him and turned toward her best friend. He too was scanning the hall smiling and waving at his friends. Albus Severus Potter had been her favorite Potter for a while, even before they had become close, and the friendship just grew from there. Even though he wore a green and silver tie that matched his striking green eyes, and she wore a red and gold tie that matched her bright hair, they couldn't be any closer. Al's hair resembled his father's, pitch black and untamable, but his mother's freckles were dusted across his nose.

Cas made sure to plaster a disgusted look on her face when she nudged Al lightly in the side.

"Your little snake friend is here." Al chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"I sure hope so," Cas looked at him with her eyebrows raised in confusion, "Y'know, seeing as he's enrolled here."

Shit. He had her there. Knowing she couldn't let her green-eyed friend get the best of her she responded quickly, letting some sharpness ooze into her voice.

"Well, I just thought I'd let you know because you seemed so keen on treating him like your best friend back at the station." Al gave her a feigned look of hurt and then wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Oh come on Cas, you know you're my best friend." Cas rolled her eyes and ducked away from Al. "You don't have to go and be jealous of little ol' Scorpius." Cas pushed him into the crowd of students, he jogged back grinning.

"Well, in that case, let's go say hi." Cas challenged Al.

Cas really didn't know why she was doing this. Well, she did. But she really didn't want to admit why she was doing this. When she saw Scorpius at the train station she wished she found him as repulsive as he acted, or as repulsive as his father treated hers.

As they weaved through the crowds Cas' heartbeat pulsed faster and faster. Then, they were in front of him. His stunning eyes snapped up and met her boring brown ones. She suddenly felt defenseless under his gaze, naked almost. Like he could see her intentions and who she was behind her witty remarks, behind everything she hid behind. He raised a blond eyebrow, and a corner of his pink lips quirked up, challenging her to say something. Almost as if he knew that all she was thinking about was how seemingly perfect he was, how all she wanted to do was take a step forward to see how many shades of grey, silver, and green she could find in his eyes.

But of course, she didn't, because although he looked like a figure of pure imagination, he was, in fact, Scorpius Malfoy. It made Cas even angrier that she thought about him so positively, she realized that if she continued down this train of thought she might find her thoughts slowly turning to feelings, and she could not have that. The thought of further exploring her feelings for Scorpius Malfoy made her insides burn and her face heat up in anger. That anger and hatred fueled her to look up at him defying his beautiful features and saying:

"Blond hair, pale face, you must be a Malfoy." Cas spat as she looked him up and down. Maybe lingering a little too long on his athletic frame and breathtaking eyes.