alohomora

seven

When I wake up, Pansy is already gone and Daphne is doing her makeup. I stare up at my ceiling and smell the hoodie before finally rolling out of bed to get ready for class.

"So... how was it? I see he's a hufflepuff and not an axe murderer." Daphne says, turning around in her chair to face me.

"Uh yeah, he's a hufflepuff. We had like a picnic on the quiddatch patch and after he gave me his sweater because I was cold, and he kissed me goodnight." I say, my voice still raspy and tired.

"Well?!" She laughs, "you're forgetting the MOST important part? Who the hell is he?"

"um, Cedric Diggory." my cheeks turn pink when I say his name.

Daphne's smile drops and she looks me in the eye, "You're kidding, right? Please tell me that's a joke."

"No, it's not, why? what's wrong?" I question, my mind now racing. I thought she would be happy for me.

"Well let's just say the whole school gossip is about Diggory and Chang, they just recently broke up and i don't know. You don't want people to think you're a rebound or the reason they don't get back together. Like- if you're going to go through with this you have to be prepared for people to talk, and well Cho's really well liked around the school, and so that makes you.." she pauses for a second, looking for the right words.

"okay, yeah, I get the picture." I say, and with that I leave and start getting ready for school.

Classes are boring, and it seems as if everyone's avoiding me. Draco won't make eye contact with me in Charms, and Cedric wasn't in herbology today either. As I walk through the halls to my next class, it seems as if everyone's eyes are on me, and I wonder if somehow they know. The thought comes to mind that they may actually know, and so I decide to skip astronomy and head over to the abandoned bathroom. I might not be alone because of the resident ghost but that's better than having everyone staring at me.

I walk into the bathroom and I'm surprised to see there's already another girl in there. Her hair is long and frizzy, and I can see that she's crying.
"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Who even are you?" she looks up at me, and my cheeks flush.

"I'm- uh, my name's Cassie." I say

"Hermione ," she says back, wiping her face with her sleeve. I sit next to her and stare at the tile beneath me. "Cassie.. Cassie Octavius? You're the girl from Ilvermorny?"

"That would be me." I sigh. I wish I could go back.

She laughs, "You know, like everyone's been talking about you."

"I figured," my eyes start to fill with tears as my face heats up. "Anything specific?"

"Mostly Malfoy."

"Wait what? What about Malfoy?" my eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"Ron said he saw you guys like, together, in medical. And Malfoy's been acting strange since." She sniffles, and looks at herself in the mirror, wiping away any mascara streaks.

"Uh, wow, um okay well thanks for telling me."

"just so you know, don't let him break your heart or anything. Malfoy is dangerous and do you even know who his parents are?" she said sternly.

"No? Am i supposed to?"

"Just- be careful, okay?" and with that, she left me alone in the bathroom.

I sat in silence, staring at the ground, and soon hot tears started falling down my cheeks. I'm not even sad or mad, just stressed and confused. It seems I don't know anything about Hogwarts and the students here, and it's all so different from my old school and I miss my old friends. It was easy then, and here everything i so complicated.

I sit on the tile in silence, reminiscing on my old life. Soon enough I stand up, looking at myself in the mirror. My eyes are noticeably puffy. I splash some cold water on my face and smooth out my dress, staring at my reflection. I breathe in and out, making faces in the mirror to make sure I look normal and not like I've been crying. Once i'm satisfied, I check the time and head to the great hall for dinner.

I sit alone as i'm fairly early and read my book while sipping some coffee, crying has ruined my appetite. After a few minutes i'm joined by Amanda and Nathan, both laughing about something in their last class.

"Hey, Cass, how'd the secret date end up?" Amanda smiles, pouring herself some juice. I pause for a moment before deciding what to say.

"Um, it was pretty good. I don't know." I shrug.

"Well, was he hot?" Nathan asked

"Yeah, who was it anyway?" Amanda followed

"Um, okay, if I tell you guys you have to promise not to tell anyone else?" I say, the two nodding in agreement. I lean in and whisper his name, which is followed by a dramatic ghasp from the two in front of me.

"Are you serious?" Nathan asked

"That is- um well, he is hot." Amanda laughed

"Yeah I have no idea what i'm going to do."

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