XIII

Draco glanced up at his sister while she picked up her things to go take the tests she'd missed during her time sick, his face a weird mix of confusion and concentration like he was trying to read Cassiopeia's mind or get inside it.

"There's something different with you," he decided.

The siblings had very little secrets, and that was a thing that always made both of them very proud. Ever since they were kids they were each other's closest friends, and up until she got into Hogwarts he was actually the only kid she was actually around, as the two were the only kids in the Black-Malfoy family.

"Oh, yeah?" she glanced at him.

He shifted on his seat.

"You're weird. Too happy."

Cassiopeia felt her shoulders tensing up, but tried to keep a light voice tone.

"I just spent almost three weeks bed-sick, Draco," she reminded him. "And now I'm great again. I'm pretty sure that had some effect on me."

Her brother gave her a suspicious look, and Cassiopeia only raised her eyebrows in response.

"I heard someone sent you a chocolate frog when you were sick," he said slowly.

"Yeah. Eleanor said it came with a note. It was very sweet."

It was Draco's time to raise his eyebrows.

"That's it? You're not even telling me who was it?"

Cassiopeia just shook her head, tying her hair up.

"I don't even know who it was," she lied, finally. "Besides, it's not like someone tried to talk to me after it. I was rather lonely in there as no one liked to spend a lot of time with me. I have a brother, anyway," she gave him a look. "Right."

Draco blushed and his sister sighed, standing up.

"Now, if you don't have any other protests," she held her things close to her chest. "I have to meet Professor Snape."

He didn't say anything as the girl left and let out a breath of relief as soon as she was outside.

No one had ever seen Cassiopeia with George, the two had always made sure of that, but she couldn't help but be nervous.

If Lucius even heard his dear daughter was friends with a Weasley, she couldn't even imagine the consequences. He wouldn't wait for the blonde girl to say if it was true or not. So she simply couldn't let her walls down, it was too dangerous.

"Miss Malfoy," the professor said just as she entered, standing behind his desk, and the Malfoy nodded politely while organising her own desk. "Do you have all you need?"

"Yes, sir," she sat down and held her wand in her hand delicately.

"We may proceed."

Cassiopeia checked herself in the mirror for what felt like the 10th time, and Eleanor just stared at her friends with her arms crossed.

"Come on," she insisted. "It's almost time."

Cassiopeia was nervous. More than nervous. Her hands were shaky and cold, and her heart was thundering inside her chest. They were going out to Hogsmeade and she would meet George there with Eleanor's help. Her friend didn't know who she was out to see but was very excited to know that the Malfoy and the 'note boy' were going out together. The two had even charmed rings to warn one another about any danger or gossiper.

When the teenage girls climbed into the carriage, Cassiopeia kept toying with the fabric of her clothes between her thin long fingers. Eleanor gave her a stern look, which helped the Malfoy move back to her usual posture just before Draco climbed another car with his friends.

Cassiopeia walked around with her friend, doing what the girls usually did for enough time for her to be backed up in case anyone mentioned her disappearance, but she left Eleanor when they got to the smaller streets and found George almost immediately. He was smiling and holding one of his hands behind his back as he walked in her direction.

"Cas! You're here," he stopped, looking deeply relieved.

"Of course I'm here," she frowned. "I said I'd be here."

George blushed deeply, reddening from his neck to his ears, and shifted on his feet.

"I… Uh… I was afraid you wouldn't. I got a bit nervous," he confessed and looked around. "This is a bit… Public."

Cassiopeia looked behind her back. It really was. They weren't in the main street – where everyone else always went during the visits – but it was still a bit dangerous.

"Well," she bit her bottom lip. "We'll be careful."

He nodded slowly and seemed to remember something.

"Oh, close your eyes," he requested, and the girl frowned, staring at him for a moment. "Come on, don't you trust me?"

She sighed but closed her eyes anyway. How couldn't she trust him? He was George.

Delicately, he placed something in her hand and closed her fingers around what she felt was a stalk.

"Open them," he whispered.

She complied, and the first thing her grey-blue irises fell on was the rose in her hands. It was different from anything the girl had first expected - iridescent colour and shining like tiny diamonds were covering its whole surface.

"What do you think?" he gave her a hesitant look.

"It's beautiful," Cassiopeia continued looking at it, twirling it to see how it reacted to the light. "It's… How did you do that?"

"A special spell I may tell you about one day," he put his hands in his pockets. "It's charmed to live forever."

Cassiopeia raised her eyebrows to him, surprise written over her fair face.

"Forever?"

He grimaced for a second.

"Okay, not forever. But for as long as our friendship lives."

Cassiopeia gave him a shy smile, feeling as something ran all over her and her cheeks reddened deeply. It was a mixture of happiness and nervousness, with calming excitement, the same thing she always felt with George but on a bigger scale. It made her feel weird but the girl liked it a lot, nonetheless.

"That is beautiful, George," she finally said, looking him in the eyes. "Thank you."

"It's the least I can do," he shrugged. "I mean, you were in the medical wing for so long and I can't really stuff you with food and candy to make you happier the way I want to, so my second idea was a rose."

The teenage girl chuckled.

"I think I have Draco and Eleanor to do that," she assured him. "Don't worry. I'll make sure to keep the rose."

His shoulders relaxed and he pointed forward shyly.

"Shall we? I found a pretty place in the village that you'll probably like. The flowers are really blooming and they look great."

Cassiopeia nodded, tucking a strand of light hair behind her ear.

"Okay. Let's go."