Temptation

She was careful in the morning, her mind playing games of guessing with her. Would he actually tell Draco about catching her or not? She saw it on his expression last night, he was amused but kept his distance. Surely, he wouldn't stoop to such levels of pettiness. Right?

She shook her head, pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind as more pressing matters demanded her attention. Like the letter, she had received at breakfast that very morning from her mother. They had made dinner reservations, and both she and her brother were expected to attend. Their parents would be coming to pick them up, as that was the only way they could leave Hogwarts beyond Hogsmeade. Her mother, aware of Cassiopeia and Draco's strained relationship, had sent separate letters to each of them. With Draco and his friends absent from breakfast, Cassiopeia had to deliver the letter personally. This also meant she would likely encounter Theo again and discover whether he had decided to report her or not. Holding her own letter in one hand and the sealed one in the other, she walked slowly through the corridor, paying no heed to the curious glances of passing students. Unfortunately, her luck did not extend to finding her brother in the common room; as always, he managed to complicate matters. Now, she would have to venture up to the boys' dormitory, though she had no idea which room was his. She would simply have to rely on luck, and she detested that.

Passing the first few dorms, Cassiopeia deduced they were likely for the first and second years. Opting for the back, she settled on two doors. The first seemed too predictable, so she chose the second. Without overthinking it, she knocked, and after a few moments, the door swung open.

Standing before her was a shirtless Theo, a towel snug around his waist and a hand firmly on the door. His gaze swept over her, and, predictably, he smirked. It seemed fate had brought them together once more. Fantastic.

"Is Draco there?" Cassiopeia asked, making a concerted effort not to glance down.

"Well, good morning to you too!" Theo greeted her, his hair still damp from the shower, droplets cascading down his chest, which she carefully avoided looking at.

"Is this his dorm?" She tried to peer past him, searching for any indication that her brother resided there, but found nothing. Even if she did, she wasn't sure what she would be looking for, as Draco was the type to keep things impersonal despite spending much of his time there.

"It is... But he's in the shower right now. Would you like me to pass a message?" Theo leaned against the doorframe, his gaze fixed on her. He could tell she had been wondering whether he had told Draco about her sneaking in last night, but he didn't feel the need to offer any closure. However, the more she contemplated it, the more she trusted that he hadn't said anything. After all, her brother wouldn't wait until after shower time to confront her. Sensing her unspoken question, she refrained from asking outright.

Cassiopeia handed him the sealed letter. "Tell him mother sent this and I'll be waiting for him down in the common room at quarter to seven!" When he finally accepted it, she allowed her eyes to roam over his torso. He was lean, taller now, much taller than her, with the faint outline of his abs visible. But she could have made the same observation even if he had been wearing a shirt, not that she minded. "And maybe put a shirt on!" she quipped, though she couldn't deny enjoying the view. Theodore Nott was undeniably attractive, a fact she begrudgingly acknowledged, but there was no need to make a fuss about it. He was just Theodore Nott, after all.

Theo's lips curled into a wry smile as he accepted the sealed letter, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Well, isn't this a delightful wake-up call for Draco," he remarked dryly. "I'll be sure to let him know family obligations are calling!" His playful retort to her comment about his attire was laced with sarcasm. "Not a fan of the shirtless look, huh?" he mused, his smirk widening. "Then please just notify me before your next visit, and I'll make sure to wear my finest robes, just for you, princess!" When she didn't respond, he waited a beat before adding, "Anything else?"

"No—" Cassiopeia's response was cut short as Theo abruptly closed the door in her face, leaving her surprised and with her mouth hanging open in astonishment. Rude. She turned to leave, but as she stepped towards the stairs, she was greeted by a tall figure. The boy towered over her, a fact she hadn't paid much attention to before. It was Blaise Zabini.

"Little Malfoy," he said in greeting, using a nickname she knew would stick with her for a long time, especially among her brother's friends. While she wasn't particularly fond of it, she found it tolerable — certainly better than any of the nicknames Theo had used in the past two days.

"Zabini," she returned the greeting. Aside from these simple words, neither of them made any effort at further conversation or small talk. Cassiopeia was honestly grateful for the lack of chatter, as she had grown to dislike small talk. Blaise passed by her, and she continued walking, relieved.

Once in her own dorm, which she was lucky enough to share with Astoria and a girl named Jasmine, Cassiopeia settled into her space. Jasmine seemed to have her own circle of friends and showed no intention of integrating with Cassiopeia and Astoria, which suited Cassiopeia just fine. While there was a certain distance between them, Cassiopeia appreciated the lack of animosity.

After a minute of comfortable silence, the soothing sound of rain tapping against the window filled the room. Astoria's voice broke the tranquility. "I take it didn't rain much in France?" she asked, her curiosity evident as she sat in front of the mirror, brushing her hair. Cassiopeia turned her head to look at the beautiful brunette, meeting her gaze through the reflection.

"It did, but it's quite different there, more subtle. Here it's much louder, stronger," Cassiopeia explained, her tone carrying a hint of nostalgia. She was once quite familiar with Britain's weather but grew more accustomed to the one she encountered in France over the years spent there. "In France, you often wouldn't notice it's raining until you stepped outside and saw the wet ground, the ponds..." Her gaze lingered on the raindrops cascading down the window. While she didn't miss France as much as her words might suggest, she couldn't deny the bittersweet memories it evoked.

 „What's it like in Beauxbatons? I heard that there are no boys there, that it's an only girls school!?“ Cassiopeia's eyes fell from the window to Astoria, who held her eyes steadily on Cassiopeia.

„That's not true, there are plenty of boys there, trust me, only, the school, for most of the time is represented by girls, so that's where that probably came from.“ The smile on Astoria's face showed that this wasn't the last question about Cassiopeia's last school. But Cassiopeia didn't mind, she shifted on her bed, turning so she could comfortably hold eye contact with the brunette witch in front of the mirror.

Astoria swiftly gathered her hair into a neat bun, then settled onto her bed, lying on her stomach with her head cradled in her hands, eagerly anticipating whatever her friend was about to share. With a radiant smile, she continued her questioning: "What are they like? Did you have a boyfriend there? Were you even allowed to have a boyfriend?" The questions flowed effortlessly from her lips.

 Cassiopeia returned the smile. "They aren't much different from the ones you've got here, though I have to say they have better manners," she replied, her mind briefly flickering back to Theo's half-naked form from earlier that morning. "You are allowed to have relationships, of course, as long as they don't cause any harm to you or the school..."

Astoria's curiosity persisted. "Did you?" she asked once more.

"One, but I wouldn't call it quite a relationship," Cassiopeia admitted cautiously. It had been a relationship, lasting seven whole months, but it ended abruptly. "It was somewhat of a fling, but he was nice..." His name was Hugo, a Dutch student in the same year as her. Although their breakup was sudden, she held fond memories of him, just as she did for all her previous friends.

"What was he like?" Astoria's curiosity prodded Cassiopeia to delve into the recesses of her mind where memories of Hugo and her other past friends were stored, a file she hadn't opened in a long while.

"Well, he was tall, with dirty blonde hair, and he had a really nice smile," Cassiopeia recalled, picturing the boy with light blue eyes and a laugh that could light up a whole room. They had been friends before anything happened between them, and in retrospect, she wondered if she had even liked him more as a friend. But it was all in the past now; it didn't matter. She would probably never even see him again. "Did you? Have a boyfriend, I mean?" Cassiopeia shot a wry look in her friend's direction, prompting Astoria to chuckle.

"Not really, but there were a few I really liked... I'm not much of a fling kind of girl," Astoria admitted. It was evident in her demeanor. Unlike her sister, Astoria exuded a sense of purpose and direction. Cassiopeia could see that Astoria had high expectations for herself, prioritizing education and personal growth. She also seemed to have a clear vision of her future, aspiring to settle down with the perfect man and build a loving family. Such determination and clarity of purpose were not traits Cassiopeia possessed. She avoided making long-term plans, considering them a waste of time.

"Well, that's alright. Maybe it's better like that," Cassiopeia responded, her mind wandering back to her time in France, at Beauxbatons. She made a mental note to write to her friends there, as she hadn't heard from them in a while.

Astoria's next question brought her back to the present. "Was it hard to leave? I mean, all of your friends are there, and you've spent many years there..."

Cassiopeia paused, considering her response. "Sure, but I like to think I've got friends here too," she replied, casting a glance at Astoria.

"Of course," Astoria agreed with a smile, understanding the sentiment.

The rest of the day flew by in a blur until Cassiopeia found herself getting ready for dinner. She slipped into a knee-length dress, its green satin fabric draping elegantly over her frame. Brushing her hair until it cascaded freely down her back, just like her mother liked to see, she adorned herself in the new black robes she had acquired, knowing the weather called for their warmth.

Her friend observed her preparations, offering a simple yet heartfelt compliment that brought a genuine smile to Cassiopeia's lips. "You look pretty," she remarked, her sincerity evident in her expression, a detail Cassiopeia had come to recognize throughout the week.

"Thank you," Cassiopeia replied softly, glancing at the clock and realizing it was time to leave. "See you tonight!"

"Have a great dinner!" her friend called after her, well-intentioned though it nearly prompted Cassiopeia to chuckle.

As Cassiopeia descended the stairs, she scanned the common room for the familiar sight of her brother's blonde hair but found herself surrounded by various shades of brunette instead. Draco was nowhere to be seen yet, but his friends had already gathered, including both girls and a few other Slytherins, likely younger ones. She briefly considered asking them about Draco's whereabouts, but ultimately decided against it, opting to wait a few more minutes in the hope that he would arrive soon.

"Are you sure you're not going on a date?" Pansy's sudden appearance caught Cassiopeia off guard, and she found herself being pulled out of the corner where she had hoped to wait unnoticed. Pansy deftly pulled apart her robes to inspect the dress beneath. "A bit too long for my taste, but you look great! Narcissa's choice undoubtedly," Pansy remarked with a smile, turning to address the others in the room who were now looking at them. "Though I think you're missing some pearls..." Cassiopeia's neck felt bare without her usual pearls, but she had decided against them as the dress's style didn't necessarily call for a necklace.

"I'd have to agree, what is a Malfoy without some pearls, or at least some diamonds?" Mattheo chimed in, chuckling at his own jest.

"Emeralds if you ask me..." Enzo added with a grin.

Blaise and Theo remained silent, their smiles speaking volumes.

"I'd have to agree with Enzo on this one, emeralds are the move!" Daphne remarked, settling back into the sofa.

Cassiopeia brushed a strand of hair out of her face before speaking up. "Thanks for the input. I'll make sure to consult the Slytherin style council before getting dressed for my next family outing..." Her tone carried a hint of sarcasm, eliciting a few chuckles from the group.

Before anyone could add anything else, Draco cleared his throat, drawing all attention to him. Despite being late, Cassiopeia chose not to comment on it.

"Let's get this over with," Draco muttered, his tone indicating his lack of enthusiasm for the upcoming dinner. Cassiopeia shared his sentiment.

"You look great, mate. Say hello to your mother!" Mattheo interjected with a grin, prompting a playful smack from Pansy.

Draco didn't respond, instead making his way to the exit, silently signaling for Cassiopeia to follow. Without a word, she fell into step beside him. A distant „Have fun!“ was heard from the common room, presumably Pansy, as they walked away. Cassiopeia couldn't help but wonder if "fun" was even on the agenda for the evening ahead.