The Pride of Slytherin - for Draca

[minhalilia]

Everyone had been shocked when Cassi Potter, the Girl-Who-Lived, was sorted into Slytherin. Even more shocked when it turned out she had become fast and good friends with the Malfoy Heiress, Draca Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherin bunch. In fact, when they realized that Cassi wasn't going to be their martyr once Voldemort rose again in her Fourth Year, she became even more popular among the Slytherin's. The rest of Hogwarts? A bit less so.

It was now Fifth Year and the holidays were upon them. She had the perfect gift for Draca, the Malfoys and even one for an additional guest should he be there. The next day, she and the rest of the students leaving to go back to their families would be boarding the Hogwarts Express to return to London where Narcissa would be, undoubtedly waiting for them.

"Usually it's me who is out here at all hours of the day," Cassi called out as she made her way to the Quidditch Pitch, spotting Draca with her broom.

Comments

[minhalilia]

Cassi was, honestly, impressed by nearly everything Draca sent back to Ronald Weasley in response to his big mouth and irrational flipping out. It amused her if she was being completely honest and she expressed that to Draca if no one else.

"Probably," she agreed. "I have found that those trainings make things here at Hogwarts a little easier in some cases." Admittedly, not all but there were some. Her potions homework was much better than when she had first started. She nodded in agreement to being a head despite whatever Dumbledore and the rest of the school believed. Most Slytherins, as far as she was aware, were more ahead due to family. Cassi laughed and sent her an amused look. "Not by very much," she teased her. "Just when it comes to dancing."

She could be graceful on a broom but take her dancing? She was like a baby giraffe learning how to walk for the first time.

"We look out for our own," she agreed and gave her a grateful smile. "I look forward to tomorrow. I can finally give you one of your gifts." And she'd have Draca to herself for the most part. She enjoyed those times most of all.

[dracabelles]

Truth was, Ron had helped Draca hone a lot of her skills. Not that he had ever meant to, but in pushing her as he had, in treating Cassi the way he had, he had encouraged Draca to do better, do more, and to not get caught in doing it. She should thank him one day... with another hex.

She nodded then, knowing the lessons echoed some of their lessons at Hogwarts, which put Cassi, and Draca, ahead of the game as well. "Now come on. Dancing is really not all that bad. Is it?"

She batted her lashes at Cassi, unable to help but smile. She rather enjoyed those lessons, and made no effort to hide that.

"That we do, and tomorrow things get better." Draca perked up then. "Do I have to wait?"

[minhalilia]

Cassi glanced over at her before laughing softly. "No, but only when I get to dance with you are they tolerable," she teased her with a smile. "You're much more graceful than I am." It was one of the few things where Draca was naturally better than her at it and she was more than okay with that.

The other lessons? The other lessons they were fairly well matched. She rather liked them, honestly. They kicked her arse, literally and metaphorically, but she felt stronger afterward. Far more capable. Something she was sure Dumbledore simply would not stand for by any means.

"Tomorrow things get much better," she agreed then laughed. "Yes, you have to wait. It'll be waiting for you when we get home."

[dracabelles]

"It can't be that bad," she said. Given she wouldn't dance with anyone but Cassi though anymore, maybe that was why she thought it was not so bad. She definitely thought being with Cassi made it so much better. "I promise I'll make sure it's not that bad at all," she offered, smiling at her, wanting Cassi to enjoy any time they might spend together.

"Tomorrow so much better. I think you can handle things until then," she said with a smile. "Can't you?"

[minhalilia]

"They're not that bad when I'm dancing with you," Cassi said with a smile. She didn't mind her lessons so much when she got to do them with the other girl. Dancing was even enjoyable when she danced with Draca because Draca just knew what to do. She smiled brightly. "I'm holding you to that, Ms. Malfoy," she teased her.

"I do believe I can. The question is, can you," she asked with a playful smile, reaching out to tug on a strand of her hair.

[dracabelles]

"Well, I would suspect when you're doing just about anything with me. I'm a Malfoy, after all." And though she played that card, she didn't entirely believe it when it came to Cassi. They were different, and she was different from everyone else out there in Draca's mind. She was so much more than the rest of them were or could ever be.

"Why would you challenge me in that way? Do you think I'm incapable of handling anything put to me?"

[minhalilia]

Cassi laughed and shot her a wide smile. "Oh, that is the only reason," she teased her with a little wink. But it wasn't the only reason. Not in the least. It was all about Draca herself. Something she had started to truly realize at the beginning of the year.

"Because I know you can't resist a challenge, my darling. I absolutely know you can handle anything and everything put in front of you. Now, let's see if you can beat me across the pitch. Up for it?"

[dracabelles]

"I'd like to hope there's other reasons, more personal reasons," she teased, liking that look on Cassi's face. Confidence looked so good on her, after all.

Damn but those challenges worked well on her. Shifting, giving them both a bit of distance to pick up speed. "I'll even let you count us down."

[minhalilia]

She pretended to think about that with a drawn out hum. "Mm, nope - only reason," Cassi gave her a teasing smirk. It definitely wasn't by any stretch of the imagination and she was sure Draca knew that as well. "Although, I do admit, your wit and flying skills are high on that list..." And she was beautiful.

Absolutely beautiful.

"How sweet of you," she said with a laugh and shifted onto her broom. She enjoyed the way Draca's eyes gleamed with the challenge.

"One... Two... THREE! Go!"

Cassi took off into the air and headed toward the other end of the pitch.

[dracabelles]

Oh but that makes Draca beam. She's used to compliments on her beauty, but that Cassi recognizes other sides of her means the world to the girl. So much more than she wants to admit, but her smile says it all.

That shift was enough though, drawing herself up and gripping the broom a bit tighter, preparing.

The moment three was said, before Go was truly out of Cassi's mouth, Draca launched herself into the air. It wasn't cheating, not entirely. Just anticipating.

[minhalilia]

Oh but that smile. Cassie felt a warmth spread across her cheeks and along her neck. She loved the way Draca smiled like that.

As soon as she said 'go', Cassie kicked off from the ground and launched into the air, racing off to the other side of the pitch. She loved the way they could compete against each other and still enjoy it. It didn't matter to her who won but that didn't mean she wasn't going to try and beat the other girl!

She couldn't wait to spend some much needed time away from Hogwarts with Draca. It would help tremendously being away.