little miss black

-37-

The next few weeks passed in a blur of classes and homework. Cass kept her interactions with Noah to potions and her interactions with Peter, James and Sirius within the safety of the common room. It seemed to be working out okay. Avery was back to his sending his boring letters about ministry stuff. Cass was still on edge, making her jumpy whenever anyone spoke to her.

"Morning Cass." Sirius said. Cass nodded at him over her newspaper. "Anything interesting?"

"No." Cass sighed. She folded up the paper. "Are you going to Hogsmede today?"

"Yes." Sirius said. "You can't come with me I um need to do something."

"It's okay I'm not going anyway." Cass said. "And before you ask I bought your birthday present a few weeks ago. That's obviously what you're trying to hide." Sirius grinned sheepishly.

"Well then, that solves that."

•••

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Lily asked. Cass shook her head.

"I've got homework to do Lil. Have fun." Cass said.

"Yeah yeah, you too." Lily said. She left with Marlene and Dorcas. Cass opened her book and laid back on her bed. She read for a while before deciding she should probably actually do some work. She grabbed her bag and went down to the common room. The first and second years were making a racket, pleased to have the common room to themselves. Cass sighed and decided to go to the library. It was pretty much empty so Cass sat a table near the back.

"Fancy seeing you here." Noah said. Cass jumped.

"Fucking hell Noah you scared me." She did.

"Sorry." Noah said. "Can I sit?"

"Why aren't you at Hogsmede?" Cass asked.

"I could ask you the same question." Noah said. Cass narrowed her eyes.

"I asked you first."

"Didn't feel like it, there are more important things to do than waste a day in the Three Broomsticks." Noah said.

"Like?" Cass said. Noah shrugged.

"Homework, reading, anything really. My friends are also all chasing after girls. It's rather irritating."

"And why aren't you chasing after girls?" Cass asked. A small smile spread across Noahs lips.

"I never said I wasn't." He said. Cass blushed and hid behind her hair. "Ah, my apologies. That was rather forward of me. I know you have a boyfriend." Cass' stomach dropped. Stupid Avery. She cleared her throat.

"Yes, um anyway...."

"Have you done the potions essay?"

•••

"Here, brought you back some sugar quills." Lily said, chucking a large packet at Cass. Cass caught it.

"Thanks. How was Hogsmede?" She said. Lily shrugged.

"Same as it always is." She said. "How was your day?"

"Fine." Cass said. Her eyes didn't move from her book.

"Get everything done?" Lily said.

"More or less." Cass lied. She had spent most of the day with Noah, resulting in her finishing hardly anything. She sighed. "I hate O.W.Ls."

"Don't be so dramatic." Lily said, rolling her eyes. "They're very important for the future."

"If I get that far." Cass muttered under her breath.