Green Apples and Parchment

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Exams were finally over. All of our studying payed off; I felt confident in my test scores, and so did everyone else in the study group. The summer holiday was almost upon us, which meant that the third triwizard task was here. 

My friends and I were all supporting Cedric Diggory. While Harry and I were friends, I wanted a Hufflepuff to win the tournament. I wasn't incredibly close with Cedric, but he was always kind, and would help any of the younger students with anything. 

My friends and I were decked out in all of our Hufflepuff gear. Draco was wearing his signature black suit with a "Support Cedric Diggory" badge pinned onto it. He was also supporting Cedric, but more out of hatred of Harry than anything else.

Draco and I walked hand in hand to the spectator seats. Hannah, Megan, Susan, and Ernie were a few steps behind us and were buried in conversation.

"Oy! Malfoy! Over here!" Crabbe called.

Draco sighed and steered us over to the fourth year Slytherins. 

"We saved you a seat." 

I watched as Draco refrained himself from rolling his eyes. "Thank you, Crabbe. But there doesn't seem to be room for Cass, so we should probably get going." Draco started to turn.

"There's an empty seat on the end here, I can just move down." Goyle said before instructing everyone to make room. The other Slytherins grudgingly obliged. 

Pansy, however, made no move to get up. "Are you sure she has to be here? You've been spending all your time with her and her Hufflepuff friends." Pansy spat out my house name like it had a foul taste in her mouth. "I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks." She batted her eyelashes at Draco. I clenched my jaw.

"Well, Cass is my girlfriend, Pansy. Hence the spending time with her." Draco said cooly.

"For now." Pansy muttered under her breath.

"Excuse me?" I stepped closer to her. "What's your problem?"

Pansy examined her nails. "I don't have one. I just can't imagine you guys lasting all that long."

"How would you know? You don't even know me." I said angrily.

"Thank Merlin for that."

Before I could yell at Pansy, Draco beat me to it. "Look, Pansy, I know you have a pathetic little crush on me, but you're out of line. Leave." he sneered. 

Pansy scoffed. "If you think I'm just going to-"

"Leave, before I hex you. Or," he glanced over at me and pulled out his wand. "before I let Cass hex you."

Pansy heard the threat in Draco's voice and reluctantly stood up, heading for a group of Ravenclaw girls. 

"Merlin, I can't stand her. I'm sorry Cass." Draco told me as we shuffled to our seats. 

As I sat down, another Slytherin girl turned to talk to me. "Don't worry, we're not all as terrible as Pansy." she said. "Tracey Davis. It's nice to meet you."

I smiled at her. "I'm Cass."

"Oh, I know. Trust me, everyone does." Tracy put her arm around my shoulder. "Don't listen to Pansy. You're good for Draco. I've never seen him this happy."

I looked over at Draco. He was talking and laughing with some of his friends. Tracy was right; he did look happy. "Good to know." I told her. 

Tracy gestured to the rest of the group. "And this is Theo, Crabbe, Goyle, and Daphne."

I waved at them, not wanting to interrupt their conversation. Daphne smiled back at me, and Theo acknowledged me with a nod. Crabbe and Goyle were too engrossed in their conversation to notice me.