kill my time // draco malfoy

thirty-eight.

Cassidy made her way down the hill, and walked slowly through the trees, she spotted Hermione sat upon a rock, her head in her hands as she wept softly. As Draco resided by a tree out of sight, Cassidy slowly made her way towards her in an attempt not to startle her, but the crunching of a twig beneath her feet gave her away instantaneously. Hermione leapt from her seat, her wand in hand outstretched in front of her.

"Mione, it's me" Cassidy said softly.

"Cassidy?" She asked, wiping her tears away.

Cassidy ran towards her, pulling her into an embrace as Hermione sobbed hard into her shoulder.

"Ron left" she sobbed, "I tried to stop him, but he's gone"

"I know" Cassidy soothed, "I saw. It's going to be okay"

"I don't know how it could possibly be okay" She said as she pulled away, wiping her face and straightening herself out. "We don't know what we are doing"

But as soon as she began talking, she began to distance herself from Cassidy. "Wait, aren't you a-"

"Deatheater?" Cassidy finished for her. "Technically, yes."

Hermione shook her head in disbelief, "I shouldn't be talking to you, you shouldn't be here." She stood up and began to walk away.

"No Hermione, you need to listen-" Cassidy began.

"Why did you do it Cassidy?" She exclaimed, her face showing hurt and betrayal, which Cassidy was ashamed to see.

"I had no choice." Cassidy said, her head hanging low.

"You know better than anyone, that there is always a choice" Hermione spoke softly, knowing the words of Cassidy's mother would resonate with her.

"What if there isn't a choice" Cassidy defended herself, "What if my mother was wrong, not everything is black and white, there is always that grey area. What if this is my grey area?"

"I don't believe it" Hermione said shaking her head, "Why did you do this?"

Cassidy sighed, "there's a number of reasons Mione. This is what I wanted to talk to you about, but It's so risky"

"Did you do it for him? Draco?" She asked. "Where is he?"

"Yes I did it for him." Cassidy began, causing Hermione to sigh in disbelief, "But I also did it for you, and for Harry and for everyone else."

Hermione looked at her in confusion, "How could you taking the dark mark be for us? It makes no sense."

"Before you hex me for being a deatheater, will you at least give me the chance to explain what is going on?" Cassidy asked, her eyes pleading for her friend to see the bigger picture.

Hermione's brow raise inquisitively before she took in her friend's stance. She noticed the tentativeness in the way her weight shifted from one foot to another in anxiety. She noticed how her right arm held onto her left, where the mark of evil laid across, etched into her skin. She knew, this was the least she could do. Hear her out.

She nodded as she motioned for Cassidy to walk and sit next to her on the rock she had been crying upon not 10 minutes beforehand. Cassidy smiled slightly as she walked further towards her and sat next to her.

"Look, Mione. this was the last thing that I thought would happen when I was brought into the wizarding world. But after knowing what Draco has been through" she began.

"So it is about him" Hermione interrupted.

"No it's not just about him, but he plays a big part. He's not what everyone thinks he is, at least not by choice. Knowing what his family are like, what he is like. I had to save him Hermione, his life was on the line. No one else cares about him, not like me and Father do"