Hateful Love

Chapter Nineteen

NOTE: I do not own any of the ideas or characters expressed in this story (except Cassie Jackson). All of these belong to J.K. Rowling.

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Cassie P.O.V.

Draco and I skip our last two classes the next day. He wanted to skip all of them, but I insisted on just the last two. I don’t want to make our goodbye any harder than it has to be.

I meet him down by the lake again, because neither of us wants to be in the Room of Requirement. We don’t say anything as I curl against him like we did yesterday, and I refuse to let go of his hand. The castle grounds are completely silent, and the sun shines brightly on the lake.

After a while of just lying quietly together, I sit up and look Draco in the eyes, saying seriously, “Let’s swim.”

Despite everything, despite what is going to happen in a few hours, Draco smirks. “Cassie, you’re crazy.”

“Fine,” I huff, then reach down and tug off my shoes. “We’ll just stick our feet in.”

“I don’t want to,” Draco sighs, as a kid would when they don’t want to do something.

I frown at him, then reach my arm over and start untying his laces. I pull off one of his shoes and say, “Well, too bad. You need to relax, Draco.”

He opens his mouth to argue, and I don’t blame him. Relaxing is probably the last thing on his mind. But Draco must think better of it, because he shuts his mouth and leans forward to pull his other shoe off.

I stand up and pull him along with me as I walk the few steps to the lake. I step into the water, and I shiver as the cold mud squishes up between my toes. Draco stands beside me, and I hear him take a breath as the water laps onto his feet. "It's still cold," he murmurs, almost as though he's talking to himself. 

This makes me remember that day we went swimming together, which seems so long ago. That was when I thought everything was simple, when I didn't have to worry or be sad every day. When Matt was still alive, and Draco was just...Draco. 

I feel my eyes well up with tears, but I refuse to let them fall. I am not going to cry. I tilt my head back, pretending to look at the sky, so the water will somehow drain back in. It works, crazily enough, and I turn to look at Draco.  

He's watching me, and I know that he saw. Neither of us look away from each other for the longest time, as though we're afraid to even blink. Then Draco squeezes my hand, and whispers gently, "I love you." 

My heart stops. Even though Draco and I are pretty much dating, I never thought he was the type of guy to just say that out loud. For a second, I'm not sure what to say; repeating it back might make our goodbye even harder than it already will be. But I get lost in the grey of his eyes, and I suddenly don't have to think anymore. "I...love you too." 

He slowly reaches up and brushes my hair to the side. I hear him whisper quietly, "You're so beautiful." And then we lean into each other, our lips connecting simultaneously.  

I can't count the number of times Draco and I have kissed, but I'm certain this time is the best and most passionate. Maybe it's because we’re both scared out of our minds, or because we'll be separated from each other for so long. But the way Draco kisses me today is so wonderful, and I clutch at him as though I'm afraid he'll be blown away by the wind.  

Draco pulls me down with him so he's lying with his back against the leaves, and me on top of him. I open my mouth to let his tongue in, and I feel him gently bite my bottom lip. This makes me smile, until Draco's hands wander under my shirt, and any sort of concentration becomes impossible.