Hateful Love

Chapter Eight

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.

Walking into Potions the next day is awkward as hell. Everyone stares at me as I nervously sit beside Malfoy, and I notice he scoots away from me slightly. The other Slytherins at our table glare at me, which I actually find surprising. I thought Zabini would be ignoring me completely after what happened.

          As dangerous as that class is for me, I make it through without blowing anything else up. I head to Transfiguration straight afterward, and Danny typically bombards me with questions…and some get a little awkward.

          “Cassie!” he calls loudly to me as I walk in, earning a sigh from me. So much for having a discreet entrance this class. I reluctantly sit beside him as he continues, “I heard what happened with you and Malfoy yesterday.”

            “Yeah, you and everyone else in this school.”

          Danny raises an eyebrow, saying, “Well, word from the hospital wing says that things got hot and steamy between you and Matt. Bet the rest of the school doesn’t know that, eh?”

          I stare at his smirking face in utter shock. Finally, I find my voice and stammer, “How—how did you find out?”

          “Colin Creevy. You don’t know him, he’s a Gryffindor.”

          “That creep was watching us?!” I practically yell.

          “He works for the school paper—those people are everywhere.”

         I force my voice down and say, “You better not tell anyone.”

          “Calm down, Cassidora.” I give him a death glare as he uses the annoying nickname. He grins and holds his pinky finger up. “I pinky promise.”

          I scoff and say, “I’m not touching you.”

          This, apparently, is an invitation for Danny to tickle me. I fight him off as best I can, and he thankfully stops.

          “So,” he grins after a moment, “how was he?”

          Outraged, I smack his arm as hard as I can. I start to yell at him for being a pervert, but McGonagall walks in and I have to shut up. I give him a final glare before turning away so I can actually pay attention.

          Over time, it gets less awkward in Potions. Sure, the Slytherins mostly just ignore me now, but at least none of them are giving me exploding powder. Matt and I mostly act like we never kissed, but we give each other small smiles when no one’s looking. Unfortunately for me, we aren’t officially dating, so I can’t hold his hand like I want to so often.

          We’re a few months into the semester when Slughorn finally confronts me about my grade in his class.

          “Cassie,” he calls to me, pulling me aside as everyone packs up their things after double Potions. “I think you should consider getting a tutor.”

          I raise my eyebrows in shock, but really, I knew this was coming. “But…am I really still failing? I thought I was doing better.”

        The professor smiles at me sadly and replies, “Yes, my dear, you are failing my class. I had hoped you would do better over time, but truthfully, it’s been quite the opposite.”