𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐒 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐑𝐀 stared at Draco in such interest. She was amazed that there was such a tiny human in the house. Narcissa was a few steps away, as she didn't trust her deranged sister in law yet. Barty had personally made sure that Cassandra had taken her meds, as she liked him and Lucius the most. She liked Narcissa too, but thought she had an ugly heart. This of course wasn't true but Barty knew better than to argue with a mentally disturbed woman.
"Did this tiny human fall from the gods above?" Cassandra asked Narcissa, whose left eye twitched and Barty noticed this. "I want one too."
"No, you—" Narcissa began but Barty rudely cut her off.
"If you come with me Cassie, I'll show you where the tiny human comes from." Barty told her and Cassandra eagerly nodded, holding out her hand so Barty could take it. Barty had learned that Cassandra liked touching him and Barty honestly didn't know how to feel about it. His mother used to touch him, when brushing through his hair, or when counting the freckles on his face, or when forcing him into neat clothing. The girls at Hogwarts thought he was a freak, a freak with lung problems and a father who didn't like him. So they never touched him.
"Oh please. I'd really like one too." Cassandra smiled and this hurt Barty. (He knew no one would want to marry Cassandra, let alone have children with her for she was a deranged woman, beautiful, curvy, perky breasts, full lips but still deranged. No one could ever change that fact.)
"This way." He whispered, leading her towards her bedroom, where they sat on her bed, which was a pastel blue, and it suited her skin. Barty recalled the times Cassandra refused Lucius to tuck her into bed and would want Barty to sleep next to her. When she would fall asleep, Barty would stare at her. (Only six months with Cassandra and yet, he wondered if she loved him like he loved her.) Cassandra was a beautiful woman and sometimes Barty couldn't help himself. Sometimes, when tucking her in bed, he'd kiss her forehead and she'd smile, and sometimes, when she was sound asleep, he'd kiss her lips.
"Barty?" Cassandra asked, hand still clasped in his and Barty swallowed hard.
"Yes Cassie?" He looked at her, took in her appearance. Today she looked even more beautiful, her eyes were a soft brown today, but her cheeks stayed forever rosy and her skin stayed pale.
"Why is Cissy afraid I'll hurt Draco?" Cassandra noticed then, Barty concluded. He'd have to talk to her.
"Don't take Cissy to heart Cassie, you have me, you have Lucius, you have Bella, you have Rodo, and you have Draco too."
Cassandra suddenly put her head on his chest and Barty swallowed hard. "I heard Cissy talking to Bella. She said I'm crazy." Cassandra sighed. "Barty? Do you love me?"
"Why do you ask?"
"The others don't love me, 'cept Draco and Lucius, and maybe Rodo because of what he did when he came here. Do you love me as well?" Barty swallowed hard. He wanted to tell her that he loved her so much he'd yell it to the entire world, instead, Barty felt tears well up in his eyes. (He knew Cassandra would never love him like that.)
"I love you as well Cassie." He urged himself not to cry as he cleared his throat, feeling his chest tighten. "What did Rodo do?"
"He told me that if you love someone, you use your lips to show them. I love Rodo, so I used my lips. I didn't like it, it was disgusting. But it made Rodo happy." Barty could feel anger boil up in his veins. How dare Rodolphus take advantage of Cassandra's condition like this? How dare he place his lips on Cassandra's?
"Rodo was right, but wrong as well Cassie. If he says something like that again, tell him no." Cassandra nodded and Barty noticed that she was getting sleepy.
"Barty? Please don't go." Cassandra said as she made herself more comfortable. "I'm afraid Cissy will come in and tell me I'm crazy."
"I won't go Cassie." Barty assured her, and kissed the side of her head before she fell asleep and Barty smiled at her. "I'll never leave you Cassandra, never."
⋆⋆⋆
Barty could hear crying coming from Cassandra's room and he rushed there, fearful she might have hurt herself or something worse. (Barty didn't like thinking that way, to him, Cassandra was still as sane as ever. They don't know what turned her into this version of herself now.)
"Cassie?! Are you okay?!" Barty asked, barging in and he spotted her on the bed, staring at the floor and crying, while clutching bleeding fingers. Barty then realized something. He'd forgotten to give her her meds.
"They won't go unless I get them out." Cassandra cried. "But it hurts Barty." She held up her bleeding hand and Barty felt tears well up in his eyes, as well as his chest tighten horribly. He took a gulp of air, hoping that he wouldn't need his inhaler.
Barty quickly healed her fingers and hid the sctraches on the wooden floor with the mat before he forced the meds down her throat. He felt horrible. How could he have forgotten to give her her meds? Maybe it was all this Rodolphus thing, he'd been stressed about it, dreading what he'd do to Rodolphus the next time he saw him.
"Are they gone?" Barty quietly asked, wiping away the tears on her face and Cassandra nodded, smiling and Barty commanded every muscle in his body not to kiss her.
"Are you crying Barty?" Cassandra asked, intertwining their fingers together and Barty gulped. (He hated crying, for he had weak lungs and he knew how much it would hurt when he would try to sleep. Maybe that's why he's created this cold character he claims to be on the battlefield.)
"Yes Cassie." Barty replied, tears pouring down his cheeks and Cassandra wiped them away for him. And suddenly, she was kissing him. And before Barty had time to reply, Cassandra pulled away.
"I know you said Rodo was lying but it made him happy the last time and I thought it would make you happy as well." Barty felt his chest tighten horribly again and he searched for his inhaler.
