With taking care of Teddy, being busy with the final details before the café's opening and spending time with her friends and family, Madeleine felt like she barely had any time for herself. She was so used to being on her own that sometimes, being surrounded by so much people felt suffocating. She had come to an agreement with Andromeda so that Teddy could stay with her in the flat four days a week but internally, Maddie wished he could stay with her all the time.
Everyone around her could tell the changes she had done to take care of Teddy the way Tonks and Remus would have wanted her to. Maddie was barely getting the grasp of 'motherhood,' but she couldn't deny that she was happy. She loved her godson with all of her heart and learning how to be a parent was as challenging as it sounded but wonderful nonetheless. Fred and Maddie had also kept their silent agreement of keeping their distance between them which was slowly tearing Madeleine from the inside out, unbeknownst that he was feeling the same way.
Maddie was hanging out George and Lizzie in the flat above the shop late one afternoon when a new recipe idea came to her head. Leaving the couple completely perplexed, Maddie bolted into the twins' kitchen to write it down in a spare piece of parchement, threw her hair in a tight ponytail and began cooking her newest invention.
"What are you doing here?" Angelina said rudely when she came out of Fred's bedroom to encounter Madeleine in the kitchen.
"I'm cooking," the blonde rolled her eyes, stating the obvious.
"Who invited you?" Angelina snapped.
"We did," Liz said coldly as she walked inside the kitchen
"And why are you here cooking?" Angelina frowned. "Don't you have a kitchen of your own?
"Oh I do, but I got a new idea that I needed to try instantly," Maddie said and tried to allow her temper to simmer down before exploding. "And I also cook for them because God knows that none of them can cook to save a life so I would rather make them food so Liz and George won't die from food poisoning."
"Godric's left ball, this is amazing," George moaned between bites of the dish Maddie served him.
"Glad you liked it Georgie, I'm gonna go now actually, I have to check some things out before I head home," Maddie smiled at her two friends. "Liz, try it out and let me know what you think of it later."
"Oh, hey," Fred grinned as he bumped into Maddie, "smells good."
"Why are you all sweaty and gross?" Madeleine scrunched her nose and looked at him.
"I was out for a run," Fred shrugged.
"I'll go left you go right," Maddie said and once again, got lost in his eyes like she did every time they were that close. "You know I don't like being near sweaty people."
"Some things never change," Fred chuckled. "Where's Teddy?"
"Andromeda's, I get him from Sunday to Thursday-"
"Freddie!" Angelina said in her fake sweet voice and went over to link her arm with his. "I forgot to mention that I changed the date with the venue, we're getting married the third Sunday of April! The seventeenth!"
"Right," Fred nodded slowly and exchanged one subtle look with Madeleine.
"I'm leaving now," Maddie cleared her throat before heading out the door, "take care!"
"Remember the party tomorrow!" George said loudly from the kitchen as she went down to the shop to leave the building.
The heavy knot in her heart tightened at what Angelina had said, in a month and one week she would lose Fred forever and there wasn't anything anyone could do about it. Not even her. She shook her head and went over to the café that was already finished, only missing a few details before the gran opening.
"Hello, boss," Emily, one of her new employees greeted brightly as Maddie came inside.
"Hey Em, is Lari here too?" the blonde set her purse down on the counter.
"Kitchen!" Larissa, another of her employees yelled.
"Great," Maddie laughed. "Where's Ethan?"
"Out to get more ingredients for the test recipes," Emily said. "People from the Daily Prophet, The Quibbler and Witch Weekly have called and they want to interview you before the official opening!"
"Okay, if they call back tell them that I'm free Friday from six to seven, Saturday from nine to eleven and the following week just Friday from three to four thirty," Maddie said, checking the mail and bills that were addressed to her name.
"Will do," Emily beamed. "Oh sorry, we're not-"
"It's okay Em, that's my aunt Cissy," Maddie smiled and went over to give Narcissa a hug.
"I had to come and see for myself," Narcissa chimed in as her niece pulled her inside the place. "I am so proud of you Madeleine."
"Thanks, sorry to hear about the divorce," Maddie said quietly.
"It was for the best, I'm happiest than I have been in a long time actually," Narcissa shrugged off.
"Yeah, mum mentioned that you reconciled with the her and Dromeda."
"Life is too short to be cross with one's sisters."
"I should know," Maddie laughed.
"So what was it that you wanted to talk about dear?"
"Let's go to my office," Maddie said and turned around with a smile on her face. "I'm sorry, but that sounds awesome."
Once the door to her office was closed, Maddie took a seat behind her desk and Narcissa sat in front, admiring what her god daughter had achieved in such a short amount of time impressively. "How's Draco?" Madeleine asked.
"He's travelling, I'm all alone at that Manor and I'm terribly bored."
"Well, then I have a proposal for you."
"I'm listening."
"Have you ever worked a day in your life Cissy?"
"Of course not, I was raised to be a loving, loyal, picture-perfect pureblood housewife," she mocked. "That is something I always envied from Cressida because she decided to work, while Andromeda and I became housewives and Bellatrix got her brain washed by the Dark Lord."
"Well, this is what I'm offering you. A job as event planner. I've already gotten plenty of people reserving dates for parties and brunches and events and to do all of that I just thought of the best event planner I could think of. You don't have to accept it but if-"
"Of course I will accept it Madeleine! Oh this is wonderful!"
"This is amazing, thank you Cissy. And my first job for you will actually planning the opening party, we'll open the twenty-sixth of March."
"Send me the guest list and I'll start working on it right away," Narcissa stood up and kissed Maddie's cheek before leaving. "I'm glad to see you are happy and doing well lovey."
"Thank you Cissy!" Maddie waved at her aunt. "I'll owl you after I finish some decoration details for the place."
"Mads, the three interviews are scheduled already!" Larissa said. "Tomorrow with Witch Weekly and on Saturday with the Daily Prophet and next week with The Quibbler."
"Thanks Lari, tomorrow morning we'll go over the new recipes but you and Emily can go home now," Maddie smiled and took her bag. "Don't forget to lock up on your way out!"
*****
Friday morning, Maddie spent the entire morning and early afternoon testing and teaching Larissa, Emily and Ethan recipes for the official menu. It wasn't until five o'clock that she was left to get ready for her interview and for the twins' party where she would head off to next. Her hair was styled in her natural waves and her curves her hugged by a tight little black dress, slightly covering herself with a black trench coat, pairing everything off with a black high heels. She rushed to the front door when she heard someone knock and was caught by surprised when a tall handsome man with a broad chest and arms, dark brown hair and green eyes stood in front of her.
"Madeleine Archambeau, it's a been a while," he smiled.
"Cassius Warrington. Should've researched more before accepting to this."
"Chief editor for Witch Weekly, dad owns the magazine-" he gloated and flashed her another charming smile.
"Not surprisising that you got the job then," she rolled her eyes playfully, "come on in."
"Wow, the place looks amazing."
"Thank you, some minor details are missing but it's pretty much done, you can sit anywhere you like. Can I offer you something to drink? Tea, coffee, fire whiskey, water?"
"Coffee is fine, black," he took a seat on a table for two and took out what looked like a muggle recorder, as well as a quill and a small notepad.
"Here you go," she placed the cup in front of him and took off her coat before taking a seat in front of him.
"Bloody hell, you're looking as beautiful as ever," he gaped at her. "I'm saying that off the record though I could probably write something about your good looks too if you want."
"Funny," she huffed. "Let's get on with it because I have somewhere to be later tonight."
"Something basic first, what truly inspired you into opening what is expected to be the best café and bakery in the entire wizarding UK?"
"Opening my own café has been my dream since I was a little girl. My father was the one who taught me how too cook and bake so in a way, it is also a tribute to him and my sister."
"Sources say you were away for a while and returned. Would you mind sharing with the readers what you did while you were away?"
"I actually decided to live as a muggle while I was in the south of France. It's controversial, I know, and especially after the war but I just realized that I needed some time by myself to think and cope with the deaths of the family members I lost during the war. It was simple, I don't regret it. Learned loads from it."
"Other sources also mention that you are now taking care of your godson, twenty-three month old Edward Lupin, son of Remus Lupin and your late cousin Nymphadora Tonks. How has it been balancing taking care of a toddler, starting your new business and still being a main inverstor in other businesses?"
"Just like with anything new in life, it has been challenging but if I'm honest it's also been wonderful. I just believe that it definitely is a full on learning process, especially since I knew nothing about taking care of a toddler before but I think I've been handling it pretty well. I also have the support and help of my family and friends so that definitely had been making the "balancing" easier."
Maddie felt surprisingly well in Warrington's company. She could also sense that he had changed since they last time she had seen him and the way he talked and asked questions so charismatically definitely lit up something in her. He had always been good-looking but now looking at his older and mature self she could see the appeal she never noticed back at Hogwarts. The interview went smooth, almost as if they were two old friends catching up and a part of her didn't want for it to end, but everything good must come to an end, or so she thought.
"You're good," she smiled once they were done.
"Come again?"
"At your job, you're good interviewing," Maddie said to him.
"Thanks, it's in my blood I guess. In the following days a photographer for the magazine will come and snap some pictures of you and the place for the cover."
"Okay, just let me know a day beforehand," she said as he followed her out of the café and onto the main part of Diagon Alley.
"Will do," he grinned. "So where are you going then?"
"What?"
"You said you had somewhere to be."
"A party with some friends," she shrugged.
"Gryffindors?"
"You know that house prejudice was meant to stop with the end of the war," she narrowed a brow at him.
"So I was told," he chuckled. "We should go out some time, fancy dinner, drinks, five star hotel, whatever you want."
"Smooth, Warrington. I haven't forgotten who you kept company with back in the day," she said dryly.
"Nah, I ditched that lot after school," he explained. "They were in some deep shit, all but Pucey."
"You still keep in touch with Adrian?"
"'Course I do, he's my best mate," Cassius added. "Parkinson, Montague and Bletchley got locked up for being death eaters after the war so there's only two of us left."
"What about the Carrow twins?"
"They ditched too, haven't heard from them for ages," he hid his hands in his coat pockets. "I'm a changed man, I realized that back in school I was a complete jerk so I changed my ways."
"If I had a knut for every time I've heard a man saying that I would be rich as hell," she scoffed.
"You're already rich though, richer than me even," he snickered and earned a little nudge from her. "I'm only teasing!"
"Why don't you come to this party with me? I'm ashamed to admit but your company is not that bad," she stopped in front of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
"Lead the way then," Casius beamed. "Fred and George Weasley?"
"Yup," she sighed and came inside the building with the tall green-eyed man following behind. "They do know how to throw a wicked party."
"Mads, you're here," Fred opened the flat's door with a wide smile which faltered as he look at who was behind her. "And you brought Warrington."
"I hope you don't mind, he was interviewing me for the opening and we just kept talking."
"No, it's fine," Fred said stiffly and opened the door further, "come in."
"I'm gonna go get drinks, what do you want?" Maddie turned to Cassius.
"Surprise me," he said and winked at her as she made her way to the drinks table.
"I bought one of the red wines you like, it's where you used to keep it when you stayed here," Fred came from behind her and she could definitely smell the fire whiskey laced with his breath.
"Thanks," Maddie mumbled and tried reaching for two wine glasses from the top drawer.
"So, Warrington?" Fred stood behind her and grabbed the glasses for her since she couldn't reach.
"It's not a date, it's nothing we literally "met" again today," Maddie muttered and poured the deep red liquid in each glass, still feeling Fred's presence like a magnet.
"Okay, I'll be around if you need anything," he said lowly when she turned around.
"Right, thanks for the wine," she took a deep breath and scurried away from him, bumping into Alicia and Lee.
"You look so fucking hot," Alicia kissed her cheek, being evidently drunk already.
"Thank you, I always do but I'll accept the compliment," Maddie joked.
"Isn't that Cassius Warrington? What is he doing here?" Lee frowned.
"He came with me, chief editor of Witch Weekly so he was interviewing me and the conversation was going well so I figured that I didn't have much to lose," Maddie said nonchalantly.
"Our slutty Maddie is back ladies and gentleman," Alicia giggled.
"Christ, tell me about it," Maddie groaned. "I can't even remember how to flirt anymore."
"Just push your tits together and that will do the trick," Lee grinned.
"Thanks for the advice Jordan."
"Anytime gorgeous," Lee winked.
"Well, wish me luck then," Maddie said to them as she walked over to sit on the couch next to Cassius, handing him the glass. "Here you go."
"Merlot from Bordeaux, it's good," he nodded after taking a sip from the glass.
"You know your wine," Maddie said lowly and looked back at him, "interesting."
Madeleine and Cassius were in deep conversation and the blonde couldn't lie. She felt intrigued by the Slytherin but from the corner of her eye, she noticed that Fred was burning holes through her back, even though Angelina was sitting on his lap as he sat in none other place than the window bench. Cassius hand was placed on Maddie's upper thigh but she didn't mind, she was enjoying his company after all, but her blood boiled when Angelina shrieked after a heated snogging session with Fred on the window bench as Everywhere began playing.
"Freddie it's our song!" Maddie heard Angelina said loudly.
"Excuse me just a second," Maddie cleared her throat and stood up to go and find Alicia and Liz.
She found Alicia who was close to making out with her brother and dragged her by the arm away from a scowling Timothée. She found Lee as well but Liz and George were nowhere to be seen. While still keeping a grip around two of her best friends' wrists and dragged them over to George's room, where the latter was passionately making out with Lizzie.
"Oi! We're kinda busy in here!" George scoffed when the other three came in.
Maddie waved her hand and the room was now impertubed, letting out a scream of both anger and frustration leaving the other four very puzzled. "Care to explain?" Lizzie asked.
"SHE'S SITTING ON MY WINDOW BENCH! THAT'S MINE! HE BUILT IT FOR ME AND SO ARE THE BOOKSHELVES IN HIS ROOM! THOSE ARE MINE TOO! HE BUILT ALL OF THAT FOR ME AND NOW SHE'S ACTING AS IF SHE OWNS THEM!"
"Mads-"
"I WAS THE ONE WHO TAUGHT HIM FLEETWOOD MAC ALICIA! THAT'S MY SONG!" Maddie shouted. "I'M GOING TO CUT HIS DICK OFF, I SWEAR TO GOD!"
"Someone's not happy!" an almost drunk Lee snorted.
"HE WAS MAKING OUT WITH HER ON MY WINDOW BENCH! WE FUCKED THERE A HUNDRED TIMES AND NOW HE'S MAKING OUT WITH HER THERE! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH HIM!"
"I've slept there," Liz winced and shuddered.
"I'm never sitting on that thing again," George revolted.
"Look, you have Warrington wrapped around your finger. You're stressed with the opening and with Teddy and with everything going on so just take him home and fuck him! You haven't fucked in a year and half Mads, get it over with and just fuck Warrington, it won't mean anything anyway so just use him for pleasure," Alicia shrugged.
"Ali is right and I know that I don't usually support this type of ideas but I heard that he had a big one and that he was a good shag so take him home and fuck him to take your mind off of things," Liz added.
"You know that I support you with whoever you want to fuck right," Lee hugged Maddie before cupping her cheeks, "but tonight, I have plans of Oliver Wood fucking me and I have to go back and keep making my moves so yeah, go and let Warrington rock your world angel eyes."
Maddie let out another furstrated scream as she ran her fingers through her hair to calm herself down. "I'm fine now, I'm gonna go fuck Cassius Warrington, who gives a fuck that he's not Fred?! He has a dick and he's hot and he knows his wine, that's enough for me and Fred can go fuck himself!" she said loudly and stormed out of the room to sit back next to the dark haired boy on the couch.
"You okay? I just got ambushed by Oliver Wood who named all of the ways in which the Gryffindor Quidditch team was better than Slytherin one," he chuckled.
"Sorry, I just needed to have a little outburst but I'm fine," she shook her head. "I'm bored already."
"Want me to take you home?" he asked.
"You don't even know where I live," she said sultrily.
"You can show me," he smirked.
"Let's go then," she bit her lowed lip and grabbed his hand.
"Hey, thanks for everything but we're leaving now," Maddie said coldly to Fred whose face was no longer glued to Angelina's.
"It's barely midnight," Fred frowned.
"Well, I have a long day tomorrow and so does Cassius, so yeah."
"Teddy staying with you tonight?" Fred demanded.
"No, he's with Andromeda," Maddie snapped. "I told you yesterday."
"Right, I forgot just be careful," Fred said through gritted teeth and glared at an uncomfortable Warrington.
"Goodbye then," Maddie fake smiled at the redhead and apparated herself and Cassius back to her flat.
"What do you wanna do then?" he spun her around and placed his hands on her hips.
"I want you to fuck me, and hard," she looked at him with lustful eyes, "if you're up to it."
"I usually buy a girl dinner first," he said lowly.
"I'm not an ordinary any girl," she pulled him down by the neck so that their lips could brush together, "and I don't do dinner because those are considered as dates and I've learned my lesson already."
"Good to know," his hot breath fanned over her lips before she aggressively connected her lips with him as he hoisted her up and wrapped her legs around him, walking them over to her bedroom.
Maddie woke up the next morning, only covered by the thin white silk sheet of her bed with an arm draped around her frame. She squinted her eyes as the early morning sun hit her face as she turned around to look at the man sleeping next to her. Deep inside she was slightly disappointed that he wasn't Fred but the light ache in her lower stomach reminded her of last nigth's events. Lizzie was right, the rumor that Cassius Warrington was a good fuck was indeed true.
She summoned her robe from the other side of the room but before she could put it on he woke up. "Morning beautiful," he said in a deep, raspy morning voice that wasn't as attracting to her as Fred's was. "What time is it?"
"Six forty five," she replied.
"Why are you up so early?"
"Because when you're raising a toddler you fall into their routine as well."
"Right, do you have anywhere to be?"
"The café at nine for another interview."
"You hurt my feelings, I thought the my interview was exclusive."
"Well, I don't do exclusive Warrington. Life is a business and you have to use all of the cards you're given," she smiled.
"Well, you still have time so what about morning sex?" he winked.
"Fine, but I'll be on top this time," she giggled as he pulled her back on the bed.
After catching both of their breaths, he got dressed and Maddie threw on her robe before making her way into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee to wake herself from her post-orgasmic state since she had a long day ahead of her. "Look Cassius, I'm gonna be honest with you," she blurted as they had coffee together after the night and morning they spent together. "You're a rebound and none of this will mean anything to me."
"I don't care, you're the best shag I've had," he shrugged.
"I'm told that quite often actually," she said proudly.
"It that a veela thing? Having such a tig-"
"I'm gonna stop you right there because I've had this conversation with someone else before," she snickered, "if you wanna keep the booty-call thing then that's fine by me, but we're not exclusive, we're nothing alright. I need you to have that very clear because I'm not in a point in my life where I can handle a relationship nor I want one."
"Don't worry Madeleine, I'm not gonna go and fall in love with you like a bloody lost puppy," he rolled his eyes.
"That's what they always say," she smirked, "never works, so just have in mind that if you start getting any remote feelings for me I'm ending it."
"Deal, I'll call you," he stood up and grabbed his coat from where it was thrown on the floor.
"Just a fair warning though, my schedule is jammed so I'll call you," she made her way to the bathroom. "You know your way out."
"See around Archambeau."
"See you around Warrington."
"One last thing," he said as she poked her head back out from the bathroom. "Weasley is an idiot for not seeing what's in front of him."
"Thank you," she smiled softly and watched him leave. If a rebound looked and acted like Cassius Warrington, she definitely wasn't mad about getting her heart broken, two could play the game Fred started.
AN: i had a dream about Bill Skarsgård so he's my fancast for Warrington now. i don't make the rules. Cissy redemption arch? we love to see it. more ✨drama✨ is on its way and i'm excited to write it😌. tpwk <3