The Slytherin Princess

Chapter 65

ᶜʰᵃᵖᵗᵉʳ ⁶⁵⁻ "ᶜᵃⁿ ᴵ ᵇᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ᴹⁱⁿⁱˢᵗᵉʳ ᵒᶠ ᴹᵃᵍⁱᶜ?"

"Well, what now?"

The question we dread is brought up as we sit peacefully at the bank of the Black Lake.

It has been a day or two since the Battle of Hogwarts. I'm not sure if the day of the battle was worse or the days after. What's worse? Seeing your loved ones die or carrying on living after.

"We start a division," I say, not taking my eyes off the water. "We work above the Ministry and control everything and everyone. We oversee the well-being of the community"

"That sounds an awful lot like what Voldemort did," Daphne points out but I keep my eyes on the water.

"No, we don't kill anyone"

"How long before we start to?" Blaise furrows his brows. "How many more have to die, Cassie?"

I scoff. "I'm doing this so that more people don't die," my voice comes out loud and stern. "Don't you lot get it? If we leave it all up to the Ministry, these things will continue to happen. If they would've taken the right actions at the right time instead of sitting in their offices being scared, I- I would still have an aunt. I would still have a father"

I can feel my voice quaver and tears pooling in my eyes. When they are noticed by everyone, I get the sympathetic looks I hate more than anything. I hated them ever since my mum died. They reminded me of things I had kept buried deep inside and so, I walk away trying my best to blink away the tears before anyone could see.

"Cassie?" Draco's voice comes from behind but I don't bother turning around. I hear him make his way to me and put his hands on my shoulder from behind. "Hey, are you alright?"

"No, I'm not." I turn around to face him, dried tears covering my face. "None of us are alright, Draco. I could've saved her- I could've done so much more"

Before I say anything else, he is wrapping me in an embrace and shushes me as he gently strokes my hair. "You did everything you could do and never think otherwise. I'm sure she's happy now. At peace"

I sniffle as I pull away slowly. "Is that what you've been telling yourself?" I ask. "About Lucius"

Draco scoffs. He begins to pace as he shakes his head. "This is no time to talk about him. He can wait-"

"Wait?" I repeat, walking closer to him. "How long are you going to wait? Draco, he's your father. You're allowed to mourn the death of your father"

He slows down when he sees me getting closer. "I know you think talking about how you feel is a burden for me," I whisper putting a hand on his cheek. "But it isn't, love. You can talk to me. That way, we can be miserable together"

Both of us let out a quiet laugh. I close my eyes and bring my forehead closer to his. He affectionately puts his hand over mine as he touches his forehead with mine.

We don't always need to be strong if someone important to us is unhappy. Sometimes, showing how you are vulnerable can help. Sometimes, knowing we aren't suffering by ourselves is enough to help us heal.

We have been blessed with the ability to communicate with other humans. We have different languages and dialects through which we can convey our feelings to each other. Why should we waste this gift by not speaking up about how we feel? There are very few times when communication isn't advantageous for everyone involved.

"That reminds me," Draco spoke and hurriedly began digging in his pockets. He smiles and hands me a tiny velvet box. I open it and cannot help but gasp.

It was a ring just like my mum's. Except my ring had crystal-coloured diamonds and not peacock green-coloured diamonds.

I was about to put it on when Draco pulls it out of my grasp. I furrow my brows but then I see him getting down on one knee. I can't help but laugh as the stubborn blond slips the ring on my finger.

"I didn't want it to be the exact same as your mum's," he says as I admire how beautiful the ring looks on my finger.

"What reminded you of giving me the ring?" I laugh. He shook his head but I continued to talk. "Yeah, you said that reminds me. What reminded you, Malfoy?"

"Whoa, now," he looks me directly in the eyes. "Soon you'll be a Malfoy, too. Don't want to go on with that nickname"

"Oh! So, you want a nickname," I smile and he begins to object loudly.

"That's not what I meant-"

"Could've just told me directly"

Our little squabble is interrupted when we hear our friends' voices from behind us.

Theo is the first one to speak. "So, we thought about it," he looks at everyone around. "And we like your plan. It makes sense"

"Obviously," I mumble making everyone chuckle.

"Besides," Blaise says walking up to me and putting one hand around me and the other around Draco. "It'll be fun to watch the Ministry dance to our tunes"

"Just like we did Umbridge," Pansy points out and we agree.

"Yep," Theo says popping the p. "What we say goes and we don't even face any of the retaliation. It's a win-win"

We know we had to start working on it quickly while the Ministry was still reforming. We have to start recruiting people we trust in our division. We also needed rules and regulations for the division. Rules, regulations and a name.

"So," Blaise says as we walk away. "Can I be the Minister of Magic?"

"No!" Everyone yells in unison.

"Why not?"