Cassiopeia was sitting in the living room in front of the fireplace. Narcissa was beside her, lazily playing with her hair while reading a rather obscene romance novel. They were her favorites. Occasionally, she would offer a piece of chocolate to Cassiopeia.

It had become quite a routine for them to spend afternoons in the library, reading quietly while enjoying each other's company.

Draco was sitting closer to the fireplace, his face buried in a book about dark artifacts. He had developed a special taste for collecting such artifacts, but at that moment, he seemed to be searching for something specific.

The silence was interrupted when Kreacher and Winky appeared at the same time, each holding a letter. Narcissa sat up straight in her chair. "Is that...?" she asked curiously, with a smile on her face.

"The exam results," Cassiopeia confirmed, seeing the Hogwarts crest on the envelope.

"Thank you, Kreacher, Winky," Narcissa smiled at the house-elves.

Draco's hands were trembling so much that he almost dropped his own letter. Cassi unfolded the parchment inside.

ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS

Passing Grades:

Outstanding (O)
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Acceptable (A)

Failing Grades:

Poor (P)
Dreadful (D)
Troll (T)

RESULTS ACHIEVED BY CASSIOPEIA GAUNT

Ancient Runes: (O)
Arithmancy: (O)
Astronomy: (O)
Care of Magical Creatures: (O)
Charms: (O)
Defence Against the Dark Arts: (O)
Divination: (O)

Cassiopeia read the parchment several times, starting to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Well?" asked Narcissa calmly, leaning her head on her shoulder from behind to see the parchment.

Cassi glanced to see her reaction, and the woman's jaw was so dropped that she could have caught a Golden Snitch in her mouth. She also nearly spilled her tea from her cup.

"Close your mouth, love" Cassi teased with a chuckle, and she seemed to snap out of her daze.

"May I?" she asked, reaching out to take a closer look at the parchment.

She read and reread the parchment numerous times. Then she lowered it onto her lap, in shock.

"You're brilliant," she gasped with a wide smile. "By Salazar's snakes!" She tangled her hands in Cassiopeia's hair and tilted her head back, giving her full access to her mouth. Cassi moaned at the touch of her tongue. She tasted like cherry tea and chocolate. One of her hands trailed to Cassiopeia's neck, encouraging her to come closer.

"Urghhh!" Draco groaned in disgust. "Get a room!" he shouted, absolutely horrified.

"Actually, that's a great idea, sweetheart" Narcissa teased against Cassiopeia's neck, making her laugh. "And what about your Dragon?" she asked cheerfully, reaching out to take Draco's parchment.

He smiled as he handed it over. Narcissa looked critically at the results and beamed with pride. "Well done, Draco!" she praised. "I'm proud of you, my dear," she said, walking over to her son to give him a hug. That seemed to cheer him up.

Cassi stretched to see her friend's grades.

Care of Magical Creatures: (A)
Charms: (E)
Defence Against the Dark Arts: (O)
Herbology: (E)
Potions: (O)
Transfiguration: (E)

"Draco!" Cassi exclaimed, very proud. "You passed all the ones you really wanted." She smiled widely. He looked embarrassed now, with flushed cheeks.

(...)

They received the Hogwarts supply list and had some shopping to do. Draco also needed to look for some dark artifacts in Knockturn Alley.

He seemed to know exactly what to look for, but he didn't want to say, not wanting to worry either of them. He was very distressed. In front of Narcissa, he put on a brave face, but when he was alone with Cassie, he cried in desperation. Draco was terrified, not wanting to do any of this, just wanting to be a normal teenager. But now he would have to risk everything, or else his family would be in danger.

Diagon Alley had changed. The colorful and bright displays in the shop windows, showcasing spell books, ingredients, and cauldrons for potions, were hidden behind large posters from the Ministry of Magic. Most of them, dark and purple, were an enlarged version of the safety leaflets that had been distributed by the Ministry during the summer, but others contained moving black-and-white photos of known fugitive Death Eaters. Bellatrix smirked disdainfully on the front of the nearest apothecary. Some shop windows were boarded up, including Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. In contrast, several shabby-looking stalls had appeared along the street.

The closest one, set up at the entrance of Flourish and Blotts under a stained striped awning, displayed a cardboard sign:

Amulets: Against Werewolves, Dementors, and Inferi.

A small, shifty-looking wizard was shaking handfuls of silver-symbolized chains at passersby. "One for your little girl, madam?" he offered to Narcissa as they passed, and she almost had an aneurysm.

Draco was laughing stupidly at the man's mistake, and Cassiopeia was biting her lower lip to hold back her laughter. "Technically... I am indeed your little girl," she whispered mischievously in Narcissa's ear, and the woman dug her nails into her arm, controlling the urge to kiss her in public.

"These streets are disgusting," Narcissa wrinkled her nose as they walked.

The place really had a strange foul smell, but it was adorable to see Narcissa wrinkling her nose at every moment.

They first went in search of new uniforms at Madame Malkin's shop. Draco's were a catastrophe and Cassiopeia's... well, perhaps Narcissa might have torn one or two during some activities.

As they entered the shop, Narcissa grabbed Cassiopeia's waist, still bitter about her last encounter with Madame Malkin and the ball gowns. Cassi just smiled at the older woman's obvious jealousy, pointing out some dresses.

Cassi tried on numerous robes, but Madame Malkin made a stunning dark emerald green one that fit in all the right places.

"I think..." said the woman thoughtfully as she adjusted the tightness around her bosom to accentuate it more. "Now, that's it. Such lovely assets... It would be a crime not to flaunt them," she said with a gentle smile.

Narcissa scoffed, giving the woman a cold and furious look. Draco needed long sleeves to hide the Dark Mark on his arm. He was doing his best to keep her from revealing the mark while adjusting his clothing.

"I'm not a child, in case you haven't noticed, mother. I'm perfectly capable of shopping for myself," Draco huffed petulantly when Narcissa commented on adjusting his trousers.

"I don't think so..." Cassi teased, with a mischievous smile. "This morning you spilled milk all over your clothes."

Narcissa chuckled.

"Because you were making me laugh!" Draco retorted, but he was smiling.

"Besides, it's dangerous, full of... I can't allow you to wander around on your own," Narcissa commented softly.

"Well, darling, your mother is right. No one should be wandering around alone. It's not a matter of being a child or not," Malkin spoke gently.

He walked to the mirror and studied the effect of the dark green robe set. Cassi was in her own set, while Narcissa critically evaluated, with a hungry look on her face.

She sighed. With that look, there goes another one of her clothes.

"If you wanted to know the reason for the foul smell, mother, Potter just walked in," Draco taunted, looking at a fixed point in the mirror.

"I think there's no need to talk like that!" Madame Malkin said, quickly coming out from behind the rack, holding a measuring tape and a wand.

"And I don't want anyone waving wands in my shop!" she hastened to add because, looking towards the door, she saw Harry standing there with his wand pointed at Draco.

Hermione, who was a little behind, whispered for them to calm down.

"Who gave you the black eye, Granger? I want to send them flowers," Draco taunted.

"That's enough, Draco," Cassi requested coldly.

Narcissa rested her head on Cassiopeia's shoulder to get a better view, then wrinkled her nose.

"And as if you would dare to use magic outside of school," Draco mocked.

"Lady Malfoy, please..." Madame Malkin pleaded, practically begging her to interrupt the argument.

Wrong move.

"Keep that up," Narcissa said coldly to Harry and Ron. "If you attack my son again, I'll make sure it's the last thing you do in your life."

"Really?" Harry retorted, taking a step forward. "Sending some Death Eater buddies to kill us, huh?"

"Enough!" Cassi growled, and Harry stared her up and down.

"Are you with them, Cassie?!" Harry accused, feeling betrayed, taking a step back with a disgusted expression.

Madame Malkin let out a gasp and placed a hand over her heart. "Honestly, you shouldn't make accusations... say such dangerous things..."

"Put away the wands, please!" Cassi kindly requested, but Harry didn't lower his wand.

Narcissa Malfoy gave a smug smile. "I see that being Dumbledore's favorite has given you a false sense of security, Harry. But Dumbledore won't always be here to protect you," she taunted, wrinkling her nose.

Oh no, Cissa...

Harry ran his eyes all over the shop with a mocking air. "Wow... who would've thought... he's not here now! So why not give it a try? Maybe they'll get you a couple's cell in Azkaban to keep the loser of your husband company!"

"Enough, Harry Potter!" Cassi roared, raising her own wand at her friend. "Your attitude has reached its limit," she roared, and asked Draco to put away his damn wand as well.

"Alright, love... I foresee Potter will join dear Sirius before I go to Azkaban," Narcissa teased, sneering, and Cassi stopped, staring at her, unsure whether to be angry at the remark or not.

Narcissa placated her with a kiss on the temple and an apology. She had a terrible tendency to be mocking and incredibly cynical, but she realized her mistake.

Meanwhile, Harry decided to get angry and pointed his wand at her, which made Cassiopeia step in front of him and push the wand into his face.

"Think carefully, Harry. Don't make me blow your empty head up," she growled, frightened by her own anger.

Harry stepped back, looking at her with hurt.

No...

Madame Malkin fidgeted for a moment without leaving her place, but decided to act as if nothing was happening, hoping that nothing would indeed happen. She bent down to Draco, who was still staring hatefully at Harry.

"I think this left sleeve should be a little shorter, darling, let me..."

"Ouch!" Draco shouted, slapping her hand away.

"Watch where you stick the pins, woman! Mother... I think I don't want these robes anymore..." He pulled the robes over his head and threw them on the floor at Madame Malkin's feet.

Cassiopeia rolled her eyes and grabbed her bag, also removing the robes, but more carefully, not realizing that her dress had ridden up in the process.

"You're right, Draco," Narcissa said, looking at Hermione with disdain. "Now I know the kind of riffraff who shops here... we'd better shop at Twilfitt and Tatting's."

She gave Madame Malkin a nasty look. "Honestly, I should have gone there in the first place. It would have saved me a lot of headache," she said with a twist of her nose.

"Frankly..." Cassi sighed, exasperated. "I'll take mine, Madame Malkin... Could you pack it up, please?" she asked politely, adjusting her dress and handing the gold galleons to the woman.

Narcissa stood in front of her, giving Hermione a deadly glare as she tugged on the dress hem a little more roughly than necessary to help.

Oh, was Narcissa jealous? Of Hermione?

Cassiopeia rolled her eyes so hard they could have fallen out of her skull.

Both Malfoys stood waiting with crossed arms as Madame Malkin returned.

"Thank you, dear, and I'm sorry for..." She gestured between all of them with her arms.

"It's alright..." Cassi forced a smile as they left.

Narcissa intertwined her fingers, casting a disgusted look at their friends. Cassi mumbled an apology to Hermione as they exited.

They passed by Hagrid on their way out, and Narcissa greeted him briefly. She only had time to wave at the giant before being dragged down the street.

"Honestly, love. You call that kind of people your friends?" she questioned, looking displeased.

Draco kicked small stones, looking very annoyed.

"They are, Narcissa," Cassi said patiently. "They're just very frustrated with recent events."

She scoffed. "And that brat... Granger! Looking at your legs... That-"

"Narcissa, by Merlin's beard," Cassi huffed exasperatedly.

They walked in silence to Flourish and Blotts to get the necessary books. By the time they finished with the list, it was already dark.

Narcissa held them closer to her protectively as they made their way to Knockturn Alley. Narcissa kept looking around, checking if they were being observed.

Then they arrived at Borgin & Burkes, and she sighed.

"Draco..." she called his attention. "I'm so sorry you have to go through all of this. I'm sorry I can't stop it," she said gently.

He nodded, shaking his head to dispel the tears. Narcissa kissed his cheeks and held Cassiopeia's hand as they descended the alley to enter the shop.

"You two wait here near the door while I talk. Alright?" he asked anxiously.

"Are you sure, Draco?" Cassi asked gently.

Narcissa wanted to protest, but she felt Cassiopeia's hands giving her a soft squeeze and just nodded.

Whilst Draco was busy with his own tasks, Cassi and Narcissa remained looking around the shop, examining some objects with curiosity.

"I quite like this," said Cassi, pointing to a silver ring with a beautiful sapphire. She carefully checked if there were any curses or unwanted spells before putting it on Narcissa's finger.

The woman smiled and gave an elegant curtsy before accepting the ring. "Do you accept?" Cassi asked, with a mischievous smile.

"Yes!" replied Narcissa with a soft laugh.

Cassi took hold of Narcissa's hand and brought it to her lips, giving her a chaste kiss. The woman smiled broadly, extending her finger to admire the ring.

Then, Narcissa leaned in until she could whisper in her ear. "One day,soon. I'll give you a proper ring. I'll court you as it should be done! And then, I'll be able to proudly say out loud that you are mine" she smiled devilishly, giving a lingering kiss on the corner of her mouth, making her shiver with the promise.