Cassia's POV

About a week later, Harry and I took a walk around the grounds. And we just so happened to run into Professor Lupin. Turns out, he'd gone for a walk himself. So now we were accompanying him. "I'm sorry about your broomstick. Is there no chance of fixing it?" he questioned.

I snorted. "Not unless we want a repeat of what happened when Ron's wand broke." Lupin looked at me with confusion in his eyes at my statement. "It's a long story. I'll spare you the details," I said. He didn't need to hear about how we 'stole' Mr. Weasley's car because we couldn't get through the barrier to board the Hogwarts Express.

"Professor, why do the Dementors affect my sister and I so? More than anyone else, I mean?" Harry asked after several long moments of silence between us.

Lupin paused in his walking and made eye contact with us. "Listen, Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around you. If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself...soulless and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. The Dementors affect you two more than others because you have true horrors in your past, horrors your classmates can scarcely imagine," he informed us, "You are not weak. Neither of you are. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

"We're scared, Professor," Harry admitted, to which I nodded in agreement.

Lupin chuckled half-heartedly. "Well, I'd consider you fools if you weren't," he said.

"We need to know how to fight them. You can teach us," Harry suggested.

Our DADA professor gave a small sigh. "Well, given that the Dementors seem to have developed a particular interest in the two of you, perhaps I should. But after the holidays. For now, I have to rest," he finally conceded.

I was grateful for this, but there was still this urge to know why I had a sudden headache during the match, right before Harry had fallen off his broom. And I guess I was hoping Lupin would give me an answer.

"Is something wrong, Cassia?" Lupin asked, gaining my attention.

I turned my head slightly to meet his gaze, his caramel-colored eyes meeting my green ones. "No, nothing's wrong. It's just...during the Quidditch match last week, right before the Dementors attacked Harry, I...it felt like my head was pounding. And then, when Dumbledore used that spell to stop Harry from falling, the headache just...disappeared," I explained.

"Interesting..." Lupin mused.

"Do you think you could tell me why that happened?" I asked. I couldn't help fiddling with my hands. The suspense was killing me! I had to have answers.

Lupin only chuckled at me and replied with, "In due time, my dear Cassia." Oh, come ON! I groaned in my head.

<><><><><>

Today was the day of another Hogsmeade weekend. I still felt bad for Harry because he couldn't go, so I decided to stay behind with him again. But this time, he seemed adamant on staying alone.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" I asked him for what was probably the twelfth time.

Harry sighed with slight annoyance. "Yes, baby sis," he answered.

"I just don't want you to be lonely. I feel bad leaving you by yourself," I told him.

He put his hands on my shoulders. "Cassi, I don't want you to worry about me. I'll be just fine. I have Hedwig, Ginny, Cricket, and Ron's twin brothers to keep me company," he assured me, "You go have fun at Hogsmeade. Okay?"

I nodded. "Alright." I gave him a huge hug before running to catch up with Ron and Hermione, and the rest of the students who were going to Hogsmeade. This was the last trip before the Christmas holidays, so obviously, this was a big deal. As we made our way to the carriages, someone tapped me on the shoulder, scaring me half to death. I turned around, pointing my wand at the person -- ready to hex them for sneaking up on me and trying to jump-scare me -- only to see Cedric Diggory grinning at me and waving hello.

"Cedric, what are you trying to do, give me a heart attack?!" I snapped, clutching my heart as I tried to regain my composure.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "Didn't mean to scare you."

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it." And then I did what any girl excited to talk to their friend again would do. I practically tackled him into a hug. He stumbled back a little bit, but he didn't fall. Thank goodness! "So what's up? Besides this being a Hogsmeade weekend, I mean?" I asked once we'd pulled away.

"Schoolwork, preparing for O.W.Ls...that kind of thing," Cedric replied.

I nodded. "That's understandable..."

"I was wondering...since we didn't get a chance to walk around Hogsmeade together last time, maybe we could do it today," Cedric offered.

Excitement bubbled up inside me, and I had to fight it to avoid screaming 'yes' at the top of my lungs. "Yeah. Sure, that'd be great," I agreed.

The two of us linked arms as we walked to the carriages. When we found a vacant one, Cedric helped me in, like a gentleman.

"Thank you," I said in a ladylike voice.

Cedric bowed jokingly and replied with, "My pleasure, m'lady." That made us both crack up laughing. Before long, I could feel a blush forming on my cheeks. I've secretly began developing a little crush on Cedric over the past few months. I don't know what it is about him that intrigues me so much, but whatever it is, it's making me gravitate towards him.

<><><><><>

"Think you're gonna like these," Cedric told me, holding up a bunch of candies that looked like witch hats and a box of Exploding Bon-Bons.

"You think so, huh?" I playfully challenged. Although, truth be told, I'd never tried either of these Honeydukes candies. In fact, I'd never even seen these before, not even on the candy trolley on the Hogwarts Express. Well, the witch hats are probably new, so that could partially explain it. But I have heard of Exploding Bon-Bons before, I just never got an opportunity to try them.

Cedric made his purchase, and I also made mine- a pack of Sugar Quills, 2 Chocolate Frogs, and a bag of Every Flavor Beans. Then we sat down on a bench outside. It was freezing cold, but we were having too much fun together to care. He reached into one of our Honeydukes bags and pulled out a witch-hat candy, handing it to me. I tentatively took it and gave it a bite. It tasted like chocolate, caramel, and crystallized pineapple all rolled into one.

"So how is it?" Cedric asked.

"Pretty good," I answered, "Thank you, by the way."

He looked quizzically at me. "What for?"

"Just in general. For this hangout date. For...believing Harry and I when everyone thought we were behind those attacks last year. And most of all, for being my friend," I replied. I have no idea what came over me -- maybe it was my crush on him, or...who knows? -- but I went for it and kissed him on the cheek.

Immediately, a grin formed on his face and I could see him starting to blush. "You're welcome?" he said, sounding a little bit embarrassed. Oops...I think I might have overdone it.

Cedric's POV

"Just in general. For this hangout date. For...believing Harry and I when everyone thought we were behind those attacks last year. And most of all, for being my friend," Cassia thanked me. Out of nowhere, she leaned forward and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

I felt myself starting to blush. "You're welcome?" I answered. Merlin, I sounded stupid. Get it together, Cedric! Just because you're crushing on her doesn't mean you have to sound like an idiot!

Yeah, I'm starting to like Cassia. Everything about her attracts me to her. For one thing, she's very pretty, with that raven hair contrasting against her porcelain skin, and those green eyes that always make me feel like I'm looking at a pair of emeralds. She has a sweet and friendly disposition, always thinking of others and putting their needs before her own. Not to mention her great sense of humor, as well as her sarcastic streak. Both of these characteristics make her a very lively person. But what I love most about her is her undying loyalty- she was willing to give her life for her brother or her friends if any of them were in danger. All in all, Cassia Helena Potter is the most amazing person I have ever met, and I hope that, one day, our friendship can blossom into something more.