Chapter 748 - 293: Will You Be My Girlfriend, Cassandra? (Part 2)
Chapter 748: Chapter 293: Will You Be My Girlfriend, Cassandra? (Part 2)
Of course Harry understood Lucius’s misgivings; he wasn’t all alone in the world—he had a wife and child behind him.
If not for others, he still had to think of his family, right?
That’s the so‑called "the Malfoy Clan, family above all"; that’s what it really means.
Back then, no matter how angry Mr. Septimus was, he never yelled for Cassandra’s blood or tried to hunt down Merlin’s Secret Treasure.
Otherwise, Cassandra’s whereabouts would’ve been dug out by Mr. Septimus ages ago—one really shouldn’t underestimate the reach of the former Minister of Darkness.
"There are, of course, some things," Lucius said in a low voice. "But this isn’t the place to talk. I think we can wait until after the feast; we’ll find somewhere quiet, and I’ll report the matter to you in private."
Lucius was making himself very small; he didn’t put on any senior airs just because Harry looked young.
That’s the Malfoy Clan for you: apart from family above all, their posture is incredibly flexible. As long as it benefits the family and themselves, they don’t mind setting their pride aside in the least.
What’s more, Harry was a Legendary Wizard from a hundred years ago, the man who had defeated Voldemort several times over, wiped out the Fire Ash Snake Faction, and crushed the fairies’ rebellion.
Bending his back to someone like that didn’t cost him any dignity at all.
The most important reason still lay with Cassandra; if you rounded it up a little, Harry could practically be considered an elder of the Malfoy Clan.
Showing respect to one’s elder—there’s really nothing wrong with that.
"Of course, Lucius." Harry sounded very friendly. "Let’s make it tomorrow night then. I’ll talk to Vivi about this; you, me, and Dumbledore will sit down and go over things carefully together."
"All right, Mr. Potter," Lucius said in delight. Then he hesitated and added, "And... may I bring Cassandra along? You know, she is my great‑aunt. Strictly speaking, the Malfoy Clan should have her voice in this as well."
"Of course." Harry had been fretting over how to bring Cassandra along; Lucius had just handed him the perfect excuse. Really, talk about a pillow delivered right when you’re getting drowsy.
"Good." Lucius spoke happily. "Tomorrow, then. I look forward to seeing you again."
After their talk, Lucius returned to the Slytherin table thoroughly satisfied.
Cassandra, however, did not go back with Lucius; instead, she took a seat at Harry’s side.
Draco had originally wanted to crowd over as well and join the fun, but was ruthlessly suppressed by Narcissa and Lucius together.
Excuse me, that’s intimate conversation between your great‑aunt and your great‑uncle. What’s a little brat like you butting in for?
Clearly you’ve eaten too many red beans—you’re taking every Magic lamp you see for your own!
"Congratulations," Cassandra said lightly after sitting down. "Looks like you didn’t completely disappoint me, Potter..."
"Still calling me Potter?" Harry squinted at her with a smile.
"Heh." Cassandra’s lips quirked. "Harry, are you satisfied now? I know you’ve been dying to hear me call you by your name, so I’ll grant your wish—think of it as a reward from me, if you like."
Harry thought, you really are saying one thing and meaning another. Using this chance to give yourself a step down too, you really are...
...one crafty little fox!
"Mm, that’s exactly what I wanted." Harry nodded solemnly. He’d more or less worked out the strategy for dealing with Cassandra; when it came to tsundere weirdos like her, he now had the whole playbook memorized.
"So," Cassandra went on, "what did that useless great‑grandnephew of mine tell you? You can pick out the parts I’m allowed to know and tell me those."
"Nothing much, just that he has some things he wants to report to me privately," Harry told her. "I set up a meeting with him tomorrow—with Dumbledore there, Vivi too, and you as well. The few of us will talk it over together. What do you think?"
"That Grindelwald woman will be there too?" Cassandra’s eyes narrowed.
"Ah, Vivi definitely has to be there," Harry said, scratching his cheek. "She’s the Minister of Magic of Great Germany; of course we should make use of the political power in her hands. That’s what Mr. Septimus taught me, don’t you think?"
"Hmph." Cassandra seemed very satisfied with that answer, because Harry hadn’t started from any other angle, but purely from "politics"—an entirely businesslike stance.
Seeing Cassandra pleased, Harry pushed his luck: "So, Kathy... I’d like more rewards."
"What do you want?" Cassandra asked with a small smile.
"What do you think?" Harry casually reached for Cassandra’s small hand.
Over at the other table, Mrs. Weasley promptly covered Ginny’s eyes with one hand.
Children shouldn’t be watching this sort of thing. Ginny was only in third year this year; she couldn’t be led astray by the big kids’ world.
Harry... well, Harry was different. For a child as excellent as Harry, dating in fourth year didn’t really count as early love. Besides... the Potter family’s situation was what it was; he really ought to start dating early, lest they end up like the Grindelwald Clan—with the line cut off.
Yes, the Grindelwald Clan’s extinction seemed to be common knowledge by now.
"Heh, shameless Harry."
Cassandra said that with her mouth, but she didn’t pull her hand back, letting Harry rub and stroke it as he pleased.
Cassandra’s little hand was very soft, her wrist round and smooth, and her skin extremely delicate.
The more Harry touched, the less he felt like letting go. How had he never noticed before that Cassandra was such a treasure of a girl?
"So you really like hands," Cassandra said, still staring straight ahead at the patterns on the plate before her, as if deeply interested in them. "In that case... should I understand that you have certain... preferences?"
Harry almost spewed the pumpkin juice he’d just drunk all over her face.
Excuse me, I’m just holding your hand—how did that turn into some kind of special kink?
Come on, spell it out—what exactly did you mean by that just now?
"I’m only holding your hand..." Harry sighed helplessly. "It’s not like I’m touching anywhere else. And besides, holding hands between boyfriend and girlfriend is perfectly normal, isn’t it?"
"Boyfriend and girlfriend?" Cassandra’s lips curved. "I don’t recall becoming your girlfriend at any point, Harry..."
"You don’t?" Harry raised his eyebrows, then suddenly leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "What about now? Are you willing to be my girlfriend?"
Cassandra hadn’t expected Harry to launch such a sudden sneak attack. Sure, they’d already done everything that needed doing when two people were together, but Harry had never actually asked that question before.
Women all care deeply about a sense of ceremony. Even Cassandra was no exception.
"Heh." Cassandra’s mouth tugged downward. "What do you think, Harry? Do you think I’d be willing to be your girlfriend?"
"Of course you would," Harry said cheerfully. "Otherwise, why haven’t you pushed my hand away yet?"
Because when he’d leaned in, Harry’s hand had already landed on Cassandra’s thigh.
Cassandra was wearing a dress today, with a very long hem. He couldn’t get his hand underneath, but even touching through the fabric actually felt pretty nice.
As a lady out of the nineteenth century, Cassandra didn’t care for revealing clothes; she preferred very prim ones, like insisting skirts had to go past the knees.
That caused Harry a bit of trouble—and not just Cassandra; Vivi and Pabi were the same. None of them liked short skirts much.
Harry, on the other hand... really liked that bit of pale, smooth thigh showing between skirt and knee‑socks. He had no idea if there was some official term for it; he just liked it, that’s all.