Laying Down the Lines ((Cass))

[Kennedy Valak S6]

With his books in one hand, Kennedy lifted the other and looked at his watch. Fifteen minutes until he would be late for Herbology, and he frankly didn't feel like making a spectacle of himself. Unfortunately, he had to make his way clear to the greenhouses, which meant if he was able to catch Cass, their conversation would have to be quick. He stood, waiting at the door of the classroom he knew she should be coming out of and watched as the other students in his year passed. He gave some of the sarcastic smiles, most of them looking at him with different facial expressions than normal. They had obviously heard about his and Fiona's recent mend in their relationship. It was funny to see how many people seemed to have discovered it already when it was only a few days prior.

Finally, the familiar smiling face of Cassandra Blackfire appeared through the doorway, and Kennedy quickly side stepped such that she would have to stop in front of him. Luckily, Liam was not with her, and he was glad of this. "Hey Cass," he said with a smile of indifference. Before, they had had such awkward interactions with one another, and at least from Kennedy's end he couldn't decide whether he hated her or actually liked her. Now though, he was pretty confident in is feelings, and he knew that there was just one thing that he needed to make clear for Cass such that he could continue to move on with Fiona and try to put the past behind them as much as possible.

"Have you heard?" he asked, giving Cass a moment to reveal if she had been informed or not of he and Fiona's current status. "Well..." he began, figuring that he would tell her anyways. "... Fiona and I have reconciled, and we're finally happy. I just wanted to let you know and say that these past months have all been rather ridiculous and that I'd prefer if we didn't have to interact ever again. You can go on being happy with Liam and I am more than happy with Fiona." Kennedy was being somewhat kind about it for reasons he really couldn't explain, but deep down he knew that he was serious in what he was asking of Cass. "I don't want any more of this involvement with the book, or the Chosen, or your cousin, or anything Blackfire for that matter. Just stay out of our lives, let us be happy, ok?" It may have sounded like a request, but Kennedy was prepared to make it quite clear that it was a demand if for some reason Cass wasn't thrilled with the idea. "Heck, I even wish you the best of luck with whatever it is you were trying to accomplish, saving your family, or whatever, but this is me taking the steps to save the person I love. Fiona and I are meant for each other and we will be together."

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

The plant burped and sighed ruefully at Cassandra as she stood over it with the rusted pruning shears she now held in her hand. The awful and rude smiled at her like it had its own mind and emotions like any student at Hogwarts. However, these types of things were beyond the plants realm, and unlike Cass, it didn't have to deal with these types of things. It seemed like her relationship with Liam was becoming more and more strained as the weeks of school passed. They hardly saw each other anymore. In fact, the night before, Cass had passed Liam in the hallway. Liam had merely grabbed her hand and squeezed it. He didn't need to utter a word with sideways glance he had given her. They were growing more and more distant everyday. She hardly knew him anymore.

Class ended. The Gryffindor closed her book along with the rest of the class. Cass was known to have a 'deadly thumb' among the other sixth years at Hogwarts. She usually eked out well enough marks in Herbology, but Professor Sprout was constantly having to resurrect the victims of Cassandra's ministrations. Head hung low, Cass left the classroom with the rest of the students. One of her fellow Gryffindor's soon came up to the Quidditch Team captain, and said, "I know you will take down Slytherin in the upcoming game! Your cousin is a bit of a softy!" Cass smiled and giggle at the remark.

"I guess you could say he is a bit of a softy. He couldn't catch a -oh!" She skidded to a halt in front of Kennedy Valek. Confused, she could only stare at the Slytherin as he told her that he and his forlorn love, Fiona, were back together. So caught off guard, Cass could only stare blankly at him. Most of the students, seeing that this was going to be awkward, gave the two a wide berth. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw several older Slytherin girls perk their ears to attention. Of course, they wanted to see and hear this first hand. "Um, Kennedy, I don't this is really the time or place for this. We kind of have an audience." Cass meekly leaned into Kennedy and whispered pleadingly. "Please, Kennedy, not here. Will you spare me the embarrasment? My love life has been front page news for a while now. Lets go behind the greenhouses. At least that way, we can have some privacy."

[Kennedy Valak S6]

Cass was rightfully caught of guard, but that didn't stop Kennedy from simply laying it out as it was. As he spoke, he noticed that many of the students were stopping or at least slowing so that they might be able to hear what Kennedy was saying. This caused Cass to lean toward him and whisper a quite plea that they might take the conversation to a more private location. At that point though, Kennedy wasn't really caring about embarrassment or privacy. "Oh, and so that way there can be more rumors started?" he deadpanned. "It wasn't just your love life that was put out for everyone to ridicule," he added with a tone of anger. "If you don't remember, the whole plan to get the book ruined my relationship as well.

Fighting the urge to just stand there in front of everyone and yell at Cass like he wanted to, Kennedy stormed past the greenhouse, sure that she would follow if she really wanted to get to where everyone couldn't watch them and make their conversation public knowledge. "Here," he said, turning to face Cass. "Here is your privacy. Now just promise me that you will stay the hell out of my life and Fiona's life. I don't want to hear any more about that bloody book, and I don't even care about the Chosen any more. Your problems with Pyro are your own now. I've found my happiness once again and you are not going to ruin it for me."

Kennedy stood and watched Cass, wondering what she would do. He knew he sounded harsh, but he needed to be harsh. Cass was the type that was always too kind to everyone. If he wasn't brutal enough, she might not take him seriously, he thought. "I've made my mistakes in the past, but I'm not making any more. If anything puts my relationship with Fiona in danger, I will fight it. Let that be your warning Cass. Anything that was ever between us is over. Am I clear?"