Mischief Managed

Chapter 7

Slowly and gently, Ben carted a hairbrush through Cassie's short hair as she sat in between his legs on the couch in the common room. She had just come back from taking a bath and submerging herself and the egg underwater to figure out her next task. 

Between this tournament and classes, Cassie was physically and mentally exhausted. Her arm was healed and her stitches were out, but just on time for the next task. It's tomorrow. And she doesn't know how in the hell she's going to be underwater in the black lake for an hour. 

"Hey, you're going to figure this out," Ben told her, as he continued to brush her hair. "I'm going to be there cheering you on no matter what. Okay?" She turned around to face him and he helped her so she was straddling his lap. 

She put her face in his neck and deeply sighed. "I'm so tired, Ben," she whined. He put his hand on her head and put his lips to her ear. "Go to sleep, baby, I'll be right here," he whispered. He didn't move a muscle as he felt her body start to immediately relax against his.

Her breaths were coming out long and slow and soon, he could tell she was asleep. He pressed a small kiss to her head and ran his hand down the length of her back. He knew she needed this more than anything and he would be damned if anything would disturb this.

"Cassie!" A familiar voice called. Ben snapped his head over and saw Neville and Harry running into the common room. Ben harshly shushed them, but Cassie jolted awake and looked over at them with tired eyes. She rubbed them and grumbled, "What?"

Neville held up his Herbology book and said, "I know how to make you and Harry breath underwater!" Cassie excitedly stood up from Ben's lap and went over to him. "Really?" She asked with a smile. "That's great! How--."

"Mr. Cumberbatch," Professor McGonagall suddenly said from the entrance of the room. Ben looked at her curiously, as she said, "I need you to come with me." He looked over to Cassie, but she shrugged. She had no idea what this was about.

Nevertheless, Ben gave her a kiss, then walked over to McGonagall and followed her out. "What do you think that was all about?" Cassie asked. Harry told her, "No idea, but we should probably get some sleep. We've got a long day ahead of us."

**

Cassie never totally had a problem with Neville. He was sweet, means well, but sometimes he can make things....complicated. Worse than they already are. And that's what he was doing with her and Harry at the moment. 

They were both incredibly tense and looking around for their friends, but couldn't see any of them. Cassie eventually saw Matin, Tom and Amanda and asked if they had seen Ben. They said they hadn't seen him all morning and that he didn't even come back to the common room last night. 

That made Cassie very uneasy. She needed him now more than ever and he's gotten himself lost! She let out a strangled sigh and did her damn best not to just cry. She needed him. 

Harry comforted her when they were on the boats and on their way to the tournament. "He's just running late," he tried to tell her. "Just like Ron and Hermione are. It's a silly coincidence, that's all."  But was it? Wasn't it odd that the three people they needed most hadn't showed up yet?

Cassie tried to put it in the back of her mind once they were standing on wooden, creaky scaffolding in the middle of the lake. Dumbledore did some announcements, then declared the tournament begin. 

Harry and Cassie ate the Gilly Weed, but then started reacting oddly to it. Harry was the first to fall unceremoniously into the water and Cassie followed right after. She felt a sharp pain in her neck and fingers and feet as she went lower and lower into the darkness of the lake.