musical mood: somebody's watching me - rockwell

The next time Cass saw Barty, she was in her room at Grim Old place, sitting on the ground and finishing off the potion she'd been making for the twins.

"What are you making?" He asked, sitting next to her, and she jumped up in alarm, knocking over the cauldron and spilling the potion all over the floor.

"Fuck! Shit!" She whipped out her wand and vanished the mess before it could burn a hole in the carpet. Great, now she had to start all over.

"You should watch your language."

"Fuck off."

"I'm afraid I can't."

She sighed, turning to look at him, a proper look this time. He was still completely emaciated, his bones sticking out awkwardly and his hair as greasy as Snape's. He wore the same robes that he had in the forest nearly a year ago.

"Are you real? Or am I just imagining you?"

"Why can't it be both?" He smirked at her, sending a shiver down her spine.

"Who are you talking to?" The door swung open without any warning, and in walked George. Cass jumped, turning to look at him, and when she glanced back at where Barty was, he had disappeared.

"No one. Just myself." She forced a smile, though she could tell it didn't look authentic. "I, er, I spilled the potion. I need to restart. I'm sorry."

George frowned. "Nothing to apologize for."

A pregnant pause fell between the two.

"Was there something you wanted?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, yeah, bloody hell, sorry. Er, Moody wanted me to give this to you." He held out an envelope, looking around awkwardly.

"What is it?" She pushed herself up from the ground and approached him, eyeing the envelope suspiciously.

He shrugged. "Not sure, only know what Moody told me. They, er, found it in your home when they searched it the other day."

"House." She corrected, as she took the delicate envelope from his fingers, examining the handwriting. Cassiopeia was written in small, swirly letters on it, and she immediately recognized the handwriting to be her fathers. The envelope had already been opened, and a piece of parchment peaked out from inside.

"What?"

"House. Not home. There's a difference."

George blinked. "Oh, er, okay."

With hesitant fingers, she took out the letter from the envelope, unsure of what she'd find. Was it a will? But then why would it be addressed to her specifically? And why did Moody have George deliver it, instead of doing it himself?

Dear Cassiopeia,

If you're reading this, I am either dead or in Azkaban. I've been in our home, fighting the imperius curse Barty has put me under, and I've finally grown enough strength to write this. I plan on going to Hogwarts, to tell Dumbledore everything, but I cannot do so without writing to you first, without pouring my heart out to my precious daughter.

I know you think I hate you. I know I haven't been a good father. I thought, if I distanced myself from you, you wouldn't grow up to be like me - the cowardly man who hid his son in his attic. I thought, maybe, if you stayed out of the house, with your muggle friend and away from me, Barty couldn't get to you. You'd never be aware of his existence.

I see now that this was wrong. I see now that I should've spent time with you, shown an interest in the things you do, show the love that I so dearly hold for you. Because, I could never hate you, Cassiopeia. You may not believe me, but I could never hate you. You're my child, the one light and joy in my life, and I couldn't be more proud of you. You've grown up to be a marvellous young woman, and I hope you find yourself able to let your guard down more, to let people in. My biggest wish for you is to be surrounded by people who you love and who love you in return, to show the care for you that I never did.

My perfect daughter, you are everything to me. You are a headstrong, smart, beautiful, young woman and I hope you remember that I love you. I hope you know that none of this is your fault, it is no one but my own. I should never have treated you so poorly, treated Barty just as poorly in his youth. Maybe I am responsible for creating the monster that he has become, but you are not. I love you.

Your father,

Bartemius.

"Cassie, are you okay?" George eyed her up and down with concern as the letter slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor.

She stood there for a second, numb and unable to answer, before bursting into tears. The first tears that she had allowed to slip since finding out her father had been murdered, since Cedric had been murdered, fell freely down her cheeks, the months of pent up anguish releasing with them.

"Oh, Cassie, come here." George wrapped his arms around her, securing her face in his chest and allowing her to sob. She felt like a child, but she couldn't stop, even when she began to hyperventilate, her entire body shaking against George's. "It's okay, just breathe, it's okay." George whispered into her ear, but it did little to help calm her. He rubbed his hand on her back as she sobbed, holding her close as the world around her fell apart.

"Cassie, it's all going to be okay. Trust me. It's going to be okay."

*

Granger arrived in Grim Old place in late July, followed by Potter in early August, in a considerably bad situation. Turns out, he had performed magic in front of a muggle, and had to do a hearing at the Ministry to see if he could return back to Hogwarts or not. Cass found the entire thing to be a bit ridiculous, the muggle he'd performed magic in front of was his cousin, who already knew about magic in the first place, and by the sounds of it, it was in self defence against a dementor. Cass was mostly impressed that Potter could produce a patronus charm, something she'd never imagined she'd be able to do.

While Cass didn't much like Potter, she had nothing against him either, and he didn't seem to hold any grudge against her for what had happened. Or, if he did, he didn't show it.

On a particularly hot day, shortly before they were to return to Hogwarts, Cass was walking around aimlessly in the upstairs of Grim Old Place, as she often did when she grew anxious. She'd finished the potion George and Fred wanted, and had poured through nearly every book in the library, so she'd taken to walking her anxieties away.

"147, 148, 149, 150, 151..." She counted her steps under her breath as she paced back and forth in the hallway, when she heard a rattling sound inside one of the rooms, faint, but not so much so that she couldn't hear it. Was someone inside there?

Frowning, Cass turned the doorknob and swung the door open, and let out a scream. Barty stood there, in front of a wardrobe, smiling maniacally at her. This was the fourth time she'd seen him now, and every time it grew worse. She had no way to protect herself, her wand was downstairs, but even then, she wasn't sure she could. She was hallucinating, most likely, but it felt so real...

"Cassie!" Molly cried out, her footsteps echoing as she raced up to see what was wrong. The twins were shortly behind her, followed by Ron, Potter, and Granger.

Cass whipped around to face them, her eyes wide in a silent question. Do you see him too?

When Molly looked into the room, eyes wide, she let out a yelp of surprise. "Oh dear, it's a boggart!"

A boggart. Cass took a deep breath, a sigh of relief. Had that been what she'd been seeing this entire time? But no, she saw him on the train as well...

Molly stepped in front of Cass, wand held up high. The Boggart shifted, but Cass didn't see what Molly's worst fear was, as turned around, and ran a hand through her hair.

"Riddikulus! Riddikulus!" Molly cried, waving her wand about frantically.

"Is it gone?" Cass whispered.

Potter nodded. "Yeah, you're good."

"Brilliant." She turned around again, taking a deep, shaky breath. Molly was panting heavily, clearly close to tears. Whatever the Boggart had changed into must've certainly rattled her.

"Sorry you had to deal with that, Cassie." She patted her on the shoulder, giving her a warm smile. "That must've been very scary."

"I'm alright. Thanks."

"Everything alright?" A gruff voice asked from the stairwell. Moody. "I heard a scream."

"It's fine, Alastor." Molly called to him. "Just a Boggart."

"Ah, you should've had me take care of it. I can see their real appearance, you see."

"You can?" Hermione's eyebrows perked up with intrigue. "What do they look like?"

"Ever see the muggle television show Barney?"

*

They boarded the Hogwarts Express the next day. Cass had been trying to avoid the Weasley family, especially George, since the Boggart incident. Ever since she'd cried into George's shoulder like a child, actually. She didn't want his pity, or his sympathy, she wanted him to hate her so she could stop feeling the shame that was threatening to suffocate her. It would be easier if everyone hated her, and why they didn't, why they continued to speak to her and write to her like everything was normal made no sense.

She sat in an empty compartment, taking out a book she'd stolen from the Grim Old Place library. It was a fiction novel, about a wizard knight that fell in love with a muggle princess, back in the Anglo-Saxon times of England. It was cute, if not a bit sappy, but made Cass ache for Cedric. He'd always behaved like a knight in shining armour, after all.

"Cass, oh my God, it's been so long!" The compartment door swung open, and in walked Lavender, arms outstretched. Behind her was the usual crowd, Naia, Luna, Henry, Ana and the Patils. Lavender pulled Cass into a giant hug, squeezing her tight. "How are you, love?"

"I'm grand. How are you?"

Before Lavender could respond, Henry shot up from where he was seated, looking oddly pale. "I have to use the loo."

He shut the compartment door behind him, and Cass noticed his hands were trembling.

"What's up with him?"

"No idea." Lavender simply shrugged, before directing her attention back to Cass, wearing a smile that certainly had to be fake, it was so wide, there was no way it was natural. "We missed you so much, isn't that right guys?"

"Loads." Naia said as she sat down across from her. "Why didn't you write to us? We've been trying to get ahold of you all summer."

"Sorry. I was...preoccupied."

"No matter." Parvati swatted a hand in the air. "We heard you spent the summer with that Weasley twin, is that right?"

"Who'd you hear that from?"

"Well, Ron told Dean, who told Seamus, who told Lavender, who told us."

"I see..."

"So, is it true?" Parvati leaned in.

"Is what true?"

"Did you spend the summer with the Weasley you fancy?"

"I don't fancy him." Cass lied. "But I did, yeah."

"And? Was it romantic? Did you guys get together?"

"No, of course we didn't! He's literally dating Bethany's sister."

"Oh please, who cares? He clearly fancies you anyways."

"I really doubt that, Parvati, but thanks anyways. I guess."

"I think he fancies you as well, Cass." Naia said from where she sat. It was weird, seeing her without Luna, who was sitting with Ginny Weasley. The two were still going strong, at least, and even in her misery, Cass found herself to be happy for the two, if not a bit envious.

Cass just rolled her eyes, looking down at the ground and playing with her father's ring.

"You're wearing the necklace I got you!" Ana exclaimed, her eyes bright and her smile wide.

Cass's hand went to her neck, where sure enough, she was wearing the locket Ana had gotten her for her birthday, the day she'd received her father's finger in the mail. "Oh, er, yeah, I am."

"I'm glad you like it."

The group went into talking about their summers and the various trips they went on, allowing Cass to slip into the background of their conversation, which she liked. She didn't want to be the centre of their attention, she didn't want them to talk to her. She wanted them to hate her, to get up and leave and never speak to her again.

By the time the train rolled into Hogsmeade, it had fallen dark outside. They hopped into the carriages that took them to the castle, and watched as the new first years were sorted into their houses.

"Something feels different this year, don't you think?" Padma leaned over to Cass as the sorting commenced and the feast began.

"I don't know what you mean."

"I don't either. I can't place my finger on it. I just have a feeling. A really bad feeling."

*

Bethany was made prefect, to the surprise of absolutely everyone, alongside Anthony Goldstein. That's why she hadn't sat with them on the train - she sat with the prefects, and the minute she returned to the Ravenclaws, she was complaining.

"They're so bloody annoying." She groaned, leaning on her bed and running a hand through her black hair. She'd cut it over the summer, to her shoulders, which suited her well. "Like, holy shit, does Granger ever shut her bloody mouth?"

"Nope." Cass confirmed with a tiny laugh. "I spent the summer with her. She talks, and talks, and talks."

"And Ron Weasley, who let him become Prefect over Dean Thomas? Fuck, even Potter would be less annoying that him. All he did was eat and bicker with Granger. God, he's so in love with her, it makes me sick."

"Was there anyone there you actually liked?" Ana asked from where she was perched on the windowsill, reading a book in Russian.

"Nope. Did you know they made Malfoy a prefect too? Honestly, I might just quit. Ana, how would you like to take my badge?"

"And patrol the halls, making sure students aren't out snogging when I could be studying? No thanks." She rolled her eyes, and Cass snorted at the sound of her accent with the word snogging.

"Fuck."

"Sorry, Beth." Luna patted her on the shoulder, and Bethany sent a fierce glare at her.

"So what do you lot think about the new Professor? Umbridge or whatever?" Naia asked.

"She seems...interesting." Cass pursed her lips, thinking about the strange woman who'd introduced herself at the feast. She could tell she wouldn't like her one bit, between the posh accent and fake positivity, she seemed absolutely horrid.

"I don't like her one bit." Padma said.

"Yeah, even I must admit, she gives me awful vibes." Ana tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear. "Let's hope we're wrong, yeah?"

*

They were not, in fact, wrong, about Umbridge. The woman was scum on earth, and that was made evident when in class the next day, she said they wouldn't be doing any magic. This led to an argument between her and Potter, with her insisting You-Know-Who wasn't back, and Cedric's death had been an accident and nothing more.

An accident? Cass nearly laughed at this.

Now that the Ministry was insisting You-Know-Who wasn't bad, and that Potter and Dumbledore were simply liars, Cass had to wonder, had they sucked out Barty's soul prematurely? Shouldn't they have waited for a testimony from him, or some sort of confession? Wasn't it illegal to have someone's soul sucked out without a trial? Perhaps there was something more sinister behind the entire thing...

"Excuse me, miss, what is your name?" Umbitch, as Cass referred to the pink woman in her head, leaned over to look at her, forcing a bright smile.

"Cassiopeia Crouch." She answered, her voice dull.

"Ah, Crouch, like Bartemius. Lovely man, I worked with him for many years."

Cass's eyebrows perked up. Lovely? That was one way to describe the man who'd been hiding his psychotic son in his attic for over a decade, sure.

"Yup."

"Anyways, Miss Crouch, you must take out your book. I don't know if you didn't hear me, or are choosing to disobey me, but-"

"Oh, I heard you."

Umbitch blinked. Clearly, this wasn't the answer she had expected.

"Well," she continued, her voice high pitched and shrill. "Please take out your book. We have a class to start."

"No thanks."

"Excuse me?"

"I said, no thanks. I have no desire to read books while a dark wizard is on the loose, threatening to kill us all. I want to learn how to protect myself."

"Ah, so you have subscribed to Mr. Potter's tales of a certain dark wizard being back. Miss Crouch, surely you are intelligent enough to see through his blatant lies. Now, I won't ask you again, take out your book."

"No. I want to learn defensive spells, I want to learn how to not die. If that's not what we will be learning, I have no desire to be here."

"Detention, then! With Mr. Potter."

Cass clapped her hands together, brown eyes piercing into Umbridge's fierce gaze, unwavering. Then, without warning, she stood up. "Brilliant. Then I'll be on my way. See you in detention."

And with that, she stalked out of the classroom, slamming the door behind her.

*

"You seriously walked out of class? Just like that?" George's eyes were wide with shock as he stared at Cass like he was just seeing her for the first time.

She nodded. "Yup. I'm not going to waste my time in a class like that. If we aren't learning how to protect ourselves and our loved ones, I'm not interested."

"You're brilliant. Bloody brilliant."

"Thanks. I got detention tomorrow, but it's worth it, in my opinion." She shrugged, suppressing a grin. The two were in the kitchens - they hadn't planned on meeting up, but Cass had wandered in there after walking out of class, where he just happened to be, also skipping his class - History of Magic. Things had for the most part gone back to normal between the two, though Cass couldn't help but feel awkward around him, especially when she could sense her lingering feelings for him. "Where's Fred at?"

"Angelina duties. Their summer apart drove him mad, so he's making up for lost time, I reckon."

"He really loves her, doesn't he?"

"Oh, for sure. It's a bit annoying, really."

"It's sweet."

"Wow, Cassie, I never pegged you for a hopeless romantic."

"I wasn't aware I had to be a hopeless romantic to find his undying love for her sweet."

He raised his eyebrows, like he wasn't convinced, but didn't press the subject further.

"So, we sent the potion to Bagman, disguised as candies from a secret admirer. If anything has happened yet, we don't know, but we're hoping it makes the Prophet. Rita Skeeter is obsessed with that man, as I'm sure you know."

Cass shrugged. "I don't really read the Prophet anymore. They're spreading such bullshit."

"You have a point. The shit they're saying about Harry...I feel so awful for him."

Cass had never pitied Potter very much, she'd never really given him much of a thought at all, honestly. He was just there, always obnoxiously saving the day, which while she couldn't fault, she also couldn't find it in herself to admire. But she had to agree, the way the Prophet was treating him, like he was somehow behind what happened to Cedric...it was cruel. As if Potter would hurt anyone, as if Cedric would be overpowered by a fourth year! It made no sense. And of course, they always conveniently left out the fact that Barty had been involved. One would think something as ridiculous as an undead Death Eater breaking into a school and impersonating an Auror would make bigger news, but nope.

"Yeah, it's disgusting." She said eventually, pressing her lips together in a thin line.

"Do you fancy a swim?"

Cass blinked. "Sorry, what?"

"I said, do you fancy a swim? It's bloody hot in here, I want to cool down."

"Er...that was random."

George shrugged, a goofy smile on his lips. "So, do you fancy a swim, or are you going to make me go on my own? I could drown, you know, and if I drown and you aren't there to save me, it'll be your fault."

"You're ridiculous."

"Is that a yes?"

Cass took a deep breath, pressing her lips together. Last time she took a swim with someone, it hadn't ended well, but this was George. George wasn't Cedric. He wouldn't try to snog her, not when he was dating Dahlia. Not that she didn't want him to...

"Sure, why not?"

*

It took half an hour to sneak past Professors and Prefects that were crawling the halls and approach the Back Lake, but it was very much worth it. The hot sand felt nice in between Cass's bare feet, as she abandoned her shoes up by the hill. It was a grounding, relaxing sensation, though it only lasted for a moment when she and George realized the beach was not, in fact, empty.

"Henry?" George called out, frowning.

One of the two boys that were sat further in the sand, only feet away from the water's edge, looked up. From afar, it was obviously Henry, between the long hair and tan skin, but who was next to him was what surprised Cass more.

"Theodore?"

Theodore looked up too, his brown eyes wide in what looked like...panic? But no, that was ridiculous, what did he have to panic over when it came to Cass and George?

"What are you two doing here? Don't you two have class?" Cass asked as they approached the two. What she meant was what they were doing there together, when the brothers had spent the past year at each other's throats, but she thought it rude to ask so bluntly.

"Er, yeah, we just needed a private place to chat." Theodore said, avoiding eye contact. Henry did the same, tucking a loose strand of hair behind his ear and playing with the sand.

Cass raised her eyebrows. Were they making up? Henry had presumably gone back to the Nott home over the summer, having been kicked out by the Patil's after the whole kissing Cass while dating Parvati fiasco, maybe they'd finally come to some sort of agreement. Why they even hated each other in the first place, she had no idea, but perhaps it wasn't any of her business. Either way, she was happy for them.

"Sorry to interrupt, then." She gave them a passive smile.

"No worries. We were just leaving." Theodore stood up, shortly followed by Henry, and without another word, the two stalked off of the beach, leaving only their footprints in the sand behind.

"Well, that was odd." George said, and Cass jumped, having momentarily forgotten he was there. "I thought they hated each other."

"Me too. Well, I suppose a lot can happen over the summer."

"Did Henry not tell you he and Theodore made up?"

Cass shook her head. "Why would he?"

"I mean, after what happened...when you snogged him, I figured you might...have kept in contact."

"No, I haven't heard from either of them all summer." Cass bit down on her lip, hoping her flushed face wasn't a giveaway of her embarrassment on the topic of her and Henry's drunken snog. Truthfully, she hadn't thought about it much, and considering they hadn't spoken at all over the summer, she assumed he hadn't either. It was a one and done thing, right?

"Odd." George frowned, before beginning to unbutton his shirt.

"What are you doing?!" Cass stared at him incredulously as he struggled with a button up by his neck.

He looked at her like she was stupid - a look she wasn't used to receiving. "We're going swimming. I'm not swimming in my clothes. Shit, can you help me with this? I can't get it undone."

"You want me to help you take off your shirt?"

"Merlin, Cassie, you make it sound so scandalous." George rolled his eyes, and Cass took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart as she reached out, her fingers gently undoing his button. Just as she finished, her fingertip brushed against his bare skin, sending sparks of electricity through her. Literally. She jumped back, wincing, and George blinked in surprise.

"Did you just shock me?"

"I think you shocked me, actually." She frowned, nursing her finger.

"With my seductive powers? For sure." George shot her a wink, as he shrugged off his shirt, tossing it onto the sand behind him. Cass averted her eyes as his bare chest met the sunlight, suddenly very interested in her nails.

After his shirt, came his pants, and good Merlin, she nearly had a heart attack. The entire situation was far too similar to her time in the Prefects bath with Cedric, and if it had the same outcome...she shook her head at the thought, scolding herself internally. He's dating Dahlia. You shouldn't fancy someone with a girlfriend, it's wrong. He doesn't fancy you back, so grow up.

"You coming?" George called out to her as he approached the water, wading deeper in it until it was up to his waist.

"Er, yeah, right." Cass walked over to the edge, not taking off her clothes as he had. When her feet met the harsh temperature of the water, she inhaled sharply, recoiling. "Fuck, it's cold."

"Come on, don't be a baby. It's lovely!"

"It's cold." She repeated, but she had to admit, the contrast to the sweltering heat was nice. As she submerged deeper into the lake, soaking her uniform, the tension that had been building up from the day seemed to escape her, her muscles physically relaxing at the contact with the water.

"I can't believe you're swimming in your clothes. Bloody prude." George splashed her as she approached him, wearing a playful grin that said he didn't mean it maliciously.

"Please, I don't strip down for any man who asks nicely. Unlike you, apparently."

"I wasn't aware you were asking." He shot her a wink, and her already red face burned even brighter.

"You're ridiculous."

"Says the one swimming in her clothes."

"I know a spell to dry them after, it isn't like I'll be walking around soaked afterwards."

"Yes, but it isn't as fun." George insisted with another splash of water in her direction. She ducked out of the way just in time to avoid it hitting her in the face. "Haven't you ever gone skinny dipping?"

"No! Of course not!"

"You should try it. Let lose a bit. Merlin knows you could use some relaxation."

She stared at him, brown eyes wide as she confirmed he wasn't messing with her. "Let me get this straight; you want me to go swimming...naked?"

"I mean, when you put it like that..." It was his turn to go red, and Cass laughed to herself, having never seen George Weasley even remotely flustered before.

Cass opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, something caught her eye. Out of the corner of her vision, so distant she just barely noticed her, back at the beach, stood a figure, tall and looming in the sand. The person she'd been seeing for months, that she wasn't quite sure if they were real or not.

Barty.

The delicate sandy ground slipped out from under her feet, and she fell over, collapsing into the water and submerging below the surface before she could fully comprehend what she had saw.

It should have been instinctual, to push herself back up to the surface - it was only a few feet up, it wasn't like it would've been difficult, but as Cass remained underwater for a few long, drawn out moments, she realized she didn't fancy returning to air one bit. She'd prefer to drown, so she never had to see Barty again, to never question her sanity again. She'd prefer to give up and allow nature to take over, to claim her like it should have long before. She'd cheated death once, and now, older and more experienced in the world, a part of her wished the poison had succeeded in its task all those years ago. Maybe if it had, the events that took place afterwards wouldn't have happened. Maybe Cedric and her father would still be alive.

Just as she allowed the cold lake water to enter her lungs, did she feel hands wrapped around her bad arm, yanking her up back onto the surface.

"Shit, Cassie, what was that?" George eyed her with a mixture of concern and confusion as she hacked up water, gasping desperately for air. Her hand was spasming in pain from the rough contact, though she hardly felt it compared to her emotional distress.

She shook her head, unable to speak as she continued to cough. When she looked over to where Barty had been, eyes stinging, he was gone, with no indication that he had ever been there in the first place.

"Are you all right?"

She gave him a weak thumbs up.

"You scared me half to death." He tucked a lose strand of newly soaked hair behind her ear, examining her face. Suddenly, she couldn't breathe again, though it had nothing to do with the water still lodged in her lungs. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry." Her voice was strained, and she forced a grin, internally kicking herself. How stupid could she be, trying to fucking drown herself in front of George? What had she been thinking? Fuck, had she actually gone mad? "Just slipped on something. I'm fine."

"Good thing I was here, eh?" He winked at her. "Maybe I should just follow you around everywhere, be your personal bodyguard."

"I don't think Dahlia would like that very much." Cass joked, but instantly regretted it, as George stiffened, his expression shifting into one of...dismay? He was very clearly upset by the mention of his girlfriend, for Merlin knows what reason. "Er....sorry."

"It's alright." He shifted, sending ripples in the water.

"Did something happen? With you and Dahlia?"

George shook his head.

"Then what is it?" She pried, though she knew she ought not to do so. It wasn't any of her business, whatever George had going on in his relationship. But she couldn't help it.

"I...I don't know. I really like Dahlia, you know? She's lovely. I mean, very lovely. And smart, and beautiful. She's brilliant, really, and...she smells like roses. Her lips are really soft too."

Cass frowned, a line creasing in her forehead. It sounded like he was trying to convince himself, more than her, about his feeling for Dahlia. "I'm sensing a but."

"But..." George paused, biting down on his lip like he was considering whether or not to speak at all. He took a deep breath, moving closer to her, with intent, with purpose. A splash of water flew up and hit Cass in the chest as he waded closer towards her, their eyes locked on each other. He was staring at her like nothing else mattered, like they were the only two people in the world. "She isn't you."

Cass's breath caught in her throat.

"I see how happy Fred is with Angelina, and then I think about me and Dahlia, and it isn't right. It isn't perfect, not like Fred and Angelina. It isn't love, like how I want it. But when I'm with you...fuck, it's like...everything just makes sense. No, the opposite actually, when I'm with you it doesn't make sense, not one bit, but it doesn't need to. When I'm with you, the world could be falling apart and I wouldn't even notice."

Neither of them spoke for a moment, and at first, Cass assumed she'd simply hallucinated George's entire confession. Because there was no way in hell he was standing before her, fucking shirtless, implying, no, stating that he fancied her more than he did Dahlia.

But he had.

"What do you think?" George raised his eyebrows, an uncharacteristic look of worry on his face. The corners of his lips were turned up ever so slightly, but they wavered, threatening to fall with whatever answer she provided him.

I think I love you.

"I-"

"Cass!"

The two jolted in unison, their heads whipping towards the shore, where Ana was rapidly approaching them, breaking out from a jog into a full on run when she saw them.

Well, so much for confessing her love for George. She was about to become annoyed, before she saw the expression of panic on her freckled face as Ana grew clearer in her vision.

"Ana?" Cass called out, pushing through the water to get closer to her friend. "Is everything okay?"

She shook her head, taking a deep breath as she came to a stop at the water's edge. "Umbridge is looking for you. Theodore said he'd seen you down here, so I came to find you before she did. You need to hurry, whatever it is, she's furious."

"She's probably upset about me walking out of her so-called class." Cass muttered, more to herself than to Ana, but something was telling her that it was more than her minor act of rebellion. With one last look at George, she said, "We'll talk later, yeah?"

"Of course, Cassie." He winked at her, and it was like she was floating.