LOVE GAME
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vol one — losing game

˗ˏˋ CHAPTER SIX — ALL JUST A BET 'ˎ˗

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"I'll wait for you at the entrance, princess." Mattheo said as he walked Mickenna towards the tent holding the champions, "You sure you don't want to stay?" Mickenna asked one last time, Mattheo had been acting strange lately, Mickenna saw him having a somewhat heated conversation with Lorenzo outside the Great Hall when she got there with Hermione and Elora, but didn't push to asked what was wrong. "I'm sure, you have your moment with Cedric, I'll see you soon." Mattheo said kissing Mickenna sweetly, "I love you." Mickenna whispered, hoping to hear it back for the first time, but Mattheo showed his words through actions.

Mattheo pulled her in again, this kiss rougher than the last, "What are you doing to me." Mattheo groaned, Mickenna giggled as they finally parted, Mickenna skipped to the tent that held the champions immediately spotting Cedric's dad, Amos Diggory.

     The girl ran up to him with a bright smile, "Mr. Diggory!" Mickenna called out earning the older man's attention quickly, "Mickenna dear, lovely to see you as always." Amos said with a gentle smile immediately pulling the girl in for a warm hug. "Come to see Cedric?" Amos asked as they pulled apart, "Yes, sir of course!" Amos smiled and nodded, "Well follow me dear." Amos said placing his hand on her upper back gently guiding her into the tent.

"And to think I thought for a second I wasn't going to get a good luck from my little sister." Cedric said once he spotted Mickenna and Amos enter the tent, "and I thought you knew me better than that." Mickenna responded with a laugh as Cedric pulled her into a tight hug the boy eventually letting go to hug his father as well. "Nervous, my boy?" Amos asked curiously. Cedric shook his head, "Not necessarily." Cedric responded.

Mickenna spots Harry off to the side, pacing nervously. Before he starts whispering by an opening in the tent soon seeing Hermione enter the tent and they hug. A bright camera flashes, Rita Skeeter the journalist approaches. "Young love! Ohh how.. stirring. If everything goes unfortunately today you might make the front page."

     "You have no business here. This tent is for champions and friends." Viktor Krum said as he walked towards the woman intimately, Rita waved him off with a small smile, "No matter. We've got what we wanted." Rita says before she leaves and Dumbledore soon enters.

        "Good day champions. Gather round please. Now you've waited, you've wondered and at last the moment has arrived. The moment only four of you can fully appreciate." Dumbledore said, Cedric smiled down at Mickenna before they gathered around Dumbledore in a circle, "What are you doing here Miss Granger, Miss Grier?" Dumbledore glancing slightly confused at the two girls, Hermione and Mickenna shared a look before Hermione walked over and linked her arm with the Hufflepuff, "Oh um.. Sorry w'll just go." Hermione said before practically dragging Mickenna out of the tent with her.

         "Well that was painfully awkward." Hermione said once the two exited the tent and headed towards the entrance of the stadium. "What was awkward was Rita Skeeter." Mickenna chimed in sending an apologetic look towards Hermione. "I wonder if she was always like that, so nosy."

      "Before my aunt transferred to Beauxbatons, she was best friends with Rita, until she started a rumor about Jerlyn and Professor Snape, which caused a lot of problems, she's hated her ever since."

"Understandably so. Looks like Riddle is waiting for you." Hermione said spotting the boy at the entrance of the stadium with a cigarette between his lips, Mickenna smiled bright at the sight of her boyfriend, "I see Ron, I'll catch up with you afterwords? If you're not too busy of course." Hermione said with a slightly suggestive tone before unlinking her arms from Mickenna's and walking towards Ron after Mickenna laughed and gave the girl a nod.

        "There you are, Princess. Theo and Enzo got us spots up front." Mattheo said swinging his arm around Mickenna's shoulders, guiding her up the stands until they were up front with the others. "Took you two long enough." Enzo said with a smirk as they scooted over to make room for the couple. "I was telling Cedric good luck." Mickenna said with a sympathetic smile, "I'm just messing." Enzo chuckled nudging the girl as a cannon fires, causing the girl to jump.

Soon Cedric comes out into the rocky arena, Mickenna cheers with the rest of the crowd, Mattheo watches with amusement as she cheers Cedric on, Enzo and Theo smirk at the boy, clapping here and there with her as Cedric successfully retrieves the golden egg. "I want to pet the dragon." Mickenna said dreamily, Mattheo grabbed her hand keeping her with him, "No petting the dragons." Mattheo said sternly as he shook his head. "But-" Mattheo shook his head again, "No."

Mickenna pouted, which made it harder for him to not let her pet the dragon, knowing how much she actually wanted too, "I don't want you getting yourself hurt." Mattheo said in a low voice. Mickenna sighed and nodded.

Mattheo never let go of Mickenna's hand, worried she'd run off and attempt to pet a dragon, which she would if it wasn't Mattheo holding onto her and him giving Theo and Enzo a look that told them to also keep her there. One my one each champion retrieved their golden egg, and lastly it was Harry's turn.

      "Three of our champions have now faced their dragons and so each one of them will proceed to the next task. And now our fourth and final contestant." Dumbledore said as Harry enters the rocky arena. The crowd began cheering his name, Mickenna's grasp on Mattheo's hand tightened as she intently watched the Potter boy.
              
       Harry sees the golden egg sitting alone, he makes a run for it but the dragon appears. Harry's forced to retreat behind a rock as the dragon's flames burn towards him. Harry stumbles and falls around the arena. Mickenna's leg begins to bounce out of nervousness, she was concerned for the boy, which for some reason made Mattheo jealous. Why should he be jealous of Mickenna's worry for Harry when not to long ago she was screaming his name. He loved her, that's why. But she shook the thought, he knew he lost the bet, he had learned earlier that he's accepted that, but yet she still doesn't know and he has yet to say it back.

         "Your wand harry! Your wand!" Mickenna heard Hermione yelled from her place that wasn't too far from Mickenna, the Hufflepuff sees Harry summon a broom. He jumps on and flies off, the dragon gives the chase. The dragon suddenly bursts through the crowd Mattheo wraps his arm around Mickenna's shoulder ducking her down and into him as the dragon flies off after Harry.

            Everyone waits eagerly and silently waiting to see Harry or even the dragon. "Reckon the fool got himself eaten." Mickenna heard Draco say with a chuckle just as Harry flies toward back into the arena and heads straight for the golden egg, snatching immediately.

Mickenna cheered along with many other students, Mattheo watched as the pure joy in her eyes appeared, "That was amazing!" Mickenna said as she sat back down beside Mattheo grabbing his arm as she did, "Sure was, princess." Mattheo responded, not taking his eyes off her.

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Mickenna walked down the stairs towards the dungeons happily, looking forward to meeting up with her boyfriend before breakfast, having had to nearly beg him to let her meet up with him rather than the other way around as it had usually been since they start talking, and even more so when they began dating.

Once Mickenna reach the small opening near the entrance to the Slytherin Common room she immediately spotted Mattheo and Enzo, their backs were towards her as they spoke, "Mickenna said she loved you, which means you won the bet, why haven't you broken it off with her yet?" Mickenna's heart shattered as the sentence left Enzo's lips, Mattheo stood there quietly shaking his head, tears filled Mickenna's eyes, her chest tightened as she continued to approach the boys, "I was just a bet to you?" The boys stilled upon hearing her heartbroken voice, they looked at her wide eyed.

"This whole time it was just some bet?" Mickenna asked again, her voice cracked as tears rolled down her rosy cheeks, Mattheo took a step forward, Enzo still frozen in place, he'd never seen Mickenna so heartbroken, she was one of his closest friends, and it broke him seeing her like this, even though he knew like Mattheo and Pansy, he and Theo were just as much to blame.

"That was until-" Mattheo stopped once Mickenna's threw her hand up, silencing him, he knew he broke her heart, breaking his in the process. Mickenna began to walk away, quiet sobs leaving her lips. The Riddle went over to her, wrapping his arms around her knowing she wouldn't let go, but the moment he felt her push him away, he knew he had hurt her, destroyed her.

The heart of the Hufflepuff princess finally shattered.