Cassie slept badly that night, tossing and turning under the green sheets. Skeeter had riled up the feelings she had towards the competition, reminding her of her impending doom. No amount of reassurance and encouragement was enough to convince her that things would work out fine. Her nerves increased through out the night, as Skeeter's harsh words floated in her mind, encircling her thoughts. Had her father already caught wind of the fact that she had been chosen yet? Would he even care? He'd already gotten what he wanted.
"Cassie." She woke up to the sound of Serena Klippert gentle shaking her arm.
"Have I slept in?" She asked, noticing that the other girls were gone.
Serena was the only person in the whole of Slytherin that Cassie liked so far. She was a muggleborn, and therefore, suffered a lot of persecution for it. Cassie and Serena shared a room with a couple of snotty nosed purebloods and a halfblood - not that she cared for blood status, but they made it known. She hadn't seen Serena much since school started like usual, as Serena had other friends in Ravenclaw that she spent most of her time with to get away from her own house, much like Cassie did.
"Not at all." She smiled, softly. "You looked like you had a rough night, so I thought I'd be best to let you sleep a little longer. There's still forty five minutes until breakfast ends."
"Thank Merlin." She sighed, relieved, as she got up and organized herself.
"Ready?" Serena asked, after ten minutes.
"Let's go." Cassie nodded.
"You're far later than normal, Cassiopeia." Benjimine said, as he scooted down the bench to sit next to her as she arrived.
"I slept in." She said, shortly.
Draco wasn't here yet either.
"The Pureblood Princess doesn't need to worry about such frivolous things, Benjimine." The boy who had ignored her presence on the first day sneered. "She was probably with those blood traitor friends of hers."
"Shut your filthy mouth." She all but growled.
She was in no mood already enough as it was due to Skeeter leaving her fuming, but this spoiled brat was looking to be slapped.
"Whatever, sweetheart." He snarked, leaving the table.
"Ohhhh!" Thomas Jexson whistled, from his spot a few places down.
"Shut up, TJ!" She growled.
Jexson was a whole other story, but her mind quickly shook him off and her thoughts returned.
Cassie's fists were clenched, as her body shook violently. How dare he say that about her friends?!
"Ignore him." Benjimine said, before swiftly settling into his new found habit. "He's just finally noticed how radiant and blossoming you are."
"Benjimine." She warned, so not in the mood.
"Yes, my love?"
"Shut up, please." She sighed.
"No can do, gorgeous." He smiled, as if her tone went unnoticed. "You know, you should let me-"
"Hey, Casper." Cassie grinned up at Cedric, grateful for the interruption.
"Sorry, just the friendly neighbourhood Hufflepuff cutting in to borrow her for a moment." Cedric said, although, he sounded anything but apologetic.
Cassie gladly stood up, leaving Serena to her approaching Ravenclaw crush.
As Cassie left the Great Hall with Cedric, she didn't notice Fred and George briefly take a seat on either side of Benjimine.
"Friendly piece of advice, mate." George started.
"More like warning." Fred added.
"See," George continued. "Cassie - she's like this coffee,"
Fred shook the cup of coffee in his hands ever so slightly for emphasis.
"Dark-" Fred said.
"Bitter-" George continued.
"And too hot for you." Fred finished, with a dark look.
George stood up, clapping the boy on the shoulder and Fred followed suit, but instead bent down to whisper,
"She isn't enjoying the flirting. Tone it down."
"I heard about Skeeter." Cedric said, leaning against the wall in the hallway they were now situated in. "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay, but I'm bloody furious." She said, feeling the anger rush back at the thought. "She insinuated - no, scrap that - she outright said, that I was basically a spoiled brat."
"Ugh," Cedric groaned. "I've heard stories about her, but my parents never let me read her articles - said they were rubbish."
"They aren't wrong." She sighed. "No doubt, she'll have a lot to say about me since I practically told her she wrote lies, shouted at her and stormed out."
"I'm sorry, Cassie." He said, softly. "I wish there was something I could do, but that's what she does. She lies and manipulates, you just have to come out stronger than her."
Cassie smiled, Cedric was right. She just had to bare with it and show everyone in her own way that what Skeeter wrote were nothing but lies she concocted in her mind.
"Thank you, Cedric." She smiled. "I'll show her."
"That's the Casper I know." He said, ruffling her hair. "So, that boy still bugging you?"
"Like you'll never believe." She rolled her eyes. "I wish he'd just get the message and leave me alone. I don't want to hurt him, but I need to find a way to crack him - make him realise."
"Now, now, my dear, Casper." Cedric tutted. "Don't break his heart, he's only got one. Break his bones, he's got 206."
"Not to be stereotypical, but that's quite 'wow' for a Hufflepuff."
"That's because, when it comes to you, I'm loyal to a fault." He said, a hand held to his heart.
"How sweet." She rolled her eyes, but hugged him none the less.
She really valued her friendship with Cedric.
A/N: Sorry for the bland chapter, but I promise it'll pick up again soon!