Here With Me - A Y/n Barnes Story

Episode 4 - The Price to Pay for a Ticket Home

"Well, this is it! One last game and then you're done." I gently brush the hair out of Cedric's face. "You have no idea how relieved I'll be once this is all over."

"Aw, come on!" He gently grabbed my chin and tilted my face up to his. "You're so cute when you're worried."

I scoff at that. "Glad someone finds it attractive." We lean into each other for one last kiss and a hug. "Good luck," I say.

"With this, I won't need it." He reached into his shirt and pulled out a pair of customized dog tags. They had both my name and his.

I reached for my necklace; it was a heart-shaped locket with Cedric's name on the front and a picture of both of us on the inside. "I still regret not putting a picture on yours," I mumble.

Cedric just laughs it off. "You say that every time you look at it! And it's perfect, this is more than enough."

Then, out of nowhere, my brother, Harry, pops up right in between us. "Getting sentimental, are we?"

My wits are quick to snap back. "Getting ready to lose, I see?"

I smirk to see that my comment has slightly offended him "Hey, whose side are you on?"

In the distance, I hear the band begin to play their fanfare and I feel my heart sink. "Well, I better let you two go. Hermione will be looking for me anyway." I turn to leave but make a final comment to lighten the mood. "Do me a favor, will you? Don't kill each other."

Cedric doesn't let me leave and pulls me back with a slick pull of my arm. In an instant, I'm up against his chest, staring into his deep, kind eyes. "I'll try, love, but it's very hard sometimes."

Harry looks like he could vomit seeing his sister with his teammate and friend. "I couldn't agree more."

I smile at both of them. "Just . . . please be careful," I say as I give them one last hug before I disappear into the stands.

It takes me a surprisingly long time, but I finally find Hermione and Luna in the stands and sit next to them.

When Hermione notices that it's me, she beams with joy. "You're just in time! They're about to go into the maze."

When they do enter the maze, it doesn't take long before George and Fred start going around the crowd, harassing them as usual with their bag of tricks. Minutes turn into an hour. There was still nobody out of the tunnel.

I begin to let my panic get the best of me. I turn to Hermione. "Hey, do you think they're okay in there? It's been a long time."

She whips around and notices the worry on my face. "I'm sure they're doing fine. I read a book on past tournaments once and it shouldn't be much longer." This calmed my nerves only the slightest.

The twins, on the other hand, have no filter. "No need to worry, y/n!" Fred says right in my ear. I jump and he plops right next to me.

George is quick to follow. "We could play pranks on the first years to kill some time if you want to." He takes my other side, and it's a Weasley sandwich with me stuck in the middle.

I smile and even chuckle a little as I wave my hand. "Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass this time."

No more than five minutes pass when Harry appears with the trophy and Cedric. The stadium is silent for a moment before the band starts playing fanfare again as everyone jumps up cheering - except me. There's a ringing in my ears, everything is in slow motion, and my sharp breaths aren't noticed by anybody. As everyone pieces together what has happened, I aggressively push through the crowd with tears threatening to blind my vision.