Kurumi felt the sides of her neck burning as she continued to kick frantically towards the surface with her Slytherin Prince clutched tightly to her with her right arm. Her left arm continued to flail and it seemed like no matter how hard the flapped or how hard she kicked the surface was never getting any closer. Did this mean she wasn't going to see his smug when they were finally above the water and hear him tease her for once again doubting herself? Was she never going to have him pat her head and ruffle her bangs? Or gently flick her nose? Or lean in like he was going to kiss her only to say some sort of smug comment that would then turn her hair pink and, on occasion, cause her to sprout cat ears?

And then, Kurumi realized how many times she thought about herself just now. This wasn't about HER, it was more about HIM and getting him out of here. Yes, her lungs were beginning to burn as the gillyweed wore off so of course that increased her risk of drowning...but if she failed it wasn't just her life on the line, it was his. Although, she sure hoped that neither professor would allow anyone to really drown...even if she wouldn't put it past Professor Scabior. With a new resolve instill in the young lioness, Kurumi kicked harder than before and felt the water slipping through her fingers and toes more easily as the webbing completely vanished. Her surroundings lightened and she could see more easily until...she burst out of the water, gasping for air and began to swim backwards towards shore holding his upper body above water as best as she coul.d