A/N: So, here's the fourth chapter :) Not much to say, enjoy!

teriyakiskater: There won't be any Olympics in this. I've set this story in a different century, maybe around the 7th, that's the reason why they are wearing dresses all the time! Sorry that I didn't point it out properly.

Chapter 4

She was standing in the middle of the garden, surrounded by a big queue, including her father and her friends. She was wearing an awfully girlish pink dress, which covered all her body. And she was feeling hot. Sweat drops were running down her cheeks and the fabric of her dress already clung to her like a second skin. She was waving a big fan in front of her face, trying to cool down at least her face a little bit, but it was in vain.

The heat seemed to consume her, just as the big crowd, which seemed to come closer and closer by the second, leaving her less and less room to breathe properly. "I'm going to suffocate, "she moaned desperately, but nobody heard her.

Suddenly her father popped up in front of her, his toothy smile plastered on his lips. "You look just like your mother in this dress. It suits you perfectly!" Before she could react, Gilderoy was replaced with Ron, the boy with the mop of red hair.

He blushed profusely and scratched his head nervously, not knowing what to do with his hands. "Hermione, I – I…I love you!" And he flung himself against her, forcing her into a fierce embrace, which sent her down to the floor.

She couldn't see anymore, all was black and she started to panic. 'Air! I need air!' But as much as she struggled to break free, she found she couldn't. Her heart beat so loud, that her whole body seemed to feel the vibrations…

"Let go, let go you moron!" Hermione trashed around, but strong arms held her firmly to the ground. "Hermione, wake up! It's just a dream! Luna, do something, I can't hold her much longer!"

Luna nodded, then leaned forward and pressed Hermione's nostrils together. "This may help to wake her up." And really, the girl stopped struggling against Harry's grip and relaxed. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes, blinking confused.

"Finally, "sighed Harry and released his friend, shaking his arms a little to loosen his exhausted muscles.

Hermione sat up and looked around suspiciously. "Where's Ron?" Luna and Harry looked at each other. "Do it again." Luna obeyed and leaned in, to press the other's nostrils together again.

"Wot ar hu doin??" Hermione quickly snatched Luna's hand away, glaring at her friend. Luna grinned apologetically and hid behind Harry, who started to look uncomfortable. "Making sure you're awake?"

She just huffed, before letting herself sink back onto her blanket. Her heart still was beating rhythmically, sending vibrations through her body. Hermione put a hand on her chest, trying to soothe herself. "What?" She quickly sat up. The beats were not coming from her!

"You finally noticed? I don't know who's making these noises, but it's somehow scary…it's been going on for a while now, so I decided to look after you and Luna, to make sure you're okay." Harry looked truly concerned and also a little bit frightened.

Hermione had to admit that the rhythm indeed was a little scary and she pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. "Maybe we should wake up father." Although she didn't really believe that he would be of much use, but whatever. At least he would pull all the attention to him and they could run if anything or rather anybody was going to attack them.

Suddenly Luna raised a finger to her lips, signalling the others to be silent. "Psst…footsteps."

Hermione's ears perked up and really, somebody was sneaking around outside their tent!

Gathering all his courage, Harry jumped to his feet and positioned himself in front of the girls, ready to defend them. "Who's there, "he asked, in his most demanding tone, trying to hide the fact that he was extremely anxious.

Hermione didn't blame him as she herself was shaking slightly with fear and was holding onto Luna's hands. For a moment the steps stopped and except the distant beating of drums, nothing was heard.

Then the awning of the tent was pulled away and Muthu's head appeared in front of them, trying to look calm, but somehow he too looked nervous. "Relax, it's just me." He quickly rearranged the awning, then sat down next to Harry, who let out a sigh of relief and lowered himself to the ground as well.

"What are these…noises? "asked Luna tentatively, interrupting the silence between them. Hermione, who had intended to ask the same question, closed her mouth again and instead looked tensely at Muthu, who looked very unhappy and still nervous.

He looked at all of them, slowly, before he answered Luna's question. "I didn't want to tell you, when we put up the tents earlier, but there are rumours that a wild tribe is living somewhere near here. That would explain all the noise."

They all visibly relaxed. What could be so bad about a few humans, who were living peacefully in the jungle? But as Harry voiced his question, Muthu's face fell.

"You know…every culture is different. There are cultures, who go to church and pray to their God and there are these, who speak to their God in a different way. In some cultures its common to sacrifice animals to their God, to ensure them fertility, or other things they need to survive.

Hermione nodded. "I've read about this. Sometimes they just scratch the animal's throat open and let it bleed to death. Or they bury them alive. It's really cruel in my opinion, but cultures differ. We see things in a different light then other cultures, so it's hard to judge about their way of living."

Muthu looked at her, honestly surprised. Normally people from the 'more cultivated' countries did exactly that, without considering the culture difference, calling them uneducated or barbaric. He briefly smiled at her, then he looked serious again.

"Usually there are no sacrifices during this time of the year though, unless…" Muthu stopped mid- sentence, apparently uncomfortable with continuing it. "Unless? "questioned Luna, her head cocked to the side.

Muthu averted his eyes to the ground and choked the last words out, nearly inaudible. "Unless they sacrifice humans."

They were all silent, not knowing what to say. Even Hermione was lost for words. Human sacrifices? How could somebody do something like this?

Suddenly Minerva busted into the tent, startling them. "What's wrong, Minerva?" She was breathing heavily, her cheeks were flushed and in her eyes were slightly widened. She clutched a hand to her chest and wordlessly stretched the other one out towards Harry, who sat next to her.

The boy just stared at the note, which the chaperone held in her hand, for a few seconds, before quickly snatching it away from her. He quickly skimmed it, then looked at Hermione, mortified. "It's from your father."

The girl grew impatient. Why couldn't they just tell her what the note said? "What did he wrote?"

Harry kept holding eye contact with his friend, as he told her. Hermione's eyes widened in horror and her heart skipped a beat, only to continue pumping harder against her chest.

"Wait, Hermione! You can't just run around in the jungle, it's dangerous!" Harry was trying to hold her back by her wrists, as Hermione was struggling hard to break free. The boy looked over his shoulder, begging the others to help him.

Muthu stepped forward and put his hands on Hermione's houlders, who didn't even notice, as her eyes were watering and tears streamed down her face. "Let go, let go! Father needs my help!"

Even with the two boys trying to hold her back with all their strength, Hermione still trashed around, elbowing Harry in the process, who could hardly suppress a shout of pain. "Hermione, calm down!"

Making a decision, Minerva stepped forward, right in front of her and rose her hand. Slap! Instantly Hermione stopped her movements and her gaze settled down to the woman's face.

"Hermione, you have to calm down! You won't help your father with this and we don't know how much time is left. We will rescue him, but we can't, unless you clear your thoughts and stop acting inconsiderate." When Hermione didn't react, Minerva rose her voice. "Do you understand?!"

Nodding slowly, Hermione's limbs relaxed and the boys let go of her, sighing relieved. Luna, who had watched from a safe distance until now, stepped forward and spoke up. "So what will we do now? We don't know where he is. Maybe he didn't find the way to this tribe after all."

Minerva shook her head, obviously exhausted. "No, Gilderoy IS dumb, but he's not that incapable." She held up the note, which Harry had returned to her. "When he said he was going to this 'wonderful and exciting music', he most probably went there. And chances that this wasn't noticed by anybody else are…minimal I fear."

Inhaling deeply to regain her composure, Hermione tried to focus on what her chaperone was saying. 'Relax,' she told herself several times. "Okay guys, we need to find him. Muthu, can you lead us to this tribe?"

Muthu was silent for a few seconds, then he nodded confidently. "Yes, I'm pretty sure I could. But…" He sighed, obviously uncomfortable with what he was going to say next. " Chances that we will find them are high. But chances that we will rescue your father aren't. And the possibility of escaping are even lower."

"I'm aware of this. I won't force anybody to do anything they don't want to. Just lead me there and I will think of something." Harry and Luna shook their heads at the same time.

"You won't go anywhere without us. We're friends, and friends support each other, "said Luna, sounding serious for once. Harry nodded and smiled at her.

Minerva looked at Hermione disparagingly. "You didn't really think that I would let you out of my eyes, did you, Mademoiselle?" Hermione's jar fell down.

The woman just grinned, before turning to Muthu. "I have to ask you a few questions, young leader."

"You really think this is going to work?" whispered Hermione into Harry's ear, who nodded confidently. "I just hope you're right…"

They were hiding behind a large bush, which prevented them from being seen by the member's of the tribe in front of them, who were currently busy with decorating something, which looked like an alter to Hermione, while others carried food and jewels towards a big throne.

The plan they had worked out together was simple, but they didn't have the time to work out another one, so it was their only option. Hermione and Harry had sneaked up as close as possible to the place where the human sacrifice was going to take place, while Luna and Muthu were waiting in a short distance. Minerva had decided to stay behind and pack their things together, so that they could leave in a matter of seconds, if necessary.

All they needed was a little time to rescue her father. As soon as they would see him, Harry was going to give the signal, a loud whistle and Muthu would ride right in the middle of the ceremony on Bao. In case that this wouldn't be enough to distract them, Luna had dressed up like a goddess, which wasn't difficult with her long blond eyes and her looks. Hermione hoped that the tribe would take her for real. In the meanwhile Harry and she were going to free her father.

"There! They are coming, I can see him!" whispered Harry excitedly and pointed into the direction of a small group of people, who carried a man on a wooden sedan. Hermione's jaw literally dropped down a few inches, as they came closer. It really was her father! But he looked odd and somehow not like somebody who was going to be sacrificed in a few moments.

His head was adorned with a crown of feathers and his shirt and shorts were replaced with a beautiful and expensive looking dress, which shimmered and glistened in the dim light from the fires, which were lit all over the clearing. And what was most disturbing was the way the tribe members were treating him. Hermione wasn't sure why, but it looked like they were…worshipping him?

Harry, who had regained his composure before her, moved into a kneeling position and put his fingers in front of his mouth. "I'm going to call the others. Soon your father will be free."

Before Hermione could stop him, he had stuck his fingers inside his mouth and whistled as loud as he could and in the distance a single elephant started slowly running towards them.

Just when Hermione was about to look away from the scene to prepare herself for what was coming next, she caught a glimpse of long, silvery hair, which flattered in the light breeze. There behind the crowd, which surrounded Gilderoy, was the most beautiful girl, Hermione had ever seen before, captivated with a rope, which was tied around her fragile looking wrists.

She didn't know why, but only seeing this girl was causing her heart to beat faster in her chest. Harry looked at her, concerned. "Hermione, don't worry, everything will be alright." Just when Hermione wanted to advise him of the girl, Bao busted onto the ceiling.

Time seemed to stop.

Omake:

Ron: Yay, I'm confessing to Hermione! –jumps around –

Author: – smiles innocently-Yeah…I didn't know how to start this chapter and you were a good fill-in – spots a furious Hermione- whops, gotta go!

Ron: -still in a reverie- K…kiss. –drools-

Hermione: - comes sprinting towards Ron and whacks him over head- Pervert!

Author and Gilderoy, hiding on a tree.

Gilderoy: And you're sure that my hair looks good with all these feathers?

Author: …

Hermione: Where's Author! I'll punish her for making me cry over my stupid father!

Luna: -cooks head- I think I just saw a giant bird on this tree, over there. –points towards Author and Gilderoy-

Hermione: -grins evilly- PUNISH! – sets fire to tree-

Author: -flails arms- Shit! We're going to die, and it's your fault! –points at Gilderoy-

Gilderoy: My hair!

Hm..this chapter didn't turn out like I planned it. And the Omake is weird too...gah! Hope you liked it nonethless. Oh, and as promised Fleur did appear in this chapter :) Even though only at the end..and yeah...whatever! Don't get furious, please! hides on tree