February rolled around a lot sooner than everyone expected and before we knew it the second task was only two days away. I had been contemplating long and hard over who would be taken as the thing Harry would 'most sorely miss' It was Ron last time but this time Harry has a girlfriend and Krum didn't take Hermione. Who knows!

The day before the second task was spent trying to calm Harry down. He had successfully managed to ignore the taunts from the students, particularly Malfoy and the Slytherins, but was getting more and more nervous at the idea of something, or someone being taken underwater by the Merpeople.

I was also getting progressively more nervous as the day went on, knowing that with Harry's luck, it would most definately not go as planned.

We were sitting in the common room, late evening, Hermione reading, Ron and Harry playing chess and me sitting, tapping my foot and staring into the fire. I was waiting for Professor McGonagall to walk through the portrait hole and give us the bad news.

Speak of the Devil.

Professor McGonagall walked through the portrait hole, and after immediately spotting the quartet, walked straight over to us.

'Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, Miss Williams.' McGonagall said stiffly. I couldn't tell whether it was because she was annoyed at us or the tournament.

'As much as I hate this bloody tournament and the system of this task (there it is) I must ask Miss Williams to accompany me to Professor Dumbledore's office.' I tensed and looked up at McGonagall. Me. It was me. Bloody brilliant.

'Um sure thing Professor' I turned to my friends, 'Don't wait up for me. I'll um...see you tomorrow.' I said awkwardly before following my teacher out the portrait hole. On the bright side, at least I won't be ripping my hair out being nervous for Harry.

The whole way there I was going over how much this meant to me. I know in the books and movies it is just brushed over but to be the thing that Harry would miss most means a lot.

Since just a year ago he wasn't even real. That's a weird thought!

McGonagall and I walked into Dumbledore's office and I saw Cho, Fleur's sister Gabrielle and some Beauxbatons girl that Krum took to the Yule ball. We were guided into seats in front of Dumbledore's desk and Minnie stood behind us. Dumbledore crossed his arms on his desk and surveyed us all.

'Now, there is no easy way to say this and I unfortunately have the pleasure of breaking the news to you as I why you have been called to my office the night before the second task.

As you have probably guessed this is related to the Triwizard- or Quadwizard Tournament. The second task consists of our Champions, using the clue from the egg, diving into the Black lake and retrieving something that has been taken from them. The thing that they will miss most.

Unfortunately, this means you.'

I sat with a very calm expression on my face, staring straight at Dumbledore, possibly unnerving him slightly. However the other three girls had very different reactions.

The Beauxbatons girl got really angry and started babbling away in French. Gabrielle seemed really confused and slowly asked McGonagall questions and Cho just started crying. That girl needs to stop crying!

After the other three calmed down Dumbledore hastily looked away from me and back towards the other three...victims.

'You will be under a strong charm that puts you to sleep and provides you with air until you resurface. Even if your champion doesn't manage to free you, the merpeople village that will be holding you have agreed to swim up to the surface with you. You will be constantly monitored whilst under that charm and no harm will come to you all.' He crossed him hands and leant back against his chair.

'Now, so that your champions or anyone who could inform them find out, you will be spending the night in a sectioned part of the Hospital Wing. When you wake up, you will have breakfast in private and then I will come and cast the charm on you before you will be transported to the mer-village. So, off you pop.'

~o!o~

I woke early the next morning, blinking to bring my surroundings into focus. Once I had realised that I was in the Hospital Wing I looked over onto the other beds to see Cho, Gabrielle and the other girl all sleeping. I rolled out of bed and walked over to the window. I watched the sun rise, knowing that it was still really early so I carefully opened the window and took in a deep breath of fresh air. Suddenly, Hedwig flew round the tower and into the window.

'How on earth did you know that I needed to send a letter?' I stroked her feathers before shuffling back to my bed. Thankfully there was some spare parchment and a quill for me to write a quick note.

Harry,

I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Just make sure you visit the merpeople.

See you soon,

Mel

I tied it up, gave it to Hedwig and watched as she flew away out the window with a small hoot. With that I went back to bed.

~o!o~

After waking up, for the second time, and seeing Dumbledore, McGonagall and Pomfrey looking down on me I sat up and brushed the hair out of my face. I looked around to see the other three girls already up and looking quite nervous. I looked back at Dumbledore and decided to continue what I had been doing the night before. Staring very blankly into his eyes, no expression on my face.

Dumbledore looked away from me and stood so all four of us could see and hear him.

'Brilliant to see you all awake and alert this early in the morning. Now as you know we need to cast a few charms on you so you won't be any danger.' Dumbledore went to lift his wand but I put my hand up.

'Err, Miss Williams?'

'What charms will you be casting sir?' I asked, still with a blank look on my face. I reckon I'm getting good at this.

'Um, an Underwater Breathing Charm, a Protective Bubble Charm, a Sleeping Charm and a charm that will alert me to any danger. May I ask why?'

'Just wanted to know. That's all sir.'

Dumbledore turned away from me before raising his wand. I only heard a few words that were definitely not in English before black consumed me.

~o!o~

Come seek us where our voices sound,

I could hear merpeople singing.

We cannot sing above the ground,

Is the task over?

And while you're searching, ponder this:

Why would Harry be playing the song again?

We've taken what you'll sorely miss,

And why am I underwater?

An hour long you'll have to look,

I feel like there are restraints on my ankles...

And to recover what we took.

The water is a lot colder than any bath...

But past an hour- the prospect's black

Wait. Does that mean...

Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.

I opened my eyes.

I tried to jump back, startled, as a fish swam right past my face but I found I couldn't. My ankles were held in a chain to stop me from floating away and I was being held captive the by Merfolk underwater.

Out of instinct I held my breath before becoming so dizzy and lightheaded I had to take a breath. Thankfully Dumbledore's Underwater Breathing Charm had worked, even if his sleeping one hadn't.

I surveyed my very peculiar surroundings. Apart from the other three floating bodies that still seemed to be asleep the Mervillage I was being held in was quite interesting. I guess between the whole tournament and possible death thing none of the champions thought it was that important.

There were what looked like huts made out of rocks, stone and boulders, completely covered with seaweed. Driftwood acted as makeshift doors and sunfish provided light. There were all sorts of Merfolk swimming around. Young, old, male, female. But most of them were coming to look at me.

Seeing that I had my eyes open and that I was still alive made them curious so I just gave a slight nod and a wave as they got closer and closer.

All of a sudden a shark came speeding towards the area. After almost screaming I realised it was Krum and watched as he bit down on the chain of the Beauxbatons girl.

I puzzled this for a moment as I knew that even though he was the last to finish, I knew Harry wa the first to arrive. Having waited to see if Fleur showed up.

Cedric then arrived and I started to get really worried. Where was Harry? Had something happened to him?

I was left hanging (pun intended) for about another fifteen minutes before I finally saw the webbed figure of Harry swimming towards me. He acknowledged my open eyes and waving hand before displaying a mix of emotions across his face. Shocked, confused, angry...

He looked at the other girl, Gabrielle, and I knew his thought process. Will she be left if I don't save her? He looked towards me and I just shrugged.

I then waited whilst he swam down to the bottom of the sea and picked up a broken spear head, probably one of the Merfolk's. He threw the spear at each of our chains before we started swimming towards the surface, each pulling Gabrielle.

When we reached the top, just as Harry's Gillyweed ran out, we surfaced to thunderous applause.

All I heard was Dumbledore announcing that their youngest Champion had finished before I lost consciousness.

~o!o~

'Shh, sshh! She's waking up!' I heard a voice say. Suddenly there was a loud scuffle and all noises ceased.

I groaned in pain as I tried to open my eyes and just got bright, white light and too many people.

'Go away...I wanna' go back to bed...' I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.

'No Mel, you need to wake up now.' I felt a gentle hand shaking me awake. I very slowly sat up and opened my eyes. It looked like the whole of Gryffindor were waiting around my bed.

I sat back as Madam Pomfrey came round and ran an analysis and then gave me two different potions. I managed to sit up and look around without feeling dizzy so I tentatively asked,

'What happened?' The mixture of angry and annoyed faces told me that something definitely wasn't right. I was about to ask again when Dumbledore came forward.

'Aah, well. It seems my Sleeping Charm was faulty.'

'Yeah, I remember being awake underwater!' I exclaimed with a tut from Pomfrey.

'Yes well. From what I can gather, I believe that being awake and underwater for so long, the Underwater Breathing Charm had to work over time, meaning that it didn't wear off when you surfaced. You passed out from lack of oxygen.' At least he had the decency to look ashamed.

I saw that at that Dumbledore received a series of angry glares from the students around my bed.

After Madam Pomfrey ushered out the majority of people, Harry, Ron and Hermione pulled up three chairs and sat round my bed.

'It was really frightening!' Hermione started, 'Harry was the last one up so we were already worried about both of you. We thought you were both safe when we saw you service, ignoring Harry's saving people thing, and then you blacked out and fell back into the water! You would've drowned if Harry hadn't been looking at you to check if you were alright. He managed to follow you and catch you in time.' Hermione gave me a big squeeze before standing up. She nudged Ron, glancing over at Harry's withdrawn figure before they both left the hospital wing.

Harry pulled his chair closer to the bed and took my hand in his.

'Are you alright Harry?' I asked. He sighed and looked at me.

'Question is, are you? I was so scared when saw you fall back into the water, I...I thought I had lost you. Right after I saved you.'

'I never would've been in trouble. Dumbledore wouldn't let it happen.'

'Dumbledore's sleeping charm was supposed to keep you asleep. If he did it properly none of this wouldn't have happened! I understand that there is someone out to get me but...getting the people I love in danger. I-I can't let that happen. I don't want to lose you Mel. I can't lose you. I've lost everyone I ever loved. I can't go through that again.'

'I don't want to lose you either. But fate is something that we shall never control, so wishing and hoping to grab onto that one shred of life that we can twist and manipulate until our urge to play God is over is not worth it.'

Harry looked up at me, his eyes shining. He looked past my eyes, deeper, past all the fake and facade, into my soul. At that moment I knew, we both felt it, there was no denying it. The raw feeling that passed between us overcome all worries, all fears, all doubts, all of that was pushed down and away. It vanished in that sacred moment, and everything was replaced by the astounding force of the emotion.

Love.

Sorry I think I'm turning into Dumbledore!