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Special Kudo's to my fans who have kept reading this even after all this time,

You really do fuel my writing and help me to get through another chapter!

A Date

One by one,

I'm learning things like heartbreak and smiles

Even though I knew those words my heart was confused

But know I can tell of the meaning of love.

I think there is something that only I can do for you.

Someday, without a doubt, the day is coming

when I will protect you..

-Outlaw star

Intro: Yay! Another chapter! >dances> I can't believe that I got this done so fast! I'm really not sure as to how this chapter came out, it was the product of an after sleepover writing binge that lasted quite a while. But, more realistically, there is finally more romance in the chapter, though I haven't the slightest idea if it came out any good. >takes a moment to think> well, I suppose I've added the little bit about Ron because I felt bad about how Fleur treated him in the last chapter though I didn't want to twist the plot and not add him in. anywho, before you die from reading the long, drollintroductions that I alway seem to type, here is the next chapter...

Much like an ice palace, the decorations of the great hall caused her to inhale sharply, completely breath taken at such a display. Fleur could only speculate as she walked into the room, her arm around Cedric's. Glowing blonde hair had been tied in the back and pinned with a beautiful flower-like pin that she had gotten from her mother. The dress she wore was eloquent silver, her eyes seemed to glow a sapphire blue thanks to the sharp crimson of her lips and grace in her step.

"Beautiful, I 'ad no idea zat eet would be zhis breathtaking!" Fleur exclaimed, looking to her date, the handsome Hufflepuff whom had asked her to the ball not more than two hours ago. She leaned close to him, glad that this was real and not a dream. Cedric, who looked just as happy as she, managed another award-winning smile. The two stood there, looking much like the image of a perfect couple. Fleur kept a look out for Roger, feeling a bit bad about having to tell him last minute that she had gotten a date.

Her eyes fixed on the empty dance floor as they stood there, Viktor Krum walked down the stairs with a fairly beautiful girl clinging to his arm that Fleur could not recognize. Maybe she was from Durmstrang…Harry stood talking with the boy from before who had asked her to the ball and Fleur felt a small twinge of guilt about the way she had treated the poor kid, she had been angry after all…her eyes were alert for Cho, hoping that she wouldn't be getting dirty looks the whole dance.

"You look great Fleur," he grinned and she was about to reply when a middle aged woman, the Transfiguration teacher, approached them with a worried look on her face, she ushered the four champions together, raising her eyebrow at both Cedric and Fleur as though pondering whether or not that it was allowed in the rules to have two champions go together. She didn't seem to bother with it anymore for she had already begun speaking.

"Alright champions, you're to start off the ball, Ms. Delacour and, er, Mr. Diggory you are going to go out first followed by Mr. Krum and Ms. Granger, then Mr. Potter and, Ms. Patel." With that they were off, Cedric proudly leading Fleur to the dance floor, her silver gown trailed behind her gracefully. She couldn't keep the smile from spreading across her lips as most of the students tried to make sense of the pair. Was this the first time that two champions had gone to the ball together? Still, they rested on the dance floor, waiting for the other two champions to get in position.

"Don't trip," she teased him and watched as he tried to bite back a laugh. The two smiled at each other, eyes meeting as the music began. It was a slow, bouncy waltz that played, Cedric placed his hands on her waist and she put her hands on his shoulders, still smiling. Then they took off into the dance, showing to be the most graceful couple, Fleur twirled slightly.

"I though that you would've already had a date," Cedric said as they danced, though only the two could hear it. Fleur shook her head, spinning slightly as the dance demanded.

"Non, I was asked many times but I…" she paused, the dance coming to an end as the two talked softly, "I didn't want to go with anyone other zhan you." She finished, blushing a slight bit in a very uncharacteristic way. Cedric seemed to soak this in, twirling her once more and then catching her as the dance ended.

"I was having nightmares about going with Cho and never being able to speak to you again," he said, grinning, gesturing towards one of the tables that were empty. The weird Sisters had taken over the orchestra and were now strumming some catchy tunes. Fleur let him lead her to a seat, pulling the chair out so that she could sit down.

"I am glad zat you asked," she smiled, placing her hand on Cedric's as they sat there, lost in each others eyes for a moment. The dance around them seemed to not matter anymore, all that mattered was each other. Fleur took in Cedric's good looks with glossed-over eyes, not believing that he could look anymore handsome than he had before. For a moment the two just stared, and then a voice broke her gaze, turning her eyes to face in back of her. It was Roger.

"Fleur! Cedric!" he exclaimed, a beautiful black-haired girl that Fleur recognized from Beauxbatons was at his side, giggling slightly as she held on to Roger's arm. Fleur smiled, glad that he had gotten a date after all, "you guys look great together!" he laughed, putting his arm around the black-haired French girl.

"Ah, I see zat you 'ave gotten a date as well," Fleur said enthusiastically, as though wishing for an introduction. Roger only grinned devilishly.

"This is Monique, she's a year younger than you Fleur so I'm not sure that you'd know her," Monique only giggled more, as though incredibly joyful to be displayed on the left arm of Roger Davies. Fleur shot a glance to Cedric, who returned her glance with a smile, "well I'm off to go dance, I love this song!" he called to them with a wave and took his date back out to the dance floor.

"Who would believe that Davies could get over you?" he grinned as soon as the pair had left. Fleur kept up her confident smile while giving a laugh.

"Wonders never cease!" she said, hinting towards him asking her to the ball as well. Cedric smiled at her.

"No, they don't. I don't think that this night could get any better, or that you could get anymore beautiful." He said, sending a shiver up her spine.

Fleur soon got lost in the evening, dancing and talking with Cedric at every chance. Cho hadn't been around, and if she had, the two never noticed. Very few students were left by the end of the dance, consisting of only a few couples who seemed to be enjoying themselves, including both Cedric and Fleur. The song that went on next was slow, the snow falling from the roof of the great hall added an icy touch to the room and Cedric stood up.

"Care to dance?" he asked, holding out his hand to her. Fleur placed her hand in his, letting him lift her to her feet as though she were a feather. The two approached the dance floor. She wrapped her hands around his shoulders; his hands fell to her waist and the two swayed back and forth.

"Eet is like a dream," Fleur said softly, resting her head on his shoulder as they danced. She was very tired from all the dancing, but her heart didn't want this evening to end. It had been perfect.

"Yea…" Cedric sighed in agreement. Fleur couldn't help but wonder if this would be it. Would the two go back to normal relations after this? She hoped that it would be something more…the words had escaped before she could stop them.

"So zhen, zis iz eet? After zis do zings go back to normal between us?" she asked softly as they swayed to the beat of the music, Fleur couldn't help but feel that she could fall asleep in his arms.

"Not unless you want it to," He said majestically and she smiled, pulling away from him as the dance ended. Slipping her hand into his, Fleur pulled him off of the near-empty dance floor and the two were out in the bridge, where the two had first talked alone. Cedric looked surprised by her enthusiasm, but let himself be led wherever she was taking them.

"Look at zee stars!" she said, letting go of his hand as she placed her arms over the side and gazed up at the dark midnight sky. She could feel Cedric rest against the ledge to her right.

"Its just like before…the first time we met," he sighed and Fleur could only agree as the two stood there, love struck. Fleur closed her eyes, leaning her head against Cedric and letting the scent of him lull her. Finally she lifted her head from his arm and sighed, no longer leaning on the ledge or Cedric.

"Eet iz late…zee third task iz only a week away." She said sadly, as though the bearer of bad news. Cedric frowned, a perfect indication that he too hadn't been able to find the clue. The two stood there for a moment, figuring what to say.

"Fleur, if anything happens to you I won't be able to live," he said, looking sullen. Fleur was confused by the concern that he had shown, unsure that she herself had ever seen so pure an emotion that was because of her. Reassuringly, she placed her hand in his.

"Zhan I will be sure to keep myself safe," she smiled, looking very much like the perfect picture of tired. Cedric must've noticed this because he let out a sigh, turning to face her.

"Mind if I escort you back to the carriage? You look like you are ready to fall over from exhaustion," he grinned, Fleur only nodded with a weak smile. She was indeed incredibly tired from all of the events of the day, the emotional stress, the emotional joy, the dancing; it was all catching up with her. He took his hand in hers and the two began to walk down to the Beauxbaton's carriage, in silence.

"Fleur…" he said, breaking the long silence that had passed between the two.

"Mmm?" she asked, sleepily as she let Cedric lead her back to the carriage, they were almost there now. She could hear the soft clicks of her heals on the freshly shoveled walkway leading down to the carriage, her heels digging into her feet as she walked. Beauty had quite a price it seemed.

"Do you want to go out with me?" he asked, catching her off guard, go out? As in boyfriend and girlfriend? He really hadn't made it finally come to think of it…but still, to be referred to as Cedric's girlfriend? Fleur couldn't seem to be able to comprehend that. She was silent, looking at him as though the words were beyond her, "what I'm trying to say Fleur is…well…I love you." A shiver spun up her spine and Fleur stopped walking, well aware that they were less than two feet away from the carriage.

"I love you to Cedric, more zhan you could possibly imagine," she said, pulling him close and placing her lips against his in a deep kiss. The two stood there in each others arms, Cedric returning her kiss. Finally it was she who broke away, gazing into his eyes. He was the first to speak.

"You better get some rest Fleur," he said, placing one more kiss on her lips, "I'll see you tomorrow in Herbology." With that she could only agree, nodding as her slender fingers pulled the door open to the carriage and she waved good bye to him, shutting the door behind.

For a while, she watched through the window as the love of her life walked back to the castle, looking much awestruck as she had when gazing into his eyes.

Fleur found it hard to concentrate on much of anything as she made her way back to her room. Most of the compartments of the other Beauxbaton students were closed, indicating that she was probably the only girl left awake. It didn't bother her. She opened the door to her room, the scene of elegance that reflected what a princess's room was sure to look like. The carriage had been set so that they each had their own rooms, unlocked by three taps from their wands. Hers was, by far, the biggest, thanks to her selection as a champion. Her eyes fell on the egg as she slipped into her pajamas, consisting of a blue tank top and blue pajama bottoms that look more like a pair of short gym shorts.

"Looks…kind of like it should belong at zee bottom of a fish tank," she laughed softly, grabbing the egg in her arms as she opened the door to her room. It was no use falling asleep after such a great night, she was going to take a bath and hopefully find some clue to the wretched screeching egg that they had given her. Sleepily, she trudged down the hall and opened the door with an exclusive password that she had been given by madam Maxime. Only three of the other students knew of this huge spa-like room, the rest took showers in the public rooms.

Pulling out a few tiles and turning the nozzle to the huge spa tub on, Fleur sat at the edge of the tub. It filled pretty quickly but Fleur always hated to take a bath feeling the water that was cold first come into the tub. She sat the egg in her lap, humming to herself a small tune. Her thoughts were still stuck on Cedric, enthused that the handsome Hufflepuff had made her dreams come true.

"I'm going to figure zis out, I can't let Cedric even get 'urt in zis task," she said stubbornly, fiddling with the egg as though there was some secret code written on it. The water in the tub was beginning to touch the tips of her toes, Fleur was grateful that the water was burning hot, the bubbles that formed at the top sparkled. It was no use worrying over it, the top seemed to be the only thing that worked on the egg and that only emitted screams.

Preparing her ears for a very unpleasant sound, Fleur clicked the egg open hesitantly. The loud screeching made her wince and she felt her hands slip on the egg, dropping it into the water accidentally.

"Oh! Zoot!" she cursed, standing up as she reached to undress so that she could retrieve the troublesome clue. She didn't get time because her foot caught the ledge of the tub involuntarily and she fell into the steaming bathwater. Immediately after her head broke the perfect surface of the water, a melodic hum filled her ears. It was a song…

Come seek us where our voices sound.

We cannot sing above the ground.

An hour long you'll have to look,

To recover what we took.

She gasped for breath as her head broke the surface. The egg had sung to her! Immediately her reading from before echoed in her mind, the voices…they were…merpeople? She had to rescue someone? What had they taken? Cedric? She rationalized her thoughts…it was just a game; there was no way that someone could get hurt. Besides, Cedric was a champion, had he figured this out. Sopping wet, she grabbed the egg in her hands and closed it shut underwater. This was important; she would have to tell Cedric about it tomorrow.

End: Gah! I had SERIOUS trouble constructing the last bits of the chapter. Think about it, me thinking how to get Fleur in a bathtub without mentioning the fact that she would have to UNDRESS to get the stupid thing done. >dies> but i've pulled if off withzero insults to the ratings. Go me. Anyways, next chapter will be narrater inCedric's point ofview because this one was sorta the other half of that last chapter that I published.To get down to the point, I do believe that the next chapter will remain the same as the onein the book because, I really have NO idea of who else to put because Fleur's already a champion and, well, it just won't work. Then again, maybe i'll suprise you! Guess you'll have to tune in to the next week to find out, eh? If only I wasn't so decisive...