Chapter 36 The second task

Dumbledore had asked Cho in his office. She'd never been there, but once she arrived she noticed she wasn't the only one who had been asked to come. She recognized Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and a little girl which she had met as Fleur's little sister Gabriella.

'Welcome my dear friends,' Dumbledore said. 'Please, please sit down! Some pumpkin juice perhaps?'

Everyone shook his head doubting and little Gabriella seemed a little unease so Cho laid a hand on her shoulder.

'I've called you here to ask you, to give us a little help for the second task,' Dumbldore said and he stood up.

'You see, you're all four 'something' that a champion would sorely miss,' Dumbledore explained. 'The candid's know something will be stolen from them and I will tell you what it is, you.'

Cho blinked. Sorely miss? Cho thought that was a little of an understatement. She didn't even see Cedric yet, or wished him good luck. If he would not see her or realized she was 'stolen' from him. The boy would go insane! Or maybe she was giving herself to much credit now?

'So I would like your permission to put you all in an enchanted sleep and put you under water in the lake, where the four champions get the task to rescue you. Not to worry this is completely save, even if a champion doesn't manage to rescue you we will still get you save out of the water and you will be perfectly able to breath, you will barely notice anything of it,'

Everyone looked at each other a little insecure.

'The moment you get brought to the surface you will awake from your 'sleep'.' Dumbledore said.

Hermione slowly nodded and then Ron too. Even little Gabriella. Because Cho felt like she couldn't stay behind she nodded too.

'Perfect!' Dumbledore said. 'Let's start right now shall we?'

Water. Cho didn't like water.

Cho didn't notice she was under water. Or she knew, somewhere in her unconsciousness. Her surrounding felt very odd and her dreams were all about water. Sometimes she tried to open her eyes. This didn't work. Most of the time it just felt like sleeping and sometimes she noticed a little more, then she could feel the water or see shadows passing her. She couldn't be scared. Yet. She wondered what Cedric would be doing right now, but she couldn't really think along because she felt sort of asleep again. At one point she did feel something. A pressure from her ankle got relieved and something took her arm. Was she still dreaming or…Suddenly she felt a cold breeze against her face and it was like she got woken by an alarm clock. Cho gasped for breath and looked around her disorientated for a moment. Cedric hold her arm, he was very concentrated. He looked at her checking if she was ok and then he gently dragged her along to the shore. Cho heard her friend yelling her name and she waved weakly.

'Cedric you are the first!' David yelled.

'Move!' was Cedric's reply. He had lifted her in his arms and they got helped up the dry.

'Towels, I need towels!' Cedric said, still very concentrated. Right away a dozen of towels came his way.

'Not for me! For her!' He took one almost annoyed and Cedric started to dry Cho who still didn't totally get what just happened. How many time had passed since Dumbledore's office and why was there this memory that kept pressing against her mind, something that reminded her at coming out of the water being wet and with Cedric hovering over her worried. What was it?

'She doesn't like water,' Cedric mumbled as he rubbed her hands over her arms to warm her.

Cho's gaze wondered to him.

'I didn't even wish you good luck!' was the first thing she said.

He looked at her and started laughing. 'Silly,' he commented.

Cho smiled. 'Did you win?' she asked. Cho looked around and she saw Fleur. Gabriella wasn't with her so she must have dropped out.

'Madam Pomfrey, could you check if Cho is alright?' Cedric asked the nurse.

He still looked worried. Mumbling something about being in shock.

'I'm not in shock!' Cho protested.

Cedric blinked. 'Oh, I guess not…' he said stroking some drops of her face. Madam Pomfrey would check her eyes and Cho would roll them and she got the sign she was alright which relieved Cedric.

At that point Victor returned with Hermione, being second.

'I will be right back love,' Cedric kissed her forehead and he was walking towards Dumbledore. That last one had a very amused smile around his lips as if he exactly knew what was coming. Typical. Cho tried to listen what her boyfriend had to say.

'Sir,' Cedric said polite. 'I know you are a very powerful wizard and stuff and that you would never allow something to happen to Cho and the others, but I beg you to please never use her for something like this again. Never, take her away from me again,' Cedric breathed. Dumbledore smiled. 'Ah, young love,' he muttered. ' the most powerful of all…'

Cedric blinked. 'Thank you,' he probably hadn't expected a saner answer. Then a minute after the hour had stroke Harry Potter would come up with Ron Weasley and Gabriella! Fleur was thrilled, giving Hermione and Ron both kisses on their cheeks and Hermione kissed Harry's forehead. Cho smiled. Harry would get the second place because he was heroic enough to save two people even though that would cost him time. Cedric, her Cedric was first. She still sat there and she watched him surrounded by cheering friends as he laughed proudly while a picture got take for the Daily Prophet. Cho would give him a long glowing look, until she caught Harry Potter watching.

Cedric wouldn't pay much attention to her at that moment, very caught up in his glory but he deserved it. He was first and Cho was very proud.

That night they would lay together in the grass watching the stars.

'Sorry I couldn't talk to you that much anymore after, it was all so overwhelming,' Cedric said.

'That's alright,' Cho smiled. 'You're here now.'

'And I'm not planning on going anywhere,' Cedric said stroking her hair. Cho snuggled against him.

'I was scared today,' Cedric said.

'You were?' Cho asked.

'I didn't know where you were, I didn't know you would be in that water, I almost didn't join because I wanted to look for you, but Dumbledore reassured me you were ok, but I was..scared…' Cedric nodded.

'I think that's sweet, that you're scared for me,' Cho said.

Cedric grinned . 'I wasn't very sweet at the moment, I was about to hit someone,'

Suddenly his eyes started to glow.

'Come on! I want to show you something!' he said enthusiastic and he took a confused Cho inside.

'What? Where are you taking me?' she asked.

'You're going to love it,' Cedric promised.

Cho walked after him till they reached an unfamiliar painting and Cedric spoke the password.

'Lemon,' he said. It swayed open.

'One of the nice things of being a head boy,' Cedric grinned. Cho looked curious and followed him inside the portrait. It was dark and she couldn't see much. Cedric would guide her and at one point she saw the bluish moonlight shining on an enormous bath.

'We are in the class oldest bathroom!' Cho called out. Cedric chuckled and nodded by seeing her excitement.

'We are,' he whispered in her ear. Cho shivered.

'May I undress you Cho?' he asked polite.

Cho nodded carefully.

After awhile the both laid in the lovely warm water and Cho closed her eyes content and she felt how Cedric didn't bother closing his eyes or hide that he was staring at her. Suddenly she felt soft touched on her breasts and her eyes opened carefully. Cedric's face above her.

'I don't really like water,' she reminded him ashamed. It was just a soft whisper.

Making love in the water. She was afraid to drown. An odd memory of choking flew to the surface but she couldn't grab it. Cedric didn't seem to hear her, kissing her. Already so distracted. Cho knew how easy it would be to give in, let her worries fade but she wasn't sure if she wanted to right now.

'Cedric,' she mumbled insecure. He heard it as a longing whisper of his name and he kissed her neck more eager.

'You're all tense,' he noticed then as he hands took place on her shoulders.

'Yes I'm a little scared,' Cho admitted softly.

'For the water?' Cedric asked worried.

'A little,' Cho said but then she noticed it wasn't entirely true. She partly was afraid of water but this was just a bath, with warm water and Cedric who held her and sure not would let her drown. She was afraid that she would do something wrong, now they were in the water. He had spoken so loving about her the other day. What if that was just luck and she wouldn't meet his expectations this time?

'You rather don't want to do this here?' Cedric asked. Cho looked doubting. She almost could picture the feeling already and that made her long for it. Cedric looked at her asking.

'Go on,' she said then.

Cedric seemed to want to object but Cho interrupted.

'I said, go on,' she smiled.

Cedric smiled, his lips carefully on hers again.

'I love you,' he breathed.

'I love you too,' Cho said.

And from that day on, Cho became a little less scared of water.