Hermione just came out of the water next to Krum. Instantly she looked up for Harry. He was nowhere to be found. "Where is Harry!?"
Krum raised an eyebrow and said "He hasn't returned yet."
"Did he go inside with all of you?"
"Yes. He was there when I came to pick you."
Hermione was panicking. What had he figured out and where is he. She couldn't find Ron too. Krum helped her get to the bank. Madam Pomfrey gave both of them a blanket and a pepperup potion. She was still worried for Harry and Ron. What if the person trying to get to Harry has done something to him. Just then Krum said "Well I'm glad that the task is over. Now I can get to meet you. You haff been very busy with Harry for the task. I barely got to meet you in the last month."
"Uhmmm yes. You know it's Harry. We are best friends." She was not at all interested in talking to Viktor right now. Her head was filled with worry.
"Vat are you doing this summer hermyowny?"
Hermione got distracted "What? Why are you asking?"
Krum was blushing now. "I Vould like you to visit me over the summer. Bulgaria is amazing! You will love it!"
"Viktor, that's - that's..."
"Did I ask too early? I'm sorry. It's just that-vell I really like you hermyowny. I getting fond of you each day. I haff never met a girl like you. You are so brilliant and these last two months, ven I get to know you, they haff been amazing. All your stand for elf and studying everything. I-I have fallen in.. "
" And here comes Potter! With his friend Ron and there is someone else..." said Ludo Bagman.
Just then fleur screamed" GABRIELLE!"
Hermione immediately turned her head to Harry and Ron. But her head was still spinning with Viktor question. She looked back at him" Viktor l- we will talk later" giving him a smile. She saw Madam Pomfrey bring Harry to where she stood.
"Harry, well done!" Hermione cried. "You did it, you found out how all by yourself!"
.
.
"Haven't we got enough to worry about?" Ron asked her. "Do we have to start a vendetta against Rita Skeeter as well?"
"I'm not asking you to help!" Hermione snapped. "I'll do it on my own!"
She marched back up the marble staircase without a backward glance. Harry was quite sure she was going to the library.
"What's the betting she comes back with a box of I Hate Rita Skeeter badges?" said Ron..
Hermione went upto the library in anger. She really wanted to get back at Rita. She went up to look through the books for magical methods to listen into conversation. Just then she saw a familiar face staring back at her smiling, "Viktor!" she shrieked. "Oh I'm so sorry I haven't been able to talk to you. I have been so busy. How are you?"
"Can ve go for a Valk?" said Viktor.
"Oh yes! I have loads to tell you."
"Yes it has been long since we met. I want to listen to all.". They walked out of the library and started walking near the lake.
"Been so occupied Viktor. With homework and then hogmeade trip. And then Rita article! Oh the article! Did you read? Oh I'm so sorry. It was utter rubbish Viktor. Harry is my friend."
"Yes I read it. So...?"
"Soo...?" said hermione.
"I wanted to talk about us. I couldn't finishing talking at the task."
"Oh. Uhmmm yes. Viktor..."
"Hermowny. I-I love you. You are the most amazing girl I haff ever met. I don't usually talk to anyone being famous but I haff fallen for you. I love your heart and brain..."
Hermione had tears in her eyes. She cut off Viktor and said "Oh Viktor, I-I really appreciate what you feel. But... can you give me some time, to think about-about something. I want to clear my head about something first. Can you trust me on it?"
"Hermowny I can trust you with anything, but...i want to know...is there-there someone else?" said Viktor.
Hermione had got silent. Well indeed there is. There is Ron. Ron who surprises her with saying he likes her alot. Makes her laugh with his s scarlet jokes, his attractive smile after every goodbye, his sensitivity with being poor, his senseless fights, his jealousy, his protectiveness and what not. Ron makes her feel alive. But then why isn't she saying No to Viktor. Its because Viktor is too good to be true. Together they can do so much. He loves her, he truly values her heart and brain. He understands, he appreciates her alot unlike Ron. Ron who questions her wisdom, challenges her. Oh I soo confused.
"Hermowny, can you tell me is there someone else?"
"Y-yes. But I need to figure it out. Please can you give me some time. I promise I will answer you with all the reasons. But first I need to get Harry through the third task. Cause I really think whoever put his name in has this last chance. And I really need to get him prepared. "
" I really think he knows alot. I didn't know haff the things he knows. "
" Yes well, still he doesn't know alot. I need to prepare him better for the last one. "
" You never know I beat him! "
" Ha ha, let's see. What if he beat you if I train him"
"If you train, I can lose. Then Rita write Viktor Loser!"
"Oh Rita! Viktor you got to help me out, what do you think, how is she listening?" and they continued talking.
.
.
"You are to go down to the Quidditch field tonight at nine o'clock, Potter," she told him. "Mr. Bagman will be there to tell the champions about the third task."
So at half past eight that night, Harry left Ron and Hermione in Gryffindor Tower and went downstairs.
"What do you reckon the task is going to be?" said Ron.
"Oh I don't know, must be something like obstacles or something. Cause you know this is the last one." said Hermione.
"I reckon you have to pass some kind of path with fighting off teachers you know."
"Ron! They can't fight teachers."
"No I mean, like with e philosopher stone. Like how teachers did stuff. Something like that."
"Yes maybe. But Ron, I'm not worried for the task, you know this is the last chance for someone to-to kill Harry. I was thinking this time we better prepare him better than the last time. So you know he is better prepared to fight off."
"Don't worry hermione, we will help him through. But we don't know what the task is. What do you reckon let's say, what could Hagrid set up?"
Both Ron and hermione turned around to look at each other and said together "Blast-Ended Skrewts!" and both started laughing.
"How about Professor McGonagall?" said Ron
"Something to do with Transfiguration.,may be has to transfigure something..."
"Or maybe he has to make McGonagall laugh."
Hermione started laughing. Ron looked at her and started laughing too. "Ron! That's absurd. This is no task!" said hermione still laughing.
"Have you ever seen McGonagall laughing? It will be a pretty cool task."
"Now you're just making up stuff!"
"Ha ha, let's do it for all the teachers."
"Wha... No Ron I'm serious we need to think..."
"come on hermione! Let's do it for fun" said Ron. Hermione smiled at him. Her butterflies were back, she put her elbows on the table and put her head down sideways and said "Oh okay. Who's next?"
Ron giving her a smile, copied her and put his elbows down and head facing her smiling "Dumbledore!"
"Maybe they have to touch his hat. You know that is the most ridiculous thing I can think." said Hermione.
"Oorrrrr Maybe they have to cut his beard." both started laughing again. "What about Snape?" asked hermione.
"Shampoo his hair.". She was certainly enjoying every stupid prediction Ron was making. She really like spending such silly time with Ron, laughing and enjoying, cuddling ? I don't cuddle Ron. This happens every time when she spends some time alone with her. She feels like she want to hug him, hold his arms, smile at him, look in his eyes. She likes it that he only does this with her only. There is no one else Ron talks to, so she was sure he does this with her. He also admitted he likes spending time with me. But Ron is really silly and stupid at times. He is too immature to start a relationship with. Maybe, maybe with time...he might...but alot to work on...is it worth it?
"Hermione! Are you okay?" said Ron.
WHA-yea I'm okay? "
" You were staring at me and smiling. I thought you lost your mind. "
" What? No I was just well thinking. Which teacher are we on? " sitting up now. Ron mirrored her too.
" Divination! Do - do you want-what we're you thinking? "
" Oh nothing. Just well oh nothing. So trelawney? "blushing now.
He was still looking at her and then said"Oh well, you know, he would have to predict his own death to win the triwizard Cup" grinning widely.
Just then Harry entered. He clambered through the portrait hole into the common room and hurried straight for the corner where Ron and Hermione were sitting, to tell them what had happened.
.
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Harry got up. The Gryffindors all along the table were applauding him; the Weasleys and Hermione all wished him good luck, and he headed off out of the Great Hall with Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor. The rest of them walked upto the Quidditch field finding a place halfway up the stands. Hermione was standing next to Ron and Mrs. Weasley and Bill were standing next to him. Just then Mr. Bagman announced that triwizard task about to start. They all clapped for all the champions and then on the whistle Harry entered the maze.
Hermione panicked. She had started to worry. "Oh no. Here he goes." she said to Ron. She noticed Mrs. Weasley was staring at her. She got nervous. Is she about to ask me about Harry and me. Or Viktor. She observed from the corner of the eye that she was still looking at her. She decided maybe she should tell the truth to her and turned around to look at her. She was not looking at her, rather she was looking at her hand who was entwined with Ron's hand. She instantly turned away and released her hand from Ron. She didn't realise when she took Ron's hand into hers and Ron didn't say anything. He was also holding her hand back gripping tightly and kept looking over to the maze. She chanced to look back at Mrs. Weasley, she was smiling and looking over the maze.
"Hermione! Red sparks!" said Ron. She instantly gripped his hand again but she didn't care this time. She had the panic attack again.
"Who is it? Oh no, is it Harry?"
"Wait, hermione...i see two people coming. Oh no! Better not be Harry. Wait no, it's Fleur and...Krum. Yes Krum"
"What Krum?" said hermione looking over. They saw Dumbledore talking to Krum and waking Fleur now to know what happened. Snape walked over to Dumbledore immediately and whispered something. They saw Karkaroff coming to them and talking and then ran away. They knew something is wrong.
Just then they saw two people laying on the ground near the edge.
"NOO!" shrieked both Ron and Hermione. Then they saw Harry moving but Cedric wasn't moving.
"Comeon! Let's go hermione downstairs." He held out a hand to her and both of them ran down to get to him. Hermione was in tears now.
"Where is he?" said Ron. Mrs. Weasley and Bill had joined them too. They saw Snape and McGonagall hurried after Dumbledore.
"Something happened! I'm sure Ron." and she hugged him tightly and started crying like she did in third year. She knew Mrs. Weasley is watching but she didn't care. She wanted comfort. Ron surprisingly returned the hug but let go quickly.
"She should go to the hospital wing. Maybe Harry is there" said Mrs. Weasley, making them aware that she was there. She let go of Ron and decided to go with them to the wing. But just then a voice came
"Hermyowny!" said Viktor. They all turned around and stopped. Ron looked at her nervously.
"Viktor I-I have to go right now. I'm sorry. We need to find Harry." said Hermione and felt as if she passed a huge hurdle in her life within seconds. She turned and looked upto Ron and smiled, and then all of them hurried along to the hospital wing.
When Dumbledore pushed open the door, Harry saw Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Ron, and Hermione grouped around a harassed-looking Madam Pomfrey. They appeared to be demanding to know where Harry was and what had happened to him. All of them whipped around as Harry, Dumbledore, and the black dog entered, and Mrs. Weasley let out a kind of muffled scream.
"Harry! Oh Harry!"