Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story.

Draco's P.O.V

Well if I hadn't blown it before, I certainly had now. How could I be so stupid? I let my anger get the better of me and I lashed out. The words I use to describe...non-pure bloods are wrong, I know that, but it's what I've lived, it's what I've been taught, and that doesn't leave just because you find yourself crushing on a...non-pure blood.

I didn't see her at all for a few days after that, until I bumped into her in the corridor making her way towards McGonagall's office. She was with Weasley but they were talking in hushed whispers with their heads down. I opened my mouth to say something to her but thought better of it. I didn't want Weasley involved with us in any way at all.

The next day was the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. It would be the perfect opportunity to whisk Hermione away. Potter would be trying not to die, and Weasley would most likely be waiting for him like a lost puppy by the sidelines. I would find her in the morning and I'd apologise for what I said.

But things didn't exactly go to plan. We arrived at the Great Lake early in the morning, unsure exactly what the champions needed to do to succeed. I spotted Potter, Krum, Delacour and Diggory in their respective stands getting ready to jump in, but I couldn't see Hermione anywhere. She'd usually be wherever Potter is, cheering him on and being a supportive and encouraging friend (why have I never had this?) but she was nowhere to be found.

I was amongst my fellow Slytherins, jostling first years out of the way so I could get a better look at the expanse of water ahead of us.

"You - what's going on? What have they got to do?" I demanded an answer from a frightened looking second year.

"I heard there's people down there that they need to rescue, people they care about."

My heart could have sunk to the depths of the lake at that very moment. That's why I couldn't see her, she was strapped to the bottom of the waterbed and her fate rested in the hands of Potter. Or was it Krum? I had almost forgotten that my competition was a pro-athlete and that just added to my growing anxiety.

I felt helpless. I was so close to just jumping in myself, but I was a terrible swimmer and had no way of breathing underwater so I'd just end up dying and killing us both. What was only an hour felt like it could have been a lifetime. As a spectator we didn't see anything that was going on down there. Every now and then we'd see an air bubble rise to the surface and pop dramatically and we'd think 'someone's made it, they're coming!' only to be met with still silence.

My heart was racing, my palms were sweating and I felt sick to my stomach. When I had found out Potter's name was put in the Goblet of Fire and he'd been successful, I was filled with joy. If we could get rid of him in this way things would be so much easier for the rising. Never had I anticipated that Hermione would be endangered by it too.

Finally, we saw Diggory and that Ravenclaw girl breach the surface, coughing and spluttering. But where was Hermione?

Moments later, Krum, whose head has been transformed into a shark, shot up from the water with Hermione in his grip. She looked slightly blue in the face and you could see her teeth chattering uncontrollably but she was there and she was alive. My heart sang.

I pushed through the crowds towards the dock where she'd been coddled with a towel but before I could reach her I stopped and thought about what I was doing. She'd just been saved by this Bulgarian body-builder. She was probably confused, freezing and hysterical. What would I be achieving by running to her side? I turned around and walked away across the grounds back towards the castle, heavy hearted but euphoric that she was OK.