"Harry Potter."

Harry gaped toward the staff table. Today was Halloween 1994, the day where the champions for the first edition of the revived Tri-Wizard Tournament were chosen. Harry had never entered his name and yet, his name came out of the Goblet of Fire. He should have seen it coming. He really should have. After all, today was Halloween. Something bad had always happened on Halloween since he had come to Hogwarts.

And yet, he hadn't seen it coming.

Harry sat there, barely aware that the entirety of the Great Hall was looking at him. A very silent Great Hall.

He glanced at his friends. Both were looking at him with a blank expression. Still, Harry could see in Ron's eyes that anger was slowly starting to build up. Anger directed at him. Hermione's feelings about the situation however was what he wanted, no, needed to know. Unlike Ron, Harry couldn't discern anything in Hermione's eyes except shock.

"I didn't put my name in! You know I didn't... right?" he whispered to them. Neither reacted.

"Harry Potter!" repeated the voice of Dumbledore.

Ron started scowling while Hermione just pushed him on his feet. "Go on." she said.

"Hermione..."

"Go!"

The atmosphere around him was heavy. Harry felt like he was slowly walking to his death. Everyone was looking at him and Harry saw the stares that came all around the Great Hall. More than one was an angry one.

After what felt like an eternity, Harry entered the smaller room adjacent to the Great Hall. The other three selected Champions were standing around the fireplace. "What is it?" said Fleur Delacour, the Beauxbatons Champion. "Do zey want us back in ze Hall?"

A debate soon started when the teachers joined in. Understandably, the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons Headmasters and Champions were pissed that Harry's name had come out of the Goblet and that Hogwarts now had a second Champion. Harry had quickly tuned out the conversation once he had answered Dumbledore's questions.

Harry was worried about the reactions of his friends. While he was disappointed about the direction Ron was heading toward, he wasn't really surprised. He knew that Ron's deepest desire was to make a name for himself, to not be in someone else's shadow and having your already famous best mate suddenly being entered in a Tournament which you wanted to join in yourself... Well, let's just say that it wouldn't be a surprise if Ron refused to speak to him in the following days, nor that it wouldn't hurt him if he didn't.

What he was worried about was Hermione's seemingly lack of reaction. Harry knew that Hermione had been shocked, but she also looked at him blankly. It didn't make him comfortable and he feared that Hermione would believe that he had entered his name in the Goblet.

After nearly an hour of talks between the Professors, the Champions were let go. Harry left nearly trembling. The results the Professors had come to was that Harry had been entered as an assassination attempt! And even with that, they still forced him to compete in the Tournament! When Harry arrived at the entrance of Gryffindor Tower, he stopped in front of the Fat Lady before taking a deep, relaxing breath.

"Well, well, well..." said the Fat Lady. "Violet's just told me everything. Who's just been chosen as school champion then?"

"Balderdash." said Harry, not wanting to hear the gossip from the portraits.

"It most certainly isn't!" said the second woman in the portrait.

"No, no, no, Vi. It's the password." said the Fat Lady before opening the entrance. He was surprised when he was met with a blast of noise. It didn't take long for people to notice him, nor for people to drag him into the common room. Harry looked around and was disappointed when he saw that both Hermione and Ron were missing. Ron was probably in their dorm room so he would be able to talk to him but Hermione would be in hers and boys weren't allowed up there. He would have to wait until tomorrow to talk to Hermione. Hopefully, she would believe him...

"I never realised how tired, alone and scared you must have felt that night." said Hermione sadly. "Had I known; I would have stayed in the common room."

"It's okay love." reassured Harry.

"Why were you sleeping?" asked Rose to her mother.

"I wasn't." said Hermione. "I was shocked about what had happened, I was scared about Harry and I was tired. Oh, and the music was incredibly loud and annoying. So, I went to bed." she added with a smile.

"You talked the next day then?" asked Rose.

"Yes." said Harry. "That morning, I had woken up still tired of the evening. I hadn't slept well that night because of what had happened and Ron's reaction. You might remember that I had mentioned once that in the first few months of our first year, I had a nightmare that Hermione was turning her back on me again after something bad happened to me. I had it again that night and feared that I would be completely alone. Thankfully, one look at your mother and I knew I wasn't..." he said, looking happily at Hermione.

Harry dressed up for the day. He felt miserable about what had happened with Ron the previous night and was scared that Hermione felt the same way. When he entered the common room, the whispers started again. Harry quickly walked toward the exit but before he could push it open, the Fat Lady opened the entrance and Harry found himself face-to-face with Hermione.

Hermione was surprised and even shocked when she saw Harry flinch at her presence. She remembered however that Ron had looked angry after Harry's name had come out and had refused to talk. She had the suspicion that Ron had believed that Harry had entered his name, something that Hermione felt was confirmed by the small look of fear in Harry's bright green eyes. He feared that she would reject him as well.

"I believe you." she blurted out, right away.

"You... You do?" said Harry, shocked.

"Of course, I do!" she answered back. "I know that you never cared about fame, money or glory and that you weren't interested in risking your life in a dangerous Tournament. Honestly, your face yesterday sealed the deal. You looked more shocked than everyone else around us."

Harry let out a breath of relief. "Thank god." he said before taking Hermione in a strong hug. "Ron didn't believe me and I feared that you wouldn't either." Suddenly realising what he was doing, Harry let go of Hermione, blushing. Hermione wasn't much better.

"I- I brought you this." she said, showing the small stack of toast she had been holding the whole time. "Want to go for a walk?"

"Good idea." said Harry. "Thanks."

"No problems." she said, smiling.

Harry quickly found out in the following weeks that apart from Hermione, not really anyone believed in his innocence. It seemed that only the Professors and a few students didn't believe that Harry had entered his name in the Goblet of Fire. The only students that believed him that weren't acquaintances were Neville, Ginny and the Weasley Twins.

Harry had come to learn just how much Hermione's presence meant to him during the preparation for the First Task. He knew that, had she not believed him, Harry would have felt utterly alone. But since she was there with him, he didn't. The girl had taken to a library frenzy, trying to look for every useful spell imaginable that they could teach each other. Most of the time, Harry was there and helping her simply because he didn't have anywhere else to be.

Hermione had found many useful spells and had received the permission from Professor McGonagall to use an unused classroom as their own practice room for the duration of the Tournament. Here, the duo learned many useful spells. While life inside the castle became slowly worse over time, time spent with Hermione became better and better. Harry's feelings slowly for his best friend slowly refined over time until it came to a clash just before the first task.

After eating a small breakfast, an anxious Professor McGonagall lead Harry toward the Champion's tent just outside of the arena. "You're to go in here with the other champions and wait for your turn." she said. "Mr. Bagman is in there... he'll be telling you the... the procedure. ... Good luck, Potter."

"Thanks." he said in a flat, distant voice. Harry was trying very hard to hide his fear and nervousness. He half-listened to Mr. Bagman's instructions and he wasn't even surprised when he ended up with the most dangerous dragon of the lot. Harry took a seat on a chair and closed his eyes.

He was going to die...

There was no other way around it. He was going to die for people's entertainment. He knew that he would be missed by few but he didn't really care. All that mattered was what Hermione would feel like. Merlin, she would be devastated. He knew he would be if the girl he loved died.

Harry suddenly gasped. 'The girl he loved...' It suddenly clicked in his mind. Harry finally knew what his feelings toward his best friend meant. He was in love with Hermione!

While Harry was thick, he wasn't stupid enough to think that he wasn't attracted toward Hermione nor that he didn't have feelings toward her. He knew he liked her but he never realised that he was completely in love with her. Not until now at least. Not right before he had to go up against a bloody dragon.

"Pssst!" he suddenly heard from behind. Harry turned around and Hermione look around the tent before entering it. Harry instantly raised to his feet.

"Hermione?" asked Harry, shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"Come to see you, of course." she said, biting her lower lip. Merlin, it made him want to kiss her. "Are you alright?"

Knowing he couldn't lie to her, he said "No." Hermione let out a sob before she jumped in Harry's arms. They stayed in their embrace for a few minutes before Harry talked again. "Hermione... there is something I need to tell you."

"Harry?" asked Hermione, suddenly nervous.

"In case something happens to me today... I want you to know that... that I love you, Hermione Granger."

Hermione burst out crying and held Harry in an even stronger hold. "I love you too but listen here Harry James Potter..." she started before looking straight into his eyes. "You better come back to me or I will be very angry!"

"I'll try my best." he whispered and before he could think about what he was doing, Harry kissed her on the lips. Hermione let a small gasp in shock before she kissed him back. Harry was pleased when Hermione let a small moan of pleasure. Harry knew that kissing Hermione would be good, but he never expected how great it would be.

Hermione felt like something had just lit up in her heart when Harry kissed her. She had been pleasantly shocked when Harry had kissed her. Harry loved her! Her! Hermione Granger! The bookworm with bushy hair and large front teeth! 'Okay, the last one wasn't the case anymore but still!'

The new couple separated when they heard a whistle. Both looked pained by their separation but they knew that they couldn't do anything. Harry had to go participate in the First Task and Hermione would be forced to watch while unable to help him.

Harry walked toward the entrance of the arena before stopping and looking back at Hermione one last time. He memorised her face in case he couldn't see her again. While he would do his absolute best to survive, especially now that he knew Hermione loved him back, he had prepared for the worst-case scenario. The previous night, before going to sleep, Harry had made a Last Will and Testament where he indicated that he let everything he owned to Hermione. He had put it in his trunk, knowing that someone who find it there...

"WHAT!?" screeched Hermione, making Harry and Rose jump in surprise. "You made a Last Will and Testament that night?" she asked, not knowing if she should be sad or angry.

Harry rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah... I wanted to be sure that you would get everything I owned if something happened to me." he explained. "You were the only one that had stuck with me through everything and I believed that you deserved it."

Hermione took him and Rose in a bone crushing hug. "I'm sorry that you believed that you might die."

"Blame it on Barty Crouch Jr." said Harry. "Had it not been for him, I wouldn't have ended up there."

"The First Task was probably one of the worse times in my life." said Hermione. Her face was slightly green as she remembered all the emotions that had crossed her mind at the time.

"After the task was great however." said Harry.

"That it was, I can confirm it." she said, smiling.

He had done it! Harry had not only survived but gotten the Golden Egg! He hadn't died and hadn't made Hermione angry. He knew that he didn't want Hermione angry at him, even after death. Considering it was Hermione, she would find a way to call his spirit just to give him a piece of her mind. Maybe she would build something like a stone that you turned three times in your hand or something like that...

"Harry!" heard Harry, the delighted shout of Hermione coming from the other side of the tent.

"Hermione!" said Harry before running toward her. Hermione jumped in his open arms and kissed him senseless. Harry quickly wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist and kissed her back. Harry felt Hermione's tongue rub against his lips and he opened his mouth, happily granting her entrance. Their tongues fought like swordfighters in their mouth while both moaned in pleasure.

"Hem, hem." The couple didn't hear it. "Hem, Hem!" came another, louder throat-clearing.

Harry and Hermione froze, remembering where they were before they separated. Both flushed faces turned toward Ronald Weasley.

"It was about time." he said, smirking at the couple.

"W-What?"

"That you two got together." he said. "Honestly, I saw it happening back in first year!"

"Ah." said Harry. Hermione looked with narrowed eyes at Ron, something the boy didn't miss.

"Listen... I'm sorry for how I acted. I was..."

"Jealous?" asked Hermione.

"Yes." sighed Ron. "I was jealous that you were getting even more fame and recognition that you already had and that you had a shot at a one-thousand galleon price and I never really thought about how you felt about the whole situation. I'm ashamed that it took me seeing you go against the dragon to realise that I wouldn't want to be in your shoes so... well... I'm sorry." said Ron, looking down.

Harry glanced at Hermione and when she saw her smile and nod, he said "It's okay. I accept your apology." he said before grinning. Both Ron and Hermione grinned as well. The 'Golden Trio' was back!

"And that's how your mother and I got together!" said Harry proudly.

"Yay!" said Rose happily. This made her parents chuckle.

"Apparently, students and even professors were betting about when we would get together." said Hermione.

"Ah yes. They did so since our First Year." grinned Harry. "I think Professor Dumbledore once told me that he won enough on the bet to buy himself a few years' worth of Lemon Drops."

"Dumbledore bet on us!?"

"He did" laughed Harry. "Told me in passing a few days after the First Task. I know that the Weasley twins also did a bet but they had predicted that we would get together in six year so they lost."

"Obviously they bet on us." said Hermione, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, our relationship was great. Turns out that we worked even better as a couple than as friends. When the Yule Ball was announced, Harry didn't wait to invite me to the dance."

"I was a bit scared at first. I didn't really know how to dance and didn't want to embarrass your mother. Your mum realised this and asked Professor McGonagall for dancing lessons. Thankfully, I didn't embarrass Hermione at the Yule Ball and we had a lot of fun!"

"When is the next story then?" asked Rose, impatiently. Like her mother, Rose could figure out things when people talked.

Harry sighed, looking at Hermione sadly. Hermione returned his sad smile. "That would be at the end of our Fifth Year, right after your mother was gravely injured, right after my godfather Sirius died..."