Co-creators: faithvalconbridge (plisetskytrash) on AO3

Terror at the Second Task

In the movies drowning is loud. There is splashing as the victim yells and waves their arms. They scream and they call for help and magically, everyone hears them despite the distance between them. They dip below the waves and come up dramatically while others onshore scramble to come to the rescue. But for Harry, it wasn't like that at all. The first thing he felt was panic, then fear, and more panic as he was dragged deeper and deeper into the Black Lake by grindylows beneath him. Small waves of pain spread across his body as tiny tentacles gripped him and sent out electric shocks. He tried to call for help, he tried to resist the pull, but Harry was tired. There was so little fight left in him after everything that he had already endured from the second task. The thought of his body lying at the bottom of the Black Lake forever crossed his mind as he watched Ron and the little girl rise to the surface. Harry tried to reach for them, but ultimately, he was helpless as he was pulled deeper into the darkness.

The Black Lake was a vast and empty space, the water still aside from where the champions rose from the darkness of the water. The onlookers cheered as they appeared one by one, followed by the thing that they would miss the most. Excitement swept through the stands.

Hermione was the first of the Golden Trio to be rescued, and as she took her first gasp of dry air, she immediately spun around in search of her friends. She tried to control the harsh coughing that came from being awoken from underwater so unexpectedly. She was soaking wet, her robes heavy and her teeth chattering. She shivered and accepted the blanket that was suddenly thrown around her once she was pulled up onto the dock.

Where's Harry and Ron?

The last thing she could remember was being in Dumbledore's office and agreeing to be a part of the task for the Triwizard Tournament. Now here she was, at the Lake and Victor attempting to fuss over her. But everything was too loud, the roaring of applause from the crowd, the sound of the commentator echoing through the air… she just wanted to know that her friends were safe. She pushed her way past Victor and he frowned, looking confused and offended but she didn't have time to worry about hurting his feelings. The last three years had taught her anything, then it was to be vigilant with the whereabouts of the boys, especially when they were doing something as dangerous as participating in the Triwizard Tournament.

Her eyes fell onto Ron's red hair as he came up though the waters surface, followed by a young girl that she didn't recognize, but it didn't take a genius to realize that she must be related to Fleur Delacour. Well, at least she could sigh in relief, but as she waited for Harry to follow, she couldn't see him. Had he already come up? Was he with the other champions? She turned and double-checked, but she couldn't see him anywhere. She didn't know, and Hermione hated not knowing. It was making her feel even more jittery.

"Ron!" Hermione called to him, pushing past Victor and the other champions as she marched to the edge of the dock. "Where's Harry?!" she demanded, her voice shaking. "Ron! Where's Harry?" She screamed, panic filling her insides. He should have come up with Ron. Why didn't he come up?

Ron spun around several times in hopes of finding Harry but all he could see was the empty black surface, not even a small sign that Harry was just below them and about to emerge. He had no idea what had happened. He was sure that Harry had been with them just a moment ago, but things weren't very clear in his head, everything had happened so fast.

"I don't know," Ron called out as he helped the little girl to the dock and towards her waiting family.

"He should have come up with you," Hermione yelled once Ron was pulled up onto the dock by Victor.

A bystander was draping a towel over Ron's shoulders. He turned to leave, to go to Hermione, but the girl's family was shaking his hand and praising him for saving their daughter, completely snatching his attention. "Oh, no-" he protested, "I didn't…"

Hermione tore her eyes away from the crowd, away from Ron and from the happenings behind her. Her focus was on Harry. She waited, and as the seconds ticked by there was nothing, no sign of Harry, no sign of life.

Why am I the only one who's worried about this? The Professors are too preoccupied with the stupid tournament! Not to mention the rules that were put in place, none of the Professors are allowed to help even if it means the death of a student, the death of Harry...

Hermione looked out into the lake but as more seconds ticked by there was still no sign of Harry. There's no way he came out of the lake, she thought to herself. He would be surrounded by Professors, by everyone desperate to get a quote and to find out what had happened under the water.

She glanced back again, hoping that someone would realize what she had, but the officials were fawning over Fleur, over Cedric and even Victor…

It was then that Hermione realized that if she wanted to know where Harry was, then she was going to have to find him herself. She stood and she let her blanket fall to the ground as she dived back into the lake.

Ron's eyes widened as he watched his friend return to the water in horror. "Hermione! Wait!" Ron called.

He managed to push his way out of the crowd, all his attention on Hermione as he ran across the dock, then without thinking, he was diving in after her.

But Hermione wasn't paying attention to Ron or the screams coming from the dock above her, all she could focus on was trying to find Harry. As soon as she was underwater she desperately swam closer to where she had seen Ron emerge, knowing that was her best shot.

It was then that she heard a light splash ahead of her. With all the determination she possessed, she swam to that one spot.

Hermione squinted her eyes a little, trying to see through the muck of the water when her eyes landed on a cluster of grindylows behaving oddly, she reached for her wand and sent out a stunning charm towards them.

Her lungs were already begging her for air, begging for her to swim back up to the surface but she knew she was the best chance that Harry had. Something had to have gone wrong if he didn't come up with Ron.

Once the stun wore off, the grindylows swam away to reveal Harry. Hermione's heart skipped a beat as she watched Harry's still body slowly sinking deeper into the darkness. Without thinking twice about it, she forced her body forward until she was able to grab Harry's arm and pull him forward towards her. Ron joined her on the other side of Harry, gripping onto him too and making the decent easier.

Together, Hermione and Ron swam back up to the surface with Harry between them. They dragged him onto the muddy bank and instantly, Ron was shaking him.

"Wake up!" Ron begged, but Harry remained pale and unresponsive. "Hermione, do something!" he cried at her, looking lost towards the girl. Hermione always knew what to do. Surely she could fix this.

Hermione paled instantly as she stared down at her friend, realizing that he wasn't breathing and only one thing came to mind. Quickly, she tilted his head back slightly.

She glanced towards Ron.

"Muggle," Hermione quickly explained before pressing her mouth firmly against Harry's. She breathed out sharply, making sure she plugged Harry's nose as she did so. After breathing into Harry a second time, making his chest rise slightly, she pressed her hands over Harry's chest and started doing compressions like she was taught years ago at her primary school.

Hermione paid little to no attention to the people that were running towards them. She didn't know how long that Harry had been underwater and unconscious, but she knew that this was his best chance while she waited for help to arrive.

Ron watched with a mix of fascination and awe as Hermione manipulated Harry's body. He had never seen something like this in his entire life and he watched on helplessly. His mind was completely blank of spells and he had no idea how he could help. So as soon as he heard people approaching, he stood and waved his arms, shouting out for help.

Hermione counted to thirty in her head as she was taught, before bending down and giving Harry the much needed air. Afterwards, she crossed her hands again, resting them on Harry's breastplate as she returned to the compressions.

Come on Harry, breath, just one breath, Hermione thought to herself when suddenly Harry coughed, water dripping out of the corners of his mouth. Hermione smiled once Harry started to cough up the water that he took in.

"Sit him up," Hermione instructed, looking towards Ron for some help.

Harry groaned as he was pulled upwards and looked around himself confused. His throat was burning and his chest was heaving as he still gasped and hiccupped, desperately trying to breathe normally but it felt impossible. There was a deep pain in his chest and he felt bruised. His glasses had been knocked off so everything around him was blurry, but he would recognize his friends anywhere.

"What? What happened?" he asked them, a little deliriously. His body felt weak and he was shaking. "Did-did everyone get out of the lake?" he asked, remembering how focused he had been on rescuing everyone.

"Harry! You weren't breathing!" Ron announced, his face as pale as Harry's as he rushed to explain. "Hermione was amazing. She just jumped in after you and then she was kissing you and then she was-"

"I wasn't kissing him, Ron!" Hermione explained with a blush to her cheeks. "It's called CPR."

Harry couldn't help the small smile that spread across his face. "I couldn't make it to the top… I was pulled down," he explained as he took in deep breaths, still coughing up bits of water here and there.

"Steady there, mate," Ron told him, tapping him on the back a little roughly.

Harry looked at him gratefully.

"You shouldn't of jumped in after me," Harry added. He didn't want anyone to get hurt because of him.

"Well, I wasn't going to let you drown, was I?" Hermione shot back, her heart only starting to calm now that she had Harry and Ron by her side.

"We'd never leave you behind, Harry," Ron confirmed, just as he and Hermione were pushed aside by Madam Pomfrey who appeared with her medibag.

"Young man, why is it always you?!" Madam Pomfrey scolded. "Gillyweed, I presume?!" she asked him, before whipping out her wand and performing a series of spells and enchantments to check on his well being. "Mr Potter, you should always follow the limitations of medicinal herbs. It's one hour and no longer."

"Sorry, Madam," Harry said with a pout, not even bothering to try and explain about the grindylows.

"And you two… you…" The three watched as Madam Pomfrey realized that no one else would have helped Harry until it was too late. "Well… Thank goodness for Miss Granger's quick thinking in this instance and her muggle training." She then started muttering to herself about dangerous tournaments and how irresponsible the ministry was.

The three of them exchanged looks as the mediwitch got about treating Harry's injuries on his legs, daring not to talk and suffer her wrath, glad that yet again, the three of them had managed to come out of disaster alive because of each other.