A/N: Hello, this story will be a H/HR and starts during the First Task with some mention to the changes from Cannon. Feel free to leave a review, this is my first story so please be gentle, but enjoy.

Disclaimer: Very sadly I am not JKR, therefor if you recognize it, it ain't mine.

"Speech"

Thought

Parseltongue/Dragonspeak

'Spells/Magics'


Chapter 1 - The first Task

"And now, for our final Champion of the First Task. Let's see Harry Potter of Hogwarts face the Hungarian Horntail!" Ludo Bagman shouted over the roaring students to be answered in kind by the crowd who were immediately drowned out by the roar of a dragon.

Harry looked around the Champion's tent in dismay. It's here, he thought to himself, time to finally end this once and for all.

The last three weeks had been hell for Harry. Not only had the three schools vilified him again, but even his friends had turned on him. He thought back to all the looks and angry words he'd received from the many students, but none hurt more than Hermione's. She had always been there for him, always believed him but not anymore.

Its fine, I don't have to deal with them anymore. He almost laughed out loud at the situation he now found himself in. A dragon, he was supposed to go out and steal an egg from a dragon. A nesting mother dragon. I'd almost prefer another basilisk again, although I might struggle without a phoenix to help, he smiled wryly to himself.

He walked out of the tent and into the arena that was set out before him. Looking down he saw the dragon he was supposed to get an egg from, easily as long as the basilisk but many times taller, wrapped lazily around the nest in the centre. It, or she rather, was glaring angrily up towards the judges' box where Bagman was looking down rather sheepishly.

The teachers and judges had mixed faces as they saw Harry emerge. Most notably was a look of concern and barely hidden distrust from Madam Maxine. The Durmstrang headmaster and Professor Snape were sat next to each-other, looking on gleefully at the scene. Professor McGonagall's façade was cracking as she alternated between glaring angrily at Snape and looking worriedly at the arena.

Harry waited for Snape to meet his eyes, then waved up at him with a playful smirk. With that Harry walked down into the arena below and quietly cast a 'Sonorous' on himself.

Greetings O Mighty Fire Breath. Harry called out to the mother in-front of him. As he started her head turned to him, piercing him with one great eye.

I come before you to seek a boon and offer you a prize O Great One. The dragon huffed at him and looked around the quieting arena, checking her eggs before returning her attention to him.

You speak strangely, little one. You are not meant to speak this tongue. Explain and do so quickly lest I tire and eat you.

Harry bowed down low before her before continuing. Thank you, Great Mother. I speak the language of the snakes, distant and ancient ancestors of the mighty dragons. She tilted her head sideways as if considering his words before he looked up from the bow and continued. My boon and offer are the same. I have fought numerous times in my short life and in doing so I have killed a basilisk, a creature you may know as the King of Snakes.

If dragons could look surprised Harry was sure the reaction he got would be a good depiction. She leaned her head forward, her snout brushing his chest as she inhaled deeply. She reared back immediately and stared towards the castle and let out an enormous roar.

Amidst the screams from the crowd her deep voice could be heard. I will grant your request. Even my kind cannot long withstand the poison of such a creature, to have defeated one speaks greatly of your skills, and the strength of the lingering scent and magic tells the beast was mighty.

Harry's surprise was evident as he looked upon the creature in-front of him, before a grin appeared on his face. I have her now, there's no way she will turn down my offer.

Great Mother, I am alone in this world. I have neither family nor friends, and my short time in this world has been one of pain and sorrow and I feel weary beyond my years. A pained expression crossed his face as he continued. I do not wish to carry on, I want to see my family and seek peace in death. I beg you grant me this and take my life. Tell the others of your kind how you defeated one who, alone, killed a King of the Snakes. Such a fearsome Mother would have no trouble protecting her young

The seconds passed into minutes before him as the dragon continued to stare down at him. After five minutes Bagman cleared his throat into his 'Sonorous' but Harry just absentmindedly waved a hand at him as he was still staring into the eye of the dragon.

A minute later she seemed to deflate and her head crashed to the ground in front of him and she emitted a mourning whimper. Young one, I too am alone. Your fellow young ones took me from my home and family, and I was separated from my clutch. They all have passed beyond, as without my fire and heat they could not survive

Harry glared angrily up at the judges' box and was about to start shouting obscenities before he was pushed to his knees by the dragon's snout.

Worry not Young Warrior. I have raised many clutches and am close to my end as well, this would have been my last young anyway. I am angry, but my fate is now sealed. She paused for another few seconds before continuing. Place your hand on my snout and together we shall leave this world and move onwards.

Harry gulped, then reached his hand forward to place it on the tip of the snout. As he did so a great wave of magic hit him and he felt something inside him crack. He stumbled and fell to his knees as a bubble appeared around him and the dragon. The crowd shrieked in fear as fire began to arc across the dome, slowly obscuring the view as the rapidly pulsing flame began to spread. The last thing the crowd saw as they screamed before the dome obscured the view was the dragons' head rearing back with fire in its mouth, directly in front of Harry, who was down on his knees staring just beyond the dragon.


Albus Dumbledore watched in anticipation as Harry walked out to the dragon. The smirk he sent to Severus set of warning bells but Albus's hands were tied, the boy had to compete. As the pause in conversation between Harry and the dragon grew, he began to grow concerned. When Harry reached out his hand and he felt the powerful wave of magic, he was immediately on his feet as he felt Harry's magical core crack as the dome of fire went up.

He was moving forwards with the Elder Wand in hand, even as the view was obscured. He had no idea what was happening, but he needed to stop this before Harry could be hurt. He pointed the powerful artefact at the pair below him and pushed all his power through the wand, wanting to stop whatever was taking place. As the beam of pure white energy shot towards Harry within the barrier, Albus's hand started to burn as the Elder Wand crumbled to ash. The ash seemed to be sucked up by the beam and followed it into the dome of fire, leaving Albus with a burnt yet empty hand as the dome flared brightly, blinding all those in the arena and leaving Albus confused as he heard Harry's last words.


Hermione had been feeling awful for the last few days before the task. When Harry's name had come out of the Goblet, she had wanted to believe he hadn't entered but Ron's words just seemed to resonate with her. She could still remember the look on Harry's face when she and Ron had confronted him straight after. She thought she had imagined the pained look of surprise that flitted across his face, but then definitely didn't imagine the one that replaced it. Sadness. Sadness mixed with pain and resignation. He looked utterly defeated, and it broke her heart.

She gasped when she saw his eyes though. The anguish within made him look far older than his years. Far older even than Dumbledore. His eyes hardened at her gasp and she flinched under his gaze as he turned to her. She wanted to reach out, to apologize but she knew she had gone too far. He had pushed past her and ignored her every attempt to talk for the last three weeks. Watching him as he thinned and slowly turn into a shell of his former self had hurt her so much she had cried herself to sleep the last few nights. To see her friend in such pain and loss when he was normally so strong had crushed her.

She cried out when Harry touched the dragon's snout and fell backwards.

"Harry NO!"

She saw him look up from his position on the floor and their eyes met. She heard his words as the dragon reared backwards as he still had the 'Sonorous' charm cast on himself, but it was barely more than a whisper.

"I'm sorry Hermione. Goodbye"

Her scream of anguish at that made several of the people around her flinch away in fear, and as the dome of fire flared brightly, everything faded to black as she fainted.


Harry realised that it was over as his magical core began to crack and break apart. He watched as the dragon in-front of him reared her head, time seeming to slow down. He thought about what he was leaving behind. Not much, I made a will that passes everything on to Sirius for him to divide amongst my friends. Sirius. He thought to himself. He managed without me for thirteen years, he never really knew me. He will still have Professor Lupin so will be fine. I'll be with my family.

He smiled at that, thinking of being with his mum and dad and being at peace at long last. Happy. Finally getting what the Mirror of Erised showed him all those years ago. As he looked up and saw the fire begin to curl out of the dragons' mouth he heard a familiar scream and looked to where he knew Hermione was sitting. Their eyes met and he could see the fear she had.

"I'm sorry Hermione." he whispered to himself. I can't carry on like this Hermione. The pain is just too much for me to bear without you to keep me up. I don't want this any longer. "Goodbye."

His last thoughts were of her as the flames finally reached him from the dragon. At the same time as the flames reached him and the dome flared brightly, a beam of bright light which flew in from his side connected with his head as pain overcame him and he remembered nothing.

I'm sorry Hermione. Goodbye.