Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first time so please be gentle! All joking aside this is my first fic so feel free to leave criticism in the reviews, constructive or otherwise.

I do not, have not, and sadly never will own the Harry Potter Franchise, characters, etc, all owned by J.K Rowling.

Harry was scared shitless. The Boy-Who-Lived was currently pacing back and forth through the Champions tent located right outside the arena where he was expected to steal an egg from a very large and , not to mention, very deadly dragon. The plan that Hermione and himself had cooked up was bloody brilliant! But all the planning in the world couldn't prepare any sane person for this.

Just as he was about to break down and scream at the top of his lungs from sheer terror, a barely audible "pstttt" came from behind the canvas of the tent to his left.

"Harry, is that you?" Hermione's voice piped up as he walked closer.

"Er-Yes, what are you-" The young wizard couldn't even finish his sentence as his best friend lept out from behind the canvas and tackled him into a bear hug. She began to sob into the crook of his arms, Harry instinctively wrapped his arms around her.

"It isn't fair Harry, you didn't even enter your name into this stupid tournament, and fighting a dragon? It's completely mental!" Hermione choked out in between sobs as Harry tried to comfort her by rubbing her back in a soothing manner. Although feeling like his death was imminent a moment ago, Harry found himself smiling down at her as she slowly became more comforted by his embrace.

"Blimey Hermione, you'd think that you were the one who was about to face a terrifying dragon." Harry chuckled as she slapped him on the shoulder and looked up at him. Their eyes met and Harry's smile faltered as he studied her face as she did the same. At that moment everything around them stopped. Hermione's eyes seemed to shimmer with concern for her best friend and the only thing said friend could struggle to think of is how beautiful she looked wrapped up in his arms.

"Harry-" Hermione started but for once was lost for words as she noticed how close her body was to his still, not to mention how flustered she felt at seeing his face. The witch had been friends with him for four years now and Harry has never looked at her like this before. Harry brought his hand to her face and wiped the tears from her eyes which made her heart flutter.

"Oh Merlin." Hermione muttered uncontrollably as she struggled to keep whatever composure she had left.

"I'm not quite dead yet Hermione" Harry smiled down at her, "Besides, the plan we've been working so hard on is brilliant and I could not have done it without you. You're the only reason why I won't die a horrible death. Probably." Hermione giggled at the last bit of his proclamation as well as blushing slightly from the praise.

"Please don't joke about that Harry, I wouldn't know what I'd do if I lost you." She says with a downtrodden look. Harry frowned and gently grabbed her chin with his thumb and forefinger, tilting her head up to look at him once more. He opens his mouth to say something when suddenly, Hermione presses her lips to his forcefully. Initially taken aback, Harry kisses her back hungrily. As quickly as the kiss started, it ends, as Hermione pulls away looking as surprised as Harry at what she just initiated. Fearing that she just ruined four years of friendship, Hermione looks up at him sheepishly, only to see Harry looking back at her with a surprised face, but a grin as well. The two Gryffindors stare at each other for moments, but to them it feels like an eternity as Hermione's face breaks into a large smile as well. The tender moment is interrupted by a rather rude flash, the pair turns to see Rita Skeeter and her camera pointed at them.

"Ah, young love-" The reporter starts but Harry and Hermione don't pay any attention to her. Feeling bold, Hermione gives Harry a quick kiss on the cheek before untangling herself from him.

"That's for luck." Hermione smiles sweetly at him before she disappears behind the canvas, not at all worried that Rita Skeeter has caught them in such a compromising state.

The youngest Tri-Wizard Champion was smiling like an idiot now, Harry couldn't care less about the consequences of what just happened, or what people will say, that moment was so amazing that he couldn't even describe what he was feeling right now. Harry stands still and raises a hand to his lips and feels them, barely believing that Hermione Granger had kissed him. Moments later Dumbeldore walks into the tent flanked by Barty Crouch, Bagman, Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime.

"Champions, gather around, I hope you all have prepared yourselves." Dumbeldore looks around at the four wizards in front of him.

"Oh headmaster, I think Harry is more than prepared." Cedric smirks as he shoots Harry a grin. The youngest champion is broken out of his kiss-induced trance just to become as red as a tomato from the realization that he has been caught. The embarrassment is short lived however as the champions then are instructed that they will be choosing their dragons.

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Hermione joins Ron and the other Gryffindors back in the stands with a hidden smile on her face.

"And where were you?" Ron asks suspiciously as she takes her seat next to him, barely being able to control the happiness she was feeling. Hermione's face takes on a light pink color as the kiss replays in her head again.

"Just giving Harry a little...Uh...motivation." She answers while trying to keep from breaking into a smile. Ron stares at her with confusion, the red-head is about to ask her what she means by that when a cannon shoots off from the champion's tent and the Hogwarts band begins to play. Hermione's anxiety and terror from earlier resurface as she watches Cedric, Fleur, and Krum all take on three equally scary dragons. Even their success in the task doesn't ease Hermione's nerves, especially when a dragon almost twice the size of the others is being chained up inside of the arena.

"Bloody hell." Ron pipes up next to her with wide eyes, the realization that Harry could very well die hits him at that moment. Hermione doesn't have any words to say as fear overtakes her. The only thing stopping her from bawling her eyes out is the reassurance Harry gave her back in the tent. Thinking back to the tent, Hermione once again gets lost in a vivid replay of her quick snog with Harry. The young witch is so entranced that she doesn't come back to reality until the cannon sounds again and Harry walks out of the tent with the goofiest looking smile on his face. "He's barking mad! The bloke is about to face a Hungarian Horntail and is smiling like it's a Christmas feast in the Great Hall!" Ron exclaims in disbelief. Hermione giggles for a moment, feeling very happy with herself with the way she has Harry stupefied in the face of death. Harry quickly puts his brave face on as the gravity of the situation at hand hits him. He's facing a dragon, he can think about kissing a certain beautiful witch after his life isn't in danger. Harry makes a beeline for the golden egg in the middle of the arena, taking advantage of the fact that the dragon doesn't seem to be guarding it currently. Harry barely has time to realize that if the dragon wasn't guarding the egg then he should be keeping an eye out for it when he is violently thrown into a pair of jagged boulders.

The entire crowd groans at the sight, but Harry is quick to get up and find cover from the dragon.

"Your wand Harry! Your wand!" Hermione screams from the stands. Harry looks up at her and shoots her a wink before breaking cover.

"Accio Firebolt!" The Gryffindor crouches back down behind one of the boulders as the Horntail breathes fire at him. The whole crowd holds their breath as smoke continues to rise from the place where the fire had hit, almost all of them certain that Harry didn't survive that attack. Suddenly, Harry emerges from the smoke like a shot out of a gun on his trusty broomstick. The whole audience erupts into cheers, Hermione being the loudest of them all has a few tears fall down her face. Even Ron is cheering like his life depended on it. Harry speeds towards the egg but is cut off by another breath of fire which forces him to turn sharpley to avoid it and the egg. As he puts more distance between himself and the dragon, the beast begins to follow him. The Horntail breaks his chain, much to the audience's horror and begins to chase Harry towards the castle.

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Hermione has no idea what is going on between Harry and the dragon, the only information she has was when she heard a few roars from the dragon followed by another which proceeded to sound further and further away. The entire crowd sat in silence for a moment, they could only guess what was happening now. Moments later, Harry appears over a mountain, bristles on his broomstick smoking, jacket scorched, but still smiling as the audience once again roared with cheers. Hermione can't contain herself as she starts to sob out of sheer relief. Nevielle and Ron hug each other and scream like little girls at the sight of their roommate. Harry scoops up the egg from his broom and lands in the middle of the arena, holding it up high for everyone to see. Hermione can't take her eyes off of the smirking boy as he smiles back up at her, once again he shoots a wink in her direction. Luckily, none of the other Gryffindors caught that. The band starts to play again as the arena rages with excitement. Hermione wanted to run down to the arena and show her how much it meant to her that he was still alive but he was ushered into the champions tent by Dumbeldore almost immediately after he landed. Feeling nothing but relief, happiness, and another emotion she couldn't quite place, she pushed through rows of people in an effort to get to the boy who was making her feel this way.