Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Harry Potter Franchise or characters. All characters used are the property of their respective owners.
Special Thanks: tweety-src-clt9 for helping me flesh out the story beats. If you love Harmony (Harry/Hermione) go read, her stories. If you just like excellent writing, go read her stories.
Note: For plot convenience, I have shifted the date of the third task to later than in the books. The third task now takes place in late June.
This is a Horcrux free-zone.
Also, for reference, if a location change occurs and there is no accompanying date, those events are taking place on the same day.
Dangerous Part 5
Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft
Gryffindor Heads Suite
Sunday 22 January 1995
Fleur stood at the door of the Gryffindor Heads Suite, she looked determined. "Good Morning, Hermione, we need to talk."
"About?" Hermione asked curtly.
Fleur sneered at the younger girl. "You're in love with Arry, I want to know why you said the stupid things that got reported in your newspaper."
The heat rose on Hermione's cheeks. "I-I am not, I've already said I'm not several times!"
Fleur pushed past Hermione into the common area. "Then why do you continue to glare jealously at him when I am around, why did you spy on him during our date? You don't act like a woman who isn't in love with Arry Potter."
"It's none of your business," Hermione stated matter of factly.
"This is about my boyfriend; I think it's very much my business."
Hermione paled. "Y-your boyfriend, when did this happen?!"
Fleur's sneer turned into a smirk. "We are dating, that makes him my boyfriend. Not that it should matter to you, you're not in love with him."
"T-that's right, I'm not, but I am his friend, and I care about whether some French tart is going to use him and then break his heart!"
Fleur scoffed at her. "Do not talk to me about breaking Arry's heart, I am not the one who led him on and made him believe he was going on a date with the girl he loved and then shot him down!"
"I didn't know it was a date, he never made that clear to me. I feel bad about that, but he should have been clear from the outset!"
"There were two people on that date, you could have told him you were going as friends at any time. Instead, you waited until he was pouring his heart out to you! You broke his heart!"
"I know! I get it! I'm a bitch! I'm an awful person!"
Fleur's face softened as she crossed the room to take Hermione's hands in hers. "You are not an awful person, you're scared, please, tell me why you're acting like this. A Veela can tell these things, there is no point in denying it. Why are you acting like this?"
Hermione's head dropped. "I didn't know he felt that way about me, I never suspected... and then..."
*flashback*
The two stood, holding hands, smiling at each other. Harry eventually let go, rubbing the back of his head. "I had a wonderful time tonight Hermione."
'He looked so handsome.'
"So did I."
'I wish this could last forever; I don't want to go back...'
"So, uh…" Harry stuttered as his blush intensified. "I'm thrilled we went to the ball together, and I was hoping…"
'Oh, h-he's going to ask, h-he's going to want me to be his girlfriend, w-what do I do. I want to be his girlfriend! But I'm not good enough, not when girls like Cho, Daphne, and Fleur are around. That's what happened with Mum and Dad, he left her for someone prettier, Harry will leave me for someone prettier, I know he will!'
"So am I, I'm glad we went as friends," Hermione replied, talking over the end of his sentence.
'NO! Don't do it, don't say that!'
Harry paused for a beat and then his face fell, his hands falling limply. "A-as friends…"
'Oh Merlin, no, his face... don't cry Harry, I love you!'
"Yeah, just friends." Hermione re-affirmed.
'Merlin... no...'
*flashback ends*
Hermione had sunk down onto the couch during her explanation. She was now sitting with her head buried in her hands.
"Hermione, what happened with your parents?"
Hermione sniffed and rubbed her face. "W-when I was eight, my Dad left. He didn't even say goodbye, he was just gone one day. I didn't know why, not at first, but Mum started seeing other men almost immediately. They never lasted long enough for me to ever remember their names, it was just a constant stream of men in and out of our lives. Mum was still a brilliant dentist, but in her off-hours, when she wasn't taking care of me, she was off having causal sex with whoever would have her. I didn't know that part of course, my Gran, who took care of me, only ever said Mum was out. But I could tell Mum's behaviour disgusted her."
"What does this have to do with Arry?"
"Two years ago, Mum told me why Dad had left, at least her version of it. They had a trainee nurse in their office, she was a lot like you Fleur, she was gorgeous, she had long blonde hair and long slender legs and a big chest. And my father couldn't resist, he ran off with her one day, all he left was a note and partially signed divorce papers that gave the business over to Mum. Mum was and is beautiful, but she doesn't see what everyone else sees. She doesn't see herself as beautiful, not when the man she loved ran off with a younger, prettier woman. It made her bitter and it made her seek solace in the arms of any man willing to have her."
Fleur shook her head. "I still don't understand..."
"I don't want to turn out like my Mum! I don't want to wake up one day and find out that Harry left me for you or Daphne, or Cho. Or any of the other hundred witches at this school or beyond that would happily spread their legs for him if he looked at them for more than a few seconds! I know I'm not nearly as pretty as any of the other girls at this school and I could never compete with a Veela. I didn't want to hurt Harry, but I refuse to turn into my mother!"
The sound of the door to Harry's bedroom clicking shut drew the attention of the two women. Harry was standing in his standard robes, holding his bag in one hand. He looked at Hermione with a mixture of hurt and anger on his face. "H-Harry... I... i..."
"Do you really think that little of me, Hermione?"
"H-Harry... n-no... I..."
Harry dropped his bag on the floor and stomped over to Hermione, kneeling in front of her. "Your father was a bastard, he left the best person in his life. I know because her daughter is the best person in my life. You are beautiful Hermione Granger, you were beautiful before the Yule Ball, and you looked amazing when we were there. I said it over and over, I would not have rather gone with anyone else but you. I was already in love with your intelligence and your determination and bravery, that night I realised all of that came packaged in a woman of astounding beauty."
"If a man left you for someone else because they believed that person was prettier than you, they're a fool."
Hermione smiled as she lent forward and wrapped Harry in a tight hug. After a moment, he returned the action and let her cry into his shoulder. "I'm sorry Hermione, I didn't want to make you cry again."
"Harry, they're happy tears, you made me so happy just now. I never knew how much you felt for me."
Harry smiled sadly pulling back from her. "You're my brave and beautiful best friend, how could I not fall in love with you?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I bet you say that to all the girls..."
"Nope, just the beautiful, brainy ones, and I know just two of those," Harry admitted his eyes flirting between Hermione and Fleur.
"Merci Arry, you are smooth, if you tried you'd have every girl in this school wrapped around your fingers," Fleur commented, blushing.
Harry smiled and shook his head. "I don't want every girl in school, I just want one, o-or t-two..."
Fleur patted him on the head. "It's ok Arry, I know what you meant."
Hermione frowned. "I'm sorry, Harry, I can't, not yet. There are so many things raging inside me right now. I can't..."
Harry smiled sadly and nodded, placing a finger on her lips. "I know, I knew when I came out here. But you'll always be my best friend. That will never change."
"Promise?" Hermione asked.
"Promise."
"Pinky swear?" Hermione asked childishly.
Harry hooked his pinky with hers. "Pinky swear."
Hermione turned to Fleur. "Please take care of him?"
Fleur reached out and hooked her Pinky with Hermione's. "I pinky swear."
Hermione smiled and nodded. "Good."
Harry looked worriedly between them. "You're not going anywhere, right?"
Hermione sighed and gave Harry another hug. "No, of course not. There are just something's that better left in the hands of your girlfriend rather than your best friend."
Harry blushed and glanced over at Fleur, who was smirking. "O-oh..."
"Don't worry Arry, we have plenty of time for me to demonstrate all the responsibilities of a girlfriend on you," Fleur elaborated with a saucy wink.
"That sounds like a commitment to me," Harry responded dryly.
Fleur only grinned. "Oui."
Great Hall
After Hermione went to shower and change into her school robes, the three walked down to the Great Hall. Harry and Fleur were holding hands with Hermione on his other side, a broad grin on Harry's face also accompanied them down to the Hall. Harry blushed and looked away when he caught Dumbledore and McGonagall exchanging smiles at the head table. The three joined Cedric, Cho, Luna, Marietta, Susan, and Hannah and the rest of the Hufflepuff's for breakfast. Harry caught sight of Neville out the corner of his eye and gave the boy a nod, puzzled at the sour expression Daphne was sending in Hermione's direction.
Luna looked between Harry and Hermione and smiled. "You're both free of Nargles!"
Harry and Hermione exchanged grins and nodded. "Yeah, I guess we have."
"Don't get too comfortable, here comes Weasley..." Marietta warned.
"Well, look who it is, it's Prince Potter, so glad you're here, your name is in the paper again, and I know how much you love that. Here let me read it to… hey!" Ron announced holding his copy of the Sunday Prophet aloft until it was snatched out of his hands by a summoning charm from the head table. Dumbledore plucked the paper out of the air and fixed Ron with a firm glare.
"While I'm sure some of the students enjoy the gossip-mongering of Miss Skeeter, the rest of us, myself included are trying to enjoy our breakfast. Thirty points from Gryffindor Mister Weasley, and a week's detention with Mister Filch, unless your head of house has any objections?"
"Not at all Headmaster, I agree wholeheartedly." Professor McGonagall replied, glaring at Ron.
Ron rolled his eyes and walked back to the Gryffindor house table. Marietta passed the paper over the table to Harry, with Hermione and Fleur reading over his shoulder.
A French Toast to the New Champion of Harry's Heart!
Harry sighed as he scanned the article, it detailed, surprisingly accurately his date with Fleur the previous day. It also highlighted that Hermione had been trailing them the entire day. Harry threw the paper down on the table. "Trash."
"You don't believe the article?" Hermione asked.
"Of course not, you've got better things to do with your time than follow Fleur and me around Hogsmeade. Besides, the article says Neville got his nose broken fighting a goat to defend your honour…"
Hermione laughed nervously sparing a short glance over to the Gryffindor table. Neville had his head buried in his hands as the rest of the house roared with laughter, Fred and George had transfigured a pair of plates, one into a goat the other into a miniature Neville and forced the two to fight. Tracy had conjured a sign to hover above Neville's head, 'Neville Longbottom Gryffindor Goat Fighting Champion'. Daphne gave Neville a kiss on the cheek between laughing.
Gryffindor Heads Suite
Sunday, February 14, 1995
Hermione opened the door to her room to find Harry furiously scribbling notes in the margins of the essay he had laid out in front of him. "Harry, it's five am, what are you doing?"
Harry paused, looking up from his book and blushed. "Uh, I wanted to get a head start on my studying today, I…"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I know what day it is Harry; you have a date with Fleur later, right?"
Harry nodded. "In the Come and Go Room, I'm paying Dobby a Galleon to make dinner for the two of us."
"That sounds nice, I'm sure she'll like it."
"I hope so… You're ok with this, right?" Harry asked.
"Of course, I am, Fleur is your girlfriend, not me," Hermione replied turning away from Harry with her arms crossed.
"Yeah, but I feel like things between us are unresolved…" Harry replied sadly.
Hermione smiled, shaking her head. "You're a goof, worry about your girlfriend, not me."
"I'll always worry about you Hermione, um, actually…" Harry replied, getting up and running into his room, he emerged a minute later presenting Hermione with a small box of chocolates.
Hermione blushed. "Harry…"
"I know things between us are complicated, but I wanted you to know you'll always be special to me. Whether you're my best friend or something else. Just take them…" Harry ducked his head so he could catch her eyes. "Please?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine."
Harry smiled. "Excellent."
Come and Go Room
Harry waltzed around the dance floor that the room had conjured for him and Fleur after they consumed Dobby's delicious dinner. He was trying to enjoy himself as he held the beautiful French Witch in his arms, but he sighed. "Fleur, I don't know if it's been mentioned before, but it's a little rude to not focus on your dance partner."
Fleur blushed. "Merci, Arry, I was just marvelling at this amazing room, I was trying to figure out how it worked."
Harry smiled a little. "That's something Her… I mean, I'm not surprised you find the room fascinating. You have a beautiful mind."
"I have a beautiful mind, like Hermione?"
Harry flushed and looked away. "Fleur, even I know it's ungentlemanly to bring up a former conquest with your new girlfriend."
"You're a good boy Arry, but we need to talk about her."
"Soon, but not tonight, tonight is about us."
Fleur's blush brightened. "Oui, Arry."
Tuesday, February 23, 1995
"Stop fidgeting," Hermione admonished slapping Harry's fingers away from the cuffs of the dress robes Fleur and Hermione had picked out for him during the previous weeks Hogsmeade trip.
"Easy for you to say, you're not meeting your girlfriend's mother for the first time. I'm going to mess up, I know I am..." Harry grumbled.
"You'll be fine, just be your kind and charming self," Hermione reassured him.
"If you say so..." Harry replied as the door to the anti-chamber to the Great Hall swung open, and Fleur beckoned then forward.
"Mère c'est mon petit ami Harry Potter et sa Meilleure Amie Hermione Granger," (Mother this is my boyfriend Harry Potter and his best friend Hermione Granger.) Fleur said in French before turning to Harry and Hermione. "Arry, Hermione, may I present my mother, Appoline Delacour, and my little sister, Gabrielle."
Harry bowed. "Bonjour Madame Delacour, Miss Delacour."
"Votre dernière conquête est bien plus charmante que votre foire habituelle." (Your latest conquest is far more charming than your usual fair.) Appoline commented.
"Il a de jolis yeux," Gabrielle observed shyly.
Hermione smiled. "That he does," Harry turned a questioning eyebrow on Hermione. "Gabrielle said you have pretty eyes."
Harry blushed as Fleur now gave Hermione a questioning look. "You speak French?"
Hermione nodded. "I've been learning since I was three, my mother and I still go once a year during summer break."
"If you like, we could give you a tour of the castle?" Harry offered.
After Fleur explained Appoline gave him a consenting nod and the two Hogwarts students led Fleur and her family around the castle until they parted for dinner.
Great Hall
Dinner
Harry sat beside Hermione at the Ravenclaw table, Fleur was having dinner in the Beauxbaton carriage with her family, Cho, Cedric, Marietta, and Luna were sitting opposite with Neville and Daphne sat on Harry's other side. Harry had a goblet of Pumpkin Juice halfway to his lips when he paused. Hermione looked up to see Harry paused in thought. "Something wrong?"
"That woman, Umbridge is here again..." Harry replied.
Hermione and the rest of Harry's friends looked up at the staff table to see Delores Umbridge sitting on Dumbledore's right. She looked quite smug, as apposed to Dumbledore who looked slightly ill.
"I hate her..." Cho mumbled.
"I assume she's here for the tournament," Hermione offered.
"Then why wouldn't she have just arrived tomorrow morning, why stay the night?"
Hermione frowned considering the problem while chewing on her lower lip. Harry quickly took a pull of his Pumpkin Juice to hide the fact he found it quite sexy. "Well, maybe she has fond memories of the castle, and she wanted to relive her youth."
"I imagine that was some time ago..." Harry muttered.
Gryffindor Heads Suite
Tuesday, February 23, 1995
Harry was finishing dressing for the second task when he heard someone pounding on the door to his accommodation. Harry entered the common area, noting that Hermione's door was still closed. He had barely opened the door when Fleur burst in. "Harry, elle est partie! Je ne la trouve pas, j'ai regardé tout autour du château et des jardins mais elle est partie!" (Harry, she's gone! I can't find her; I've looked all around the castle and the grounds, but she's gone!)
"Fleur, calm down, I don't understand, what's going on," Harry called out grabbing Fleur by the arms, so she was facing him.
"Arry, its Gabrielle, she's gone, her bed was empty this morning when mother went to wake her for breakfast. We searched the carriage, the grounds, and with the Headmaster's help, the castle, we can't find her anywhere."
Harry nodded and walked back into his room and activated the map. He scanned it carefully, but as his eyes returned to the Heads suite, he noticed something. "Hermione…"
Harry re-entered the common area and grabbed Fleur by the hand. "Something is wrong, I can't find Hermione either."
"What do you mean?"
Harry paused. "It's a long story, but I have something of my father's that lets me see everyone in the castle, I don't see Gabby or Hermione. We need to tell the Headmaster immediately."
Harry grabbed his waterproof bag filled with things he needed for the task, and the two quickly made their way down the stairs to the entrance hall. Where they found Victor, Cedric, Luna, Marietta, Susan, Hannah, Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle gathered, looking grim. "Hermione and Fleur's sister are missing."
"Cho and Draco aren't in the castle either," Cedric reported.
"Someone sent Draco a note last night. We haven't seen him since," Crabbe growled out.
"It was the same for Cho, I said I'd go with her, but she made me stay in the Common Room," Luna added, Marietta wrapped a comforting arm around the younger Ravenclaw. "It's not your fault, Cho would have made me stay too if I'd been there. We're at school, we're supposed to be safe here."
"Except for Basilisks, Dementors and crazy Defence Professors…" Harry replied sarcastically.
"Ok, apart from all of them…" Marietta agreed reluctantly.
"Come on, the Headmaster will know what to do!" Harry said, pulling Fleur into the Great Hall after him, trailed by the others.
Dumbledore looked up from his breakfast at the group of students stomping up to the head table. "Mister Potter, Miss Delacour… and associates, in the interest of brevity, what can I do for you?"
"Sir, Hermione, Gabrielle, Fleur's sister, Draco Malfoy, and Cho Chang are missing, they're not in the castle, and we're worried."
Before Dumbledore could respond, there was a giggle from his right. The Headmaster frowned as his eyes took on a cold demeanour. "Madam Umbridge, do you know where my students and Miss Delacour's sister are?"
"Yes, I do Dumbledore, they're at the bottom of Black Lake."
Harry's eyes widened in alarm. "Why are they down… YOU!"
Harry tried to lunge at the Ministry employee only to have Goyle and Crabbe grab him by the arms and pull him back. "Don't do it, Potter, she's not worth it!" Goyle yelled.
"You dare attack me, boy, I will have you thrown in Azkaban!" Umbridge's shrill yell echoed around the Hall.
"They are children Madam, not tools for use in a tournament, we agreed to use items belonging to the champions, not people!" Dumbledore thundered as ambient magic crackled around him.
Umbridge waved her hand. "Halfbreeds, mudbloods, and foreign witches, they are beneath the Ministries concern."
"And Draco?" Pansy asked icily.
"The son of Lucius Malfoy should keep better company, he's tarnished the legacy of his father, I can't be held responsible for his actions."
"I disagree," Dumbledore replied quietly.
"Fine, they're down in the lake, we'll just go get them!" Harry said as Crabbe and Goyle finally let him go.
"Hem, hem, the task does not start until nine-thirty am, that is an hour and a half from now. You will just have to wait unless you're willing to forfeit your magic."
"I don't care about my magic; I have to save Hermione and Gabrielle!" Harry replied, turning to storm out of the hall.
"Harry, stop!" Dumbledore called, causing Harry to pause. "Headmaster…"
"I feel similarly, and if it were just your magic, you were risking, I may let you go, but its not just your magic, its Miss Delacour's life. A Veela needs their magic to live if you save the younger Miss Delacour…"
Harry's face fell as he looked back at a crying Fleur. He glared at Umbridge as he walked up and embraced his girlfriend. "As soon as it's nine-thirty we'll go to the bottom of that lake and save your sister, I promise."
"Worry about Hermione, Arry, I will save my sister," Fleur replied.
"We'll save them, all of them, together," Harry promised.
The group spent the next hour and a half waiting in the Entrance hall, despite the urging of the group, including Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy, Harry refused to eat. "I can't, I feel like if I ate something I'd throw up, I need to focus on saving Hermione…"
Fleur came up and wrapped her arms around him. "I know you're worried, Arry, but we will save them."
"Hermione means the world to me Fleur, I wouldn't be alive now if it weren't for her, she's my best friend, I love her…"
Fleur smiled sadly giving Harry a peck on the cheek. "I know Arry, and she loves you too."
Harry shook his head. "She shouldn't, I'm a complete bastard."
"That's not true Arry, you're a very naughty boy, but you're not a bastard."
Finally, he saw Umbridge, Dumbledore and the rest of the staff and students emerge from the Great Hall. The four champions raced down to the lake, where stands had been set up. The four were quickly out of their robes and down to their swimming costumes. Dumbledore arrived at the dock a minute later and raised his wand. "Champions read…"
"Hem, hem, Dumbledore, there is a procedure for these things," Umbridge noted smugly.
Dumbledore scowled. "Children's lives are in danger."
"As I have said, that is not the Ministries concern. There is a proper order, and we will abide by it. Otherwise, you may risk the magic of your Champions, and we wouldn't want that, would we?"
Dumbledore sighed in defeat. "You are correct Madam…"
He turned to the crowd, which was just now getting seated. "Good Morning students, and guests, welcome to the second task of the Tri-Wizard's tournament. This morning our four champions will descend to the bottom of Black Lake to rescue a hostage, this person is the one they will miss most. After the first task the standings are as follows:
Tied for first place, Harry Potter of Hogwarts and Viktor Krum of Drumstrang;
Second Cedric Diggory of Hogwarts;
Third Fleur Delacour of Beauxbaton Acadamy.
Champions ready?"
The four nodded, and finally, Dumbledore let out a cannon blast from his wand and the four dived into the water. Harry, having swallowed the Gillyweed he'd received from Neville on the advice of Hermione, grew webbed fingers and toes and gills. Fleur and Cedric used the Bubblehead charm while Viktor partially transfigured into a shark. They had agreed while standing on the dock that they would go together to the bottom, this was no longer a task in the Tri-Wizard's Tournament, it was a rescue mission.
About halfway down they were met by Moaning Myrtle who guided them safely around the Grindylows hiding in the seaweed they arrived at the village. But as soon as they got near the hostages, there was a problem. Hermione's eyes snapped open, and she began struggling against the restraints. Harry dived into the bag he'd brought and retrieved one of the re-breathers Hermione had supplied, just in case the Gillyweed failed. He held it up for Hermione to see and she quickly got the message, shoving it in her mouth and purging the system. Once he got a thumbs up, Harry swam to the other champions and passed out the other rebreather to Cho. Harry only had two so Gabby and Hermione had to share while a reluctant Draco shared with an equally reluctant Cho, passing the device between them every few breaths.
As they swam for the surface, no one noticed that they had a merman following a short distance behind.
The hour was up just before Harry's head broke water. He lifted Hermione up so she could climb onto the dock, followed by Fleur, Gabrielle, and Cho. Finally, Cho, Cedric, Draco, and Viktor were on the pier as well, with Harry, pulled up by Cedric and Viktor, following last.
"Oof," Harry cried out as Hermione slammed her body against him, crying against his chest. "You saved me, I thought… I was so worried…"
"It's ok Hermione, I was always coming to save you. I would never have left you down there." Harry assured, turning Hermione towards the lake to shield her from the wind coming from the direction of the castle.
"I woke up last night, and there was a man in my room, I screamed, but he'd put a silencing charm on me, I was stunned and then the next thing I remember is waking up in the merperson village. We were down there for hours…"
Suddenly Hermione felt spun around and shoved backwards. Before she could fall onto the dock, Fleur caught her and she heard a thud from behind. Looking back towards Black Lake, Hermione screamed.
Harry was knelt with a merperson trident sticking out of his gut. He looked up and gave her a bloody smile as he slumped forward, unconscious.
To Be Continued…
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