Hermione woke, gasping, kicking her legs. She knew she was underwater, she had to be swimming. She looked over at Krum and nearly screamed when a the head of a hammerhead shark stared back at her blankly. Then there were hands pulling her out of the water. Hermione looked back toward the Lake, not seeing Harry on the shore. Had he figured something out?

"Hermione!" Cho Chang called, giving Hermione her blanket as she was dragged soaking from the water. She, Cedric, and a hysterical Fluer Delacour stood on the shore wrapped in numerous layers of blankets.

"Thanks," Hermione managed, her teeth chattering. She turned toward Cedric, "Where's Harry?"

"Miss Chang!" Madam Pomfrey scolded, handing Cho another blanket. She cast some kind of heating spell around the four of them, and handed Hermione a potion so hot she thought it must have burned the entire length of her throat. Then the mediwitch chased after Fluer, who had tried to run back into the lake.

"He's still with the merpeople," Cedric answered, a little guiltily, "He wanted to take you all up."

"Who else is down there?" Hermione asked, only remembering Ron in Professor McGonagall's office.

"Gabrielle," Cho said quietly, "She's Fluer's little sister, she was with me in Professor Flitwick's office."

"Harry's to kind for his own good," Hermione sighed.

"Herm-own-ninny," Krum said softly, pulling her aside. He told her about his home, and asked if she wanted to visit him over the summer.

Hermione smiled, knowing beyond any doubt he had no recollection of the Yule Ball, but sighed, for she did, "Viktor-"

Cheering erupted from the stands and Hermione whirled to look at the lake, seeing one blonde head, one red, and one black.

"Harry?!" Hermione called, moving closer to the lake again. Fluer was screaming for or at her sister. Percy Weasley had run into the lake after his sodden brother, though Ron protested greatly. Hermione had forgotten he was at Hogwarts.

Madam Pomfrey grabbed Harry as well, treating him with blankets and so much of the potion, Hermione could have sworn small amounts of steam came from his ears. Hermione was grateful that she had this distraction to keep her from rejecting Krum's offer.

"Harry, well done!" Hermione said proudly, "You did it! You found out how all on your own!"

Harry looked like he would say something, but he glared over Hermione's shoulder, and said a little unnaturally loud, "Yeah, that's right."

"You haff a water beetle in your hair," Krum said, butchering Hermione's name yet again. She swatted it away, not really caring enough to destroy it.

Hermione frowned, "You're well outside the time limit, though, Harry. Did it take you ages to find us?"

Harry squirmed, clearly uncomfortable, "No, er... I found you okay..."

Hermione knew then what Cedric had said must be true. She smiled at Harry, he probably would've won if he hadn't been so nice a person. She felt honored that he didn't want to leave her. Hermione ignored Viktor's attempts to pull her aside, watching the crowd, looking instead for... Were they really taking bets? Those twins were going to get themselves expelled one day...

Hermione noticed how anxiously Harry stood, tapping his wand on his leg subconsciously, staring at the judges in their little huddle. Madam Pomfrey dragged Ron away from poor Percy, who had likely been worried sick the entire time. Then again, Percy was always worried sick about Ron.

Fluer wandered over, thanking Harry and Ron for rescuing her sister, who hadn't actually been in any danger. Both boys went red in the face when she kissed both them. That was entirely ridiculous, Ron hadn't actually done anything, was she really so daft-?

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Ludo Bagman's voice boomed over the Lake, making nearly everyone jump, especially those (like Hermione) in close proximity to the energetic man, "we have reached our decision..."

Fluer was awarded with 25 points, though she believed she did not even deserve that, which redeemed her slightly in Hermione's eyes. Diggory was awarded 47 points because he failed to return within the time constraints by a mere minute, and Cho looked positively radiant as she looked at him. Krum was awarded 40 points, which made Karkaroff look absolutely pig-headed. When Hermione heard Bagman say Harry reached the hostages first, she glanced back at him, slightly angry but more frustrated. Gillyweed, why hadn't she thought of that?!

"...Mr. Potter's score is 45 points."

Hermione was absolutely stunned for a moment, then she and Ron laughed, sharing an incredulous look. Hermione cheered loudly, glad to have, once more, an excuse to ignore Viktor, who was looking very grumpy indeed.

"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the 24th of June," Bagman said once the cheering had quieted minimally, "The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the champions!"

Harry looked extremely relieved at the distance to the next task as Madam Pomfrey tried to gather all the champions and hostages and guide them back to the castle, muttering the whole time about herding cats.

.o0O0o.

Thanks to sdrlana21 for reviewing! In case anyone is wondering about the scope of this and how much I have completed, I have all of Year 4 done, the beginning to Year 5 and bits and pieces of Year 7, including the Battle of Hogwarts.