Harry and Hermione spent the remaining school year splitting their time between visiting Sirius, researching the horcruxes with him, and whenever there was a Hogsmeade weekend going on dates together. Harry couldn't think of time he'd been ever been so happy. But naturally he knew it couldn't last forever and before he knew it, the day of the third task was upon them.

"Harry, I've been thinking. I should go with you" Hermione said to him that morning, looking anxious.

"You can't, it's only for champions."

"I could follow you under the cloak. You could use the backup." He only wished there were a way she could come with him.

"It's too dangerous. You know I'm the only one who can survive the encounter because of my wand. Cedric was killed instantly," I can't take the risk of losing you" He added softly.

"And I can't risk losing you" Was her response.

"I'll come back, you know I will. I did the first time. And I'm much more prepared this time."

"Promise me" She said firmly.

"What?"

"Promise me you'll come back to me Harry James Potter" Hermione's look was fierce.

"I promise" He swore to her with everything in him. She threw her arms around him, gave him the most loving, passionate kiss she had yet. He forgot everything, even his own name, the world was lost to him in her embrace.

They spent every spare minute until the first task began, snogging. When at last Harry had to break away from her and join the other champions, he was positively euphoric.

"Well" Cedric commented when he took his place next to him. "Regardless of who wins, you've already claimed your prize" He teased.

"Yeah" Was all Harry could manage to reply, still dazed. Cedric chuckled.

When the horn sounded and the champions took off, Harry struggled to come down from cloud nine at first, but the thought of Cedric getting there first and touching the cup shook him out of it.

He thought he'd made it through the maze in record time, much faster than before but somehow Cedric had arrived at the exact moment he did. Harry panicked at this, his mind flashing to Cedric's dead body laying on the ground.

"We could take it together, it'd be fair that way" Came the all too familiar offer.

"No!" Harry exclaimed in fear. Cedric looked shocked at this, he'd never seen Harry act this way. Harry raised his wand at him. "I'm sorry Cedric" he apologized sincerely. "Petrificus Totalus!"

Hermione had chewed her fingernails ragged. She constantly debated with herself whether to check in with Harry via mind speak, but she didn't want to distract him at a crucial moment. She had to trust he'd be ok.

In her lap she held a small cage, enchanted with the same spell she used the jar to entrap Rita Skeeter. If Pettigrew transformed into his animagus, they could keep him from escaping this way.

After what felt like an eternity, Harry emerged from the maze, cut in multiple places and bleeding all over. He looked exhausted, completely drained. Hermione shrieked and was the first one out of her seat and the first to make it to him.

"I did" He said, voice ragged. And indeed she now saw what he was holding, Peter Pettigrew in rat form. Hermione helped him carefully secure the rat in it's cage, then they collapsed into each other's arms, while a crowd of people swarmed them.

"Well done, Harry well done" Fudge shook his hand fervently. Dumbledore was smiling profusely.

Harry knew what kind of reaction everyone would have but it had to be done. "It was a trap" He said, looking not at Fudge but at Dumbledore.

"What was a trap?" Dumbledore implored, looking grave.

"The cup was a portkey."

"A portkey? Nonsense! Harry I think you need to go up to the hospital wing, you've lost too much blood it's made you delirious" Fudge said.

Moody pushed through the crowd. "I'll take him there" he offered.

"No!" Hermione exclaimed. "Headmaster please" She begged, not sure what else to say but she couldn't let Harry be dragged off like last time. But how could they prove it wasn't really Moody?

Dumbledore opened his mouth to say something while Moody moved to grab Harry by the arm, but before he could Harry thrust his wand out. "Expelliarmus!" Moody flew backward and hit the ground. Everyone gasped. Harry kept his wand aimed at Moody.

"Voldemort" Harry said fiercely. "Is back. He set a trap for me, the cup was a portkey that took me to a graveyard where he used my blood to resurrect himself and create a new body. That's not really Moody. Voldemort tried to kill me but I got away but before I did he admitted that one of his death eaters has been disguised as Moody all year."

"The boy has gone mad!" Fudge exclaimed, looking stricken.

"I have proof!" Harry replied. "One of his followers that was there tonight turned into a rat animagus and I captured him" He held up the cage. Dumbledore looked at it surprise, clearly realizing what had happened. "Minister the boy is telling the truth" The headmaster said. "Hand it to me Harry, I know the spell that will reveal an animagus and then we'll get this all sorted out. Minerva please look after Alastor for a moment, don't let him get away, just in case."

Harry reluctantly gave up the cage, fearing he was making the wrong decision trusting Dumbledore. The headmaster took the rat out of the cage and cast a spell. In a flash, Peter Pettigrew was revealed.

"Peter Pettigrew! You're alive…but" Fudge stammered. "He's not a death eater!"

"He's supposed to be dead" Harry pointed out.

"Well yes but that doesn't mean-"

"I was hiding from that horrible madman Sirius Black!" Pettigrew cut in, feigning innocence.

"There you see!" Fudge said, brightening.

"For over twelve years?" Harry questioned, clearly annoyed at the minster's behavior.

"It is very suspicious. If there's a chance he really is working for Voldemort we can't let him go. He'll need to be questioned, same as Alastor if he even really is" Dumbledore said. "Severus! Please prepare a batch of veritaserum, let us all return to the castle and sort this whole thing out."

Harry looked ready to fall over, but nodded. Hermione put her arm around him and helped him limp back inside. "You did it!" She whispered to him as they walked. "You really did it. Cedric is alive and now Sirius will be free."

"But it's not over" Harry replied gravely. "It's only just begun."

Harry tried to insist on being there to make sure everything turned out ok, but he was clearly in no shape to do so. Dumbledore ordered him to the hospital wing and promised him he would personally ensure Pettigrew he revealed for what he was and imprisoned. This naturally did nothing to comfort Harry.

Hermione helped him to the hospital wing where he finally collapsed from exhaustion and slipped into an almost a coma like sleep. When he finally awoke several hours laters, it was to a fretful Hermione who had not left his bedside once.

"I'm so glad you're okay" She said with a tear streaked face. Harry scooted aside and Hermione sat next to him on the bed, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Did you hear any news?" Was the first question he asked her.

"I'm sorry Harry, I probably should have tried to find out but I didn't want to leave you."

"It's okay" He sighed. "I just hope I didn't make a huge mistake. If Pettigrew goes free again…"

"He won't. I know you don't trust Dumbledore anymore, and I don't blame you for feeling that way after everything he's done, but he does have a strong sense of justice and he does want to defeat Voldemort. He'd never let a known death eater, especially the one who helped him come back, get away so easily. Same with Barty Crouch Jr. Once he finds out he was pretending to be Moody, well it'll turn out like last time."

"That's what I'm afraid of. Barty being kissed as a cover up by the ministry."

"But the ministry can't hide it this time, can they? Pettigrew will be given veritaserum. He'll tell all whether he wants to or not. It won't be on your testimony alone now."

"I don't know. Fudge will do anything to avoid accepting Voldemort's return. Our entire fifth year is proof of that."

Madame Pomphrey came in a few minutes after to check on Harry and she was very pleased with his progress.

"Could I please go up to the dormitory then?" Harry pleaded. "I just want to sleep in my own bed." At first she refused but finally relented after some time. So Hermione and Harry returned to Gryffindor tower. She kissed him good night and they hesitantly parted ways.

Hermione jolted awake in bed. She had been filled with a sense of terror so strong it awoke her from her peaceful slumber. These emotions, they're not my own, she realized. Which meant they were Harry's! She grabbed her wand and bounded up the stairs into the boys dormitory, afraid that he was in danger.

Instead she was surprised to find him awake but otherwise safe and sound. "Nightmare" He replied when he saw her. "Did that wake you up?"

"Yes."

"Sorry Hermione."

"It's quite alright. I', just glad you're okay, or at least not in danger that is" She amended. "I imagine that between the memories that were brought up from last time along with the recreated ones from this time, you're probably not going to sleep well for a while."

"Probably not" He agreed tiredly. "But if there's one silver lining it's that Cedric is alive."

"And it won't stop with him. Sirius is alive again too, so is Hedwig, and Dumbledore. We're not going to let them die again either" She promised him. They lapsed into silence for some time, then talked of normal everyday school things for a while. When Harry had calmed down enough and started to nod off, Hermione got up from the bed. Suddenly his hand reached out to grab hers. "Stay" He asked simply. Hermione smiled at him and nodded. She crawled into bed and lay down beside him, feeling nervous at this newest development in their relationship. And yet it felt right. They wrapped their arms around each other and both soon fell into a peaceful slumber.