Chapter 37.

Magnolia was suspended deep under the water of the Great Lake with Merpeople surrounding her, protecting her, shielding her. She wasn't scared; she knew he would come for her. He always came for her, ever since she was a baby. He protected her. She knew he would now.

She could feel the water pressing down on her, compressing her body. Her hair fanned out around her, softly floating in the water. Weeds were wrapped around her ankle, tying her to Lake floor. The Merpeople surrounding her were ignoring her, pointedly not looking towards her.

They were all waiting for him to save her. They all knew he would, that's why she was here, because he would fight through heaven and hell to save her, because there was nothing and no one who could keep her from him.

Magnolia's eyes widened when the Merpeople began moving agitatedly. Her smile grew as she saw their nerves pick up. He was almost here. Magnolia could have laughed at the Merpeople now; their fear was obvious, they were finally starting to realise that their plan wasn't going to work.

And then she saw him. Swimming quickly towards her with the hard, ferocious look on his face. He was going to save her. But first, he was going to make sure they regretted their decision to use her against him. He had told her once that she would only be used against him once, because he would bring hell down on those who tried it, and the rest of the world would learn never to try it again.

His dark eyes flashed with fury as he saw her tethered and surrounded by the pitchfork wielding merpeople. She grinned at him, silently reassuring him that she was ok, unharmed at least. She wasn't sure how she was still able to breathe, but she was sure that he would explain the magic to her later.

She could see the Merpeople being thrust backwards, faces contorting in agony. Magnolia knew what they feeling; like they were being torn inside out, like all their nerve endings were being attacked at the same time, like their minds were on fire with no way to relinquish the heat that was building and building and building, like all their worst fears were all coming true.

Of course, their worst fears were coming true. He was most of the Wizarding Worlds worst fear. Not hers though. She had never been truly afraid of him. She had been afraid of what he meant, of what he could do, but not of him.

The Merpeople were trying to get away now, to save themselves, but she knew they never would. He would allow one to live, just one, to spread the story of what happened when Magnolia was used against him or harmed in anyway at all.

She was brought out of her thoughts when he turned to her with a look of fury like she had never seen, and then felt the arms of a merman grab her and thrust his pitchfork to her neck. Then the water turned red around her, and the merpeople sank to the Lake floor.

He was in front of her then, holding her and inspecting every inch of her for injuries. She wasn't injured though because he had saved her just like she knew he would. She wrapped her arms around him as he held her tight and swam for the surface.

XX

Magnolia gasped as she finally broke above the water, a young girl with long silver hair next to her. She felt hands on her sides, pushing her and the young girl towards a platform that floated on the Great Lake. The hands were suddenly dragged away from her, Magnolia flailed around in the water, turning just in time to see her brother being pulled under the surface.

Magnolia turned back towards the platform, the sound of the crowd finally reaching her mind, and pushed the young panicked girl towards the people that were half hanging off the platform. A clawed hand wrapped itself around her ankle and before Magnolia could take hold of the hand being offered to her herself, she was dragged under the water with her brother.

Magnolia fought and thrashed as the Grindylow plunged her deeper and deeper into the Lake. Unlike in her dream, Magnolia panicked now. She could see her brother tearing at his throat, obviously feeling the same burning as she did as they tried to fight for breath but just inhaled the water that surrounded them.

Magnolia's head pounded as she tried to fight the water creatures off, her vision was becoming spotty now, but she could still see the other Grindylows attacking her and Harry, a great crowd of them.

Her every movement seemed to take so much more effort now, just trying to move her arms or legs was difficult, they felt like lead. Her fingers felt numb, her head foggy. She knew her body was covered in scratches from the attacking creatures, but she couldn't fight anymore.

She couldn't breathe.

Magnolia took one last look at her brother, he was fighting like she was, fighting to stay conscious. It was getting harder though, the burn in her throat and chest felt like the fire could never be put out and would still burn long after she had died.

She wanted to reach him, she desperately wanted to reach him, but she couldn't. She had no energy to get to her twin, like she had no energy to fight off the Grindylows anymore. The spots in her vision were clouding everything now, leaving her unable to see anything. She couldn't fight anymore, at least now she knew that she wouldn't chose Tom Riddle over her own family.

The thought brought the dream back that she had been having before she had broken through the surface of the water. Tom Riddle had saved her then, and she had been so sure he would. Magnolia was slightly frustrated that her last real memory would be of the man who had orphaned her, but she was glad that she wouldn't have to worry about that anymore.

Then her world went black.

"Is she alive?"

"She has to be!"

"Maggie!"

"Please, Nola, please."

A pressure on her chest.

"Mags, come on!"

"She needs to go to the Hospital Wing."

"Is she breathing?"

More pressure, a burning feeling, and a tingle in the back of her mind.

"Open your eyes, Maggie."

She didn't want to. She was floating on a cloud now, or she had been- now the pain was setting in.

"Breathe."

Oh. Magnolia knew that. She had to breathe.

"Nola! Is she going to be ok?"

"Come on, Maggie... please."

"Breathe, Lia."

"Harry, I think her saw her hand move."

Breathe. That's right, she had to breathe. He always told her that, he was always there to remind her. Magnolia didn't know how she hadn't seen it before. She had to breathe. It was all Draco was asking of her.

Magnolia gasped, a pain shot through her chest as she coughed and tried to get her breath back. Her eyes opened, but she quickly squeezed them shut again as the light blinded her. She sat up, hands on her arms and back helping her, and gasped and coughed.

"Now, move away everyone, give me some room to work."

"But Madame Pomfrey-"

"Move away, now. Honestly, what was the Ministry thinking letting students take part in something like this."

Magnolia was handed a steaming potion and wrapped in a blanket before she dared to open her eyes again. Her legs were covered in scratches from the claws of the Grindylows, the soaking clothes she was wearing were torn apart and Magnolia absently hoped that she wouldn't have anymore scars on her.

She looked around then, forcibly moving her attention away from the bleeding cuts covering her body. The potion Madame Pomfrey had handed her shot a warm feeling through her entire body. She could see Dumbledore, Karkaroff and Madame Maxime near the water's edge talking, Magnolia thought they must be discussing the scores.

The platform she was on was full, small boats were bobbing by the sides. The Champions and their hostages were all on the platform, wrapped in their own blankets, the judges and Heads of Houses had also joined the platform, with certain members of their Houses.

Ron was stood just behind Harry with Percy and George, who was watching her intently. To her other side, Professor Snape stood with Draco. They were talking quietly, but Magnolia could see the worried gazes they were sending her way.

As soon as Madame Pomfrey walked away from Magnolia, after issuing her a very strong demand to visit her that afternoon, Harry was next to her, pulling her into a strong hug. She gripped her brother, glad for the comfort, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have reached our decision."

Ludo Bagman's voice echoed across the Lake, so everyone on all the platforms could hear him. Magnolia half listened to what he was saying; Fleur was attacked by the Grindylows like she and Harry had been and was given 25 points, Cedric used the Bubble-Head Charm like Fleur had and got him and Cho to the surface first and was awarded 47 points, Krum tried to transfigure himself into a shark but had only managed his head and got to the surface with Hermione second so was given 40 points.

Bagman paused, briefly looking at Harry before he continued and explained Harry's use of Gillyweed. Magnolia hit his arm when Bagman explained that Harry had reached the hostages first but had waited around for the other Champions, making sure the hostages were all saved. She balked however, when Harry was awarded 45 points.

"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June. The Champions will be notified of what is coming, precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the Champions."

June. That was four months away. Magnolia relaxed slightly in Harry's hold, they had plenty of time to prepare him for what was to come. Harry began to move then, pulling his sister up with him, and ushered her onto one of the small boats with Hermione, Ron, and George. Magnolia looked back at the platform behind her, watching as Professor Snape and Draco sat in the boat behind them with Ludo Bagman, Karkaroff and Krum.

Magnolia was glad to get back to her Common Room later that afternoon. She had been taken by Madame Pomfrey to the Hospital Wing with the other Champions and hostages, but whilst everyone else was let go quickly, Magnolia and Harry were made to stay for hours.

Now though, she was sat in the corner of the sofa in the Slytherin Common Room with a mug of hot chocolate with her friends. They had been telling her about what she had missed, the girls had been worried when they had woken to find her missing, and Tracey had told her that Draco had worked out where she was.

Now, she was telling them what had happened to her. She started with telling them about being summoned to Professor McGonagall's office and the bewitched sleep they had been put in. Magnolia skipped straight over the dream she had had, but she could tell by Draco's glance at her that he knew she was missing something out.

"But what dragged you back down? You were so close to the platform, what happened?" Pansy asked, worried.

"Grindylows. A whole group of them, they attacked both Harry and me." Magnolia began, "There were so many of them. We fought, we did, but there was only so much air left in us. It was like I was drowning; well I suppose I was."

They changed the subject then, on to lighter topics. Everyone was talking about the Hogsmeade trip the following weekend, and Magnolia's friends were looking forward to it more then ever. It was the first trip they would have since the group came together again. Magnolia had to make up a quick lie about meeting Harry so that she could still go with her friends but disappear to meet Sirius without them knowing.

She was desperate to see her Godfather, but it was so nice to have her friendship group back together again. They were all getting along again, Pansy had been true to her word and was doing everything she could to make up for how she had acted. Magnolia was still wary around her, but she couldn't fault her friend's efforts.

Magnolia stayed up as her friends one by one decided to go to bed, until it was just her and Draco sat on the plush sofas by the fire. They sat quietly together, Magnolia using the time to think back to the dream she had had under the water. It had seemed to real then; all her thoughts and feelings had seemed so real.

"You're doing it again."

Magnolia glanced at Draco, "Doing what?"

"Not breathing." He mumbled, "You have a terrible habit of not breathing when you're frightened or thinking about him."

'Potter, breathe'… 'You looked like you couldn't breathe'… 'Breathe, Lia'…

"And you're always there to remind me to." Magnolia responded as she remembered what had been trickling into her memory since she woke up, "In Second Year during the duelling club, when the snake came towards me. This year, when Harry's name was called as a Champion, and when I was hit by the hex when you and Harry fought."

Draco looked away from her, but Magnolia moved closer to him.

"I heard you." She whispered, taking hold of his hand, "I heard you today through everybody else's voices. You were the one I heard telling me to breathe, asking me to breathe-"

"Begging. Begging you to breathe."

"-I heard you. I hadn't wanted to, everything hurt so much. I could have ignored the others and stayed where I was, where it didn't hurt… but I heard you."

Draco was looking at her now, their eyes burning into each other's. He gripped her hand and smiled softly. Magnolia loved that smile; the smile she was sure only a few people had ever seen.

"I heard you, Draco."

Magnolia glanced down to her hands, intwined in Draco's, and heard him sigh.

"I think that's the first time you've said my name."

"Maybe to you…"

"What do you mean? I've heard you talking to the others, you never call me by my name."

"I did to Harry. Just once, at the Yule Ball."

Malfoy laughed, "Oh, I bet he loved that."

Magnolia smiled back at him, he seemed lighter than he had earlier.

"You're always there, aren't you? You've always been there."

"Well, don't tell anyone else that." Draco smirked, "I have a reputation to uphold. Although, I'm not sure I've been doing a particularly good job of it."

"You don't have to be a Malfoy all the time, you know you can sometimes be just Draco. I like Draco."

"Do you not like Malfoy?" He raised his eyebrows at Magnolia teasingly.

"Of course, I do. But this, what you're doing here, what made me really truly trust you… that was Draco. The one who I could tell all my secrets to, the one who picked up when I was hiding something, the one who found me in the woods at the World Cup. That wasn't Malfoy, that was Draco."

Magnolia saw the twinkle in Draco's eyes as she spoke and leaned closer to him. He had waited, like he had promised, he had waited so patiently for her. Now she knew she didn't want him to wait any longer.

"Good, because I like being just Draco to you."

Magnolia pulled one of her hands away from his, gripping instead onto his top and pulling him closer to her. Magnolia saw his eyes widen slightly, before she pressed her lips to his.