Hermione P.O.V
Everything seems harder when its a secret.
Secrets hurt people and if they are exposed into the open then they can hurt a thousand times more then if they were out in the open in the first place, it never matters what that specific secret is because somehow someway it was going to backfire.
Sure I can see multiple explanations to as of why someone would keep something a secret like maybe it would hurt them personally for that secret to get out into the public eye, or perhaps it was forbidden and they didn't want to get caught.
But, thats where the problems begin, selfishness takes over and those feelings overwhelm that person and it can become an even worse burden.
See, this secret-Abby and I- this will hurt so many people regardless of how we come out and say it.
She wants to keep us a secret and I can see why she wants to but, I know myself, if it is something that I truly want to be told then I will let it slip one way or another.
She said five weeks-the end of the second task.
Today was that day.
Today we would be telling everyone the truth.
Ever since the day that Draco Malfoy had found us in the Astronomy tower she had become even more cautious then we were before, when she was still dating Malfoy.
But its like a switch was flipped on inside her, like the haunting feeling of Malfoy holding our secret in his hands makes her want to not continue with that secret.
I love her.
More then anything and all I want is to shout it from the rooftops and let everyone know that I had the best girl.
I sit in the common room Ginny sitting across from me our books sprawled out in front of us, she was busy bothering me about the second task and whether or not I had helped Harry find out anything about his golden egg.
When I said no she got offended and walked out of the common room a second year taking her place.
"You're Hermione Granger?"
He asks me an excited tone to his voice, so it didn't have to do with anything serious.
"Yes why?" I raise an eyebrow shutting my DADA notebook feeling incredibly annoyed.
"Well I'm here to gather you and Ronald Weasley, I must take you two to the headmasters study," he says.
Instead of standing up and walking to find Ron as I normally would I spot him at the other end of the room talking to the twins and shout;
"RON!"
He turns his gaze to me a startled expression on his face.
"GET OVER HERE!" I growl standing up.
"Woah, did you bloody wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something?" He asks me face red.
I send him a death glare and don't answer him.
My silence sends the second year into a frenzy of ushering us out of the common room and down the stairs to the gargoyle statue guarding Professor Dumbledores office.
"Pumpkin Pastie!" The second year cries at the statue with a sense of pride.
The gargoyle springs aside and allows us to climb up the spiral staircase to the door that leads into Dumbledores office.
"I've never been in here before..." Ron murmurs as we step inside of the headmasters study.
I gaze around in wonder at the colorful chaos of his office, magical artifacts from everywhere you could possibly imagine line the tables and chairs and bookcases.
He stands looking at home in front of his mahogany desk dressed in blue and yellow star studded pajamas.
Inside of the room also stood three others.
Cho Chang.
Fleur Delacores sister.
And Draco Malfoy.
Immediately I switch sides with Ron earning a confused glare from him.
"Welcome each of you...you all must be wondering why I asked you all to come here, Well I need you all for the second task. Only if you are willing of course, each of you will drink a potion that will put your body into a sleep like state and when you are found by one of the champions you will be awakened.
I know how absurd this must sound but it is still something that you may opt out of. Each of you represent something important to the champions; a lover, a friend, a sibling, and each of you are important enough that they have included you in their lives and now it is their turn to save yours just as you all have continuously saved theirs. So will you all please join me and make this a delightful second task?"
He concludes with that gazing at all of us a curious but mischievous glint inside of his eyes.
Each of us stays silent, almost as if we were scared to say anything to him.
The first of us to break the silence is Draco Malfoy;
"Fine, where's this potion?"
Professor Dumbledore smiles and reaches behind him towards a bookshelf filled with hundreds of books.
He withdrawals a vial in which contained a black liquid potion.
"Remember you will wake up so there is no need to worry." He says reassuring us before handing the potion to Malfoy who smells it before taking a sip passing it down the line to Cho Chang and Fleurs sister.
Finally it makes its way to me.
I unplug the top and smell it just as the other champions had, it smelt like black pepper, not an unpleasant smell but not something that would be delightful to shove down your throat.
Plugging my nose I take a sip of the tar black potion that burns the back of my mouth causing me to stumble when I hand it over to Ron who looks terrified at the very sight of the potion.
"We will see you all very soon..." My vision was already starting to fade as a grinning Dumbledore peers at us from behind his crescent shaped glasses.
All I remember is being pulled out of the water my eyes opening to a cheering crowd with Krum holding me;his arm around my waist as he dragged me to the stands out of the Black Lake.
I look around to see Madam Pomfrey shoving yet another peppery potion down my throat, Pepperup potion to help me recover from the shock of the cold water of the lake.
I watch the lake seeing that neither Harry or Abby were anywhere in sight.
Almost as if the lake wanted to appease me bubbles form far off in the middle of the lake and up pops a white blonde head; Draco Malfoy, which meant that
Abby should be close behind him.
But, I don't see her.
Krum keeps trying to take my attention from the lake, I shove him off grabbing the blanket given to me and wrap it around my shivering frame keeping my eyes locked on the spot that Malfoy had just emerged from.
Even though it was only a few minutes it seemed like an hour, finally the middle of the lake starts to bubble yet again, Fleurs sister pops up first, then Ron and finally Abby and Harry holding on to the two.
Abby holds on to Fleurs sister and Harry drags Ron behind him.
The two that had been down in the lake wake up sputtering and begin helping the two champions on their way here to the wooden stands.
A chaos erupts as the two victims and champions step onto the platform, Madam Pomfrey shoves through the crowd and shoves a couple of Pepperup Potions in their hands.
I see Abby and smile at her, her own blue lips cock up into a small smile appreciating the very sight of me.
I try to make my way to her but I feel a hand gripping my arm pulling me away from the crowd.
Krum steps in front of me his cheeks red from the cold.
"Her-my-oh-nee, I vas vondering if during the summer if you vould vant to come to Drumstrang to visit me," He says struggling to get out.
"I don't know, look can we talk about this-," I say trying to get around him.
"Please I need a answer," he pleads.
"Yeah, yeah sure why not," I say and finally he lets me go stepping out of my way.
"Hermione!" I see Harry and Ron come towards me.
"Hello guys," I say smiling, my gaze flickering to behind them where Abby was being bombarded by Slytherins as well as Beaubaxtons.
"How're you feeling?' Ron asks me.
"Terrific, you guys?"
"Bloody brilliant!" Ron says shivering, his teeth chattering with the sheer force of his movements.
"I'm fine thanks," Harry says a little bit more subtly then Ron.
"What's the matter? You seem distracted," Harry says when I didn't respond instead my eyes rested on Abby who was being dragged away by the Slytherins towards the castle, her eyes look back to me giving me an apologetic glance.
"What-no-no-I'm not distracted, just cold, I think I'm going to go change and I'll see you two at dinner," I sigh waving at them and start heading up to the castle.
Sure enough once I was dressed and dried I started the long journey down to the main floor of the castle to dinner.
Abby stands in the hallway almost waiting for me outside of the doors leading into the magnificent Great Hall.
"What're you doing here?" I ask her frantically.
"Waiting for you," she shrugs dropping off of her perch on the window sill.
"Why?"
"What did I tell you would happen today?" She asks me placing her hands on my waist.
"T-that we would tell people about us," I stutter as she kisses my cheek.
"Exactly."
"I didn't think that you would actually do it," I say without thinking.
She looks taken aback and takes a few steps away from me.
"You mean you didn't have any faith in me?" She says her voice almost a low growl.
"No-no I did I was just skeptical..."
She raises her eyebrows and holds out her hand to me.
"Take my fucking hand damn it," she orders menacingly.
I take her hand cautiously, immediately she drags me into the Great hall shoving open the large oak doors with her shoulder.
I am greeted with thousands of glares and startled expressions as the students turn to see who was late for dinner.
Abby lets go of my hand and glances back at me one second before running to the nearest table; hopping onto the top of it regardless of the plates scattered along the surface-or the amount of astonished people staring at her.
What she did next startled me even more then when she hopped onto the table.
Without a second thought she shouts out into the acoustic ready Great Hall;
"HERMIONE GRANGER IS MY GIRLFRIEND AND IM NOT ASHAMED OF IT: YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT YOU TAKE IT UP WITH ME LOSERS!"
Then she turns to me and hops off grabbing my waist pulling me in for a kiss.
"What the hell was that?" I murmur as she pulls away from me.
"You wanted me to tell everyone-so I did," She grins letting go of me.
" ," I hear an angry voice say from behind us.
We turn and see Professor McGonagall staring down at us a furious expression on her face.
"Ten points from Slytherin, as well as detention with me next Friday night," she growls at Abby who merely nods at her.
"Alright Professor," She says smiling.
"It was worth it," Abby murmurs to me as Professor McGonagall turns away walking back towards the teachers table.
"I love you..." she says kissing me once more before heading to the Slytherin table where the students were crowding around her furious looks on their faces.
I smile to myself and whisper once before heading to the Gryffindor table;
"I love you too-more then anything."
