Chapter 21
Isabelle smiles as the two blondes leave the store. Her parents high five each other out of her sight. She is in a great mood the rest of the day. That night she asks her parents to continue the trips to the past.
Hermione and George place their memories of the rest of the Tournament year in the bowl. They have told their friends of what they're doing, Harry stopped by with a memory or two.
The days before the Second Task, the mood around the castle was almost unbearable. Everyone was worried about the next challenge. Harry was keeping an eagle eye on Susan, Hermione and Hedwig. George had already come to the conclusion that Hermione was most likely going to be taken. He was hovering as much as he could without giving up the whole relationship. That night, after everyone but the twins, Harry and Hermione had gone to bed, George pulls Hermione into his arms and holds her tightly. Neville walks in and nods to them.
"Harry, I've been thinking about that whole being underwater thing. I have a crop of gillyweed that I've been growing as a independent study for Madame Sprout. She gave me permission to offer some to you. If you swallow a bunch, you will grow gills and can breath underwater for an hour. Does that help?"
Harry jumps up and hugs the boy. "Nev, that is amazing. Thank you." He has been racking his mind on what to do. Neville hands over a baggie of the green stringy plant.
As the day goes by, the tension ramps up as all the students are wondering who is going to be the hostages and what the task will be.
The twins, Hermione and Harry are studying in the library when Professor McGonagall shows up to take Hermione in for a "discussion". She doesn't come back.
The next day, George is frantic. He cannot find Hermione anywhere. Fred and Angie has to drag the man out to the spectator towers, making sure that they are on the one that the champions will return the hostages to.
Underwater, Harry and the other competitors are swimming to the underwater town of the merpeople of Black Lake. Harry arrives first and sees that they did place Ron down here. Aside from being happy that it isn't Sue or Hedwig, he is upset that they put Ron down here. Other than Hermione, he is the obvious one that would be his hostage. When he tries to untie Hermione, the merman comes at him with a trident. So Harry, unties Ron and pulls the man up to the surface. As they are swimming to the tower, he sees Viktor and Hermione surface.
"Thanks Viktor. She is my best friend." Harry calls over to the Bulgarian. The large man nods and starts helping Hermione to the stairs. Cedric and Cho come up next, followed by Fleur's sister being brought up by a merman as she never got past the grindylows.
George's eyes are actually tearing up when Hermione comes up. He wrestles away from Fred and runs down the bleachers. Hermione thanks Viktor for rescuing her. She smiles at him and tells him that he finally stepped up to the plate.
Viktor kisses her hand and hugs her. "I am glad. You deserve to be happy." Hermione turns to see George with tears in his eyes standing off to the side. She can see that he is trying to abide with their agreement. Viktor sees him also. "Is that the man that won your heart, Hermione?" He whispers.
"Yes, but we have agreed to keep it under wraps until this whole B.S. is over. I have been the victim of that odious woman for this whole year and don't want to be put there again."
Viktor nods understanding their reasoning. He looks up at George. "Treat her well." he mouths.
George nods and smiles at the friends. Viktor spies Harry and brings him over with them to George, Fred and Angie. Susan comes down and congratulates Harry and Viktor.
Hermione surfaces and hugs Viktor for saving her. "Come on, pet. We need to get to that platform." He urges her to swim with him. He helps her up the ladder to the stage. Once she is is draped with a warmed towel and given a hot drink, she looks for George and Harry.
She tells Viktor of her and George. He seems happy, yet resigned. Once the three wet ones catch up with the twins, Angie and Susan, Viktor discreetly shakes George's hand.
On the way back up to the castle, Hermione is positioned between George and Viktor. Unluckily, Alicia has sandwiched herself between George and Fred and is still trying to get George's attention on her.
Viktor leans in to Hermione. "Who is that? I don't know Mr. Weasley that well, but even I can tell he can't stand her. How desperate can one be to pant after a man that doesn't want her. Everyone has heard about his announcement of not liking her."
Hermione chuckles at his words. "You are correct. She has been after him for years, yet she hasn't picked up on his indifference." She tells him.
Alicia Spinnet is upset yet again. George is continuing to ignore her and hang out with that curly haired child. Sadly, Hermione has been gaining on the lists of attractive girls. She is surpassing upperclassmen.
Alicia started wearing more fashionable muggle clothes on her off days after they came back from the Holiday break. She changed her hairstyle and started wearing more make up. George is no closer to seeing her improvements.
The only thing that has changed is that Marcus Flint is sniffing around her. Their families are friends, but she has tried to keep away from him, given their house affiliations. He has been more attentive when they meet up at the parties.
Hermione makes Harry practice every night for the upcoming third task. They already know that it will be a labyrinth, so that means that it may be filled with a whole bunch of nasties that most seventh years would know how to deal with, even if it is only in theory.
When she has time between training Harry and her homework, Hermione and George spend time together whenever they can. The stolen kisses and light petting is interspersed with walks around the lake and talking into the early morning hours.
They decide that they would sit together while waiting during the task. Let the press and gossips speculate what they will.
The third task is promoted to the public and the bleachers are filled. Both twins insist that Hermione is going to sit with them. This confuses Angelina and angers Alicia, as Lee sits on George's other side, so she sits next to Angie. With this set up, no one is going to interrupt them holding hands, so George holds her hand tightly. They watch as Harry, Viktor, Cedric and Fleur enter the maze.
"Don't worry, this is the end." George tells her.
"That's what I'm afraid of. I just feel it in my bones, George. Something is going to happen today." Hermione groans. He squeezes her hand.
Hermione's words are prophetic. The hedge maze is ever changing and filled with loads of dangers. Harry gets past the Sphinx and saves Cedric from Viktor and an acromantula. They agree to reach for the cup together.