Harry awoke to warmth. It was not the kind that made you sweaty and uncomfortable, but a gentle warmth that caressed your entire body and gave you a feeling of protection. He tried to snuggle into it.

He took a deep breath and was awarded with the mixed aroma of sweet newly bloomed honey suckle, freshly opened broom polish, and ozone. He did not know what could smell like that, but it was a delicious mixture that eased his tired mind and weary body. The scent took him away from all the talk of the tournament and the torment that he is sure will be forced to endure, and soon he finds himself once again drifting off.

Viktor awakes next. He is not startled nor surprised by his condition. He remembers all that happened earlier that day (or perhaps yesterday). He looked down and observed the position that they were all in. Harry was in the middle of them cuddled to Fleur's left. His tiny (for his age) hands intertwined with her waist. Cedric was on Harry's left with an arm protectively around the child, while Fleur was doing the same on his right side.

Viktor smiled before his bladder made itself known. With a slight bit of effort he gently pried Fleur's arm from around him and slipped out of the covers and off the bed. There was no bathroom connected to the room so he would have to venture out into the castle, though that did not bother him.

When Viktor left the room the shut the door as lightly as he could and cast a strong notice-me-not charm on it along with several powerful locking charms that only worked from the outside. With a nod to himself he ventured to the loo.

Cedric was the next to awaken. He had first opened his eyes when Viktor left the bed, but he did not say anything. To him the morning was something to be preserved. He had dreamt about what he would find when he finally became aware of the world again, and he could not help but fear it a little.

He was not afraid of waking to his fellow champions, but more so failing them. He was a Hufflepuff and if there was anything to the house it was loyalty and honesty, and as he looked at the visage of Harry Potter he knew that the boy had both in spades. It made him only want to protect the boy even more, but within him there was the fear that he and the other champions might fail

While they were adults by the standards of magic they had never had so much responsibility (maybe Viktor had but he doubted that Quidditch compared) heaped upon thmemselves. Taking care of someone else was not something that he was sure he was ready for, but he knew that Fleur and Viktor were right. There was no one else that could do it. The teachers did not seem to truly care for the young child, leaving him to fend for himself in his times of need, and the other students would only laugh at his pain.

He gave a sigh and looked over to the other two occupants of the bed, and deep gray met dark blue. Fleur was awake. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. Her had was lazily stroking Harry's hair, and the Gryffindor was unconsciously leaning into the touch. He knew that the boy was not a true fan of physical contact so he found that odd, but then again his on touch had not been denied yesterday.

"'E looks so vulnerable in ez sleep." she said softly as he smiled turned sad. He swallowed.

"I know. He has to be so strong, but to see him like this..." he trailed off. There were no words for it really. Fleur only nodded.

As she lay there she thought about the other champions. In truth the situation that they found themselves in was not something that she had ever though could happen. A fourth champion had been preposterous, yet it had happened. At first her anger had burned brightly. It was unfair that one of the schools would get another to represent them, but when she finally accepted the truth that Harry did not want to participate she was scared for him.

He was so young and no matter what he had done before there was still a chance that he could die. He had his entire life ahead of him, and now because of some cruel person he was forced to fight for it.

"What are we going to do?" before she could answer the door opened revealing Viktor. He gave the two of them a smile and sat down on the bed next to Fleur where he had slept.

His face was rather neutral, though his brows were knitted tightly together in what could be thought. "Yes vhat are ve going to do?"

Fleur sighed. She knew this was coming but that did not make it any easier. There were so many things that they could do, and so many reasons why they should not do any of those things. It would be easier that way. To just abandon the child to the fates, but that would be unacceptable. She herself had faced prejudice and persecution however within the walls of Beauxbatons it had been minimal because she had the protections of people who cared for her. Harry did not have that.

"I think we soud take care of im." she said with only slight hesitation. She knew they needed to do this.

"And the tournament?" once again Viktor spoke. He wore a calculating expression, and his eyes were alight with some emotion that she could not place.

"Is the damn tournament worth the innocence of a child?" Cedric growled. He was not going to sit idly by this time. He had been silent far too long. He still remembered the Quidditch match last year where he bested Harry, but he had been a fool them. The boy had been accosted by dementors, and instead of trying to help him he had been so focused on the damn game. He had been so sick with himself afterwards.

"Not it is not, but ve must have a plan"

Fleur nodded. "Viktor is right. We must do somezing, but we must truly think long and 'ard of what." there was silence

They were right. There was no reason for them to rush into things. If they failed them Harry would once again be left out to dry by his own so called friends, but what could they do. They had no claim to him beyond his own preference for them. He knew that Harry was grateful for them being the only people to believe him. In fact that was the only thing that they had going for them besides the fact that they were over-age.

Cedric blinked. He realized something. "What is one of us blood adopts him?"

Viktor shook his head. "Ve can't. Only heads of households can do that. "

'I think I know of a way." Fleur said. The two looked at her questioningly. She smiled that brilliant smile that made their hearts flutter, but they forced the feeling down.

"If 'e ez old enough to compete zen 'e ez old enough to get married non?"

The silence was deafening, and once again Fleur had to fight the urge to blush in embarrassment. She did not know what made her feel so self conscious around the two of them and Harry.

Cedric was the first to recover. "That sounds like a good idea actually. If you married him then you would be his guardian until he comes of age."

"Yes but how vould ve get the marriage to go through. Ve cannot use any legal channels. The British government vould shoot down any attempts before they could get very far." even though he was playing the devil's advocate he was still holding onto the hope that there was a chance that it could work.

"Actually there is a ritual that I know." Cedric said. Fleur and Viktor each raised an eyebrow. He chuckled. "My parents taught it to me when I got home last summer. It's been in the family for generations and it was time that I learned it. They didn't tell me why it was in the family, but you know the saying about gift horses."

Fleur and Viktor laughed wholeheartedly. There was as tiring on the bed and the two realized that Harry was awake. How long he had been so was a mystery, but it may have been before the laughter.

Green eyes looked up and scanned them all. He locked eyes with Fleur. The quarter veela smiled at him. She decided the she was going to just go for it. She was going to ask him when he awoke anyway.

"Arry." she began "Do you want us to protect you?" the young boy only looked at her his eyes wide with confusion.

No one had ever tried to protect him. Sure Ron and Hermione had tagged along with him on his adventures, but that was different. They had not tried to protect him from the hateful stares and glares, nor given him comfort when he felt overwhelmed by the hurtful words. In fact he found himself protecting them more often than not.

"I would like that." the words were life changing, but no one knew it then.

Fleur turned to Cedric. The blond haired man slipped off the bed. He drew his wand. Fleur got up too and gently coaxed Harry to do the same.

Once all the champions were off the bed Cedric vanished it. Once that was done he pointed his wand towards the floor and drew a circle. He motioned for Fleur and Harry to stand in it.

Harry looked at the circle. He did not know why he trusted the other three the way he did, but it just felt natural. He had not even felt like that about Ron and Hermione when he had first me them.

Fleur and Harry stood in the circle and Cedric again waved his wand. He turned to Viktor and whispered something in his ear. The bulgarian nodded and drew his wand as well. A golden light came from it and formed itself into a rope. One end of the rope wound itself around Harry's forearm and the other did the same around Fleur's.

"Do you Harry take Fleur to by your wife?" the Hufflepuff asked. Harry gulped nervously. He did not know her that well but his he knew that this was one of his only chacnes to have at least some sort of happiness.

"I do."

"Do you Fleur take Harry to be your husband?"

"I do." there was no hesitation from Fleur.

"Then by the power of magic I now pronounce you man and wife."

The golden rope from Viktor's wand tightened around them and drew them to together, and there was a bright flash of light. The rope disappeared and the newly wed couple glowed for a few moments.

Cedric smiled at his work, but then something happened/. The glow from around the two faded and suddenly Cedric and Viktor found it hard to stand or even stay conscious. They tried to fight it, but it was no use.

The four champions of the Tri-Wizard tournament all collapsed on the floor of some unused classroom. None would know what had happened not even themselves.

The last thought before darkness enveloped Cedric was 'what have I done?'