Chapter 11 - The Second Task
The rest of January passed with little incident. Minerva and Severus adjusted to their new roles, while Neville and Luna grew closer together. Harry and Hermione explored their relationship a little further, but nothing to serious, at least not yet anyway. However, the Golden Quartet, as they were now called, trained everyday for the other tasks and prepared for handling their other problems as well. Soon February was upon them, as was the second task. Each day saw Harry's nerves becoming a little more frazzled.
"Harry, you need to calm down," Hermione said after he had been pacing for near half an hour.
"Hermione, even though we know what the clue means, I can't help but think that you are what they are going to take."
"Harry, even if they take me, I know that you will always come to my rescue. And with Neville's help, we were able to find a way for you to breathe underwater for the allotted time."
"I know, but what if the poem is literal. I don't want to lose you."
"Harry," Hermione started to reply, but stopped when she saw the tears in his eyes.
"Hermione, everything I have ever had or wanted was always taken away from me. My parents, my childhood, heck, even my innocence is being taken from me. I just want something untouched, unharmed to call my own."
Hermione pulled him into a deep kiss, and slowly began to pull her shirt off. When he felt her do this, Harry pulled away.
"Hermione, what are you doing? Neville and Luna, or worse Minerva and Severus, could walk in and see us."
"Shush, nobody is going to walk in on us, because Neville and Luna are staying in their dorms tonight, something about finding support in their houses for you. And Minerva and Severus know what I'm trying to do. Help you relax."
"But-, but-"
"Harry, the only thing that is going to come off is our shirts, nothing more. Except perhaps my bra. We're still exploring our relationship, and believe me, we won't go to the next step until both of us are ready."
"Okay, Mione."
"Good boy, now onto your stomach. I'm going to give you a massage, then you can give me one. Deal?"
"Anything you say, love," Harry said turning into putty in her hands.
Hermione started massaging the tension out of his back. She then had him turn over and set to work on massaging his stomach, shoulders and neck. Harry moaned as Hermione's fingers worked magic on to his relaxed muscles. As she finished massaging him, he pulled her into a heated kiss and began to massage her breasts; however, before he could begin to reciprocate what she had done for him, they heard a knock on the door.
"Hermione, are you in there?" they heard Neville call out. They both groaned in unison.
Harry went to the portrait hole, while Hermione put her bra and top back on in the bathroom.
As he opened the door, Harry said, "Neville, how are you, my friend?"
"Fine, Harry. Is Hermione here?"
"Yes, she's just getting dressed. Does this regard the second task?"
"Yes, Minerva told me to come get her and bring her to her office."
Hermione came out of the bathroom at this point and said, "Well, good luck tomorrow, love. Don't keep me waiting down there too long. I might get all wrinkly and not be pleasing to you."
"Hermione, I could care less about how you look."
"Well, just try to relax lover boy. Nothing bad will happen to me. Right Neville?"
"Right Hermione."
Hermione gave Harry a quick kiss on the lips and left their apartment with Neville. Neville went back to the Common Room, while Hermione went to see McGonagall.
The last thing that Hermione knew was Minerva and Severus placing her into an enchanted sleep. Meanwhile, Harry had showered and had gotten in bed, knowing that Hermione would be safe and he shouldn't worry. He got to sleep with little trouble.
~Struggles of a Teenage Wizard~
Harry was awoken bright and early by Dobby bringing him some breakfast. He was pleased to see that knowing that Harry would probably be nervous, the breakfast was light, nothing that wouldn't sit well. After finishing his breakfast, Harry dressed in his swim trunks and then put pants and a shirt over them, he also slipped on some tennis shoes with no socks. Neville met him in the Common Room and since it was nearing time to head down to the boats, they walked together meeting Luna on the way. When they got to the docks, Ron and Ginny were waiting with an open boat.
"Hey guys, why don't we ride together?"
"No, Ronald. Luna, Neville, and I are all going to be on the main platform, since they are my entourage."
"What about me and Ginny, mate?"
"Go jump off a cliff, Ron. I don't care about you or your sister. All I care about is getting to what was taken from me. Now, go on. Don't want to miss getting a good seat."
"Humph. Come on, Gin. We'll just ignore this stupid, attention-seeking-"
"Watch what you say, Mr. Weasley," Severus said coming up from behind.
"Why should I?"
"So eager for deductions and detentions, are we? Well, I'm sure I can arrange that."
"No, no, it's fine. We'll just be going."
Both Ron and Ginny scampered into a boat and took off for the spectator platforms.
"Minerva is already out there, and I told her I would accompany you."
The five of them got into a boat and headed for the main platform. Once there, Harry started doing some stretches and meditation.
"Relax, Harry," Severus said.
"I am relaxed. I'm stretching so that I don't get a cramp in the water. The meditating is helping me focus on the task at hand."
"Whatever you say, nephew," Severus whispered, "here is the gillyweed you requested. Good luck."
"Thanks."
Harry moved to where the other champions were preparing for the start of the task.
"Good luck, Harry," Cedric told him.
"You too, Cedric."
They would have said more, but at that moment, Bagman called for the champions to line up on the starting line.
"Now, something has been taken from each of you. Your task is to go into the Black Lake and retrieve it before an hour has passed. Please, ready yourselves."
Bagman nodded to Filch, who lit a cannon, which fired marking the beginning of the task. Harry had eaten the gillyweed just as the cannon went off and quickly dived into the lake. He grew a set of gills and fins, which to his delight made him swim faster. He set off heading in the general direction of where he thought the merpeople lived. After twenty minutes of swimming, silently thanking Severus for his new waterproof watch, he began to hear ethereal music. He knew he was heading in the right direction, and soon came upon their village.
When he got to the edge, he noticed four poles, and discerned four people tied to those poles. Once he was at the poles, he saw that Hermione was tied up, along with Cho, a girl who could only be Fleur's sister, and Krum's date from the Yule Ball. Harry pulled out his wand and cast a severing charm at Hermione's ropes, she bobbed for a second, and Harry grabbed her and started swimming back. When he got back up to the surface, Hermione woke up and he helped her swim the extra twenty feet to the main platform. Since it was not past the hour mark, Harry had to wait in the water, and Hermione and Severus waited by him.
The next to emerge with their hostage, was Cedric with Cho, not five minutes after Harry got back. He seemed to be surprised that Harry was already there. Krum arrived next one minute outside the time limit. Fleur finally arrived five minutes after the hour had expired. The judges started figuring up their scores.
Harry received the full fifty points, Karkaroff having no reason to deduct, had begrudgingly given Harry the full ten points.
Cedric received forty-seven points, three points being taken off for a slight injury due to a Grindylow.
Viktor received forty-one points, for being one minute outside the time limit.
Finally, Fleur received thirty-four points, due to being five minutes past the time limit, and for some minor injuries after having been attacked by a swarm of Grindylows.
Harry finally got out of the water, and proceeded to kiss Hermione for all he was worth. He was told before he left that they would find out about the third task some time in June; therefore, he had decided not to worry until then. Hermione whispered in his ear, and he hurriedly told Severus to tell Minerva and Neville and Luna, that he and Hermione would be unavailable the rest of the evening. Suffice it to say, Harry and Hermione enjoyed the rest of their day…
~Struggles of a Teenage Wizard~
Meanwhile…in Little Hangleton…
Peter knew something was wrong with his master, when he started being nice to him. Little did he know that Voldemort was about to be completely overshadowed by his better half…Tom Riddle, or at least for now, anyways.
(A/N I'm so sorry about the long wait. I had this chapter written, but then rewrote it, and rewrote it again. Up until now, I hadn't been satisfied, but now I am, and I hope you will be too. Please read and review. Thank you.)
Riddle Potter 23