Love
The first task was held at the pitch. Soldiers had positioned themselves along the benches and shield generators were st up to protect the spectators.
In the tent Erik guarded the way into the pitch while Bagman let the champions take a miniature of their opponent out of the bag he had. Cedric pulled a Swedish Short-Snout with the number one. He would be the first. Krum would have a Chinese fireball as the third and Fleur a Common Welsh Green after Cedric. Ginny and Harry would go last against the Hungarian Horntail.
While other champions went to deal with their dragons Harry and Ginny sat down to talk about the Weigning of the wands.
Flashback
Ollivander picked up the wands to examine them. Going through the three champions he faced Harry. "Ah, I remember. A special wand. Holly and phoenix feather core, right?"
Ollivander took the wand but dropped it onto the table again. "My god, is that? Yes, it is." He muttered to himself. "Vampire blood. One of the strongest I've ever seen."
He checked it and handed it back to Harry before looking at Ginny's wand. "Ah, guaiacum, sturdy and reliable. Core was an experiment of mine: Hippogriff feather. A very good wand when it comes to charms and hexes. This one, too. Vampire blood. Admitted after the production. Interesting. Indeed, interesting."
He turned to Bagman and nodded. "Now that everything is done, please return to your dorms. The first task will begin soon."
Flashback end.
They looked up when they were called. The pitch had been transformed. Rocks covered everything and in the middle resided the dragon. Harry pulled Ginny down behind a rock as fire was spat in their direction. "Normally I would say we split up and take it by surprise." Harry said. Ginny just lifted her right arm, pulling his left arm with it in the process. "If it wasn't for that binding." Harry added. Awkward situations had occurred since they were tied to each other.
Flashback
"Ginny, do you really have to do that?" Harry complained as Ginny applied some make-up. "Of course, I'm a girl."
Harry sighed. Bathroom visits were the worst as they were not private and had to share a stall. It didn't help that the mental connection let the other feel the embarrassment, thus enhancing the own which made it even worse.
Showering and cleaning was luckily in their own bath away from the others. Although neither of them really minded they both swore not to tell the other Weasleys about it.
Harry groaned. Ginny really knew how to tempt him. Sometimes he couldn't believe that she was just thirteen years old.
~Hey, I heard that, prat!~
Harry just hugged her and pulled her into a kiss. Both were oblivious of the fact that they were naked because of the emotional overload of the snogging.
Flashback end
"It looks like we have to get that golden egg." Ginny said after a quick glace over the rock.
Hushing from cover to cover the tried to get closer. Harry used Aguamenti to counter the spit fire. Steam clouded the area and made them invisible to the crowed.
Suddenly Ginny placed her wand into her pocket. Slowly she stepped out of her cover and faced the dragon. The pitch was complete silent. The dragon's eyes closed to slits as it observed Ginny. She stepped forward, slowly extending her arm. The horntail growled but backed away. Slowly they/he (?) got closer. Harry lunged forward and grabbed the golden egg. But he forgot the bond. He pulled Ginny down with him. Whatever she did to the dragon broke and it tried to protect its eggs again. Jumping forward it trapped them between its legs. With a swing of its wings the steam was cleared away. It breathed in and released fire. In a split reaction Ginny hold her arms up to divert the fire. And surprisingly it did. She grabbed Harry and flamed out of the danger zone.
The pitch exploded in applause as the spectators saw the two appearing in a fire outside the nest.
Ginny looked down at her palms. They were completely fine. However she felt blood against her. Harry held his shoulder where a rock fragment had penetrated it. "HARRY!" Ginny screamed as he collapsed. Hoisting him up she ran flamed (?) towards the hospital tent, not caring who might ask questions later.
Madame Pomfrey immediately began to clean the wound. Two medics helped her. With their monitoring Pomfrey didn't have to interrupt the treatment for diagnostic charms.
"Will he be okay?" Ginny asked impatiently. She hopped from one foot onto the other to keep herself from throwing her arms around him. "He will." One of the soldier said. He dropped a clear liquid into Harry's mouth. Nothing happened at first but then Harry woke with a start.
"Yuck! What was that?" He asked. The soldiers looked at each other. "Believe us. It's better you don't know." They said. Ginny launched herself at him, knocking both off the be floor. "Miss Weasley!" Madame Pomfrey shouted but the two soldiers escorted her out and closed the curtain.
"We've seen that enough with our Lieutenant. Better not to disturb them now." One explained. The other relayed it to Erik who again told the judges that the two were fine but were a little occupied with a private matter. Dumbledore nodded understandingly and they proceeded in giving the points.
Just as they revealed Harry's and Ginny's score the two emerged from the tent. Deafening applause greeted them. They were given the full score for completing the task fast but were deducted points for Harry's injury. They were now second after Cedric.
The celebration went on in the common room. One asked Harry to open the egg. The screech that came out caused them all to cover their ears until someone closed the egg again.
"Maybe the next task will be loud?" George joked. "Or you maybe go against a Banshee." Seamus said. They still had the memory of the DADA lesson last year.
"Maybe the Cruciatus curse?" Neville asked slowly, remembering what had happened to his parents. His grandma had sent him a letter that an anonymous donation had been made that enabled St Mungo to get help from the states.
"Not likely. That sounded like Percy singing. Maybe you have to attack him while he is showering?" Fred joked.
Ginny rubbed her ear. "For a second I thought I had heard somebody but that might only be my imagination."
But first they had the Yule Ball to attend to. Erik had allowed the couples on his platoon to go there under the condition that they were armed and ready to respond to any kind of emergency. The others would stand guard in full armor.
Harry sat in his dorm nervously. He looked down at the sleeping form of his girlfriend. Actually his wife but he refused to call her that until they had the official wedding on her birthday next year.
He nudged her so she would wake. ~Mrs. Potter, it's time to wake up.~ Ginny blinked the sleep out of her eyes as she looked at him. ~What do you want, Mr Potter? You should have a good reason why you disturb me in my dream.~ ~Do I want to know what happened in there?~ ~No!~ Ginny blushed.
"We are bound to each other anyway but it is custom to ask: Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?"
Ginny lifted her left wrist and examined the golden band. "I don't really have a choice, do I? But I will if it's a date."
Harry hugged her and placed a kiss on her lips. "It is one."
They rolled over the bed and fell down onto the floor. Entangled into each other they laughed.
"So eager to consummate our relationship?"
Ron paced in the dorm. Since last week he had the place to pace as Harry had left the dorm for the couple apartment with Ginny. Despite how dangerous the task was, he was still angry with his best friend. First, Harry snogged his baby sister and now they were sharing a room. Second, he got into the tournament. Ron threw a book to the floor. He was just an average Weasley. Even his sister was more famous than him. He hated to be the last. But he was sure, he would get his revenge soon.
Hermione sat in the library. She had been reading on some books about love potions when she had crossed one of the medics, Kelly was her name.
After a short talk Kelly told her that she was a squib. She knew what Hermione was going through. Her husband has been as thick as Ron was until she had shown him what she was capable of.
"He's a wizard. One of those highty-mighty purebloods."
They exchanged stories as someone cleared his throat behind them. Hermione looked around and was surprised to see Viktor. She was surprised to see him. He looked more like someone who thought with his muscles than his brain.
"Do you vant to go with me to the Yule Ball?" Krum asked. Hermione was surprised at the question. Either it was serious or Krum knew she was one of Harry's best friends. "Yes, I would like to." She answered before picking up her book. "I'll see you then." Viktor left again, a visible smirk on his lips.
The day of the Yule Ball came. As it was tradition, the champions opened the ball with their first dance. Ron was already when he came across Krum.
"Waiting for your date?" "Indeed, I am." The seeker replied.
Ron had been so occupied of thinking of how to separate Harry and Ginny, that he completely forgot about the Ball. When he asked Hermione this morning she had told him that she already had been asked and had accepted the invitation.
In his desperate attempt to get a date he had even asked Fleur Delacour. The champion had been surprised but accepted to go with him after he told her that she wasn't his first choice. Apparently Fleur didn't want someone who was going with her because of her good looks. Additionally after she found out that Ron was Harry's best friend she was happy that she chose to accept him.
When Harry and Ginny came down the stairs everyone stopped for a second. Harry wore a black dress robe with a reddish brown bowtie. Ginny wore a light green dress with golden and red highlights. At the sight of his sister his jaw simply fell and he attempted to speak, perfectly imitating a fish.
Cedric and Cho led the procession into the transformed great hall. They were closely followed by Fleur and Ron. Krum and Hermione entered, however, their beautiful appearance was overshadowed by the spectacular glowing band tying Harry and Ginny to each other.
After them the other couples filed into the hall. Several soldiers in their dress uniforms joined the students and their parents. The female's uniform actually resembled a ball attire or evening dress. The orchestra began with a slow waltz. ~May I? Mrs Potter?~
Harry led Ginny into the middle of the hall where they slowly began to dance. ~You trained.~
~Had to with Dudley. He has set eyes on a girl in our neighbourhood and planned to invite her to the Ball at his school.~
~Who is it?~ ~Luna Lovegood~ ~THE Luna who lives next door to me?~ ~Yep. They met on a trip. Two crazies one thought. He even threatened Aunt Petunia to ride his bike to Lune if she wouldn't drive him.~
They changed their pace as slow music came. Ginny placed her free hand around his neck and pulled him close. Their noses touched as they began to swing back and forth.
Ron was in a slow but distant dance with Fleur when he saw his sister. She was close to Harry and slowly they leaned into each other. "HEY! THAT'S MY BABY SISTER YOU'RE KISSING!"
Harry and Ginny shot apart as Ron screamed. Everyone now stared at the group. Ron glared at Harry and Ginny. Fleur slowly retreated into the lines of spectators where she stopped right next to Hermione. "Iz 'e alwayz zo loud?" "Only when it comes to his family. He has the emotional depth of a rock." Hermione explained. The Granger girl watched as Ron made his way over to the couple. The next second he was lying below Ginny's foot. "Who I date or kiss is not for you to decide, Ronald Weasley." Ginny growled in a tone that rivaled her mothers. Ron skipped back a little as he got threatened. Harry didn't comment it as he knew that it was better not to face the wrath of a red-head's temperament as his dad had told him. As if to prove her statement she grabbed Harry by his collar and pulled him close to kiss him.
Silence. Clap, Clap, Clap.
Erik was the first one to begin. The soldiers of his platoon followed suit and soon everyone was clapping.
"Finally." George and Fred clapped. Ginny rolled her eyes as she heard them and released Harry from the kiss so they could breathe.
Madame Pomfrey escorted Ron up to the hospital wing. Ginny had broken his rib cage when she threw him down and stepped on him. Fred and George had taken Harry to the side, pulling Ginny with them to tell him the usual "protective brothers" talk.
"Even if you make her upset she won't have time to kill you because we will do it faster." Fred said.
"And humiliate you in front of the world." George finished the threat. Harry gulped. Angelina and Alicia were shaking with laughter behind them.
The atmosphere returned to what it was before. Erik turned Catherine around and dipped her shortly before pulling her back up. "Enjoying the date?" ~You know that we are far past dating.~ Catherine whispered. "Yes, I do." She said out loud. They turned more rounds when suddenly something yellow flashed in the corner of Erik's glasses. With a short blink he opened the incoming message: SURPRISE IS READY
Erik nodded. It was a nearly invisible gesture but the guards at the doors understood as they pulled it open.
A single man stood there. The sound of the bagpipe playing "Scotland the Brave" drew the audience's attention.
After a short solo drums joined the bagpipe as the soldiers marched into the hall. Their armor was pitch black and on top of their helmets was the traditional bearskin. They wore the tartan skirt as a part of their armor. The first bagpiper stopped and saluted. Erik as the highest ranking officer answered the traditional salute with one of his own.
The band took its positions and finished the performance. As clapping arouse they began the next: "Amazing Grace"
Harry pulled Ginny close for a slow dance.
~Enjoying yourself Mr Potter?~ Ginny asked. Harry didn't respond immediately. ~I'll make sure you do.~
A small picture flared in Harry's mind and they both blushed. As the evening came to and end, they were one of the last to leave the hall.
Harry was completely absorbed the following day. The second task was only two days away and they had still not solved the riddle of the egg. He was lost in thought that Ginny had to lead him to keep him from crashing into things.
"Get the combat-divers ready. Think of nasty but non-lethal traps." Ginny stopped him and they both looked around the corner. Erik stood there with four of his soldiers. They had tubes emerging from their large backpacks which were attacked to their helmets by an elongated snout-like part. Another had a more bucket like helmet where the tubes joined at the chin section while his partner had one where the tubes joined the helmet in an aerodynamic docking system near the cheeks. [All versions of clone SCUBA-Armor]
"Make sure to log the traps into the map. I will join you tomorrow for the last checks."
~Harry, could the task be in the lake?~ They turned around to head back to their apartment. ~Maybe. Do any creatures live in the lake?~ Ginny thought for a second. ~Fred and George told me about the giant squib.~ ~Definitely under water.~ They were so deep in their mental conversation that they didn't look up and bumped right into another person. Harry muttered an apology and pulled Ginny up when he was stopped. Looking up he saw Cedric. "Figured something out already?" Harry shook his head. "Little piece of advice: Take a bath. Open it under water."
The next morning unknown to the champions the second task was already being prepared. Dumbledore spoke to the leader of the merpeople while combat diver brought down the chains and set the traps for the champions. Dumbledore wanted as less disturbance for the merpeople as possible.
Communication was purely internal as the helmets connected each member of the squad. The merpeople set traps and pranks of their own. Erik surfaced again and entered the new traps into a map. He checked his oxygen supply again. He had enough for another errand run. Erik let himself fall back into the lake and dove towards the stands. This area was the only one that wasn't booby-trapped. From there he swam towards the holding area and checked the cameras on the way.
Soon after the champions were ready for the task. Just before the champions were allowed to begin a group of combat-divers emerged from the lake. "Everything is ready."
Erik nodded and gave a thumbs-up to Bagman who announced the task. Immediately the champions jumped into the water. The people kept track of the task by the cameras and the sonar the soldiers had installed. Fleur and Cedric used the bubble-head charm to breath but otherwise maintained their human form. Viktor tried a transfiguration which only turned his head into that of a shark. Harry used Gillyweed to give him fish-like features while Ginny simply held her breath.
The first traps were avoided easily enough. Suddenly the screen flickered and the connection to the surveilliance was lost.
The soldiers reacted immediately as at the same time a set of red sparks emerged from the lake. Erik reacted immediately. "Combat-Divers, check the lake. Flash, Splash, check on the sparks. Tell me which champion."
The divers jumped in. Second Lieutenant Angeles looked down as Dumbledore approached her. "He didn't take his SCUBA-Gear, didn't he?" She shook her head. "The internal Oxygen supply should be enough for ten minutes."
Harry and Ginny reached the location first. Bound by chains there were four people: Ron, Hermione, Cho and a third girl they didn't recognize. Shortly after them Cedric arrived. With a charm he cut the rope and began to surface with his girlfriend. The merpeople around them swam away in fear. Ginny looked around to see the cause as a shark rushed past them. Viktor attempted to bite the chains but his teeth got dangerously close to Hermione. Harry tapped the Bulgarian's shoulder and held out a rock which the man took and used to crack the chain. ~Where is Fleur?~
Ginny asked as they were left with the merpeople again. Time was running out and still no sign of Fleur. Harry wanted to reach over but the merchieftainess Murcus blocked him.
"Only One!" she hissed.
Erik dove through the plants to reach the location. Just as he emerged out of the weed he saw them. Just then a call came though. "It's Miss Delacour. She is unable to continue."
The lieutenant proceeded towards the Delacour target.
Ginny saw a figure emerging from the weed surrounding the ruin. The armor revealed it to be Erik. The man didn't react as they shook him. Ginny checked the time again, they only had five minutes left. Keeping an eye out to the merpeople they took Ron and swam closer to the girl. Erik handed a pad over to Murcus so she could read what he couldn't say. She nodded and Erik gave Harry the signal to surface.
Hermione looked over the lake. Since Viktor had pulled her out she was awake but worried about the three people left in the water. Next to her Fleur was sobbing. She didn't knew what the french girl had and continued to look over the sea. Tome was running out. Just as the clock stroke a group of people broke through the tranquil surface of the Black Lake. A speed boat drove out to fetch them.
Fleur was overly happy when Harry and Ginny helped the girl out. "Gabrielle!" Pulling her sister into a deep hug she looked over at them. "'Arry, Ginevra, zank you for safing 'er."
From this point on the tournament turned into a more friendly competition. Fleur was in a life debt as she called it. Cedric knew Harry from before and trusted the boy not to seek attention and fame. Krum was indifferent, although their shared interest in quidditch and their roles as seekers caused some friendly chases on the pitch.
It went so far that they united against Rita Skeeter. Viktor took the front as of his international fame it would be difficult to dismantle his reputation. However, mostly Skeeter was only around for the tasks and then the soldiers kept her from intruding. She had screeched about the freedom of press but neither of the soldiers budged.