Author's Note: I forgot to mention in my first note, yes, I do know the Lion King was not out in this time period, but I felt I could use a bit of artistic freedom and give a reader some semblance of an idea of what I was going for. When Simba first meets Timon and Pumba and they sing the Hakuna Matata song, that's the scenery I imagined. These first three chapters are somewhat of an introduction, sort of explaining the reasons why Harry does what he does in this story.
All the Reasons. All For You.
Days turned into weeks, and before Harry knew it, the day of the second task had arrived. Fortunately, with help from Luna, he was as prepared as he could possibly imagine himself to be. He had almost mastered the bubblehead charm, but he wasn't very confident casting it, so the main source of air for his undersea antics would be gillyweed, which Luna had heard about from her time spent with Neville. Harry had also come up with the idea to use a sticking charm on his wand to attach it his palm, so he would be free to use both hands to swim through the icy depths of the Black Lake. And although usually a stroke of brilliance coming from himself would normally make him feel proud, he couldn't help but feel lonely, even with Luna with him most days. Ron for some reason had continued to avoid Harry throughout the Christmas holidays and upon return to classes he hardly ever instigated any contact. He was no longer openly hostile towards Harry, but something had changed in their friendship recently, and Harry couldn't figure out what.
And Hermione…she was barely speaking with him at all, opting to spend most of her time with her other best friend. She had made a few comments here and there to Harry about what he should study to get ready for the underwater excursion, but most often the two avoided one another. Luckily she mentioned that to him that he should at least attempt to practice some nonverbal magic, as being underwater would likely be muffle his voice and prevent him from casting spells. Still, however, neither had yet come to terms with what happened at the Yule Ball, and Harry was starting to worry he had permanently wrecked their friendship, and he still hadn't figured out what exactly his feelings about Hermione meant. Needless to say, without Luna, Harry had no idea how he was going to survive the next few months of the term if they were to carry on as the past two had.
As Harry was finally making his way down to the lake for the beginning of the task, idly wondering where Luna could be at this moment, as she had said she would do a last minute rundown of the plan they had concocted as to how Harry would proceed, he heard someone calling his name. He turned about and came face to face with Ron, who looked a bit sheepish. Without any prompting on his part, Ron asked,
"Hey, have you seen Hermione anywhere? I haven't been able to find her since I woke up, and neither has anyone else."
"Why would I know? She spends all her time with you anymore, what makes you think I would know where she is if you don't?"
For just a moment, the smallest of smiles appeared on Ron's face, but his demeanor was instantly replaced with a swelling of sadness. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.
"Look Ron, she's probably already in the stands waiting for you to get there, but I have to get going. They're waiting for their last 'champion'." Harry laid what was obviously a thick amount of sarcasm on the last word. He turned to walk away back towards the lake.
"No, wait!" Ron exclaimed. He caught up with Harry and turned him by his shoulder. Harry had half a mind to hex Ron for delaying him even more, but stopped when he saw the look on his face. It was…a lost look. The same look Harry had plastered on his face since the resumption of term. Ron spoke in a very soft voice, almost a whisper.
"Look Harry, there's something I need to say. And I gotta do it now before I lose the nerve to do so. I know I already apologized for being a right git about putting your name in the Goblet, but there's something else I need to apologize for. I-I…well even if I said sorry about that, I still haven't been the friend that you've needed these past few months. It's because…well, I saw you and Hermione at that stupid dance and I, well I was jealous. I may…fancy her a bit, and I was jealous that this was yet another instance where you get something I've always wanted. I really like her Harry, but what am I next to the famous Boy-Who-Lived? I know you don't like that title, but it's true. How can I possibly compete with you for her? I was so angry, but I know it wasn't your fault, so I tried to hide it. I-I'm…I'm sorry, Harry…" Ron finished rather lamely.
But Harry was floored. This? This was the reason Ron had been avoiding him? He was so glad that Ron was apologizing, and he felt good to hopefully have his best friend back. But to get him back like this…Harry still wasn't sure what his feelings for Hermione were, but he felt a twinge of the jealousy Ron had just described. For as much as Ron was envious of Harry's wealth and fame, Harry was equally covetous of Ron's family. A part of Harry began to think, So what? Why should Ron feel entitled to claim Hermione as his own? She's not a piece of property? Harry shut those thoughts out. He knew Ron wasn't thinking of her that way, he was just enamored with her.
"Oh Ron, she's my best friend, but I don't think of her like that. She's pretty much my sister." Harry wasn't sure if he was lying or not, but it felt wrong to say it. "It's okay, you don't have to be sorry, as long as you're back with me now. I think me and her just felt a bit awkward about that silly dance. I just asked her because we were friends, unless you're jealous that I didn't ask you instead?" Harry smirked.
This drew a sigh of relief and a hearty laugh from Ron, "Well, I don't know about that, but those awful dress robes I had to wear were pretty feminine."
"Feminine? Isn't that a bit of a big word for you Ron?"
"Stuff it! Hanging out with Hermione must be rubbing off on me a bit," He chuckled.
Harry was relishing in the fact that he and best mate were on speaking terms again, but all too soon he was standing on a platform with the other champions waiting for the canon to begin the second task. He stuffed the gillyweed down his throat as the defining boom echoed across the crowd, not paying any attention to the other contenders, and dove into the ice cold depths. The first thing he noticed was even though the water was freezing and murky, the gillyweed protected his skin from the arctic temperature and allowed him to see quite clearly through the muck. Second, his hands and feet elongated slightly and between his fingers and toes webbing was produced. He easily propelled downward deeper into the blackness, fusing his wand to his palm as he did so.
After about twenty minutes of constant descent, he heard a rush of water behind him. He whipped his around just in time to see a shark baring his many teeth at him. Instinctively, Harry dragged his wand arm about, aimed directly at the creature's eye, and screamed in his mind "Sagitta Vulnerans!" Momentarily impressed as he felt the silent spell shoot power through his arm, a blinding silver and yellow arrow shot from his wand and stuck into the beast's head just below its eye. As it thrashed about from the pain, Harry noticed that the rest of body of the shark was that of a man. With a start, he realized it was his fellow competitor Viktor Krum. Why would he be attacking me? Harry thought. Realizing he needed to get away from him before he retaliated, he shot back down through the water, propelling himself faster and faster to put as much distance between him and his assailant as possible, watching the shark-man dart towards the surface. After a couple minutes, according to his water-proofed watch, he decided he was safe, and went back to searching for what he would "sorely miss."
After breaking through some grindylows and seaweed, he came upon what he could only assume the mermaid's kingdom. In the middle of the rather large sea-faring community, there sat four bodies suspended in the water, floating. Harry rushed to the quad of people, realizing they were all fast asleep in some sort of enchanted stasis. Luna, Cho Chang, Hermione, and a smaller fair-haired girl that reminded him of Fleur. He deduced she must be some sort of relation to her, perhaps her sister. He looked around and noticed the merfolk watching him with intent eyes. He wondered if they would attack when he tried to release the hostages. He though Luna must be for him, and Hermione for Krum, seeing as she went to him with to the ball. Cho was obviously for Cedric, as they were currently dating, and the little girl belonged to Fleur. With a fright, Harry discerned that he took Krum out of the running, and thus Hermione was stuck here. He wasn't about to let that happen, and swam over to her. As he drew his knife from his leg, three merpeople raced towards him, tridents and spears pointing at his throat, teeth barred and menacing, as if to say only to take his hostage. Fury like Harry had never felt rose up from his chest, a warmth and rage that possessed his very being.
Not save Hermione? Are you kidding me? You think you'll be able to stop me from rescuing my best friend? My biggest anchor to this world?
Harry never thought too highly of himself, but in that moment he was convinced not even Merlin would have been able to stop him. Closing his eyes, he cast a blinding charm, surrounding the area with a brilliant, quick burst of white light, startling the sub-aquatic creatures, and cast a cutting hex at Luna's rope while simultaneously slicing through Hermione's with his own knife. Summoning Luna to his side, he gripped both her and his best friend hard, and shot a flipendo jinx straight down, rocketing himself and the two girls up and away from the aggressors. Kicking with all his might, he swam upwards and onwards towards the surface, every so often glancing down to check if they were being followed. Not wanting to risk anything, he never slowed. After what felt like an eternity, Harry broke the surface. His friends began to open their eyes, and tried to grasp their surroundings. He told them to swim for the shore, and proceeded to wade behind them to make sure they didn't start to sink. Once they reached the shoreline, they were swarmed with heated blankets and warming charms. Teeth chattering, Hermione rushed into Harry and crushed him with one of her special life-squeezing hugs. Grinning ear to ear, Harry wrapped his arms around her, elated that she was safe and sound, albeit shivering from the chilly water.
"Oh Merlin Harry I knew you would succeed! I knew you could it!" she cried, releasing her death grip on him, "but why did you save me? I was told I would be Krum's hostage, and that Luna would be yours, how come you grabbed us both? You didn't do something stupid and noble did you?"
Harry chuckled as she rambled on, not noticing Krum advancing on him from behind. He was about to explain himself when a rough hand jerked him around. Harry watched, alarmed, as a bloody-faced, bandaged Krum was rearing back to deck him. As his closed fist came within an inch from Harry's nose, he was blasted back off his feet and onto his bum. Everyone on the podium now watching the exchange. Harry glanced to his left, where Hermione was pointing her wand directly at her ballroom date, her face contorted with ire. With a voice as fierce as that of a banshee's shriek, she growled,
"Don't you dare attack my Harry! I will end any chance you have for prolonging your namesake if you so much as come within the general vicinity of Harry again! Or me for that matter!"
Harry stiffened. My Harry? Did Hermione just say that?
"Vhat?! You dare speak to me in that tone! I am Viktor Krum! Besides, he attacked me in the water, stuck an arrow right in my vace!"
"Only because you were about to bite my head off!" Harry retorted, regaining his sense from his shock from Hermione's actions. "You swam right at me teeth bared ready to kill me! Of course I would defend myself, what did you think I would do? Let you?"
As Krum was about to respond, a bellowing voice quieted the ruckus. "ENOUGH!"
Dumbledore strode forward, along with Karkaroff, Madame Maxine, Ludo Bagman, and Barty Crouch, Sr., having witnessed the scene. He spoke as always in his commanding, yet grandfatherly, tone,
"Calm down, now, calm down. Firstly, is everyone okay?" When everyone had nodded, he continued, "Good. Now, would anyone care to explain what happened? Miss Lovegood?" Turning to the slightly absentminded looking young girl.
"Oh, well Mr. Krum here tried to attack our Mr. Potter from behind, so Miss Granger here blasted him back to prevent his assault." Luna spoke with an almost business-like tongue, but one still couldn't miss the dream like quality she added to anything she said.
Krum made to reply but Dumbledore just nodded towards Luna and strode past everyone to the lake. There the Merchieftan rose from the water and began conversing about the events that transpired within its dark pits. The head of the Merpeople explained how Krum had went after Harry, and how Harry had set about releasing the two hostages. For a moment, a swelling of pride shown across Dumbledore's wrinkled face, but changing it into a concerned smile for the chief. After explaining to the judges what had happened, the group trudged off back toward the shore to await the other competitors, while Krum returned to the Champion's tent, leaving Harry alone with Hermione and Luna. Hermione asked if what Dumbledore said was true, that he had attacked the Merpeople to rescue her. He nodded, describing how angry he had felt when they told him he wasn't allowed to take her. Hermione lowered her head so Harry wouldn't see the blush that appeared on her cheeks.
"Thank you again, Harry. It seems to me you're my own personal knight in shining armor. First a troll, then a basilisk, a few dozen dementors, and now the underwater imprisonment of the Merfolk."
Harry smiled, "Well, I didn't really save you from the basilisk. I just went and destroyed it after I learnt that it had petrified you."
Still staring at the floor, Hermione grinned, "So, you're saying you took on a sixty foot giant serpent that can kill with a stare, let alone its poisonous fangs and ability to crush you in its coils, just because it attacked me?"
Harry couldn't help but laugh, "Well, when you put it that way, you make it sound like I was out of my mind. But of course, you're right. I am a bit off, I'm sure, but no one hurts my favorite bookworm and gets away with it. No one."
Hermione couldn't help herself. She wrapped him in her arms and kissed his forehead, "You silly boy. You can't protect me all the time Harry. You need to look out for yourself, especially with this tournament." After realizing what she had stated, Hermione began to sob. "Oh Harry, I'm so sorry! Here you are, telling me how much you'll be by me when I get into trouble and I've been ignoring you for weeks. I'm so, so sorry Harry. Can you ever forgive me?" She pleaded.
"Hermione," Harry bent down slightly to look her in the eyes, and he waited until she was looking back up at him. "There's nothing to be sorry for. That..that night at the ball, I think…I think I just got swept up in the moment, and I embarrassed you. I'm no good in those situations, you know that, but I shouldn't have left like that. It's me who should be sorry. No doubt you've been running around the past few weeks blaming yourself and thinking of the hundred different ways it was your fault, and I'm here to tell you it wasn't. Believe me, Hermione. You're normally right about everything, but in this instance, you're being much too hard on yourself."
Hermione just beamed. Wondering how on earth she was lucky enough to have someone like Harry as her friend. She knew she wanted so much more, but if Harry didn't feel that way, she'd settle. Nothing would take her away from him. And she vowed then and there to never leave him, to always be by his side no matter the cost. It'd tear her heart out to be so close and not be able to hold him like she really wanted to, but Harry was worth it.
As the challenge ended, Harry received full marks for returning within the time limit with not only his but another champion's hostage as well. This put him in first place in front of Cedric and Fleur respectively, with Krum pulling up the end. They were all told the date of the final task, and that more information would be parted to them later.
The next couple months seemed to just fly by for Harry. With his best mates back, the trio plus Luna and Neville were helping him learn more and more magic for the final task, while simultaneously taking his mind of how dangerous and stressful the tournament actually was. In Harry's mind, things couldn't be better. That was, until, the night of the final task.
End Chapter 2.