Chapter 30:

Protective Dragons

Suddenly, time flew, leaves changed, and they were gathering outside in the cool fall air to watch the first task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

"Relax. He'll be fine. He's good at getting through these types of situations," Draco said, trying to reassure his friend.

"I know, but that doesn't mean I'm not worried," she replied, cleaning her glasses again. "I'm going to see him," she announced suddenly, though not to Draco's surprise. He just nodded as she took off for the white tent in the distance.

She slowed down as she approached the tent however, nerves starting to fill her. Would Harry even want to see her right now.

No matter, she was here already. Worst he could do was tell her 'no'. Pushing inside, she looked around, but didn't spot him upon first glance.

"Need something?" a semi-familiar voice said from behind her, and Jessa whirled around to find Cedric Diggory staring down at her, arms loosely crossed as he eyed her scarf.

"Yes, actually. Where's Harry?"

"This is a private tent. Why do you – "

" – because she's my sister," Harry interrupted, coming up behind her. Cedric's eyes darted between the siblings.

"Explains your flying skills," he said to her. "Sorry."

She just shrugged. "Good luck."

She turned to face her brother. He must be getting tired of always having to introduce her. Then again – as much as she didn't want to be known as "Harry Potter's little sister," in some ways, it would be much easier if everyone just knew who she was. A lot less suspicion and explanation. But they didn't…because compared to him, she wasn't important. Then again…if it kept her out of events like these, then it was just as well.

"I'll be fine," Harry said immediately.

"That doesn't exactly reassure me."

"Trust me, yeah?"

"That makes want to trust you even less," she stated, raising an eyebrow and for the briefest of moments, Harry's fear and anxiety drifted away. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close before leading Jessa to an extra chair as Professor Dumbledore and a ministry official entered the tent. Harry joined the small champions circle and she watched as they each placed their hand into a burlap bag, pulling out…something. A cannon went off, causing them to jump and disperse.

"I'll be going last," Harry said as he came to sit next to her. There, in his hand, lay a small, spiked dragon, wearing a small cape with the number four on it.

"You – you have to face – you have to face a dragon?"

"Yes."

"A fully grown, dragon?"

"I found out in secret a few weeks ago. Hermione and I have been preparing," he whispered to her. She nodded, swallowing hard, and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Can I stay with you until you have to – to go?"

"Of course."

And then, as if time had sped up, Harry was being summoned out to the task. Quickly embracing her once more, gaining what he could from it, Harry put a brave face and left the tent.

Jessa was terrified for him. Oh, she knew he'd probably be fine. He always was, but that didn't erase her concern. Even knowing he'd had advance notice, even knowing he'd been practicing with Hermione, fear still gripped at her.

Exiting the tent, she stopped short as she saw the large, spiked dragon he was to face. Glancing across the tournament area, she could see a medical tent already set up. Turning back into the champions' tent, she picked her way around the arena, trying to ignore the terrifying sounds coming from it. Jessa knew her brother and knew he'd end up in the medical tent. Whether he'd be conscious or not was another story.

Much to her surprise, sooner than she had anticipated, Harry was walking into the medical tent himself – not being carried in. He had a large gash on his upper arm and a few other scratches, but he was alive and mostly unharmed. Odd, but she wouldn't complain.

Harry didn't even seem surprised to see her there. "I told you I'd be fine, didn't I?" he asked, taking a seat on an empty bed so Madame Pomfrey could treat his arm. Rolling her eyes gently, she just nodded. Being told it and seeing it were two different things.

"I had to make sure," she said to what was probably a rhetorical question.

Harry gave a brief sigh. "I know."

"I'll see you later," she declared, giving him one more one-armed hug before walking out, finally satisfied that he was fine.

Walking into the Slytherin Common Room, she received her fair share of glances. No sooner had she sat down then she was joined by her two older friends.

"What happened? Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I was scared. So I stayed with him until he went out for the task. Then I went to the medical tent. I didn't – I couldn't bring myself to watch."

Draco shared a look with Blaise for a brief moment, before glancing down at her.

"Just, explain one thing to me; if he's the reason for so many of your problems, how are you still so protective, so close?" he asked, and Jessa could detect accusation in his tone.

"I – I suppose it's because since the Dursleys' aren't decent guardians for us, because they don't treat us like family, we've always had to just take care of each other, rely on just each other. So even though we're growing apart here, we still have to stick together. We're all the family we have left," she explained uncomfortably.

As much as he wanted to, Draco couldn't argue with that. He didn't have siblings and he had seen what her uncle was like; had heard briefly about her home life. So he wouldn't push it, not now at least.

"You aren't alone, though," Blaise said, suddenly speaking up. "I mean, yeah, he's the only blood family you have left, but he's not the only one you have anymore."

She smiled at him, biting her lip. "Thank you."