A/N: Hello people and welcome to a fun, light-hearted fic with Harry, Fleur and friends! Part 8 of many to come!
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Once the platform, stands and all those thereon were fully submerged, with the magical barrier completed around them in a visible circle and the movement stopped, Harry sought out Fleur's eyes with his own once more. Cedric and Krum were still distracted, looking out into the water, blue and deep and endless as it seemed to be.
"Ready?" Harry's hand was still firmly held by one of hers, so he squeezed it after speaking to her. He wanted to get her attention and reaffirm to her that all was well, that this little task they'd soon be undertaking would be just as 'easy' as the first had been.
They'd been studying for it, working together, doing their best to master all that would aid them whilst underwater. Fleur's disadvantage was obvious, her fire magic couldn't be used as they knew, and ice was far too dangerous; they would have to stay close to one another, and provide security so as to ensure that disadvantage wasn't taken advantage of.
"Am I ready?" Fleur echoed his words, her voice with a faraway quality therein. "I do not zeenk zat zere weel ever be a time zat I am 'appy underwater. Not even at a beach or by a pool."
Harry frowned, but shook that look off quickly enough. "We'll stay together. Keep each other safe."
"I should be ze one to make sure no 'arm comes to you or Gabby. Eet ees not fair to rely on you for 'elp," Fleur took a breath after those words came from her, and he felt her hand, soft and dainty as ever, readjust the grip it had upon his. "I apologise. I am nervous, yes? Ze water ees all around us, and ze feelings zat come weez eet do much to worry me."
"Nothing to apologise for."
And before anything more could be said, they were called away from where they stood by the Headmasters and Tournament Officials. As had happened during the course of the first task, the Champions would meet and discuss with the aforementioned adults the rules and happenings of the second task.
Harry wasn't very eager.
Harry squeezed Fleur's hand as they made their way over to a series of hatches in the docks from which they'd dive into the water. All of the information they'd needed to know had been given to them — they had a set amount of time, there was a spell if they were unable to continue, and each of the four had a person that needed rescuing.
Fleur's was Gabrielle, Harry's was Ron.
When they'd been told about the person they were meant to rescue before the time ran out, they were also told in the same breath that everything was completely safe and under control. Spells had been put upon those that'd gone, and those spells had been checked not once, but thrice over; the Headmasters had started, Fleur's parents as representatives from their nations present had followed up, and Moody, the renowned professor that he was, had checked once more.
All had concluded that everything was perfectly fine, and that the spells would hold for the duration of the task, and then some. That had done little to ease Fleur's worries regarding her Gabby. Nothing in the world could stop her from doing so if the younger girl was too far removed from her side.
The only consolation was that all who had been taken as 'hostages' for the Champions, were volunteers and had their parents or guardians' permission. If not for that, Harry reckoned Fleur would've gone and cursed or set fire to everybody between her and her sister, such was the care and love and attachment she felt towards Gabby.
"Wait for me when you get to ze boundary," Fleur broke the silence once they reached the spot from which they'd jump into the water. Her visage had changed from a faraway, wistful and nervous look, to one of anxiety, and anger. Undoubtedly the latter from Gabby's circumstances even after the assurances. "We weel get zem back togezzer."
Harry nodded twice. "We'll get them back, and I won't go without you. We're a team."
Fleur gave him the best smile that she could manage. It was beautiful to no end even with the cocktail of emotions behind her eyes.
And then, whilst the pair looked in one another's eyes, the task began.
Harry was the first to breach the mirror-like surface of the water.
In the water as he was, Harry blinked and flailed around, his arms and legs finding it so very strange with the webbing he now possessed thanks to the Gillyweed he'd eaten. So strange, in fact, that he hadn't even thought about the gills he'd grown and the water that was filtering through them until after he'd righted himself.
He brought one hand to his face, examining how different it now looked and how easy it now was to keep himself afloat. From there, he did a few practice manoeuvres whilst he waited for Fleur to join him. Down in the depths as he was, he'd never been more mobile, more free. It instilled him with a new sense of confidence, and not a moment too soon, for the bathing-suit clad figure of Fleur finally descended to him, and tapped him right on the shoulder — her solution to their problem of being underwater was to use a bubble-head charm. One that looked rather well-cast too.
When he turned just a smidge more so as to make eye contact with her, he was surprised to find himself wrapped in a hug. One that, as always, was sweet and enticing and enjoyable as ever… for the few seconds it lasted. She pulled back quicker than she oft did, and with a hand still grasping him, started forth, towards the thick weeds in the not-so-far distance.
They could go around the forest before them if they wished to, but that would take up much and more of their time, and that was a very precious resource at this point. However, the risks skyrocketed should they be set upon the shortcut like they currently were.
Fleur shot a look over her shoulder at him, one that even without words, he could understand. She was bidding him to keep safe and do nothing reckless, and the brow raised when he didn't nod immediately, was done so in challenge, as if she was daring him to disagree with a shake of the head.
Naturally, Harry shot her a look with a wide smile. He hoped that would suffice for an answer.
Fleur didn't seem pleased, but she turned her attention back to the way ahead. It was closer now, and neither could be lax in or around the forest of weeds, for each was confident therein would lay traps, be they creature or something else — there'd be no reason to have so firm a warning talk otherwise.
Just ten metres away from entering, the pair stopped once more. Fleur's hand drifted lower, until it grabbed his own with so tight a hold he reckoned there'd be a mark present once they were back on land; she seemed like she didn't want to let him get away from her side. Not if she could help it.
After peering into the little forest before them for some few seconds, the pair slowly and cautiously started forth. Harry did so with a transfigured rock to his right side, offering up no small amount of cover as it trailed after him. Fleur immediately mimicked his actions and covered her side as well, but her work was quicker, more fluid seeming, and as she went to match his speed, she constantly brushed all up against his side.
Harry didn't mind her doing so. It reminded him of her presence and kept him aware of her safety.
His head snapped to the right when he thought he noticed something from his peripheral vision. It'd looked to be very near to the rock shield he'd transfigured, as if it were circling him and Fleur. He tapped her without a moment's hesitation and signalled to the right, alerting her with a serious look that something was there — he mouthed the words for good measure.
Fleur nodded, which conveyed that she understood, and with a flourish of her wand, the surrounding weeds were shaken as a pulse burst forth around them. The many tall, thick vines that offered much in the form of cover, flattened as they got disturbed. Some even fell altogether to the sandy ground.
And as that happened, as the forest was disturbed, Harry saw clearly the creature that'd been lurking nearby. It was a Grindylow; Hermione had talked about them before, and Harry and Fleur had read about them during many a long night spent studying in her room, oftentimes with Gabrielle giggling as she watched them. The creature shot backwards, its tentacles flailing as it was scared away back whence it'd come.
He shot Fleur a rather impressed look. That wasn't a spell she'd taught him, much less mentioned previously when they'd discussed helpful incantations. Unfortunately for his curiosity, he couldn't delay and ask her about the spell, so they continued on with even more caution than they'd previously had.
The passage they made went slowly, but Fleur constantly pulsed her magic through whatever spell she was using. His earlier perception had ensured they'd not be caught unaware, and her knowledge warded the creatures off until they'd made it safely to the very boundary of the grindylow-filled forest.
If Krum or Cedric had ventured in as he and Fleur had, Harry could only wish them luck.
Fleur tapped him with the hand holding her wand so as to get his attention, and from there, she pointed ahead and to the left from where they'd emerged. In the distance, dark as the water was and with many an obstruction of their vision, he could make out merfolk. With weapons held aloft in their hands, the… people, he'd call them, swam in a patrol-like pattern. It made it clear to Harry and Fleur both that their destination was now very near to them.
He looked up and down the boundary of the forest as Fleur drifted closer with her hand pulling him right along behind her. She pulled them behind a ruinous-type structure made from stone; Harry hadn't remembered structures being down at the bottom of the lake — as for his look, it revealed nothing, no sign of Cedric or Krum, and no sign of creatures coming after them.
Not yet, at the very le—
Fleur pushed him back without so much as a look of warning, and Harry had all he could do to stop himself from falling on a rather large, sharp-looking shell as a result. He managed it after a second's passing or thereabouts, but when he looked back at Fleur, he saw why she'd done as she had; there'd been a trap neither of them had noticed, and she'd chosen to stop it from getting him instead of attempting to stop it altogether.
Harry pointed his wand at her without a second's pause when he saw that her bubble head charm had faltered, and made to cut the vine-like net… until he noticed that it went up and up, and should the rope be snapped altogether, it would open some sort of woven box a little way's up. He wasn't sure what to do, but he had to do something.
So he cut the rope and pulled Fleur to him with a yank of his wand, and right after doing so, he raised his wand and made to transfigure the box. He managed to nearly complete the lot of it before he spotted a tentacle reaching out, one that was far larger than that of the Grindylow which he'd seen earlier — with Fleur falling into him, her arms wrapping around his person, he shot a series of stunners up before the creature could wiggle its way out.
One sailed far off to the left, another struck a vine that'd started to hang over the ruinous stone, but the third struck true. The creature recoiled in pain, but by then Harry had fallen to the ground below, slashing his hand on something sharp as he'd made to recover. He had all he could do to remain up with his face out of the mixture of sand and dirt given the awkward fall and Fleur's weight atop his own.
Thankfully, before the creature could take advantage of his slip-up, Fleur had twisted across him, her wand raised to where his had been pointing only a second earlier as her weight firmly settled atop him. Thus, Harry could but watch, hopeful that her spells would strike true.
And they did.
Fleur had fired two, the pinkish lights had streaked through the water, undeterred as ever magic seemed to be, and both had found their mark. For somebody on their back, underwater and resting atop another person, Harry had to admit that her aim was more than simply impressive.
The pair stayed like that for a few seconds' time, watching as the object containing a creature shifted and the woven material strained under the pressure of whatever was inside. It didn't break, but it seemed as if the material wouldn't hold indefinitely. Harry brought a hand up and tapped Fleur's side, aiming to get her attention as she stayed atop him with a heaving chest — he couldn't make out her face to see if everything was alright.
Initially, she didn't react to his contact, she continued resting atop him with the rapid rise and fall of her chest the only sign that she was well.
But Harry knew they were being timed. They couldn't delay or dally, even if the trap had been dangerous, they had to continue on and learn from the mistake they'd made. Gabrielle and Ron were counting on them.
He tapped her and had both hands fall to her waist, where he tried to have her rise up with a gentle, subtle exertion of force. That seemed to get the message across to Fleur, and so slowly, she rose from her spot fully atop Harry. Her action was slow, dazed almost, but she shook her head as she recast the bubble head charm on herself after nearly thirty or forty seconds of having it gone.
Harry immediately rose after her and with a hand still joined to hers, he pulled her close and examined her; with the charm newly cast, he could finally make out the look in her eyes and upon her face, for no longer was she focused on simply managing her breath. Instead, he could make out a redness in those blue eyes of hers, and on her face was a look of worry, mayhaps even the epitome thereof.
The trap had shaken her if the water hadn't already done so, but she seemed ready and willing to continue.
He fixed her with a smile, hopeful that it'd reassure her to some degree, and then he mouthed a few words to her, given how garbled they'd be if he tried to speak. 'I will take the lead' — he had said them slowly, and carefully, ensuring that Fleur could understand what he meant.
Once he said the words, and whilst maintaining a hold of her hand, Harry started them towards the Merfolk they'd seen in the distance, for it was they who'd have the hostages. He wasn't sure if they'd simply let Harry and Fleur take them back either, no, something told him it'd likely be harder than that, he just wasn't sure by how much.
Harry shook his head. He couldn't think about how difficult it'd be or how much of a challenge the Merfolk could make for. Not until they were at the perimeter which they patrolled. Otherwise, he'd grow distracted and miss the various traps set for them, for he was very confident there'd be more than the one they'd activated.
Fleur seemed to think much the same, even despite how rattled she obviously still seemed to be.
He couldn't risk more than a half-second's glance her way, but he'd do just that quite frequently so as to assure himself of her presence. A presence that remained constant as the pair slowly navigated the dense jungle of stone, vine and sea growth. When the time finally grew in which the pair neared the barrier that the Merfolk had made, he held out an arm, stopping her from moving past lest they leave the concealment that kept them hidden.
They had to get a look before anything went down… just in case.
Harry tried to stress that to Fleur as the visages of the formerly far Merfolk, were now much closer. He didn't know much about them save for the obvious facts; the knowledge of weaknesses they possessed certainly evaded him. If it hadn't, he'd have been all for going head-on.
He stopped his gaze for a moment, looking back whence they'd come. Harry didn't like how open it was now that he and Fleur were both looking ahead by and large, each looking for the hostages which they were meant to rescue, or their fellow Champions. Thus far, neither had manifested, but he was of the opinion that trouble would do just that, and from their rear.
Per—
Harry jolted and pulled Fleur close, mashing her body against his own as he saw a light fly-up in the distance, from the forest of vines and Grindylows. It looked like the spell that called for aid, which could only mean either Cedric, or Krum, had fallen prey to the creatures within the forest he and Fleur had braved.
Fleur had reacted instantly to his pulling of her, wrapping her arms around his torso and interweaving a leg betwixt one of his own. Whether from nerves, the like of contact or a mixture of the pair, she seemed content to hold him for a very long time — when he glanced back her way, the momentary shock over with, he saw her eyes were still red and bleary, and that look of nervousness was still very prevalent.
The trap had done a number on her confidence just as the water had before they'd so much as dipped a toe therein.
Harry tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention as he withdrew from her, and after getting what he desired, he nodded towards where the Merfolk were patrolling. If they had to sneak past, they'd do so very soon, before anymore time went on by.
Fleur seemed to understand his desire, and with a great deal of reluctance, withdrew by and large from contact with him. One hand still stayed holding onto him though, but that was nothing new. Harry fixed her with another smile as he'd done earlier, still hoping to reassure her, and then he very cautiously looked forth — after transfiguring a barrier behind them.
It'd hopefully give them some cover from any unfriendly eyes.
As for the way ahead, that was a much harder problem to solve indeed. There were more Merfolk present than he'd first thought, and a great deal of them were moving around as if they were maintaining a circle, or thereabouts. Yet still, there was no sign of the hostages, only different places in which they could be kept, like beyond a 'curtain' of vines that divided the space or a hole that seemed to delve deeper, into a portion that seemed to be underground; that'd be the last place they checked.
Harry huffed, and then he tapped Fleur, signalling for her to follow after him and do as he did. When he was once again certain that she was acknowledging him, Harry swished his wand over himself, and went nearly invisible as the disillusionment charm he cast washed over him; stealth would do them no harm, which was more than could be said of the Merfolk guards with their mediaeval-like weapons which they carried around. One prod from a trident or other such pointed weapons would likely be exceedingly painful and dangerous, and if they retreated, the Grindylows and other such creatures that lurked in the shadows would spring forth, looking for an easy meal.
Fleur did as he did, her body turning nearly completely concealed from his view. Her grip on him changed then, her hand shifting before he could make to lead her to the first spot he wished to check — he could've pulled away to force the matter, but he didn't want to become separated from her. Not when the pair had done so well together, and not when it could put her at risk.
So he waited for that hand of hers to rise higher and higher as it was, until it found a solid purchase around his torso. When it didn't move after a few seconds' time, which conveyed to Harry she was intent on maintaining such a hold of him, he swallowed. He understood why she was so incessant, especially with her emotions the way they were, but it'd be very hard to swim if they were pressed right up against one another.
When he gently made to put a bit of distance between the two of them, her hold tightened, and so Harry figured he'd just have to adjust and continue on ahead with her nestled right up against him. It'd make for a bit of a challenge, but he was no stranger to that.
Thus, with a glance around to ensure no Merfolk were in their immediate vicinity — or anything else for that matter — he started them forth, sticking close to the bed of the lake. The space the Merfolk controlled wasn't very expansive, it was simply full-up with obstacles that broke one's line of sight.
Which was why after nary a few metres, he spotted chains, and as he looked up, the figures thereto attached. It made him halt altogether when he took them in, his feet sinking into a sludge of sand and bits of dirt with shells and rocks thereupon, but he didn't take notice of any of it. Not even as little scratches formed on the soles of his feet.
His attention was focused completely and utterly, on the limp, floating forms of Ron, Hermione, Cho Chang, and Gabrielle. All of them had their eyes closed with little bubbles formed over their mouths and noses; it looked to be a bubble head charm, only a modified variant thereof.
Harry turned towards where Fleur was, and made to open his mouth. Even if his words were garbled on account of the water, he hoped his tone would get his point across.
It didn't. He felt Fleur pull, and then, in the not-so-far distance beyond her, he saw something coming barreling towards the hostages. The creature seemed to be a shark from what he could see, but one with the lower… no, Harry recognised the trunks. It was Krum, and he pushed through the perimeter of the Merfolk without pause, intent on reaching his hostage.
Hermione.
Harry hadn't remembered the pair spending all that much time together save for the Yule Ball, but it wasn't something he could put much thought towards — instead, Harry pulled on Fleur's hand, and started them off towards the hostages without any focus on stealth; if Krum hadn't been set upon from when he was visible, especially whilst looking like a shark, Harry imagined they'd be fine.
Fleur, beside him and hard to make out as she was especially on account of the water, seemed to be passing him by. Her feet were kicking near to his waist, and her grasp shifted as they swam with all the urgency in the world towards the hostages. He could almost feel her fear on account of the sight an unconscious, limp Gabrielle made for.
Even he felt… angry — not nervous. It wasn't safe down here even if the Merfolk turned out to be little more than guardians.
That point almost immediately confirmed itself when, as Krum was shooting up with Hermione by his side, a group of Grindylows burst forth from the brush near which he'd headed towards. Harry could only watch, mute as he was whilst swimming towards Ron and Gabby, as the creatures set upon him and Krum shot Hermione towards the surface.
As the charm vanished from her mouth.
Harry brought a hand up, webbed and weird-feeling as it was, to rub at his eyes to ensure they weren't playing tricks on him, but by then, the spell Krum had used had seen Hermione too far from Harry's field of vision. It did so right as he reached the chains, from which point he had to ascend a wee bit more, and when he did, he felt his heart sink.
It was that deep feeling of dread and panic, where you swore you could feel your heart beating as if it were ready to fly free from your chest; the bubbles that'd been keeping Ron, Gabrielle and Cho safe, were gone.
Harry acted as fast as he could, and he felt Fleur do the same as her hand ripped itself free from his grasp — he focused on destroying the chains that had them kept pinned down in the depths, and it was as he destroyed the topmost link to allow their freedom that Fleur imitated the modified charm over their mouths. Together, the pair made to rise with the three hostages whose charms had faltered, Harry with Ron and Cho, and Fleur with Gabby. All three seemed to be in the midst of waking up far earlier than they were meant to as their eyes fluttered and their limbs twitched.
Fleur's eyes caught his own as they made to ascend to the surface above, near to where Krum was still firing many a spell… until Harry found a Merman before him, the creature's trident pressed into his chest just enough for the points to prick his chest. Before Harry could so much as manage a word, the Merman was blasted away from him at force. The others nearby made to move when their comrade was sent into a pillar-like stone, but they failed to react fast enough to immediately pose a threat.
So Harry shot forth, ascending as rapidly as he could with Ron and Cho whilst Fleur did the same at his side; she began to outpace him the higher they ascended, the pull upwards of her wand exceeding his own, especially as he attempted to take two hostages when one was all they were meant to have.
But Cedric hadn't arrived, and Cho, well, he couldn't leave her behind. Especially not when the magic meant to protect them had so clearly faltered before his very eyes; Fleur's too. Harry dodged right in the knick of time when an elbow, thrashing about and wild as could be, only just missed striking his face — his Quidditch reflexes had done him good, and out of harm's way as he was, he looked towards Ron, where the elbow had come from.
His friend was clearly awake now, and he seemed to be panicking on account of still being so far underwater. The charm Fleur had put upon them, small as it was, didn't seem to be as sturdy or as powerful as the one that'd initially been present. It'd done the job in preventing water from entering their lungs or noses, but with how slow they were going, things weren't looking great given the finite oxygen therein.
Harry had to think of something, anything… and one idea did indeed come to mind. If the spell to pull them to the surface wasn't strong enough to see the three of them up at speed, away from the Merfolk trailing them — the Grindylow were still busy with Krum — then there was only one thing Harry could do. He aimed his wand down, at the Merfolk, and shot forth as great a gust of wind as he could.
The result was an effect not too dissimilar to that which Fleur had done, but his was thinner, more focused, and the force it caused saw them propelled upwards as Harry mustered all the strength that he could. He shot past Fleur and Gabrielle, his eyes noting the pair's location, and stopped only when they were right near the surface.
He tapped Ron then and nodded to Cho, and without so much as a look his friend's way, he dove back down into the darkness that was every so often illuminated by spellfire; he hoped Krum could keep it up and Hermione was fine.
But Harry couldn't think about that for long. Fleur and Gabrielle needed him — he'd been there for them before, he'd promised to be there again, and now, it was time to ante up.
The dark, tendril like vines seemed to pulse near to him with a mind of their own, and the various obstacles in the water were different than when he'd dived the first time back with Fleur; he felt disoriented, confused, but he shut his eyes and forced himself to continue down whence he'd only just come.
Darkness.
He looked to the right instead of straight down, and saw little and less in the way of Fleur or Gabrielle. Anxiety pooled in the pit of his stomach and he continued further down, slicing away a series of oddly bent sea growth. It was then, when he did just that and those greenish vines fell, when the Delacours were made visible to him.
Gabby was attempting to swim up, towards the surface, while Fleur had turned with wand in hand to combat three stray Grindylows that'd come down from Krum, thoroughly beaten based on the many marks upon their slimy-seeming skin — the Merfolk were, thankfully, gone.
Harry didn't waste time. He shot down with all the speed he could muster, his webbed hands and feets propelling him towards the Grindylows the very moment one was banished back into the forest by a blast from Fleur's wand.
But with her doing so, she'd left an opening, and the bubble head charm through which she'd only earlier recast, fell again.
This time, she wasn't given the chance to recast it either, for the third Grindylow took advantage of her tired, distracted state and wrapped itself around her arm as Fleur did her best to keep the creatures away from a floundering Gabrielle. When Harry saw the creature do just that, he levelled his wand thereat and let loose a particularly hard-hitting stinging hex, one that sent the creature reeling with an open mouth before the tentacles turned to a flurry of movement, and it darted away with the other that Fleur hadn't attacked.
They'd be back with others, or they'd make a final attempt on Krum, who was very near to the surface of the water now. Harry wasn't sure which, but he didn't think they'd continue their attack on Fleur with his presence and one of the three gone, hurt.
Harry reached Gabrielle before Fleur did, and at the smaller girl's side, he wrapped an arm around her and shot a look down at Fleur. She seemed shaken, but she was able to continue, and so he nodded towards the surface, and with his grasp of Gabrielle ascertained, started ascending.
He took constant peeks down to ensure Fleur was right behind him; it was clear she was tired, and something seemed… off about the way she moved, like she was injured. Harry wanted to linger back further, maybe even grab her hand with his other one so as to ascend together, but Fleur waved him off as he reached out a hand, and instead, pointed to the surface with a sense of utmost worry.
It was no wonder why, given Gabrielle was still flailing about, but he wanted to save them both, together. He couldn't make a choice to help one over the other.
So he pulled Fleur close with a twist of his wand that only delayed him for all of a split-second, and when she was jolted close enough, he grabbed her hand and started to ascend with the pair of them; her wand joined his in pulling the three of them to the surface, and it seemed that whatever had been the cause of his previous slowing down with Ron and Cho, didn't occur again as they did so.
Harry's eyes were taking in everything that they could as they raced towards the surface; he saw the tendril-like vines all but pulsing with life, he saw the little eyes of Grindylows as they swam below and darted betwixt obstacles, and he most certainly took notice of the Merfolk still swimming in the midst of it all.
He was ready to defend against any threat that manifested… but he wouldn't have to, for the trio reached the surface as the others had before them, and like that, the task was over.
When Harry surfaced with an arm still around Gabrielle and a hand still finding purchase in Fleur's swimsuit, he immediately thought about diving back down once more, if only for a foot or so — he didn't like the fact that there were creatures, especially aggressive ones, swimming below them that he couldn't spot.
He nearly did just that too, his mind all but made-up, until Gabrielle's arms came to wrap around him. With a grip he didn't know she had, Gabby's arms latched onto him, unwilling to let go as she rested her head atop his shoulder. Fleur had floated around to Gabrielle's other side and pressed a series of kisses to the top of the other girl's head, her wand also still firmly held in her hand just as tight as his was; he could tell by how her knuckles had shifted tone from the fierceness of her clutch.
Harry had done the same when he'd been down in the depths.
"H—"
Fleur wasn't able to complete so much as a word before the platform they'd previously dove from, ascended right beside them right in-time with Krum, who finally appeared; this time sans his shark form. As soon as Harry saw that happen, he started towards the edge of it, where the Headmasters and Ministry workers were.
He passed Gabrielle, shivering, red-eyed and still seemingly terrified off first. Once she was safely out of the water and aboard the platform, he aided Fleur in climbing up after her sister — like the younger girl, she too seemed nervous, and he swore he saw tear tracks on her cheeks. She wasn't shivering, but she looked to be almost in shock or something of that sort.
Harry only allowed himself to be pulled up after the two witches, and as that occurred, he saw further down along the platform, Ron and Cho, each with a blanket wrapped around them. Krum was just getting to the edge with Hermione too, the former had seemingly lingered to ensure Krum was alright. Harry would have done the same had he not been worried about everybody else — it wasn't like Krum couldn't hold his own in a fight either.
Atop the stage as they all now were, he felt a drying charm wash over him at the same time he let himself slump to the ground. To be dry again, well, to be out of the water again, really, felt better than it had any right to. He reckoned he'd not go for a swim for months, yes, he'd seen enough water here at Hogwart—
Harry felt hands pulling him up, and as he opened his eyes to look at who it was yanking on him, he saw the near-twin figures of Gabrielle and Fleur. The pair wrapped their arms around him — and their blankets — and with nary a pause, began to let loose on all of the emotions he'd seen residing on their faces.
Gabrielle's resolve crumbled first, but Fleur's didn't hold for very long thereafter.
Not when Gabrielle began to sob against him. They were only partially secluded away from people by way of the Headmasters and Ministry workers standing around them in a semi-circle, but Harry could see the crowd watching on as he wrapped an arm more firmly around Gabby.
For her part, as he did so, she accepted his embrace readily, going so far as to tuck her face into the crook of his neck as tears freely flowed, and she gasped for breath betwixt the racking, fear-soaked sobs. The wetness from tears and snot did little to dissuade him from holding the terrified witch; he'd always save her and Fleur, and he'd always be there for the pair whenever they needed him.
Speaking of Fleur, as Gabrielle sobbed into his side, the occasional, rasping breath from the younger girl seemed to wear her down from her spot at his side… and so she launched herself at the pair and wrapped her arms thereround. Fleur had only just been holding herself together, he'd noted as much twice before, but it seemed she could do so no longer as he felt that same wetness Gabrielle caused where Fleur was now pressing against him.
He wrapped his other arm around her and took as good a glance as he could at her face, and thereon he saw the same tear tracks and red eyes that Gabby possessed. Fleur had been worried sick, but she'd been strong the whole task. It was as he saw her lips trembling, the occasional sound bursting forth that was between a sob and hiccup, that she spoke.
Finally.
Her voice was sweet as ever, but it was tremblesome, just like how Gabby had looked to be. "I 'ad zought I would not be able to save 'er een time — zey… zey were on us, and zey went for ze charms. I — we — what was zere zat I could 'ave done eef you 'ad not come back for us?"
He'd never heard Fleur stammer before, much less interrupt herself by way of hiccups. She'd always been this paragon of perfection when it came to propriety and words, but now, with her and Gabby's arms wrapped around him as the pair all but broke down from the stress of the task, he saw her as a witch just a year or two older than him.
One that'd been at a severe disadvantage for the task, unable to use her best magic or that which was inherent to her. She'd helped him, she'd put on a brave front as the task grew nearer and nearer, and she'd done so well in the depths by his side, but it'd worn her down.
Harry wrapped his arms around the pair as he vaguely heard a conversation beyond Fleur's ramblings, panicked and nervous-seeming, and Gabrielle's as well, the latter being in French with the occasional English word thrown in; she seemed more worried, more panicked — coming to in the midst of an attack, underwater and without the ability to breathe would do that.
"... failed somehow. We had them checked thrice over."
Moody's gruff voice which sounded only just above and behind Harry was more identifiable over the noise of the crowd and the girls pressed against him. "I checked them myself. They were fine," he paused, a strange sound coming from him before he coughed, loud and in that manner older wizards did. "We'll need an investigation."
Professor Dumbledore agreed, his voice calm and his reply measured. "We'll launch an investigation this very day, and once this concludes, I will go and speak with our friends in the water."
"That doesn't explain the fact they'd attack the students," McGonagall's voice conveyed anger; Harry reckoned that was good. He was mad too — they'd tried to stop him from taking mo—
"It was explained to them that one Champion would save one hostage. Perhaps next time it would be wise of us to add failsafes," Dumbledore's tone was placating, and when he continued, it was gentle and measured as it'd been when earlier he'd spoken, despite the agreement others gave to McGonagall's words. "With none present amongst them that might use charms, there was no telling the magic we'd placed, had failed. It's as I said. An inquiry should be launched, and the reason as to our magic's failure, discovered."
Harry stopped paying attention to the conversation after having heard Dumbledore's response, and focused back on the girls when the tears and sobs finally seemed to give way in some part, and the words that'd been indistinguishable, were no longer as such. That wasn't to say a tremble didn't still sound therein.
"You 'ave made a 'abbit out of saving us," Gabrielle sniffled and gave Fleur a pointed look; she received a charm that did away with much of the mess upon her face and Harry's side. "Zank you. I do not know what can be said, but I know zat zose words alone are not enough."
He just about opened his mouth to tell her it was more than enough, that he didn't need anything, but before he could do so, Gabrielle darted forth and pressed a kiss, swift, soft and so very fleeting, against his lips. It was the sort of kiss that lasted as long as a blink might, but all the same, it was a kiss from a pretty witch his age.
One that was giggling even as a few errant tears started to fall down those porcelain cheeks. "Zey are, 'ow to say…ah! 'Appy tears."
Harry nearly brought that hand wrapped around her to his lips, to confirm that she had, in fact, just kissed him. He wasn't given the chance.
Fleur, who'd been annoyed at her 'little' Gabby stealing the first kiss, took her turn then. She pressed a kiss to his lips without delay, and hers, unlike Gabrielle's, didn't end after a millisecond. No, Fleur's soft, plump and red lips went against his own long enough for him to truly feel it, and after a second — one in which he wished could last for hours — she withdrew.
Her words were whispered to him as her forehead rested against his own, and a few lingering tears fell free of her eyes. "I… I 'ad zought eet was ze end for 'er or I. You stopped me from losing my Gabby again."
"You stopped me from losing Fleur." Gabrielle butted in, leaning in close as her sister was; a little giggle came of her when Fleur shot her a look. It wasn't as light-hearted or full of life as it oft was, but she looked exhausted.
"Hush," Fleur's tone betrayed the relief and amusement she felt, and with her little sister quiet, she continued where she'd left off. "Eet ees as Gabby said. No words weel ever be enough to zank you."
Harry bid himself to respond, but then his eyes focused past Fleur, past the Headmasters and Ministry workers, to the crowd at large. Nearly everybody was watching them, huddled together under blankets as they were, and the kiss each had given him, well… he imagined word of that would be all over the grounds of Hogwarts by the evening meal.
They didn't need to give others any more reason to speak about them. So he coughed into his hand and gestured to the tented area for the Champions. It was where they'd go to rest, or if there was something wrong post-task. There, they'd be under the care of Madame Pomfrey and her few apprentices; normally others weren't allowed either, but those that'd been hostages were told they'd need checking out as well.
Harry tried to get them to rise, but neither budged from their spot, both content with staying wrapped around him. Why on earth would they want to move when they were bundled together, warm and away from harm?
With the others getting nearer still with their peering eyes, Harry tried to get them to move again. When he took note of a few scratches along Fleur, likely from the trap or Grindylows, he was even more certain of his desire to see them up and in the tent over yonder, and so after much coaxing, he stood up, the girls doing so alongside him in an awkward mass of limbs with the blankets hanging around them. Neither wanted to let him go, and so he'd had to agree to stand together to get them to do as he desired.
"Let's have you both get checked out, yeah?" Harry rubbed his hands, of which he had one around Fleur and Gabrielle each, up and down their very cool-feeling arms now that they'd risen.
Fleur's arm especially felt rather chilly, and the others around them seemed to feel it far more than he did, given they all kept a fair distance save for Dumbledore himself. He caught Harry's eyes and gave a look of pride. That piqued Harry's interest before he saw the two girls into the tent.
When they were inside, and atop a bed each, he fell into the chair betwixt them. He could do with a good, long rest… but his mind was racing far too much. It thought back to the depths and how he felt therein, and then it switched completely. It saw him thinking about the crowd that'd just watched as Fleur and Gabrielle had kissed him; just about every single person had seen them, and those that hadn't would hear about what'd happened soon enough.
He sighed and leaned back in the chair as Madame Pomfrey came over, and his eyes finally closed.
Sometime later, after Fleur and Gabrielle had been checked over and cleared, he found himself in the former's room aboard the Beauxbatons carriage. Earlier, before they'd separated to wash and dress for the remainder of the day, Fleur had told him she wanted him to visit her when he was free.
And now here he was, in her room as she finished dressing in the adjoining walk-in closet.
He was just about to walk over to sit atop her bed rather than the chair he'd initially chosen for the sake of comfort; it wasn't like she'd get annoyed.
Harry was in the midst of moving thereto when that door she'd gone through earlier, opened once more, and not a second later, she emerged. The clothes she wore were no longer in the blue of her school nor were they uniformed. Instead, what she now wore was something more subdued and meant for relaxation, like pyjamas; casual as it was, Fleur likely knew no clothing could detract from her beauty as she fixed him with that wide, enthralling smile.
"Sorry to 'ave you wait," Fleur grasped his hand as soon as she reached him, which happened after nary a few steps. "Zat's better."
Harry snickered. Even now, after all this time they'd spent together, she still seemed touch-starved. He couldn't complain as she pressed into his side, her coolness tempering the heat he gave off.
"Feeling better?"
She certainly looked to be doing better. There weren't any tear tracks running down her cheeks, her eyes were no longer red and the grimace and anxiety were completely gone from her angelic face.
Fleur snapped her fingers before his eyes, and then lowered her face so as to catch his eyes with her own. When she managed it, she smiled whilst Harry blinked. "Better now zat I 'ave caught you staring."
"I was checking you over," Harry sat up straighter. "You look like you're doing better now."
At that, she smiled. It wasn't the usual look filled with teasing and light-heartedness. Even a bloke like him with next to no witch experience could see as much.
"I would not mind eef you want to stare. Zat ees a compleement, no?" Fleur let out a little laugh, one that seemed strangely nervous coming from her. "Zere ees a matter I want to speak to you about."
He swallowed. That sounded serious, and she looked as such too. One would almost think she was confronting him wit— wait. Harry looked at her more closely as he took in the serious, confident look she now wore. One that'd taken the flicker of nervousness and replaced it with a confident, proper witch with an arched brow and straight posture.
She spoke whilst he observed her, and in a way that almost seemed rehearsed.
"I 'ave wanted to say zees for a good deal of time, but eet 'as been a subject too 'ard to approach. You weel understand why zat ees," Both of Fleur's hands found one of his, and she held it dearly as her eyes met his; after swallowing, she continued. "I am eenterested een you as a woman ees a man. Eet 'as probably been obvious to any zat know what to look for — but I 'ave not wanted to pursue you. Our age gap ees too large, or so…or so I 'ad zought."
He blinked when he heard that, and then he asked for clarification to make sure he really had heard it. "You'd thought?"
What was that supposed to mean?