Chapter 110
"So, have you replied yet?" Harry asked. It had been several days since Hermione had received the letter from Oliver on their way back from seeing Hagrid.
"No," Hermione replied and sighed. "It's not that I'm trying to make him nervous or anxious," she said and paused. "Its just -"
"You don't know what to say, or how to explain what you do want to say, right?" Harry asked and Hermione nodded.
"So," she said looking out over the ravine, "How have you been? I bet you're at least a little relieved after figuring out your clue... do you know what the next task is?"
"Erm," Harry replied, and she looked at him sharply, but he wouldn't meet her gaze.
"Harry," Hermione said sharply from where she stood on the bridge next to him the morning of 22 February. "You told me you figured your egg out weeks ago! The task is two days from now."
"Really?" Harry returned sarcastically. "I had no idea. I suppose Viktor's already figured it out," he said morosely.
"Wouldn't know," Hermione replied. "We don't actually talk about the tournament. Actually, since the ball, we haven't really talked at all... Not sure why, but Viktor's more of a physical being." She laughed when she realised how that sounded and rushed to explain, catching Harry's grin out of the corner of her eye. "I just mean he's not particularly loquacious. Mostly he watches me study. It's a bit annoying actually. God, could you imagine Ron's reaction to that?" she asked when Harry laughed, and she shook her head, glad for once that detention had kept Ron from hanging out with them.
"You are trying to figure this egg out, aren't you?" she asked, looking at him in concern after a few moments of silence lapsed between them.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked defensively.
"It just means these tasks are designed to test you," Hermione explained. "In the most brutal way. They're almost cruel," she said and Harry turned away. "And I'm scared for you," she admitted, feeling the dread well up inside. "You got by the dragons mostly on nerve," she explained. "I'm not sure it's going to be enough this time," she admitted, afraid of the possibilities of losing her friend, filling her with fear.
"Hey, Potter!"
Harry and Hermione looked and saw Cedric approach them. Hermione stayed where she was, trying to stamp down her increasing fear, when Harry left.
"Potter," Cedric called again hurrying by where Hermione stood.
"Cedric," Harry said.
"How -?" Cedric asked, his voice carrying back to Hermione. "How are you?"
"Spectacular," Harry replied, and Hermione saw the confusion on his face, and she also wondered what Diggory was up to.
"Look, I realise I never really thanked you properly for tipping me off about those dragons," Cedric said.
"Forget about it," Harry answered. "I'm sure you would've done the same for me." "Exactly," Cedric said as Harry started to move away and Hermione saw him pull up short in surprise.
Hermione wrinkled her brow, wondering what they were talking about when Cedric lowered his voice and leaned in closer to Harry for a moment. She knew that he'd asked Harry something when she saw Harry nod in response.
"Just take your egg and mull things over in the hot water," Cedric said before he turned and walked away, passing by Hermione once more and heading back onto the grounds.
"What was that about?" she asked, running to catch up with Harry as he headed back into the castle.
"What?" Harry asked.
"What Cedric said," Hermione answered. "I know he said something to you about your egg. I saw it, and I heard him mention it."
Harry sighed as they climbed the steps heading toward Gryffindor tower.
"Well?" Hermione prodded.
"He told me to take it with me and take a bath," Harry admitted.
"What?" Hermione asked in confusion.
"Yeah, stupid, I know," Harry said.
"Well, did he say where you were supposed to go?" Hermione asked. "I don't know about the boys' lavatories, but the girls' only have showers."
"The Prefect's bathroom," he said. "I don't even know how I'm supposed to..."
"But that's locked," Hermione said. "Only the Prefects have a key."
"Wait," Harry said with an odd expression on his face and reached into his robe pocket, pulling out a key. "How did..."
"You don't think," Hermione said, seeing the key.
"That Cedric is a Hufflepuff Prefect?" Harry asked and Hermione nodded. "Wouldn't surprise me."
"Are you going to go then?" Hermione asked.
"Do I have a choice?" Harry returned.
"Seeing how we don't have another lead..." Hermione said. "Probably not."
"Yeah, I thought as much..." Harry sighed. "See you later," he said entering the common room and heading upstairs to the boys' dorm.
It wasn't long afterward that Hermione heard a door open and shut, and saw the portrait do the same, but no one leave or enter, and figured that it was Harry under the Invisibility cloak, and she was just glad that no one else had witnessed it as she went back to her book.
She sighed after a few moments and headed up to her dorm to put it away, knowing Harry was right, she needed to reply to Oliver, or he would start wondering if she was upset with him again, or that something was wrong if he hadn't already. Pulling out her quill, parchment and ink, she headed back down to the common room, sitting at the small desk and tried for the fourth time to compose a response.
Hermione looked over the letter and sighed. It still wasn't what she wanted it to be, but she knew if she kept putting it off, Oliver would worry that he did something wrong. Looking at the clock nearby, she decided that she had just enough time to head to the Owlery and make it back before curfew, so she folded the letter and headed out the door.
"I need to talk to you," Harry said quietly, coming up to her at breakfast.
"Okay," Hermione answered and followed him off to the side of the Great Hall. "Did you find anything out last night?" she asked "Sorry I wasn't there when you came back. I wrote a letter to Oliver and went to the Owlery to send it."
"Yes, I found the clue," Harry said. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. It's a riddle."
"Alright," Hermione said. "We can figure it out after classes. We can meet in the library after dinner if you like."
Harry nodded and smiled. "Thanks, Hermione."
23 February 1995
Dear Hick and Juni,
I sent a message to Oliver last night and told him I would write to you as well. The clue from the first task was a golden egg Harry had to get. Well, he finally solved it just in time. The next task is tomorrow. I will write when it's over and let you know what happened.
Hermione
Hermione sent out the letter to Hick and Juni the following afternoon on the way to the Great Hall for lunch after Harry had spoken with her about what he'd discovered about the egg. Over lunch, she turned the riddle over and over in her mind, but was only able to solve a portion of it.
"Tell me again," Hermione said tiredly when they met in the library that evening and had already been there three hours as the clock chimed eight.
"Come seek us where our voices sound," Harry replied just as tiredly.
"The Black Lake, that's obvious," Hermione answered, thinking of the only body of water nearby that could be the home to a magical creature.
"An hour long you'll have to look," Harry continued the clue he'd apparently memorised.
"Again, obvious," Hermione said. "Though potentially problematic."
"Potentially problematic?" Harry asked in surprise and looked at her like she'd gone insane. "When's the last time you held your breath for an hour, Hermione?"
"Look Harry, we can do this, the three of us can figure this out," she said desperately, ignoring the fact that Ron was snoring, signalling that it was just the two of them.
"Hate to break up the skull session," Professor Moody interrupted, his voice waking Ron, who handed the egg back to Harry. "Professor McGonagall wants to see you in her office. Not you, Potter," he continued when Harry stood and began packing up his things. "Just Weasley and Granger."
"But sir," Hermione said in an urgent protest. "The second task is only hours away and -"
"Exactly," Professor Moody said. "Presumably Potter is well prepared by now and could do with a good night's sleep. Go. Now!" Ron jumped up at his tone, and pulled Hermione after him, looking at Harry apologetically as he passed.
"What do you think this is about?" Ron asked as they headed to Professor McGonagall's office.
"No idea," Hermione said nervously. "Maybe its about us helping Harry? Professor Moody didn't seem too upset about it though." She couldn't help but wonder about it, biting her lip as they headed down to their Head of House's office on the first floor, and thinking about her conversation earlier in the year with Professor Snape.
"Come in, Ms Granger," Professor McGonagall called when Ron knocked on the door due to Hermione being lost in thought, causing her to start. "Mr Weasley, please wait in the hall if you would?"
They looked at each other uneasily a moment before Hermione entered the office, and it felt like the first time she'd been there with Oliver. Only this time she wasn't offered a biscuit. Something must really be wrong then.
"Shut the door, and have a seat, if you would, Ms Granger," Professor McGonagall said, motioning toward the chairs in front of her desk, and Hermione sat nervously on the edge of her seat after pushing the door closed.
"You wanted to see me, Professor?" Hermione asked after a moment of watching the woman in her tartan robes. Perhaps she had been wrong, and this wouldn't be so bad after all, she thought as the woman reached into her desk drawer and drew out a familiar looking tin.
"That I did, Ms Granger," Professor McGonagall said, setting the tin on her desk before getting to her feet and turning her back to the girl for a moment. When she turned back to her, Hermione saw that she was holding a silver tray laden with a tea pot and three tea cups. One she set in front of her place on the desk and then set the tea set closer to where Hermione sat. Hermione's mouth began to water as the aroma of strawberries filled the air from the tea pot. "Have some tea, Ms Granger," Professor McGonagall said, and poured the girl a cup, then moved the biscuit tin closer.
Hermione swallowed, looking at her head of house in confusion.
"Professor?"
Professor McGonagall sighed. "The only thing in it is tea, and a few drops of Calming Draught," the woman replied. "I figured I'd need it for when I speak with Mr Weasley in a moment, but I thought it best to talk to you one on one."
"About?" Hermione asked, finally reaching out and taking the offered tea.
"As you know, the second task is only hours away from starting," Professor McGonagall said, taking a sip from her tea cup.
Hermione nodded and took a sip of her own, humming at the sweet, warm taste of strawberries.
"I've asked you here because of this task," Professor McGonagall continued. "It hasn't escaped the attention of Madam Pince, nor Professor Moody that you and Mr Weasley have been assisting Mr Potter with his task."
Hermione swallowed, a ball of unease in her stomach.
"M-Madam Pince?"
Professor McGonagall nodded. "She saw you and Mr Weasley assisting Mr Potter in the library this evening."
"Oh, um," Hermione murmured, and bit her lip. "Yes. Ron and I were trying to help Harry figure out the riddle."
"I see," Professor McGonagall said and pushed the tin of biscuits toward her. "Have a biscuit, Ms. Granger." She waited as Hermione took a biscuit from the tin before she continued, "Did you have any success in helping Mr Potter?"
"Well," Hermione hedged nervously, not sure how her head of house was going to react. "A little," she admitted.
"And what did you find that helped Mr Potter?" Professor McGonagall inquired.
"Well, I learned that whatever the second task is, it has to do with finding something in the Black Lake, and he'll have an hour to find it," Hermione replied.
"And?" Professor McGonagall asked, looking at her appraisingly.
"And, nothing..." Hermione said with a sigh, slumping in her chair looking morose. "We didn't find anything to help him breathe underwater for that long. We were still looking when Professor Moody came in and told us you wanted to see us."
"I see," Professor McGonagall said, sounding slightly disappointed. "Let us hope that a good night's sleep helps present Mr Potter a solution. Well, that brings us to why I asked to see you and Mr Weasley."
"It does?" Hermione asked, taking another sip of her strawberry tea.
"It does," Professor McGonagall confirmed. "It has been brought to my attention from Madam Pince that you and Mr Krum have been spending a lot of time in the library since he arrived with the others from Durmstrang, and as I recall, he took you to the Yule Ball."
"Yes, Professor," Hermione said, blushing slightly.
"It seems that you've become quite important to Mr Krum since the beginning of the year," Professor McGonagall observed as she refilled Hermione's tea cup and pushed the tin toward her again.
"Yeah, I suppose so," Hermione said taking another biscuit.
"At this very moment," Professor McGonagall said. "Professor Flitwick is speaking with Ms Chang, and Madame Maxime is talking with young Ms. Delacour."
"About what?" Hermione asked.
"It did not escape my notice," Professor McGonagall said as she surveyed Hermione for a moment. "How Mr Weasley treated you at the Yule Ball due to Mr Krum's invitation; because of this, I have asked to see you separately."
Hermione gave a nod of understanding.
"What I, Professor Flitwick and Madame Maxime are discussing with you, Mr Weasley, Ms Chang and young Ms Delacour is your involvement in the second task, hence the calming draught in your tea."
Hermione swallowed, a look of confusion on her face. "Our involvement, Professor?"
"Yes," Professor McGonagall said. "You, Mr Weasley, Ms Chang and Ms Delacour have been chosen to represent the thing that has been stolen from our champions. Finding you will be the goal of Mr Krum, Mr Weasley for Mr Potter, Ms Chang for Mr Diggory and young Ms Delacour for Ms Delacour."
Hermione wrinkled her brow in thought, gazing into her tea cup for a moment as she thought of this.
"All of you will be perfectly well protected," Professor McGonagall informed her. "You will be returned after the task is over regardless of whether you are found by our champions."
Hermione blinked and shook her head, trying to clear the suddenly hazy feeling that came over her.
"But how will you do it?" Hermione asked, trying to focus on her head of house. "A potion? A spell? Something else? Ron and I couldn't find anything on how to breathe underwater in our research to help Harry earlier."
Professor McGonagall smiled kindly. "Why don't you let us worry about that, Ms Granger? You look tired," she observed. "Why don't you sit back and relax? Finish your tea and biscuits and I'll have a chat to inform Mr Weasley."
Hermione blinked, and took a sip of her tea and another nibble of her biscuit before yawning.
"But curfew," she murmured, her eyes growing heavy.
"No need to worry about curfew tonight," Professor McGonagall said pleasantly and reached out, taking Hermione's tea cup before the girl was so relaxed that she dropped it, and set it gently on the desk.
Hermione mumbled something, but her body was tired and sluggish. She couldn't keep her eyes open any longer and soon her breathing became soft and rhythmic as a deep sleep claimed her.
The next thing Hermione knew, she was cold, wet and gasping for air. Looking at Viktor Krum, she shivered as cold seeped into her bones. She coughed, expelling water from the lake as cold waves lapped around her head while she struggled to tread water, her robes weighing her down as she and Viktor headed to the nearby platform. They were helped from the water once they reached it and were given blankets with warming charms cast on them.
Hermione looked around in a daze of cold and then recognized Cedric Diggory with Cho Chang, and learned that Fleur Delacour had dropped out, then she and Viktor had surfaced. Now, all that was left was Harry.
Hermione looked around worriedly as the minutes ticked by as she watched from the lower platform. Just as the clock chimed, signalling the end of the task, Ron and Fleur's sister broke the surface.
The crowd gathered as they swam over to the ladder, and they were helped from the water. Hermione looked up from where the pair was struggling to climb onto the pier when Harry shot up out of the water and landed hard on the surface of the lower platform.
"Harry!" Dumbledore said, making his way over to check him. "He's alright," he continued and turned. "Barty! I want all the judges over here now!"
"Go get him another towel," Seamus said, as he stood beside Harry, who was shivering despite having a warm charmed blanket over him.
"Harry!" Hermione cried, making her way over to him through the crowd.
"Hermione, ow!" Harry exclaimed when she hugged him roughly.
"Are you alright?" Hermione asked, looking him over like a mother hen. "You must be freezing," she continued and took the charmed blanket from her shoulders, wrapping it around his trembling form, "Personally, I think you behaved admirably." "I finished last, Hermione," Harry said.
"Next to last," Hermione explained. "Fleur never got past the Grindylows."
"Attention!" Professor Dumbledore shouted, amplifying his voice. "The winner is Mr Diggory who showed innate command of the Bubble-Head Charm. However, seeing as Mr Potter would have finished first had it not been for his determination to rescue not only Mr Weasley, but the others as well, we've agreed to award him second place."
"Second place!" Hermione said excitedly, shaking Harry.
"For outstanding moral fibre!" Professor Dumbledore finished amid the protest of the others. "Right on," George said once they were back at the docks, having joined Harry, Ron and Hermione for the trip from the platforms back to the shore.
"All that moral fibre, eh?" Fred asked. "It's great."
"Moral fibre?" George asked, as he heckled Harry, and Hermione couldn't help laughing.
"Blimey," Ron said. "Even when you go wrong, it turns out right."
"Yeah, well done, Moral Fibre," George said.
"Congratulations, Potter," Mr Crouch said as Hermione and Ron and the twins walked by. "A fine achievement."
"Thank you," Harry said.
"Well done, boy," Professor Moody said as he walked with them.
"See you at Hagrid's," Ron called back as he and Hermione headed to the closest place with warmth.
Hermione shivered as she settled into a chair by the fire in Hagrid's hut a short time later, and pulled out her wand and cast the hot air charm on herself to dry her hair and robes, then turned to Ron to do the same.
Hagrid got up at a knock a short time later, and Harry entered, shivering and sat down at the fire while Hermione set to work with the charms to dry his clothes and hair as she had before, mentally scolding Mr Crouch for keeping him out in the cooling weather so long.
It was nearly dark when Hagrid headed up to the castle with them, and sat down shivering by the fire next to her. She had cast the hot air charm over him to which he'd given a grateful 'Thanks'. She'd nodded, enjoying the sounds of Hagrid cheering and regaling them with what happened out on the lake. Relieved that no one was seriously injured in the task.
"Now, I remember," Hagrid said. "I remember when I first met you all. Biggest bunch of misfits I ever set eyes on. Suppose you remind me of meself a little. And here we are, four years later."
"We're still a bunch of misfits," Ron said with a laugh.
"Well, maybe," Hagrid said, "but we have each other. And Harry of course. Soon to be," he boomed happily. "The youngest Triwizard Champion there's ever been! Hooray!"
Hermione smiled and joined in singing the school song as they made their way to the castle.