Disclaimer: Nitrogen Narcossis is a danger one must be aware of is one is to enjoy the fine sport of SCUBA Diving.

Rapture of the Deep

Harry had a look of doubt on his face as he looked down at the odd contraption Hermione had cobbled together for him to use in the second task of the Triwizard tournament.

"It's just like SCUBA diving," Hermione explained helpfully. "You'll have a couple hours of compressed air and then you'll need to come up." She pulled out a burlap sack. "You can also use it to fill these. Tie one around whatever is taken, fill it with air, and it'll shoot to the surface. Charm I put on them will make them float your item to the beach after that. All you'll need to do is go down, attach the bag, and come up," the girl finished proudly.

"That's great, Hermione," Harry cheered. "Do you think you could make a few extra bags for me?"

"No problem, Harry," the girl agreed. She of all people knew the importance of always having a spare, that's why she always made two copies of every essay in case something happened to the first.

IIIIIIIIII

Harry hadn't been down long before he found a figure on the bottom of the lake. Figured that Dumbledore would have known about his stupid crush. It didn't take long to release the witch and send her to the surface. Deciding to take one more look around, he froze. Hermione was there too, that actually made a lot more sense. Hermione had been the only one who'd supported him after his name came out of the bloody cup, Cho must have been Cedric's hostage. Resolving to apologize to the other boy later, Harry set about freeing the second hostage.

For some reason, the longer he stayed down, the harder it became to form a rational thought. Due to that and his cold numbed fingers, it had taken forever to tie the cord around Hermione and fill the bag, ages longer than it had when he'd tried it the first time. Then he noticed Ron. Maybe they hadn't been able to decide which of them he'd miss the most and taken both of them? Seamed plausible.

Harry was running low on air by the time Ron rocketed to the surface. He was just about to go up when it hit him. Fleur's hostage was still there. A quick look around confirmed that the French champion was nowhere in sight. If he stayed much longer, he wouldn't have enough air to get back. If he filed another lift bag, he definitely wouldn't have enough time to get back. Harry began paddling towards the little girl, his life for hers. It wasn't a hard choice to make. How could he leave a little girl on the bottom of the lake and still look himself in the mirror? Better a short but proud life than a long one filled with shame anyway.

The mermen kept their distance, having learned not to interfere with the strange boy's quest to rescue all the hostages after their first attempt. They might have been able to stop him, but certainly not without someone on one or both sides taking irreparable damage.

The edges of Harry's vision were turning black as he watched the little girl rise to safety. Four hostages saved, four lives for one wasn't such a bad trade. At least this way he didn't have to compete in the bloody tournament anymore.

Moments after the boy stopped moving and a black tar like substance seeped out of his forehead. It went unnoticed by the mermen who'd rushed to his side and doing everything they could to save his life. Their role in the second stage of the tournament was two fold; the first was to guard the hostages, the second to ensure the safety of the competitors.

The crowd had cheered when the first hostage appeared on the surface and again when the second had appeared. They'd fallen into a confused muttering when the third and then fourth had arrived in the same manner as the first two. The return of three champions and the conspicuous absence of the fourth had driven the point home to even the dullest wizard, something had gone terribly wrong.

Silently, every witch and wizard in the crowd stared at the lake, willing the youngest champion to surface, hoping with every fiber of their being that they hadn't become unwitting witnesses to a tragedy.

The lake began to boil and as one, they all took a sharp breath, hoping beyond everything that it heralded the last champion's triumphant return to the surface. Sadly, it was not to be. The last champion had returned, but it was on a litter carried by a dozen murmen.

Their leader spoke something to a suddenly pale Dumbledore before handing over the still form of the youngest champion.

Hermione, who had been watching through the open door of the medical tent burst into tears at the sight, her sobs announcing her shattered heart to the world. Her best friend was dead and it was all her fault.

IIIIIIIIII

Harry awoke with a start. His head felt as if it were going to split apart and every joint in his body felt as if they were rusty hinges in need of a oil. The world was a melting pot of color, every blotch blending into the next. So this is death, the boy thought to himself. Funny, he hadn't thought it would hurt so much.

"Awake, Mr. Potter?" the amused voice of his Headmaster asked.

"Unfortunately, sir," Harry agreed. He sent his hands out in search of his glasses.

"Poppy tells me you have a slight case of the bends, which is apparently a sickness caused by your rapid ascent to the surface. It's nothing she can't repair, of course, but I'm afraid you won't be able to leave that bed until she does."

"Did she tell you how long, sir?" Harry asked.

"I shouldn't think that it would be more than a few weeks," Dumbledore replied. "You are about to knock over a potion vial, something I wouldn't advise as the only replacement in the castle is rather foul tasting."

"Do you know where my glasses are, sir?" Harry asked, his hands returning to his side.

"Alas, no. It is believed that they were snatched up by some eager souvenir hunter, I'm afraid that all eyes were on your performance, including those that had been assigned to act as security. The Ministry has generously agreed to have a new pair constructed for you at their expense by way of apology."

"Please thank them for me, sir." Harry licked his lips. "And please convey my apologies to Cedric."

"For rescuing Ms. Chang?" Dumbledore asked dryly.

"Yeah, Harry agreed. I came across her first and I thought you'd found out about my stupid crush." The boy blushed. "She was already going up when I realized my mistake."

"I'll be sure to pass that along to them at the next Prefect meeting," Dumbledore promised. "One mystery solved, would you be so kind as to help me solve another?"

"Of course, sir," Harry agreed.

"Why did you rescue Mr. Krum's hostage?"

"The little girl? I thought she was Fleur's," Harry replied. "I couldn't just leave here down there."

"I'm speaking of Ms. Granger, Harry," Dumbledore prompted gently.

"But she was my hostage," Harry protested. "Hermione and Ron are the things I'd miss most in the world, I couldn't live without them."

"Of course you couldn't," Dumbledore laughed, "do you mind if I pass that along, Harry?"

"Not at all, sir," Harry replied.

"Get some rest, Harry, Poppy tells me that the best thing you can do to aid your recovery is get as much rest as possible. If you'll take an old man's advice, I'd suggest you listen to her."

"I will, sir," Harry agreed.

He next awoke to the sounds of someone moving around his bed.

"Awake are we?" Pomfrey's voice asked.

"Yes, Madame Pomfrey," Harry agreed.

"Hold still," the woman commanded.

Harry felt a pair of glasses slide over his face.

"It will take some time for your eyes to get used to them," Poppy stated. "Tell me if you are having trouble after two days, alright."

"Yes, Madame Pomfrey." Harry marveled at how clear the world had gotten.

"Do you feel up to a couple of guests?" Poppy asked.

"Yes, Madame Pomfrey," Harry agreed, eagerly.

"Drink the two potions on the bedside table and I'll allow them in," she said.

Harry downed both potions before the woman had finished speaking, prompting the now smirking woman to open the door with a flick of her wand.

"Cedric, Cho," Harry exclaimed in shock.

"Afraid I'm abusing my status as a Prefect to get us in here ahead of your friends," Cedric explained. "We just wanted to thank you for recusing Cho."

"But . . . I . . ."

"Dumbledore told us why you did it and I don't care," Cho interrupted. "Madame Pomfrey says that I had an odd reaction to the potion they used to put us out, if I'd stayed down much longer I'd have been in a bed next to yours. Thank you, Harry." She leaned down to kiss him on the forehead. "You saved me."

"I owe you one," Cedric said seriously. "Thank you, Harry."

"No problem," Harry replied, blushing a deep red at the kiss.

Hermione pushed her way in the instant the two Prefects opened the door to go out. "Harry!" she sobbed. The girl threw herself into his arms, staining his shoulder with her tears.

"What's wrong, Hermione?"

"I'm so sorry, I should have figured out a way to let you store more air."

"It's alright, it's my fault for staying so long," he assured the girl.

She lifted her head up just long enough to give him a tender kiss on the cheek. "I promise I'll do better next time, Harry, I promise!"

"It's alright, no one could-" he was interrupted by the pitter patter of little feet across the floor of the hospital wing.

"Arrie, my savior," a familiar little girl squealed before jumping on his bed and claiming his other arm. "Veux-tu devenir mon chéri?" she asked, kissing him on the cheek.

"Um . . ."

"Arrie!"

Another female sob dragged the boy's attention back to the door just in time to see the entrance of a tearful Fleur.

"You 'ave saved my sister, 'arrie, I am forever in your debt," Fleur announced, rushing across the room to shower his face in kisses.

"Hey, mate!" Ron called out as he walked into the room.

"Ron, if you try to kiss me and I'll punch you in the nose," Harry promised as Fleur gave him another.

"What?" Ron shook his head. "Never mind all that. I came here to warn you that mum is in a right bad mood about you endangering yourself in a stupid contest, then she stops and starts bragging about what a gentleman you are and how of course you saved a bunch of girls. I were you, I'd meet with her when she's in her proud mood."

"Thanks, Ron."

"Now why did you think I wanted to kiss you again?" Ron demanded.

Harry glanced helplessly at the three witches in his arms. "Just the way my day's been going, mate."

"Some folks have all the luck," Ron laughed.

AN: I suppose I could have made it even more overly dramatic. Basic idea, Harry starts narking really hard, gets bent on the way up, etc.

Beta by dogbertcarroll

Typo by ruruwkzu