tw :
- blood/wound
- emetophobia at the very end of the chapter
- Harry suffers from eating disorders at the beginning, from stress
note :
I listened to a music ambience video of the Black Lake when I wrote and translated this :) here's the link if you want to be in the mood! watch?v=2XutZEJSFwM
.
.
Hermione
.
.
Harry, Ron and Hermione were on their way back from Hagrid's hut. They had spent the evening reassuring him and he had finally agreed to resume the Care of Magical Creatures classes, despite the article about that bloody Skeeter.
It was excellent news, but Harry seemed rather worried on the way home. Hermione watched him discreetly. He kept fidgeting with his hands and staring into space. They returned to the Common Room and sat down on the sofa in front of the fireplace, Hermione cuddling up with the blanket her mother had knitted for her in first year.
Harry pretended to be reading, but Hermione could see that his eyes had been fixed on the same line for about ten minutes. He looked very preoccupied. He reminded her of first year Harry, freshly released from the Dursleys and jumping at any noise that was a little too loud. She had a feeling his anxiety was related to what Hagrid had said to him earlier that evening: "You know what I'd like, Harry? For you to win. That's what I really want."
Hermione knew that Harry thought very highly of Hagrid and that he held a special place in his heart. Probably because he was the one who had come to take him away from that horrible family who had abused him, and who had shown him all the joys of being a wizard. To her, it was McGonagall, and she knew he wanted to make Hagrid proud, just as she did for her teacher. What Hagrid didn't realise was how much pressure he was putting on himself.
As Ron went to bed, Hermione slid down the sofa to Harry and whispered:
"Harry? Are you all right?"
"Hm?" the dark haired boy asked, snapping out of his thoughts. He put his glasses back on his nose and nodded, "Er, yeah, yeah, fine."
"You solved the Golden Egg riddle, didn't you?" she asked.
"Yes, Hermione, I did."
She could tell he was lying. When he was stressed, he avoided eye contact. His fingers were a mess, the skin torn from stress and his nails bitten.
"You know you can ask me if you need to." Hermione insisted, placing a comforting hand on Harry's back. "I helped you with Accio, for the first Task."
Harry seemed to relax a little when he heard this. He smiled, a pale smile full of pain:
"Thank you, Hermione. What would I do without you?"
She smiled back at him and returned to her book, glancing at Harry, who had left his Quidditch magazine and was now staring thoughtfully into the fire. She wondered if he was hoping to see Sirius's head appear in the flames. But nothing did, so he finally got up slowly, wished Hermione a good night and went to bed.
.
.
.
.
All week, Harry had been brooding in his corner. Hermione and Ron had decided to leave him alone. They knew that Harry would come to them for help in time, and that he shouldn't be put under pressure. But it was very hard to see him like this.
As was often the case when Harry was stressed, he ate less and less. Ron and Hermione got into the habit of putting sandwiches or muffins in their pockets to give him something to nibble on between meals. Often he would skip dinner and go straight back to the Common Room. And when it was just the three of them, Harry was quiet. Ron suggested a game of chess, asking Madam Hooch if they could play Quidditch in the grounds, or nightly escapades with the Invisibility Cloak. But Harry flatly refused.
Hermione, for her part, spent fewer and fewer evenings in the Library looking after Harry. Two nights a week he fell asleep on the sofa in the Common Room: once on top of Hermione, once on top of Ron. Eventually they woke him gently and Ron helped him into the dormitory, a worried look on his face. Neville also confessed to Hermione that Harry was having nightmares again: he often heard him jerking awake in the night.
The following week, in Charms class, Harry finally told them what was bothering him. He told them about his plan to bathe in the prefects' bathroom the night before, because Cedric had advised him to do so.
"You told me you'd already solved the riddle of the egg!" fumed Hermione.
"Keep your voice down!" snapped Harry. "I just need to... sort of fine-tune it, all right?"
Hermione sighed impatiently despite herself. She was sure that Harry hadn't solved anything, but he didn't want to admit it.
"Forget about the egg for a minute, will you?" Harry whispered. "I'm trying to tell you about Moody and Snape..."
Harry took advantage of the ambient bustle of Charms class to tell them all about what had happened to him the night before: the mermaid song in the bathroom, Bartemius Crouch in Snape's office on the Marauder's Map, his foot stuck in the step on the stairs, Filch, Snape and Moody almost finding him... Hermione had unintentionally blocked her breath in her chest while listening to this part. Luckily, Harry had been saved by Moody.
After telling the story, Ron, Harry and Hermione went into whispered theories. Hermione also practised her Expelling spell, sending cushions flying in between sentences. She was pleased to see that all her cushions landed perfectly in the box provided.
The most surprising element of Harry's story to Hermione was Crouch. Hermione couldn't understand why he'd been in Snape's office the day before, when he'd supposedly been too ill to work or attend the Ball. Ron was obviously too focused on Snape (he was convinced it was Snape who had put Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire) to be interested in Crouch. When she wondered aloud, Ron replied:
"You don't like Crouch because of what he did to his elf."
"You just want to think that Snape is up to something." she replied with a perfectly executed Repulso.
Although the story of Crouch and Snape was fascinating, the second Task was the most important. Now that they knew what Harry had to do, they had to find a way to get him to breathe underwater. Hermione didn't know any free diving spells, so she decided to go to her favourite place in the world to find one: the Library.
They spent every spare hour there, reading every book that could possibly be related to water. Hermione thought it would be an easy task, as the Library was full of possible spells. But to her horror, she found that this was not the case. There was nothing, not the slightest reference to a spell that would allow you to breathe underwater for long enough.
This irritated her. She took it as a personal challenge. She spent hours at the table with Harry and Ron, surrounded by piles of books, cinnamon tea by her side, going through every paragraph of every book she could find. When February came, she decided to widen her search, even looking in the Transfiguration and Wizarding Legends books for anything that might help.
She found nothing. Hermione ended up doing just that. She became obsessed with finding a spell, a potion, anything that would help Harry breathe underwater.
She had insomnia. She would lie in bed at night, making lists and lists of water spells, all the ones she knew. When she finally managed to fall asleep, she'd dream that she was in the sea, surrounded by waves that engulfed her, and she'd wake up with a start, feeling as if she couldn't breathe normally.
As she still had to keep up with her studies, Hermione tried to work as much as possible on her own. Whenever Harry and Ron complained that they were too tired to go to the Library, she sought refuge there. And every time she sat down at the far table, Draco would appear behind her, as if sensing her presence without seeing her. One afternoon in February, she asked him:
"How do you know I'm here?"
Malfoy frowned at the question.
"We've been sitting here for almost four months." he said with a smile.
"No, I mean how exactly do you know I'm here tonight? I never warn you and you always guess when I'm sitting there. Did you cast a locator spell on the table to find out who was sitting at it?"
Malfoy scoffed at the thought.
"No, nothing like that. I just guessed."
"How?" she asked curiously.
He thought for a moment, twirling the quill in his hand.
"Let's just say I've noticed you've been spending a lot of time with Potter lately. I imagine you're still helping him with the second Task that's coming up. By the way, you can tell him to eat something, he looks like a plucked chicken."
"So you're just dropping in by chance?" she said, ignoring his comment about Harry being so blatantly thin.
"Not really, I'm deducing." Malfoy corrected. "When I see you with Potter or Weasley at dinner, I assume you're not going to the Library in the evening, that's all."
"Then you are a very good observer." she remarked rather admiringly.
Malfoy shrugged:
"Yet all my friends criticise me for not observing enough."
"Well, you're observing me." she laughed.
Malfoy did not laugh with her, but he smiled unintentionally. Then they went back to work in silence.
Malfoy had probably noticed that Hermione's behaviour had changed. She used to spend every evening working in the Library, but ever since Harry had solved the riddle of the egg, she had put her homework aside to concentrate on it. She hadn't taken out her S.P.E.W. notebook in almost a month, and had fallen behind on her essays.
But he made no comment. Hermione was grateful to him for that. He could have questioned her, reproached her for her absence, but he did not. He was content to work with her when she could, in silence. He understood that she needed to give her full attention to her work and he respected that. It was hard to believe, but it made her like him a little more.
One evening in mid-February, Hermione stayed until the Library closed, long after Malfoy had left. She was gently ushered out by Madam Pince, who even helped her put her books back on the shelves. Seeing the titles of her books, the librarian asked:
"Are you interested in Partial Transfigurations, Miss Granger?"
"Not really." Hermione replied, putting down "Changing Your Appearance: Mixing Business with Pleasure". "I'm looking for a way to breathe underwater. It's for... A History of Magic essay."
"I see... Have you looked at the book '100 Charms to Adopt for an Easier Life'?" offered Madam Pince. "I'm sure you'll find the answer there."
"Yes, I've already looked." Hermione said. "And there's nothing about Apnea Charms... Is there a spell to look up a keyword in the Library books?"
Madam Pince shook her head.
"Unfortunately, it is forbidden to use Accio on Library books. It used to be possible to use a spell that made all the books on a particular subject appear, but that's also been banned since a student used it on the word 'magic' and a hundred books fell on him at once."
She didn't seem at all affected by the poor student's misfortune, but rather by the state of her precious books. Hermione understood: who could be stupid enough to use the word 'magic'? If she could use this spell with the word 'apnea' or 'breathe', she could have found a solution for Harry days ago. Gritting her teeth, she left the Library.
Hermione was turning into the Library corridor when she stopped dead in her tracks to see Krum waiting for her outside. He had a small smile on his face. Hermione looked around to see if anyone could see her, but the corridor was deserted. It was a good thing Ron had never come to the library looking for her.
"Good evening Hermy-own." he said as she approached.
"Good evening, Viktor. Have you been waiting for me long?"
"No, about ten minutes." he replied, picking up her bag to carry it for her. "I thought you vouldn't come out until closing time. Vere you vorking?"
Hermione thought about her hair, which must be in a terrible state from all the stress, and her bent back, and straightened it subtly.
"Yes... Viktor, I'm sorry, I'm really swamped at the moment. I know I'm not very available, but I have a lot on my mind and I..."
"Don't worry, Herm-own-ninny." said Krum. "You're a very clever girl, I understand. I vill just valk you back to your Common Room, all right?"
She smiled at him and they set off. In the end, it was Hermione who accompanied Viktor, as he had no idea how to get to her Common Room. He had never been to that part of the Castle.
They chatted about various things. Hermione had noticed that Viktor never mentioned the Tournament, probably because Karkaroff didn't want him talking about it with a Hogwarts student. He didn't look stressed either, unlike Harry. Maybe it was because of Quidditch, he was an international sports celebrity after all, the Tournament must have seemed like a childish exercise to him.
Hermione was tempted to ask him if he had found a solution to breathing underwater. She was sure he knew about the second Task, and she desperately wanted to know what he had found. But it was forbidden, she wasn't even supposed to know what was in the egg. So she reluctantly kept quiet.
"You never told me where you lived, Hermy-own." Viktor said.
Hermione told him about her life in London the rest of the way up the stairs to the seventh floor. He listened intently, not making the slightest expression when she told him about her Muggle parents. He already knew, but she had always feared that the prejudices of the Durmstrang students were true. In any case, Krum probably didn't have any.
When they reached the seventh floor, near the painting of the Fat Lady, Hermione suddenly felt uneasy. What if Krum was imagining that they were going to kiss? He had been waiting for her outside the Library, and this was the second time they had spent together since the Ball. Hermione hadn't realised he could consider these 'dates'. She had no idea what to do. How long was enough time to say you were in a relationship? Was she supposed to feel anything for him yet? Did he think she was his girlfriend?
Hermione swallowed, suddenly overwhelmed with worried questions. She had been so busy helping Harry that she had neglected everything else. She looked shyly at Krum, not knowing what to do: say goodbye? Kiss him? Wait?
She turned her eyes to the painting of the Fat Lady and thought of Ron on the other side, probably playing chess or doing his homework. It wasn't very fair to go out with Krum when Ron clearly had feelings for her, but she was so annoyed that he wasn't making the slightest move that she was tempted to do it just to annoy him. And at the same time, it wasn't very fair to Krum.
Hermione was completely lost.
She was about to open her mouth (because the silence was far too heavy), but just as she was trying to think of what to say, Ginny appeared at the end of the corridor, accompanied by Neville. Seeing them, Hermione almost ran to meet them.
"Ginny! There you are!" she said in a slightly choked exclamation.
"Here I am..." Ginny said, a little surprised at Hermione's attitude. "Hello Viktor, how are you?"
"Very vell, thank you." Viktor replied with a friendly nod to Ginny and Neville.
Then he turned to Hermione, who was standing next to her best friend.
"Good evening then, Herm-own-ninny. See you later."
She waved and watched him leave with a sigh of relief. Once he was down the stairs, she loosened her grip on Ginny's arm, who gave a mocking chuckle:
"You know you're supposed to like him, not be afraid of him."
"I know, I know." Hermione said, unconsciously pulling at her hair in stress. "It's just that I'm swamped at the moment and I don't have time to think about things like that and I thought he was going to kiss me."
Ginny gave a small hiccup of surprise as Neville groaned in complaint:
"Can I go?" he asked pleadingly.
"I'll go too." Hermione said, not wanting to analyse her feelings to Ginny in the corridor. "And not a word to Ron and Harry, understand?" she added, pointing at Ginny and Neville.
Ginny rolled her eyes and Neville muttered 'like I want to' under his breath. Hermione said the password to the painting, which swung open and the three of them entered the Common Room.
Harry was there, his face more angry than ever. The second Task was only a few days away. When he saw her, he looked up at her with hopeful eyes, but she shook her head in an inaudible 'no' and the boy shrank further into the sofa.
Ron sat nearby, almost as worried as Harry. Normally, his features were constantly drawn into smiles, like the Weasley twins, but seeing the state of his best friend, he wore a grim expression that was very unlike him. Hermione offered them a cup of tea, which they drank in silence in front of the fire, leaving Ginny and Seamus to do all the talking.
From time to time Hermione glanced at Harry and she could almost guess what he was thinking: I'm going to have to give up.
.
.
.
.
The last few days between them and the second Task passed in the blink of an eye. Hermione had stopped working for good and spent her time reading the books in the Library with Harry and Ron. The night before the Task, she'd had so much insomnia that her eyes were closing by themselves and the thick books were starting to look more and more like fluffy pillows.
But she kept looking, under the candlelight of the Library table. The solution had to be there. There had to be a potion, a spell, anything that would allow her to breathe underwater for an hour.
"This book is useless." Hermione said as she slammed the book shut, startling Ron who was half asleep. "Who on Earth would want to curl their nose hairs?" said Hermione.
"I'd like to." a familiar voice said next to them. "It's a good way to get people talking, isn't it?"
Hermione looked up to meet Fred's mischievous gaze, followed closely by George.
"What are you doing here?" asked Ron.
"We were looking for you." George replied. "McGonagall wants to see you. And you too, Hermione."
The latter felt a pit of worry in her stomach.
"Why?" she asked.
"I don't know... But she looked rather sinister." Fred commented, adding to Hermione's stress.
"We've been instructed to take you to her office." George finished.
Hermione and Ron looked at Harry, who miraculously looked even paler than before. His lack of food, sleep and stress made him look frightening.
"We'll meet you in the Common Room." Hermione said confidently. "Bring as many books as you can, all right?"
"Right." yelped Harry.
Once out of the Library, they made their way silently to McGonagall's office. Hermione didn't need to exchange glances with Ron to know that they shared the same concern: what if McGonagall found out they were helping Harry? It wasn't very fair to blame them, knowing that all the Champions had cheated in the competition. Harry was the one who needed it most, McGonagall knew that!
They arrived at the Gryffindor Headmistress' office and Fred and George left them there after wishing them good luck in a low voice. Ron knocked on the door with a worried look on his face.
"Come in." McGonagall's voice announced.
Ron pushed the door open and they were surprised to see that the room was actually full. McGonagall was sitting behind her desk, looking rather irritated. Dumbledore was also there, calm and almost amused, by the fireplace. On either side of the two Hogwarts professors stood Karkaroff, who always gave the impression of being angry, and Madam Maxime, who was touching the ceiling of McGonagall's office. There was also Percy Weasley and Ludo Bagman, who was the only one with a big smile on his face. On the other side of the desk were Cho Chang and a young blonde girl, both intimidated. Madam Pomfrey was there too, standing by the door.
The surreal scene would have been almost comical if Hermione hadn't had a knot in her stomach.
"Ah, there you are!" said McGonagall, rising slightly in her chair. "Come in, come in. Now we can explain why you've been summoned."
Ron and Hermione stood shyly in one of the unoccupied corners of the room. Hermione noted that Percy was still standing in for Crouch, but didn't have time to develop the thought before Dumbledore spoke:
"Good evening everyone." he greeted, addressing Cho, the young girl, Ron and Hermione. "I think you already know everyone in this office, so no introductions are necessary. You're probably wondering why we've called you here tonight, so let's get straight to the point. Ludo?"
Ludo Bagman approached the desk slightly, extremely enthusiastic. Hermione really didn't know why, but this man gave her a bad feeling.
"It's time for the exclusive reveal of tomorrow's Task." he announced hastily. "You see, all four of you have a very important part to play in the second Task that the Champions are looking forward to! It will take place in the Black Lake. The Champions know, thanks to the Golden Egg from the first Task, that they must stay there for one hour to retrieve something dear to them."
Hermione thought of Harry, alone in the Library, still trying to find a way to go underwater.
"It's you!" cheered Bagman.
No one responded. Cho Chang frowned and asked:
"Us?"
"Yes, you!" exclaimed Ludo, clapping his hands in delight. "Each of you represents the most precious object in the eyes of a champion. You, Miss Chang, are Mr Diggory's. Miss Delacour, your sister's, Mr Weasley Mr Potter's and Miss Granger Mr Krum's!"
Hermione could feel Ron tensing at the sound of Hermione's name, but he made no comment and didn't even turn his head in her direction. Hermione, for her part, felt a vague embarrassment at being called Viktor Krum's most prized possession in front of her teachers, but she refused to blush when she saw the indignant look on Karkaroff's face.
"You will therefore be placed under a spell of Bewitched Sleep, which I will perform." Dumbledore continued, in a much calmer voice than Bagman's. "You will feel absolutely nothing. We will place you at the bottom of the Black Lake, guarded by the Merpeople who have agreed to take part in the Task and who will not harm you in the slightest. The Champions will have to find you and free you within the allotted time."
Hermione hadn't expected this. She'd thought she'd be reprimanded and instead she'd be put into a spell of Bewitched Sleep.
"What happens if the Champion doesn't free us?" asked Ron worriedly.
Hermione knew he was thinking of Harry, who still hadn't solved the egg riddle.
"Don't worry, Mr Weasley." Dumbledore assured him. "The spell will end the moment you emerge from the water, with no physical damage. If your Champion does not find you in time, Hagrid will be instructed to bring you out of the water and interrupt your sleep."
"And we won't remember anything?" asked the little girl next to Hermione.
It was the first time she had spoken, and her strong French accent proved that she was indeed Fleur Delacour's sister, in addition to her long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She couldn't have been more than ten years old, and looked anxiously at everyone in the room.
"Indeed." Dumbledore said kindly.
"The spell will have a strange effect on you, though." McGonagall warned, still sitting behind her desk. "You'll fall into a deep sleep within seconds and you'll be unconscious until tomorrow. The effects will vary from subject to subject, but you may feel unwell when you wake up."
The four students nodded slowly. Hermione had read a lot about the Sleep Charm, of course, but she had never experienced its effects. The closest she'd come to it were the Sleep Potions Madam Pomfrey had given her in the hospital wing in second year.
"Good. Who would like to begin?" announced Ludo Bagman, clapping his hands a second time.
Cho Chang was the first to fall asleep. Dumbledore put his wand to her forehead, reassured her one last time that it wasn't dangerous, then cast the spell without speaking. Immediately the young woman closed her eyes and fell backwards, caught by Percy and Ron who had anticipated the move. She was placed on a kind of stretcher that Madam Pomfrey had set up.
Then it was Gabrielle Delacour's turn and she fell in the same way as Cho Chang. She looked even younger when she was asleep.
Then it was Ron's turn. He was worried, as his slightly greenish complexion showed, but nodded firmly when Dumbledore asked him if he was ready. Dumbledore cast the spell and Ron's whole body froze before he fell backwards, caught by his brother. His eyes were closed and his mouth was slightly ajar.
"Miss Granger, your turn." Dumbledore announced quietly.
Hermione approached the centre of the room and exchanged glances with McGonagall, who nodded gently in encouragement. Her fingers tingled with apprehension. Dumbledore placed the tip of his wand on her forehead and whispered:
"Are you ready?"
Hermione thought of Harry, who was probably tearing his hair out in the Library right now. She thought of Krum, hoping he had a good strategy for tomorrow. She thought of Lavender and Parvati, who wouldn't see her go back to the dormitory tonight.
She nodded slowly and Dumbledore took a breath to cast the spell...
Just before he cast it, just before she felt herself leaving, a new thought entered her mind, overshadowing everything else: Draco.
Then a gust of wind and her whole vision went black.
.
.
Draco
.
.
"What do you think it's going to be, the second Task?" asked Pansy as they left the breakfast table.
"No idea." Theo admitted. "They made it hard with the dragons, I don't know if they can top that."
"I don't know what it's made of," Blaise said beside them as they left the Castle. "But I think I know where it will happen."
He pointed at something in front of him and Draco, Pansy, Theo, Crabbe and Goyle all looked up at the same time in the direction indicated. Huge stands stood around the Black Lake, overlooking the large, smooth surface of the water. Many students had already taken their seats.
"The Black Lake?" said Pansy, pouting. "But we won't be able to see anything!"
They approached the green stand and took their places in the front row. It was only 9.10am, the Task wasn't due to start for another twenty minutes. The judges were already sitting on a table in the middle of the grandstand.
Theo and Blaise were exchanging theories about the Task, while Draco looked around. Three of the Champions were already there. Krum was the most concentrated, already wearing a swimsuit despite the February chill. Fleur Delacour was next to him, wearing a thin dress with her swimsuit on underneath and her wand tied securely with a shoulder strap. Diggory, on the far left, did not look as stressed as he had during the first Task: he was waving to the audience.
As the time drew nearer, the stands began to fill. Daphne and Tracey arrived and sat in the same row as them. Then, to everyone's dismay, it was Leo's turn. He kissed Pansy and Draco wondered if they were deliberately making as much noise as possible when they did it, just to disgust the others.
So he preferred to look at the other stands. His father and mother were supposed to be there, but since Lucius had been removed from the Hogwarts Board of Governors, he was no longer allowed to attend such events. Draco was relieved not to see his father, but saddened for his mother, who, as she often said in her letters, would have liked to come. For some time now, she had seemed more morose in her writings. He would have liked her to come alone, to take his mind off things.
Potter wasn't there, which was rather strange. Usually the Champions arrived early. Draco turned towards the Gryffindor table and looked for Granger. He'd expected her to be sitting next to Longbottom or the Weasley twins, but she wasn't there either. Weasley wasn't at the stand either. Draco frowned. No one else around him had noticed her absence.
A few minutes before the Task was due to start, just as everyone in the stands was getting impatient, Potter came rushing in, panting and clearly not awake. He was obviously late. He ran to the judges' table, where he was pulled aside by the teachers, then the four Champions lined up.
"He doesn't even have a bathing suit!" laughed Pansy when she saw Potter.
Draco looked obsessively behind Potter, but no one else came out of the Castle. He'd thought Granger would have come to help him until the last minute, but she wasn't with him. Draco scanned the Gryffindor stand again, scanning the faces one by one from a distance, trying to identify Granger's. Weaslette, Longbottom, Finnigan, the Weasley twins, Thomas...
He saw that Krum was also looking for something in the crowd, and he was sure he was looking for Granger. For a second, the Bulgarian's concentration was altered by an anxious, almost pained face, before he regained his composure.
Ludo Bagman placed his wand in the hollow of his neck and his words echoed across the Lake:
"And now, all our Champions are ready for the second Task, which will begin when I blow my whistle. They will have exactly one hour to regain what has been taken from them. On the count of three... one... two... three!"
A whistle sounded and Fleur and Cedric both raised their wands in a single gesture. They cast a spell on their faces and two large bubbles surrounded their mouths, distorting their faces. Cedric dove headfirst into the water, while Fleur took several breaths into her new bubble, removed her dress and gently stepped into the water before disappearing.
Krum, for his part, had pointed his wand at his chest and whispered a spell that took some time to work.
Potter took off his shoes and pulled a large, grey, slimy ball from his pocket, which he stuffed into his mouth. Pansy gave a disgusted yelp.
Suddenly, after a few minutes of waiting, Krum writhed in pain and dropped to one knee. Draco didn't really understand what was happening until he saw a fin growing out of his back. Dumbledore and Karkaroff moved quickly to help, but Krum pushed them away with his hand just before his face stretched and took on a greyish hue.
"What's happening to him?!" asked Blaise.
"A failed Transfiguration, apparently." Theo said, looking at Krum a little disgusted.
Potter was half-submerged in the water, his wizard's robe swollen by the water around him. He was waiting for something, making the audience laugh. He couldn't see Krum behind him, who now had his upper body Transfigured: about halfway down his torso, he had grey shark skin, and his face was replaced by a huge jaw. He was absolutely terrifying. He clumsily got to his feet and leapt from the platform into the black depths of the water.
Only Potter remained, half in the water, presumably waiting for something to happen, some effect of the strange plant he had eaten. All the stands were laughing now.
"It didn't work." Leo said to Draco's left. "Potter lost."
"He ate a Gillyweed." said Theo, annoyed. "It just takes time, that's all."
Indeed, Potter's neck snapped after a few seconds. He put a hand to his face and moaned in pain. Draco couldn't see the changes from this distance, but he got the impression that Potter thought he was ready, because he plunged into the water immediately.
For several minutes the crowd was silent. Pansy sat on the stand with her arms crossed, obviously bored with the thought of having to wait for an hour. Theo was already rubbing his arms under his coat to show everyone that he was cold.
"Don't forget the bet." Blaise reminded them, continuing to stare at the water's surface, hoping that Krum would reappear at any moment.
"Fleur has a good chance of winning." Daphne said. "Did you see how confident she looked when she cast her spell?"
"Yes, but did you see Krum? He turned into a shark!" exclaimed Blaise immediately. "It was phenomenal!"
"It would have been if he hadn't screwed it up! He'll lose points for that." Pansy pointed out.
They debated who was the better Champion, each defending the one they had put their money on. Draco was still searching the crowd for Granger. She was nowhere to be seen. Dumbledore and the judges were talking in hushed tones at the judges table.
Why was Longbottom there and not her? She usually hung out with him when she wasn't with Potter and Weasley. Where was Weasley, anyway? He hadn't shown up either. Perhaps they'd had a row with Potter? Draco couldn't see how Granger could have been angry with Potter just before the second Task. He'd seen the three of them in the Library the day before, buried in books scattered around their desks.
Draco had noticed that Granger had been working less since the beginning of February. He was sure she'd been helping Potter with the Tournament and, given the Task, he guessed she'd been trying to find a way to get him to breathe underwater. Was she the one who had managed to find that Gillyweed? Perhaps the teachers had realised that Granger had found the solution, not Potter, and she might have been excluded from the Tournament? Or worse... from Hogwarts?
Suddenly, Dumbledore's amplified voice filled the surroundings, interrupting Draco's thoughts.
"Our Champions are all in the water." the Headmaster announced in a solemn voice. "Each of them has found a way to breathe underwater, the only clue being a mermaid's song locked in the Golden Egg, which will only be released if it is immersed in water. You're probably wondering what the Champions had to find at the bottom of the Lake! The song said they had to find what was most precious to them..."
"Do you think Potter will find his parents?" asked Pansy, making the Slytherins laugh.
"So we took the person they loved most at Hogwarts, put them into an artificial sleep and tied them to the bottom of the Lake. The Champions must find their loved one, free them and bring them back to the surface, all in less than an hour!" continued Dumbledore. "Mr Diggory must find Miss Chang, Miss Delacour her little sister, Mr Potter must reach Mr Weasley and Mr Krum will try to bring Miss Granger!"
If Dumbledore had punched Draco in the stomach, it would have had the same effect as the sentence he had just spoken. He tore his eyes away from the red and gold stand and looked in horror at the smooth surface of the Black Lake. It suddenly seemed much darker and more dangerous.
"They are held by the Merpeople and can only be released by their appointed Champion." Dumbledore finished. "From time to time, the leader of the water creatures, Merrow Murcus, will come to give us an update on the progress of the Task."
Draco pictured Granger, petrified as she was in second year, at the bottom of the water, bound and restrained by a horde of menacing merpeople. He leaned forward, his hands bleached from clutching the railing of the stand.
She had to be Krum's loved one. Of all the people at Hogwarts, Viktor Krum was the one Draco hated the most right now. Why had he chosen Granger out of all the girls at Hogwarts?
Draco was aware of the look on Pansy's face behind his back, but he did nothing to change his behaviour. He was terribly worried and could not take his eyes off the Black Lake, as if, if he stopped looking, Granger would be lost at the bottom of the water forever.
The minutes passed in unbearable suspense. Draco didn't even listen to the predictions of his friends or the cheers of the audience. His eyes were riveted to the water, his heart was pounding against his skin, his mind was listing all the things that could go wrong.
At one point, a giant tentacle broke through the water and struck the surface of the Lake before returning to the abyss. The giant squid appeared as a silent threat to all evil in the lake. Draco felt an unpleasant shiver run down his neck. His mouth felt dry and pasty. He was so worried that he could feel his heart clenching and his chest aching.
"What do you think will happen to the prisoners if no one picks them up?" asked Theo, who was looking worriedly at the giant squid on the other side of the Lake.
"Maybe they die." Daphne said with a laugh.
Draco's vision blurred slightly at the thought. He'd learned long ago not to trust Dumbledore when it came to the dangers of Hogwarts. Granger was proof of that: she'd been petrified, injured, bullied. It was likely that the flawed organisation of the Tournament had not taken everything into account and that Granger would become one of the victims his mother had spoken of when she had refused to allow Draco to enter the Tournament. "Children have died in this competition!"
He imagined Granger, her face blanched and waterlogged, being fished out of the Lake and placed on a stretcher. Draco had to sit down.
"Nonsense." Pansy replied to Daphne. "I'm sure nothing will happen to them. They wouldn't have organised this Task if they weren't sure they could get the students back afterwards!"
Daphne shrugged lazily. Draco managed to calm his ragged breathing as Pansy spoke. He wasn't completely relaxed, but the prospect of dozens of people being mobilised in the event of a crisis made him feel better. Pansy was staring straight ahead, but Draco could have sworn she brushed her hand against his, probably to reassure him. He didn't know if she did it because she saw his distress. Either way, it worked.
After about twenty minutes, a water creature poked its head out of the Lake towards the platform, probably to inform Dumbledore of what was happening under the water. It had greenish skin, eyes that were strangely far apart and, most importantly, some sort of hair that looked like a pile of grey seaweed on the top of its head. When Pansy, Daphne and Theo saw him, they let out a small cry of fright.
He chatted with Dumbledore for a few minutes before plunging back into the water. Dumbledore cast a Sonorus and told the audience:
"None of the Champions have yet reached where the prisoners are being held. To do so, they will have to cross a good part of the Lake and plunge into the depths without fear of the Grindylows and other sea creatures that may be holding them back. Murcus will be along in about ten minutes to update us on the situation."
So they waited. Blaise observed that the dragon Task had been more entertaining than this one, and everyone agreed. Crabbe had fallen asleep on Goyle's shoulder, snoring a little. In the middle of the Task, someone came into the stand with a trolley full of hot drinks: Theo immediately asked Blaise for a large hot chocolate.
Draco refused because his stomach was so tight he was sure he wouldn't be able to swallow anything. Sometimes, the water split into several ripples and Draco held his breath, hoping to see Granger emerge from the water. But no one appeared.
The Merpeople leader reappeared several times, but always without news. When there were only fifteen minutes left before the end of the Task, something happened: a sort of spray of red sparks that pierced the surface of the water a little. A warning signal. Dumbledore and one of the bespectacled Weasleys (Draco had no idea what he was doing at the Jury table) rushed to the edge of the water and pulled up an unconscious body.
Draco quickly got up from the bench and clung to the railing, ready to climb over. Please don't be Granger, please don't be Granger...
Fortunately, Dumbledore turned the girl onto her back and Draco saw her long blonde hair spread around her. He let out the breath he'd been holding as he saw the girl unconscious. Dumbledore placed his wand on Fleur Delacour's chest and she suddenly woke up, spitting out water. Madame Maxime was kneeling beside her.
"Oh no!" exclaimed Daphne in disappointment. "It's Fleur! She's going to be last now!"
"You already owe 10 Galleons, girls." Blaise warned with a smile.
Fleur was crying now. She went back to the edge of the Lake and pointed angrily at the water.
"Miss Delacour was attacked by Grindylows and had to abandon the Task." Dumbledore informed them in his amplified voice. "As for the other Champions, they have almost reached the place where their loved ones are being held. Mr Potter seems to be in the lead!"
The Gryffindors' gallery exploded in joy, while the other Houses showed their disappointment by shouting or banging their fists. Blaise punched the railing of the stands, taking Krum's victory to heart.
Draco, for his part, no longer cared about the competition. He was just waiting for Granger to emerge. And if Krum got hurt by a Grindylow on the way, he wouldn't complain.
The final minute before the end of the Task rang out on the big clock in the official stand. The "tic tac tic tac" it produced was unbearable. Krum was supposed to be one of the strongest Quidditch players in the world, and he couldn't even swim properly!
Fleur Delacour refused to be examined by the school nurse, even though her leg was bleeding. She was desperate to get back in the water, struggling and screaming so loudly that it made Draco's blood run cold. If she was so afraid for her sister, what was really going on at the bottom of the Lake?
The bell rang, signalling the end of the Task. Everyone clung to the stands, impatience in the air.
The first Champion to return was Diggory. He was cheered on by all the Hufflepuffs and half the Slytherins. He held Cho Chang's arm and as soon as she was out in the open, she opened her eyes and coughed, then gave Cedric a big smile.
Despite the icy winds around the stands, Draco could feel the sweat on his clothes clinging to his skin. He hadn't taken his eyes off the surface of the Lake since he'd learned that Granger was being held prisoner below. His head began to spin as his fears came true: what if there was a problem?
Suddenly, Krum's misshapen shark's head broke the surface of the Lake.
He was alone.
Draco felt his legs weaken under his own weight.
Granger was lost, Granger was...
Then, at last, he saw Granger's hair emerge from the water, followed by her face. Krum helped her out of the water, holding her by the waist. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath, then looked around in panic. When Draco saw her, he felt a wave of relief he had never felt before: he thought he was going to faint right then and there. He didn't hear Blaise scream. He didn't even notice Pansy looking at him, worried.
He watched as Granger swam to the stand and climbed back up, aided by Krum, who was beginning to regain his normal shape. Once she was back on dry land, Draco allowed his tense muscles to relax and smiled despite himself. She was safe and sound.
He was so happy to see her again that he paid no attention to the fact that it was Krum who was helping her. Madam Pomfrey wrapped Granger in a thick towel and offered her a seat. Her hair was soaked and her robes were dripping. She sat down in the designated spot and quickly scanned the stands.
Draco felt his body warm as she spotted him in the crowd. They exchanged a distant look. Only her head was sticking out of the towel, her wet hair framing her face. For the split second they looked at each other, he thought she was relieved too, before she turned her attention back to the water.
.
.
Hermione
.
.
It was a very strange sensation. One second she was in McGonagall's office, warmed by the flames of the fireplace, and the next she was in the freezing water, her brain fuzzy, clinging to Viktor and being watched by hundreds of people.
She clung to Viktor's shoulders and shuddered as she saw his face return to normal. He had clearly Transfigured himself into a shark, which made sense as he was old enough to have studied human metamorphosis. They swam to the platform and Viktor helped her up. She was immediately greeted by Madam Pomfrey, who wrapped her in two thick towels:
"Miss Granger! How are you feeling? Any dizziness?"
"No, just cold." she said in a hoarse voice.
She sat down beside Cho Chang, Cedric, Fleur and Viktor. Her ears were plugged from the water, she could barely hear the exclamations from the audience around the Lake, like a distant hubbub. She squinted, reflexively searching for a certain blonde in the green stands.
He was already looking at her, the only one in the Slytherin row not watching the water. They looked at each other from a distance and Hermione remembered that he had been her last thought before she went to sleep. The memory made her feel a little ashamed and she quickly looked away.
Seamus, Dean and Neville then walked over to her with big smiles on their faces:
"Well done Hermione!" exclaimed Dean. "So, how was it?"
Hermione didn't really understand what she had done to deserve praise, apart from sleeping underwater. She shrugged and Seamus crouched down beside her to rub her back. She was freezing.
"Here." the nurse said as she handed her a vial that Hermione recognised as Pepperup Potion.
Hermione drank it all and felt her ears pop. Her throat hurt a little.
"Where's Harry?" she asked Neville immediately. "Did he do the Task?"
"He did. He took a Gillyweed." Neville said, searching the water for the boy. "He was supposed to pick up Ron, but they still haven't come up. He's over the time limit."
She pursed her lips as she studied the water in front of her. Harry and Ron should be here by now. Why was it taking Harry so long to get Ron back? She hoped he hadn't had any trouble getting up.
Hermione was very frustrated that she didn't know about this plant. She hadn't thought to look in the Herbology section or ask Neville for advice, which she now thought was completely stupid.
Suddenly, she remembered that Viktor was standing next to her, whom she still hadn't spoken to since he'd rescued her.
"Thank you for saving me, Viktor." she said to the boy who had regained his face.
Oddly, Krum wasn't smiling. On the contrary, since they had returned to the platform, he had been wearing a sombre expression that Hermione did not recognise. He looked around and seemed to decide that there were too many people to discuss (it had to be said that the platform was crowded, with all the Champions, their relatives and the judges), so he stood up and held out his hand to take Hermione aside.
She took his hand and let him lead her to the other end of the platform, across the Lake. She wasn't very comfortable with the idea of moving away from where Harry and Ron could resurface at any moment, but curiosity about what he was going to tell her won out.
"You shouldn't thank me, Herm-own-ninny." Krum said in a low voice.
The Bulgarian shook his head several times, as if blaming himself. She frowned:
"Why shouldn't I thank you? You found me and helped me to the surface, I don't care if you didn't get there first..."
"It's not that..." he interrupted sheepishly. "I hurt you. I vas a shark, I didn't control my strength enough and... I bit you vhen I vas trying to untie you..."
He pointed at her arm, which she had removed from the towel. She hadn't noticed that a wound had formed from her wrist to her forearm. It wasn't deep and didn't bleed much, but Krum looked at it as if he'd torn her leg off.
"Oh." she said, taking in the cut. She put her arm back under the towel and pressed it against the towel to stop the bleeding. "Don't worry, it's nothing."
"You should tell the nurse, Hermy-own." Viktor said, crushed.
"No, no, that would cost you points. I'm fine, don't worry."
Viktor frowned but nodded anyway. He continued to stare at her arm, hidden by the towel.
"You know, Hermy-own..." Viktor began, staring at the floor of the stage. "I vanted to tell you... I have never felt anything so strong for a girl..."
Hermione felt her face blush intensely. Luckily, Viktor was still looking down.
"I think you are an amazing girl and I like you very much. I don't know if it's mutual, but I vould love for you to come and visit me in Bulgaria this summer."
"Oh... Viktor, I'm very touched, I think you're a really amazing boy too." Hermione admitted softly. "I'd love to come and visit you in Bulgaria, I'd just have to ask my parents if they'd agree..."
"Really?" the boy asked, suddenly looking up at her with hope and relief.
"Yes, why not!" she said, trying not to think about Ron's reaction if he found out she was going to Bulgaria this summer to visit Viktor.
"You still have time to decide, I don't vant to rush you... I vanted you to know. I've never felt this vay before."
Hermione smiled at him and Viktor gave her a gentle hug before planting a kiss on her forehead, just below her hair. Then they walked back to the edge of the platform. In the space of about ten minutes, she had experienced so many emotions that she felt a little sick. She wasn't sure if she was overjoyed or terrified. When she came back, she realised that Harry still hadn't come up and the worry returned:
"Where's Harry?" she asked Neville and Dean as they sat down again. "If the Task is over, why isn't anyone out looking for them?"
"No idea." Dean admitted. "Maybe he got lost in the Lake?"
The prospect was not at all reassuring. Sitting like this on the platform, she had a perfect view of the Lake, and it looked far more immense than usual. Hermione looked at the clock and saw that the time was long past.
"But where are..."
She didn't have time to finish her sentence, because at that moment, three heads emerged from the Lake. One was red, one was blonde and one was black. Harry inhaled large gulps of fresh air with relish, as if he'd been running out of oxygen for a while. Ron and Gabrielle Delacour opened their eyes, spitting water as they slowly adjusted to the daylight.
"They're here! They're here!" cried Fleur as she struggled out of Madame Maxime's grip.
Harry and Ron helped the girl swim to the platform. Percy, who had grown a little pale since his brother hadn't returned, helped them up. Ron went with Percy to find a blanket. Harry was a mess, but so relieved to be back that he had a big smile on his face.
Hermione stood up as he walked over to her:
"Harry! Harry, you've done it! Well done, well done!"
She took off her own towel and used it to cover Harry. He was shivering all over and still out of breath.
"I finished last, Hermione..." he said, his voice breaking.
Hermione, so happy to see her best friend again, pushed herself forward and kissed him on the forehead:
"Second last! Fleur's last, she was attacked by Grindylows!"
Harry smiled slightly. Viktor then put his hand on Hermione's shoulder:
"You haff a water beetle in your hair, Herm-own-ninny."
She quickly brushed the insect out of her hair. Fleur arrived just then and crouched down beside Harry, who was still trying to catch his breath:
"You saved 'er!" she cried. She had scratches all over her arms and legs and her dress was torn. "You saved 'er, my little sister! Even though she wasn't your 'ostage."
"'Yeah..." Harry said, clearly uncomfortable.
Fleur reached over and took his face in her hands, planting two kisses on each cheek as she repeated "thank you, thank you!" Harry immediately blushed. She then stood up and walked over to Ron, who was still with Percy who was insisting on handing him an extra towel.
"And you 'elped too!"
"Er, yeah, yeah..." Ron said, surprised that Fleur was suddenly interested in him.
Fleur repeated the gesture and kissed Ron on the cheek. Ron gave her a silly look that annoyed Hermione.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have just come to a decision." Dumbledore then announced with a Sonorus so that the stands could hear. "Merrow Murcus, leader of the Merpeople, has given us a detailed account of what happened at the bottom of the Lake, and as a result, here are the marks, out of fifty, that we have decided to award to each of the Champions: Miss Fleur Delacour, although she made excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by Grindylows as she approached the hostages and was unable to free her sister. We award her twenty-five points".
A few people in the audience applauded, accompanied by the Beauxbatons students.
"Mr Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was the first to return with his hostage, although he exceeded the time limit by one minute. We therefore award him forty-seven points."
The Hogwarts stands erupted in cheers. Cedric raised his hand to thank them and then placed it on Cho's shoulders to hold her against him.
"Mr Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, but it proved effective as he was the second to return his hostage. We award him forty points."
Hermione clapped along with the others to congratulate Viktor, who nodded his thanks. Ron, on the other hand, kept his hands at his sides.
"As for Mr Harry Potter..." Dumbledore continued and everyone fell silent again. "He used the properties of Gillyweed very wisely. He returned last, and well after the time limit. However, Merrow Murcus has informed us that Mr Potter was the first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to bring all the hostages to safety, not just his own. Most of the judges therefore felt that this showed great courage and would have merited full marks. However, he gets forty-five points."
Hermione's mouth dropped open in surprise. Harry had tied with Cedric! She turned to her best friend, who looked exactly like her. She, Ron and Harry burst out laughing, probably because all the stress and adrenaline had suddenly subsided, and clapped along with the others. The noise of all the applause from the audience made the stage shake.
"Well done Harry! You've done it!" shouted Hermione as she hugged Harry.
"The third and final Task will take place at sundown on the 24th of June." Bagman announced over the roar of applause. "Champions will be informed of the nature of this Task exactly one month before the date. Thank you all for your support of the Champions."
Hermione felt the ball of stress and anxiety that had built up over the last few days evaporate as she heard the distant date of the third Task. As usual, Harry had managed to get away with coming first without having any plan until the day before. She understood a little better why Draco insisted that Harry was always lucky.
She hugged her best friend one last time and then they got up to tell Hagrid all about it.
.
.
.
.
The rest of the day passed like a dream. Harry, Ron and Hermione went to Hagrid's house for lunch and, more importantly, to talk about the Task that had just taken place. Hagrid told them what he had learned from the audience, then Harry explained that it was Dobby who had found the famous plant for him, just ten minutes before the start of the Task.
He then told them the story of the Lake, his encounter with the Grindylows and the water creatures, his determination to save everyone, and his ascent without oxygen. By the end, they had eaten all of Hagrid's biscuits. They then returned to the Castle, where Harry was cheered by everyone, except the Slytherins.
They spent the afternoon recounting, over and over again, what had happened underwater. Ron took part in the story, making up details to make himself look good, which made Harry and Hermione laugh a lot. After dinner (where Harry had to answer all the Gryffindors' questions and received a hundred congratulations), Fred and George announced that there would be a party in the Common Room to celebrate Harry's first place.
Hermione climbed the stairs in a kind of trance of euphoria and excitement. So much had happened in one day that it was hard to stop and catch her breath. She was over-excited and exhausted at the same time, which made for a strange mix, all compounded by long hours of artificial sleep. Her skin tingled constantly. From what, she couldn't say.
Ron was walking in front of her, talking about how he'd had to fight a mermaid in his sleep, a completely made up story that Neville found hard to follow. Hermione listened and rolled her eyes.
When they reached the seventh floor, Dean announced the password to the painting. Hermione then spotted Viktor on the left, at the end of the corridor, slightly hidden by the dim light.
"Go on without me, I'll meet you in five minutes!" Hermione called to the Gryffindors.
They didn't pay any attention to her and all went through the painting without looking back. She walked over to Viktor who had turned into the next corridor, between class 7C and a painting of a woman in a pointy hat sleeping.
"Viktor? What are you doing here?" asked Hermione.
"I vanted to see you and ask how your arm is."
Hermione had almost forgotten about her arm. She pulled up the sleeve of the dry witch robes she had borrowed after the Task. The wound was much clearer, but bruised in places.
"You should really get that cleaned up, Hermy-own." Krum said when he saw the wound on her wrist. "I don't care if it takes points off me."
"Don't worry, I can't feel a thing." Hermione assured him as she pulled her sleeve back over it. "Ginny will help me clean it."
Viktor didn't look convinced.
"I'm taking you to the hospital ving." he ordered. "It vill only take five minutes!"
"You've had far worse Quidditch injuries!" said Hermione with a laugh. "It's just a scratch, I'll live."
"I've always been treated after my matches." Viktor said with a small smile.
"I know. Did I ever tell you I went to the Quidditch World Cup Final last summer?"
"Really?" asked Viktor in surprise. "I thought you didn't like Quidditch."
"It's not really my thing, but Ron's family took me. We were even in the official stands."
"Vhy?"
"Ron's dad works at the Ministry of Magic, so he'd managed to get seats. Harry was there too! He loves Quidditch and he's a Seeker, just like you!"
Viktor's face fell as soon as she mentioned Harry.
"Ah... Potter... I see you like him a lot." he said.
"Yes, but he's my friend." Hermione corrected immediately. "I don't feel anything for him."
"Promise?" asked Viktor.
Hermione thought it was weird that this boy, who was much older and big and tall, could feel threatened by Harry, when Harry was much more intimidated by Viktor. Boys really were strange. She also found it strange that so many people were convinced that she felt something for Harry, when she had nothing but brotherly feelings for him. The fact that Viktor wasn't worried about Ron was almost ironic.
"I promise, he's just my best friend." she said.
Viktor nodded.
"I vas being honest vhen I said that I haff never felt anything so strong for a girl, Hermy-own-ninny." Viktor continued. "But I also understand that a girl as incredible as you can be coveted by many boys..."
"That's not the case." she said.
"Even that boy from Slytherin? Malfoy?" asked Viktor.
Hermione felt her heart beating abnormally against her chest.
"What?"
"I saw you spending a lot of time vith him in the Library. I don't blame you, Hermy-own-ninny, but I just vant to understand vhat you are feeling."
"I don't... I don't feel anything for Malfoy." she stammered in shock. "He's just... a friend. I study with him in the Library, that's all."
"Like the other boy, Neville?"
"Exactly." Hermione said, even though it was nothing like that.
In a flash, she saw Draco Malfoy in his Slytherin robes, laughing at the round table in the Library, their bench, his fit of jealousy at the Ball, his smirk, the way he said her name, 'Good evening, Granger', her vision in the crystal ball, the insults, their deals, their secrets, all the things she would never dare tell anyone.
It had nothing to do with Neville, she knew that. But she couldn't admit it to Krum.
"So..." Viktor began as he approached her, as shy as she was. "Could I... kiss you?"
Hermione's breath caught in her chest. She had always known that this moment would come. She knew that Viktor was attracted to her and that they would eventually take it to the 'next level'. But she hadn't expected it to be tonight.
Hermione had always been a curious girl, something she had often been accused of. She weighed the pros and cons, trying to think rationally about what a kiss would entail. She made a mental list:
Ron wouldn't have to know.
It would give her experience in an area she knew nothing about.
Maybe it would even bring out feelings in her that she hadn't realised she had for Viktor.
She could brag to Lavender and Parvati.
So she nodded shyly. She closed her eyes and tried to gather all the knowledge she had on the subject: should she put her hands around his neck? or... stick her tongue in?!
She decided to let it happen. Viktor approached her. She felt his warm breath on her face, just before he placed his lips on hers. At first he just pressed them together, then their lips parted slightly. She felt a few shivers run down her arms and a pleasant feeling in the pit of her stomach, like when she found an answer to a difficult question or received good news.
Hermione had never kissed a boy before. She didn't really know what to make of it. It was pleasant, intimate, but she was thinking so much about what she was going to do that she wasn't really enjoying the kiss itself. Viktor was the same as when he danced: he led, teaching her how to do it as he did it. After a minute she dared to capture his lower lip with her mouth. He seemed to enjoy it. His breath tasted of pear tart, the dessert that had been served at dinner. It was nice. He didn't touch her: he had a hand on the wall behind her, probably not daring to go any further.
Eventually he stopped. Hermione opened her eyes again and looked at his face: he had never been so close to her physically. She could see the dimples in his cheeks that deepened slightly when he smiled, and the whitish scars on his chin and brow. He had to lean forward, as he was much taller than she was.
"Good night, Hermy-own." he said in a whisper. "Don't forget to take care of your arm, please."
He took her hand and kissed her on the back, just as he had done when they started dancing. She smiled and he headed for the stairs.
Hermione stood in the corridor for a long time, replaying what had just happened. She should be feeling all the things the heroines in her books talked about: the butterflies in her stomach, the shivers down her spine, the uncontrollable smile. Strangely, all she felt was satiety. She was satisfied to have done it, but nothing more.
She returned to the Common Room thoughtfully. When the painting turned, the party was already in full swing. Fred was beside her as soon as she entered :
"Mione? Where have you been?"
"Uh..."
"Here, drink this! The Champ is on the other side!"
He pointed at Harry and handed her a Butterbeer before leaving to join Lee Jordan and Angelina Johnson by the gramophone. Hermione stood there for a few seconds, not knowing where to go. Eventually she reached Ginny, who was sitting in a chair with a third year friend and Crookshanks on her lap.
"Hey Hermione! How are you?" asked Ginny.
Hermione took a deep swig of butterbeer in reply. Ginny's eyes widened:
"Wow! What's wrong with you?"
Hermione blurted out in a low voice everything that had just happened with Viktor. Ginny reacted exactly as Hermione had expected: first with shock, then with advice:
"Don't worry, everyone does it. It's normal that you didn't feel anything, it was your first time. Was he a good kisser?"
"Er... Yes, I think so. How would I know?"
"I don't know, I've never kissed a boy before." Ginny admitted with a laugh. "The important thing is that you did it before Ron!"
"Yeah... I guess..."
Hermione didn't really know what to think. She'd been through too much today to add another problem. So she and Ginny decided to enjoy the party, pushing Viktor to the back of her mind so she wouldn't have to think about that embarrassing moment.
They danced a bit and then ate some snacks that Fred and George had brought from the kitchen. Hermione drank Butterbeer after Butterbeer without noticing. At first she only drank two beers because she liked the taste of the cream on top. Then she realised that Fred and George had got into the habit of handing her one as soon as she'd finished her bottle.
As the minutes passed, her discomfort disappeared. The music was suddenly much livelier (or had she just not noticed at first?) and she wasn't even embarrassed to dance with Ginny. She talked to Ron and Harry normally (perhaps a little too cheerfully?) and even danced a sort of wild waltz with Fred that caused her to spill her Butterbeer all over Lavender. She picked up another bottle and drank half of it in one gulp.
Dressed in a black T-shirt and her uniform skirt (when had she taken off her witch robes?), Hermione then enjoyed a game of Exploding Snap with George, Lee, Angelina and Katie Bell. Each time a card exploded, the person who laid it down had to take a sip of beer. Hermione began to forget how many butterbeers she'd had.
Harry and Ron eventually went to bed, followed by several students who were too tired to continue dancing. Hermione wasn't, and danced for a long time with Ginny, Fred and George, drinking Butterbeers along the way.
By the end, when everyone had collapsed onto the sofas, Hermione was really dizzy. She put her beer down on the table and almost stumbled as she walked over to the armchair.
"I'm going to bed, I'm exhausted." Fred announced as he stood up, his hair all tousled from dancing. "It was a very good evening, thank you all for staying up so late!"
Hermione had no idea what time it was. Ginny had fallen asleep on the sofa in front of the unlit fireplace. George went up in turn, then Lavender, then Parvati, then Lee, and eventually there was no one left in the Common Room.
She felt... good. Strangely good. She felt like she was floating. And her thoughts weren't as clear as they usually were. Everything was spinning out of control.
Hermione stood up suddenly. She really wanted to go outside. It was hot in here, from all the dancing, and there was a fire in the fireplace. And the beer! She had to get out. Maybe smell the fresh air. Oh, she could sit on the bench! Their bench, as he had called it. Hermione smiled. Why was she smiling? She had no idea.
She pulled a blanket over Ginny and laughed as she watched her sleep, not knowing why. She couldn't control her face anymore. Was this what being drunk was all about? She'd seen her parents drunk before, coming home from parties, but she'd never tried it. Never, never. She walked out through the painting and didn't listen to the Fat Lady chirping behind her back. The time, perhaps?
She was hungry. Or thirsty. She'd had too many Butterbeers, the caramel taste was in her throat and she felt like throwing up. She also wanted to laugh! She walked down the stairs, holding on to the banister so as not to fall. Sometimes she forgot where she was and had to take a few seconds to remember that she wanted to go to their bench. All her muscles were numb from dancing. And maybe from the water in the lake.
Eventually she found herself in the Hall, with no idea how she had got there. She didn't really feel like she had come down the stairs. She opened the main door to the Castle and caught a gust of fresh wind in her face. It did her good. She didn't feel like throwing up now. She walked along the path, giggling. Then she looked up and her heart leapt when she saw Draco sitting on the bench.
It was like he knew she was coming.
She smiled and walked over to him.