His Most Precious

Harry85

Rating: PG13
Genres: Romance, Action & Adventure
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 4
Published: 05/12/2005
Last Updated: 25/12/2005
Status: completed

My take on Aurabolt's challenge "The second task: Your take". I've included the requirements at the beginning of Chapter one. Please read and review!

Chapters

1. The First Task

2. The Yule Ball

3. The Second Task

4. Epilogue

1. The First Task

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Harry Potter, or HBP would have been different!

A/N: This is my response to an old challenge, “The Second Task: Your take” by Aurabolt. Seeing GoF movie gave me good ideas for this one. I'm starting from First Task, though, leaving it as in the book, but rewriting it in my way. Not really necessary, but I thought it would be nice. Please, if you read, leave me a comment, it makes my day! Oh, you may find a mixture of book and movie in some parts…that's because I tried to insert in the way the book tells the things some scenes I loved from the movie!!

Here are the Challenge requirements.

1) 4th Year. The first task and everything leading up to the second is the same, including the learning about the second task. However, the author is allowed to change how the task is run, but it must have the save objective. (Ex: It does not have to be diving into the lake and rescuing the four people, but it must involve rescuing the Most Important Person, no matter what the challenge is.)

2) Harry's Most important person is Hermione. For that reason, if the author does not give Krum another person for him to save, it becomes a race between the two of them to save her. If it comes to it, all spells are legal in a duel except for Unforgivables (unless you decide to make Krum under someone's control early.)

3) The task can be fixed by DE's or Voldie behind the scenes to make it actually dangerous for the participants or the objectives. In such a case, I don't want to see any Death Eater or Voldemort present. All of the sabotage must involve them being hidden, but it can involve magical creatures (Ex: Dementors, Giants, Trolls, Dragons, etc.)

4) When he finally reaches Hermione at the end, and all through his method of rescuing her, he must realize his feelings for her. Since he has no idea what to expect in the task, he should have no idea that Hermione is his Most Important Person until he gets there. His feelings improve as he moves though the motions of rescue. Hermione's feelings are fully formed and affectionate, but kept inside in fear of his reaction.

5) Must end in H/Hr, no matter who eventually rescues her. I expect Harry to put up quite a resistance for Krum if he does not rescue her.

6) (Optional, but recommended) Just to make things more interesting, Hermione has NO idea that she is chosen for the objective of the second task, and is taken without her knowing. The same is true for the rest of the objectives, but as soon as both boys are trying to save her, she should catch on.

7) Unlike the book's second task, the objective does not have to be in a frozen state.

His Most Precious

The First Task

So, fate had played him another nasty trick. At the age of fourteen, he was to participate in one of the most risky events in the Wizarding World, the Triwizard Tournament.

And he was to compete with older students, more skilled in magic than him, for sure. If you add one of the other Champions was Viktor Krum, worldwide Quidditch star and probably the best Seeker in the world, you can understand why Harry Potter felt so depressed.

After all, no one knew how his name had been put into the goblet, and how it had been chosen by the magical item to be one of the Champions. It was not like he had asked for that.

Now, making his best friend Ron Weasley believe it was another story, as the boy was plain jealous of Harry participating and having once again a chance to be famous. That had caused a rift to grow between them since the day of the choosing of the Champions, and to the day of the first task, it was still to be mended.

Hermione Granger, their mutual best friend, was in the middle of this situation, and growing more frustrated at them every passing day. She had tried to reconcile the two, but to no avail.

While waiting for his turn in the tent of the Champions, Harry started remembering the last days.

“He woke up on Monday morning, for the first time seriously considering escaping from Hogwarts. Looking around himself, at breakfast, he understood he couldn't. That would have meant leaving the castle, and that was the only place where he ahd ever been happy, apart from the year with his parents, but he couldn't remember that. It raised his spirits to know that being there and having to face a dragon was still better than being with the Dursleys. He swallowed his bacon, and while he got up with Hermione from the table, he spotted Cedric.

The boy still didn't know about the dragons.

“Hermione I'll see you in the greenhouses” he said. “Go ahead, I'll be there soon”

“Harry, you're going to be late. The bell is almost ringing…”

“I'll be there in a minute, ok?”

Then he followed Cedric. Just before the boy entered the Charms classroom, Harry took his wand.

“Diffindo!”

Cedric's bag broke, and his books fell on the floor. His friends entered the class, so Harry had the chance he was waiting for.

“Hi” the Hufflepuff said, seeing him. “My bag just broke, it was new…”

“Dragons. The first task, is with dragons. One for each of us”

“You serious?”

“Yes. I've seen them”

Cedric was a bit suspicious.

“How did you find out?”

“It's not important. I'm not the only one who knows. Maxime and Karkaroff did too, and surely they told Fleur and Krum about that”

“And why are you telling me this?”

“Well, I thought it was right. So we're going to be even, everyone knows…”

Moody's leg was heard behind them.

“Come with me, Potter. Diggory, off with you”

“Professor, I've got to go to Herbology…” Harry protested, fearing some kind of punishment. What if they had been heard?

“Later” the other barked.

“You did a really honest thing, Potter” Moody said, entering his office. Harry followed him.

“Seat” the man said. So he did.

Now Harry was in Moody's office, surrounded by items he had never seen before and that the DADA Professor had explained him to be Dark Detectors.

“So, you've found out about the dragons, eh?”

Harry said nothing.

“It's ok. Cheating is normal in the Triwizard. It has always been a part of the game”

“I've not cheated” Harry protested. “I found out about it as an accident”

“I wasn't accusing you, boy. I told Dumbledore, he could be noble, but Maxime and Karkaroff would not. They want to win, to beat Dumbledore and show he's only human” the man said, then started laughing madly.

“Now, do you have already an idea on how to overcome your dragon?” the professor asked him.

“No” the boy said honestly.

“Well, I'm not telling you. I don't want to make differences between the champions. I'll just give you some advice. First, play by your abilities”

“I don't have them” Harry sighed.

“If you allow me” Moody barked, “I tell you that you have them. What's the thing you do better?”

After thinking a bit, Harry replied.

“Quidditch. And it won't be useful”

“Yeah, you're an hell of a flier from what I've heard”

“Yes, but...I can't bring a broom. I can bring just my wand”

“My second advice is, use a simple spell that lets you obtain what you need”

Harry looked at the man, lost.

“Come on, boy, it's not hard. It's like doing two plus two...”

Then Harry understood.

He was a good flier. So he should beat the dragon in the air. He needed his broom, his Firebolt. To have his Firebolt he needed... “Hermione” he whispered.”

Harry smiled fondly at the memory. Yeah, as usual Hermione had been his rock. The one who saved him.

“Hermione, I need you help” he said to her in Herbology class.

“What do you think I'm trying to do, Harry?” she asked, working on the plant in front of her.

“Hermione, I've got to learn a perfect Summoning Charm within tomorrow afternoon” he said.

So they practiced. They skipped lunch, working in an empty classroom, where Harry tried with all his might to make things in the room come to him. Without great results, though, as the items kept flying for few moments, then fell regularly on the floor.

“Focus, Harry, focus” Hermione scolded him.

“What do you think I'm doing?” he replied, angry. “I keep having in my mind a big, ugly dragon, wonder why...” Then he calmed a bit. “Ok, I'm trying again”

After lunch he was ready to skip Divination to practice, but Hermione didn't want to skip Arithmancy, so remaining without her was useless.”

“Always so studious, our dear Hermione” Harry thought with a smile. “Never going to skip a lesson”

“So he had to endure an hour of Trewlaney, rambling about the fact that due to Mars position regarding Saturn in that period, people born in July risked death.

“Perfect, but make it quick, I don't want to suffer” Harry said loud, making lots of people burst in laughter. Ron was about to do so too, but then controlled himself.

He gulped down something for dinner, then he went back in the empty classroom with Hermione to practice. They used his Invisibility cloak to avoid the teachers. Till midnight they stayed, then Peeves started disturbing them, so they fled before Filch came to see what was happening there.

They continued in the common room. Harry was surrounded by things that he tried to make fly in his hands, till two in the morning. Just in the last hour he had started doing the charm really well.

“Good, Harry. Really good” Hermione said, knackered but happy.

“Well, now we know what to do next time I can't learn a spell, just threaten me with a dragon” he joked, Accioing a dictionary in his hand.

“Harry, you really learned it!” she squealed.

“Just hope it will work tomorrow. I'll be in the park, and the Firebolt here in the castle…the distance is much bigger”

“Doesn't matter. If you're really focused, it will come. Harry, it's better we get some sleep now. You'll need it”

So they did.

And then there had been the morning of the task, just few hours before. He had woke up feeling his fear come back, while he ahd forgotten it the previous day, focused as he was on learning the Summoning Charm.

He felt time going away quickly, then slowing its pace to excruciatingly slow.

Everyone around him whispering him things, from insults, normally the Slytherins, to encouragement. He felt so detached from everyone though, that he had wondered if at the moment of facing the dragon he would simply go nuts and fire hexes on everyone around him.

Finally McGonagall neared him in the Great Hall. Everyone had his eyes fixed on him.

“Potter, the Champions have to go and come down in the park, now. You've got to get ready for the task”

“Ok” he said standing up.

“Good luck” Hermione mouthed him. “Everything will be fine”

“Of course it will” he said with a voice different from his usual one.

He followed McGonagall, who was worried just like Hermione.

She placed one hand on his shoulder.

“Now, don't let panic control you. Try to be detached. We've got wizards ready to control the situation if something happens…you just have to do your best, no one will think bad of you…are you ok?”

“Yes, I'm ok” he had said just minutes before finding himself there, in the tent of the Champions.

Now, Ron Weasley was on the tribunes of the Quidditch Stadium, waiting for the task to start, while Hermione…

“Hey, Harry” he heard someone whispering.

He moved closer to the edge of the tent.

“Hermione! What are you doing here?” he asked, opening it for her.

“I've come to give you my best wishes. So, are you ready?”

“Ready as I'll ever be”

“Remember, just concentrate” she started in her usual business tone, the same she used with them when they had to finish their assignments. But this was no assignment. Here Harry was going to risk his life.

So she suddenly flung herself at him, catching him off guard. He managed to balance both of them, avoiding to fall on the floor, his arms closing around her tightly.

“Whoa! Hermione, I know you're worried for me, but…”

In that moment Ludo Bagman entered the tent, a small bag in his hand. “Miss Granger, I know you are worried for our Mr. Potter here, but just the Champions can be in the tent” he said, gently. “Besides, I'm sure you'll be able to snog him later, it will be even better as a reward for his accomplishment” the man teased them winking.

She blushed deeply and walked away, giving Harry, who had blushed too, one last look. He gave her a small smile to reassure her. How could that be possible when he was that tense he didn't know, but she seemed to buy it and smiled back at him, before going to join Ron on the stands.

“Champions, come here around me” he said. Then each one of them proceeded to choose from a small bag the model of the dragon they would have to face.

Fleur Delacour chose as first, and took the Common Welsh Green.

Then Krum chose, extracting the Chinese Fireball, and then it was Diggory's turn. He extracted the Swedish Short-Snout.

Harry was sorted to be the last of the Champions to face the dragon, he would have the terrible Hungarian Horntail that he had already seen in the forest with Hagrid, some nights before. Sitting on the bench, he looked around himself at the other champions.

Fleur was seating on a low wooden seat, her calm demeanour gone. She was sweating and pale. Krum was pacing around, tension evident on his face as he was even more surly than usual. Then there was Cedric, who was pacing too. They exchanged a tense smile. Then Bagman approached Harry.

“Are you ok, Harry? There's something I can get you?”

“What?” Harry asked, dumbfounded. “No, thanks. I'm ok”

“Do you have a plan? I can give you some pointers, if you like. I mean, you're the one with the worst odds here, Harry, and if I can help…”

“No” Harry said again, almost too quickly. “I…I already know what I'm going to do, thanks”

“Nobody would know it, Harry”

“Really, I'm fine” Harry said once again, very well knowing he was not.

A loud whistle sounded, and Bagman ran away to his seat in the tribunes. He had to do the comment, after all. So, Harry entered the tent once again, seeing Cedric walking out of it to face his dragon.

The crowd roared. Signalling that the Hufflepuff had entered the space to face his dragon.

For Harry being there, hearing but not being able to see was a torture. He heard the crowd shriek, clap, hold their breath, all without knowing what was happening.

Bagman's commentary was even worse, giving him nasty images.

“Oh, that was close, people…”

“This guy is risking a lot…”

“Good move…pity it didn't work!”

Then, after something like fifteen excruciating minutes, Harry heard the roar of the crowd, sign that Cedric had taken the gold egg.

“Really awesome!” Bagman kept shouting. “Now the score from the judges!”

But that was not shouted. Probably it was just showed to the crowd.

“One gone, three to go. Miss Delacour, please”

She was shaking. Harry felt pity for her, and forgot the dislike he had harboured till that moment for the girl. She exited the tent gripping her wand tightly.

He remained alone with Krum, each on one end of the tent.

And once again, Bagman's commentary.

“Oh, I'm not sure that was a wise move…”

“Oh…close! Careful now…My God, I thought she was going to succeed!”

Ten minutes later, Harry heard another roar from the crowd. Fleur had got past her dragon, taking the Egg. Her score was showed, then loud clapping followed.

It was Krum's turn.

“And here comes Mr. Krum!” Bagman shouted once again. Harry was alone.

He tried focusing on the wand movement for the Summoning Charm, but he was really aware of his body now. He felt his heart beating madly, his fingers paralysed by fear…and at the same time he felt like he was just watching the scene from afar…it was a strange sensation, really.

“Really brave!” Bagman cried.

Harry could hear the Chinese Fireball roar.

“He's showing his courage here, and…yes, he's taken the egg!” Bagman shouted once again.

It was his moment now.

He stood up, feeling his legs like jelly. He waited. Then he heard the whistle calling him to face the Horntail.

He exited the tent, taking in the surroundings. Hundreds of faces were looking down at him from the stands.

And the Horntail was there, on the other side of the space.

He focused as hard as he could, and raised his wand.

“Accio Firebolt!” he cried.

He hoped it would work. If it didn't…

And then he felt it zoom behind him, and turned to grab his broom. He could hear the crowd shouting, Bagman saying something but he could not distinguish the words.

And then he mounted it, and took off.

As soon as he was up in the air, he felt his fear vanish. He was at his best now. If there was something Harry Potter was good at it was flying.

It was like Quidditch, the Egg was the Snitch and the Horntail was the opponent. Nothing more.

He dived toward the dragon, which tried hitting him with his fire. But Harry knew his intention, so it was like avoiding a Bludger.

“Bloody Hell, that is flying!” Bagman shouted. “Have you seen, Mr. Krum?”

Harry's tactic of flying in circles was making the dragon dizzy. But he should not exaggerate, or it would breathe fire again…

He dived and once again managed to avoid the fire, but not the tail, that scratched his shoulder. He felt pain, while circling the beast, but then he got one idea.

He needed to get the dragon away from the egg, and he should do that little by little.

He flied left and right, not near enough for being hit by the fire but enough to be seen as a menace by the Horntail.

He flied toward the sky, the eyes of the dragon following him, breathing fire, but Harry dodged. He was too far for the tail to be able to hit him, and the dragon seemed nervous about the situation. Finally it took off, opening its large wings…

That was what Harry was waiting for. He dived at full speed, and before the dragon understood the peril for the egg, he had grabbed it, and was again up in the air, in front of the cheering crowd.

Hermione cheered so hard she almost risked falling from the stands, and he grinned at her. Ron was too shocked as to what had happened to say anything, he just clapped his hands wildly.

“See that” Bagman shouted. “Our youngest champion was the quickest in grabbing the egg. That will lower the odds on him, I guess”

Harry landed, seeing the guardians going to tame the Horntail.

“Brilliant, Potter” McGonagall said when she reached him. It was an unusual compliment, coming from her. Then she sent him to Madame Pomfrey.

“She's already fixed Diggory” the professor explained.

“Great, Harry. You did it!” Hagrid said. “And with the Horntail, you remember what Charlie said, it was the worst…”

“Thanks Hagrid!” Harry shouted to stop him blabbing about how he had already seen the dragons.

Moody was quite cheerful too.

“Good job, boy. Like drinking a glass of water”

“Come on, Potter, off with you. Go to Madame Pomfrey, please” McGonagall said again.

He did, and she welcomed him huffing. “Dragons!” she said spitefully. “Last year Dementors, this one Dragons. What will be next? You're lucky, it's superficial. I'll have to clean it before healing, tough. And so she did.

“Now you stay there a minute, seated. Seated, I said! Then you can go to see your score”

Then she was to visit Diggory.

Harry couldn't stay seated. He was overexcited. As soon as he got on his feet, he was knocked down again by Hermione hugging him, followed by Ron.

“You were brilliant, Harry!” she said. There were nail marks on her face, so hard had she feared for him. “Really, you were awesome!” she said again.

Harry, however, kept looking at Ron, who was pale.

“Harry” he started seriously, “whoever has put your name in that Goblet, I..I think they are trying to kill you!”

It was like the rift between them had magically healed, like the last weeks had never happened.

“You got it, eh? You took some time” Harry said coldly.

Hermione looked at them tense.

Ron was ready to apologise, but Harry stopped him.

“It's all ok. Don't worry”

“No, really, I shouldn't have…”

“Don't worry” Harry said again, then they grinned at each other.

Hermione started sobbing.

“Hey, there's nothing to cry about” Harry said her, placing one hand on her shoulder.

“The two of you are so…stupid!” Then she hugged both of them and ran away.

“Blimey” Ron said. “Come on, Harry, they're giving your score!”

So he took the Firebolt and the Golden Egg, and walked out of the tent.

“You were the best. Cedric Transfigured a rock into a dog, wanted the dragon to catch it, and it worked, I mean, he got the Egg, but the dragon changed his mind at one point and breathed fire at him, so he got burned…Fleur tried enchanting him, like with hypnosis, and for a while it worked, butt hen it huffed and breathed fire, and her skirt got on flames. Krum…well, he didn't think about flying. He probably was the best after you, tough. He got it in one eye with a spell, but the dragon started stomping around, destroying half the real eggs…that cost him half his points, he shouldn't damage them…” Ron kept blabbing, probably trying to regain the lost time with his friend.

They looked the judges giving their scores, with Ron infuriated by Karkaroff four, but Harry did not care. Having Ron back was like one hundred points for him.

“So you and Krum are even, Harry!” Charlie said, reaching them.

Harry then met the other champions back in the tent, where Bagman was waiting for them.

“Well done, all of you!” he said. “now, you've got a long pause before next task. It will be held on February the 24th. But there's something you've got to think about. The Eggs can be opened. Now, they contain a clue fro the next task, so you can prepare. Now, you can go”

And so they did. Harry walked back to the castle with Ron, who kept telling him about the other champions, then they dodged Rita Skeeter and reached the castle.

-->

2. The Yule Ball

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Harry Potter, or HBP would have been different!

A/N: This is my response to an old challenge, “The Second Task: Your take” by Aurabolt. Seeing GoF movie gave me good ideas for this one. I'm starting from First Task, though, leaving it as in the book, but rewriting it in my way. Not really necessary, but I thought it would be nice. Please, if you read, leave me a comment, it makes my day! Oh, you may find a mixture of book and movie in some parts…that's because I tried to insert in the way the book tells the things some scenes I loved from the movie!! There's an another version of this, that does not meet the requirements, so I've posted it as a one shot. It is called “The Yule Ball - Alternative Take”. If you're interested, please read and review that too!

The Yule Ball

Once within the castle walls, they went straight to the Gryffindor common room to rest a bit, then they met with Hermione.

Harry had decided to tell Sirius all about the first task, so he had written a really long letter in which every detail of him against the Horntail was described. After a long walk they reached the Owlery, and there Harry, with Ron's help managed to attach the letter to the owl Sirius had sent him.

Then they let him fly away, while walking back to the common room.

“I guess Fred and George have snatched enough food from the kitchens by now, the party for you should be ready” Ron said to Harry.

Hermione was on their tow, still a bit sceptical about Harry's chances of winning the tournament, not because she thought he was not capable, but because she seriously doubted the other two tasks would be less risky, while Ron was sure of that.

So they finally entered the common room just to find it full of people, food and drinks, pumpkin juice, Butterbeer, sweets and so on.

Fred and George had done a great job.

While there, Harry tried opening the egg, but only a strangled noise came out, something not understandable, that kept all wondering what he would have to face in the next task. But it was soon forgotten, and everyone had fun that night.

During the party, the twins mentioned how disposed the Elves were in giving them all those things, and that gave Hermione a great idea.

“So, how do you enter there?” she asked nonchalantly.

“There's an hidden door behind a painting of a fruit bowl. You tickle the pear and the knob appears and…hey, why are you asking?” Fred said suspiciously.

“Nothing, mere curiosity” she replied.

Days later, Ron and Harry could not find her, till she arrived at full speed and dragged them back with her.

They reached the painting, and revealed the door, then entered.

There, Dobby was, and greeted Harry enthusiastically.

So the House Elf told them how he got hired there, with Winky too. But while Dobby wanted a wage, the other Elves resented that. Hermione hoped they would soon see Dobby was right.

After all, she was the founder of S.P.E.W….

Days later, during one Transfiguration lesson, Harry and Ron were playing to make time pass, when Professor McGonagall scolded them.

“Potter! Weasley! Will you be attentive, please?” she said coldly.

Harry and Ron wondered what was so important to be heard. After all the lesson was almost finished, they ahd done all what she had requested…however, they started listening all the same.

“Now that Potter and Weasley are behaving like their age needs,” McGonagall said with a cold stare to them, “there's something important you need to know. The Yule Ball is nearing, a traditional event in the Triwizard Tournament, a chance to socialize with our foreign guests. Only students from fourth year to seventh can go, but you can invite someone younger if you want. You've got to wear robes for the occasion, and girls will be allowed to wear their hair down. But that doesn't mean the other rules can be broken. Gryffindor house has a long tradition and I won't allow you to disrupt it in one night. Now, class is dismissed”

Everyone started going away.

“Potter, I need a word with you” the professor said.

So he walked toward her desk.

“Potter, the Champions and their dates…”

“What dates?”

“The dates for the Ball, Potter. Your dates for the dances”

“I'm not dancing” Harry said.

“Oh, you are instead. I'm telling you. As a tradition, the Ball is opened by the Champions and their dates”

“I'm not dancing” Harry said stubbornly.

“It's the tradition, and you'll honour that. You are a Champion of Hogwarts and you'll do what's requested of you. So, find yourself a date, Potter”

“But...I…”

“You've heard me, Potter”

Days passed, but Harry had not invited a girl to the Ball. He now thought it would have been better another go with the Horntail than having to invite someone to the Ball. Almost everyone remained there for Christmas, while usually he was one of the few that chose to do so.

Girls kept giggling like mad thinking about the Ball and what they were going to wear that night.

He didn't understand why they should always move in groups. It was almost impossible to find a girl alone.

He had already in mind who he wanted to ask, but hey, thinking and doing where not the same thing. He needed to find the courage to do so.

Ron tried reassuring him, after all he was one of the Champions, every girl would love to go with him. And in fact many invited him, but he refused, sometimes gently, other times less politely.

Hermione was right. All the girls following Krum were there because he was famous. Harry doubted he would have been invited if he hadn't been a Champion and hadn't scored that well in the first task.

Less people insulted him in the halls, apart for the Slytherins of course, but that was another story.

Some professors had stopped giving them assignments, they were obviously distracted. Flitwick let them play all his lesson.

Binns, on the other hand, wasn't so supportive. Death had not stopped him from teaching, a Ball would not do so.

Of course McGonagall and Snape continued their lessons, and the Potions Master placed a test the last day of term.

Harry was so distracted about having to ask a girl that he missed the most important ingredient for the antidotes, the bezoar, so his grade was extremely low. Not that it would have been excellent if he put it in, after all Snape hated him, but still…

One day they visited Hagrid, and he told them about an interview with Rita Skeeter. He told them all what she was interested in was his relationship with Harry, and that she wasn't really happy when nothing bad came out on the boy.

“She should have interviewed Snape. He would have feasted on me, I'm sure” Harry said. “So, you coming to the Ball, Hagrid?”

“Yeah, I think I'll come to have a look. Seems it will be really nice. Have you invited someone yet, Harry?”

“Nope”

Hagrid changed the matter.

Hermione kept nagging Harry about the Egg.

“If you don't want to study, you could at least make something useful with the Egg”

“Come on, I've got till the 24th of February. That's two months and a half!” Harry protested.

Then the matter shifted to the Ball when Fred and George entered the room, and showed Ron how to invite someone.

Fred invited Angelina who accepted.

“You know, we really should do something. Harry. Especially you, that are a Champion” Ron commented. “We don't want to end with a couple of trolls”

“What?” Hermione sputtered indignantly. “A couple of what?”

“Well, you know, I would not like to end up with Eloise Midgen” Ron said.

“Her acne has improved lots”

“Yeah, but her nose isn't straight”

“So you're telling you'll go with the best looking girl that takes you, no matter how her mind is?” Hermione said, enraged.

“Yes” Ron said.

“Well, go on then. At least Harry isn't that thick. Are you Harry?”

He said nothing. He thought Ron was not that wrong after all.

Interpreting right his silence, Hermione stomped away.

Next day, Harry was bewildered in looking how wonderful the castle looked that Christmas. Probably the staff wanted to impress the guests…

After lunch, he strengthened his resolve.

He would ask Cho to the Ball no matter what.

So he found her with some friends, and asked her to speak with him a moment.

He managed to choke out the words.

“Willyougototheballwithme?”

“What?

“Will you go to the Ball with me?” he repeated, blushing.

“Oh” she said, blushing too. “I'm sorry, Harry. I'm already going with Cedric. But hey, in your year there's something really nice you could go with. She's in your house too”

“Oh. Ok, thanks”

That night, when he entered the common room, he found Ron on a couch, surrounded by people.

“Hey, what's happened here?” he asked.

“I don't know why I did that. I'm so stupid” Ron babbled.

“What did you do?”

“He asked Fleur Delacour to the Ball” Ginny said.

Harry smiled.

“So, what happened?”

“She didn't even reply, simply looked at me like I was rotten fish. And then, it was like I was myself again, and I ran away. She was talking with Diggory”

“Ron, she's a part Veela. That's why you felt strange. Probably she turned on her charm for Cedric, but he's already going with Cho”

“What?”

“I asked her today, and she told me” he said.

Then they talked about Neville, who had asked Hermione.

“And she said she was already going with someone” Ron said. “But I don't believe it”

She arrived then, and Ginny told her about their accomplishments.

“All the pretty ones already taken, Ron? Eloise starting to look nice to you?” she teased him.

“Hermione, Neville is right. You're a girl. Will you come with one of us?” the redhead said.

“I can't. I'm already going with someone”

“Oh, come on. That's rubbish”

“Ron, just because e you took three years to notice I'm a girl this doesn't mean everyone does”

“Ok, we know you're a girl. Now, will you come with one of us?”

“I can't! I've told you!” she said, then stomped away.

“She's lying” Ron said.

“No way” Ginny chimed in.

“So tell us with who she's going”

“It's not my place to tell you”

“OK, then you can go with Harry”

She blushed. “I can't. I'm going with Neville” then she walked away.

“What's happening to everyone?” Ron wondered.

Harry saw Parvati and Lavender exiting the room and ran after them.

“Parvati, will you go to the Ball with me?” he asked. The girl thought about it for a moment, then accepted.

“Perfect. Lav, will you go with Ron?”

“I can't I'm going with Seamus”

“Hey, Harry, my sister in Ravenclaw, Padma, is free. I may ask her” Parvati suggested.

“Great. Keep me informed” he said, grinning.

He hoped Padma Patil had a straight nose. As for him, Cho was right. Parvati was a nice girl, after all.

Christmas came, finally.

Harry was woken up by Dobby, and soon his fellow Gryffindors were up too.

They all opened their gifts together, then they went down in the common room. From there, they headed to the grounds, where a wild match of snow balls started.

In the early afternoon, Hermione excused herself saying she had to go to get ready for the Ball.

“What have you to do, that takes you three hours?” Ron asked. “And by the way, with who are you going?”

She simply waved her hand walking away.

Much later, the boys went to get ready too.

They dressed with their robes, but Ron was particularly unhappy with his own. He kept saying they seemed a girl dress.

Then he decided to cut the laces with a Cutting Charm, but that left the wrists and the collar ravelled.

“I still can't get how the two of you got the best looking girls in our year” Dean said to Rona nd Harry.

“Animal magnetism” Ron grunted, still unhappy with his dress.

In the common room they met their dates, well, apart for Ron.

“My sister Padma is waiting for you in the Hall” Parvati said him.

“Ok, I'm going”

“Are we going down too?” she asked Harry.

“Of course” he replied, even if he preferred remaining up there.

In the Entrance Hall, the two couples waited with the others for the Great Hall to be opened, and then Professor McGonagall took the Champions and their dates apart.

It was then that Harry spotted Cho. He thought she was really stunning, and wondered how would have it been to be in Cedric's place.

“My, she's gorgeous” Parvati whispered near him.

“Yeah, she is” Harry said dreamily. Only, he noticed Parvati was turned on the other side. So he turned too, and his jaw probably hit the floor.

There was Hermione, coming down the stairs, but she didn't look like Hermione. She was the most beautiful girl he had seen that night, and that was saying something.

In her periwinkle dress, with her hair finally smooth, she grinned at him, and he could only grin stupidly back. He noticed her teeth had been fixed, and now her smile was shining like never before.

If he was allowed that, he would have switched dates with whoever was taking her to the Ball, but then he saw the only one he didn't expect to taking her arm. Viktor Krum.

So the four couples entered the Great Hall, and McGonagall led them to the table of the judges.

Everyone stared at Hermione speechless, but with really not flattering looks. Harry felt like going and punching all of them, including Ron.

He then sat near Percy, who was substituting Barty Crouch who was ill, and Cho and Cedric, but kept looking on the other side, toward Hermione. He then heard Krum talking a lot, for the first time.

They were chatting about Durmstrang Castle.

“Now, Viktor, if you tell your lovely date something more I'm sure she'll be able to find us…” Karkaroff chimed in.

“Igor, how many mysteries. Seems like you want to keep secret your school” Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.

“Dear Albus, who of us doesn't want to keep for himself and his students all the secrets of the schools we have been assigned to rule?”

“Oh, I don't think I know all the secrets of Hogwarts, Igor. Just this morning I found an extremely interesting new room on the seventh floor…”

Fleur instead was criticizing Hogwarts and its decorations with Roger, who seemed under some kind of spell. Probably her Veela charms…

Then Harry noticed Hagrid waving at Madame Maxime, who replied cheerfully.

And then he heard Hermione trying to make Krum pronounce her name rightfully. He kept saying it wrong.

“It's Her-mai-o-ni” she said again, patiently.

“Hermy-own-ninny” Krum said.

“Almost” she said smiling at Harry, who smiled back warmly.

Then the moment Harry dreaded came. The champions had to open the dances.

The Weird Sisters started with a slow song, and Parvati directed Harry's hand on her waist, and then led the dance. He thought it could have been worse, after all. All what he had to do was slowly turn on his place, as she was the leading one.

Then at the end of the song he led her to a table.

“Aww, come on, this is so beautiful” she protested, hearing another song start.

“I don't like it” Harry lied. Truthfully, he had never heard it before, but he didn't want to dance anymore.

So he sat near Ron and Padma, who was swaying her foot at the rhythm of the music.

Soon Parvati was asked to dance by a Beauxbatons boy, and she vanished for the rest of the night.

Ron was scowling at Hermione and Krum, who seemed to have a really great time. Then she came to seat near them, a bit hot for all the dancing.

“Hello” Harry said.

“It's hot, isn't it? Viktor has gone to get something to drink” she said.

“Viktor? You're not calling him Vicky yet?” Ron said sarcastically.

“What, your wand's in a twist?” Hermione replied.

“I'm not explaining it to you”

“Ron, what…” she said.

“He's a Durmstrang! You're fraternizing with the enemy!” Ron said angrily.

She looked at him in shock.

“Don't be silly, the enemy. Who wanted his autograph? Who was so excited about him being here?”

Ron ignored her. “I guess he asked you when you both were in the library”

“Yes, exactly. What about it?”

“Did you try to get him involved in spew?” he asked

“No. Actually, he said he had been searching the moment to ask me for days”

“That's what he says. “

“What are you getting at?”

“It's obvious, he's trying to get information on Harry, or get so near that he can hex him”

“Oh, come on. He's never asked me a thing about Harry” she said, fully enraged now.

“Then he's trying to get you help him with the Egg”

“I would never! I want Harry to win! Harry knows that, don't you, Harry?”

“Of course, Hermione” he smiled reassuringly at her.

“Well, you've a strange way to show it” Ron said.

“The aim for the tournament is to connect wizards from different countries” Hermione explained.

“No, the aim is to win” Ron shouted. “Go search for Vicky, he's probably searching for you”

She left in a hurry.

“Nice chat, Ron. You're really a smooth talker” Harry said.

“Are you going to dance with me?” Padma asked.

“No”

“Very well” she vanished just like her sister, whose new friend found her a date so quickly Harry thought he used a Summoning Charm.

Then Percy neared them, and after a chat with him, the two of them moved away quickly. He was so boring…

On their way out from the Hall, Harry noticed Neville and Ginny, dancing a slow song, seeming to have great fun.

They set for a walk in the grounds, and noticed lots of couples hidden in the bushes, probably off to snog each other senseless.

Then they met Snape and Karkaroff, chatting animatedly.

The Potion Master noticed them, so they kept walking. Harry was really curious about what they were chatting about, though.

Then they spotted Fleur and Roger in a bush, and on the other side Hagrid and Madame Maxime.

Harry suggested going toward Fleur and the Ravenclaw, as they were so engrossed in each other that probably they could sneak away not seen, but Ron as so scared of Fleur that dragged Harry near Hagrid and Maxime.

They overheard their conversation about halfgiants, and their row, then they walked back toward the castle.

At one point Harry spotted again Snape and Karkaroff.

“Ron, I'll be there in a minute, you just go on, ok?”

“Ok, mate, but make it quick. I really want to go to bed”

So Harry set to try and eavesdrop the two adults' conversation.

Once back in the castle, Ron spotted Hermione wishing goodnight to Krum.

“Why didn't you snog him?” he asked her.

“You! What's your problem, Ron?” she asked, enraged.

“He's way too old”

”WHAT?! Is THAT what you think??” she replied, indignant.

“Yeah that's what I think”

“You know the solution then don't you?

“Go on...”

“Next time there's a ball pucker up and ask me before somebody else does...and NOT as a last resort!” she said, starting to sob.

“Well...th.tha..thats just completely off the point...” he replied, then spotted Harry.

“Harry!” he cried hoping for some help from him, for example a change of subject.

Hermione turned hastily. “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” she shouted at him, then before he could reply she added, “Never mind, off to bed, both of you!”

And so they did, leaving her there, on the stairs to Gryffindor Tower.

“What the Hell has happened, Ron? Did you upset her about Krum again?” Harry asked.

“Come on, Harry. He's all wrong for her. He's too old, he's a Durmstrang…”

“Ron, just because she's gone to the Ball with him it doesn't mean they're going to shag or to get married! Have you such plans for Padma Patil? Because I tell you, I surely have not them for Parvati. So you did something uncalled for, and as usual ended hurting Hermione. Merlin, when will you learn, Ron?” Harry said, then turned.

“Where are you going?”

“To try and reduce the damage you've done” Harry bellowed behind himself, running down the stairs. The students who saw him probably thought he was mad, but he didn't care.

As soon as he got to the Entrance Hall, he spotted her on a balcony, alone. He ran to her. She was going to freeze out there with that dress.

“Hermione…” he started.

“What do you want, Harry?” she said angrily, wiping away her tears. “Leave me alone, will you?”

Harry felt stabbed at her cold words, but still, he turned and walked away.

After some steps he stopped. “I just wanted to let you know I think you were gorgeous tonight” he said, then he cast a Heating Charm on her, then resumed his walk to Gryffindor common room.

Although she had not let him speak with her, and see her weeping, Hermione was extremely pleased by his words and his nice gestures of searching for her and heating her. After all, she did be cold out there, alone.

She sighed, hoping some day her dream could come true, and after some time she retreated to her dorm too.

Next day the three of them ignored the row between Ron and Hermione. They informed her about Hagrid's parentage.

She admitted she had suspected it, after all he couldn't be a real Giant, but not a normal wizard too. Then the day in which they should restart lessons came.

An awful surprise arrived. At Care of Magical Creatures there was no Hagrid, but a woman substituting him. Soon they found out why.

Malfoy and his cronies gave them a copy of the “Daily Prophet” in which, on the first page, there was an article by Rita Skeeter revealing Hagrid's parentage and berating him for that.

That sent Harry over the edge, and if he could he would have killed the woman on the spot.

Then Hogsmeade weekend came. They tried searching for Hagrid everywhere, but to no avail. Finally they tried into the “Three Broomsticks” but there they found just Rita Skeeter talking about Bagman.

A row started between Harry and her, and Hermione chimed in.

“Shut up, girl, on things you know nothing about. I know things on Bagman that would make your hair frizzle. Not that they would need that…” she ended casually.

“You say something more like that about her and you'll find your bloody quill shoved up your ugly ass!” Harry hissed menacingly, before exiting the pub with Ron and Hermione.

Then they went to Hagrid's hut, where they found Dumbledore too. The Headmaster refused Hagrid's resignation, and then left the three teenagers with the halfgiant.

They managed to convince him to continue teaching, no matter what. Then he expressed his hopes of Harry winning the Tournament, and so, when they went back to the castle, the boy thought once again about the Egg. He would discover its secret soon, he owed Hagrid that.

-->

3. The Second Task

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Harry Potter, or HBP would have been different!

A/N: This is my response to an old challenge, “The Second Task: Your take” by Aurabolt. Seeing GoF movie gave me good ideas for this one. I'm starting from First Task, though, leaving it as in the book, but rewriting it in my way. Not really necessary, but I thought it would be nice. Please, if you read, leave me a comment, it makes my day! Oh, you may find a mixture of book and movie in some parts…that's because I tried to insert in the way the book tells the things some scenes I loved from the movie!!

The Second Task

As soon as he got to the castle, Harry closed himself in the dorm, and opened the egg again. That nasty sound was once more filling the room, and he found himself closing the egg hastily.

He stood there all night, till his fellow dorm mates went to bed, thinking about what it could mean. But he understood nothing.

Days later, he and Hermione went for a walk, as they had the afternoon free. Ron had to do an essay for Snape as punishment, so he couldn't join them.

Walking on the grounds, they eventually got to the bridge linking the castle to the park. There they stopped walking, leaning on the bridge's edge while chatting.

“I thought you had solved it already! It's just two days before the task!” Hermione said, shocked.

“I didn't know that” Harry said sarcastically. “Bet Krum has solved it, uh?”

“I don't know. We never talk about the Tournament. Actually, we never talk at all. He's more of a physical kind”

Harry chuckled, catching the double meaning.

She did too, and giggled.

“Harry James Potter, take your mind out of the gutter! What I meant , is that he's not a very talkative person” she said, still smiling.

Harry chuckled again, like he was saying her “Yeah, I'm just buying that”

“Really, he just looks at me while I study. Quite unnerving, if you think of it…”

Then she suddenly became serious. “You are trying to solve it, aren't you, Harry?”

“And what is that supposed to mean?” Harry asked, now serious too.

“It means, that these tasks are made to value you, and” Harry looked away from her, so she suddenly rushed on the other side of him.

“I'm scared for you” she said intensely, looking him straight in the eye. “You made it the first time thanks to your nerve, but hey, I'm not sure this will be enough this time” she added then, still looking in his green orbs.

“Hey Harry!” they heard someone calling.

It was Cedric Diggory.

“Do you have a moment?” the Hufflepuff said, then noticing he was alone with Hermione, added “Am I interrupting something pleasant?”

Harry shook his head, but actually, chatting with Hermione HAD been pleasant. However, he sighed and walked to reach the older boy.

Hermione shook her head in frustration and walked away.

“Harry, Viktor won't be pleased if you steal his girlfriend” Cedric teased him.

Harry said nothing.

“So, how are you doing, Harry?”

“Spectacular” he said sarcastically.

“Now, now. I have not thanked you enough for the information on the dragons, Harry”

“No problem. You would have done the same”

“In fact. That's why I'm here. If you haven't solved your Egg yet, well, maybe the borders of the Forbidden Forest will be a nice place to think about it. It's secluded, no one will annoy you, and you can think as long as you want, without disturbing someone with it”

Harry looked at the boy like he had grown a second head.

“Well, I've got to go, Harry. See you soon”

And with that, Cedric was gone.

“The Forbidden Forest? That's crazy” Harry thought.

But hey, he had no clue of what to do with his egg, so it was worth a try.

That night, slipping his Invisibility cloak on, he took his egg and walked out of Gryffindor common room. Then, being careful to not be caught by Snape or Filch, he left the castle and walked to the edge of the forest.

There, he opened his egg, the nasty sound starting once again.

“I'm definitely gone mental” he said, closing it quickly. He was ready to leave when a voice stopped him.

“You may want to open it into the forest, Harry Potter”

Harry turned to see the centaur that had taught them Divination for a short time.

“Firenze!”

“Yeah, it is me. As I said, you may want to open it inside the forest” and with that the centaur was gone.

“Inside? Well, I'm here now, so I guess I'll go a bit further”

So he did, and finally opened the egg again.

This time he could hear words, like brought by the howling wind.

“Come to search us where we sing,

because in the open we can't say a thing,

and while you search, remember that,

we took something you'll miss

and just an hour you'll have to search

what we stole. Don't hesitate, `cause

after an hour it bad fate will have

what we took will never return”

Harry listened to it for many times, but he didn't understand it completely. However, at least now he had a clue.

The only thing he was sure about was that something would be taken from him, and he would have to take it back. But what?

Once back in the castle, Harry checked the Marauders Map to see if the way was free, and noticed a point labelled Crouch near Snape's office.

He was curious about it, so while walking up the stairs he continued looking at it, till he tripped in the step Neville always forgot to jump. He fell, the egg slipping from his hands and falling down the stairs, then opening, releasing the nasty sound.

Filch was there in moments, with Mrs. Norris, his cat.

“Peeves! What re you doing, blasted poltergeist!”

Then the caretaker saw the egg.

“Peeves! This is an egg of the Triwizard! You stole! I'll have you thrown out for this, mark my words!”

Soon later Snape arrived too.

“Filch, someone entered my office. Come help me find him”

“But Professor, I can have Peeves…”

“I don't care a thing about that cursed poltergeist, Filch, this is my office that…”

Then they all heard it.

Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.

Moody arrived.

“There's a night party going on here?” he asked.

The other two explained the situation, and Moody, who could see Harry through his cloak thanks to his magical eye, managed to steer them away from the boy.

Then he helped him get out of the hole in the stairs, and gave him back the egg. About the map, the professor was extremely interested, so asked if he could borrow it.

After all what Moody had done for him that night, it was the least Harry could do to accept, then he went to bed, after Moody's suggestion that he entered the Auror division.

“Interesting idea, but maybe it's better to check how many scars the other Aurors have…” he thought drifting to sleep.

It was just the day before the task, and they were in Charms.

Harry wanted to tell Hermione about Snape and Moody, and their fight while he was hidden by the cloak. The fight that led Snape to go to his office, without seeing him.

Ron was really interested.

“So you say Moody checked Snape's office too? Do you think he's here to control him?”

“I don't know if Dumbledore asked him to, but that's what he does”

“Maybe he thinks Snape put your name in the Goblet” Ron suggested.

“Ron, we thought once he was trying to kill Harry, and it came out he was saving him instead” Hermione said annoyed, while Banishing a cushion to the other side of the room.

Their petty fight continued till the end of the lesson.

All day he kept thinking about what the task would be about, exactly. Hermione and Ron tried to suggest him things, but to no avail.

No one could guess exactly what he would have to face till the day. The only thing he knew was that he would have to enter the Forbidden Forest to retrieve something.

That night, they were in the library searching all the creatures that lived in the forest, so Harry would be ready to face them, when Moody entered.

“Sorry to interrupt your reunion, but Professor McGonagall wants to see you”

All of them got up.

“Not you, Potter. Just Weasley and Granger”

So Ron and Hermione wished him goodnight, it was quite late after all, and then they followed the ex Auror.

Harry sighed.

For hours he stood there, reading, scribbling, searching, waiting for his friends to return.

He slumped in his seat. Their long absence was suspicious, and he started thinking maybe, just maybe, they were what he would need to retrieve.

Without Hermione he had no chance to be ready enough for the forest.

***

In McGonagall's office, Hermione and Ron found themselves with Cho and Gabrielle Delacour.

“Hi. Do you know why we are here?” Hermione asked.

“No. Nobody told us” Cho explained.

Then, four hexes hit them.

“Well done, Severus. No one of them was aware of the reason they were here, and no one got the time to see the spell hit them” McGonagall said, leaving the shadows with the Potions Master. They had frozen the students, and levitated them to the forest, where with Dumbledore, Hagrid and the other judges, they put them on their places where the Champions would have to retrieve them.

***

Harry passed all the night trying to get as much information on the forest as he could, but at one point he fell asleep.

He woke up in the morning thanks to Dobby, and remembered about the night before.

“Hermione…I need you. I miss you already…but no matter what, I'll save you” he said. “I have no idea how, but I'll do it”

So he walked to the edge of the forest, people staring at him. Some cheered him, others insulted him, especially the Slytherins, but he didn't care.

His only worry now was to save Hermione as soon as he could.

When he arrived at the edge of the forest, however, he saw what would be probably the bigger obstacle to him saving her. Viktor Krum. Dumbledore had explained the rules to the crowd, but the Champions had heard too.

“Of course” Harry thought, groaning. “Hermione is Krum's hostage. My one is Ron. After all, Dumbledore said they stole a thing from every champion. Very well, Viktor. We'll see who'll save her”

Dumbledore gave the signal for the start, and the four champions ran into the forest.

Harry kept dodging the branches that he would often find on his path, while Krum showed no mercy for the trees, simply blasting them away. The two of them were by far on the lead, probably Cedric and Fleur had been attacked by some creature already.

Viktor was gaining some advantage.

“Oh no. He's going to get to them first. I can't allow that. I can't let him save Hermione” Harry thought, so he hexed the Bulgarian. Nothing painful, just a minor spell to bind his feet together.

“You vant war, Potter? And var you'll have” Krum hissed. The standing up again, he aimed his wand at Harry's back, since the raven haired wizard had now surpassed him.

“Tarantallegra!”

Harry's leg started to feel like jelly while he could not stop himself from dancing stupidly.

Krum's laughter sounded in the forest, while the boy ran ahead of Harry.

After some minutes, Harry regained control of his body and started running at top speed, but suddenly something attacked him.

He rolled on the ground just in time to avoid being bitten by a wolf.

Others surrounded him.

“Wolves” he muttered. “Very well”

He steeled his resolve, as he hated to hurt any living creature, but regaining ground on Krum was vital for him. He would not allow a stranger to save Hermione. He would do it.

So he fired hexes at the wolves, making their furs burst in flames.

“Sorry guys, I'm a bit in a hurry” he said, while the beasts retreated howling madly in pain.

He kept running behind Krum, now seeing his form. He was gaining on him.

A sudden thought invaded his mind. “Why do I care so much if Krum gets there first? After all, Hermione would still be my friend, even if Krum saves her”

Then he cursed. “Why did they choose Ron for me? Bloody Hell, they should know without Hermione I'm lost!”

Still trying to gain on Krum, he understood why.

He had missed Ron lots when there was that rift between them. So he cared a lot for him. But he had never been without Hermione before. Well, she had been petrified in second year, but that was different. So he did not understand how much he needed her in his life before he understood she had been taken hostage, and the risk he would never see her again.

“Petrificus Totalis!” he cried after Krum, who dodged the hex.

“Stupefy!” the older student cried. Harry dodged the red light, it was a spell he had never witnessed till that moment and did not want to test it on himself.

“Engorgio!” Harry cried on the tree in front of Krum, effectively delaying him as the tree grew in width, blocking the Durmstrang Champion's path.

Harry grinned.

“Great! I'm almost even with him now!”

He kept running, his sides aching for the long effort, and that reminded him he may want to fit his resistance.

Krum didn't seem to have a problem instead, so soon Harry lost him again, as he had to slow his pace a bit.

He did not surrender tough, and soon started running at top speed again.

He felt his ankles being grabbed by something, and noticed that the plants on the ground were growing all around him.

“Diffindo!” he cried many times, slowly moving trough that part of the forest.

Krum must have found it more difficult, as Harry found himself just few meters behind the other boy.

“It's desperate, but I'm never going to reach him if I don't try” he thought. “And I will do all what's in my power to reach my most loved one”

As soon as he thought that, he blinked. “Loved? Now, where did that come from? I mean, I love Hermione, but as a friend, nothing more. Or not?”

He noticed Krum was vanishing again. “I'll dwell on this later”

“Accio Krum!” he cried.

The older boy flew backwards toward Harry, and collapsed on him.

“Leave me, Potter!”

“No way! I won't let you save Hermione!”

“Hermy-own-ninny is my target, not yours! You have another to save!” Krum said.

“You don't care for her like I do. She's my most precious, not yours!” Harry spat back.

They started wrestling on the ground, punches and kicks were thrown from both parties, and Cedric took advantage of that.

He had silently gained on them thanks to their hexes to each other, and now surpassed them, gaining the lead.

Fleur, instead, was nowhere to be seen.

Soon Krum managed to place a well directed punch on Harry's nose, and to run away again.

Harry got up swiftly, not caring about the blood dripping from his nose. He simply wiped it with his sleeve.

Just then an howling of wind brought them some words.

“You've got an hour to search

what we stole. Don't hesitate…”

“I'll get you, Krum, don't worry. I'll get to her before you” he said, starting to pursue the other boy.

He then tried banishing him toward a tree, but missed the target so the boy simply fell on the ground.

“…half your time you've spent, now don't slow down

if what you care for you want to get back…”

“Off with you, Potter!” Krum growled, then aimed his wand at him. He muttered a spell Harry did not know, and soon the Gryffindor boy found his shoulder bleeding from a deep gash.

“Bloody bastard!” Harry muttered, running wildly and holding his shoulder with his hand. Harry, however, knew the forest a bit better than Viktor, having been there other times too. So he took a path on the right, and few minutes later he found himself in a clearing, his opponent coming there just in that moment from the other path.

“Potter? How is it possible? You were far behind me” Krum said.

“There are shorter paths, Viktor” Harry said smugly, but then he heard some ominous clicking.

He recognized it, and doubted that it was a predicted part of the task.

Probably the same one who put his name in the Goblet was now adding this thrilling event just to kill him.

“Acromantulas. Viktor, we're not going to exit this forest alive if we don't team for the moment. Our rivalry will continue after we get rid of them” he said.

Krum nodded, just when the first of Aragog's sons came into view.

“Poor Ron, hope he has not to see them” Harry thought. “And Hermione too”

He knew the spell to get rid of them, but he needed help. There were lots of spiders to deal with.

“Viktor we need to use this spell” he said, explaining it to the Bulgarian, who nodded.

“I know it” Viktor said.

“Very well, then. Let's start”

“Arania Exumai” both cried over and over, and streaks of blue light hit the spiders, blasting them away.

After some time, they managed to leave the clearing.

They could see a mist in the distance, probably it was there that the hostages were kept.

As they ran toward it, Krum was attacked by the plants again, while Harry managed to dodge them.

He was now in the lead in their personal race. Cedric had probably already taken his hostage, but Harry didn't care.

Soon Harry understood what the mist was for.

There were Dementors all around the hostages, sucking on their happy thoughts. Some were dangerously near to them, probably ready to give them the Kiss.

Harry thought quickly to the happiest moment in his life, and this time, it was no more with his parents like in third year, but it was a moment with Hermione.

They were alone, in the common room, and they were sitting on a couch holding each other after practicing the Accio Charm. He grinned at himself, then cried “Expecto Patronum!”

From the tip of his wand a silver stag erupted, and charged against the Dementors, and Harry caught a glimpse of a drained Cedric touching one of the Portkeys they had to go back to the edge of the forest, bringing an equally drained Cho with him.

He then saw her.

Hermione was with Ron and another girl he didn't know, head resting on her shoulder. She seemed peacefully sleeping now.

He hesitated one moment to look at her, the image he used to conjure the Patronus finally making him admit his feelings for her, and when he focused again it was too late.

Krum had surpassed him, taking Hermione's hand and a Portkey.

“Nooo!!” Harry screamed, while Krum looked at him smugly.

“Ok, then. I'll take back Ron and this other girl, since Fleur hasn't showed up and the hour is finished” he said, dejectedly.

He noticed wolves circling him again, so he swiftly grabbed the two hostages and with a Portkey he was back near Hagrid's Hut.

Once there, Madame Pomfrey attended at his wounds like she had done for the other champions. Cedric had reported the presence of Dementors, and Krum spoke about the Acromantulas.

Hermione was looking at them in awe but worried too since Harry had not come back yet. Well, she didn't know he had, at least.

Then he saw something that made his blood boil.

Krum placed his arms around Hermione, and kissed her on the lips.

He stormed away, not caring about healing his wounds anymore.

Far deeper wounds had been opened in that moment.

If he had remained, though, he would have seen her pushing him away gently, refusing his kiss.

Soon later, she found Ron, still dazed because Fleur had kissed him on the cheek as a thanking for having helped Harry in saving Gabrielle, her little sister.

Harry had gotten her kiss too, as soon as he had arrived, but Pomfrey had taken him away.

“Ron, have you seen Harry?”

“Just stomped away. Guess he wasn't happy about you and Vicky kissing” Ron said dreamily.

It struck Hermione.

“Crap! If Harry has seen us, he's going to think I fancy Viktor! I need to find him soon!”

So she ran toward the castle, barely hearing that Harry was first even with Cedric.

Almost an hour later, she found him, flying in circles over the Quidditch pitch.

“Harry, come down, we need to talk” she shouted at him.

“What are you doing here, Hermione? Why aren't you celebrating with Vicky and snogging him senseless in the nearest broom closet?” Harry spat angrily, without looking at her.

“You're starting to sound like Ron. Even nastier if possible”

Harry did land in front of her, but simply walked away, ignoring the girl.

She spun on her heels at full speed.

“Harry James Potter, don't you dare to ignore me!” she shouted, fully angered now.

He stopped in his tracks, then turned and stomped toward her, throwing his precious Firebolt on the ground in the process.

Then he grabbed her wrists tightly, almost painfully. She winced.

“Hermione, did you know you were taken as one of the champions' most precious person?” he asked.

“No, I didn't but…” she said weakly, scared by his reaction.

“Very well, then. Listen to me for once. You were Krum's hostage, and mine was Ron. Wanna know why? Because I had missed so much the git at the beginning of the year, that I felt like I couldn't live without him. Oh, I was wrong. Yesterday night, when you didn't come back, I understood. You were taken as an hostage, and I might not have been able to see you again. That made me realize something, Hermione. YOU are my most precious person. Not Ron. It pained me to see him not talking to me, yes, but I had you. Till I had you, I was ok, somehow”

He stopped to breath.

“Harry…”

“No, Hermione. Let me finish. Without you, I'm lost. This morning I swore to myself I would save you. I would get you out of that forest. Then I remembered, seeing Krum. You couldn't be my hostage. The only champion caring for Ron was me, so he had to be my one, while Krum had you. I couldn't let him save you in my place, so during the task we raced for you. We hexed each other, gave nasty bruises to each other, and my shoulder is an hint of that, then we had to face the spiders. We teamed against them, but then the race started once more. We even wrestled for you, Hermione. That's how I probably broke my nose. Then I got to where you and the others were. And found Dementors sucking away your very soul, ready to give you the Kiss.

I blasted them away, Hermione, but Krum took advantage of that to reach you first. Now you know the full story” he continued releasing her wrists, his tone now calmer, his eyes teary eyed, as he refused to look at her.

“Now you can go, as you obviously fancy Krum, so you go, and celebrate with him, and thank him for saving you, and kiss him…” he was rambling now.

She looked at him smiling. She had always thought he was cute when he rambled, with that spiky hair and green eyes…

“…but I couldn't let you go without telling you, Hermione” he kept babbling.

Then he looked at the stars now starting to appear in the sky, and sighed.

“Harry” she said, still smiling.

He kept rambling about her supposed feelings for Krum.

“Harry” she said louder, restraining her amusement.

He still kept rambling, lost in his thoughts.

“Harry!” she nearly shouted, mirth evident in her twinkling eyes.

“What?” he finally said.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer and closer.

“Shut up and kiss me”

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4. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Harry Potter, or HBP would have been different!

A/N: This is my response to an old challenge, “The Second Task: Your take” by Aurabolt. Seeing GoF movie gave me good ideas for this one. I'm starting from First Task, though, leaving it as in the book, but rewriting it in my way. Not really necessary, but I thought it would be nice. Please, if you read, leave me a comment, it makes my day! Oh, you may find a mixture of book and movie in some parts…that's because I tried to insert in the way the book tells the things some scenes I loved from the movie!! A small gift for all my faithful reviewers this is! Hope you enjoy!

Epilogue

“Shut up and kiss me”

“What?” Harry asked.

Hermione's amusement was quickly turning in frustration.

“I said, shut up and kiss me” she repeated, clearly annoyed.

“Oh” was Harry's response.

Finally his brain let the words sink in, so he slowly closed the really little distance between them, finally placing his lips on hers.

For a moment they stayed still, enjoying the wonderful sensation, but then he took all his Gryffindor courage, and ran his tongue on her lower lip.

She quickly allowed him access, and soon a their tongues entwined, battling with each other.

It was like tons of fireworks had erupted within both of them, and they kept coming for more.

Neither could break the kiss, as they were so eager to show the other how much love they felt for him/her.

Harry then tried sucking on her lower lip, eliciting a moan from her. He smiled against her lips, still kissing her fiercely.

Finally they did part, for lack of oxygen.

“Wow” was all what Harry could say.

“Yeah, wow” she replied, her eyes glazed, her lips pink and swollen. She softly touched them with her fingers.

“So I guess this changes everything, doesn't it?” he said, taking her back in his arms.

“Yes, it does. But I think that's a good change, because I'll be able to do this” she said, kissing him quickly, “whenever I want”

“Oh, is that so, Granger? Well, in this case I'll be able to do this, whenever I want” he said, taking her up of the ground, and starting to spin her around, keeping her as close as physically possible to him.

She giggled, but in the end Harry lost his balance, so they ended on the ground.

She giggled harder, he chuckled too.

“You can't even spin your girlfriend around, Potter” she said, teasing him.

“Girlfriend? Is that so?” he said

She grew serious. “Well, if you don't want for me to…” she started, but he silenced her with a kiss full of raw passion and desire, and she moaned into his mouth.

Then she kissed him back with the same passion, rolling on top of him, and it was his turn to moan.

Just in that moment, Viktor Krum entered the Quidditch pitch to have some flying and escape his fan club. He spotted them, snogging each other brains out on the grass.

He smiled sadly.

“And here I was thinking I would have to confront him soon about his feelings for her…guess there's no need for that, now” he said, silently walking away to give them some privacy.

Later, Harry and Hermione returned to Gryffindor Tower holding hands.

They entered the common room and the first to spot that detail was Ginny.

She rushed to them, grinning. “Does that mean what I think it means?” she said to Hermione. The other girl nodded happily.

The redhead squealed and hugged her tightly.

“Girls” Ron muttered.

“Ron, can I have a word with you?” Harry asked.

His mate nodded to they went up to the dorm, that was deserted. Harry locked the door.

“So, what's the matter, Harry?” Ron asked.

“Ron, I know you fancy Hermione” Harry started. Ron got red behind his ears.

“I do not!” he protested.

“Of course you do, Ron. We both know it. Now, the fact is, that me and Hermione got together this afternoon, after I stomped away…”

“And you're telling me this to try and not have other jealousy issues from me, right?” Ron said. “Well, Harry, I won't lie to you. This hurts like hell. But at least you two didn't try to sneak behind my back, and that I appreciate a lot. And in my heart I have always known you were the best guy for her. So, here's my blessing” he grinned, just a bit sadly.

“Thanks Ron. This means a lot to me” Harry said, hugging him manly.

“But Harry, you must know that if you hurt her, I'll kick your ass, even if you're the bloody Boy-Who-Lived and Triwizard Champion” Ron added.

Both of them started laughing, then walked back to the common room, where Harry was once again cheered for passing the second task. Now just one was to go.

Later that evening, Harry wrote to Sirius about the second task. Hermione then accompanied him to the Owlery to send the letter.

Once the owl had fled away, they returned to the common room holding hands.

Then they stayed together on the couch in front of the fire, cuddling, and fell asleep that way.

“Aww, this is so cute” Harry heard someone saying.

Taking in the surroundings, he saw his fellow Gryffindors around the couch, smiling at the happy couple. Soon Hermione stirred too.

“Harry” she murmured half asleep.

“Yeah”

Then she, not aware of having an audience, kissed him.

Clapping of hands followed, and Hermione gasped, realizing there was someone in the room. Both of them blushed deeply, while the girls were squealing like mad.

“That's so sweet” Parvati said, dreamily.

“Yeah, perfectly romantic” Lavender added, sighing.

***

Time passed, and all the school knew Harry and Hermione were an item.

Apart for the fact that in Hogwarts every thing bound to be a secret was immediately known by everyone, it would have difficult not to understand it, as they were always together.

It seemed the were joined at the hip.

Many nights they would find some secluded spot in the halls or in some closet, or in the Astronomy Tower to sneak and have a good snogging.

After all, with Harry's cloak and map, that Moody had given back to him, it was really hard for Filch to find them.

Sometimes things heated up, but since both of them were responsible teenagers, never they abandoned themselves to the pure lust, and kept a good level of self control.

Oh, they would have loved to take that step in their relationship, but Hermione had expressed the desire to wait till her marriage, and Harry loved her too much to try and contest her decision.

He would follow it, no matter how much restrain he would have to exercise on himself. Hermione, on her part, was growing frustrated with her decision, but managed to go with it all the same.

As time passed, the third task neared. This time no clues were to be solved, so the Champions had only to wait and see what they would have to face.

July 24th came soon, too soon in Harry's opinion. Not that he was afraid of the task, after all he had already overcome a dragon and many other creatures in the Forest, but it meant the end of the school term was near, and so was his parting from Hermione, at least for the first part of the summer holidays.

He couldn't bear it.

“Oh, come on. It's not like we're going to not see each other for a year, Harry. Don't be a baby. Plus, we'll write to each other often, so we won't feel alone”

“That will never be the same than holding you like I'm doing now” he retorted. “So, since I can't change what is going to happen soon, I better make good use of the time I've left” he said suggestively.

“And what is it that you're suggesting, Mr. Potter?” she said, leaning in.

He did not reply, but captured her lips with his own. The kiss was fierce, raw passion fuelling it.

Hermione could feel the bruises forming on her lips, but she didn't care. All what she wanted was to kiss him into oblivion.

He started running his hands along her body, down her back, and finally he gently grabbed her breasts trough the fabric of her clothes.

She moaned at the touch, and kissed him harder, while he massaged them softly, and ground her hips against his own, and smiled against his lips feeling something stirring in his pants.

After some time, he broke the kiss, knowing that if they didn't stop soon, they would not be able to.

“Well, I would say this use of the time we have is quite good, Mr. Potter. But as much as I hate to interrupt this, tomorrow there's the third task, and we wouldn't want you losing the tournament because you fell asleep through the maze, do we?” Hermione said slyly.

Harry had been showed with the other Champions the final task that afternoon, and he had told her about it.

“Of course not, Ms. Granger. So I guess we should both go to sleep, as we don't want you falling from the stands while cheering your handsome boyfriend, for lack of sleep, do we?”

“Handsome? Your ego is a bit inflated, Mr. Potter” she said.

“Is that so? I'm sure I'll be able to find a girl here in Hogwarts who thinks I'm handsome, Granger” he said playfully.

She smiled at him, then they got up.

“Goodnight Harry” she said after a last quick kiss.

“Goodnight, love” he said, playfully smacking her bum.

She turned outraged, but then burst laughing seeing the innocent face he was giving her.

“Off to bed with you” she said then, and both of them retreated to their dorms.

Third task came, and just before entering the maze Harry searched the stands for Hermione. Finally he spotted her, and she blew him a kiss.

He grinned, and mouthed “I love you”

She felt giddy seeing that and mouthed it back.

Then Dumbledore called the Champions around him.

“You won't face dragons or creatures of the forest in there, but something far riskier. Oh, find the cup if you can, but be careful. You can lose yourself, in the maze. Now, since Mr. Potter and Mr. Diggory are even at the first place, they'll enter together. Then Mr. Krum, and then Miss Delacour”

And so it started.

Through many perils, one being an Imperioed Krum, Cedric and Harry managed to get to the Cup together.

They agreed to take it at the same time, as a draw, but they were Portkeyed away, in a graveyard Harry had already seen in his dreams.

Soon Wormtail and Voldemort came.

“Kill the spare” Voldemort ordered, and so Wormtail did. Then Harry saw Voldemort's rebirth, and duelled with him, barely managing to come back to Hogwarts thanks to the “Prior Incantatio” that gave him the time to get to the cup with Cedric's body.

A couple days later, after Dumbledore's eulogy for the Hufflepuff boy, Harry and Hermione were walking hand in hand in the park.

He was leading her toward the lake, for a surprise. It was that year's last night at Hogwarts.

Once they got to the place, Hermione gasped.

It was a romantic setting, candle lit, with a large blanket for them to sit onto, and an huge basket of food, making of Dobby.

As soon as they sat, romantic music started to play, and continued through their whole meal.

“Harry, really, you shouldn't have” she said.

“Hermione, I would do anything for you. Last days has been drenched in sadness and grief, and I honestly don't know if I can stop blaming myself for what has happened. But tonight, is only for us” he said.

Then, once they had finished eating, he stood up, walked toward her.

“Miss, would you give me the honour of this dance?” he said, bowing in front of her.

She giggled, and took his hand eagerly. “My, you're really courteous, sir. I'll accept your offer gladly” she said, as he grinned and placed his hands on her waist, starting to move at the slow rhythm of the song.

“I've wanted to do this since the Yule Ball” he confessed. “And that's saying something, as I don't like to dance. But with you, it's different. I feel at ease”

Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes, but managed, even if barely, to control them.

“I've wanted to dance with you like this for a long time too, Harry” she said, resting her head on his chest while swaying to the music.

Later, they stopped dancing and she sat again on the blanket. She expected him to sit with her, holding her, but instead he kneeled in front of her.

Then, waving his wand over his left hand, he conjured a small box.

Clicking it open, he revealed a simple gold ring, with a small diamond on it.

Hermione gasped.

“I know we're still young, Hermione. So this is not an engagement ring, but a promise ring. I promise you, Hermione Jane Granger, that one day I'll marry you” he said. “Do you accept it?”

She was speechless, tears of joy now impossible to stop falling freely on her cheeks.

He saw her crying, and panicked.

“Hermione, please, stop crying. I know this is not a beautiful ring, but as soon as I get to Diagon Alley I'll buy you one that's better, or, if you don't want it, I'll understand…” he started rambling.

She wiped away her tears, giggling. She absolutely adored him when he rambled.

“Harry” she called.

“What?” he said.

“Once again, shut up and kiss me” she said, smiling at him that smile, the one that raised his spirits no matter what.

He grinned, slipped the ring on her finger, and eagerly complied.

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