Blood to Love | 4th year

25- Task Two

After the four champions dove into the water for the official second triwizard tournament task, all of us students and Hogwarts staff impatiently waited from the platforms above the water.

Harry emerged from the water a few seconds after unwillingly diving in, with horrid webbed limbs, and he suddenly dove back down deeper into the water to search for his lost and most valued belonging.

"Y/n!"

I looked over at Draco who was glancing at our connected hands. My grip was exceedingly tight and the color in his fingers were being stripped away by the second.

"Oh," I mumbled, loosening my grip and staring into the dark and calm water.

"Where are Hermione and Ron?" Blaise questioned, already becoming bored at the silence amongst the crowd.

"I'm not sure, they must've not wanted to come either. I haven't seen them in awhile," I replied, refraining from tearing my gaze off of the water. "Where is Finn?"

I glanced around the groups of students looking for the familiar brown head of hair but as I couldn't see it in the span of a few seconds, my patience wore out and I focused on spotting movement from the water.

"Y/n!"

I looked angrily to Draco and realized my grip had already become firm once more. I sent an apologetic smile and released our hands completely.

He frowned but didn't bother reconnecting them. Blaise offered his hand but I batted it down, knowing he too would be cut short of blood circulation.

Whispers spread amongst the crowd and bets were placed on which students would make it out first — or alive.

I refrained from eavesdropping on any group conversations, knowing they were assuming the worst as the champions searched the large lake.

Minutes felt like hours. I was so focused that I hardly realized Dumbledores booming voice sound loudly to all of the students.

"The Beauxbatons champion, Ms. Delacour, has unfortunately been forced to retire and will take no further part in this task."

I glanced around the gossipy students until I noticed the familiar blonde girl shivering in her bathing suit, becoming bombarded with questions and towels for warmth.

I grimaced at the overbearing crowd around her as she blatantly worried about not retrieving her missing item from the dangerous water.

Creature-like noises — screeches precisely — were sounded from below.

"Harry's going to die," I muttered, speaking aloud the words that were consistently repeating in my hopeless mind.

"When has 'the chosen one' ever had the opportunity to die? That guy is immortal," Draco comforted, his words only slightly lightening my mood.

"Where's Ron's jokes when you need him?"

Blaise chuckled slightly at my remark but we continued staring into the water, anxiously waiting for the champions to forfeit or come up with their missing belongings.

The task time was quickly running out and there was only about ten minutes remaining, only one champion out of the water and to complete safety.

Cheers were abruptly sounded to the right of us and we three turned our heads in the direction of the jubilant shouts.

Cedric sprouted out of the water, carrying Finn who had seemingly just awoken after reviewing oxygen.

I sprinted over to the pair of boys and wrapped a towel around each of them before giving Finn a pat on the back.