It's OK Not To Be OK (But I Promise, I'm Trying)

Chapter 27

Disclaimer: don't own

Ginny watched the hedges with worry, her hand grasping onto Hermione's with a strength the older girl hadn't known the redhead possessed. She didn't say anything, however, because she knew the girl was scared for her boyfriend.

After almost an hour of staring at the hedges, the crowd jumped at a high-pitched scream, and shouted and pointed at the red sparks that burst over the maze. A few minutes later, Fleur was brought out of the darkness, unconscious, and Madam Pomfrey descended, as her family flocked to her side.

Ginny sighed, and they went back to waiting.

It was another half an hour before the hedges started to melt back into the ground, even as Ginny gasped and screamed, "Harry!"

The rest of the group around her looked at her, confused, but she just continued to stare ahead, tears streaming down her face.

They all turned back to the maze, trying to see what she was looking at, and were immediately confused when they appeared to be missing two champions. Viktor was fighting a Blast Ended Skrewt, but Harry and Cedric were both absent.

Chaos seemed to reign, as Hermione shook Ginny, trying to gain her attention.

Finally, Ginny shook herself and turned to the witch next to her. Hermione frowned. "Ginny, what's going on?"

Ginny just furrowed her brow, thinking as she surveyed the crowds. Something didn't feel right. Her gaze settled on their Defense professor. Harry hadn't said anything, but she had caught on to his feelings of discomfort around the harsh man. And she had learned that Harry's instincts were usually correct. He was currently looking rather shifty, as if waiting for something, and not at all concerned that two students were apparently missing.

"Hermione," she said lowly, turning back to her friend. "Something's wrong. Look at Moody." The older girl turned to their professor, confused. Ginny elaborated, "Harry's had a bad feeling about him for a while, but he didn't think it was anything important. But I think he might have been on to something. He doesn't look worried about Harry and Cedric."

Hermione studied the man in question, and realized that Ginny was right. Moody was standing off to the side, but his expression was more... anticipation. She turned back to her friend. "What should we do?" she asked quietly, subconsciously deferring to the younger girl, knowing that Ginny was much more like Harry, in that she was better able to lead in a battle situation when called for.

Ginny bit her lip, trying to reach out to Harry, but she couldn't feel him at all. She wondered if he was incapacitated in some way, or if their bond just didn't stretch as far as wherever he was now. She hoped it was the latter, and wherever he was, he was fighting. "Get the others," she decided. "We'll watch him, and if he tries something, we stun."

Hermione nodded, and gestured for Ron, Neville, and Susan to follow them, while the adults were all heading over to Dumbledore and Minerva to find out what was going on.

The two girls explained to the others what they had observed, and the five students discreetly got into a position where they could watch their Defense professor and be ready to act, should the situation require it.

XXX

Harry braced his legs for impact, and hit the ground with a thud, jarring his knees, but thankfully remaining standing.

The cup rolled away, and Cedric picked himself up shakily. "A portkey?" he asked.

Harry nodded, the feeling of dread curling in his stomach. He tried to reach out to Ginny, but he couldn't seem to feel her. Apparently, their bond was not quite strong enough to reach across the distance between them. Not that he had any idea where he was right now.