Girl Who Escaped {Harry Potter: The Goblet of Fire} [BEING EDITED]

[9] Dragons

     As we got up to leave, passing Viktor on the way, he caught my arm, and Hermione and Harry continued to walk away.

     "Quidditch this afternoon?" He offered.

     I smiled slightly, but shook my head, "I have to help Harry. And I'm sure Karakoff would be blooming mad if you wasted time on me, when the tournament is day after tomorrow."

     "It vouldn't be a 'vaste of time,' It vould be helping me to relax."

     "Sorry, Vik." I bit my lip, "I really have to go. I'll be cheering you on."

     My statement made him laugh half-heartedly, before standing up and giving me a hug. I accepted this embrace gladly, barely able to wrap my arms around his neck as his was so tall and broad. When I pulled away he was smiling.

     "Soon, though?"

     "Soon," I agreed.

     I caught up with Harry and Hermione a few minutes later, and a gang of girls tiptoed past the three of us, one of them wearing a Bulgarian scarf tied around her waist.

     "Told you," Hermione muttered.

   ...

That night I slept constantly chased by nightmares of things going wrong in the tournament. If something happened to Viktor or Harry, I wouldn't forgive myself.

     Breakfast was rather quiet and difficult. I kept stealing glances at Harry, worried for his well being. He seemed to want to upchuck anything that he swallowed. As Harry, Hermione, and I finished to get up, I caught sight of Cedric Diggory leaving the Hufflepuff table.

     Cedric still didn't know about the dragons... the only champion who didn't, if Maxime and Karkaroff would have told Fleur and Krum.

     "Hermione, Ash, I'll see you two in the greenhouses," Harry said, "Go on, I'll catch up."

     "Harry, you'll be late, the bell's about to ring--"

     He cut me off, "I'll catch up, okay?" giving a reassuring smile.

     "This had better be good," I warned in a motherly tone.

   ...

Hermione and I talked and laughed all the way through our walk in the vegetable patch until we arrived in greenhouse number two.

     "Alright students, today we will be pruning a Flutterby Bush!" said Proffessor Spout, clasping her hands together. I prided myself on my studies, but this was one plant I'd never heard of.

     "A what...?" I whispered to Hermione.

     She did the oddest thing... Hermione Granger, shrugged.

     After ten minutes of pruning our bushes, I started to get worried.

     "A little late isn't he?" I asked, gripping the top of the bush with my dragon hide gloves.

     She snorted, "Well, we warned him... I just wonder what was so important he was late for Herbology."

     I nodded absently, not being able to fully concentrate on the assignment.

     The first task was only hours away, and there would be a real dragon, full ready to burn Harry to a bloody pulp. Why must this happen? He never asked to be put in mortal danger, and he could die from this.

     "Ash," Harry whispered, sneaking up behind me, making me jump "Ash-- I need you to help me."

     A lump formed in my throat-- don't ask why-- it just did. Seeing him standing there, looking so innocent. Needing help from me.