The War of the Unwilling Hearts (Harry Potter fanfic [Viktor Krum])

Through The Maze You Go

24th of June

Today, I'd be forced to watch Viktor disappear into what ever hellish thing they'd been growing in the quidditch pitch all year and shipping things into it. Some crates were huge; some were small.

"Good luck." I say sadly when I have to let go of Viktor's hand at the entrance of the pitch.

"I vill see you in an hour's time." He promises, cupping my face in his hand and caressing my cheek with his thumb. He kisses my forehead and joins the other champions.

It's a maze they have to traverse with beasts and enchantments intended to deny them entry on their way to claim the Triwizard Cup. I nod sadly at Viktor when he steps into the maze and the high wall of foliage closes up behind him. Hermione wraps an arm around me in a comforting way and we sit to watch the time tick away. Champions didn't have a time limit and I had read that an audience once camped around the pitch when this challenge had been constructed several other times. I don't think they could pull me out of my seat if it came to that; I'd sleep on the wooden benches if sleep ever did present itself to me.

"He'll be fine." Hermione reassures.

"Would you be so calm if Ron were made to go through it?" I ask in genuine curiosity.

"I guess I wouldn't." She admits.

Before the task I had told Viktor how scared I really was. We'd only been a couple for almost two months but when I told him I would be his girlfriend I handed over a few metaphorical keys and I wasn't used to being without them. Now he was venturing into the unknown and there was a possibility he could die. I was terrified of what that could do to me. Not to mention the bond I had formed with Viktor.

Suddenly, red sparks fly up into the air and I perch on the edge of my seat as the officials flying high over the maze swoop down to pluck a champion from its darkness. It's an unconscious Fleur.

"Only stunned." The officials inform and I nearly collapse back onto the bench but more because I can feel a tightening in my chest. They hadn't even been in the maze that long before Fleur had to come back out. And even though no one else wanted to see it, Fleur was an excellent witch. If she weren't she would have been worse off earlier, no matter how much help she got from Madam Maxime.

"Milena could you let go of my hand?" Hermione asks from my right.

"Huh?" I look down and see her hand turning bright white under the pressure of my grip. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright." She laughs and rubs my back.

"They'll be too far in to hear any screams by now." I observe. 

"Would you want to hear it anyway?" Hermione asks.

"No, I suppose I wouldn't." I sigh.

"Viktor is going to be fine I promise." 

An hour later and more red spark fly up, trapping my next breath at the back of my throat. The officials have to travel so far they're merely large birds in the sky. When they lower Viktor to the ground I can't even swallow the trapped air.

"He's okay right?" I whisper weakly to Hermione.

"Of course." She replies.

"Why are they taking so long? Why are they talking like that?" I grip the banister in front me until I'm almost sure that it would splinter if I wanted. "Hermione, they're taking him away."

"Milena sit down." Hermione urges.

"Only stunned." One of the officials announces but his voice is neither confident nor convincing. I move to chase after the men carrying Viktor away.