Of Apples and Oranges

III: x: In the Arms of a Gryffindor

Argentum shuffled his hands, leaned with his hindquarters sticking out, and took a diving leap off of the dock and into the Hogwarts Lake at the sound of the gun. A shark fin later appeared where he had transfigured himself. He had gotten the idea from Victor Krum who Argentum was eavesdropping on while he was talking to another Durmstrang student. He'd never willingly talk to Krum. Since being chosen as the Durmstrang champion, no one from the school besides Quill would talk to Argentum. An air of jealousy and superiority surrounded the school's students as if they were aware of Argentum's blood status unbeknownst to him.

Aurum(who was again wearing her sweater from from Christmas) and Draco sat in the crowd with the Harry Potter Fan Club lined up next to Aurum. None could hardly contain their excitement. Aurum and Draco rooted strongly for Argentum despite his forfeiting tendencies and not being Harry Potter like the rest of the HPFC wanted.

Neville stepped into his seat between Ginny and Aurum with a horrible look on his face. He was absolutely mortified.

"What happened, Longbottom? Take a dump in the lake and get noticed?" Draco jeered.

"I think I just killed Harry Potter." Neville admitted nervously, his hand clutching his heart.

"Good on you, mate. Didn't think you had it in you. Doing the school a big favor." Draco nodded happily. Aurum elbowed his arm, sending a death glare his way.

"What did you do?" Aurum inquired.

Neville stammered for quite a while before finally managing out, "I gave him Gillyweed, but I don't if it really worked, I mean—"

All were silent with shock and awe as a boy with fins for feet and webbed hands sprang out of the water like a dolphin. On his way down, cheers and applause sprouted up through the stands, being especially strong at the HPFC.

"What an entrance!" Aurum laughed out of surprise at the sight.

"He sure knows how to do that." Draco grumbled.

A few minutes later, the Durmstrang crowd erupted in cheer as Argentum came back with a shivering Chantelle. He had transfigured back and was now handing her off to the tent to get dried. After a short talk with the judges, he followed her.

Next, Cedric Diggory came back up with Cho Chang, bursting the bubble he had created around himself. Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Slytherins alike put their hands together for this man.

Then, surprising the entire audience, Fleur came back with nobody. She was freaking out on the docks as they rushed her to get towels. She refused, wanting to stay to see what might happen to whoever was down there for her.

Almost an hour after Fleur had come up, Harry emerged from the lake, toting Ronald and who seemed to be Fleur's sister from what Aurum remembered. By the time they broke the surface of the water, the two could breathe so they ended up swimming some of it on their own so Harry didn't have to carry so much weight.

The HPFC— and Draco reluctantly— rushed down through the stands to greet Harry and congratulate him, for the judges had decided to call his place second for being so kind as to save others and not just his own friend.

Harry was still resting at the edge of the dock, half his body submerged in the water. He smiled up at Aurum as she came to greet him on her knees.

"That was great! I can't believe you managed to save both! So what were the mermaids like?" Aurum asked giddily.

"Awful. How did you all know about this?" Harry asked, furrowing his brow.

"They have an announcer, you know." Aurum shrugged as if it should have been obvious to him.

"So what was up with you ditching me last minute at the Yule Ball? I never really got the chance to ask."

Aurum chuckled, staring off into the distance and blushing. "Oh, just—just women things."

Harry pushed himself onto the deck, and almost slipping, Aurum hoisted him up. Her pull was too strong and she ended up throwing him into her arms. It was too close for comfort, so they broke up immediately, Aurum going to the HPFC, and Harry going to the tent with the rest of the champions. She couldn't help but feel like he was gazing at her behind her back as he left.

Ginny and Lavender began squealing as they stared after Harry. They whipped around on Aurum with wide grins that made the blonde only slightly uncomfortable.

"So... someone likes Harry," Ginny squeaked, "and Harry likes someone."

"Of course, but you know, he can be a big prat sometimes." Aurum held her arm and looked down in embarrassment.

"Well you can't be in the Harry Potter Fan Club if you don't like Harry Potter." Lavender rolled her eyes.

"Wait—Potter has a fan club? Where's the Draco Malfoy Fan Club?" Draco scoffed.

Lavender looked up at Ginny. "He is cute."

"We're not making him a club." Ginny groaned.

"I like Harry as a person a lot, but he was really rude about the Yule Ball." Aurum explained. "He's still cute though." Aurum sighed, regretting the words she said despite their truth.

"I can't believe you actually got to dance with him though. How was he?" Lavender asked, twisting her curly locks.

"Awful. Bloody awful. I had to lead." Aurum replied.

"I still like him." Lavender shrugged with a small smile before turning to leave.

"Well, I'm going to go see my brother, you should see yours." Ginny suggested. "By the way, mum's sweater actually looks good on you."

Aurum thanked her, nodded, and followed her into the tent, leaving Draco and the rest of the HPFC behind.

Ronald(who always stared at Aurum, but not as intensively so as she used to with Harry)was sitting with Harry on a bed to the far right. The other champions with the exception of Fleur didn't sit with the people they were required to save.

Aurum plopped down on the bed beside her brother. He pulled her into leaning against him.

"So how did you win this one?" Aurum smirked up at him.

"I'm a natural shark animagus; what do you mean how did I win this one?" Argentum laughed unnaturally loudly. "I'm just kidding, I was able to transfigure myself."

Aurum chuckled. "Well, that's good. You came in first too! I'm sure gramma's proud of you."

"Yes, I hope so." Argentum nodded. He rubbed his neck absent-mindedly. It had a scar which Aurum never had been inclined to ask about.

"Are you and Chantelle dating?" Aurum asked, staring at the teal-haired girl peering in through the tent, wondering if she should come in.

"Yes. When I win the last trial, I'm proposing." Argentum whispered the last part in Aurum's ear. The blonde became very giddy very soon about the idea of Chantelle being her sister-in-law.

"Let's just hope at the vows she says 'I do'." Aurum laughed her way out of the tent.

Then, it struck her. A chill was sent down her spine. Hadn't they only been dating for a few weeks?