— "GOOD MORNING."
Nicole looked up from her charms book, her eyes meeting with Harry's nervous ones.
"Good morning." she mumbled back, not as nervous as him.
It wasn't that she wasn't scared, because she was— a lot, actually. Her parents couldn't attend because they had been flown back to Bulgaria for a surprise team meeting, and Nicole was actually quite thankful for that. She didn't know how she could manage it if here parents were to come— she would probably die out of nerves.
Lots of people were also watching their table. Slytherins were whispering amongst themselves at the sight of one of them sitting in there— but it wasn't like Aurora wouldn't wish her sister some luck. Why were they even surprised?
"You'll do great, Nic." Aurora patted her back. The fact that she was here supporting her instead of Cedric was surprising to her, but Nicole had no time to dwell on it because she was extremely nervous.
Proffessor Mcgonagall was then hurrying towards them in the great hall. Nicole sighed, placing her toast down. It was time.
"Hwang, Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now... You have to get ready for your first task."
"Good luck, you two." Hermoine whispered. "You'll both be fine!"
"You'll do amazing, Nic." Ellis tried to assure her, and Aurora, who got along well with the French boy (surprisingly) nodded her head.
Nicole wordlessly followed Professor Mcgonagall and Harry. The teeacher didn't seem herself either; in fact, she looked nearly as anxious as Hermione. As she walked them down the stone steps and out into the cold November afternoon, she put her hand on their shoulders.
"Now, don't panic," she said, "just keep a cool head.. We've got wizards standing by to control the situation if it gets out of hand. . . . The main thing is just to do your best, and nobody will think any the worse of you two. Are you two all right?"
"Yes."
"You both are to go in here with the other champions," said Professor McGonagall, in a rather shaky sort of voice, "and wait for your turn. Mr. Crouch is in there.. he'll be telling you the — the procedure... Good luck."
"Thanks," said Nicole, in a flat, distant voice. She left them at the entrance of the tent. They both went inside.
Fleur Delacour was sitting in a corner on a low wooden stool. She didn't look nearly as composed as usual, but rather pale and clammy. Viktor Krum looked even surlier than usual, which Harry supposed was his way of showing nerves. Cedric was pacing up and down.
Nicole walked over and sat on a stool next to Fleur. The blonde girl shot her a smile that seemed forced— but Nicole wasn't blaming her. This was extremely nerve wrecking.
The five of them were just wondering around, walking, until a dragon suddenly roared loudly. Nicole and Fleur shot each other equally nervous looks, while Dumbledore was bust telling the people what would happen.
It was as if Fleur and Nicole had a silent communication— with the two of them just sitting in the same bed in silence while Dumbledore talked.
Nicole then walked over to Harry. The two of them still haven't talked that much, and all of a sudden Nicole felt herself jumping up to Harry and giving him a hug.
"Harry, I'm—"
Harry didn't say anything, instead hugging her back. The two of them just hugged in silence— their actions speaking way louder than words. They were both really scared. This might be the last time they would actually hug each other.
They were thankful that Rita was nowhere to be seen, but Hermoine came and hugged the two of them, and the woman appeared out of thin air and took a picture of the trio hugging.
"Young love." she smirked. "How... stirring. If everything goes unfortunately today you three may even make the front page."
Nicole didn't even have the energy to snap at Rita, and luckily Viktor was the one who told her off.
"You have no business here." he said in his thick accent. "This tent is for champions.." he glanced at Hermoine. "and friends."
Rita turned to him. "No matter. We've got what we wanted." After taking a quick picture of the champions, she and the photographer retreated.
"Good day, champions. Gather round, please." said Dumbledore, entering. "Now, you've waited, you've wondered, and at last the moment has arrived. A moment only four of you can fully appreciate." Dumbledore seemed to notice that there were six students instead of five. "What are you doing here, Miss Granger?"
"Oh, sorry.. I'll just go." Hermoine said, waking away.
"Barty, the bag." Dumbledore said, and a green bag was infront of them soon. "Champions, in a circle around me."
"Ladies first," he said, offering it to Fleur Delacour.
She put a shaking hand inside the bag and drew out a tiny, perfect model of a dragon — a Welsh Green. It had the number two around its neck.
Then, Nicole reached in and pulled out a dragon with black ridges on its back with the number 4 tied on its neck. The Norwegian Ridgeback, the same dragon Nobert was.
Krum pulled out the scarlet Chinese Fireball. It had a number three around its neck. He didn't even blink, just sat back down and stared at the ground.
Cedric put his hand into the bag, and out came the blueish-gray Swedish Short-Snout, the number one tied around its neck.
Knowing what was left, Harry put his hand into the silk bag and pulled out the Hungarian Horntail, and the number five. It stretched its wings as he looked down at it, and bared its minuscule fangs.
"These represent four very real dragons, each of which has been given a golden egg to protect." Crouch explained. "Your objective is simple: Collect the egg. This you must do, for each egg contains a clue without which you cannot hope to proceed to the next task. Any questions?"
When no one answered, he smiled.
"Very well." Dumbledore stated, looking a bit nervous. "Good luck, champions. Mr. Diggory, at the sound of the cannon, you may—"
He was interrupted by the canon booming.
"Good luck, Ced." Nicole smiled, patting his back.
—
Ellis had suddenly went in the tent after Krum left to battle the dragon. Nicole was about to ask him what he was doing at first, but he told her that he would stay with her before she went out.
''How do you feel?'' Ellis asked her, unconsciously fixing the jacket around her shoulders.
"Nervous." Nicole mumbled. "Really, really nervous."
"I know you'll do great.'' he encouraged her. Ellis leaned in to kiss her forehead letting his lips rest against her skin for a bit longer than usual. When he pulled away he avoided her gaze, only looking off to the side.
Nicole would have turned red if she didn't know that she needed to battle a dragon. Nicole followed his stare, there was nothing much to see except a black gap in the curtains where people came and went, and beyond that thousands of cheering students for Krum.
"Hey, hey." Ellis called out softly, turning towards Nicole. "You'll do amazing— you're Nicole Hwang."
''But what if I die?'' she asked finally.
"You wont die."
Nicole sighed and leaned on Ellis. An idea suddenly popped up in her head, it was stupid— but she knew that she might not see Ellis anymore after this since she might die.
"Ellis, I'm gonna kiss you."
"Wha—"
She was slow about it too. Nicole was the one telling him that she was going to kiss him then took her sweet ass time doing it. Her hands were shaking as she went to cup his face out of nervousness for the dragons, so that was probably why she was going slow.
When she did it, though, Nicole felt amazing. Fireworks, butterflies, air leaving your lungs, the whole thing. Ellis had the softest lips ever— and she didn't know why that surprised her. His lips did look soft.
Ellis did kiss her back, trying to be soft as her. However, it was short lived as the canon boomed, signaling that she needed to leave.
"If I survive this— lets go on a date, or something."
Nicole shakily stood up. People both from Hogwarts and Beauxbatons— the same people who were mad at her, started to cheer.
Nicole walked out, and now she was walking past the trees, through a gap in the enclosure fence. There were hundreds and hundreds of faces staring down at her from stands that had been magicked there since she'd last stood on this spot.
Nicole stood frozen, face to face with the calm dragon. She thought it looked like a crumpled, black umbrella. Its spiny wings were huge compared to it's body that was slightly skinny. It had a long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes that stared right at her.
Deciding to focus, Nicole raised her wand and shouted. "Accio Firebolt!"
After a few seconds, speeding through the air behind her; she turned and saw her Firebolt hurtling toward her around the edge of the woods, soaring into the enclosure, and stopping dead in midair beside her, but there was something wrong. Something definitely wrong.
Nicole was about to pass out.
The crowd was wild, muttering amongst themselves. It was common knowledge that Nicole, a Hwang, was absolutely amazing with a broom. But it was broken into pieces.
The Ridgeback opened its mouth, and luckily she missed the flames, but the tail came whipping up to meet her instead.
The crowd let out shreiks and gasps— and Nicole let out a groan as she felt the heavy tail of the dragon hit her back. It attempted to harm her once again, but Nicole rolled down on one of the rocks. One was particularly sharp, because it made her start bleeding.
Think quick. Think quick.
Nicole remembered Ellis and the Disillusionment Charm he had set on her while she was trying to hide from Snape. The girl quickly casted it at herself, and looking down, she noticed that she was one with the rock.
The crowd started to cheer.
"Miss Hwang can cast a very powerful Disillusionment Charm!" the commentator announced, which was a shock to everyone.
"Bombarda!" Nicole exclaimed, shooting at a rock to distract the dragon. The girl then started to levitate one of of the eggs, and the crowd started to cheer loudly once again when they spotted her doing this. After all, wandless magic was a big deal— and her, a 4th year, had managed to do it already.
Nicole had no time to enjoy the cheers. The girl quickly ran towards the golden egg while she made a few normal eggs levitate to distract the dragon. However, it seemed to have known her motives because the Dragon tore it's attention away from the eggs and started to throw shots of fire at Nicole.
The girl dodged them while she kept of running, and one particular fire breath hit her jacket. Thinking quickly, Nicole removed it. The Disillusionment Charm was now wearing off, and the dragon could see her clearly.
Before it could shoot at her again, Nicole jumped to grab the golden egg. Her head hit one of the rocks and caused another portion of her head to bleed once again but she did not care. She did it. Nicole got the egg.
"Look at that!" the commentator was yelling. "Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is quickest to get her egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Ms. Hwang!"
Nicole laid flat on the ground, as the dragon keepers restrained the dragon. Her eyes looked over to Madam Maxine, who shot a large figure 9 into the air.
Then Mr. Crouch, who shot a 9.
Dumbledore then put up a 9 as well. Lastly was Karkaroff, who put up his wand in the air and shot a 5.
"That was excellent, Hwang!" cried Professor McGonagall as she limped over to the stands. The girl shot her a weak smile, and was immediately sent off to the tent so Madam Pomfrey could heal her.