"Ew," Draco scrunched his nose.
Snape stared for a moment before spelling the sick away.
He wrapped a blanket around both of their shoulders and led them and the little girl over to a bench.
"Harry!" Ron and Hermione came rushing over.
"Don't you ever do that again!" Hermione said shrilly, tears pooling in her eyes, she shivered in her own blanket, Viktor Krum standing awkwardly a few paces behind.
"I'm fine, Mione," Harry nudged her hands off of his shoulders.
"Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Is she alive? Is she 'urt?"
"She's alright!" Draco called over to the Beauxbaton Champion.
"Oh! Gabrielle!" Fluer sobbed, throwing her arms around her sister, "it was ze grindylows...zey attacked me...oh Gabrielle! I thought...I thought!"
Madam Pomfrey came bounding over and shoved a hot potion down his throat.
"Ack," Harry spat.
"You have steam coming out of your ears," Draco pointed out, he started to laugh but Madam Pomfrey seized the opportunity to pour the potion down his throat.
"Ugh!" Draco spluttered, his face turning red, "that's disgusting!"
Snape, who had somehow gotten more blankets, wrapped the boys up so tightly that it looked like they were in straightjackets.
"You haff a water beetle in your hair, Herm-own-ninny," said Krum.
Harry had the impression that Krum was trying to draw her attention back to himself; perhaps to remind her that he'd just saved her from the lake, but Hermione brushed the beetle away impatiently, too busy fussing over Harry to pick up Krum's not so subtle cues.
"You were well outside the time limit, Harry, did it take you a long time to find us?" Hermione asked.
"No, I found you guys ok," Harry said, "I just wanted to make sure that everyone had gotten rescued."
"Harry you're so dense," Draco groaned, "you didn't actually take that song thing seriously, did you? Dumbledore wouldn't have let us drown."
Harry stared at him for a second, feeling stupider and stupider.
"You saved 'er!" Fleur had let go of her sister and was now fiercely embracing Harry, "you saved 'er ever though she was not your 'ostage!"
"Yeah," Harry sighed, wishing he'd just left the three girls tied to the statue.
Fleur bent down and kissed Harry twice on each cheek, his face burned and he wouldn't have been surprised if steam was coming out of his ears again.
She then turned to Ron and Draco, "and you too, you 'elped?"
"Yeah," Ron said eagerly, looking hopeful, "yeah, a little bit."
She kissed both their cheeks.
Hermione looked furious, letting out a angry huff before finally giving Krum attention.
Ludo Bagman's voice boomed through the stands, making them all jump and go quiet.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have reached our decision, Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we've therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions as followed—"
Everyone stared anxiously as he opened a piece of parchment.
"Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage, we award her twenty-five points."
"I deserve zero," Fleur said, shaking her head.
"Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour," enormous cheers from Hufflepuff erupted in the stands, "we therefore award him forty-seven points!"
Harry's stomach sank, if Cedric was outside of the time limit, he most definitely was.
"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points!"
"You're up," Draco whispered, nudging Harry in the ribs.
Harry gulped and nodded.
"Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect," Bagman continued, "he was the last to return, and was well out of the time limit. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr. Potter was the first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all of the hostages to safety, not merely his own."
Ron and Hermione gave Harry exasperated looks, but Draco and Snape never looked more proud.
"Most of the judges," Bagman shot Karkaroff a nasty look, "feel like this shows moral fiber and merits full marks. However...Mr. Potter's score is forty-five points."
Harry's stomach lept—he was now tying for first place with Cedric. Ron, Hermione, Draco and Severus, all caught by surprise, stared at Harry before cheering and applauding with the rest of the crowd.
"There you go, Harry!" Ron boomed, "you weren't being thick after all! You were showing moral fiber!"
Fleur was clapping very hard too, along with Cedric, but Krum didn't look to pleased. He tried to engage Hermione in conversation once again, but she was too busy cheering on Harry to be bothered."
"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June." Ludo spoke over the noise, "the champions will be notified of what is coming precisely a month before. Thank you all for your support of the champions!"
It was over, Harry thought dazedly as he was herded back to the castle to get into some dry clothes. It was over and he wouldn't have to worry about another task for months.
"You good there? Harry?" Draco asked slinging an arm around his shoulder.
"I'm brilliant," Harry grinned.
"I'm Harry Potter's most prized possession," Draco teased, "I don't know whether to be honored or offended that I'm being objectified."
"Oi!" Harry laughed, "nowhere did it say anything about my 'most prized possession', if you do recall, the line was 'something I'll surely miss'."
"You'd still miss me," Draco shot back.
"Who said I wouldn't?" Harry defended.
A soft smile spread on Draco's face.
"Harry!"
The boys turned to see who had called.
Ginny Weasley was sprinting towards them. She launched off the ground and tackled Harry in a hug.
"Hey, Gin," Harry groaned but his face lit up in a smile.
"Potter, I swear to Merlin, do that again and I just might kill you!" Ginny warned, getting off of him, "scared me half to death when you didn't return within the hour."
"I'm sorry," Harry said, pushing himself off the ground.
"You too," Ginny turned on Draco, hugging him, "I swear all boys have a obsession with danger. If you want to die so bad, I'll kill you myself."
"Good to know," Harry laughed.
"I'm going to see how Hermione is!" Ginny called, already running away, "I'll catch up with you guys later."
Draco gave her a thumbs up.
"She's a good match for you, you know," Severus looked at Harry.
Harry blushed, "you've said."
"He's right," Draco smirked, "she compliments your personality almost flawlessly."
"Can we stop talking about it," Harry buried his head in his hands, "come on, let's just get inside, I'm freezing."
"On with it then," Draco rolled his eyes, "you walk so slow."
"Hey!" Harry frowned, "I have short legs!"
"Race ya!" Draco smirked, taking off in a run.
"No fair!" Harry yelled, running after.
"They're going to kill me," Snape sighed, rubbing his temple.