As Celestia approached the stands near the lake, she observed Harry bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath. Dumbledore wore a smile as he looked towards Harry, but Karkaroff and Madame Maxime appeared displeased, their expressions betraying their earlier doubts about Harry's attendance, it's clear they thought, or hoped, he wouldn't turn up.
Celestia's heart leaped as she spotted her elf, Dinky, apparating beside Harry. The small creature attracted attention, but no one uttered a word as it handed a small vial to Harry and promptly disapparated.
Bagman said something and gave Harry's shoulder a quick squeeze before returning to the judges' table.
He pointed his wand at his throat, as he had done at the World Cup, and exclaimed, “Sonorus!” His voice boomed across the dark water towards the stands. “Well, all our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle. They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them. On the count of three, then. One…two…three!"
The whistle echoed shrilly in the cold, still air, igniting cheers and applause from the stands. Harry swiftly removed his shoes and socks, extracted a handful of gillyweed from the vial, stuffed it into his mouth, and waded into the lake.
Joining her group of Slytherins, Celestia was met with Daphne's inquiry, "Where have you been? We've been looking for you."
"Had to go pee," Daphne responded, turning her attention back to the task at hand.
As Harry traversed the lake, his sodden robes weighed him down. Celestia watched as the water rose over his knees, his feet slipping over silt and slimy stones, providing a humorous sight.
Observing Harry chewing the gillyweed and wading deeper into the water, Celestia joined in the laughter echoing from the Slytherin contingent. However, as Harry began to shiver violently, her amusement turned to concern.
Noticing Harry's distress, Celestia's heart sank. She made a mental note to free the elf if the gillyweed failed to take effect. Slapping a first-year Slytherin who was laughing loudly, "shut up,will you" she says.
Celestia was fully prepared to go pull Harry out of the lake herself if the gillyweed didn't work.
Amidst the laughter and jeers, Harry's eyes caught Celestia's, and for a moment, he felt a pang of betrayal. Seeing her laugh along with the Slytherins made him question their — what are they anyways?, his heart sank at the thought of her being part of a cruel prank.
However, as Harry grappled with these thoughts, he noticed a shift in Celestia's expression. Her laughter ceased, replaced by a look of genuine concern directed at him. Relief flooded over him, dispelling his suspicions and flooding him with guilt for doubting her intentions.
Then, quite suddenly, Harry felt as though an invisible pillow had been pressed over his mouth and nose. He tried to draw breath, but it made his head spin; his lungs were empty, and he suddenly felt a piercing pain on either side of his neck -
Harry clapped his hands around his throat and felt two large slits just below his ears, flapping in the cold air.…He had gills. Without pausing to think, he did the only thing that made sense - he flung himself forward into the water. The last thing he saw above the water was Celestia cheering on top of her lungs.
They all waited, as the task progressed, Cedric returned, followed by Fluer's failure, then Krum.
However, Harry was notably absent until he reappeared with Weasley and a small girl. Gryffindors rushed to his side, joined soon by Madam Pomfrey, while Draco cursed as he was awarded first place for an act of bravery.
As the Slytherins departed, Celestia caught Harry's gaze, wrapped in layers of blankets. Their eyes locked, His smile conveyed a mix of guilt and love, leaving .
After a moment, Harry discreetly gestured for Celestia to follow him, his eyes flickering towards a secluded spot behind a tree near the lake. She hesitated for a moment, glancing around to ensure no one was watching, before silently slipping away from the crowd and joining him.
Once they were safely hidden from view, Harry let out a sigh, his breath visible in the chilly air. "Thanks for helping me with the gillyweed," he began, his voice soft but sincere. "I couldn't have done it without you."
Celestia studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. "You're welcome," she replied finally, her tone guarded yet not entirely cold.
Harry shifted nervously, the weight of his confession heavy on his shoulders. "Listen, Celestia," he started, his words tumbling out in a rush. "I know things have been... complicated between us. But I can't deny that there's something here, something I can't ignore."
Celestia's eyebrows shot up in surprise, her guard momentarily slipping. "What are you saying, Harry?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Harry took a deep breath, gathering his courage. "I'm saying that I don't know what this is between us, but it's more than just animosity," he admitted, his eyes searching hers. "And it's making me uncomfortable, not knowing where we stand."
Celestia's expression softened, her walls crumbling in the face of his vulnerability. "I understand," she said quietly, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "But Harry, I need time to... process everything. This is all so sudden."
Harry nodded, his heart sinking slightly at her words. "Of course," he said, trying to keep the disappointment from his voice. "Take all the time you need. I just... I want you to know that I care about you, Celestia. And I want everyone to know that you're... you're my girlfriend."
Celestia's breath caught in her throat at his declaration, her eyes widening in surprise. "Your girlfriend?" she repeated, her voice barely a whisper.
Harry nodded, a shy smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yeah," he said softly. "If you'll have me."
Celestia's heart fluttered at his words, her resolve wavering. "I... I need time, Harry," she repeated, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart. "But... but okay. I'll be your girlfriend."
Before Harry could respond, Celestia closed the distance between them, pressing her lips against his in a hesitant yet tender kiss. The world seemed to fade away, leaving only the heat of their bodies and the racing of their hearts. It was intense, filled with a longing and desire that had been building between them for far too long.
But their blissful moment was short-lived as a gruff voice shattered the silence, causing them to jump apart in alarm. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?"
They turned to see Moody standing nearby, his magical eye fixed on them with a mixture of amusement and suspicion. Harry felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment as he tried to come up with a plausible explanation for their clandestine meeting.
But Moody merely chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "Don't worry, kids," he said with a grin. "Your secret's safe with me. Just try to keep it out of detention, eh?"
As Moody walked away, Harry let out a shaky breath, relief flooding through him. He glanced at Celestia, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips. "Well, that could have gone worse," he said with a nervous laugh.
Celestia rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of amusement in her expression. "You have no idea, Potter," she replied, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "But... thank you. For everything."
Harry smiled back at her, his heart lighter than it had been in weeks. "Anytime, Celestia," he said softly. "Anytime."