Chapter Text
Harry dove into the water, more terrified than he had ever been in his life. The cold water chilled him to the bone. It left him feeling disoriented and confused. That took a second to snap him out of it.
He began swimming. The gillyweed helped and he moved easily through the water. His wand was strapped to his wrist, in easy access.
Each stroke brought him closer and closer to his destination. To freeing his friend, the only real friend he’d ever had. His heart raced with adrenaline and fear. Mostly fear. This was what he had to do. This was his goal, his purpose.
The water grew clearer the closer he got to the center of the lake. He pushed harder and faster than he had before. As he came into the merpeople village, he saw four people suspended in the middle.
A small, childlike version of Fleur floated on the edge. He could make out Cho Chang and then a Durmstrang boy he’d never seen before. There, next to the little girl, was Hermione.
Harry swam into the merfolk not taking his eyes off his best friend. He cut the bindings holding her there, wrapping his arm around her. Then he waited, holding her close, to see if the other champions would arrive.
Out of the darkness came Cedric, closely followed by Viktor. Still, he waited but Fleur was nowhere in sight. Wand drawn, he freed the little girl and swam, dragging both of them with him.
Harry struggled his way through, their combined weight slowing him up. He pushed deeper and harder until he saw the water clear and light begin to show. That’s when the grindylows attacked.
Spells flew as Harry fought for his life. Pushing the two to the surface he managed to free himself and swim to the surface. As he broke the surface, he saw Hermione and the little girl. The little girl was wrapped around Hermione, clearly upset as Hermione did her best to calm her.
“I’ve got her,” Hermione told him.
“Thanks,” Harry replied as he gasped for more air.
“She’s terrified,” Hermione said. She began speaking in French, which seemed to calm her down.
“You speak French?”
Hermione chuckled. “This coming from the boy who ended up saving two people.”
Harry shrugged and as the girl calmed the two began swimming to the platform.
They could hear Fleur screaming from the platform as they grew closer, two of her friends holding her back as she tried to dive into the water for her sister.
Hermione tried calling to her but was drowned out by the crowd. Harry could only shake his head.
They arrived at the platform where the girl was pulled out of the water by her distraught sister. The Weasley twins pulled Harry and Hermione from the water, wrapping big, fluffy towels around them. The two huddled together on the platform, watching Fleur dote on her sister.
“They’re close,” Harry remarked.
“Yes, they are,” Hermione nodded in agreement.
The twins, Ginny, and Neville talked to them while everyone waited for the scores.
They all stopped when they saw Fleur approaching, blue eyes full of determination. The two scrambled to their feet, not sure what the Beauxbatons champion wanted.
Her face broke into a huge grin and Harry could hear Hermione’s breath catch. He’d have to ask her about that later but now he was faced with a Veela and her beautiful smile. It took him a second to shake off the effect her thrall had on him.
“Thank you for saving my sister even though she was not yours to save,” Fleur said to Harry. She stepped forward kissing him on each cheek. He felt his face heat up as she did this but he managed to keep his cool.
Then Fleur turned to Hermione and Harry watched as Hermione seemed to withdraw into herself under the woman’s scrutiny. They locked eyes and Harry felt something shift in the air. It pulsed around and made the hair stand up on his neck.
“And you,” Fleur began to say her voice thick with emotion. She grabbed Hermione in a tight hug. “Gabrielle told me what you did for her. You saved her. She cannot swim.”
Hermione’s face turned red and Harry had to hide a chuckle.
“I didn’t do anything really,” Hermione said.
“You saved her. For that we are in your debt.” Fleur whispered so only the three of them could hear.
Fleur pulled away, eyes intent on Hermione. The magical pull filled the space around them. Harry felt it in his gut in a way that usually spelled disaster. Without warning, he felt like the wind got knocked out of him. His eyes went wide as he saw something, he had no answer for.
Magic came alive, surrounding the two girls in a colorful light display that drowned out the world around him. Everyone would later say they couldn’t see anything only Harry was witness to the event that forever changed his life.
Hermione and Fleur stayed locked together as he saw magic come from their chests, twining together until it became one. It connected between them, taunt like a bowstring before the lights flashed again, this time blinding even Harry.
When his vision cleared the two girls were passed out on the ground, hands grasped together, and eyes closed.
“Hermione! Fleur!” He cried as he ran to where the girls were laying. Harry knelt next to them, eyes full of concern and his hands trembling. He had no idea what to do. Vaguely, he heard Gabrielle calling her sister’s name as she knelt next to Harry.
The two shook them but got no response.
Madam Pomfrey pushed her way to them, quickly using spells to see what had happened.
“They’re okay Mister Potter,” she told him.
“What’s wrong with them?”
“I’m not sure but we’ll know soon enough.” She raised her wand again, levitating the pair.
Harry felt a small hand take his and turned to find Gabrielle looking up at him with wide frightened eyes. Harry nodded. Whatever was going on wasn’t normal. Leading Gabrielle to the hospital wing he didn’t even bother staying to hear the scores. He was terrified for his best friend.
McGonagall was already with Madam Pomfrey, the two witches were trying to figure out what was going on. Harry moved to take a seat, knowing better by now to stay out of the mediwitches way.
He took a seat and as soon as he did, Gabrielle climbed onto his lap. He held her close knowing she was just as scared as he was.
McGonagall and Pomfrey worked over the two girls form and Harry could see them try to separate them but it only led to convulsions from the two girls. Gabrielle started to cry when she saw it happen and the noise made the two witches stop trying to separate them.
After what felt like an eternity, McGonagall approached the two.
“Mr. Potter, Miss Granger and Miss Delacour are doing just fine. Whatever magic is keeping them together we don’t understand but they both appear to be healthy. I’m on my way to speak to the Headmaster, you two may stay but touching them creates a shock to the person who touches them so I suggest keeping a slight distance.”
Harry nodded his head, still unable to form words. This was his best friend, his sister and he felt helpless. Gabrielle scampered off this lap as the Professor left the room. She pulled a chair up next to her sister’s bed and immediately took her hand. Harry was about to call out to the young girl but nothing happened to her. Shaking his head, he did the same thing on the other side next to Hermione.
Cautiously, he reached out to take her hand, afraid of getting shocked but hoping like Gabrielle he wouldn’t be harmed. When nothing happened, he sighed in relief and settled down next to her. Neither spoke, content to wait out whatever was going on.
He knew something important had happened, something life changing. He’d seen the magic first hand when it had happened and something inside told him that Hermione and Fleur would be okay.
The world seemed to fade around him, he didn’t notice the others that came and went, all he could focus on was Hermione’s even breathing.
Eventually he felt a hand take his, turning he was met with a pair of worried brown eyes. Ginny held his hand in hers, giving him comfort he didn’t know he needed. Shooting her a wan smile, he turned back to his vigil. He felt Ginny rest her head in his shoulder and smiled to himself. They stayed silent and after a while Harry began to relax. Resting his head on Ginny’s, he drifted off the sleep.