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Harry was pacing nervously in the tent. He was minutes away from taking part in the First Task. Cedric had gone first and finished. Krum followed and was currently fighting his dragon. Only him and Fleur Delacour remained, though Harry held no doubt she was moments away from stepping inside the arena.
Then, suddenly, Harry heard something. "Pssst!"
Harry turned in the direction of the sound. He saw the cloth of the tent move. Curious, he took a step forward. To his surprise, he found Hermione hiding behind an opening. Their eyes met.
"Hermione?" he asked, shocked.
At the sound of his voice, Hermione jumped inside and hugged him, taking his breath away. He felt her shake in his arms. She was as nervous as him.
"Hey, it's going to be alright." he whispered, bringing his arms around her to comfort her.
"I-" she hesitated. "I know you're going to pull through. But I'm terrified!"
"I'm going to be fine, Hermione." he told her quietly. "You helped me train. I can't go wrong when you're helping me." Harry let out a mental whoop of success when he felt some of her tension release.
They broke their hold when they heard the sound of a horn, announcing the end of Krum's turn. Hermione pulled away slightly. "I can't stay here for long." she told him. "But, I will be waiting for you on the other side. Pull through this, please? For me?" she pleaded. She was very afraid something would happen to him.
Harry hugged her again, and Hermione melted in his arms. The situation reminded him of some old opera song he learn of back when he was still attending muggle school. There was a school project where the students in his class needed to learn the lyrics of a song and sing it in front of the class. It was announced during a parent/teacher meeting. The Dursleys, because they were being petty, decided then and there Harry would not only have to sing an opera song, but that he would sing it in French. They explained it to the teacher that Harry was trying to learn the language and it would help him. It was a lie, and the Dursleys fully expected him to fail. But, out of pure spite, Harry taught himself the entire song until he was able to recite it in his sleep. He got full marks and bonus points for the French. The Dursleys had been furious, especially when Dudley failed horrendously. But there wasn't anything they could do about it, having brought the situation onto themselves.
Years later, Harry only remembered the chorus of the song. He also remembered the story it told, which he thought was highly appropriate for the moment. A bullfighter confronting an angry bull in an arena while people cheered him on.
"Of course." he eventually said to the girl he was hugging. "For you."
Hermione nodded in his chest. They shared one last look before they let go of each other and Hermione left.
After leaving Harry in the tent, Hermione went to the stands and sat next to Neville Longbottom, who himself was sitting in the row under Lavender and Parvati.
"Hermione, where were you?" Neville asked, surprised to finally see her.
"Oh, that's easy." Parvati said with a smirk. "She went to see Harry!"
Hermione blushed. "Of course I did! He's my friend and he's going to have to fight a dragon!".
"Oh, I'm sure that's the only reason." Lavender said teasingly. Hermione huffed.
Soon after, they heard the sound of the canon, announcing the beginning of Fleur's turn. Her dragon was placed in the arena while she was speaking with Harry.
The four fourth-years watched as Fleur went through the task. Hermione was surprised they could hear Fleur speak as loudly as if she was standing next to them.
"Allez! S'il te plait, endors toi!" the French witch pleaded.
Hermione blinked. "Why can we hear her so well?"
"Right, you weren't there when they explained." Neville said. "Mr. Bagman said they placed a charm in the arena so we could hear them speak properly." Hermione nodded in understanding.
"Say, Hermione. Don't you speak French?" Parvati asked.
"Yes. Why?"
"Do you know what she just said?"
"Something like 'Come on! Please fall asleep!'." she translated.
Fleur's bid seem to be successful as the dragon was slowly falling asleep. Fleur managed to reach the nest and walked away toward the exit. Unfortunately for her, in her sleep, the dragon let out a snort of fire, igniting Fleur's skirt.
"Arg! Fils de putain de merde! Va te faire baiser, salaud!" she exclaimed. Hermione snorted. The Beauxbatons students burst out laughing. Madame Maxime didn't look impressed in the slightest.
"And what did she say now?" Lavender asked excitingly.
"It is rather crass. Are you sure you want to know?" Hermione asked. The two girls and Neville laughed. So, Hermione translated. "'Son of a bitch of a shit! Go fuck yourself, asshole!'"
The three students roared in laughter, and Hermione could not help but join in as well.
"Wow! Didn't know all arrogant and proper Princess Delacour knew that kind of language!" Parvati howled in laughter.
There was still some laughter when Harry's dragon was brought in the arena. It's sight certainly killed it. "Oh my god!" Hermione gasped in horror and the sheer size of the beast.
"Harry has to fight that?" Neville gulped, his skin bone white.
They weren't the only ones shocked. There was a gloomy and horrified silence in the stands as the beast was shackled inside. Then, a few minutes later, the canon was heard. Harry's turn had begun!
Hermione watched in horror as Harry stepped inside the arena. She was comforted somewhat when she did not see a lick of fear in his face.
"Wow. You're... big." Harry commented at the sight of the dragon. Despite her nervousness, Hermione chuckled.
In answer, the dragon shot a jet of hot flames in his direction. Hermione shrieked. Thankfully, Harry reacted in time and jumped behind a big rock. He raised his wand skyward.
"Accio Firebolt!"
His spell cast, Harry lowered his wand again. Hermione was so worried she felt the need to pull her hair out. Just as she grabbed her locks however, one of the girls behind her took her hands and lowered them.
"Don't worry, Hermione." Lavender said. "If there's someone who can come out uninjured, it's Harry."
"I know." she whispered, remembering her earlier conversation. "I told him I would be waiting for him."
She couldn't say more as, to everyone's surprise, Harry began singing!
"Toréador, en ga-a-a-a-rde! Toréador! Toréador!"
"Is that French too? What is he saying?" Neville asked, dumbfounded. Hermione translated.
"Bullfighter, on guard! Bullfighter! Bullfighter!"
"Et songe bien, oui, songe en combattant!"
"And contemplate well, yes, contemplate while fighting!"
"He's singing about himself!" Lavender realized. The lyrics matched his currently situation perfectly.
"Qu'un oeil noir te regarde!"
"That a dark eye is watching you!"
All of them looked at the dragon, whose pitch black eyes were staring at the boulder, waiting for the moment where Harry would stop hiding.
"Et que l'amour t'attend!"
Hermione, in the mindset that Harry was singing about himself, wasn't prepared for what he'd just said. "And that love is waiting for you!" she squeaked, her eyes wide.
Neville, Lavender and Parvati's heads all snapped in her direction. They all remembered what Hermione said. That she told Harry she would be waiting for him.
"Toréador, l'amour, l'amour t'attend!" Harry sang, finishing the chorus.
"Bullfighter, love, love is waiting for you!" Hermione finished translating.
"Oh my god! And you said you would be waiting for him! This is so romantic!" Lavender gushed. Hermione blushed furiously.
Did Harry really see her like that? Like his love? That thought made her feel all excited and nervous!
To her immense relief, the Firebolt arrived in a whistle, proving the summoning charm worked. Harry immediately jumped on it and began flying around the dragon, to the beast's annoyance. Harry, sounding more excited, sang the chorus again.
"Toréador, en garde! Toréador! Toréador!"
"Et songe bien, oui, songe en combattant!"
"Qu'un oeil noir the regarde!"
"Et que l'amour t'attend!"
"Toréador, l'amour, l'amour t'attend!"
All the while he was singing, Harry was playing the beast, confusing it until he managed to find an opening. He plunged between the dragon's legs and snatched the golden egg, flying out of the arena with his treasure just as he finished the chorus.
Hermione jumped to her feet and loudly cheered for him alongside nearly everyone in the arena. She felt two hands clamp her on her shoulders, startling her.
"And that love is waiting for you!" Parvati quoted. "What are you waiting for? Go get him!"
Hermione didn't need any more encouragement. She ran out of the stands toward the second tent where the champions stayed after the task. She entered it to see Harry standing in the middle, his egg in his arm.
Hermione ran inside and jumped in his arms. Harry dropped the egg to catch her. "You did it!" she squealed in joy.
"I did it." he grinned, hugging her back. "For you. For us."
His words brought his singing to the forefront of her mind. She let go of him and looked at in him the eyes. "Did you mean it? What you sang?"
Harry turned bone white. "Y-You heard t-that?" Hermione nodded.
"Bullfighter, love, love is waiting for you." she quoted in English. "You knew I was waiting for you. Did you mean it?"
Harry leaned forward until their noses touched. "Depends." he whispered. "Are you that love?"
Hermione knew the real question behind it. 'Do you love me?' She nodded. Harry smiled and leaned forward, kissing her slowly on the lips. "Then, yes, I meant it." he told her.
Hermione beamed and kissed him back.