"How often do you use that charm of yours?" he asked suspiciously. Her response was an innocent smile, and Harry assumed by the way Cedric and Viktor's eyes turned adoring, she was using her charm right then. Harry laughed.
"I never use eet when eet matters," she promised, the boys turning back to normal after a second. "But sometimes eet is ze easiest way to get boys to leave me alone."
"Not Harry, clearly," Cedric teased, his grey eyes playful without a hint of judgement. "You're stuck with him."
"I haff to say, this makes me feel better," Viktor declared, earning a confused look. "I know you are not the type to interfere with another person's relationship, but I had vorried about the rumours of you and Hermy-own."
"Oh, those are completely made up by Skeeter," Harry promised. "She's all yours, don't worry." That made Viktor grin, and something in Harry's chest twisted. He hadn't realised the Durmstrang boy liked Hermione quite so much. Should he say something? Tell Viktor that his sort-of-girlfriend was maybe spying on Harry for Dumbledore and who knew what she really wanted with Viktor? No, he couldn't do that. The worst Hermione could likely be accused of where Viktor was concerned was using him to make Ron jealous.
It was none of his business, Harry decided. Viktor would leave at the end of the year anyway. "So who were you with at the Yule Ball, then?" Cedric asked curiously. "If it wasn't any of the girls. It certainly wasn't George; him and Boris made it pretty clear where they were going when they left."
Harry ducked his head, cheeks turning red. "No one important," he lied.
"Was it Cassius? Wait, no, he was still in the hall while you were gone."
"Why does everyone think I'm with Cassius?" Harry despaired, remembering Neville's assumption too. Did he really spend that much time around the older Slytherin? No wonder Dumbledore was getting worried. "Leave it alone or I'll tell Skeeter it was you I was snogging," snickered.
he
told
Cedric,
who
"I could do worse," he said with a shrug, winking. "Not sure Cho would be pleased about it, mind. She'd want to watch if I was snogging you."
Harry made a face. "That's more information than I ever wanted about you or your girlfriend." Maybe Cedric wasn't as incredibly straight as George had assumed.
Cedric burst into laughter, and even Fleur and Viktor joined him at the disturbed expression Harry wore.
"On zat note, I think eet is time to go to bed," Fleur suggested, still giggling. "Since 'Arry will not share 'is rendezvous wiz us."
"If we all survive this bloody tournament, I'll tell you," Harry grumbled, getting to his feet.
It was later than they probably should have stayed out considering their early start, but Cedric and Harry weren't remotely tired as they snuck back up to the castle, bidding Viktor goodnight on the lawn. They parted ways at the stairs, and Harry quickly made his way up to Gryffindor Tower, creeping up to his dorm. All the other beds had the curtains drawn, so Harry tried to be quiet as he got ready for bed, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to force himself to sleep. He'd need all the rest he could get. The morning of the second task dawned bright and early, thankfully fairly mild for late February. Harry readied himself in the dorm, putting on his swimming trunks under his robe and stuffing the gillyweed in his pocket. Neville was waiting for him in the common room with a bacon sandwich, and Harry grinned at him. "Is the hall a bit mad?"
"It's been worse," Neville said with a shrug, "but I still thought you'd prefer to avoid it."
"Where are Ron and Hermione?" Harry was surprised the pair weren't there with them, since they were so determined to be his best friends again. They hardly let him go to the bathroom without their company these days. "I haven't seen them, actually," Neville replied. Harry frowned, but shook it off; he had bigger things to worry about.
Eating his sandwich on the way down to the lake, he raised his eyebrows at seeing the stands from the first task constructed on the bank of the lake, overlooking the calm water. Neville hugged him and wished him good luck before hurrying off to get a seat, and Harry made his way towards the judges' table, where he could see Viktor waiting. There was no sign of Fleur or Cedric yet.
"Morning," Harry greeted, glad for the Warming charm on his robe. Snape had promised the gillyweed would help him adjust to the water temperature, and Harry prayed he was right about that. It had to be freezing in there. Viktor nodded in greeting, his dark eyes fixed sharply on the water. He was clearly in the zone, and Harry left him to it, scanning the rest of the crowd. He was surprised to see Percy sat in Mr Crouch's seat, and he wandered over. "Where's Mr Crouch?"
"He's still not well," Percy told him with a frown. "Terrible thing, he hasn't been in the office in weeks. Of course, I'm handling everything as per his instruction — owls me every morning, you see. I have it all under control." Percy puffed out his chest. "But of course I wish him the speediest recovery."
Harry's brow furrowed; that couldn't be right. He'd seen Mr Crouch's name on the map half a dozen times since the Yule Ball. But of course he couldn't say that, or he'd have to explain the map, and then he'd be in all kinds of trouble.
Before he could ask for any detail on Crouch's mysterious illness, Bagman appeared at Harry's side, slinging a heavy arm over his shoulders. "Alright, there, Harry?" He ducked in close, dropping his voice. "Need any last-minute pointers?"
Harry firmly removed the man's arm from his person, taking a step away. "I'm fine, thanks." Why was the man so insistent on helping him? Surely Harry didn't look that pathetic.
The arrival of Cedric and Fleur was the perfect excuse for Harry to ditch Bagman, and he bumped Cedric's shoulder with his own. "You ready for this?"
"Don't have much choice, do I?" Cedric pointed out dryly. "Hey, have you seen Cho this morning? She wasn't at breakfast."
"I haven't," Harry replied, puzzled; that wasn't like Cho at all. "But I didn't go to breakfast. Neville brought me up a sandwich so I could avoid the crowd."
"It's not him, is it?" Cedric asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows, making it clear what he was referring to. Harry blushed, jabbing the Hufflepuff in the side.
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