𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐞 | 𝐇.𝐏.

𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝟒 - 𝟕

"You told me you'd figured the egg out weeks ago!" I said in disbelief. "The task is two days from now!" 

"Really? I had no idea," Potter replied sarcastically. Then he turned to Hermione. "I suppose Viktor's already figured it out."

"Wouldn't know," Hermione said. "We don't talk about the tournament. Actually, we don't really talk at all. Viktor's more of a physical being."

I thought a minute about why that didn't sound right. She realized what she had said and laughed. "I just mean... he's not particularly loquacious," she corrected herself. 

"Mm-hm," Potter hummed, smiling.

"Mostly, he just watches me study," Hermione sighed. "It's a bit annoying, actually." Then she hesitated. "You are trying to figure out that egg, aren't you?" She asked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked. 

"It just means these tasks are designed to test you," I answered for her. "In the most brutal way, they're almost cruel. I'm scared for you. We all are."

"You got by the dragon mostly on nerve," Hermione continued. "I'm not sure it's going to be enough this time."

From off to the side a voice said, "Hey, Potter!" The Potter in question sighed and walked over to Diggory. Hermione and I threw one last look to him over our shoulders before we headed back to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Two days," I muttered.

"Two days," she repeated tiredly.

Sometimes, when I was stressed out and didn't know what to do with myself, I would go to the Prefect's bathroom on the fifth floor. It had a bathtub the size of a swimming pool, and was the perfect place to just think, as no one ever came in.

So, with officially one day and two nights until the second task, and Potter still having no idea what it consisted of, I left for the fifth floor. My stomach was in a tangle of knots when I opened the door, but it dropped when I saw someone already in the tub, his head covered with familiar, messy black hair. 

Potter spun around at the sound of the door opening, and I slapped my hand over my eyes, turning to face the opposite direction.

"Fancy seeing you here," I said conversationally, like this was a completely normal reoccurrence.

"Sorry..." he replied awkwardly.

"So, why the sudden impulse to take a bath in the Prefect's bathroom?" I asked.

"Hang on, I'm getting dressed," he said, and I heard him lift himself out of the tub.

"That would be convenient," I agreed. 

"Okay, you can turn around," he said after a moment. I did so hesitantly, and saw him wearing a shirt with the tag sticking out in the front and lopsided, hastily put on jeans. 

"You're shirt's on backwards," I smiled.

"Oh..." he looked down at his chest. "It appears you're right."

"I'm always right," I said.

"I was in here because... Cedric told me to," Potter began. I scrunched my eyebrows together in confusion. "Well, he- he told me to "mull things over in hot water," to solve the egg's clue," he explained.

"You could have started with that instead of just "Cedric told me to,"" I advised.

Potter rolled his eyes. "Why are you in here, then?"

"I come in here when I'm stressed," I answered. "And you in particular have been stressing me out a lot lately."

"Yeah, sorry about that," he said. We stood in loud silence for a second.