AMOR VINCIT OMNIA; GRANGER

IX.

( confrontation in a strange room )

THE SECOND TASK was just plain boring and a complete waste of time. For the whole hour that the champions had to rescue someone they cherished, the spectators could only sit around and stare at the unmoving surface of the Great Lake while twiddling their thumbs. 

Nothing much happened in the hour that the champions had to rescue their treasure. The only somewhat interesting thing was that Fleur Delacour was forced to retreat and got hysterical, thinking that her little sister would be stuck at the bottom of the Great Lake forever.

Milo, who was standing next to Draco, could just scoff at her distraught state. There was no way that the hostages, as he had heard some others call them, would not return after the time was up.

Though, as time passed and Cedric Diggory resurfaced with some Ravenclaw girl Milo had never seen, he started to fiddle with the gloves he wore. Awaiting Krums return, who probably had Hermione as his treasure, seeing as both her and Weasley weren't around to watch Potter.

Finally Krum broke through the water surface with Hermione by his side. Being far away from the girl Milo was wondering if she was alright, after all it was cold and she was drenched in the cold lake water. Realizing that he was beginning to stare, the boy quickly looked away and indulged in a conversation with Draco about how he was sure that Potter wouldn't be able to make it and would lose this task.

Rather than Potter losing this task, he came in second, even though he was the last to resurface and was over the time limit. The favoritism the teachers held towards the boy who lived truly was unjust, Milo almost felt compassionate towards Viktor Krum who should have been in second place.

Milo spent the following weeks like usual. Studying in the library, trying to get more sleep (which was unsuccessful) and trying to get Hermione Granger out of his head (which was also in vain).

One night as he was walking up to the Astronomy tower, he once again heard footsteps coming from the direction he was headed to. He looked around for someplace to hide in, not wanting to get in trouble and disappointing his parents once again, but the person came closer quickly, so he only turned around and walked in the direction he had come from, hoping that it wasn't a professor or Filch.

"Milo?", he heard a familiar voice call out to him. He turned around, thinking that his mind was playing tricks with him.

That was his first mistake, he should have just gone ahead, not turning back to the voice that had burnt itself into his memory.

He looked at the girl he could never have with a painful expression, confusing her, as it was the first time she had seen him with any sign of an emotion present on his features (except for anger and annoyance, of course).

Regaining his composure, Milo spoke coldly, "Granger, since when are we on a first name basis?" Taking a taunting step closer he added, "Rather, since when do we talk?"

Growing irritated, Hermione looked him directly into the eyes, also taking a step closer, "Wasn't it you who suggested I call you Milo?" Taking another step closer she continued, "And if I recall correctly it was you who stared at me so often when I was in the library, and you were also the person that comforted me at the Yule Ball."

"Those were mistakes that I won't ever repeat, so just leave me and pretend all of this never happened," he said with disgust underlining his harsh words. Looking away he prepared his next words, knowing that those would destroy his chances at ever getting close to her again."I don't want to ever talk with you again, you dirty mu –"