Trust Me (Drarry)

Chapter 24

HARRY POV

"Just make sure you concentrate," Hermione reassured me. "Then you just have to-"
"Battle a dragon..." I snorted.
I heard Hermione sigh, and then suddenly the side of the Champions' tent flew open and she engulfed me in a hug. I squeezed her tightly, my heart thudding. This is it.

Hermione had been so helpful, teaching me the Summoning Charm, building my confidence, helping me prepare in any way I could. I was so grateful for her help; Ron was still refusing to speak to me, and though Draco still smiled at me in the corridors, I couldn't really go to him for help. Thank you Lucius...

We jumped when Barty Crouch, Dumbledore, Karkaroff and Maxime entered the tent, talking quietly. Hermione pulled back and rested her hands on my shoulders. She wasn't stupid; she of all people could see how terrified I was. She gave me a quick kiss on the forehead and smiled widely, her eyes glistening. "You've got this, Harry Potter. See you on the other side."

I tried to focus on Dumbledore as he spoke, but my ears kept tuning in to the sound of the crowd outside the tent, talking and laughing, cheering and eating... Everything I could do if my name hadn't come out of that stupid cup.

We chose mini versions of dragons out of Dumbledore's bag. None of the champions seemed surprised at the creatures, making me sure that everyone had been prepared in some way or another. (Thank you Hagrid). But my heart sank when I discovered the breed of dragon that I had been given and remembered Charlie Weasley's words... "I don't envy the one who gets the Horntail. Vicious thing... Back end's as dangerous as its front..."

I keep telling myself, it'll be fine, I can do this, I've battled Voldemort three times, I've killed a Basilisk... At least I don't have to worry about the dragon's EYES killing me. Just everything else...

I sat quietly on the bench as the others paced up and down and, one by one, left to face their dragon. Until I was the only one left.

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

DRACO POV

As I ate breakfast on the morning of the first task, I felt so sick. I had to keep telling myself that it was Harry doing the task, Harry, not me. But if anything that made it worse.

I tried to catch his eye all morning in our lessons, but he was staring at his desk as though he wanted it to eat him. Finally, he got to work in Potions, not wanting any grief from Snape. But even he wasn't so cruel as to taunt Harry before the first task; he yelled at Neville, at Seamus, at Parvati Patil, but avoided Harry and Hermione's cauldron like the Plague. I could tell Harry was surprised. He raised an eyebrow as Snape swept past his table, barely glancing at him. He caught my eye and gave me a half-hearted smile. I grinned reassuringly, although I was sure Harry could see that it was forced.

Finally, lunch finished, and I watched as Harry and the other Champions were hurried down to the grounds to get ready for the first task.

After about ten minutes, the rest of us began to head down as well. Everyone was talking excitedly, guessing what the task might involve.

"What do you think, Draco?" Blaise asked, shoving a first-year out of the way so he and Pansy could catch up with me as we got closer to the Champions' tent. Harry was just inside there...
"I dunno..." Suddenly, we heard an ear-splitting roar from the other side of the tent. My stomach dropped. They wouldn't-
"Merlin! What was that?" Pansy sounded nervous.
"I think it was a-" I stopped as we entered the stands surrounding an enormous arena.

A dragon. The Champions had to face a dragon. It was waiting in the arena for the first competitor, and there was a group of dragon tamers trying to quieten it until the task began.