Too Important To Die (Drarry)

Chapter One

                Harry sat in the Common Room of Gryffindor Tower, feeling more nervous than he had in his whole life. Of course, that was not true considering the number of times he had faced Voldemort, but in this moment, he still felt extremely uneasy. He knew that he was being irrational... Obviously, his friends would be fine with it... Right? However, he no longer had time to think about it as Ron and Hermione had just walked through the portrait hole. Secretly, Harry wished that they would keep walking and not notice him, but his wish did not come true as Hermione spotted him immediately and rushed over to the table Harry was sitting at in the corner of the room.

"There you are, Harry! I needed to tell you-" Hermione began excitedly.

"Actually, I need to tell you guys something too..." Harry interrupted.

"Oh, of course! What is it, Harry?" she asked, eyeing him intently. Obviously, she was trying to figure out what was going on in Harry's head before a knowing look came into her brown eyes.

"Well... um..." He stammered.

"It's okay, Harry, we won't be mad," she said encouragingly, placing her hand on top of his.

              Harry briefly noticed the angry look that crossed Ron's face at Hermione's touch, but he ignored it in order to get out what he had to say. Besides, he thought, maybe Ron will be okay with it since it would mean I have no intentions to be with Hermione whatsoever...

"Alright... Well..." he began, still nervous despite Hermione's obvious support.

              He couldn't help but wonder if maybe 'Mione had guessed wrong and was thinking he was about to say something else instead and would-. Harry stopped thinking at that moment and just blurted out what he had to say;

"I'm gay."

              He watched his friends intently. Hermione's expression had hardly changed except for the small smile that was spreading across her face. He turned to Ron next and saw that the red-head seemed to be going through many emotions at once. He couldn't help himself from laughing out loud when Ron asked if Harry had feelings for him.

"No, Ron! I swear I don't!" Harry laughed, seeing the relief come across his best friend's face.

"Alright, then I'm cool with it, Harry," Ron said with a slight smile.

"'Mione?" he asked, already thinking he knew what she would say, but feeling the need to ask anyway.

"Of course I'm fine with it! Took you long enough, though!" She said, amused.

"Yeah, yeah..." Harry said, "So what were you going to talk to me about before I interrupted you?"

"Oh, right!" Ron said, sounding excited about something, "Well Hermione here found out what this 'special occasion' was that's happening this year at Hogwarts!"

"Oh? And what is it?" he asked, mildly curious as to what they - well, Hermione - had found out.

"It's the Triwizard Tournament!" Ron exclaimed.

"The what?" he asked, confused.

              He saw Hermione roll her eyes at Ron for forgetting that he would not know what it was since he'd been raised by Muggles.

"Basically, it's where other magical schools come and compete in this tournament. There are extremely hard tasks that the competitors have to get through and they are awarded points. The school with the most points at the end wins."

"Does the whole school compete?" Harry questioned urgently, not wanting to have to be a part of even more extremely dangerous tasks than the ones he'd already been through in his Hogwarts career.

"Oh, no! You enter yourself into it. They only choose one person to represent each school." Hermione corrected.

"Yeah, yeah," Ron interjected before Harry could reply, "but you're leaving out the good bits, 'Mione! Don't forget about how the winner gets a bunch of money and 'eternal glory'!"

              Harry thought about how that was the exact last thing he wanted.

"So are you entering yourself into the tournament, then?" he asked his friends, already knowing their answers.

"No, of course not," Hermione said, "Much too dangerous just for a bit of money and fame..."

"Well, of course, I'm entering!" Ron said excitedly, "Could you imagine? It's so much money! And the eternal glory!? Of course, I would want that, to hell with the risks!"

"Well, you go ahead and do that then, Ron... I'll pass." Harry said.

"What do you mean you'll pass?" Ron asked incredulously.

"I don't particularly want to be in a tournament and I don't want money or eternal glory... I just want to have a normal year at Hogwarts for once." Harry said truthfully.

              He had no desire whatsoever to be a part of something so dangerous. I've had enough danger in my life already to last me seven lifetimes, I don't want, nor need, anymore...