I Learned Your Pulse

"Wow."

"It's Hermione!"

"Hermione!"

"Hermione, over here!"

"Hermione's back!"

The girl in question smiled weakly at everybody, her arm loosely around Harry's shoulders as he helped her to her seat. Walking long distances, like the Hospital Wing to the Great Hall, took a lot of energy she dind't have quite yet. But she draped her arm casually, to make it look simply like a friendly gesture instead of a helping one, so nobody would know but the one helping her. People applauded as she walked in, stood and cheered her, giving her a standing ovation. She was proud of herself and disappointed, too - she'd thought she could make the trek to the breakfast table by herself, but nobody seemed to care. Even the other prefects were standing, cheering -

All except Ron and Lavender, who were sitting, snogging the living daylights out of each other.

Her blood curdled. Hadn't he broken up with her vbecause he wasn't ready for a relationship? It certainly looked like he and Lavender had one. She frowned in concentration, keeping herself from swearing out loud. and then his blue eye looked at her, gauging her reaction - trying to make her jealous. She relaxed and smiled at him, taunting him, showing just how badly she was hurt by this outward display of emotion for Lavender. He broke away and smiled back, a little hesitantly, and then kissed Lavender with more passion than before. Sitting by Ginny and Luna, she let go of Harry and looked down the table at the food. Simis and Brant were joking with Seamus and Dean was whispering sweet nothings to Hannah Abbot, who looked flustered with compliments. Neville and Luna were holding hands and Harry and Ginny began doing so, aswell. Hermione felt like a fifth wheel sadwhiched between the two couples, but she didn't have feelings for anybody that way, so she really didn't care.

That's what she told herself.

She had picked up a piece of pie when Hagrid burst through the doors and jogged up to her, his footsteps shaking the Hall as they plodded heavily on the ground. He stopped behind her, panting. "Yer 'kay," he said gruffly. Hermione, without another word, managed to stand and grab him around the waist, hugging him tightly, trying not to let people she she was leaning on him for support, too, not just a hug. Pulling away, she smiled. "Got som'n' ter show yeh," he said. "Might a'well bring t'em other two, jus' ter be fair."

Confused, Hermione grabbed his arm, and when he looked as confused as she was, she asked, "You don't mind if I use you as a crutch, do you?" softly enough that nobody overheard, even as Hagrid beckoned to the other champions and they came up. Understanding crossed his face and he responded with an 'Of cour' I don', do I?' and then told them to follow him. People cheered as she left again, saying things like 'Go get 'em, girl!' and 'You show them!' Slightly embarassed, she hid her blush behind a curtain of her hair asthey walked out, keeping an eye on heer feet and trying to keep them moving so it'd look like she really was walking by herself.

Hagrid wouldn't explain where they were going, but she managed to get him to say it was for the second task, but that was all. But, as they walked on to the Quidditch Pitch outside, she saw the contraption.

It was active as she watched.There was an upward-going ramp that led to a wooden tank filled with, as she could see, water, with what appeared to be Craff-Mugrim Kabbels, swimming around freely, their long, tentacle heads swishing around as they fought with each other. There were only three, and with the fight raging, it looked like it'd soon be two - Hermione knew they were tempermental creatures who had a dominant personalities and territorial fighting skills. But there was a platform on the other side of the tank, leading right to -

"Fluffy," Hermione breathed in shock.

There was soft harp music playing beside the beast to keep him asleep, but it looked as if he had metal collars on all three of his necks, whch were low as the heads rested on the paws, snoring loudly. Hermione looked at him a moment more, and then her eyes moved on.