Chapter 26 - The Third Task

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Dedicated to Slytherelle

Hermione only just got to the History of Magic exam on time, and she felt that she could've done a lot better, but she didn't really mind. Her mind was too full of her victory over Rita Skeeter. And she didn't even know that her secret had been discovered! She couldn't remember feeling so pleased with herself... ever really

However, as she reached the Gryffindor table for lunch, her brain moved on pretty fast. Sitting at the Gryffindor table was Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Bill and Mrs Weasley, laughing and chatting as if they were back at the Burrow. The look Mrs Weasley gave her made her insides turn cold
"Are you going to tell us-?" started Harry, who hadn't noticed. Hermione shook her head
"Hello, Hermione" said Mrs. Weasley coolly
"Hello" said Hermione quietly
"Mrs. Weasley, you didn't believe that rubbish Rita Skeeter wrote in Witch Weekly, did you?" said Harry, cottoning on at last "Because Hermione's not my girlfriend"
"Oh!" said Mrs. Weasley "No - of course I didn't!"
But the coolness in her face faded immediately

While Hermione and Ron finished their exams, Harry could be spotted walking in the grounds with Mrs Weasley and Bill. That evening, Harry didn't eat much at dinner. However, he nerves seemed to resemble post Quidditch match nerves rather than the absolute terror he had experienced before the other two tasks

About a hour after dinner started, Dumbledore stood up and silence fell
"Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now"
The Gryffindor's applauded as Harry got up. Hermione and the Weasleys wished Harry good luck and he followed Bagman out of the Hall

Ginny turned and winked at a boy sitting on the Ravenclaw table. Hermione turned just in time to see the boy smirk back, before turning back to his friends
"Hey, mum?" said Ginny casually "would you mind if Michael sat with us? He's a... friend of mine"
"Of course, dear" said Mrs Weasley
Hermione raised an eyebrow at her. Ginny went pink
"Since when have you been so friendly with Michael?"
Ginny went even worse red, and Hermione grinned

About five minutes later, Dumbledore stood up and told the students and family members to head to the Quidditch pitch
"So..." said Hermione as they left the Hall "How long have you and Michael been going out and when were you planning on telling me?"
"About a week" said Ginny "he asked me out last Saturday. Though..." she lowered her voice "could you not tell brother dearest? Not for a while, at least. Until I know this is a real thing?"
"Obviously not" said Hermione

They reached the Quidditch stadium and found seats near the front. Hermione sat sandwiched between Ron and Ginny, with Michael Corner sitting on Ginny's other side. He was quite tall, with dark hair. Hermione supposed that he would be quite good looking, if she payed attention to that sort of thing. She looked down and gasped. Harry had said that it was a maze, but he had forgotten to mention the scale of it. It reached to the very edges of the pitch, and the hedges planted erratically across the ground were at least twenty feet high. She could hear the roars and growls of what sounded like gigantic creatures, but she couldn't see what they were
"Wow" said Ginny eagerly "It's a-maze-ing"
"That's really bad" said Hermione, shaking her head. Ginny grinned

The four champions were standing by the entrance to the maze, next to four Professors, who were wearing bright red hats, presumably to show the champions where they were, if they needed help. The four patrollers set off into the maze, and Ludo Bagman, who had been watching, put his wand to his throat
"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each - Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!" there was a very loud round of applause "In second place, with eighty points - Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" another round of much quieter applause. Hermione noticed that Ron wasn't clapping for Viktor, which was odd "And in third place - Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"
Harry found Hermione and the Weasleys in the stands, and they grinned and waved at him

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