Matt and Hermione find themselves caught up in the Triwizard Tournament, both students held hostage to be rescued. When things go wrong however, Hermione is forced to confront her evolving feelings towards Matt, and the very real possibility that one of them may not make it to the end of the school year.
Harry
February 24th, 1995
10:25 a.m.
Harry rounded the corner and was met with the sight of Merpeople in what looked like a village square, floating. There were strange houses hewn out of rock and some of the Merpeople were singing, calling the champion of the tournament to their location. At the far side of the small square stood a massive boulder, carved into the shape of a Merperson. Harry realized what he and the other champions had come to retrieve, finally, their closest people.
Tied to the tail of the giant Merperson were four individuals, all of whom Harry sickening recognized. Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw seeker and girl Harry himself fancied, except she was dating his rival Hogwarts Champion Cedric Diggory floated; her black hair formed a kind of halo around her head. Beside her was Ron Weasley, Harry's first real friend in the Wizarding World, floated lazily, his eyes closed. Next to him, Harry's best friend Hermione Granger was tied, her normally bushy brown hair was circling her head, and she would have looked rather mad if her eyes were not closed and bubbles issued from her mouth. Beside her at the opposite end was Matthew Santini. Harry's other best friend, which made three altogether, floated.
Harry quickly deduced that Ron must be his to save, as the two had only just started to repair their relationship. Cho was obviously Cedric's due to their romance. That meant Hermione and Matt…belonged to Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour respectively. Harry frowned as he moved over to Ron and began to hack away at his bonds with a sharp rock he found on the bottom nearby. Matt the American tended to get himself into these situations, it would have been nice if he had been up in stands to cheer Harry on instead of right in the thick of it. Harry freed Ron and went to work on Hermione next but was stopped by one of the Merpeople.
"You take your own hostage. Leave the others." The Merperson said to Harry. He attempted to argue back but only soundless bubbles came from his mouth. Harry worried he was about to have to choose between his three closest friends. Suddenly Cedric emerged from the blackness and approached Cho.
"Get lost, the Fleur and Krum are coming!" Cedric mouthed before pulling a knife from his pocket and cutting his girlfriend loose. Harry watched as Cedric took Cho out of sight. He looked over at Hermione and Matt and cursed his friends. If only Matt had been a little smoother with Hermione, neither would be in the lake. The American could have taken their friend to the ball instead and they would not have gone with the other champions instead. Harry shook his head; he remembered Fleur being terribly upset her family could not make it to the second task as they had gotten sick. Which left Matt as the only option for her hostage.
Weirdly, Matt was the only person in the school it seemed, who was unaffected by her Veela charms. Truthfully, Matt was the only person he had ever seen not affected by Veela at all. At the Quidditch World Cup over the summer, Matt and Hermione had to pull him off the ledge of their seats when the Veela were putting on their display. Hermione had even been confused as to why their friend had been unaffected. Matt said he would have to ask Arthur Weasley about it later and Harry never heard that conversation. With Matt not being affected by Fleur, she had become interested in the American. She would often throw herself in his path as they went between meals or events. Hermione had been less than pleased with this, but Matt had paid the French girl little attention.
It was not until they found out that Hermione had been asked to Yule Ball by someone but refused to say who, that things got very weird. Matt had been flabbergasted that Hermione had been asked so quickly. Harry learned during the dance that Matt had been planning to ask her himself but wanted to make it incredibly special for her. He over planned though, and Viktor Krum beat him to the punch.
Matt and Hermione appeared to be frustrated with one another the entire month of December, it seemed. The pair were unusually sarcastic with one another, and Harry was not entirely sure all the barbs they traded were just for the sake of banter. It really came to a head when Matt brazenly charged into the entrance hall where Fleur was gathered with some of her friends from Beauxbaton's as well as Hogwarts students.
"Yo! Delacour!" Matt's voice had rolled through the hall like thunder. When Fleur had turned to him, she looked like her cheeks were pink at being addressed so informally by the American. "Do you have a date to the ball?" he asked.
"No, I 'ave not been asked." she had replied.
"Do you want to go with me?" Matt had looked confident, more so than he ever had before. Harry assumed that was why the Sorting Hat put him in Gryffindor.
"I would love to!" was her response, she was overjoyed at this.Harry wondered if part of Matt's plan was to make sure half the school knew who he had asked and what she had said. Hermione had not spoken to him the rest of that week. Harry was not sure whether his two closest friends had spoken to one another until the ball.
Harry waited impatiently, floating between Ron and Hermione when Viktor Krum finally shot out of the darkness. He was half transfigured into a shark and was tearing at the seaweed holding Hermione in place. Harry was instantly afraid she would end up torn in half at how violently Viktor was attempting to chew through the ropes. Harry tapped Krum on the shoulder and handed him his rock. Krum used it to slice through the weed and quickly take off with Hermione.
Harry sighed, even though Hermione and Matt had been fighting the pair had seemingly made up by the time the ball was over. Ron had a hand in that though, as he had verbally attacked both of them for 'fraternizing with the enemy'. Matt and Hermione had not stuck around much longer and had gone off to rejoin their respective dates. Later that same evening Hermione and Matt were arguing with Ron again. Hermione had told Ron he should not expect her to be his backup plan or a last possible resort. And Matt had called him a coward just because Ron had been too afraid to even stick around long enough to hear Fleur's response to Ron's asking her out. If there was one thing Ron was good at, it was making Matt and Hermione angry at him, rather than each other.
The time passing quicker and quicker, Harry knew he was going to have to eventually return to the surface. Matt still had not been rescued and each time he approached his friend the Merpeople forced him back. Then Matt's own words echoed in Harry's mind.
"Look, stop worrying about that last line of the song. I'm sure it's just extra motivation. You know, keep you movin'." Matt had told him the night before. "I doubt, whatever it is they're taking from you, will be that serious. And they're not going to put anyone else in danger."
Harry had agreed, Matt's logic was sound. The champions were the ones supposed to face danger not their hostages. With a final nod Harry grabbed Ron and swam to the surface of the lake. He was sure that once he made it back Fleur would pop up at any moment, and all of them would be together again.
"Wet, isn't it?" Ron quipped as they reached the surface and swam to the dock.
"Just a bit." Harry replied as they climbed up to be greeted by Hermione. She dove at Harry and hugged him tightly.
"Well done! You figured it out all by yourself. But where's Matt?" Hermione asked, concerned laced on her features.
"Fleur didn't turn up yet. I'm sure she's ri-" Harry began.
"No! Harry, Fleur was attacked by the Grindylows, she dropped out…" Hermione said and stood up to move to the edge of the dock, Harry right beside her. Ron had stood back, accepting a Pepperup potion from Madam Pomfrey. He and Matt had not made up much since their fight at the ball.
"Where is he? Surely, he must be back by now!" Hermione visually scanned the lake, bouncing on her feet. "I can't see him, where is he?!" She was almost hysterical by now.
Suddenly, there was a rush of bubbles and frothing in the lake out near where Harry and the others surfaced. Harry felt a sigh of relief wash through him, that must be Matt. The Merpeople must have released him and brought him to the surface. The lake was still and there was nothing. Harry looked confused and shared a worried glance with Hermione who looked like she was on the verge of tears.
Suddenly a small disturbance and a body popped up, floating but not moving.
"No." Hermione gasped along with shocked murmurs from the crowd.
Hermione
February 24th, 1995
10:39 a.m.
Hermione sputtered as she reached the surface of the lake, wiping a hand across her face to clear the water from her eyes and push her hair out of the way. Krum surfaced next to her, and his partial transfiguration wore off, the shark's head he had spawned returned to his normal gruff features. The pair swam to the docks and Hermione glanced back, she wondered if Matt, Harry, or Ron had come up yet. She was dismayed to see Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang were the only ones thus far back. Viktor climbed out first and then helped haul Hermione onto the platform as they waited.
Madam Pomfrey wrapped them both in thick fluffy warm towels and shoved Pepperup potions in their hands. Hermione was all too happy to drink, the potion quickly warmed her. She looked out at the lake her brow furrowed. Suddenly, Fleur was at her side, making her almost jump.
"Fleur, why are you still here?" Hermione was shocked.
"I-I 'ad to drop out. Ze Grindylows… zey attacked me…I could not get zem away…" she spoke and burst into tears.
Hermione could not say anything and looked out at the lake, worried now. Matt was trapped, with no one to save him. Surely though, as Professor McGonagall had explained to them, if the task ended and one of them was not able to be saved, they would be promptly returned to the surface. That was a little vague, but Matt should be back any second now.
As she waited for her friend's inevitable return, her thoughts drifted on him. Hermione did not even notice or hear Viktor attempting to talk to her. She could only think of the brown eyed American. He always smiled at her so warmly, he was her first friend on the train. She had been taken aback when she asked to sit with him and he spoke, his voice not sounding like he was from Britain at all. They had talked quite a bit until Neville Longbottom arrived looking for his toad. The pair had volunteered to help and thus ran into the famous Harry Potter and his first companion Ron Weasley.
Matt had been the only one to follow her that year, after Ron's comments after Charms class, into the bathroom. He refused to leave her alone, saying he was her friend no matter what and Ron was a git. Although the pair had to suffer the wrath of a troll, Harry and Ron had saved them cementing the four as friends.
Although she was not there for it, Hermione learned after the fact that during the second year, things were tough for Matt. After she was petrified, he was apparently devastated. He was barely there, only attending classes and barely eating. Eventually his grief turned to rage, and he led the charge down into the Chamber of Secrets and killed the Basilisk himself. Despite his darkness, he returned to normal when she came back.
But last year, their third year at Hogwarts, that changed a lot for the two of them. While Matt had balked at taking every elective, he did pick Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and Care of Magical Creatures, avoiding Divination entirely and stating he did not need to take Muggle Studies as half his immediate family were No-Maj's before he came to Britain. Hermione got to see him alone for a change and she liked it. Matt even defended her against Ron's attacks on Crookshanks.
Hermione was brought out of her thoughts as Harry surfaced, followed by Ron. Her heart leapt as she watched two of her closest friends return to the platform. She was a little concerned though when Matt was not with them. Harry climbed up first and Hermione immediately hugged him, thankful he had been ok.
"Well done! You figured it out all by yourself. But where's Matt?" Hermione asked, concerned laced on her features.
"Fleur didn't turn up yet. I'm sure she's ri-" Harry began.
"No! Harry, Fleur was attacked by the Grindylows, she dropped out…" Hermione said and stood up to move to the edge of the dock, Harry right beside her.
"Where is he? Surely, he must be back by now!" Hermione scanned the surface of the lake, bouncing on her feet. "I can't see him, where is he?!" She was almost hysterical by now.
Suddenly, there was a rush of bubbles and frothing in the lake out near where Harry and the others surfaced. The Merpeople must have released him and brought him to the surface. The lake was still and there was nothing. Hermione was on the verge of tears as she shared a worried look with a concerned Harry.
Suddenly a small disturbance and a body popped up, floating but not moving.
"No." Hermione gasped along with shocked murmurs from the crowd.
"But Matt said not to worry about the second half of the song, that it wasn't to be taken seriously…" Harry said, his voice full of anguish and desperation.
"We have to get to him!" She cried, she shrugged off her towels and her outer robes before diving back into the freezing lake. Harry did not wait for an invitation either and joined her, splashing in the icy waters next to her. Hermione swam as fast as she could, she was thankful she had spent some time over the summer while in France, learning to swim better.
Matt seemed so far away from them, and it felt like the water was thick as pea soup as she swam. Hermione's mind wandered over the events of the previous year. She remembered how Matt had agreed with her that the Firebolt sent to Harry was likely from Sirius Black and that it could be jinxed. When Ron had started yelling at her, he intervened. Matt stood up for her in their argument and when it finally got too heated, he punched Ron, giving him a black eye.
Matt told her he was sure that was the worst thing he could have done to him. Ron hated doing things 'the Muggle way' as he put them. It never bothered Matt, and he often liked talking to Hermione about how her family did things compared to his own. If Matt had hexed Ron, Ron would not have thought twice about it, but punching him? That was a blow to his ego too, that he could be felled by a simple No-Maj trick.
Even Draco Malfoy learned that when Hermione struck him for making comments about Buckbeak. Matt had proudly stood by when that happened, and she had to give him credit. After he hit Ron, Hermione had asked him to teach her how to do it. He was all too happy to show Hermione the correct way to throw a punch. It had been time well spent in her opinion.
Hermione kept swimming, pulling herself through the water, but why was Matt not getting any closer?! Why was he still so far away from her? She had to keep moving, she had to get to him, to know he was ok. That was all that mattered.
Hermione remembered how Matt had worked out that Sirius was an Animagus, just like she worked out that Professor Lupin was a werewolf. Matt had even theorized that, following their Hogsmeade encounter with Harry and subsequently the Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge and some of their professors, perhaps the ministry did not have the full account of everything; and that Black might not be the real threat.
Matt had pointed out that Voldemort himself wanted to kill Harry, and the odds of leaving it to one of his underlings to do it was slim. No one acted of their own accord in Voldemort's inner circle. Parts of the story just did not hold weight for him.
Even as Buckbeak's execution drew near, Ron had not fully made up with Matt. The pair kept an uneasy distance but worked cordially around each other. However, on the night of execution, Ron had decided to stay in Gryffindor tower rather than join the others. It was Matt who had held Hermione in his arms as she cried over the Hippogriff's death. He had even tried to bring Scabbers back to Ron as a peace offering.
However, when a shaggy dog attacked them, one called The Grim; one that Professor Trelawney had been seeing around Harry the entire year, Matt was unconvinced of the death omen. Instead, he let himself be dragged under the Whomping Willow and to the Shrieking Shack. His worst injury was a slightly wrenched shoulder from Sirius dragging him. Afterwards, Hermione, Harry, and Matt rushed to defend Sirius from Dementors at the lake, but all had passed out before being rescued by what Harry thought was his father.
"Matt! Please wake up!" Hermione shouted as she drew near her friend. She was all but crying, not that it mattered, with her swimming in the lake. He did not respond. Matt was entirely unconscious and floating in the water face down. "No, please!" she called as she and Harry were almost to him, she could almost reach him, if only she were not getting tired and could just get there faster!
She remembered how the three of them had gone back in time, that Matt had known about her Time Turner but did not say anything, protecting her secret the entire school year. He had sat next to her as they slipped past themselves and waited for them to come out of the Whomping Willow, the three of them huddled together, Hermione's head resting on Matt's shoulder. She could not forget how shortly after that, at the opposite shore of the lake, he had remarked that she was about to have her first kiss stolen by a Dementor. Hermione had blushed deep red at that when at the last moment Harry had saved them with his patronus.
"Matt! Wake up, come on, you've got to move." Hermione begged as she finally reached him. Harry was on his other side and the pair slipped their arms around his back and brought his head out of the water. He was not breathing. Hermione cried as they began to swim with him back to shore, keeping his head above water. This could not be it for him, he was too important to her. No. She would not let him die here, he just could not! She could not bear it if she did not get to tell him how she felt.
Hermione realized that her feelings for him had grown. He was obviously noticing things too. He had punched Malfoy out when they ran from Death Eaters at the Quidditch World Cup. He did not tolerate the blonde Slytherin making remarks about humiliating her in her underwear. Matt had grown fiercely protective of her. And she of him, only rarely. Matt was not one who was often in need of it, but during their visit to Hogsmeade, Hermione had stepped in front of him when Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pike had confronted them in front of the Shrieking Shack the previous year.
Perhaps that was why she had said yes to Viktor when he asked her to the ball. Matt had been sluggish to ask her out, she thought. And she wanted his attention, so when Viktor asked her out, she had said yes. Matt was just as shocked as Ron and Harry were, but for different reasons than the other two. Matt had not felt he was entitled to her, as Ron did, but more that she had been asked so quickly. She knew his own date was a spiteful move, which was why he had asked Fleur. Hermione was deeply regretting the way they had acted during December. If she had known…she would have told Viktor no and asked Matt herself. She would give anything to have more time with him now. Matt had even pulled her aside at the dance to talk to her.
"It's hot, isn't it?" Hermione had said as she sat down at one of the tables where Matt, Harry, and Ron were. Matt had moved to the opposite with her for a little privacy.
"I know things have been rough, but, Hermione, I'm really sorry about everything." He said, genuinely looking sad and emotion in his voice. He had meant it. Matt never apologized; it was like an unspoken rule he had. You might get a gruff "It won't happen again." from him, but never a full-on apology.
"Oh, Matt, I'm sorry too." Hermione recalled saying back.
"I didn't ask you right away, because these things don't really happen that often and I wanted to make sure it was special for you, you deserve that."
"You needn't have done that. You asking me would have been enough." She replied.
"I know, the thing is, I really really like y-" Matt had been cut off by Ron interjecting himself.
"Where's Vicky, he has asked you to start calling him that, hasn't he?" Ron had snidely remarked.
"What? What are you talking about?" Hermione looked confused.
"And you, what, she hasn't asked you to call her Flurry yet?" Ron half snarled at Matt.
"The hell is wrong with you Ron?" Matt shot back.
"If neither of you two brainiacs can figure it out, I'm not telling you." Ron snorted.
Both Matt and Hermione stared at Ron then back to Harry who just shook his head and shrugged.
"Ron…what-" Hermione began.
"He's from Durmstrang, she's from Beauxbatons. They're competing against Hogwarts, against Harry…you-you're both fraternizing with the enemy!" Ron shot at them.
"Ah, God, forget it. C'mon Hermione, will you dance with me?" Matt asked and stood up. Hermione was all too eager to take the invitation and leave Ron without a reply. Although they danced together only once, it felt special to her. She could tell it meant something to him, as they spoke softly to one another and gazed into each other's eyes…
No, Hermione was determined to get him back, she was not going to lose her best friend to the Merpeople. This would not stand, not on her watch.
"Faster Harry!" Hermione demanded as they pushed onward to the dock. Harry was swimming as quickly as he could with their load. Once at the dock, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall helped haul Matt onto the platform while Madam Pomfrey worked on him. All three were wrapped in fresh warm towels and given more Pepperup potions.
Hermione's attention was drawn to the shore as Professor Dumbledore strode to the shoreline, in the shallows a group of Merpeople waited. Dumbledore spoke in a screaming tone, like the ones Merpeople spoke when they were above the water. Apparently, the Headmaster could speak Mermish. The chieftainess was speaking heavily, her arms gesticulating wildly, and Dumbledore nodded. Suddenly, the Merpeople parted and the chieftainess swung her trident to one of her underlings. The others all struck their spears into the sand four times, paused for two beats, and struck them one last time, forming an even row along the shore.
A rumble from the lake indicated the giant squid had appeared and its tentacles were waving angrily in the waters just a short distance from the shore. The lone underling looked panicked as it struggled to run away, finding no safe escape from the spears making a wall between the other Merpeople the underling. The look of terror on its face was unmistakable as the squid wrapped a tentacle around the underling's foot and dragged it across the surface of the lake. The Merperson screamed unintelligibly as it was yanked out to the squid and violently dragged beneath the lake. A moment later a stained spot appeared in the water where the squid had been, and the underling was gone.
"Well, that's one way to deal with a problem." Said a voice from behind them. Hermione spun on her heel and turned; she launched herself at Matt who had spoken. Her arms wrapped around him as she landed on her knees and held him tightly.
"I-I-I Thought I'd lost you." She stuttered.
"No, I'm still here. I'm not that easy to get rid of." Matt replied and patted her back, rubbing it gently.
"Herm-own-ninny, vat is the meaning of this?" Viktor Krum asked as he lumbered over to them.
"Oh, Viktor, hi." Hermione broke the hug as Matt sat fully upright. She sat on her knees and slowly stood up. "Um, listen, I appreciate everything you did. The ball, saving me in the lake, it means a great deal to me. It's just, um, well, you see, we're just friends, all right?"
"Just friends?" Viktor looked bemused, almost heartbroken.
"Yes, just friends. I…belong to another." Hermione said and looked at Matt who blushed.
"Fine. Vatever you vish." Viktor said and walked away with a scowl. Madam Pomfrey came over and insisted on moving Matt to a medical tent for further evaluation. Hermione refused to leave his side. Harry followed along as well, although Ron had disappeared. Harry was waylaid as they walked. He was getting the final results from the judges, himself coming in just after Cedric because he had gotten there first and stayed to help his friends and was the only champion to dive back in to help Matt. The chieftainess had vouched for him to Dumbledore.
In the med tent, Matt lay on a bed with Hermione at his side, both her hands clasped possessively around one of his. He smiled at her as she kept close to him. Fleur had taken one look and burst into tears running off, unable to face him.
"Guess that's over with huh?" Matt joked with a smirk. "Besides, it would seem as though I've been claimed." He looked down at their hands.
"Matt…I have to tell you…my feelings towards you…they've changed…and after all that's happened…"
"It's ok, I think I get what you're driving at." Matt said.
"I love you!" Hermione said and leaned over to kiss him on the lips. Matt closed his eyes and responded back, gently.
"That's ok, cause, I love you back." He said after they broke the kiss. "Now that that's out of the way, I should probably mention, I did make out with Fleur at the ball."
Hermione frowned but nodded in understanding.
"That's all right. I snogged Viktor, so I guess that makes us even?" she admitted.
"Yeah, it does." Matt said. He looked confused at Hermione for a moment before reaching up to the side of her head.
"What is it?" she asked, concerned, suddenly.
"Nothing, it's just, you had a water beetle in your hair." Matt said and held the kicking bug between his fingers. "How the hell did this little shit survive this long?" he wondered aloud before snapping his wrist and flicking the insect into a waste bin nearby. The bug had looked oddly familiar, like he had seen it before. He shrugged and did not put any more thought into it.
"Thank you." she said blushing. Hermione decided to slip into the bed next to him, cuddling to his side. Matt let out a deeply satisfied sigh. "I could get used to this." He said contentedly. Hermione nodded and rested her head against his chest. The slow and steady rhythm of his heart lulled her to sleep, as her warmth and presence help lull him into a deep slumber as well.