Reckless ~ Tomione

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The wait was long. After the Karofiev twins had returned with a time of seventeen minutes and forty-nine seconds, Isabelle had had a meltdown at the thought of cutting herself with the knife. It had taken ten minutes to calm her down, at which point Hermione was getting impatient. Looking around the room, it was clear the Tom Riddle was also quickly becoming annoyed at the theatrics.

Abraxas had looked in Hermione and Draco's direction several times since the Task had started, but the tension in the room was enough to discourage anyone from talking to each other. Hermione shook her head. It wasn't the time to feel emotions.

"Draco," she whispered, leaning in towards him. "We need a plan."

"What do you propose?" He knew too well that she had already planned everything out.

Hermione hesitated for a second. She didn't like having to ask. "If we used your blood, where would we end up?"

Draco tensed slightly. "I would think... possibly my home."

"Malfoy Manor?" Hermione frowned. She remembered what it had been like, since she had been taken there less than a year ago and tortured by Bellatrix. Luckily, she hadn't planned on going there this time.

"Where would we go if we used your blood?" Draco questioned, looking away. Hermione swallowed.

"Hogwarts."

~

Marie and Isabelle had returned with a time of twenty-six minutes and three seconds after entering the Task arena. However, the judges had ruled that eleven minutes and seventeen seconds were to be added to their time, since the Task had technically started when Kylo Baldwin announced the start. That meant that their time had been over the time limit, and, while they were able to participate in the next round, their score for this Task was 'zero'. Marie had huffed and stomped off, leaving a very hurt Isabelle who knew her friend need time to cool down, but clearly was still upset with herself that she let her team down.

"Next up: Hermione Arcturus and Draco Greystone!" Kylo announced, grinning from ear to ear. The pair approached him steadily, and he gestured for them to take their place behind a glowing line at the bottom of the Grand Staircase. "Remember, the Task starts when I say 'go', but if you cross that line without your vial ready, you will be taken to different places. You must return here from the same place you arrive there; the blue line will not move in your new reality, and it is the only way you can come back before the thirty minutes are up. You must have retrieved the substance before the time limit, otherwise you will be at a disadvantage for the next Task. Understand?"

"Yes," they answered in unison. Kylo nodded approvingly.

"Your time starts in three...two...one...go!"

Hermione handed the vial to Draco, who popped the top off and positioned it under her hand. Then, in one quick movement, she sliced the knife through the tip of her middle finger. A few drops of blood dripped, and one fell into the vial, which magically filled the entire top half. Draco placed the hourglass, which had already started pouring into the bottom, in his pocket, and sealed it with a charm and protection spell.

"Come on, let's go." Hermione grabbed his arm with one hand, and with the other, held her wand in front of her. "We don't know where we're going to be, so be cautious. I swear to Merlin, if you end up being blasted by a Killing Curse..."

Draco raised his eyebrows and pulled out his wand. "Well, here goes nothing."

They stepped over the line together, and suddenly, the air felt a little heavier. But nothing had changed.

"Did it work?" Draco whispered. They were standing on the stairs, exactly where they would have been if there hadn't been an illusion charm. He turned around, but there was no one there. Not the smiling Kylo Baldwin, the scowling face of Tom Riddle or the bright-haired Abraxas Malfoy.