𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 | 𝐡. 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫

𝟑𝟏 - 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐤

To say Ophelia was nervous for Harry was an understatement, no, she was terrified he was about to be swallowed whole by a ravenous angry dragon.

She didn't sleep a wink the night before the task, and instead was pacing in the common room counting down the hours and the minutes before the first task begun, waiting for the sun to rise through the window.

Harry had woken up a bit earlier that morning, given everything was meant to begin at 9 am he wanted to make sure he had himself in the right headspace, but upon exiting the common room dressed in the red and black robes he had been given for the task he felt even worse.

He wasn't ready at all, in the slightest, no not one bit at all.

Going down the steps and into the common room he finally noticed Ophelia who was dressed, and anxiously bouncing her leg as she sat on the couch, books strewn all around her as she attempted to give him any sort of tips at all, he smiled to himself and walked to behind where she sat on the sofa. He reached forward and wrapped his arms around her frame, making her jump but after a moment she realised exactly who it was and relaxed, tilting her head to the side so Harry could bury his tired face in the crook of it. He did so thankfully, squeezing her tighter as they hugged, Ophelia running her fingers through his scalp, gently scratching it as she comforted him.

"You'll be alright Harry, think about it, you've alright killed a basilisk and that's a snake dinosaur, this is just a flying one, and with the broom, you'll be fine, just swoop in and get out of there as fast as you can-"

Ophelia made a noise before turning around to hug him properly, her knees burying into the couch as she leaned up to hug Harry around his neck, kissing his cheek as she tried not to get too worried for him.

"You reckon I'll be okay?" he asked her quietly into her hair.

Sensing his anxiety, she nodded and said "Absolutely Harry, you'll ace it, I know you will."

Harry grabbed onto her tighter and asked her "You'll find me afterwards though right?"

"Absolutely, after you've been checked by Madam Pomfrey I'll be outside for you, just try not to die on me alright?"

"I'll try Phee, but it is a dragon."

Ophelia shuddered a little, Harry felt it and felt his jaw tense, she really was scared for him.

"It's so different now, I had time to think about what was going to happen you know, normally things just happen to me whenever, or around june. But this..." Harry explained, closing his eyes as she ran a hand up and down his spine, wanting to commit the memory to forever be remembered.

"I have more on the line now than before." Harry said, pulling away to look at her.

Ophelia lightly scoffed, eyes slightly teary "Your life is on the line every year it seems Harry, why is it more worrying now than before?"

Harry only looked at her, his eyes searching hers as he tried to relay the message that way, her head tilted to the side and then it dawned on her, she smiled warmly but the tears in her eyes were giving her away.

She dragged him into another hug, Harry cradled her waist as he breathed in her collarbone, pressing a light kiss to the skin beneath his lips.

"I forgot to tell you," Ophelia said, sniffling as she pulled away, using her hand to levitate a letter over to the two of them, she grabbed it and handed it to him.

He picked it from her hands and begun to read it, it was slightly crinkled and the ink seemed to bleed across the parchment as though whoever had written it was in a big rush.