The Mysterious Boy ~Neville Longbottom X Reader

Chapter 6: The Second Challenge

I couldn't sleep, shifting uncomfortably in bed. The nightmares that plagued me that night were awful. I kept imagining Harry, alone in a sea full of people unable to dive into the water. The students were jeering and throwing things at him while he lay there trembling, and there was nothing I could do. No way to protect him from the ridicule and embarrassment. Then I was thrown into the water, cold and wet as snow. I tried to breath but each gasp of breath I took were in vain. Bubbles started forming above me as I gradually sinked deeper into the abyss.

"Y/N" I heard the faint noise calling me in the background.

"Y/N." The sound grew louder, more persistent.

"Y/N, please wake up! She out like a light dude I can't wake her." Suddenly the thick water dissolved into dust as I was driven away from the dreamscape.

I gasped taking in the air and sunlight.
"Where am I? What happened!" I shot up banging my head on the ceiling of my bunkbed.

"Ouch what the hell!" I shouted, my vision starting to focus gradually.

Weston and Malfoy were vigorously shaking me awake.

"Finally the princess has awoken." Malfoy jeered.

"I could've woken my self up Draco." I spat at him, grumbling.

"We were waiting for you in the common room. But you never showed. The girls in your dorm were complaining about you mumbling and shaking your sleep. Saying 'please don't hurt him,' and 'I can't breath.' they couldn't sleep a wink." Weston explained.

I flushed in embarrassment. "Did I really?"

"Yeah and it shows." Malfoy teased.

It was true, I looked awful. My hair was ragged and uncharistically rumpled and curly. My eyes were deep set and dark and my skin was pale and clamped to me in a cold sweat.

"We can talk about this later for now you need to get ready the second task is about to start in 10 minutes." Weston threw my uniform on my lap and turned towards the door.

"It starts in 10 minutes!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah you should also really figure out the hair situation. But I do love the nappy vibes." Draco smirked and shut the door.

"Those slimy gits." I muttered under my breath.

"Heard that!" Weston called out.

"Ugh!" I huffed and threw the pillow at the door.

I slipped on my uniform quickly and bounded down the steps. My anxiety constricting my throat and making my legs heavy and weak. 'I hope Harry's going to be alright.' I clutched my chest at the thought. I glided through the fields and meadows that surrounded the perimeters of Hogwarts praying I would make it in time to see him take off.

I heard of far off voice, one in which I immediately recognized. Dumbledore was announcing the second task.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," His voice reverberated through the crowd. I slipped between people. Trying to get a better view.

I arrived at the front and saw the contestants sitting on a dock of an aquamarine lake. Normally I would have laid down and admired the beauty of it, but the cloudy atmosphere held me tight on my toes. I looked around for a familiar face to grab onto. Scanning the crowd I saw Neville. I moved to him jostling several annoyed spectators.

"Neville." I grabbed him and pulled him close, my breath ragged. He flinched at the sudden contact.

"Y/N a-are you alrigh-" but he was cut off by Dumbledore.