ELIXIR: A Harry Potter Fan Fiction

Twenty. The Second Task.

"I can't do this," said Sean.

"You can do this," said Evelyn.

"I'm not ready," said Sean.

"You're ready," said Evelyn.

"I'm going to make a complete fool of myself," said Sean.

Evelyn gave him a scathing look, but did not, otherwise, gratify this remark with a response.

She slid down the wall they were standing against, reached up for his hand and pulled him down with her. Sean was set to meet the other champions and judges here in a quarter of an hour. He had not been able to resist leaving early. The common room, bubbling with eager anticipation of the task and far too many well-wishers, anxious to see their champion perform a repeat of the triumphant first task.

Sean was not feeling so confident. His nerves were, in some ways, lesser than the first time around, if only because he was not facing the entire tournament this time. After tonight, he would be two thirds done, just one last hurdle to get past, whatever came of it. In other ways, though, his nerves were greater. People had expectations of him now.

"Distract me" said Sean miserably. He bounced the back of his head lightly against the wall. "Please."

Evelyn's dirty look turned into a sly smile. "Distract you, huh?" she said. "Come'ere."

Sean turned his head. He saw Evelyn's chest swell under her robes with a slow intake of breath. Her blue eyes were determined, but still unsure. He knew what was coming. Evelyn did not usually initiate kisses. It calmed him to think that she could still find it within herself to be nervous about something other than what was coming in such a short time.

And then, for the first time all day, maybe even all week, he was not thinking at all.

When they broke apart - Sean was not sure how much time had passed - he blinked a few times, almost forgetting where he was. It was not until he heard Oscar's voice coming down the hall, talking to someone in rapid French, that he remembered. "That was effective," he said to Evelyn.

"God, so clinical," she teased, smacking his knee. Sean frowned and she shook her head. "Muggle medical lingo," she explained. Her mother was a pediatric nurse.

Sean stood, offering his hand to help Evelyn up. She would have to leave soon. The spectators were all walking to hogsmeade, where the task had been set up. The champions and judges would take one of the carriages usually reserved for the journey to and from the Hogwarts express.

"Listen," said Evelyn. She put both hands on her arm. "You're fine. You're prepared. I'm proud of you no matter what, and..." She paused, glancing over his shoulder towards Oscar's nearing voice. She lowered her own voice. "Sean, I love you," she said.

Sean felt himself standing up straighter. It was not the first time she had said these words to him by any means, but it was certainly the first time that she had said them since they had become more than friends, not to mention the first time in this way, looking straight at him. Not in passing. Not joking around and laughing. Not over her shoulder as she left him.

He opened his mouth, but then Oscar rounded the corner and came into sight. Evelyn took a step back. He hesitated. "I should... go..." she said.

"Yeah..." he said. "Yeah I guess so." 

She stepped forward and pecked him on the lips and then started backing up again. "You're fine. You'll be great."

Sean nodded dumbly. She started to turn around to walk away when he remembered himself. "Wait, Ev," he called. She stopped, turning around again. He glanced behind him at Madame Maxime's towering figure, at Oscar's pompous expression. Then he walked to where she stood, pulled her into a tight hug and whispered, "I love you too. Thank you, Ev, for waiting with me. And for helping, and... everything."