Hermione Granger and the Goblet Of Fire (Completed)

Chapter 27 - End

Dedicated to ithildins
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She hadn't realised she was crying until she felt her wet face. Cedric Diggory was dead. She couldn't quite comprehend it. He was dead. Gone. He wouldn't ever play another Quidditch game, or laugh with his friends in the Great Hall, or hold hand with Cho Chang. He had had his whole life in front of him when he entered that maze, and now... gone.

There was a crowd surrounding Harry and Cedric now, though Hermione couldn't remember them coming here. And then girls were sobbing, crying into one another's shoulders. Dead. And then Harry was being lead away by Professor Moody, and Dumbledore following a moment later. Gone. And then Amos Diggory was there, wailing over the body of the son who would never smile, never cry, never laugh, ever again...

"We should go" said Ron. When had he got there? "We should find Harry" he cleared her throat, and his voice broke "see if he's alright"
"Hmm" said Hermione quietly
"He would have been taken to the hospital wing" said Ron "he looked pretty beat up, he'll be there. Hermione?"
"What? Oh... yeah... sure..." she mumbled, not really listening to the conversation. She didn't realise that she needed to follow Ron until he took her arm and pulled her away. Taking a deep breath and putting all her facus into putting one foot in front of the other, she left the Quidditch stadium

After minutes, or possibly hours, they reached the hospital wing. Harry wasn't there. Instead, Mrs Weasley and Bill were sitting on one of the beds, all white as a sheet
"Professor McGonagall told us to wait here" Bill's voice was shaking "she said Harry would be here soon"

The silence was unbearable, but the not knowing was even worse. The minutes ticked on, the clock on the wall the only sound. After about fifteen minutes, Madam Pomfrey entered the room carrying not Harry, but an unconscious Professor Moody, on a stretcher. She put Moody on a bed at the far end of the room, and they finally got some information. Apparently, their Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor all year hadn't been, in fact, Alastor Moody, but had been an impostor. Barty Crouch junior, who had escaped Azkaban with the help of his father and mother, had been using Polyjuice Potion all year, just so he could get Harry to win the Tournament and touch the Cup, which was a Portkey. Madam Pomfrey wouldn't say anything else and, when she had finished with the real Professor Moody, Mrs Weasley got up and demanded to be told where Harry was. She was followed by Hermione and the rest of the Weasleys and so, when the door opened and everyone turned to see who it was, Madam Pomfrey looked rather pleased about being left alone

Dumbledore entered the room, followed by Harry, who looked very pale, but otherwise alright, and a very familiar looking black dog
"Harry!" Mrs Weasley cried "Oh Harry!"
She started towards him, but Dumbledore held up a hand for her to stop
"Molly" he said "please listen to me for a moment. Harry has been through a terrible ordeal tonight. He has just had to relive it for me. What he needs now is sleep, and peace, and quiet. If he would like you all to stay with him you may do so. But I do not want you questioning him until he is ready to answer, and certainly not this evening"
Mrs Weasley nodded, before turning to Hermione, Ron and Bill
"Did you hear? He needs quiet!"

"Headmaster" said Madam Pomfrey, staring at the dog "may I ask what-?"
"This dog will be remaining with Harry for a while" said Dumbledore "I assure you, he is extremely well trained. Harry - I will wait while you get into bed"
Harry looked as if he was in an entirely different world from the rest of them
"I will be back to see you as soon as I have met with Fudge, Harry" said Dumbledore "I would like you to remain here tomorrow until I have spoken to the school"

Madam Pomfrey led Harry to a bed, and he spotted Moody on the bed at the end
"Is he okay?" he asked.
"He'll be fine" said Madam Pomfrey
She gave Harry some pyjamas and pulled a screen over his bed so he could get changed. When he had, Hermione, Ron, Bill and Mrs Weasley found chairs and sat down around his bed behind the screen. There was something haunted in his eye; whatever he had been through tonight had been absolute hell
"I'm all right" he said, spotting her and Ron staring "Just tired"