"Do I smile or..." she asked.
"Smile! It looks good on you!" Cedric answered quickly, without hesitation.
The Gryffindor looked down and blushed.
+ on hold
(goblet of fire ~ deathly hallows)
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Cedric had been looking for Aria all morning, not finding her face among the Gryffindor table at breakfast, nor on the walk down to the boat which would take them down to the second task.
Bella and Ethan were at his side, also looking for the red haired girl, but failing to find her amongst the excited gaggles who were running towards boats.
"Harry?" Cedric caught sight of the other Hogwarts champion, "Have you seen Aria today?"
He shook his head, "I can't find Cho either."
The two of them were herded into a separate boat, with Krum and Fleur, by Barty Crouch, who gently pushed the boat away from the pier, magically rowing itself.
"Have you seen my sister?" Fleur asked urgently.
"I couldn't find Katie also." Krum added.
The Hogwarts champions shook their heads, "We can't find Aria and Cho either."
Cheers rang as their boat docked, the four of them being helped out by Ministry wizards who lined them up against by the edge of the platform, Harry on the left, then Cedric, then Krum, then Fleur.
"Welcome to the second task!" Dumbledore's voice boomed over the three towers, "Last night, something was stolen from each of our champions. A treasure of sorts. These four treasures, one of each champion, now lie on the bottom of the Black Lake. In order to win, each champion needs only to find their treasure and return to the surface."
Ron, Hermione and the Wood twins had been allowed onto the main platform as friends of the champions, all of them holding towels in their arms.
"Simple enough, except of this: they will have but one hour to do so, and one hour only. After that, they'll be on their own. No magic will save them. You may begin at the sound of the cannon."
It erupted, Fleur, Krum and Cedric diving into the water, Harry being shoved by Moody as he choked on Gillyweed.
Cedric casted the Bubble-Head Charm instantly, a white sheen blocking the water from filling his lungs as he swam away from the base of the tower.
Seaweed choked at every surface, Cedric parting various reeds to swing deeper towards his apparent treasure. He suddenly heard the voice again, from the egg when it had been underwater and have sung sweetly to him and Aria.
The memory soured in his mind Aria hadn't come to see him, and was probably hiding in the castle and drawing in the Library.
He shook the thought away and swam deeper.
A sudden flash of color up ahead caught his attention, a mermaid swimming away from him gracefully. A set of arches, all covered in green weeds, suddenly loomed into view, then another then another. Mermaids watched as he swam closer, intrigued at the bubble surrounding his mouth and nose.
For blurry shapes, floating under the largest arch grew out of from the darkness. The closer he got the more their shapes resembled humans.
His heart dropped in his chest as Aria's face came into view, her a Gryffindor robe loose in the water, her perfect badge slightly gliding in the murky dark, her ginger hair fanning all around her.
Her eyes were sealed shut, small bubbles sporadically falling from her slightly open mouth and floating to the surface.
Harry was swimming around the ties that held Cho to the floor, her hands and feet morphed into webs, gills sprouted from his neck.
"Diffindo." Cedric cast a spell at the weeds that held Aria, they served instantly.
He linked one of his arms around her almost paralyzed ones, looking to Harry. The Seekers caught each other's gaze and Cedric tapped his watch with his wand, indicating that time was running out, Harry nodded.
Cedric took one last look at Aria, dragging the both of them upwards as he swam through the murky depths, the water getting lighter with each second.
His head breached the water, the bubble dissipating as cheers rang in his ears. He only heard Aria gasping for breath as she woke, coughing any water from her lungs.
"Ari, are you okay? Can you breathe?" Cedric was looking at her worriedly, holding her waist for stability.
"I can now! But please help me get out of here." she said jokingly. All Cedric cared about was getting Aria out of the water in case she sang below the surface, so he wouldn't lost her again.
He helped her swim over to the ladder, letting her climb up the rungs first onto the main platform. Hermione and Bella immediately engulfed the prefects in a blue towel. The two soaking teens were led away from the ladder just as Krum and Katie surfaced, Aria helping her friend as the Durmstrang boy transformed back from the shark form.
The last seconds of their hour ticked away, chiming just as Cho and Gabrielle Delacour surfaced, coughing furiously. Fleur bolted to the top of the ladder as Cho helped her little sister swim towards it.
Aria helped Fleur lift her sister onto the platform, wrapping the young girl in a towel before she grabbed onto Cho, so she wouldn't fall back in.
She led her over to get a better view of the water, wrapping her towel around the Ravenclaw as well to try and stop her teeth from chattering.
Cedric shared his towel with Aria, pulling her into his chest to warm her up.
She smirked up at him, "So, I'm your treasure?"
His ears tinged pink, his hand running through his hair before looking down and smiling, "You don't see anyone else sharing my towel with, do you?"
It was at the moment that Harry shot put of the water, flying onto the platform and crashing on the floor still coughing up water. Dumbledore was checking him over for any signs of injury, but quickly cleared him.
Aria turned to look at Cedric, "Thank you for saving me!"
He looked down at her and kissed her cheek, "No problem, Weasley!" he whispered in her ear.
Dumbledore's voice suddenly boomed over the strands again, "Attention. The winner is... Mr Diggory!"
Cheers rose from the stadium as Ethan lifted his yellow jumper up into the air, Aria hugging him and Bella screaming loudly.
"Who showed innate command of the Bubble-Head Charm. However, seeing as Mr Potter would have finished first, had it not been for his determination to rescue not only Mrs Chang, but the other as well, we've agreed to award him second place for outstanding moral fiber!"
-
Cedric and Aria still had the towel draped across them as their boat docked back at Hogwarts, the Hufflepuff helping the Gryffindor out of the boat.
Aria smiled up at Cedric as the castle entered their grateful views, swept along by the tides of students anxious to get into the warm. Everybody waiting in the Great Hall for dinner.
