Authors Note: This is my first multi-chapter Harmony and Creature! Fic and I am unbelievably excited! Rated M for future chapters. I have most of this story planned out and will be doing regular updates, hopefully at least every other week! Big thanks to Vino Amore and foreverevan for reading through this first chapter for me and easing my nerves!

Disclaimer: All canon characters, plots, and situations from the Harry Potter series belong to JK Rowling. I am not profiting from this work.

Chapter 1 — to dánkoma

Hermione emerged from the black lake, gasping for breath and looking around in confusion. The crowd in front of her were cheering, and to her left she watched a shark head turn back into that of her rescuer's. Hermione's attention quickly turned back to herself as her robes continued to try to drag her back underneath the water. After returning to his normal self, Viktor must have realized she was struggling to stay afloat and wrapped his arm around her middle and slowly pulled them to shore.

As soon as Hermione could touch the lake floor, she pulled away from Viktor and waded through the water until she was on dry land. Madam Pomfrey immediately rushed over and began fussing over her, placing towel after towel around her. She was grateful for the matron at that moment. The cold February weather was not exactly ideal for an underwater task, and she huffed at the ridiculousness of it. What kind of school allows students to be kidnapped and placed in the black lake? Hogwarts, that's who. She shouldn't be surprised. She and her friends had been put in dangerous situations over the years; this wasn't any different. Bloody tournament.

Her thoughts drifted away from Hogwarts as Madam Pomfrey pushed a pair of clothes into her arms and pointed toward the champions tent where she expected Hermione to change. Hermione walked briskly into the tent and changed quickly, not wishing to stay in her wet clothes any longer than she had to. As she finished changing, the matron entered the tent, Viktor close behind.

As Madam Pomfrey checked her vitals, Viktor moved closer and tilted his head, as if confused. She frowned and looked down at herself, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Herm-own-ninny, vat is zat on your neck?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. She reached up to the right side of the neck and immediately felt what he was talking about. Her hand flitted over the indents on her throat, almost in an oval shape.

"Madam Pomfrey, what is this?" Hermione asked, her fingers unable to decipher what she was feeling on her neck. "Was I bitten while in the lake?"

She felt her pulse jump in her neck as she asked the question. Weren't the merpeople supposed to protect her from harm while guests in their colony? What could have gotten close enough to leave such a large bite mark?

"It's possible Mister Krum accidentally sank his teeth into you while rescuing you. A human bite mark if I am correct. It's nothing to worry about m'dear," Madam Pomfrey assured her. She felt a liquid being poured onto her neck and the skin tighten. Lifting her fingers again to her neck, the marks had disappeared. Hermione let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding in and gave a small smile to Viktor.

"You're all clear, dear," Madam Pomfrey said, clearing her of her care. The matron walked away muttering about water in February and the ridiculous tournament. Hermione was inclined to agree with her.

"I am sorry, Herm-own-ninny," Viktor said, taking a seat next to her.

"For what?"

"For biting you. My transformation didn't go as it vas supposed to,' Viktor admitted, rubbing the back of his head.

"I don't think it was you who bit me Viktor. If the shark version of yourself bit me, the bite mark would have been much bigger. Something with the mouth similar to a human —" Hermione trailed off. She still didn't understand what could have sneakily gotten past the merpeople who had been keeping watch or why Madam Pomfrey was convinced it was nothing.

The tent was thrown open and in walked Harry shivering. A girl with long silvery blonde hair was attached to his side and the Beauxbatons champion, Fleur Delacour, and Ron walked in behind him. She jumped up immediately and ran to Harry, embracing him.

"You figured it out!" she shouted, jovially.

He grinned at her. "Well, sorta."

"What?"

He winked. "I'll tell you later," he said, as Madam Pomfrey pulled him away and began casting diagnostic spells and forcing a Pepper-Up Potion down his throat.

"Herm-own-ninny," Viktor said, calling her over. "I vant ask you something." Hermione walked over and Viktor pulled her as far away as possible from the others.

"Why are you being so secretive?" Hermione whispered.

"I do not vant to be overheard." He took a deep breath and continued. "I have never felt zis vay about another girl before. I vas hoping zat maybe you vould come to visit me zis summer in Bulgaria?"

"That sounds delightful, Viktor. I would love to spend time with you in your home country." Hermione was beaming. Viktor cupped her face in his hand as if he was going to kiss her but then frowned.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Zere is a water beetle in your hair." He pulled on her hair, pulling the beetle out of her wild locks. He laid it flat in his hand and moment later it flew away.

"Thank you," Hermione said appreciatively, shaking her hair and running her fingers through it hoping to catch any other unwanted items or creatures. "I will talk you later, okay? I want to check on Harry. I am sure they will be releasing the scores soon."

Viktor nodded his head and swooped in to place a kiss on Hermione's cheek before walking out of the tent.

Hermione blushed, but it quickly disappeared as she headed back over to where the others were being treated by Madam Pomfrey. Hermione raised her eyebrows as she approached seeing that the small girl with silvery blonde hair had yet to detach herself from Harry's side. Harry saw and just looked over at the girl clinging to him and shrugged his shoulders. Fleur Delacour was on the other side of the girl and Hermione immediately recognized there were sisters. Hermione came to the conclusion herself and just shook her head at the audacity of her best friend — always one for heroics. Though not for the fame or the glory, just because he was a good person and genuinely cared for others.

"You're all done, Mister Potter. Do try to take care of yourself. I have seen enough of you in the hospital wing to last a lifetime."

"I'll try Madam Pomfrey," Harry said, grinning at the matron.

"More trouble than your father and his friends, I daresay." She paused and looked down at her hands, almost fretting. When she spoke, her voice slightly quivered. "I know he'd be very proud of you today. Both of your parents."

Harry blushed and looked down, attempting to hide his face. Hermione knew her friend better than anyone and knew he was overcome with emotion. He looked back up at Madam Pomfrey and once again smiled, his eyes shining with unfallen tears. "Thanks, Madam Pomfrey," he said, his voice higher than normal.

The matron nodded and walked off and Hermione heard her sniffling. "Harry, Fleur, I am assuming the judges are about to give out the scores. We should go," Hermione told them, jerking her head toward the mouth of the tent. "Viktor is already outside waiting and since Cedric isn't in here, he must be too."

Fleur nodded her head and rose from her seat, tugging her sister up as well. Fleur turned to Harry and surprised him by placing her hands on either side of his face and kissing first his right cheek then his left. "'Arry, thank you so much for saving my little sister. It was the grindylows, zey attacked me. I am so thankful you saved her, even though she wasn't yours to save." Fleur's younger sister was frantically nodding along with Fleur as she talked.

"You're welcome," Harry sputtered out as the half Veela placed another kiss on his cheek.

"Come along, Gabrielle," Fleur said, seemingly oblivious to how she affected those around her. She grabbed her sister's hand and disappeared from sight.

"Ron, you're awfully quiet," Harry commented, finding his voice again, looking at his best friend curiously. Ron just shrugged and opened up his mouth several times to talk, but no words came out. Instead he pointed to the mouth of the tent and then back at Harry.

"Oh, Fleur!" Ron nodded, confirming that it was her that was his problem. "It's probably a bit awkward too after the situation before the Yule Ball, right?" Hermione asked. Ron just nodded again.

"Right, we should probably go out there. I am assuming they are waiting for us before they announce the scores." Harry was almost right. All the other judges were standing there waiting, but Dumbledore had waded into the water and was speaking to one of the merpeople in an odd sort of language that was mostly a bit of screeching. Hermione could partially understand what was being said which made her extremely confused. Was the merperson talking partially in English? Could anyone else understand what was being said?

"Can you understand what they are saying?" she whispered to the other two.

"No, it sounds like a bunch of screeching. Can you?" Harry said as Ron shook his head in response to her question. Both were frowning at her as though she had asked the most ridiculous question. Hermione just shook her head and returned her attention back to the water. Dumbledore had waded back onto shore as the merperson slowly swam back into the depth. She swore it looked straight at her, but when she did a double take; it was gone.

Dumbledore conferred with the other judges as everyone waited for the results with baited breath. Finally, Ludo Bagman cast a sonorous charm to amplify his voice to divulge the results of the second task.

"Fleur Delacour, although using the Bubble-Head Charm, failed to rescue her hostage and has been awarded twenty-five points coming in fourth place," Bagman started. Hermione clapped politely along with the rest of the crowd, though looking in Fleur's direction she was hiding her face in shame.

Bagman continued. "Coming in first place is Cedric Diggory!" Bagman shouted, and the Hogwarts crowd went wild. Bagman waited patiently for the noise to die down before continuing. Mister Diggory also used the Bubble-Head Charm successfully and brought his hostage to the surface first, only one minute outside the allotted hour. He has been awarded forty-seven points." The crowd again cheered, the loudest shouts coming from the sea of canary yellow and black.

"Next, Mister Viktor Krum has been awarded forty points for using a partial Transfiguration and returning his hostage safely though still out of the allotted time. That being said he has been awarded third place." Bagman was greeted with silence then angry shouting from Durmstrang's Headmaster, Igor Karkaroff and other students from the school. Hermione looked over at Viktor; he seemed indifferent by the entire situation, but she could never exactly read his facial expressions. She would ask him later about it. Returning her attention back to Ludo Bagman, he was attempting to calm the crowd and diffuse the situation.

"Now, now Headmaster Karkaroff. Let us not forget that you are on the panel of judges as well." Bagman said, almost tauntingly. It was true, but it was clear that he was trying to rile Karkaroff up again. There were a few laughs before it was silent once more and everyone waited for him to continue. Even Karkaroff quieted, though his face was red and looked as though he was going to explode at any moment.

"Harry Potter returned last, but according to Mercheiftainess Murcus' report, he arrived at the hostages first. He was delayed only by his determination to free all of the hostages, not only his own. Most of the judges feel this shows moral fiber and deserves high marks despite finishing last and well out of the time limit. Mister Potter has been awarded forty-five points and second place." Bagman finished and was greeted with cheers of joy as both of the Hogwarts Champions were now tied for first place, leaving the other two schools in second and third respectively.

Hermione turned to Harry and he looked like he was in shock, his mouth open. He turned to her and as she beamed up at him, he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her into a hug. "You did it! You did it!" she cried.

"Well done, mate," Ron said, coughing to get their attention. Harry let Hermione down and surprised both of them, by engulfing Ron in a hug as well. "There's so much I need to tell the both of you," Harry said, pulling the blanket around his shoulders closer. "But first, let's get out of the cold."

Hours later, Hermione climbed the staircase to the girls' dormitory, still smiling from the party Fred and George had thrown Harry in the Gryffindor Common Room; it had lasted all day and into the night. She had just spent hours with her favourite people celebrating a victory in the tournament and more importantly, Harry securing another kind of victory — staying alive. Someone out there was trying to hurt...no; kill him. And that scared her beyond belief.

Harry spent several hours after the scores were announced, recounting what had happened after they left him behind in the library the night before until they trudged out of the water. The recounting of his time in the Black Lake left her feeling more confused than ever. The Merpeople had apparently stopped Harry from trying to rescue both her and Ron but were eventually scared off by Viktors appearance as a shark. Why would they protect her from Harry trying to save her, but then allow another creature to come close enough to bite her? It was all very strange and confusing.

Eventually, Hermione fell into a fitful sleep dreaming of dark waters and faceless creatures. She woke in the morning, drenched in sweat. As she pushed her hair back from her forehead, she climbed out of her four-poster and trudged into the washroom. The first thing she noticed was the dark circles under her eyes. She had been asleep all night, yet did not rest. The second thing she noticed were the markings on her neck.

"What the ..." Hermione said out loud before trailing off. The bite mark Madam Pomfrey had healed with dittany less than twenty-four hours ago had reappeared, bold as ever.

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