“So, who are you going to the Yule Ball with?” Grace asked, blowing on her nails to try and dry them off faster.

“You’ll just have to wait and see.” Rue smiled to herself, rubbing polish into her broom handle.

“Well, whoever you're going with, it's better than going by yourself.”

“You don’t have to go by yourself. Like a thousand boys have already asked you. Why do you keep rejecting them?”

“It's because one, I have feelings for someone, and two, I am hoping that person will ask me. I know he won’t, though, because he’s going with Pansy.” 

“Oh my gosh.” Rue threw her hands up in the air, spilling her polish all over the table. “You are impossible. He’s going with Pansy to either make you jealous or because he’s too scared to ask you! What’s the harm in going with someone else if he’s going with someone else too?”

“Or maybe he doesn’t like me.”

“You’re almost as brain dead like all the other girls in our year.” She started to wipe up the mess she’d made.

“We need to start finishing up, it's almost time for dinner.”

“Fine. But don’t think I didn’t notice you avoiding that like a pro.”

“Cedric, wait up for a moment,” Grace whispered to him as she caught up to him going inside.

“Aren’t you Rue’s friend?” he said, puzzled. “And a Quidditch player?”

“Yup, that's me. Anyways, if you tell Rue about this, I’ll kick your butt. You’d better be treating her right or else you’re going to regret it. She didn’t tell me who she’s going to the ball with but it’s probably you. I would just like to say that she trusts you and cares about you, and if you so much as to make one mistake I will make sure you never talk to her again.”

“Grace, are you coming? I’m going to the dorms,” Pansy shouted.

“One moment,” she responded. “I hope you got all that Cedric because you do not want me as your enemy. Have a good night!” Grace turned and swished her hair in his face as she left.

Cedric stood there with wide eyes, thinking I don’t know what Rue sees in her.

“Good luck Rue, you’ll do fine, everyone will love your dancing skills,” Grace said encouragingly to Rue.

“Thanks,” she said, taking a deep breath.

“Ready?” Cedric asked, coming up behind her.

“Yep.” Rue took his arm.

Grace shot him a dirty look that seemed to say watch it. “Have fun.”

The four champions and their dates danced the opening march, and then everyone else joined in. Rue and Cedric danced together, lost in each other's eyes.

Eventually, when they were tired, they got snacks and drinks, then settled down to talk to Grace. Cedric did leave for a moment to talk to a friend.

“How's it so far, Rue? Is everything going nicely, is he treating you right?” Grace asked when they were alone for a moment.

“It’s going great, and yes, I’m having a good time, why?”

“Just wondering.”

Rue glanced around the room, noticing Draco watching Grace. “I think someone’s looking at you,” she sang playfully.

“Who?” She turned around. Seeing Draco, she quickly spun back, blushing. “Why isn’t he with Pansy?”

“How am I supposed to know?”

“I was asking because I’m not sure.”

“I can ask if you want,” Rue offered.

“No, absolutely not, that would make it so much worse.” Cedric rejoined them. “I’m going to step out for a moment, have fun you two.” Grace stood and left the table.

“What’s she up to?” Cedric wondered.

“I’m not sure, but to be honest I don’t really want to know.” Rue finished her drink, setting down her goblet. “Do you want to go for a walk?”

“Sure. There’s nothing better to do anyway.” They left the hall, holding hands.

While they were doing that, Grace was sitting on the stairs, gazing into the crowd of dancing students and professors. Suddenly, someone came up to her.

“May I have this dance?” Draco asked, extending a hand to her.

“I thought you were with Pansy?”

“Oh, please. I only came to the ball with her because I was too scared to ask you.” Draco’s eyes widened as if he couldn’t believe he’d said that.

“For the record,” Grace said, “I like you too. So of course, you can have this dance.” She grabbed his hand and followed him out onto the dance floor. 

Grace, not wanting people to talk about them, tried to stretch her arms out and stay as far as possible from Draco. But as the dance went on, they ended up close together, and everyone stared at them with shocked expressions.

“Everyone’s watching,” she murmured.

“Let them watch. You should be used to it by now,” he said jokingly.

“I always look forward to your sarcastic, unfunny jokes.” She smirked.

“Is that supposed to be an insult?”

“Is that supposed to be a comeback?”

“That’s one of the things I like about you,” Draco said, the humor leaving his voice.

Grace blushed, wishing she could hide it.

“Is that a blush I see?”

“Absolutely not.”

“I don’t think I believe you.”

“Stop, I hate it when you do that.”

“Am I doing something you don’t like?” Draco laughed.

“Yes, thank you for asking.”

“You’re welcome.” They danced in silence for a little while longer.

“I’m getting tired,” Grace mentioned.

“Do you want to go get some snacks?”

“Sure.” Grace spotted Rue and Cedric getting drinks as well. “Look, there’s the happy couple.”

Before leaving the Great Hall, Rue told Draco to ask Grace to dance. Her exact words were, “Grace really likes you, I think you should dance with her.”

“But I’m here with Pansy.”

“Uh-huh. Well, if you change your mind, she’ll probably be sitting over there.” Rue waved a hand towards Grace and left.

“Are we going to the gardens?” Cedric asked.

“Yeah, I think.” Rue grabbed his hand.

“Then let’s go.”

“Cedric, are you nervous about the second task?” she asked suddenly.

“Not really, why?”

“I just have a bad feeling about this whole tournament.”

“I’m sure everything will be fine.” He smiled softly.

“I really hope so, just promise me one thing.”

“What's that?”

“That you’ll be careful, I can’t lose you.”

“You won't lose me, I promise.” He took a deep breath. “Rue, will you be my girlfriend?”

“Oh my gosh, yes of course I will!” Rue practically jumped with joy.

“We should probably go back now, people will start wondering where we are.”

“Okay.”

“Does anyone else need their assignments checked?” Rue asked tiredly.

“Please,” Leanne said, moving her parchment across the table.

“Thank you so much,” Grace said, taking her own paper from Rue.

“How did I become the homework checker?” she wondered.

“Because you’re the only smart one in our whole group.” Pansy started to sketch out an apple for Muggle Art.

“How are you and Theo, by the way?” Millicent asked.

“We’re doing pretty well, I guess.”

“You guess?” Grace asked.

“Yeah, is there something wrong with that?” Pansy challenged.

“If you’re in a relationship, you should be happy about it. I know I don’t exactly have a lot of experience, but if something’s wrong you should tell us.” Millicent shrugged. “Think about it, at least.”

“Moving on to the next person of our ‘boy talk,’ Rue, how are you and Cedric? Is he treating you right?” Grace questioned.

“Yeah. Why? What does it have to do with you?”

“I was just wondering, calm down.” She thought back to her chat with Cedric.

Professor McGonagall came up to their table, Ron and Hermione trailing behind her. “I need Miss White to come with me.”

“Why?”

“Oh, Rue’s in trouble!” Grace sang.

“Pfft. I’m with ‘Mione. She’s never in trouble.”

“Miss White.”

“Okay.” Rue stood up, following them out of the library.

“Where’s Rue? Shouldn’t she be here, I mean, her boyfriend is about to compete.” Grace scanned the crowd, looking for her friend.

“Stop asking questions Miss Williams, and just watch,” Snape said. “If you had listened, you would know that Miss White is currently underwater.”

“What?” she and Pansy said together.

But Snape had turned away.

“Why on earth would she be underwater?” Pansy asked quietly.

“How am I supposed to know? I’m just as confused as you are.”

Right then, Bagman started the champions’ time and told them to go. “Good luck!” he cried as soon as they had all jumped in and couldn’t hear him anymore.

“What an idiot,” Grace huffed. “I don’t think they can hear him now.”

Half an hour later, Pansy was complaining. “Why did we come out here just to stare at this lake that we see every day?”

“We came here because we were forced to, you think I want to be here right now?”

Another thirty minutes went by before there was any action.

“Oh my gosh, look!” Pansy shouted, pointing at the platforms below.

“It’s Rue! And… Cedric.”

“And there’s Krum!”

“I have eyes, you know! I’m going down there, Rue needs me. They’re probably frozen by now.”

“Grace, you’re not allowed to go down there! You’re not family!”

“Do you think I care? I’m going down there no matter what. Are you coming?”

Pansy sighed. “I guess so.” She held onto Grace’s arm so she wouldn’t get lost as they wound down to the lake-level area.

“Excuse me, Professor, could I please go down there?” Grace asked sweetly. Pansy made a choking noise, unable to believe that Grace could sound so nice. She got an elbow to the side for that.

“No, you’re not related to anyone down there,” McGonagall pointed out.

“Rue White is my best friend, she needs me, all I’m trying to do is help.”

“I said no, Miss Williams, that should be enough.”

“I told you,” Pansy whispered.

“Come on, I’m not giving up that easily. We can ask Draco’s dad. He likes us enough to sneak us in.” Grace led the way back up to the stands, looking for Mr. Malfoy.

Rue came back to consciousness spitting out water, wondering where she was.

She looked up, and, seeing Cedric, took one of the hands that were reaching out to her and pulled herself onto the platform. Someone gave her a towel, which she promptly wrapped around her shoulders.

“Are you okay?” Cedric asked.

“I’m not the one who just swam to the bottom of a lake and back.”

“At least I wasn’t cursed to sleep for a day and lowered into the lake for someone to save.”

“Hi, lovebirds. How are you doing?” Grace asked, sitting down behind them.

“We’re doing great, thanks,” Rue said sarcastically. “We’ve just been almost dying a little bit.”

“Oh, well, I’m sorry it took so long to get here. McGonagall wouldn’t let me in, and then I had to ask Draco’s dad to help us, so that's why I got here a little late.”

“Thanks for coming, then. Could you get me another towel?”

“We need another towel over here!”

“Guess who has a boyfriend now?” Grace burst into the courtyard, excitedly jumping around. 

“Wait, you're dating Draco now?” Pansy clarified.

“Yes, he asked me to be his girlfriend and we’re dating. I’ve waited so long for this moment!”

“You guys are going to be such a power couple,” Rue chimed in.

“Congrats, Grace!” Millicent exclaimed.

“Thanks, Mint. Enough about me, though, what’s going on with you guys?”

“Is it ever enough about you?”

“Well, Theo and I are not doing so great, he’s been a real pain lately. I’m thinking about breaking up,” Pansy said sadly.

“Oh no, I’m sorry, I’m sure everything will work out for the best,” Rue said encouragingly.

“When’s the final task?” Grace asked, changing the subject.

“It's in June, I’m pretty sure.”

“Oh, so there’s a lot of time before then, probably so that the champions can prepare.”

“Yeah. I guess it’s to lower the death toll as they said at the beginning.”

The first bell rang just then, so they all scurried to class.

“Rue, can I talk to you for a moment?” Cedric asked.

“Yeah, sure.” She followed him off to the side.

“I just wanted to say that if I don’t make it back, I love you.”

“Cedric, don’t talk like that, you're scaring me,” Rue said worriedly.

“Anything can happen in that maze, but you need to remember that I will always be with you, maybe in distance but never in heart, and I love you.” 

He leaned in and kissed Rue passionately. Though taken by surprise, she kissed him back.

He slowly pulled away and began to walk to the starting line. Rue watched him go before heading up to the stands.

“Where were you?” Grace asked when she sat down.

“I’ll tell you later.”

“Okay, I think it’s about to start.”

“I hope everything goes well.”

“It will.”

“Look, they’re back!”

“Rue, Cedric is back!” Grace shouted.

“Wait, why did Fleur just scream… and why isn’t Cedric moving?” Rue asked, starting to panic. She stood and started to make her way down to where the professors were converging.

“Grace, I think he’s… dead,” Draco whispered.

Grace gasped with horror and bolted after Rue, Draco following her. 

“Miss White, I am going to have to ask you to stay in your seat,” McGonagall said hurriedly.

“Please Professor, I need to get through.” Tears started sliding down her cheeks. “Please.”

“Professor, you need to let us in,” Grace said as she caught up. 

McGonagall sighed. “Alright, Miss White can go in.” She hesitated, then lowered her voice. “Miss Williams, I think your friend is going to be needing you. You can go in as well.”

Rue fell to her knees when she saw Cedric. A fresh wave of tears burst from her eyes. Grace buried her face into Draco's shoulders and let out a small sob.

“Rue, I’m so, so sorry, I… how can I help?”

But Rue, devastated beyond belief, shaking and crying, eventually blacked out.

“Oh no, no please, Rue wake up, I can’t lose you,” Grace shouted. “Professor come quick, Rue passed out, you need to help her, somebody help her, anybody, please.”