Over the course of the next week, most of the school seemed subdued, especially the Gryffindors of Seamus' year. Dean really seemed depressed since they were best friends.

As Harry made his way to the hospital wing to visit Hermione, he found himself feeling guilty for not really missing Seamus much. He felt bad that Seamus died, but was relieved that Hermione had lived.

He wasn't surprised when the announcement that there would be no more Hogsmeade visits was made, but he didn't like seeing aurors walking around Hogwarts. There weren't that many - he'd counted five in the whole school. He just wasn't happy that the times demanded extra security. Most of them didn't say anything to him, but a few stared at his scar the first time they saw him. As much as he wished they weren't at Hogwarts, part of him was glad that there was always one guarding the hospital wing.

He nodded at the guard, opened the door and walked straight up to Hermione's bed to find she was awake and absorbed with a very large book.

"I don't think Madam Pomfrey would approve of that heavy lifting," he commented, startling his girlfriend.

"Oh, hi Harry. This book isn't heavy. I just thought I'd do..."

"A bit of light reading?" he asked with a smirk, earning a quick glare. "I'm sorry. How are you feeling?"

She sighed. "Physically, fine. But I'm going stir crazy. I need to get up and go outside in the fresh air. I need to get back to our training. How have you been able to stand staying here when you've had to?"

"It's difficult; I understand. How long has she sentenced you to stay in this jail, anyway?"

Sighing, Hermione answered, "Another two days. I told her I'll take it easy, but she wants to be extra careful. Anyway, how are you doing?"

He took her hand. "I miss having you with me most of the time. I miss doing this." He bent down and kissed her lightly. She put a hand on his head to stop him from pulling away as she began deepening the kiss.

"Mr. Potter," came Madam Pomfrey's voice from behind them. They broke apart immediately. "Being allowed to visit patients does not include snogging them."

"It should," he replied with a smirk. "It would help the patients feel better."

"Snogging as therapy," said Hermione with faraway look in her eyes. "I think Harry and I should do a study."

"I don't," said Poppy as the young couple started laughing. "Shouldn't you be headed off to class, now?"

"No, my next class isn't for over a half-hour."

"Maybe you should go there early."

"Fine," replied Harry, knowing he wouldn't win an argument with Madam Pomfrey. He turned to Hermione. "I'll see you later. Don't do that study with anybody else."

She giggled. "I won't as long as you visit me later."

"Deal. I'll bring Ron, Luna, Ginny, and Neville with me." He took her hand and held it for a moment. "Take care of yourself."

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Hermione was released from the Hospital Wing the day before the second task, and they spent as much time as possible 'conducting their study' despite the fact that Hermione was recovered and they couldn't take notes in broom closets. Harry repeatedly affirmed that "it's all for research." They did take time out to train so Hermione could get back to it before she was out of shape. Things had gotten back to normal, and the students were excited about the tournament again.

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Hand in hand, Harry and Hermione walked to the lake with everyone else on February 24th to watch the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. Ron, Luna, Neville and Ginny were with them. As was now usual, a few aurors were present.

"I wonder what this task will be," said Hermione.

"Probably fight the giant squid," answered Ron.

"I doubt that," said Neville as they took their seats. "I think they'll have to find a rare plant at the bottom of the lake."

"Or perhaps they'll have to rescue a moshipus with its foot buried in mud," said Luna.

"I hope whatever they do isn't under the water, cause if it is, what's the point of us watching?" asked Ginny.

Before anyone could answer, Dumbledore began announcing that the task was for each champion to rescue a hostage being held at the bottom of the lake.

"That's horrible," said Hermione while the three champions were preparing. "Last time, all the champions had to do was rescue an egg, now it's the person they'd miss most!"

Harry paled. "If I'd have allowed them to keep me in the tournament, you'd be down there right now."

She squeezed his hand. "I'm perfectly content up here, thank you very much. That's not my idea of a way to proclaim your love." They paused their conversation for a moment to watch the champions dive down in the lake.

"I wonder how they got the hostages to go along with it," said Ginny.

"I don't know. They're probably safe down there, even if the champion doesn't rescue them," said Hermione.

"There are creatures in that lake! What if one of the champions frees a hostage, but then drops them and the grindylows get them?" said Harry.

Hermione's eyes went wide before Neville added, "There are also some dangerous plants there, too; they'd eat anybody dropped on them."

"Or a triple-horned Spedwork," added Luna.

Ignoring the blonde girl's statement, Hermione said, "They'd probably be defenseless. I'll bet Dumbledore put them in an enchanted sleep of some kind."

"They'd be torn to pieces, and never know what got them!" said Ron.

Harry said, "This is ridiculous! No wonder there have been so many deaths in this bloody tournament."

Shrugging her shoulders, Hermione said, "There's nothing we can do about it now except hope for the best."

They spent about thirty seconds watching the surface of the lake before Ginny declared, "This is boring."

Hermione agreed. "Yes. I wish I'd brought a book along."

Ron acted like he was going to die of shock. "You, Hermione Granger, actually came here without a book."

"I wasn't bored at the first task, so I didn't think I would be now."

"I rather enjoy watching the ripples on the surface of the lake," said Luna. "Did you know that they're really caused by..."

After spending about five minutes listening to Miss Lovegood's description of yet another creature the Quibbler once had an article about, Harry noticed something. "Hey, it looks like there's some activity at the surface. Maybe someone's rescued their hostage."

It turned out that Fleur had withdrawn from the task because she couldn't get past the grindylows. They waited and waited until finally Cedric emerged with Cho. About two minutes later, Victor followed with his hostage, the girl he'd taken to the Yule Ball. A bell sounded, signaling that the task was over, and a few minutes later a merman surfaced, carrying a little girl that looked a lot like Fleur with him. The female champion rushed over to her sister and hugged her tightly. In the end, Fleur got twenty-five points; Viktor got forty-five points; and Cedric got forty-six points.

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The rest of the school year seemed to fly by after that. Voldemort was attacking different people and places, but was leaving Hogwarts and its students alone. Occasionally, some students would be informed that a member of their family had been killed, but for the most part, it seemed like the war had left Hogwarts.

February soon turned into March, bringing with it Ron's birthday, for which they had a small party. It was there that Neville commented that his grades were actually improving since he began studying Occlumency with Ginny. Not long after that, she couldn't break into her boyfriend's mind, so Harry took over his training. In the middle of that month, Harry, Hermione and Ginny finished the Wordless/Wandless Book and were able to do most things wandlessly.

Ron, Neville, and Luna decided around this time that they didn't want to be left behind and began studying the subjects that the other three had begun with, getting occasional help from the others.

Soon April came, and with it, Easter Break. By that time, Harry and Hermione (and Ginny, but she wasn't there) had gotten through enough of the advanced charms book that they were able to put Grimmauld place under the Fidelius Charm with Sirius as secret-keeper. Dumbledore had asked him to make the place the Order's headquarters, but Sirius declined, saying that he had Harry living there, and neither of them wanted Snape to be visiting the house. In the end, Dumbledore reluctantly decided to use his own house.

Just before Easter Break, Harry had sent Neville to Dumbledore, saying that he couldn't break through his Occlumency shields asking if he'd continue training him. During the last week of April, the headmaster told Neville that he had mastered Occlumency.

A few days later, Neville was told about the prophecy.

After sitting there facing Harry and Hermione for about a minute, he finally spoke. "Wow. If Vol-Voldemort had just chosen differently, I'd have had to kill him?" Harry nodded. Neville put his head down. "He certainly chose right. I'd never have a chance. I..."

"You're ahead of everyone but our group in Defense, and at the top of our class in Herbology," said Hermione.

"You're just as able as I am," said Harry firmly. "I've practiced some things a bit more than you have, but now that you're studying that stuff, you'll catch up in no time." He then looked Neville in the eye and said something he hadn't discussed with anyone. Hermione gasped but stayed silent. "If I fail in my task, then you'll be the only one with a chance of fulfilling the prophecy. You'll have to destroy Voldemort. I have every confidence in you."

"B-but if you c-can't..."

"Then you'll learn from my mistake and do the job right." Harry then grinned at his friend. "Kick him one extra time for me."

That comment lightened the mood a bit, and they told Neville about Horcruxes (mentioning that Dumbledore didn't know that they knew about them, and that the headmaster had been after a Horcrux when his hand was hurt). Harry also mentioned that they didn't know for sure how many Horcruxes there were.

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During the month of May, there seemed to be a break in Death Eater activity. Everyone silently believed that they were planning something big, but no one would voice that opinion. When June came without any attack, people got more and more nervous, as Harry could tell by the contingent of aurors that were present when the final task of the Triwizard Tournament began.