Previously…
Hermione Granger and Harry Potter are to be awarded with the Order of Merlin First Class. Hermione asks her new boyfriend, American Matt Santini to be her presenter for the award. Harry requests Ginevra Weasley to be his and both accept their significant other's requests. However, Matt and Ginny are kidnapped at the Ministry of Magic and placed in an enchanted cage. Harry and Hermione arrive to find their partners missing and are caught in a deadly trap. Hermione and Harry are forced to fight a three-headed dragon, while Matt and Ginny are forced to watch, helpless in their cage. The pair mange to kill two of the three heads, however the middle head is the most dangerous of the three and it has Hermione in its sight and Harry trapped under its tail as we begin the epic conclusion of the Order of Merlin Trials.
"Hermione! Watch out!" Matt bellowed from the cage. He could see where the pair had taken shelter, and the dragon had decided to bring its tail down right where they were crouched. Hermione heard her boyfriend's voice and screamed as she and Harry dived out of cover. Hermione looked up and saw the gleaming, angry head of the dragon looking down at her. She was entirely exposed and had no way of getting to cover before the dragon would launch a lethal attack.
Harry rolled out of the cover as Hermione ran in the opposite direction. She was completely exposed, and the dragon was about to unleash its fiery breath on her. He had little time to react, however, as the tail that had smashed their previous chunk of debris was coming down on him again and he had nowhere to run, Matt's wand broom had skittered just out of his reach. Harry tried to grab it as the tail came crashing down.
Matt had pressed himself as close to the bars of the cage as he could, watching in horror as his girlfriend was about to be turned into ash. Instinctively he gripped the bars of the cage and immediately recoiled and screamed as his hands burned. He was angrier at his helplessness than anything else. Hermione had to make it out of this alive. She had to save him, she promised him. Hermione would not break a promise to him, he knew that. He wanted to break out of the cage so badly it hurt.
Matt watched, his nerves stretched thin and sat dangerously close to the cursed bars of the cage. He hated to be the one sitting helplessly, while someone else was doing the dangerous work. He yearned to be the one down there with Hermione making the plan, working out the strategy. That was what he did. And Hermione was doing everything that he would have done himself. She was brilliant and he did not want to have to watch her die.
Ginny was not used to sitting idly by either. When Harry had left school to fight Voldemort and hunt Horcruxes, she had stayed in school and became a rebel leader. She tried to steal the sword of Gryffindor, stood up to the Death Eater teachers and fought against Voldemort's forces. She hated sitting idly watching her love fight against seemingly impossible odds. Harry was the Boy Who Lived, not the Boy Who Died by Dragon, he would come out of this, too right?
Harry was on his back and reaching for the wand broomstick as the tail was coming down. He only had a few seconds before it would be lights out for good. He made one last reach and felt his fingers close around the wooden shaft of the broomstick wand. In one solid motion he rolled over and tucked the broom under him as he shot out from underneath the dragon. Harry aimed himself straight at Hermione and pushed the broomstick to its maximum. He wished he had his Firebolt, but this one was just quick enough.
Hermione found herself staring at the gaping mouth of the dragon. Her cover had been destroyed and in the process of fighting the other heads, this side of their battlefield had lost all its meaningful cover, as debris and chunks of floor that worked so well for cover were gone. Hermione braced herself, this might be the last thing she did. In an instant she felt an arm grip her and she was vaulted off her feet.
Hermione turned to see Harry was back on the wand broom and was holding onto her, sweeping her off her feet and out of danger. She clutched onto him with all her might as Harry soared around the dragon's remaining middle head. Hermione tossed a leg over the broom and climbed on properly, wrapping her arms around Harry's midsection.
"That was close." Harry said as they zipped around the dragon, gaining height.
"Too close, Harry." Hermione replied as she looked down at their enemy.
"Don't suppose you've got any more ideas, on how we can stop this thing, do you?" Harry asked.
"Not really. I mean it must be getting tired. It's lost a lot of blood from the one head that I killed. That has to be making it weaker. And with the head you managed to make it kill, that one's wounds are cauterized by the fire, so it won't be bleeding from it. However, it is dead weight and may trip it up." Hermione said as she analyzed the beasts' state.
"How does this help us?" Harry asked as he zigzagged out of the middle head's reach. The creature bellowed in frustration at the pair on the wand broom.
"I'm working on it!" Hermione said. "We could try hitting it in the eyes again. But that's only going to get us so far. Blinding it will help us kill it, but it won't completely kill it for us. We'll need some other way…"
"What if we used that cursed cage?" Harry said as they looped around the dragon, passing by the alcove where Matt and Ginny hung precariously.
"How? Matt and Ginny are still trapped inside it." Hermione replied.
"What if I let you down so you could release them and then use the cage to trap the head or get it stuck in its throat again?" Harry said. Hermione shook her head.
"No, that won't work a second time. I think that dragon might destroy the cage even if we trapped its head in it. We need a better solution." Hermione said and bit her lip in thought.
"At least I'm trying to come up with a solution!" Harry said angrily as they swerved through the air to avoid the snapping jaws of the head.
"I've got it! We'll have to divebomb it and throw blasting curses down its throat when it opens its mouth. We'll have to be careful, though, this one is smarter than the other two." Hermione said. Harry nodded and flew them higher, almost all the way to the ceiling of the room.
"Ready?" Harry asked, drawing his wand. Hermione nodded and did the same.
"Ready!"
"What's that darn fool doin'?" Matt said and pushed himself to the edge of the wooden floor of the cage. He could see it was elevated off the bars, probably so the Flagrante curse would not affect it, allowing them to sit without injury. He watched as Harry flew as high as the ceiling and circled. Hermione he both had their wands out. "Oh no…" Matt said as he caught on to Harry's strategy.
Harry dove at a nearly perfect ninety-degree angle straight down at the dragon. Hermione screamed at the acceleration. As they drew frighteningly fast towards the maw of the beast, its neck coiled and shot up to meet them.
"Confringo!"
"Bombarda!"
The dragon roared in pain as the two spells shot into its mouth with devastating effect. Green blood, scales, and tissue flew from the injured creature. It whipped its body around, the tail nearly coming up to meet Harry and Hermione as they flew higher again. The next run came in at a shallower angle and the dragon turned, trying to use its tail to hit the riders. Harry's Seeker reflexes kicked in though and he was able to dodge out of the way at the last minute. However, the maneuver cost them accuracy. Only one of their spells hit the dragon's mouth, and it did not even go inside, merely impacting with its jaw.
"Harry it's already caught on to what we're doing. We'll have to try that move you use, the Wonky Feint." Hermione said as they hovered at the ceiling out of reach.
"It's Wronski Feint, but yeah alright." Harry said and dove them back down. The dragon did not immediately attack, instead watched them, then lurched for them, once it realized they were not going to hit it. Harry ducked under it and between its legs again before shooting up its backside to the ceiling. Hermione was holding on for dear life and trying her best not to scream as Harry dived again.
The dragon was ready for the second feint, and it uncoiled itself sharply at the pair on the broom. Harry weaved them around its neck before flying high again. This time Harry positioned them right above the dragon and flew straight down at it. It was ready, the mouth opened, fire boiling in its throat.
"Now!" Hermione shouted. The pair unleashed the blasting curses straight down the dragon's throat. The curses impacted with the fire already in there and the dragon's head exploded. Harry was narrowly able to avoid the explosion and resulting teeth, horns, scales, and blood that went everywhere as a result.
Harry cheered and looked back at Hermione who was smiling widely. Harry wasted no time in rocketing over to the alcove where the cage containing Matt and Ginny hung. The pair dismounted the wand broom and quickly raced over to the cage.
"How do we get them down?" Harry asked. The chain holding them was only long enough to keep them as high as they were. It was not a pulley and would not let them down. The door was also beneath the pair, so if the cage were opened the floor would drop out, Ginny and Matt along with it.
"Unlock the cage and I'll stop the floor from hitting." Hermione said. Harry nodded and hit the lock with Alohomora. Matt and Ginny both yelped as the cage doors swung down and the floor, they were sitting on, dropped them. Hermione cast Arresto Momentum to slow their descent, so the pair touched down without injury. Ginny was on her feet in an instant and ran to Harry, flying into his arms. Matt scrambled to his feet, shakily and went to Hermione, who had closed the gap between them.
"I told you I'd rescue you." she said looking into his mahogany brown eyes.
"And you did." Matt said and clutched her closely. "Hermione…" Matt began. "I knew I had to trust in you. And you came through. Just like I would have. And I was so scared, I thought I was going to lose you. I thought for sure that, that, thing, that monstrosity, that abomination, was going to get you. I thought you were gonna be extra crispy with a side of fries, you know?" he said looking into Hermione's own brown eyes. "It made me realize something."
"What was that?" Hermione asked, her heart skipping a beat. She was not stupid; she knew situations like this would make or break a couple. It was a literal trial by fire. And the more she thought about things the more she realized she was reaching the same conclusion he was.
"Hermione Granger…"
"Yes?"
"I love you."
"I love you, too." Hermione admitted. While she had been fighting the dragon, she had kept one eye on the cage that held her boyfriend. There was always a nagging fear in the back of her head that the dragon would give them up for a bad job and go after easier prey. Her chest had been tight throughout the entire fight, afraid that she would take her eyes off the cage one second, then the next it would have been melted slag and ash.
The distance between them closed to nothing as their lips captured one another. The audience that had been watching on the literal edges of their seats were cheering and celebrating. Not only the death of the golden affront to nature, but of the two sets of couples kissing and embracing each other.
With the death of the golden three-headed dragon, the wards that had been cast around the converted courtroom had lifted, the purple flames from the exits gone. The Minister for Magic and every Auror the Ministry employed came bursting into the room to see the dead animal and the four heroes very much alive and the crowd cheering. Kingsley looked relieved and he spoke to the four of them at length about what happened. After some discussion it was agreed that once Harry and Hermione got a chance to clean up and repair their clothing, the presentation would go on.
Matt was shocked that Hermione still wanted to go through with it, but he was fine with doing so. He and Ginny also freshened up but as neither had been in the battle, they were not nearly as worse for the wear as Harry and Hermione were.
"You know, you look stunning" Matt said as Hermione came out, her robes repaired, the little makeup she chose to wear redone, and her hair straightened.
"You look handsome yourself." Hermione said as she stepped out onto the stage next to Harry. Ron was the last one there, looking disgruntled and unhappy.
"Hey, Ronnie, how's that shoulder doing?" Matt asked with a smug grin.
"Piss off." Ron shot back.
"If you want me to do the other one, just let me know, then they'll match!" Matt said and raised his one shoulder to make it look like Ron might be slouched as he took his place on the other side of Harry.
"Allow me to present, Ms. Hermione Jean Granger, Mr. Harry James Potter, and Mr. Ronald Billius Weasley." The Minister of Magic said to the now packed seats. Everyone in the entire ministry had come down, as they had heard the fight and of the struggle to get into the locked courtroom.
"These three heroes were instrumental in the Second Wizarding War, and without them, the fall of the Dark Lord Voldemort would not have been possible!" Minister Shacklebolt began. "Never again will this Ministry open itself to the corruption, blindness, and foolishness that has plagued this Ministry in the past. This I promise you as your Minister for Magic. Now, presenting the Order of Merlin First Class to Mr. Harry James Potter, is Ms. Ginevra Weasley!"
"That's your cue." Matt said and playfully nudged Ginny. She stepped out from the side of the stage and approached Harry. Matt grinned watching her.
"Harry James Potter, as a representative of the Ministry of Magic of Great Britain, I, Ginevra Weasley present you with this, Order of Merlin First Class." Ginny said as Harry bowed his head to her. She slipped the medal over his head and as he looked up, there was a devilish grin on his girlfriend's face. "And this is from me, personally." Ginny said and placed her hands on Harry's shoulders and kissed him on the lips. Harry's eyes went wide with shock, but he returned the kiss all the same. The audience cheered and applauded.
"And now, presenting Ms. Hermione Jean Granger with her Order of Merlin First Class, is Mr. Matthew Santini." The Minister said and stepped aside as Matt approached Hermione, beaming at her. She smiled back at him and had a feeling she knew what was about to happen.
"Hermione Jean Granger, as a duly designated representative of the Ministry of Magic of Great Britain, I Matthew Lee Santini, present you with the Order of Merlin, First Class." Matt said and held up the medal. Hermione dipped her head, and Matt slipped it over her. "And, on a personal note, this is from me." He said and captured her lips with his own. Hermione knew since Ginny had done it, he would as well. She did not mind, although it was a little embarrassing.
The Minister for Magic himself strode over to Ron, who looked bemused. Matt later found out Ron had tried to request Hermione to do it, but the Minister himself had denied the request. Since Ron had not bothered to name anyone, the Minister took it upon himself to present the award to the ginger.
"Ronald Billius Weasley, as Minister of Magic for Great Britain, I present you with this, Order of Merlin, First Class." Ron ducked his head as the Minister slipped the medal over him. "Don't get any ideas, Mr. Weasley, I'm not going to kiss you." Minister Shacklebolt said.
"Hey, look at this," Matt said, flourishing his wrist with his watch, while holding Hermione's hand with the other. "We'll still have time to make it back to Hogwarts for the Hallowe'en Feast!" Hermione broke down into a fit of laughter, Harry and Ginny joining in. Matt simply grinned.