Cedric raised his hand again, making the gesture that meant "retreat," then took her hand in the same motion, enclosing all five of her fingers in his warm palm.
"But you have to promise me."
He gazed at her, more serious than he had ever been.
"This is the most important signal. If I make this gesture, don't hesitate. Leave immediately. Promise me."
Cho Chang said nothing, only squeezing his hand firmly in return, the warmth of their palms passing clearly through their skin to each other.
"I promise."
She spoke softly.
"But more than that, I believe you'll bring both of us out safely."
At the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
The winter afternoon sunlight was pale and feeble, gilding the thinly frosted grass with a false warmth.
Harry and Ernie Macmillan were huddled beneath a single Invisibility Cloak, crouching behind a dense laurel hedge that gave off a cool fragrance.
The cold wind whistled past them, stirring up the mingled scent of frozen earth and dead leaves.
Not far away, a straight plume of cooking smoke rose from the chimney of Hagrid's Hut, and occasionally they could hear Fang's muffled barking through the wooden walls.
In another direction, Beauxbatons' pale blue carriage stood quietly, as magnificent as a palace. The Abraxans pulling it snorted now and then, their splendid wings gleaming with cold silver light beneath the wan sun.
They had to be extremely careful to stay out of sight of both places.
"Look there," Ernie whispered, his breath forming a small cloud of white mist in the cold air before quickly vanishing beneath the Invisibility Cloak.
He pointed to a clump of ferns beside their feet, sparkling with ice crystals in the sunlight.
"Frostshadow Fern. Its leaves can absorb faint light, then mimic the colors and textures