One by one the older students placed their names into the goblet of fire for judgment. Hermione smiled to herself as her study buddy Cedric placed his name in the goblet and smiled proudly. It was exactly what Hufflepuff needed she thought to herself. Cedric was such a nice guy. He was smart and sweet, he had manners and confidence, he was just an all around great guy. Cedric caught her eye and Hermione found herself blushing slightly. He waved and made his way over to her .
"Hey Mione,"Cedirc greeted enclosing Hermione in a tight embrace.
"Hey Ced, I hope you get champion, you beat everyone i've seen so far, in my opinion that is." Hermione replied.
"Oh yeah, good to know i have your vote, kinda calms my nerves. Will i see you in the library in a bit? That's where i'm headed. We could hang." Cedric said brushing along hermione's jawline with his soft hand.
Hermione snapped out of her daydream, "Sure yeah i'll be there in as soon as Fred and George surface i wanna see what scheme they're up to."
"I'll see you soon then." Cedric said turning to leave but he hesitated slightly looking back at Hermione smiling at her one last time before he left.
Next entered Viktor Krum he caught her gaze and Hermione returned it hospitably. What was he doing? Was he some kind of stalker?
"Georgie boy I think Hermione might have b-b-b-boyfriends," Fred teased. The twins took a seat next to Hermione and pointed at Krum who was staring now.
"More like a stalker," She greeted.
"Wish he'd stalk me." George smiled. "In a non gay way of course."
"I'd rather Fred stalked me in a chicken suit, might be less obvious." Hermione smiled.
"That could be arranged even without the suit." Fred laughed standing up at the same time George did.
"I think it's our turn." Fred Said with a mischievous smile that Hermione had only just started to notice. She was strict on them but she had to admit she did find their tricks amusing. The boys both pulled out two small bottles of a yellowy coloured potion. Hermione smiled.
"It won't work." She chorused.
"Oh Hermione when are you ever going to admit we are geniuses?" George asked.
"When Harry lets Malfoy catch the snitch." Hermione smirked.
Both twins starred at Hermione in horror then turned back to their potions.
"Bottoms up George." Fred smiled taking a glance back at Hermione. She caught his gaze and he winked Fred noticed her blush and smiled which made her blush more. The boys downed the potion and crossed the magical lines. Hermione shook her head and walked out of the great hall after both boys had seemed to grow beards. Viktor Krum stalked Hermione to the library as normal and Hermione took her seat next to Cedric Diggory.
"Hey Mione," Cedric said with a smile.
"Hey Ced. Hows the transfiguration going?"
"Not so good you know anything about turning an apple in a living animal?" He asked.
"Sure do," she smiled. "I'll be right back with the exact page and we'll go through it." Hermione looked for the right book but her mind was cursing itself for blushing when Fred winked at her and when Cedric had hugged her. She wasn't the type of girl who blushed when boys opened and closed one eyelid or put their big muscly arms around her. She blushed again. Maybe it was the smile on his face when he looked at her that made her blush. 'of course' she thought. She decided she must have blushed out of embarrassment. Cedric on the other hand well she wasn't quite sure if he was putting the moves on her or if he was just being nice. Hermione was so deep in her thoughts she didn't see her stalker following her. She didn't even notice the horde of screaming girls following her stalker or the librarian who shooed them.
***
Fred woke in the infirmary beardless. He looked at George and laughed. Granger was right as usual. He found himself smiling at the thought of her smirk and the way she blushed when he winked at her. She had grown up quite a bit over the summer and must have found some hair products. If Fred didn't know any better he'd think he was falling for his little brothers best friend. Fred was a curious person he wouldn't let her by without finding out what the feeling in his stomach was when he saw her. Fred left George to sleep off the after effects and made a beeline to the library where he saw Hermione about to have the life sucked out of her by Krum who had cornered her. Fred knew he had to move. He hummed some James Bond tune as he snuck about the library until he crawled under a table and pretended to hold a sniper rifle and crawled the floor until he met Hermione's mary janes. Hermione glanced down and laughed so loud that the librarian glanced up from the squealing girls. She quickly realised he had saved her from Viktor Krum as he stood slowly and Krum stalked away.
"Thanks Fred. Clean shaven I see." Hermione said still smiling.
"No worries. Yeah no more beard. We should have listened to you." Fred frowned she smelled so good. That was the last straw he was going to tell her he was curious about what she did to him.
"No Fred it's good you're curious and try to invent things. I admire your consistency and light heartedness," Hermione said she was about to continue when Fred cut her off.
"Hermione you know we've been friends for agers and we've been growing closer. Do you remember the day of the beard incident when I winked at you and you blushed-"
'Oh God, he saw that' Hermione thought 'he's gonna tell me we should be friends and he was just winking for fun or at the girl over my shoulder.'
"I remember Fred." Hermione replied composing herself.
"Well Hermione there's this feeling-"
"Mione? Mione?" Came the searching voice of Cedric Diggory. "There you are. Hi Fred" He smiled. Neither bookworm nor Prankster realised just how close they were standing together.
"Oh yeah Ced the book is right here I was just coming over when Fred asked me for some help locating a fireworks book. I love magical fireworks so I got side tracked."
"Oh cool fireworks. We should have an outside party for the Hogwarts champion and have fireworks." Cedric said taking Hermione's hand.
"Good idea, Ced what's your favourite colour Hermione?"
"Periwinkle Blue" She replied and Fred waved goodbye and left. Was Cedric her boyfriend? No he couldn't be everyone would know about it by he still had a chance. 'A chance at what?' he thought to himself. He didn't like her, did he?
***
Hermione made her way to the Great Hall that night for the announcement of the champions. After the beard incident the other day Hermione had not spent a day this week without a nice encounter with Fred. It was like he was actually trying to get to know her. She caught sight of Cedric in the hall and ran to catch up to him and wish him good luck.
"Cedric, Hey, good luck tonight I really think you deserve it." She said smiling he had such pretty eyes.
"Thanks Hermione," He smiled.
"Just don't forget me when you're big and famous." She laughed.
"I could never forget you, my Mione."
"Well good luck and I expect a dance at your party."
"I'll dance with you if it's my party or not. No one will get in my way. I shall have my dance with maiden Granger." He laughed as he entered the hall and sat with his friends anxious for the judgment to be over. Hermione sat in her place next to Harry. George slotted in next to her and Fred was already sitting across from her arguing with Ginny about some Quidditch strategy. Hermione stared at Fred and found the diagonal line of freckles on his cheek used to decipher him from George. Hermione thought they were cute.
"Who do you think will get Hogwarts champion Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Cedric. For sure" She answered smiling.