"I hate the ministry, I hate this tournament and I hate those stupid badges." Hermione glared over the 1st floor bridge towards the courtyard, her brow furrowed. Students were milling below, enjoying the last rays of sun that November would allow, before the Scottish winter would truly take hold. "We've got to do something."

"About the badges? Yeah." Ginny replied, throughly engrossed in her own task, as she casually lent against the warm stone. "I'm improving this one," She paused looking at the marks she'd scratched into the 'Potter Stinks' badge.

"I don't think Cedric suits a moustache, do you?"

"I think he deserves a piece of my mind."

"What?"

"Draco, with his stupid badges. I am so done with him strutting around- 'eh potter'- idiot." Hermione threw her book into her bag.

"Hermione, what- hey wait up!" Ginny scrambled for her bag as her friend stormed off. She zig zagged between the other students loitering on the bridge, and huddled in the adjacent corridor. She jogged along side Hermione as she barrelled forward, through a scarlet tapestry and then led them down a narrow, uneven, set of concealed stairs. "How do you know about all these secret passages and I don't? I swear one day Fred or George is going to give me that map and you're all going to be sorry; am i'm talking to myself here?"

They appeared from the dark stair, and through a portraits false back, to find themselves opposite the emptying courtyard. Hermione's face was red, her breathing already heavy. She scoured the courtyard for the blond mop that she's spotted, which could only belong to Draco Malfoy. However he had seemingly moved along. Hermione settled on the next best thing.

"Diggory!"

"Aw no." Ginny breathed. She tried to flatten her hair, as her stomach gave a slight twist. Cedric turned towards them and Ginny smiled back at him, swallowing her urge to giggle. She was in complete contrast to Hermione, whose features set in a stony glower. Mercifully his friends left him heading out of the courtyard, as he approached.

"Weasley, Granger, h-"

"You need to do something about these." Hermione snatching the graffitied badge Ginny was still holding out of her hands and thrusting it towards Cedric face.

"I had nothing-"

"Yes, yes it was Draco, i know, but you can get people to stop wearing them. Besides you owe Harry for the...the dragon thing." Hermione lowered her voice slightly, and Cedric's smile returned as he shrugged.

"Alright, sure. But I don't know why you've come to me to get rid of them. Better it be- uh, i don't know- "

"Oh come on Diggory. Your..." Hermione scrunched up her face gesturing towards him, she looked at Ginny.

"Charming?"

"Yes,"

"Popular?"

"Yes,"

"Devilishly handsome?"

"Uh," Hermione choked and Ginny laughed, before realising her tease revealed more of her own feelings then her friends and bit her lip. Cedric stilled a smile plastered across his face, and a blush crawling up his neck.

"If you say so." Hermione squeaked, glancing up at Cedric in an alarmed fashion but mirroring his grin.

"Oh shut up. So, anyway, Cedric," Ginny stalled trying to take charge of the conversation, "How you doing with the clue?"

"You can't ask him about the clue!"

"Why not?"

"The rules-"

"Oh, come on. Only a third of champions manage to figure out the clue on their own. And do you know how many of the champions get the clue on their own when their fourteen and the fourth champion to be picked? None! Zero!" Hermione screwed up her nose at Ginny. Cedric paled.

"Where did you hear that?"

"I made it up, but the point still stands!"

"Well, I'm actually on my way to the library to read up about the clue right know so..."

"So are we." Hermione interrupted grabbing her bag from off the floor, where it had flung itself. "I'm going to do some research for Harry."

"Hypocrite." Ginny smiled as she walked off, Hermione by her side leaving Cedric no choice but to follow along behind them.

Hermione turned back choosing to ignore her friend.

"I think, as it's a competition for sixth and seventh years, that they're going to be asking you to perform complex spells from your newt levels to show off your skill. But Harry's only a fourth year and I can't single them down until we get the clue..." Hermione trailed looking back ahead with a small frown.

"But it's a good idea," Ginny bolstered, linking her arm through her friends, "Right Cedric?"

"Uh yeah, yeah-"

"I was thinking we should just look through the castle and grounds, because they've got to be keeping the stuff for the next trail somewhere. Honestly how hard would it have been to accidentally come across the four dragons they were keeping in the forest? But i suppose they would only have that stuff prepared a couple of days before hand. What about you? Your tactic I mean."

"I've just been focusing on the egg." He stated. They stared at him. "I was going on the bases it's not just screaming. That it's a language. That I need to translate."

"Huh."

"Only problem is i can't stand to listen to it for more than 10 seconds."

"And i'm sure Madam Pince isn't keen on you studying it in the library." Hermione said smiling faintly.

"Or the 'Puffs on listening to it in the common room." Ginny grinned.

"'Puffs?"

"It's something i'm trying out. What d'you think? Oo Hermione look whose here." Ginny chirped looking through the open library door way as they approached its vast double doors.

"Again!" Hermione stopped short in the corridor as she too noticed Victor Krum, through the vast double doors of the open library "Well you can't say he's not dedicated."

"Looks like you'll be studying on the barrel again." Ginny turned to explain to Cedric, "Hermione's being keeping me company as i try to break into the kitchens. You know I think the entrance is in that corridor opposite the great hall, but i keep getting stuck, i think its protected by some sort of puzzle-"

"Ah so its you trying to break in! That puzzle opens up to the Hufflepuff common room, not the kitchen." He laughed

"Oh," Ginny rocked back on the balls of her feet and pinched her lips, sighing, "Right."

"Your close though, it's further up the hall-"

"No it's fine, i'll find it myself... thanks."

"Sure. Most people don't even realise there is a puzzle to be found so, you know..." Cedric nodded casting a longing glance at the warm, quite library. Hermione straightened.

"Okay, Diggory, badges, please, thank you. Now we've got to go."

"Yeah i'll do, uh something."

"Thanks Diggory. And you can keep that one." Ginny smiled, pointing at the yellow badge he'd been given, she quickly waved and hurried off after Hermione who was already once again two steps ahead.

Chapter 2: Yuletide Greetings

Authors Note: Hey, this is my first published piece and I've been wanting to do this for a while, so please leave a review if you feel any way inclined. Thanks for reading!

BlushingBelle

(Updated 12/4/2019)