This is a re-upload from my old account. If you are an old reader, I did not steal this from myself…It's probably not perfect. I wrote this YEARS ago. Like when I was thirteen and I'm seventeen now so…I'll go through and clean it up, make it better, if I have the time. I have like three other complete chapters already done. If I get a lot of hits on this chapter, I'll upload the rest quickly. If not, I'll do like a chapter a week.
Chapter 1: Cedric Diggory
Hermione walked alongside the Weasley family and Harry Potter. They were supposed to be meeting Amos Diggory, a friend of Mr. Weasley's from work, and his seventeen year old son, Cedric. Hermione hadn't ever really met Cedric. She knew he played seeker for Hufflepuff against Gryffindor in a Quidditch match last year. Harry had fainted because of the loose dementors and fell off of his broom. Cedric had ended up catching the snitch and winning the game for Hufflepuff. Hermione glanced at Harry, Ron, Fred, and George's moody faces. No doubt they were remembering that defeat. She knew they held a grudge against Cedric for that, which she thought was unfair since Cedric had requested a rematch.
"Arthur!" Amos called out in a greeting.
"Hello Amos." Arthur Weasley raised his hand. "Where's Ced?"
Cedric dropped from a tree, landing on the ground in front of Mr. Weasley. Hermione's heart skipped a beat. Cedric grinned and held his hand out to Mr. Weasley.
"Right here sir." He said. Then his grey eyes wandered over to Hermione who was standing behind Arthur. Mr. Weasley shook Cedric's hand and clapped him on the back.
"Good to see you again, Cedric."
Cedric nodded back and walked over to Hermione.
"Hey. You're Hermione Granger right?" he asked.
"Y-yeah." Hermione didn't know what was going on. Cedric had never talked to her before. She'd seen him around school with his posse and pretty girls drooling all over him. He was the most popular guy in school. A seventh year, a Quidditch player, charming, and smart and handsome. She was just…Hermione. A bucktoothed, frizzy haired, know it all. Why was Cedric talking to her now?
"I've seen you around school." Cedric went on.
"I've uh…seen you around, too." Oh God! , thought Hermione, I sound like an idiot.
Cedric didn't seem to mind though; he just smiled warmly at her as the group starting walking again.
"So," he began, "Have you ever traveled by portkey before?"
Hermione examined her hands. "No, but I've read all about them." She winced. There I go sounding like a know it all again.
"Well hang on tight. Don't want to drop you off in the wrong place." Cedric joked. Hermione gulped. "Worried?" he chuckled.
"No, I'm good. This should be…interesting."
They were interrupting by Ginny Weasley yelling. "Hey Dad? Is this it?" Hermione and Cedric looked to where she was pointing. A dirty boot sat there on top of the hill.
"Is that it?" Hermione asked Cedric softly. Cedric grinned and nodded. Taking Hermione's hand he ran with her up the hill to the boot. Hermione looked back to see the rest of the Weasleys, Mr. Diggory, and Harry trudging up the hill behind them. Ron had a very sullen look on his face as he stared blackly at Cedric's hand around Hermione's.
"Hold on tight now until I tell you to let go." He instructed as everyone crowded around the boot. Hermione nodded weakly and held on with all she had. Then they were off. The hill dissolved underneath them. The world was blurred around them as they spun and spun in never ending circles. Cedric, Mr. Diggory, and Mr. Weasley looked unfazed, but Hermione could tell by the others' faces that they shared her discomfort.
"Let go kids!" Mr. Weasley called over the roar of wind ripping at their ears.
"Go on Hermione! Let go!" Cedric's voice came from Hermione's right. She took a breath. All together they let go of the boot. Hermione spun to Earth, the wind threatening to tear out her eardrums. She crashed roughly onto the hard ground below. She tried to ease herself into a sitting position. Harry and the Weasley kids were sprawled out on the grass as well.
Hermione looked around. They were at the bottom of a hill. She looked around some more.
Cedric, Mr. Diggory, and Mr. Weasley were nowhere to be found.
An uneasy feeling set into Hermione's stomach. What if something had happened to them? What if something had happened to Cedric? Stupid, she told herself, He just talked to you for the first time and you're already obsessed?
Just then she looked up to see the trio floating nonchalantly down as though they did it every day of their lives. As soon as Cedric landed smoothly on the ground, he rushed over to Hermione, crouching down beside her.
"Are you okay, Hermione?" He asked offering her his hand. Hermione took it and Cedric helped her up.
"Yeah I'm good." She replied, brushing herself off. Cedric smiled at her again and keeping his hand wrapped around hers he led her up the hill after the others. When they got to the top Hermione's breath was taken away. Before them was the largest camping site she'd ever seen. It was full of magic. Wizards and witches of every shape and size walked around waving wands, talking, holding young children's hands. All the tents looked different. Some were even charmed to look like houses complete with birdbaths. Hermione stood there speechless for a moment until she was aware of Cedric's eyes on her. She turned her head toward him curiously.
"What do you think?" His grey eyes were watching her with interest.
"It's the most amazing thing I've ever seen…besides Hogwarts of course."
Cedric nodded. "I've heard your parents are muggles. You must not get to see places like this very often, huh?"
Hermione felt a blush creep across her cheeks. She always told herself not to be ashamed of her parents just because they were non-magic folk, but it was bad enough that the kids at school (the Slytherins) teased her about it. What if Cedric thought she was scum because of her parents too?
"No… Not really." Hermione found herself looked and the ground in embarrassment. She had been right; someone like Cedric could never be interested in her…
"Oh hey, I didn't mean to offend you or anything. I, uh, thought you were one of those people who don't care about being pureblood." His voice was worried now. He was worried he had offended her. Hermione's head popped up so that her eyes locked with his.
"I'm not offended. I love my parents even if they aren't magical."
Mr. Diggory came over to where the two were standing. "Come on son. You have to help your old man set up camp. How are you, Ms. Granger?"
"I'm good, Mr. Diggory."
He smiled. "Terrific, terrific. I think you'd better catch up with your party. They went that way." He said, pointing down a row of tents. "Come on son, let's go."
"Coming dad, one second." Cedric said never once looking away from Hermione. "I'd better go."
"Oh yeah me too." Hermione turned to head off in the direction Mr. Diggory pointed to when Cedric grabbed her arm.
"I'll see you at the match, right?"
"Yeah I'll be there."
Cedric flashed her another dazzling smile. "Great I'll see you there." Then he trotted off after his dad leaving Hermione in a daze. Suddenly she was a lot more anxious to get to the match. Hermione turned on her heel and ran to the Weasleys, her arm still tingling of Cedric Diggory's touch.