Chapter 3: Torment
Hermione's fourth year at Hogwarts brought with it the Triwizard Tournament. A tournament that was held every five years at one of the three premiere magical schools in Europe. Hermione was delighted and excited to learn about other magical schools and cultures and found herself almost bouncing on the steps of Hogwarts as they awaited the arrival of students of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang.
"My father wanted me to go to Durmstrang," Lord Draco boasted loudly.
"He probably should have and saved us all the trouble," Ron said loudly as Hermione rolled her eyes.
Snickering was heard throughout the rest of the fourth years, and Hermione longed to look back at Lord Draco, who stood behind her to see his face, but just then someone shouted. Everyone was craning their necks to see a large carriage being pulled by huge Pegasi, larger than the ones that pulled Hermione's carriage to school every year. There were at least a dozen Pegasi pulling the vast carriage. Hermione wondered how many champions they were bringing.
"Which school is that?" Hermione asked.
"Beauxbatons, I think," Harry responded.
They soon found out as the carriage landed and the Beauxbatons Headmistress descended from the carriage.
"Merlin, she's as large as Mr Hagrid," Ron commented.
Hermione elbowed him, "Hush."
"That's Beauxbatons," Harry confirmed as the students began exiting the carriage. "Blue uniforms."
"How do you suppose Durmstrang will arrive?" Ron asked as he began scanning the skies.
"Look!" A Hufflepuff third-year shouted, pointing toward Black Lake.
The lake was bubbling and swirling. Within moments, the tall masts of a ship broke the surface—soon followed by the ship itself, bobbing up like a cork.
"Wow," Ron said.
"That is quite impressive," Hermione replied. "How do you suppose they managed it?"
"No idea." Harry shook his head.
Dinner that evening was rather raucous as both Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students presented themselves. Hermione felt a little saddened that Hogwarts didn't have a demonstration, but perhaps since they were the host school it wasn't required? Overall, Hogwarts seemed much more relaxed and informal than either Beauxbatons or Durmstrang.
"That's Viktor Krum!" Ron shouted as the tallest boy from Durmstrang passed their table.
"Who?" Hermione asked.
"Viktor Krum! He's the Seeker for the Bulgarian National Quidditch team!"
"Oh," Hermione nodded then tuned Ron and Harry out as they began discussing Quidditch. It wasn't that Hermione didn't like the sport, she just thought it was silly the way they obsessed over it. Krum was a somewhat sour looking boy—tall and thin, as Seekers usually were, with a heavy brow and brooding eyes. Hermione wasn't sure she cared for the look of him.
Overall, having the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts impacted Hermione's life very little. The Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students were much older than Hermione and her friends, so they didn't share classes with them. Since Hermione didn't play Quidditch, she didn't mind that the Quidditch season had been canceled for the year in place of the tournament. The drawing of champions was mildly entertaining. But as a Gryffindor wasn't chosen, Hermione lost interest rather quickly.
The most significant impact on Hermione's life was that Viktor Krum seemed to have the same library study schedule as Hermione. That in itself wouldn't be a problem, if he didn't have a gaggle of followers everywhere he went. Younger girls or girls who hadn't been formally introduced seemed to flock around wherever he was. Even that wouldn't bother Hermione so much if Krum would ever work in a part of the library that Hermione wasn't . But he didn't, no matter where Hermione decided to work, Krum soon showed up. It was enough to drive Hermione batty.
It got so bad after the first task that Hermione had taken to doing most of her studying in either empty classrooms or the common room. It was exasperating that the librarian was unable or unwilling to control the bevy of witches who shadowed Krum.
"I have an announcement," Professor McGonagall said near the end of their Transfiguration lesson in mid-November. "There will be a change to the Yule Ball this year, in honor of our guests. As you know, Hogwarts hosts three balls annually, for our sixth and seventh-year students. We will only be hosting one this year; the Halloween and End of Year balls coincide too closely with the first and third tasks. For the Yule Ball, we will be allowing students fourth year and up to attend—"
Immediate whispers broke out in the joint Gryffindor and Slytherin class.
"Quiet!" Professor McGonagall snapped. Instant silence was heard throughout the classroom. "As such, we expect you to be on your best behavior. This is a special privilege, and I expect none of you to abuse it."
More whispers broke out, and Professor McGonagall gave up on teaching them for the day, allowing them to all leave a few minutes early.
"A ball, this is so exciting!" Hermione said as she, Harry, and Ron left the classroom to head to the common room and prepare for dinner.
"I hope I don't have to dance," Ron made a face.
"Oh, I adore dancing," Hermione sighed happily. "What about you Lord Harry? Are you looking forward to the ball?"
Harry blushed, "Perhaps."
Hermione took that to mean there was a particular witch he wanted to dance with. She wondered who it was and why he'd never said anything?
The first thing Hermione did before dressing for dinner that evening was rush an owl off to her mother. A Yule Ball required a formal gown, something Hermione had not brought with her nor did she feel comfortable buying on her own. Her mother would know what to have made for her.
"Stay after class, Lady Hermione," Professor Snape drawled at the beginning of Potions near the end of November. Hermione frowned, trying to figure out what she had done wrong. Had her essay been too short?
"What did you do?" Lord Draco whispered right behind her.
Hermione just shook her head, refusing even to turn around and engage him. Lord Draco would just use it as an excuse to get her in trouble. And it sounded like Hermione was in trouble already. She had a difficult time concentrating knowing that Professor Snape already had something to discuss with her. She hoped it wasn't her essay, as she'd worked very hard on it. But other than the essay, she couldn't imagine what else she'd done to garner his wrath.
She fretted her way through the rest of potions class—turning in a substandard brew—but at least she hadn't blown up her cauldron. She was quite unsettled by the time class was over. Packing up her books with everyone else, Hermione waited as the rest of her classmates left. Harry and Ron casting commiserating looks over their shoulder at her. She hadn't even had a chance to speak with them during class.
"Follow me," Professor Snape ordered and swept from the classroom. Hermione scrambled to follow after him and still maintain some decorum. He led her up the stairs from the dungeons and toward the east wing where she knew guest quarters were. It was where both Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students were staying. What on earth was going on?
Professor Snape stopped abruptly and knocked on the frame of a portrait depicting a group of older gentlemen playing cards.
The men in the portrait grumbled at the intrusion, but the portrait swung forward to reveal an entryway. Professor Snape handed her up and on the other side was a common room, for Durmstrang. Several students looked up at the intrusion, and Viktor Krum came forward.
"Mr Krum, please meet Lady Hermione Granger," Professor Snape intoned. "Lady Hermione, Mr Viktor Krum."
Hermione dipped a small curtsy as Krum bowed his head to her. Had Krum asked for this introduction? He must have.
Professor Snape turned his back, and Krum smiled at her.
"Lady Hermione," he said in a thick Bulgarian accent. "I was hoping you would do me the honor of allowing me to escort you to the Yule Ball."
Whatever Hermione had been expecting, that certainly hadn't been it.
"You do not even know me, sir," Hermione said scrambling for words. She felt extremely off-put by this sudden invitation.
"Please pardon my forwardness, Lady Hermione," Krum began, carefully enunciating each word. "However, I do feel I know of your character. You enjoy school and study hard in the library most days. As a Champion of the Triwizard Tournament, it is required that I escort a witch. You would be my first choice. And now that we are introduced, perhaps we could spend some time together in the library prior to the ball?"
Hermione chewed the inside of her lip as she considered his words. It was one night, and while Hermione wasn't overly vain, showing up on the arm of one of the Champions of the Triwizard Tournament would undoubtedly be a feather in her cap. And she would enjoy learning more about him, Durmstrang, and Bulgaria.
"In that case, I accept. Both the invitation to the Yule Ball and spending time in the library," Hermione smiled up at the dour-looking boy. The smile he gave her then transformed his face, and Hermione felt better about her decision; he didn't look nearly so intimidating when he smiled.
"Wonderful," Krum enthused. "Shall we meet in the library after dinner? I have an essay to write for Professor Snape's potions class."
"Of course," Hermione replied. "I'll see you then."
Professor Snape took that as his cue and turned back facing them, escorting Hermione out of the Durmstrang common room and to the central part of the castle.
"I assume you can find your way from here, Lady Hermione." It was a statement, not a question.
"Thank you, Professor Snape for everything," Hermione grinned at him and bobbed a small curtsey before hurrying away to her common room to dress for dinner. Suddenly, she was very excited about the prospect of studying with Viktor Krum.
Studying in the library with Krum wasn't as bad as studying in the library with Krum close by, but it was close. The Gaggle—as Hermione had come to call them—still clustered around Krum, giggling and talking. But now they also glared at Hermione. She didn't care what they thought. She did appreciate Krum's work ethic, as he was happy to stay in the library until curfew. He walked her back to the common room each night—which was unnecessary, but the gentlemanly thing to do and Hermione did appreciate good manners.
They only spent a few evenings in the library. And while they did talk a little, it wasn't much as Hermione really valued her revising time. As the Yule Ball crept closer, Hermione still felt like she didn't know Krum all that well and was beginning to feel uneasy about being his escort to the ball. However, it would also be the height of rudeness to not attend with him once she accepted.
"Alright, Lady Hermione?" Harry asked when Hermione entered the common room after her latest study session with Krum. The Yule Ball was just a few days away.
"I think so," Hermione responded and sat heavily in an armchair near where Harry and Ron were playing wizards chess.
"Worried about the ball?" Ron asked, concentrating on the chess set before him.
Hermione nodded, "I'm worried about Mr Krum actually."
"Oh?" Harry frowned at the move Ron had made and turned to Hermione. "He hasn't been inappropriate, has he? The Krums are nouveau riche; he may have no idea how to act in proper society."
"Oh, he's polite as ever," Hermione said. "He escorts me to the common room each night. No inappropriate touching either. It's just…"
"Yes?" Ron finally looked away from the chess set.
"I'm not sure," Hermione said. "I can't quite put my finger on it."
"If you want to back out—"
"I couldn't!" Hermione shouted. "It would be inexcusable."
"Too right," Ron nodded. "Either way, Harry and I will be there. If things get fishy, just let us know."
Hermione nodded, feeling a small measure of relief at that. Harry and Ron were excellent friends to her and would absolutely help her if she needed. She would just have to guard herself against Krum carefully. She didn't even know what she was guarding him against; there was just something telling her to be careful. She chuckled to herself as she bid Harry and Ron goodnight. It was probably just nerves from attending her first ball.