THIS CHAPTER IS A REPLACEMENT AND IS REVISED AND BETA'D
Hermione, who had been in the library flipping through a copy of The Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures researching for her pet project, was extraordinarily confused by Cedric's request. "I don't understand why you're asking me. Aren't you dating Cho Chang? She is in Ravenclaw, where the super intelligent set up shop." Cedric wasn't an idiot, either, Hermione thought to herself, not by any stretch of the imagination. And yet here he was asking her, Hermione-nobody-of-consequence-Granger, for help in his studies! "And you're no slouch when it comes to brains, either, so…"
Cedric rubbed his forehead with the tips of what Hermione's mum would have called piano fingers, long and slender but strong and capable looking. She wondered if they were calloused as well. Harry's were; Quidditch required Herculean strength and a grip like no other, so it would stand to reason that Cedric's hands had suffered a similar fate.
Cedric Diggory, Hermione was forced to acknowledge, was what Lavender Brown and Pavarti Patil referred to as prime grade-A beef. While Hermione detested such idiotic and frivolous euphemisms, she couldn't deny the validity of their observations. Yes sirree if Hermione were to show up at the house over the holidays with someone like Cedric in tow her mum would be doing back flips, front flips; flips from any angle you could come up with, a pipe dream if there ever was one! The Cedric Diggorys of this world, both wizarding and Muggle, were far beyond the realms of reality for girls like herself.
How many nights had her roommates oohed and ahhed while giggling and lamenting the fact that "Hufflepuffs' Hot Head Boy" was off the market while Hermione had sneered at their juvenile antics? She had refused to be drawn into what was bound to become a prolonged dialogue on Cedric Diggory's delightful attributes. Why should she squander invaluable study time with such nonsense? There was also the degradation of demoting Cedric, a first class student, into nothing more than an object of lurid lasciviousness. It made Hermione's stomach turn!
Cedric wondered how much he should tell her, since his reasons for not studying with Cho were of a decidedly personal nature. She was a distraction he couldn't afford right now, yet she still insisted on coming to the library every day. It was starting to drive him and his libido nuts.
Should he tell Granger that Cho was too damn sexy for him to think straight? That the divine scent of hyacinth and oriental musk wafting from Cho's ebony hair teased his nostrils, making all comprehensive thought disappear, only to be replaced by the sudden urge to carry her off for a good old-fashioned, thorough snogging? No, Cedric decided. Definitely far too much information.
It had taken days for Cedric to work up enough nerve to approach Granger with this little brainstorm. Brain fart more like, Cedric was now of that distinct opinion. Especially as Granger was peering up at him with her fathomless brown eyes, no, not just brown. They were more like the deep, rich color of caramel. Cedric, it just so happened, was partial to caramel.
The expression of consternation on her face after he'd ask her to tutor him had him regretting his decision. Maybe he should find someone else, someone less intimidating, someone less inclined to question his motives. But, hell, she was the most proficient student in Runes and Arithmacy, and at Professor Vector and Babblings' recommendation, he had made up his mind to at least ask her if she'd be willing.
Cedric's mates, Scott in particular, were flummoxed by his decision. Scott sought him out after he had informed his housemates of his intentions. Cedric hadn't been looking for their blessing, but he did want them to know of the potential possibility that he would be spending some serious time with Granger.
Looking utterly bemused, Scott had demanded, "Ced, you're having me on, yeah?"
Cedric had glowered at him, annoyed by his friend's interference. "No. Why would I kid about something like this? What's the big deal?"
Scott had back-pedaled a bit and spread his hands in a placating manner before stating quietly, "It's not a big deal, Ced, but she's a fourth year! What good will she be to you?"
Before Cedric could expound on Granger's extraordinary credentials, Scott barreled right along, "That aside, why would you want to fraternize with one of the only two members of the Harry Potter Fan Club? Huh?"
Cedric opened his mouth, but Scott once again butted in stating nastily, "Oh, yeah, I forgot, she's now the only member. Weasley finally wised up to the limelight hog of Hogwarts! He's now best mates with that Irish kid." A satisfied look followed Scott's last statement.
Cedric frowned at the bitterness dripping from each and every word that escaped his friend's mouth. Did Scott really hate Potter this much? What had the younger boy done to deserve his contempt?
"Great Merlin, Scott," Cedric exclaimed. "Where is this coming from?"
Scott gaped at Cedric, looking at him as if stupid were Cedric's middle name. He waited patiently while Scott struggled to contain himself. Looking dejected, Scott hesitated briefly before responding to Cedric's query. "You just don't fucking get it, do you?"
As a matter of fact, Cedric didn't, but he was trying. Scott settled himself on the common room couch, closing his eyes as he let his head fall back against the cushion behind him. He mumbled in a tired voice, eyes still shut, "He's an arse-wipe, Ced. He's a user of the worst sort. Dippy Granger doesn't get it either."
Cedric bristled. Granger was not dippy, though why it should bother him that Scott thought so hadn't quite added up in his brain yet. But Cedric didn't interrupt his friend; he really wanted to hear where this was headed.
"When are you going to catch a clue? Potter… Potter's…" Cedric waited patiently, giving his friend time to come up with whatever it was he was trying to say. "He's going to win, Ced."
Cedric blinked. "Win…?"
Jumping to his feet, waving his arms around wildly, Scott rounded on Cedric.
"Yeah! Win, Ced! Win! Fuck, talk about being dim!"
Comprehension hit home. It was with a great deal of shock that Cedric finally cottoned on. Scott actually believed… that he… Cedric Diggory… was going to lose the tournament to, of all people, Harry Potter! A totally inexperienced fourteen-year-old kid!
"Finally," Scott barked, noting Cedric's dawning comprehension. "Good one on you, mate." Scott's tone was derisive, but his face told a different story. He looked defeated.
Cedric was mad as hell and didn't bother trying to hide it from Scott. Narrowing his eyes into mere slits, he snarled, "So, I'm going to lose am I? The first task hasn't even begun, and already I'm lagging behind?"
Cedric had intended to share what he knew about the first task with Scott but not now that he knew of Scott's disturbing lack of faith in him. Well, Scott could just stuff it up his arse!
"Where's the bloke who badgered me until I put my name in the cup? The one who all but shouted from the skies that I was going to be 'The Hero of Hufflepuff'?" Cedric shoved Scott in the chest with his finger. "Where is he?!"
Scott flushed darkly but didn't look ashamed. In a weary tone, he replied, "It's not your fault mate. The deck's stacked in Potter's favor."
Cedric felt the sudden urge to wallop Scott but good. A highly unusual reaction as he wasn't usually prone to violent outbursts. Going toe-to-toe with Scott, he thundered, "What's Potter got that I haven't?! What's one reason that you think Potter's going to wipe the quidditch pitch with me?"
Scott, never one to back down from a confrontation, yelled right back at him. "I'll give you two reasons, Ced. Two!" Holding up one finger Scott stated pointedly, "Dumbledore, Potter's got Dumbledore." Holding up a second finger, Scott enunciated clearly, "Granger, brainiac of the century, Granger!"
Ignoring the reference to Dumbledore, Cedric went directly for the part relating to what Scott saw as Granger's role in all of this was.
"Granger shouldn't be a problem," Cedric bellowed, "since she's dippy-ness personified, remember? And on top of that," he added with exaggerated civility, "she's nothing but a lowly, imbecilic fourth year that according to you doesn't have enough brain cells to tutor me, so how the hell is she a threat?"
"I didn't mean dippy as in dumb…" At Cedric's disbelieving glare, Scott amended his statement. "Okay, I did mean dippy dumb but only in regard to Potter. Outside of him, she's as brilliant as they come, but it's obvious he has her completely hoodwinked about his true character. Have you seen the two of them together?"
Indeed Cedric had, and Hermione hadn't appeared the least bit hoodwinked by Potter when Cedric had been spying on them. Cedric winced. Spying was such an ugly word. When he came upon them. Yeah, that was better. Head Boys didn't spy, they came upon people while performing their nightly duties.
He was so caught up in his thoughts that Cedric almost missed Scott's next words. "Put her with Dumbledore, and there'll be no stopping him. It's inevitable."
All the anger in Cedric's body suddenly dissipated leaving him with shaky legs and a spinning head. Talk about idiots, Scott was head of the class!
"You're an arse, Scott," this time it was said with a sad form of affection. "There's positively no way, none that Dumbledore is in cahoots with Potter, and I'd be real careful to whom you spout that slanderous drivel to… Mr. Rita Skeeter!"
Just as he'd hoped, that last bit made Scott smirk and then break out into genuine laughter. Laughter in which Cedric was all too pleased to join him in. It went a long way into easing the tension and clearing the air.
Hermione impatiently tapped her quill against the wood surface of the library table, waiting for Cedric to answer her question. Her hand stilled, and she sat as if hypnotized by the slight pink flush, which crept up from the confines of the collar of his white oxford school shirt. Hermione wondered if he had a condition, he sure did seem to flush an awful lot.
"Well," Cedric started, then decided to change course. "You see… um," he trailed off. His lips curved into what Hermione could only call a grimace, although it looked like he had actually been trying for a grin.
Soft snickering coming from the section of the library that housed various books on Invisibility claimed Hermione's attention. It didn't take a rocket scientist to surmise that the simpering bunch of girls peeking round the sky-high bookshelves were eyeing up Cedric as if he were a gift from the gods. The attention wasn't anything new; he'd always been admired by the throngs of female denizens of Hogwarts. But since Cedric had been named one of the Hogwarts' champions, his already overwhelming popularity had amplified ten-fold. Not that Hermione paid attention to such goings-on.
More giggling drew Hermione's eyes farther across the room to where the Bulgarian seeker Viktor Krum was surrounded by his own little fan club. Hermione had to admit, the library was the very last place she had expected the famous seeker to frequent, but frequent it he did. Hermione supposed his initial aim had been hiding out, as it had to be taxing to have a constant flow of Quidditch groupies hounding your every step. She had to give him credit; it had worked for a while. The nickname "Dumb Krum" which envious classmates from all three schools had dubbed him, seemed in her opinion to be far off the mark.
Cedric was now fidgeting with his yellow and black striped tie. Hermione didn't think she'd ever seen Cedric Diggory so discomforted, and it was quite amusing. Hermione had things to do though, so she decided to put the poor bloke out of his misery. "No problem, Cedric. I can squeeze some extra tutoring lessons in somewhere." Cedric's face miraculously cleared. "Just give me your schedule, and we'll work out times."
Hermione, now in teacher mode, continued, "The library will be the best place to meet; everything we need is right here, all the resources and such."
Cedric nodded his agreement, his gratitude obvious. "Thanks, Granger. You have no idea of how much I appreciate this."
Hermione smiled at his enthusiasm. Little did he know that it was just as a big a thrill for her. Finally, she was going to study with someone who was eager and willing to learn, someone she might actually be able to have an intellectual conversation with. Now if only Harry would get around to telling Cedric about the dragons. She was going to have a word with him again on the subject and if she had force Harry to fess up by the point of her wand… well, then she damn well would!