George and I scrape by with a few O.W.L.S, enough to continue with our magical education. A lot of things change in our sixth year, especially in the way of romance. Hermione has a crush on Ron, which he's completely oblivious to, and Harry has a crush on Cho Chang, a Ravenclaw girl. Ginny still likes Harry, but also starts dating a boy named Michael. George and I both like the same girl, Angelina, who's one of the Chasers on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team.
So we devise a plan to impress her. The Triwizard Tournament is being held at Hogwarts this year, so we decide to try to enter even though we're too young. All we have to do is trick the age barrier.
"It's not going to work," Hermione says as we all stand near the Goblet of Fire.
George and I take a seat on either side of her. "Why do you say that?" I ask, picking up her book before she can go back to reading it.
She gives me an irritated look, then circles her hand near the Goblet. "Dumbledore made this age line himself. You aren't getting through it."
"Oh ye of little faith," George says, grinning.
She rolls her eyes, then looks at me. "May I have my book back?"
I have never really looked into her eyes before. They're a pretty shade of dark brown. Like chocolate.
"Fred."
Her voice startles me out of my thoughts. "M'lady." I mock bow as I stand and hand the book back. "Ready, Forge?"
"Ready, Gred."
And we jump over the age ring together. Needless to say, it doesn't work. We both end up with pretty impressive beards from the aging potions we had used too. Hermione is nice enough not to say "I told you so."
Durmstrang and Beaubaxtons are our guests for the tournament, and one champion from each school will be chosen to compete. Viktor Krum, the famous Quidditch player, Fleur Delactour, a veela, and Cedric Diggory, Hufflepuff's seeker, end up being chosen by the Goblet of Fire. Somehow, Harry's name comes out of the Goblet as well, and they have to let him compete as well.
"Obviously someone's out to get Harry," Hermione says hotly as Ron sulks through dinner and accuses Harry of putting his own name into the Goblet. "You saw Fred and George try to cross the age ring; it didn't work."
Ron pushes his half empty plate away and stalks off. Hermione sighs, rubbing her temples. She hates fighting. "Harry, I'll try to help you if I can."
"Thanks," he says, smiling. He looks tired too.
Around Christmas, Hogwarts hosts the Yule Ball, a formal dance. George and I both ask Angelina to be our date, and she admits that she has feelings for George. Bugger. He looks like he could explode with happiness, but I feel like crying.
While they make plans, I wander out to the lake. Hermione is sitting under a tree and raises her and to wave to me. I'm not really in the mood for company, but she has a knack for making me feel better.
"Angelina turned you down, I take it," Hermione says in a soothing voice when I sit on the grass next to her.
I looks at my feet. "Unfortunately."
"It's okay." Her grin is easy. "A million other girls are falling all over themselves trying to get your attention."
The teasing tone in her voice makes me smile. "Thanks, Mione."
"Ask Katie Bell. She's liked you for the past two years."
That's an idea. "Who are you going with?"
Her face turns red. "Promise you won't tell anyone?"
My curiosity piques. "I promise."
"Viktor Krum."
Wow. "Really?"
She looks embarrassed but pleased. "He asked me yesterday."
"Way to go, Mione!" I say.
She changes the subject to mention how worried she is about Harry. She's afraid he's going to end up dead. We all knew he hadn't put his own name into the Goblet, so we can only assume that the person who did was hoping he would die in the course of the tournament. I wrap my arm around her shoulders and hold on tightly. She isn't the only one concerned.
At dinner that night, Ron and Harry still don't have dates. They're complaining, especially because Cho is already going with Cedric Diggory. Then Ron has a "brilliant" idea. "Hermione, you're a girl!"
Oh gosh. I know where this is going.
"Well spotted," she replies.
"You could go with one of us!"
I knew it.
"I have a date," she tells.
"You're kidding," Malfoy says from the next table. "Someone's asked that to the dance?"
Ron's jaw has dropped. Harry looks surprised too. "Come on, Hermione," Ron says, as we ignore the insult. "You made that up so you wouldn't have to go with Neville, but we're your friends."
Hermione stands up, fire in her eyes. "I'll have you know that Neville is my friend as well. And just because it took you four years, doesn't mean nobody else has noticed that I'm a girl!"
"You're a jerk, Ron," Ginny says quietly once Hermione's gone. "She does have a date."
"Who?" he demanded.
"You'll see on Saturday night."
"Do you really think she has a date?" I hear Ron ask harry as we head back to the common room.
When he doesn't answer, Ron starts glaring at everyone and everything. He even spends the next few days ignoring or making nasty comments towards Hermione. She's hurt and angry and begins ignoring him right back. Harry looks at a loss of what to do. He always does when they fight.
George, Angelina, Katie, and I are standing near the entrance to the ballroom when we see Harry and Ron with their dates, the Partivil twins. Viktor walks over to the stairs and Katie gasps. "Is that Hermione Granger?"
We all swing around and see a gorgeous girl in a long orchid-colored gown take Viktor's hand. Her hair is pinned back and it is indeed Hermione. Wow. Ron makes a strangled sound and I see several different emotions cross his face. Hermione grins and waves when she passes us, but Ron can't stop staring.
Katie, George, Angelina, Hermione, Viktor, and I were on the dance floor the whole night, but Harry and Ron are distracted by Cho and Hermione, respectively. Eventually their dates find others to dance with, so they spend the evening sulking. I'm having fun; almost everybody is. I haven't seen Hermione look this happy in awhile actually. Her eyes are sparkling and her cheeks are flushed and she looks amazing.
Toward the middle of the night, I see Ron and Hermione arguing, then Hermione spend the rest of the night on the dance floor with Viktor. After saying good night to Katie, I turn the corner and see Ron and Hermione. Her hair is falling out of the clip and both of their faces are red. Oh no.
"Well you know what the solution is then," Hermione says, tears pooling in her eyes.
"What's that?" Ron replies, his voice angry.
"Next time there's a ball, pluck up the courage and ask me before somebody else does, and not as a last resort!"
He looks at Harry for help as she completely breaks down. "You completely missed the point."
I think Hermione got the point better than Ron did.
They walk up the stairs, leaving her crying on the bottom. I want to smack my brother for taking his miserable jealousy out on her, but I just sit down next to Hermione and pull her close. She cries into my shoulders and mumbles something.
"What?" I ask.
"What did I do?" she sobs.
Watching her cry makes my heart ache. God I want to punch him. "Nothing. Ron's just being Ron."
"He should have just asked me!"
"I know, 'Mione."
We sit there for a bit, then I pull her up. "You look really beautiful tonight," I tell her, using my thumb to wipe excess mascara from under her lashes.
"Thanks," she replies, a smile finally coming to her face. "You clean up pretty well yourself."
I smile too. "Thanks."
We walk back to the common room together and climb through the portrait hole. It's deserted. Hermione turns to me before we separate. "Thanks for comforting me."
I smile, hugging her quickly. "Anytime."
And I mean it.
During the final challenge of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry and Cedric are transported to a graveyard when they touch the Triwizard Cup, a portkey. Cedric is killed immediately, and Harry has to watch Voldemort regain full power. Then he somehow escapes without being killed. Hermione and Ron run to Harry as soon as he stumbles out of the maze, clutching Cedric's lifeless body. Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey are there shortly afterward.
The mood around campus is somber. Hermione holds onto Harry, and we all cluster together. Beaubaxtons and Durmstang stay for Cedric's funeral, and all of Hogwarts is in shock and pain. How can Voldemort return to power? How?
"Go comfort, Cho," Ron tells Harry. "This is your chance to get her for yourself."
"You heartless ass," Hermione says. "She just lost the boy she loves!"
"All the more reason for Harry to comfort her."
Hermione's face is red; she's obviously getting upset. "I could hex you right now." She shakes her head. "I should hex you right now."
I wish she would. Ron looks nervously at her wand hand, but it stays by her side. Darn.
As we all walk toward the Hogwarts Express, Hermione has her arm around Harry. Seeing Cedric die right in front of him has been haunting his dreams since the day it happened. She looks worried, and it hits me again how protective she is of her friends. I wish more people would be protective of her. Besides George and me, that is.
