The night had passed quite seamlessly after Hermione had returned with her medicine. Most of the house was still awake – their festivities continued deep into the night. Her encounter before this, however, had not passed seamlessly through her mind. She wasn't sure why, but she hadn't told Ron or Harry, or anyone for that matter, about seeing Draco leave the Slytherin table last night. And it bothered her that she hadn't told them, yet every time she tried to explain her lips wouldn't form the words she wanted them to. Accepting this, Hermione tried to block the thought from her memory by immersing her self in the organisation of the first day of term. She currently could be found handing out timetables to designated students who had failed to receive theirs the night before.

"Hermione, just sit down. They're only first years-"

"They are not JUST first years, Ron, they are first years – plain and simply – we were like them once."

"I was never that annoying. Or that short. Harry on the other hand-"

"Oh give it a rest Ron! I'm done now anyway." She took a place next to Harry, who seemed to have hurtled his cooked tomato in Ron's direction in retaliation to his comment concerning his height.

"Anyway, it's not a bad day." She said, scanning her timetable. She had spoken too soon.

"Except for Potions with the Slytherins. Fifth lesson."

"You know the only good thing about though?" Ron said, leaning closer to them.

"No." Harry and Hermione's voices sounded simultaneously.

"Malfoy!"

"Malfoy..." Harry's voice trailed off.

"You know – we can have a better look at him – find out what he's up to!"

The fact that Draco Malfoy had cropped up in conversation for the second time that morning angered Hermione greatly. Draco had no right to be in her mind – she had more important things to focus on. To start with she had a meeting with McGonagall this evening. That was her priority. She tuned out of the rest of the conversation between Harry and Ron. The odd "looked a bit pale though, didn't he?" cropped up here and there, but she took no notice and was pleasantly surprised to hear the bell ring to signal first period.

*\*\*\

Some meeting with McGonagall and Snape had scuppered Draco's plans to go to the library that evening and now he had had to make alternative arrangements. Unfortunately, the rain that had ceased yesterday had made a come back and it seemed the whole of Hogwarts had resided in the Library. Exactly what I didn't need. He heard himself think. Can anything go right for me?

"M…Magic Basics…M…Magic for first years…" he muttered under his breath as he scanned row upon row of books.

"Missing Magic…Mind Penetration!" He grabbed a blue-bound old book from the shelf with such gust he made a few second years jump. He snarled at them – they knew who he was, they were right to be scared of him.

He ventured over to a small table that occupied one fifth year he didn't recognise and slumped into the chair opposite her – he could feel her gaze intensifying with curiosity as she angled herself to look over the book she was reading.

He scanned the contents of the book until he found what he was looking for: "Mind Penetration: block and bring back." It took him half an hour to read one page the font was so small and the language so complex, but he thought he understood it. Small steps. He told himself. He knew that his first steps were to find the exact image he needed to get rid of – which meant pin-pointing the specific time he needed to clear from his mind. The only flaw was that she occupied several clippings of his memory and they all blurred together. He saw Granger briefly at the beginning of the World Cup. He smiled sarcastically at her. The next time he saw her she was lying on the ground…under a thousand or so stampeding feet…

His thoughts trailed off as he began to feel physically sick and he was aware of the beads of sweat forming of his forehead. He couldn't do this now – it needed better concentration…and endurance. It seemed that getting rid of Granger was going to be a lot more complicated that he thought.

*\*\*\

It was quarter to seven by the time Hermione left the Gryffindor common room that evening for the second time in two days. This time however, she was not alone.

"What's this about then?" Said Neville as they made their way down the stone steps.

"No idea…but I hope it doesn't last long. I haven't even started that Potions essay yet. It's odd they wanted both of us, isn't it?"

"Suppose." answered Neville, looking confused.

They continued down a deserted corridor and Hermione's thoughts turned to that afternoon's Potions Lesson. It hadn't been as bad as she had expected it to be. For starters, Malfoy had positioned himself at the very front of the classroom, which meant that Harry and Ron couldn't comment on his distinct change in appearance. Luckily, it had been a Theory of Potions lesson so not much movement was required. When the bell had rung to signal the end of the lesson Malfoy had silently collected his things and left the classroom before anybody else, which in itself was a little odd, but wasn't cause for concern-

"Hermione – Neville!" A voice sounded behind them.

From around the corner appeared Hannah Abbot – her blonde hair tied in a neat ponytail – accompanied by a boy Hermione didn't recognise.

"You going to McGonagall's too?" Hannah breathed as she reached the step that Hermione and Neville waited at.

"Yes!" Hermione said. "We were just saying we have no idea what this is all about. Do you?"

"No, we were hoping you might tell us!" Hannah replied. She must have caught Hermione's curious glances at the dark-blonde haired boy who stood just beside Hannah, for she made a sudden gesture to introduce him.

"Oh yes, this is Nate by the way." Nate smiled briefly before shaking hands with Neville - they seemed to know each other.

The four of them now continued down the steps to the Great Hall where they were to meet McGonagall. Hannah and Hermione continued in conversation and it was then when Hermione's heart skipped several beats.

Unaware to the likes of Hermione, Neville had pushed the doors of the Great Hall open but she and Hannah had remained immersed in conversation. Noticing how the group had come to a standstill, she looked up:

"Finally! Miss Granger I thought you of all people would be punctual! Is that all of you then? Longbottom, Abbot and Price too?"

But McGonagall's voice was distant and far away. Hermione's eyes now focused, not on the two Professors who stood in the centre of the room, but on the group of students beyond them. Amidst the black robes stood a figure, out cast slightly from the huddle of the group, with strikingly blonde hair.

"Mr. Malfoy are you listening to me?"

Draco's head shot up at the sound of his name.

Hermione eyed him suspiciously – he seemed panic-stricken and lost. Why is he here? She asked herself. Of all people – of all the Slytherins – it had to be him. His behaviours had been most odd and she seemed to have been noticing him more than she usually did. The very fact he had been in her thought process more than once that day struck a nerve in her brain and she forced herself to draw her eyes back to McGonagall and Snape. She had only just noticed she and her fellows stood encircled around them.

"You might be wondering why we called you here…" Snape's voice echoed off the walls of the Hall.

"…Believe me it is my very last wish to spend my evening here with you all, but Professor McGonagall, quite rightly, thought it appropriate to call a meeting."

For the first time since she had entered the room, Hermione noticed a strangle-circle shaped object emitting blue smoke beyond the circle of students opposite her. It was not dissimilar to the Goblet of Fire that Dumbledore had revealed yesterday. For a moment she allowed herself to take in the rest of the people in the circle; from Ravenclaw the cold, harsh face of Michael Corner stared blankly back at her, and stood a few inches away from him was a girl she later recognised to be Lucinda Grainne. To Lucinda's left stood Nate and Hannah, then herself and Neville, to arrive at the Slytherins. Daphne Greengrass stood next to Neville, her sour facing scanning the other students, her jet-black hair billowing down her back. Hermione took a quick glance at Malfoy – she could have sworn he was looking at her – before averting her gaze back to Snape as fast as she could.

"As Professor Dumbledore announced yesterday, the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year. In a few weeks time we will greet students from over-seas where they will arrive in order to take part in the Tournament." McGonagall now revolved slowly on the spot to look momentarily at each of the students.

"As you have no doubt noticed, two members from each of the School Houses are here with you. The key message from events such as The Triwizard Tournament is to embody house unity."

A scoff sounded from the Slytherin end of the circle.

"In accordance with the running of the Tournament a special event is organized in addition to the main events. This traditionally takes the role of a Ball – first and foremost – a dance."

A few worried glances exchanged around the circle and Hermione herself was aware of the butterflies stirring in her stomach.

"As I mentioned before, house unity is a key part of the Tournament, and consequently, the Ball itself. That explains the reasoning behind two members of each house being here tonight – a witch and wizard is required to take part from each."

"We, the heads of house, have selected two of our own pupils to take part in a special section of the Ball." She nodded at Professor Snape.

"Each of you will be partnered with a member from a different house to yours – this will be your Ball partner – and together, as a group of eight, you will take part in the highest honour – the House Dance."

It seemed at that moment Daphne had heard enough as she spluttered out:

"Sorry Professor, did I understand you correctly? We will be dancing with one of them?" She pointed at the rest of the circle, a look of disgust settling across her features.

"Yes, you understood me correctly Miss Greengrass."

Daphne looked appalled.

"I hope you all acknowledge that taking part in this is a great honour. You will be dancing in front of the whole school to demonstrate the house unity embodied by the tournament."

"THE WHOLE SCHOOL?" Michael Corner's silent absence subsided.

"The whole school, yes. It is a great honour. Now, I am sure you have noticed this fascinating object." She walked over to the basin-type object emitting blue flames.

"What is it?" Nate enquired.

"It is a selection-basin." Snape's voice drooled over their heads.

"It has a similar mechanism to the Goblet of Fire, but its contract-binding is not as severe." He continued.

"Now – I need you to write you name on a bit of parchment and submit it to the basin." McGonagall levitated quills and segments of parchment over to each student.

Hermione gripped her quill tightly and made her way over to the benches that were pushed to either side of the hall.

"Can you believe this!?" Hannah said next to her as she began to write her name on her parchment.

"What if I'm paired with Malfoy? Or worse – Michael Corner – have you seen how miserable he is!?" She added.

Hermione just nodded. This wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't here. She wrote her name a little shakily onto the parchment and dropped it into the basin, which swirled at the parchment's touch.

With what seemed like hours later, everyone had submitted his or her name. Hermione had never seen Malfoy look so pale as when he dropped his name into the basin.

They all stepped back to encircle the curious object, which now glowed a pale gold.

"The basin is charmed so that it cannot reiterate two names of the same house and is contracted to choose a witch and wizard from each." Said Snape.

Suddenly, blue sparks shot from the basin and a piece of folded up parchment landed in McGonagall's hand.

"Now, if I call your name would you please stand to my right." She said as she unfolded the parchment.

"Lucinda Grainne."

Lucinda stepped cautiously over to McGonagall's right, where Nate later accompanied her. They shook hands awkwardly.

Another piece of parchment…

"Neville Longbottom."

"Hannah Abbott."

Neville looked immensely relieved as he and Hannah went to stand beside Lucinda and Nate.

Hermione's heart felt as if it was going to leap out of her chest – there were only two options left – Michael or Malfoy.

"Daphne Greengrass."

"Michael Corner."

It was as if she had been hit with a stunning spell. Hermione froze. This couldn't be happening. Not him. Not now –

"Which leaves," Snape drooled, "Malfoy and Granger." And with that Hermione recognised her own handwriting unfolding on parchment that resided in McGonagall's hand.

"Hermione Granger."

"…And…" – she unfolded the second piece of parchment -

"Draco Malfoy."