"Ow!" Hermione said, stepping away from her dance partner. This was the sixth time Viktor had stepped on her foot that morning. Draco was back in the train, writing a letter to his mother about what he was doing. Hermione sat down on a rock and rubbed her wounded foot.
Viktor walked up to her and said, "I am sorry, Hermy-own-ninny. I just cannot dance." This was their fifth try at the dance. And they'd started their dance lessons a month ago.
She sighed. "It's all right, Viktor," she said. "But I don't think the waltz is our dance."
"But it is the first dance and I vould," he stopped here and blushed. "I vould like to be able to dance it vith you."
Hermione looked at him, her mouth falling open. "Viktor," she said, looking apologetic and sheepish. "Are you asking me to the Yule Ball as your date?"
He straightened his shoulders and said, "Yes. Vould you be my date?"
She shook her head. "I'm sorry," she said. "Draco asked me the night they chose the Champions. I'm going as his date." Viktor's face fell and Hermione felt bad. "I'm sorry. But, if you want, I'll save you a dance."
He nodded. Standing up, he offered her his hand. "Shall we practice the valtz? That is the dance I vish to have vith you," he said.
Hermione shook her head, smiling. "You never give up," she said, taking his hand. He pulled her to her feet. "But I'll only dance a waltz with you when you learn not to step on my feet. For now, let's learn a different dance."
They took their positions again. But, before they could start again, a group of Beuaxbaton girls came around the corner of the path and giggled when they saw them. Viktor, being a good few inches taller than her, made their positions a bit awkward for dancing.
"Bonjour," a girl said, smiling.
"Bonjour," Hermione replied, stepping out of Viktor's arms.
"Did we interrupt something?" the girl asked.
"Viktor and I are trying to learn to dance. We don't know how to," Hermione said.
The girls exchanged looks and giggled. "Is zat all?" the girl said, a knowing glint in her eyes. She walked up to them and said, "I'm Claire."
Hermione smiled. "I'm Hermione. This is Viktor Krum."
Claire looked at Viktor. "Is zis your boyfriend?"
Hermione blushed. "No," she said. "We're just friends."
"Hermione is my date for the Yule Ball," Draco said, joining them from the trail. He sent a warning look at Viktor, who only stared back.
Claire looked at all of them and then back at the girls. They giggled and Claire said, "I now see zat zis young man is your beau, 'ermione. You are a couple, yes?"
Hermione looked at Draco and said, "Are we a couple?"
He laughed and took her hand. "Sure," he said. "From now on, you'll be my girlfriend. And I'll be your boyfriend."
The girls awwed at them. "Zey are cute togezer, no?" a different girl said. "Can he dance?"
Draco raised a questioning eyebrow as Hermione giggled. She was about to answer, but Diane Fletcher, a Ravenclaw, ran up the hill they were on. A Durmstrang boy was close behind her. "Hermione!" she said. "There's someone waiting for you next to the training area."
Hermione blinked. "Who is it?" she asked.
Diane smiled. "You'll like it better if you don't know," she said. "But you better hurry. He's not so patient."
The Durmstrang boy looked at Viktor and said something in their language. Viktor nodded and said, "He said that everyone must report to the training field. The first challenge is going to begin."
Everyone started down the hill. Draco didn't let go of Hermione's hand the entire way they made their way down to the training area. The rest of the students were already seated, along with some important guests that had probably paid a fortune to get an invitation to the Tournament. Hermione saw her visitor right away.
"Sevy!" she said, throwing herself into Snape's arms. He caught her and hugged her close. "I missed you," she said.
"I missed you, too," Snape said, setting her down. He looked at Draco and said, "Draco. Have you been behaving?"
"Yes, sir," he said, straightening his back.
Hermione nodded. "He has, Sevy," she said. "He's even become my boyfriend."
Snape raised an inky black eyebrow in a questioning look at his godson. "Who's idea was that?" he asked.
"Well," Hermione said, taking Snape's hand. She pulled him over to the stands that had been set up for the challenges. "Viktor Krum, he's the one I wrote you about, was trying to learn how to dance and he was helping me learn, too. Well, we were getting ready to do the waltz and a group of Beuxbaton girls came around the corner. They thought Viktor and I were a couple, then Draco said that I was his date to the Yule Ball. They asked if we were a couple and Draco said that we were." By the time she'd finished explaining everything, they were seated in the Hogwarts section and were staring at the field.
The three champions were standing at one side of the parade ground, their headmaster and headmistress standing by their sides. Michelle Dubay was dressed in a fashionably cut sweat suit, Ivan Rudolph wore something that looked like his regular uniform, and Gabrielle was wearing a pair of linen trousers that looked closely like Ivan's, and a green training top with the Hogwarts crest on the back, along with her last name printed above it. Hermione waved and Gabrielle gave her a thumbs up.
The Minister of Magic walked onto a platform on the edge of the field and placed his wand at his throat. "Welcome," his voice boomed over the stands and grounds. "Welcome to the 27th TriWizard Tournament. The Champions have been chosen and are ready for their first task." The ground behind the platform started to rumble and slowly pulled back to reveal a lake of molten lava. A few people in the crowd gasped, but Hermione and Draco leaned closer for a better look. Resting in the center of lava, was a small package set on the only part of the field still left.
The Minister turned to the crowd. "The Champion's first task, is to retrieve the box without falling into the lava beneath them. In the box, are the tools to succeed in the next challenge. The Champions have drawn their numbers and are not allowed to use their wands. First up, the Champion of Durmstrang Institute, Ivan Rudolph."
The Durmstrang boys let out a loud battle cheer for their Champion as he stepped to the edge of the lava lake. He picked up a rock and tossed it in. It sizzled and disintegrated as it touched the lava. Ivan eyed the distance and stepped back. He gave a running start and jumped. The audience held their breath. Ivan landed on the rock and grabbed the box. There was a collective release of breath, but now there was a different problem. How was he going to get back? Ivan looked around for any sort of footing, then jumped. His foot landed on the edge of the ground. He teetered for a bit, then launched himself forward to land on his knees on hard ground. The Durmstrang boys cheered.
"Next up, the Champion of Beuaxbaton, Michelle Dubay," the Minister said, floating another box onto the rock. Michelle smoothly pulled out a small vial and opened it. As it touched the earth, a pale pink square formed in front of her. She stepped onto it and the thing floated over to the rock. Michelle swooped down and scooped the package up. The square then dropped Michelle off on the other end of the lava lake. The girls of Beuxbaton clapped politely.
"And, finally, the Champion of Hogwarts, Gabrielle Dashwood."
The Hogwarts side roared as Gabrielle waved at them. She studied the area, then raced to the Minister's platform. She sprang into the air, pushed off from the corner of the platform, and soared into the air. She landed on the rock and flipped up, grabbing the box to her chest as she did so. She landed on the safe ground and raised her arms at the landing. Hogwarts went wild!
"Our Champions have succeeded," the Minister said, taking a piece of parchement from the Headmasters and Headmistress. He looked at the parchement and said, "In third place, Michelle Dubay. In second place, Ivan Rudolph. The winner of the first challenge is Gabrielle Dashwood."
The ground closed up and not a second sooner. The Hogwarts team rushed forward and lifted her up onto their shoulders. Hermione clapped, but stayed close to Snape and Draco. Gabrielle waved at her and grinned wider.
"So far, so good," Hermione said, smiling. She looked up at Snape, but saw that he was watching Karkaroff. The two were stuck in a death glare match, and Hermione didn't want to disrupt it. Draco took her hand and pulled her to the cheering crowd.
AN: the reason I put the winners as such, was because Michelle used a potion. Ivan got to the box, but was without a plan as to how to get back. Gabrielle did hers and with flair. So, if anyone had questions about that, that is why. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.