Story: New Events

Author: LadyLissaLight

Summary: "The Tri-wizard Tournament is to be held again" - "I could get any girl." "Even Granger?" "Yep." "I dare you to seduce her." "Done." - "Hermione, who are you going to the ball with?" "... Draco Malfoy." "WHAT?" Please read!

"Her mate," Anthony repeated. "You don't know very much about Veela, do you?"

"No, I never bothered to read about them," Hermione murmured back.

Anthony looked surprised, but didn't rub in the fact he knew something she didn't. "Well, a Veela has a mate. When they find their mate, it's like love at first sight, and nothing can ever stop the two from being together. Nobody else has a chance with either of them ever again, it's so powerful. No offence, Hermione, but if she's chosen Ron, you'll have no chance. The bond is totally unbreakable."

She stood there, in shock, unsure of how she felt. "But Ron… why would she choose Ron?"

Then she remembered the first time they'd met Blanche and how Ron had gone red and looked like he'd been lightning struck, and how Blanche ad stared at Ron.

"I don't know… From what I've read, it isn't voluntary, it just happens." He looked at her sympathetically. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "No, thank you anyway. I… have to go… Write to Harry."

Harry always made her feel better. He was her best friend, her brother and he always knew what to say.

She hurried to her room, glad she remembered how to find it, and sat down at the dressing table, since she had no desk.

Dear Harry

First, I should say that I miss you very much already. It isn't the same without you, or Ginny. Beauxbatons is so very different from Hogwarts, and although the others seem to love it, I'm not so sure. It's a Palace. Their great hall has crystal walls, and there are no ghosts, or suits of armour, or hidden passageways (at least not that I know of!) or trick staircases. It's so very different, and it makes me miss Hogwarts. I can see why Fleur loved it to so much, it's exactly her style. Everyone here is too beautiful, it's quite intimidating. Speaking of intimidating, the head boy and girl are extremely snobby and stuck up, and are acting as if we Hogwarts students are not up to their standard! It's very rude and annoying! Anthony and I have been given our own private rooms and common room, simply because we're heads. The rooms are absolutely gorgeous of course, but I'm writing this to you at a dressing table, because it is clearly felt at Beauxbatons, that girls do not need desks! This proves that Hogwarts is obviously more co-educationally helpful. Much to my disgust, I've been given a huge closet and it stole my clothes. That's right. Stole. I put them in there and it took them, filled itself with dresses, so now everyone looks at me because I have to dress femininely all the time. And now comes the real reason for my letter. I think that a Veela might have chosen Ron to be her mate. If she had, they will be together forever. I don't know what to do. I just wanted to tell someone.

I love you.

Hermione.

She wondered where the Beauxbatons owlery was, since they hadn't ben shown that on the tour. She sealed the letter and made her way out of her room, intending to find someone to ask. She made her way to where she knew Persephone or D'artagnan would be, the heads room.

She knocked quietly on the door. It was opened seconds later by D'artagnan, who was wearing a blue blazer, with black jeans, his silvery hair carefully parted. "Can I 'elp you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. I was wondering where the owlery is."

He gave a long suffering sigh. "I will show you."

He walked out and she caught a glimpse of a room much nicer than her won, and that was saying something.

He strutted down the hall without waiting to see if she was following. They walked for a long while, before she hesitantly asked, "I was wondering… How can you tell when a Veela has mated?"

He turned around, "Why?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Because… I think one of the Veela here has mate with my boyfriend," she said quickly.

He gave her a hard look. "Zey will not wish to leave each other's side, they will always be touching, everyone else becomes insignificant to zem…Any other women or man is disregarded. So if someone has, then there is nothing you can do."

"Has it happened to you?" she hardly dared to ask, but his tone had a bitter edge to it.

He stared at her for a while. "Normally I would not answer such an impertinent question, but since it may 'ave happened to you… Yes. With Persephone."

"Who did she…?"

"He has left Ze School now, graduating last year," D'artagnan reached a door and pushed it open. "Zere is ze owlery." He turned to go, then paused, "If your beau has indeed been chosen by a Veela, Zen you have my condolences."

He left.

She tried not to think about it. Would her and Ron and Harry become her and Ron and Harry and Blanche?

She had to admit, if Ron was mated with a Veela, they would break up, and she wouldn't have to worry about breaking his heart.

She opened the door and found a set of stairs. She climbed up them and found herself in a small room filled with shelves of owls.

She chose one at random and it held out its leg. She tied her addressed letter to it, before she carried it over to the window. The owl flew away, and Hermione gasped. The view was amazing.

She could see the surrounding forest, which looked more like a fairy-tale wood, the lake, looking like a Mediterranean sea, and the fresh, Periwinkle skies of France.

She left the owlery in a much better mood, and decided it was time to look for Ron. She went to his room and knocked on his door. It was opened immediately by a relieved looking Ron.

"Hermione!" he exclaimed, "Thank god. Come in."

She went in and they sat down on his bed.

"Hermione," he took a deep breath. "I have something to tell you."

He looked incredibly uncomfortable, and she knew he was struggling to tell her. "Ron," she said gently, "You and Blanche. She picked you to be her mate, right?"

Ron went pale and sagged. "Hermione, I-I, there's nothing I can do, I'm so sorry…"

"Its okay, Ron," she said quietly.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," he said miserably. "I love you, Hermione, you know that right?"

"And I love you Ron. And I'm happy for you, really…"

"I don't know what to say, he said. "If I could take it back…"

"It's okay," she rose. "I have to go. I have some thinking to do. I'll see you in an hour or so when Durmstrang arrive, ok?"

He nodded silently.

Hermione made her way back to her own room and sat on the couch, staring into the fireplace. The door eventually opened. "Hermione…?" It was Anthony.

"Anthony," she smiled at him. "Hello."

"Hey… I was wondering if you wanted to talk now."

"Ron confirmed it," she told him.

"Oh," he sat down next to her. "I'm sorry, Hermione."

"I'm not," she said truthfully. She realised that she felt a great weight lift off her shoulders. "I actually feel so much better. I think Ron and I were better off friends anyway."

"Because of… Draco?" Anthony guessed.

"What!" she exclaimed, shocked. "No! Why would you think that?"

"I don't know," he looked sheepish. "There seems to be something there?"

"Well there isn't!" she said defensively. She checked her watch. "We should go down to the entrance hall. Durmstrang will be here soon."

He nodded.

They managed to find their way back to the entrance hall, where Hermione spotted Ernie McMillan and Hannah Abott and went to stand with them. "Hi," she greeted.

"Hermione," Ernie greeted pompously, "wonderful to see you."

Hannah offered her a smile, "I wonder if Durmstrang will use the same ship as last time," she wondered.

"They probably aren't smart enough to think of anything more original," Ernie replied, "brawns not brains."

Hannah laughed.

"Don't be silly! Viktor told me how they managed to get the ship to go underwater, and it's very advanced magic," Hermione defended.

"Oh, well if you say so, Hermione," Ernie immediately agreed.

Suddenly, there were shouts, and they watched the blue lake to see the almost familiar mast of Durmstrang's ship rise from it.

"I suppose it would be new to them ere, not having been around when the Durmstrang delegation arrived at Hogwarts last time. They'd already gone inside, hadn't they?" Hermione and Ernie nodded.

They watched the ship rise slowly out of the lake, all the Beauxbatons students muttering in French.

Then the door opened, and out stepped… "Viktor!" Cried Hermione.

The tall Bulgarian walked towards them, followed by students clad in the fur robes of Durmstrang.

"Monsieur Krum," Madame Maxime smiled, "It is wonderful to see you again."

"Thank you, Madame," rumbled Viktor. "It is an honour to see you again, and to be here."

"Come inside," she motioned, leading the way back inside. As Viktor passed her, Hermione grabbed his arm, he turned scowling.

Then his face broke into a gruff smile, "Herm own ninny!"

"Viktor!" she smiled. "Whatever are you doing here?"

"UI have become a teacher at Durmstrang, and they asked me to take the place of the headmaster in coming over here. It is vunderful to see you."

"Oh, yes," she blushed; It's lovely to see you too!"

"You must sit with me at dinner," he told her, before collecting his pupils and taking them inside.

She didn't know how to feel about Victor being there, she'd only just broken u with Ron, and her feelings for the Bulgarian had faded over time. She didn't know if his had, though, and therefore it was potentially going to be very awkward.

Everyone followed the Durmstrang students inside, the hall of Beauxbatons looked as spectacular as it had the previous night, as everyone chose seats. Thankfully, in Hermione's opinion at least, Viktor was seated at the teachers table.

Hermione spotted Draco's blonde hair and went over to his table. As she took a seat next to him, Millicent Bulstrode snarled, "What are you doing here, Mudblood?"

She stiffened. Not wanting to get into a fight with a Slytherin, Hermione stood up as if to leave, when Draco caught her arm and pulled her back down. She glanced at him and he shook his head, "Stay."

She felt a mix of emotions as Bulstrode growled, "What is this, Malfoy?"

"Hermione is sitting with us," he said calmly, with an ice cold undertone. "Either accept that, or you can leave," his voice held superior authority, and Millicent sank into her seat, silent.

Hermione glanced at Draco, who was examining his nails casually. "Thank you" she whispered.

He shot a smirk at her.

A waiter appeared at their table. "May I take your order?" he asked.

This time everyone knew what to do. Draco ordered Escargot, Millicent chips, Terence eggs benedict, and Hermione, after hesitating, onion soup.

The table chatted, and Hermione simply listened to the Slytherin's conversations. They weren't all that different from her Gryffindor friends, she realised. The complaints were a bit nastier, and the insults rougher, but the content was basically the same.

She laughed when Draco complained about his room, and the other Slytherins nodded.

"Just because you're uncomfortable with colours that aren't green and silver."

Draco grimaced, "That is untrue. I am perfectly fine with black… dark blue… but there's so much white!"

She rolled her eyes.

The food arrived and Terrence and Millicent stared at Draco eating his escargot with expressions of disgust on their faces for most of the meal.

Draco ate with the air of someone who was used to eating at formal gatherings, and his movements were fluid and graceful.

"Where's Weasel?" Draco asked her suddenly.

"Probably with Blanche," she said matter-of-factly.

"Why?"

"She's a Veela and she's chosen Ron to be her mate."

"Are you kidding me?" For a second Draco's face took on a triumphant expression, for some reason, before transforming into a curious one.

"No," she sighed, "I'm not."

"So you're officially single, hm?" he winked at her.

She laughed in spite of herself, "I guess I am… Although Viktor…"

"Ah, yes, the Quidditch player," he frowned.

"But I'm not really interested anyway," she broke off as Madame Maxime stepped onto the little stage.

A/N Well, now all the people who wanted Ron and Hermione to break up will be happy, as am I. Also, I hope you all like Blanche, cos she's going to be my Ginny for this story. BTW, 22 reviews? That is amazing, everyone, so thank you all SO much! Let's hope we can get that many this chapter! My writers block for chapter 27 is gone, I had to re-write chapter 26, that was all.

On a side note, has anyone read the Mortal Instruments series?

Lissa.