Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling
Hello! I had an amazing Debate Tournament. Won half of them, lost half. Read Saving Connor by Lightning on Wave.
The start of December brought wind and sleet to Hogwarts. Drafty though the castle always was in winter. Hermione was glad of its fires and thick walls every time she passed the Durmstrang ship on the lake, which was pitching in the high winds, its black sails billowing against the dark skies. She thought the Beauxbatons caravan was likely to be pretty chilly too. Hagrid, she noticed, was keeping Madame Maxime's horses well provided with their preferred drink of single-malt whiskey; the fumes wafting from the trough in the comer of their paddock was enough to make the entire Care of Magical Creatures class light-headed. This was unhelpful, as they were still tending the horrible skrewts and needed their wits about them.
"I'm not sure whether they hibernate or not," Hagrid told the shivering class in the windy pumpkin patch next lesson. "Thought we'd jus' try an see if they fancied a kip...we'll jus' settle 'em down in these boxes..."
The lesson was a disaster. It ended with everyone running for cover before they were burnt. Rita showed up last minute, to interview Hagrid. Hermione just trudged off.
"The Yule Ball." said Professor Snape strictly. "Is a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above - although you may invite a younger student if you wish -"
"It will start at 8 in the Great Hall. Now, I will be watching you, and none of you will embarass yourselves unless you want detention!"
Hermione was excited. Then she realized something. She didn't have a dress.
Dear Mrs Malfoy,
I'm sorry to bother you. I just found out a Yule Ball is coming, and I don't have a dress. I have a savings account from modeling, and I can send you the key so you can buy a dress. I'm terribly sorry to be such an imposition, but Hogsmeade has no good dress shops.
Thanks,
Hermione
Hermione's answer came in the form of a large box with Artemis. Hermione put it away, wanting to keep it a surprise for later. Then came the hard part, getting a date. Hermione was not a flirt, and she knew it. Draco had asked Pansy, much to her dismay, and Daphne was going with Blaise. Theo had decided to go with Third Year Chastity Knight, a good friend of theirs. Flora and Hestia were with two boys in their year, the Warrington Brothers. She was left alone.
Hermione's answer came in the library. She loved the library; it was her refuge. Hermione sat there, hair pulled back, reading about Potions for her Mastery. Viktor approached her like always.
"Hermione?" he asked. His tone was different.
"Yes?" she asked.
"I vas hoping you vould accompany me to the Yule Ball."
Hermione stared at him. She was being asked to a Ball by a famous Quidditch Player. Who was handsome. Bloody Merlin.
"I would love to." she said softly, doing her best not to stutter. His face lit up, and he said something, but Hermione barely heard it. She was going to the Ball!
The last week of term became increasingly boisterous as it progressed. Rumors about the Yule Ball were flying everywhere, though Hermione didn't believe half of them - for instance, that Dumbledore had bought eight hundred barrels of mulled mead from Madam Rosmerta. It seemed to be fact, however, that he had booked the Weird Sisters.
Some of the teachers, like little Professor Flitwick, gave up trying to teach them much when their minds were so clearly elsewhere; he allowed them to play games in his lesson on Wednesday, and spent most of it talking to Hermione about how if she ever needed help with her Potions Mastery, he would be there. He had loosened up since last year, and was more fair now. Hermione had gotten really close, but the last step was making it permanent. She still couldn't figure that out.
The Hogwarts staff, demonstrating a continued desire to impress the visitors from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, seemed determined to show the castle at its best this Christmas. When the decorations went up. Hermione noticed that they were the most stunnings he had yet seen inside the school. Everlasting icicles had been attached to the banisters of the marble staircase; the usual twelve Christmas trees in the Great Hall were bedecked with everything from luminous holly berries to real, hooting, golden owls, and the suits of armor had all been bewitched to sing carols whenever anyone passed them. It was quite something to hear "O Come, All Ye Faithful" sung by an empty helmet that only knew half the words. Several times, Filch the caretaker had to extract Peeves from inside the armor, where he had taken to hiding, filling in the gaps in the songs with lyrics of his own invention, all of which were very rude.
Even the Common Room had a giant green Christmas Tree with silver ornaments on it. Hermione rushed through an easy Potions Test for fun with the rest of the class before going back to her meditation. She was trying to improve her mindscape.
"Hermione!" Pansy shrieked interrupting Hermione as she read a book on Ancient Runes with Theo, who was self studying them.
"Yeah?" she said.
"Weasley asked Fleur Delacour to the Ball!" Hermione looked up at that.
"What did she say?"
"No, Obviously. He turned really red and she looked at him like he was a bug." Pansy giggled.
Winter was rapidly approaching. Snow was falling thickly upon the castle and its grounds now. The pale blue Beauxbatons carriage looked like a large, chilly, frosted pumpkin next to the iced gingerbread house that was Hagrid's cabin, while the Durmstrang ship's portholes were glazed with ice, the rigging white with frost. The house-elves down in the kitchen were outdoing themselves with a series of rich, warming stews and savory puddings, and only Fleur Delacour seemed to be able to find anything to complain about.
This year many students were staying at Hogwarts for the Yule Ball, so there was no empty castle. Mrs Malfoy was rescheduling the Christmas Dinner to a Summer Gala.
On Christmas Day Hermione leaped out of bed and pulled on the new emerald green dressing gown Daphne got her, before running down to presents. She had received a good amount of books and potion stuff, but her favorite was the yearly jewelry from Blaise. It was a silver charm bracelet with a few charms. A book for her love of reading, a snake for her house, a cauldron for her Potions, and a phoenix for her animagus form. She had also received jewelry to go with her dress for the Yule Ball from Mrs Malfoy.
They went out onto the grounds in the afternoon; the snow was untouched except for the deep channels made by the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students on their way up to the castle. The girls left after a while to get ready.
"You need three hours?" asked Draco, before being hit by a snowball. There was no Christmas tea today, as the ball included a feast, so at seven o'clock, when it had become hard to aim properly, the others abandoned their snowball fight and trooped back to the common room.
Hermione meanwhile was in her room getting ready. Clear nail polish and straightened hair. She pulled her hair into a half ponytail before putting that in a bun, wrapping it with a golden hair ornament. In her right year she attached a golden earring that wrapped around it, but nothing in her left. Pansy did her makeup lightly, with yellow golden eyeshadow and light pink lipstick. Her cheeks were hollowed and blushed. Soon she slipped on the gown. It was amazing like a pillow. The only jewelry she wore were the earring and a golden necklace with a branched pendant on it. She walked down.
Draco was waiting for the girls, Theo already having left with Chastity. When Hermione came down he couldn't stop himself from gaping. She looked so amazing that he couldn't put it into words. Her dress was light yellow, like candlelight, with a tight bodice that exposed just a dash of cleavage. At the waist in spread out into two sets of ruffles, one on each side, with golden and pearl ornaments on the bottom. Her hair was in a golden bun, her ear adorned, and her face blushing softly. She was candlelight, and she only looked it more by the fact that her dress glowed softly.
"Bloody hell." Blaise whispered, staring at her. Hermione blushed before exiting. She had remained annoying and refused to tell them who her date was.
Daphne was in an amazing green gown that was halter neck style and a large golden belt adorned it, matching with her high golden heels. It was a grassy yellowish green, and with it she only wore a large golden necklace and a small pair of golden hoops. Her hair was in a French braid down her shoulder, and was dotted with green flowers.
Pansy was in a teal dress that had sparkles on the top, and flowed down. She wore high silver stilettos, a silver bracelet, and silver dangle earrings. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail and set in with a silver comb, only highlighting her light teal eyeshadow, mascara, and dark red lips.
Draco entered the hall with her, taking his place near the front. Blaise came with him along with Theo. His date, Chastity, wore a silver gown with a large black belt(tied with a bow) and a short ruffled green skirt.
"Where's Hermione?" Draco asked.
"You'll see." Daphne smirked. She was the only one privy to the secret of who Hermione was going with.
Soon the champions entered. Diggory was with Chang, and Fleur Delacour was with Roger Davies, Ravenclaw. Then he saw who Viktor Krum was with. Hermione! Draco's jaw dropped and Daphne grinned. She looked beautiful, like candlelight. But she was with Krum! He barely noticed as Potter entered with Parvati Patil.
"Draco." Blaise cautioned, seeing the look on his face. "Don't do anything stupid."
Draco barely heard him.
Hermione was having a blast. She ate and danced with Viktor, laughing as he spun her around. She giggled as she went to get drinks. The night zoomed by like a flash, and Hermione could only remember flashes of it. The night ended when Hermione left with Viktor to go the gardens.
"How could you do this?" Draco asked her, appearing from nowhere. Pansy was trailing behind him looking alarmed and giving Hermione apologetic looks. "You're betraying us to the enemy!"
Hermione could have laughed. He was jealous. Of course. "Well guess what? I haven't told him a thing." she said coldly.
"Yeah right." he scoffed.
"I'll thank you to go away now." Hermione snapped, fighting away tears.
Draco was about to respond but Iliya and Natasha dragged him away. The two had left their dates early on, and were in matching red robes and dress.
"I'm sorry." Hermione said softly, wiping at her eyes. "I think I should leave now."
"I had a wonderful time Hermione." Viktor said gallantly, leaning low to kiss her hand. With a giggle Hermione walked away and got out of her clothes, collapsing to angry thoughts at Draco.
Hermione started avoiding Draco. She was angry with him, and he knew it. She mostly hung out with Daphne and her Bulgarian friends. After winter break Hermione had gone to COMC only to find Hagrid not there.
Snow was still thick upon the grounds, and the greenhouse windows were covered in condensation so thick that they couldn't see out of them in Herbology. Nobody was looking forward to Care of Magical Creatures much in this weather, though the skrewts would probably warm them up nicely, either by chasing them, or blasting off so forcefully that Hagrid's cabin would catch fire. She knew that Hagrid wouldn't be there because of an article Rita Skeeter had written.
DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE
By Rita Skeeter
Albus Dumbledore, eccentric Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has never been afraid to make controversial staff appointments, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. In September of this year, he hired Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the notoriously jinx-happy ex-Auror, to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, a decision that caused many raised eyebrows at the Ministry of Magic, given Moody's well-known habit of attacking anybody who makes a sudden movement in his presence. Mad-Eye Moody, however, looks responsible and kindly when set beside the part-human Dumbledore employs to teach Care of Magical Creatures.
Rubeus Hagrid, who admits to being expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, has enjoyed the position of gamekeeper at the school ever since, a job secured for him by Dumbledore. Last year, however, Hagrid used his mysterious influence over the headmaster to secure the additional post of Care of Magical Creatures teacher, over the heads of many better-qualified candidates.
An alarmingly large and ferocious-looking man, Hagrid has been using his newfound authority to terrify the students in his care with a succession of horrific creatures. While Dumbledore turns a blind eye, Hagrid has maimed several pupils during a series of lessons that many admit to being "very frightening."
'I was attacked by a hippogriff, and my friend Vincent Crabbe got a bad bite off a flobberworm," says Draco Malfoy, a fourth-year student. "We all hate Hagrid, but we're just too scared to say anything."
Hagrid has no intention of ceasing his campaign of intimidation, however. In conversation with a Daily Prophet reporter last month, he admitted breeding creatures he has dubbed "Blast-Ended Skrewts," highly dangerous crosses between manti-cores and fire-crabs. The creation of new breeds of magical creature is, of course, an activity usually closely observed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Hagrid, however, considers himself to be above such petty restrictions.
"I was just having some fun," he says, before hastily changing the subject.
As if this were not enough, the Daily Prophet has now unearthed evidence that Hagrid is not - as he has always pretended - a pure-blood wizard. He is not, in fact, even pure human. His mother, we can exclusively reveal, is none other than the giantess Fridwulfa, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.
Bloodthirsty and brutal, the giants brought themselves to the point of extinction by warring amongst themselves during the last century. The handful that remained joined the ranks of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and were responsible for some of the worst mass Muggle killings of his reign of terror.
While many of the giants who served He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were killed by Aurors working against the Dark Side, Fridwulfa was not among them. It is possible she escaped to one of the giant communities still existing in foreign mountain ranges. If his antics during Care of Magical Creatures lessons are any guide, however, Frid-wulfa's son appears to have inherited her brutal nature.
In a bizarre twist, Hagrid is reputed to have developed a close friendship with the boy who brought around You-Know-Who's fall from power - thereby driving Hagrid's own mother, like the rest of You-Know-Who's supporters, into hiding. Perhaps Harry Potter is unaware of the unpleasant truth about his large friend - but Albus Dumbledore surely has a duty to ensure that Harry Potter, along with his fellow students, is warned about the dangers of associating with part-giants.
When they arrived at Hagrid 's cabin, however, they found an elderly witch with closely cropped gray hair and a very prominent chin standing before his front door.
"Hurry up, now, the bell rang five minutes ago," she barked at them as they struggled toward her through the snow. Hermione quickly cast a featherlight charm and floated across the snow. The other Slytherins followed..
"My name is Professor Grubbly-Plank," she said briskly. "I am your temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher."
"Where's Hagrid?" Weasley asked.
"Indisposed." she said shortly. Hermione gave a small smirk to Daphne. Maybe now they would have a proper lesson!
"This way, please," said Professor Grubbly-Plank, and she strode off around the paddock where the Beauxbatons horses were shivering. Hermione cast some discreet warming charms on the Abraxans, watching as they straightened up and nickered at her softly.
She led them past the paddock where the huge Beauxbatons horses were standing, huddled against the cold, and toward a tree on the edge of the forest, where a large and beautiful unicorn was tethered.
Many of the girls "ooooohed!" at the sight of the unicorn. Hermione only stared, and through her animagus form she instinctively knew that it was a girl. The unicorn was so brightly white it made the snow all around look gray. It was pawing the ground nervously with its golden hooves and throwing back its horned head.
"He's scared!" Hermione exclaimed. "He shouldn't be chained up!"
"How else should we do a lesson?" the woman asked, and Hermione seethed, before stepping forward. The unicorn nickered softly, but Hermione slowly stepped forward, bowing carefully. She didn't know how, but she felt in her magic that it was alright now. Slowly she raised her hand to pet the unicorn, and before she knew it she was rubbing his flank. She rested her forehead against that of the unicorn, and closed her eyes.
Peace washed over her. Peace and happiness. All her worries slipped away. Hermione for once forgot about Draco, boy trouble, classes, and her Potions Mastery. She just breathed. She didn't notice the class staring at her before the girls reached to pet the unicorn. She didn't notice Draco staring at her either, something akin to sadness in his eyes. Regret
Draco couldn't believe it. She was bonding with a unicorn! And she looked so beautiful at that moment. None of the crinkle lines are anger on her pink, plump lips. She just looked peaceful with a small smile, her face glowing.
When class was over he stalked off, barely noticing Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle chasing after him. He couldn't get the image of Hermione out of his head.
Hagrid eventually came back, much to Hermione's dismay. He continued the unicorn lessons, and one of the gold foals actually gave her a tail string. Hermione saw how pure it was and knew what to do. She raced up to the lab, and carefully dropped it in her potion at the end, stirring counter clockwise. Slowly, her potion darkened from yellow to a nearly blood red. This was it.
"PROFESSOR!" Hermione shrieked, running to him. "I DID IT!"
He walked out of the lab, pulled her in, and shut the door. "Stop squealing you foolish girl." he snapped. But Hermione wasn't deterred.
"I did it!" she said, her face shining. "Now I just need to test it!"
"What will it do?" he asked. "In details."
"It will calm the nerve damage from the Cruciatus Curse, and stop the internal bleeding. It is a heal all for nerves."
"Very well. Give it to me. I will test it." he said calmly.
Hermione waited in anticipation for nearly a week before he came to her again in the Great hall. "Congratulations Miss Granger. You have achieved your Potions Mastery."
Hermione was excited. So excited. This summer she would be going to the Board of Potion Masters to submit her Potions and become an apprentice to Snape. To become a full fledged member she would have to create 3 more Potions.
As Hermione paced the halls, thinking about her Potions, she was unable to notice the jet of red light that sped to her, stunning her.
When Hermione came to, she was in the water. She noticed that Viktor was keeping her afloat, that she was soaked, and that she was still in her robes from yesterday. She paused to look around herself. There were stands around her, with the students in them. She saw that the judges were there, so she concluded that this was part of the task.
Then fury overtook her. She barely noticed as she was dragged onto land and given a towel. She dryed herself easily, before stalking up to Dumbledore.
"What the hell?" she snarled. "Why was I not told about this? You stunned me and brought me here!"
The audience seemed stunned. Dumbledore gave her a patronizing smile. "I'm afraid I don't know what you are talking about."
Hermione gave him a small glare before walking off.
Draco was sitting in the stands with his father and mother, wondering where Hermione was. Then Bagman announced it. "Hello! Today we are here at the Second Task, and each champion has a hostage taken. They are under the Black Lake to be rescued. They were chosen based on who that person would miss the most. Mr Diggory will Rescue Cho Chang. Miss Delacour will rescue her sister Gabrielle Delacour. Mr Potter will rescue his best friend Ronald Weasley. Mr Krum will rescue Miss Hermione Granger!"
Draco could just gape. Hermione? That was who Krum would miss the most.
"Draco." came the icy voice of his father. " I was under the impression that when we invited Miss Granger into our home you would be giving her a betrothal gift. Now I find out that she has gone with a Mr Krum?"
Draco gulped.
_O_O_O_O_O_O_O
When the task was over he followed Hermione up the hill was she walked to the castle. "Hermione!" he called.
"Yes Draco?" she said. She looked tired as she sat down. He gulped before taking a seat.
"I'm sorry." he said, doing his best to look her in the eye. "I'm sorry for being a prat and not realizing how much I liked you and taking Pansy and not noticing and ruining your date for the Yule Ball." he said in a rush.
"Hmm?" she asked, cupping her ear in a motion to be louder.
"I'M SORRY!" he said loudly. Suddenly the trees around them burst into laughter and he saw his friends laughing at him. Noticing the devious glint in her eye he smirked, before grabbing her around the waist and kissing her soundly. That shut her giggles up, and he basked as she clutched him. Her lips were warm and soft. She smelt like vanilla, but best of all, she tasted like honey. She was his life. They clutched each other, not noticing when the rest of them trooped off, giving the lovers some spae. The two were in their own world, consisting only of each other.
Hermione was in heaven. Draco was amazing. He smelt like peppermint and tasted like freshness. He was warm and she clutched him close, giving him entry to her lips when he traced them with his tongue. She was in heaven.
And the Dramione starts!