DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter and Twilight.

A/N: Apologies for the late update. Been very busy after watching THE LION KING musical the other night and then I had to go to work five hours after. It was nice! As usual, thanks for the wonderful reviews.

CHAPTER 26

Bella found herself in a common room, packed with students weating red and gold neckties. Hermione was sitting in a fluffy couch with Ginny and was knitting something. They were chatting animatedly. Harry and Ron were on the couch on the other side of the room, both looking gloomy.

"Do you think Diggory's already asked Hermione to the ball?" she heard Ron ask.

Harry frowned. "You're not thinking of asking her, right?"

"Er..." Ron's ears turned pink.

"Ron, of course she wouldn't go to the ball with someone else. Cedric's her boyfriend and I don't think he's stupid to ask someone else out just because he's famous now and gained a fan club of giggling girls," snapped Harry.

Ron's face fell. "You know... I just thought."

"Look. I know that you have a thing for Hermione since third year but you've got to accept that she's our best friend and she has a boyfriend."

Ron nodded reluctantly. The redhead twins approached them. "So, you guys asked someone to the ball yet?" asked one of the twins.

Both younger boys shook their heads. "Who are you going with?" asked Ron.

"Angelina," said the other confidently.

"Really, Fred? She said 'yes'?" asked Ron.

Fred snatched Ron's crumpled paper and threw it near Hermione's direction, to a dark girl, about the twins' age. "Oi, Angelina!"

"What?" the dark girl snapped.

"Wanna go to the ball with me?" asked Fred confidently and he reminded Bella of his classmate, Mike Newton. Whenever he would ask her out (once, to the prom), he was always confident.

But the twins are cooler than Mike. They aren't arrogant like him. Sure, they tease people a lot and are sarcastic sometimes but I like them, she noted.

Angelina smiled and whispered to the giggling girls around her before turning back to Fred. "Okay."

"See? Straight to the point. No cliché," said Fred to Harry and Ron.

Then, there was a sudden flash. Bella turned around and saw a younger boy, holding a camera and took a photo of Harry and Ron. "Hey, Harry!"

"Collin," Harry began, obviously trying to compose himself.

"Can I be your official photographer from now on?" asked the boy hopefully.

The twins and Ron snickered while Harry paled and shook his head. "Definitely not."

"But Collin, your brother can be an official delivery boy," teased Fred, looking down to a smaller boy with a bouquet of pink roses in his hand.

"Oh, these flowers are for Hermione Granger, your best friend," said the smaller boy. "Can you tell me where to find her?"

"Dennis!" called Ginny from the other side of the room. "Hermione's here!" She sounded so excited.

Dennis walked to where Hermione and Ginny were sitting. "Someone asked me to give me these to you."

Hermione accepted the flowers with a shocked expression and turned to Ginny questioningly.

"Read the card!" urged the female redhead.

Bella stepped forward to peer over Hermione's shoulder.

My dearest Hermione,

While every boy in my house is fretting about the Yule Ball, I came up with the most appropriate way of asking you to the ball (according to my mother).

There's no one else whom I want to spend my time with. So, please do the honour of going to the ball with me. By doing so, you'll make me the happiest wizard in Hogwarts.

Your extremely handsome and understanding (and now famous) boyfriend,

Cedric Diggory

Hermione started laughing after reading the letter, but there were tears in her eyes. Clueless, Ginny grabbed the card and read it. A few seconds later, she was beaming from ear to ear. "Aren't you a lucky witch, Miss Granger? I envy you, you know!"

"Oh, Gin. But you're beautiful," said Hermione with a comforting hand on Ginny's shoulder.

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "You're beautiful too, Hermione."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You're only saying that because you're my friend."

"No. I would never lie to you!"

Hermione giggled. "Fine. You're more beautiful, Gin. You're such a head-turner. Even the Slytherin boys can't insult you."

"Oh yeah. They can 'cause I'm a blood traitor. But, going back to you..." Ginny's face became serious. "You're really lucky to have Cedric in your life. A complete package: your best friend, and the love of your life." As she said the last words, she turned to glance at Harry.

The scene changed again. Edward and Hermione were walking in the hallway, hand-in-hand. Behind them were Edward's friends, Ian and Terrence.

"I'm famished," groaned Ian.

Hermione turned around. "Sorry, you missed dinner," she said sincerely.

Ian smiled. "I'll be fine, Hermione. I actually enjoyed dueling with you. Don't worry, I'm going to the kitchens and the house-elves will give me everything I want!"

Hermione stopped walking and stood on Ian's way. "Oh! You know how to go to the kitchens?"

Ian frowned. "Well, of course. I'm a Hufflepuff, aren't I?"

"And what do you mean by that?" asked Hermione in confusion.

Ian rolled his eyes. "Well, our house is near the kitchens and we pass by the entrance of the kitchens every bloody time," he said matter-of-factly.

Hermione turned angrily to Edward. "You knew! You knew and you never told me! Here I am, chasing Fred and George just to make them tell me how to go to the kitchens and you... You know how I feel about this slavery and you never cared!"

"Hermione, I care, of course! My father is the head of Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures," replied Edward indignantly, causing Bella to smirk.

"But they aren't doing enough!" Hermione almost yelled. "Honestly? Those Hogwarts elves are working seven days a week and Merlin knows how many hourse per day. I bet every professor in Hogwarts have their personal elves and they can call them whenever they want to. It's slavery! If only I can ask my parents to send me food everyday, I will! But since I live in Hogwarts for ten months, that would be a bad idea. The Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare is the only solution I have in my mind right now and if you don't want to help me, FINE! Just focus on the Tournament and your fan club of giggling girls!"

Hermione stomped away, leaving Edward frozen in the hallway.

Bella grimaced. She's crazy. She's starting a fight just because of elves? And slavery?

The scene changed. Hermione was sitting in between Harry and Ron during breakfast. She was poking her eggs with the fork. Bella saw Edward at the other table, looking unhappy.

"Hermione, the Hogwarts elves won't be happy if they saw you playing with your food," said Harry.

"Yeah, 'Mione," seconded Ron. "If you really want this spew to - "

Hermione slammed her fist on the table. "It's not spew, Ronald! It's S-P-E-W! Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare!"

Ron grimaced. "Fine. Sorry. But Hermione, when are you ever going to stop?"

"Until all of the Hogwarts elves are free and getting proper salary and leave credits like Dobby! I wish all elves were like him," she replied with a hint of sadness.

Harry ran a hand on her back. "Don't cry, 'Mione..."

"I'm not crying!" she snapped.

"No need to be shirty, Hermione," said Ron. "Harry and I will help you."

She snorted. "Yeah. 'Cause the only reason you want to go back to the kitchens is for you to have more eclairs," she replied sarcastically.

"No, Hermione," said Ron gently. "Really, Harry and I will help you. I can ask Mum to send some knitting magazines for you, so that you can knit more hats for the elves."

Hermione looked at Ron sideways and smiled. "Thanks, Ron. I'd love that."

The scene faded again. Bella found herself on the same spot in the hall. Hermione was reading while eating her sandwich when Harry and Ron came. "Hermione! You won't believe what just happened!" exclaimed Harry happily.

"You've finally figured out your egg?" she asked in her monotonous voice.

"Look at the Hufflepuffs, Hermione," urged Ron.

Hermione shot him a dark look before turning around to see the Hufflepuffs behind her. Her eyes widened like saucers when she saw many of them were wearing S.P.E.W. badges. Hermione's jaw dropped. She looked up to Harry and Ron. "How?"

"Cedric asked his housemates, of course," said Harry, grinning from ear to ear.