When Sunday morning rolled around, Hermione wasn't sure if last night had been a dream or not, but upon finding the little purple mark that Krum had left on her neck, she couldn't help but feel giddy all over again. He might not be good with words, but he sure knows how to use that tongue. Hermione grinned, thinking back to what the Bulgarian had done to her, and her to him.
Shoving herself into a pair of slim-fitting jeans, one of Harry's Quidditch shirts and a multicoloured Cosby sweater, Hermione made her way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. "Just a little bit of chocolate with your porridge, Mia?" Victoria teased from across the table, where she sat next to Ginny. Hermione had to fight the smirk from her lips when she noticed Malfoy's eyes following her around the room and his red-tinted cheeks.
"You! Shush!" Hermione pointed the yoghurt spoon in her direction, before dropping it back into the large bowl and moved on to garnish her chocolate-drowned porridge in pomegranate and sunflower seeds
"I still don't see how you can eat that" Ginny wrinkled her nose at the sweet concoction piled high in the brunette's bowl.
"What? It's just a little bit of chocolate!" Hermione defended weakly around a spoonful of porridge.
" 'Mione, Honeydukes' Valentine's sale is a little bit of chocolate" Ginny deadpanned.
"Oh ha ha!" Hermione sassed, "Can you pass the juice?"
"Here ya g—Merlin's balls! Is that a hickey?!"
"What?" Hermione's head shot up and her hand slapped over the mark on her neck, "N-no! No, no, no! Of course not!"
"Yes, it is!" Ginny leant across the table in her effort to reach the witch leaning away form her reach, "Lemme see!"
"No! There's nothing there!"
"Yes, there is!"
"You're just seeing things!"
"No, I'm not! Show me!
"No!"
"Yes!"
"No!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"Ha! Gotcha!"
"What? No, you didn't!"
"Oh yes she did!" Victoria joined in with a conspiratory grin as Harry sat down next to Hermione looking a little worse for wear.
"Now spill! Who was it? How did it happen? Do we know him?" Ginny agreed.
"Or her!" Victoria tacked on.
"Or her" Ginny amended.
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked confused, looking between the two witches on the other side of the table who suddenly appeared very vulture-like in their pursuit of this little piece of gossip.
"Oh, nothing much, just that our little Hermione is snogging a secret someone in the dead of night!" Ginny grinned like the cat who got the cream.
"What?" Harry started, turning to face Hermione as he quietly demanded an explanation, much like an overprotective brother would.
"You two are worse than the twins" Hermione muttered into her porridge, "I hope you know that"
"Oh, it keeps me awake at night" Victoria joked, "So this secret snogger? They any good?"
"I don't wanna talk about it" Hermione muttered around a spoonful of her breakfast, as she refused to meet their eyes.
"Ooh! It's like that, is it?" Ginny wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"Ginny!"
Following breakfast, Harry all but dragged her out of the Hall and out onto the grounds where he then proceeded to tell her everything that had happened to him the night before. From Sirius' warnings about Karkaroff to the dragons who were to be the first task of the Triwizard Tournament.
As alarmed as Hermione was about Sirius' warnings of Karkaroff, she was more concerned with the daunting task that was the dragons. "Let's just try and keep you alive until Tuesday evening," Hermione suggested worriedly "and then we can worry about Karkaroff"
The pair walked around the Lake thrice, all the while trying to come up with a simple way for Harry to subdue a dragon. Nothing whatsoever occurred to them, so they retired to the library instead. It was here that Harry pulled out every book he could find even mentioning dragons, and the two of them set to work.
" 'Talon-clipping by Charms…Treating Scale-Rot…' This is no good, this is for nutters like Hagrid who want to keep them healthy…" Hermione mumbled, " 'Dragons are extremely difficult to slay, owing to the ancient magic that imbues their thick hides, which none but the most powerful spells can penetrate…' But Sirius said a simple one would do it…" She rambled.
"Then let's try some simple spell books" Said Harry tossing aside Men Who Love Dragons Too Much and ignored Hermione's look of despair at how he had treated the book.
"Well, there are Switching Spells…" Hermione suggested when Harry returned with another stack of books to sift through, "…but what's the point of Switching it? Unless you swapped its fangs for wine-gums or something that would make it less dangerous…The trouble is, like that book said, not much is going to penetrate a dragon's hide. I'd say Transfigure it, but something that big? You haven't really a hope…Unless you're s'posed to charm yourself? Maybe give yourself extra powers? I s'pose you could always just turn yourself into a dragon and battle it out that way…Or you could ask Charlie for help…but then again you'd have to talk to Ron…"
"Hermione!" Harry bit out sharply, cutting off her ramblings "Will you shut up for a bit, please? I'm trying to concentrate"
The pair only had a few moments of blessed silence before the high-pitched twittering of Krum's fan club appeared in the library. "Oh for Hecate's sake!" Hermione cursed under her breath as her eyes followed the tightly-knit girls as they moved between the shelves like cats in heat, over the pages of her current book. "They're like bloody bloodhounds! Honestly!"
" 'Mione" Harry murmured, as if worried that he'd alert the growing group of girls.
"Hm?" Hermione turned to Harry, her annoyance forgotten for the time being.
"Hermione Granger?" Hermione soon found herself accosted by a second year girl who looked like she'd rather be anywhere else—specifically over with the other girls as they stalked Krum.
"Yes?" Hermione asked.
"This is for you" The second year shoved a small piece of parchment into her hands before disappearing in a flourish of flying hair and overpowering perfume.
"What's it say?" Harry questioned, as Hermione unfolded the piece of parchment that was so graciously delivered to her.
There weren't many words written there, and of those that were had been written in somewhat broken English. Hermione didn't recognise the handwriting, but she could almost hear his voice as he wrote it.
палавница,
You swim tonight?
I watch for your waves.
—V.
"Hermione? What does it say?" Harry pestered, his book long forgotten as he watched his friend blush crimson at whatever she had read.
"N-nothing, it's nothing" Hermione quickly stuffed the note into her pocket and began to pack up, "C'me on Harry, we should go back to the common room…it'll only be so long before the rest of his fan club show up" And sure enough, no sooner had they left the library did a gaggle of girls tiptoe past them, one even wearing a Bulgarian scarf tied around her waist.
Hermione glanced anxiously over at the greenhouse door as if doing so would make Harry magically appear. He said he only needed to talk to Cedric. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth as she pruned the Flutterby Bush in front of her, It shouldn't take that long, should it?
As if he had heard her worries, Harry ducked through the greenhouse door and muttered an apology to Sprout not three minutes later. Speak of the devil! Making a beeline for Hermione, Harry didn't even mutter a 'hello' before he launched right into it. "Hermione," Harry whispered "Hermione—I need you to help me"
"What do you think I've been trying to do, Harry?" Hermione fired back, a little snappishly.
"Hermione, I need to learn how to do a Summoning Charm properly by tomorrow afternoon"
And so they practised. They didn't have lunch, instead heading for a free classroom where Harry tried his very best to make various objects fly across the room towards him. It wasn't working. The books and quills would leap across the room and them lose heart about halfway there, dropping like lead stones to the floor.
"Concentrate, Harry, concentrate…!" Hermione reminded him.
"What d'ya think I'm trying to do?" Harry snapped, "A great big dragon keeps popping up in my head for some reason…"
"Well, if you're gonna be a bloody jerk about it…!"
"Sorry, sorry, it's just…"
"Yeah, I know…Okay, try again…"
After a few more tries, lunch soon came to an end. Harry had wanted to skip Divination to keep practising, but Hermione had outright refused to skive off of Arthimacy, and Harry had deemed it impossible to practise alone. Hermione wasn't sure if she should be flattered or not.
Following dinner, Hermione had stayed up with Harry until well into the night to practise the Summoning Charm. At first they had used the empty classroom from earlier in the day, but when Peeves decided he was going to try and 'help' the two had retired to the Gryffindor common room where they continued to practise.
By the time two o'clock had rolled around, Hermione was dead on her feet. She used to getting up earlier than most, but going to sleep late? She enjoyed her sleep, thank you very much! Thankfully, however, Harry seemed to finally be getting a hang of the charm. "That's…that's better Harry!" Hermione yawned, "That's loads better!"
"Well, now we know what to do the next time I can't manage a spell," Harry threw a Rune's dictionary back to Hermione so he could try again, "threaten me with a dragon. Right…" He raised his wand once more "Accio Dictionary!" The heavy book soared out of Hermione's hand, flew across the room into Harry's.
"Harry, I really think you've got it!" Hermione quietly cheered, wary of Percy who had been down several times already to scold them and send them to bed.
"Just as long as it works tomorrow" Said Harry, "The Firebolt's going to be much further away than the stuff in here, it's going to be in the castle, and I'm going to be out there on the grounds…"
"That doesn't matter" Hermione stated firmly. Especially if I hide it closer to the stadium. "Just as long as you're concentrating hard enough, it'll come. Now we better go to bed, you're going to need your sleep Harry. C'me on, before Percy has an aneurism" She shooed him up the stairs, quietly making her way towards her own bed.
Hermione's nerves grew tenfold the next day and she wasn't even participating! The students had been told that their lessons were to stop at midday, allowing them time to get down to the stadium which had been set up on the Quidditch Pitch—one of the few places that would hold so many people at once.
Throughout their lessons that morning, Hermione couldn't help but notice that Harry seemed to drift by (along with some of the other champions) as their nerves and anxieties weighed on them. A couple of passersby had whispered 'good luck' whilst others had hissed 'We'll have a box of tissues ready, Potter'
At one point Krum had even pulled Hermione aside to speak with her, mostly to ask where she had been last night and if she had gotten his message. He wasn't exactly subtle about it either. Hermione shuddered at the memory of all the glares she had received from a group of nearby girls. If looks could kill, I would've been ten feet under. Thankfully, Luna had swooped in out of nowhere and saved her from the wrath of Krum's fan club.
"Potter!" McGonagall called, pulling Hermione from her thoughts as she dipped a couple of slices of sourdough into her bowl of chicken soup. "Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now…You have to get ready for your first task"
"Okay" Harry stood up, dropping his forkful of eggs onto his plate with a clatter. Hermione was glad that she had at least been able to shove some toast into him, even if he had picked at his eggs before McGonagall had turned up.
"Good luck, Harry" Hermione whispered, trying to her hide her obvious worry "You'll be fine!"
"Yeah" Harry agreed, his voice airy and so unlike his own.
Not long after Harry had left, the rest of the student body—Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons alike—wandered down to the transformed Quidditch Pitch, wrapped up like little Michelin men as they went to find good seats. Even surrounded by her friends, Hermione couldn't help but worry as Bagman came out to introduce the First Task.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! WITCHES AND WIZARDS OF ALL AGES!" Bagman bellowed, seemingly unaware of how the Sonorous Charm worked. He stood in the middle of the arena, balancing on one of the rocky outcroppings that had taken over the Quidditch Pitch. "WELCOME TO THE TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT! IT IS MY GREATEST PLEASURE TO OPEN THE TOURNAMENT WITH OUR VERY FIRST TASK: DRAGONS!" The first of the dragons led out and collared was a Swedish Shortsnout. "OUR CHAMPIONS MUST COLLECT THE GOLDEN EGG—" Here he held up one of the eggs in question, seemingly unaware of the dragon's eyes locked upon it, "—FROM THE DRAGON'S NEST TO PASS!"
Oh Hecate! Hermione thought nervously biting her nails as Bagman disappeared from the arena and the cannon from off to the right sounded, bringing forth the first champion of the day. The crowd roared as one when Cedric Diggory emerged from the tent and made his way out into the arena.
He sounds like Dad a bit…Hermione mused a little hysterically as she listened to Bagman's running commentary of Cedric's performance. "Oooh! Narrow miss there! Very narrow!…He's taking risks, this one!…Clever move—pity it didn't work!""
Screams, gasps and yells also sounded from the hive-minded audience as they watched the Hufflepuff first, avoid the dragonfire and then transfigure a nearby boulder into a large dog, which he sent running in the opposite direction. It appeared to be just enough to distract the Swedish Shortsnout as he dove for the Golden Egg.
At least until the dragon turned away from the dog just in time to see Cedric heading for its nest. The crowd flinched as one when the dragon let out a stream of molten fire that burnt the side of the Huffflepuff's face, and yet emboldened by his almost success, he continued on until he reached the egg. The fierce sound of the dragon's roar ripped through the stadium at his capture of the egg.
"Very good indeed!" Bagman shouted, "And now the marks from our judges!" Hermione barely acknowledged the scores from the three headmasters before the next champion came forth. This time is was Fleur who emerged at the sound of the cannon. And again, the same process occurred.
"Ooh! I'm not sure that was wise!" Bagman sounded almost gleeful as Fleur enchanted the Common Welsh Dragon to sleep using the combination of an old magical lullaby and a sleeping charm. The French witch made it within reaching distance of the Golden egg when the dragon shifted with a snore and let out a jet of flames that set her skirt alight. "Ooh! Nearly!" Bagman cried gleefully. Not to be deterred and with minimal flailing at the unexpected attack, Fleur quickening extinguished the flames and continued on to the egg.
"AND HERE COMES MR KRUM!" Bellowed Bagman as the cannon sounded, following Fleur's scores. Up in the stands, Hermione mercilessly wrung her hands in worry as she watched him take on the fierce Chinese Fireball. "Very daring! That's some nerve he's showing—!" Cried Bagman as Viktor shot a Conjunctivitis Curse towards the dragon's eyes, blinding it enough for him to retrieve the egg. Unfortunately for him, the dragon in its fits of hell-shrieking fury, smashed half of a real egg that was in the nest with the Golden egg. "—And yes! He's got the egg!"
Hermione felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest by the time Harry made his way out onto the pitch. Of all the dangerous things the boy had done over the years, taking on a dragon was definitely higher up on the list. Nervously she watched as the Chinese Fireball was exchanged for a Hungarian Horntail and a new Golden egg was placed in the nest.
"AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST…MR POTTER!" Bagman sounded over the roar of the crowd and the blast of the cannon. Gripping so tight to Luna's hand that she could've sworn she heard her bones creak beneath her hold, Hermione could only watch on as Harry called forth his Firebolt and shot off into the air.
A breath of relief escaped her lips when the newly learnt spell worked for the boy, and just in time too as the Horntail seemed to have taken roost over the eggs and was watching him like a hawk, daring him to make a move. Harry launched himself into the air where he seemed to be more comfortable.
The next few moments seemed to pass by in a blur as Harry taunted the Horntail, dodging out of the way of jet streams of fire like a fly dancing around the hand that was trying to swat it.
A swing of the dragon's tail caught Harry on the arm, hard enough to carve a shallow groove along it.
Eventually he was able to persuade the dragon into rearing off of the nest if guarded so closely; just enough for him to swoop in and grab the Golden egg. The crowd roared their praises. It seemed despite Harry's unprecedented entrance into the Tournament, the young teen still held favour with the students, for putting on a good show, if nothing else.
"LOOK AT THAT!" Bagman roared, "WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT! Our youngest champion is quickest to get his egg! Well, this is certainly going to shorten the odds on Mr Potter!" No sooner had Harry disappeared from the arena did Hermione (shortly joined by Ron) disappear from the stands and rush over to the where the first-aid tent was located.
"Harry!" Hermione all but launched herself at her bespectacled friend, tackling him into a bear hug that made Harry feel like he was loosing air.
" 'M-Mione…'Mione…shoulder" Harry gasped out when she jostled his recently healed shoulder.
"Sorry!" Hermione squeaked as she jumped away from him, "You were amazing! You really were!"
"Thanks"
"Harry," Ron spoke up next when his ashen face met his mate's, "whoever put your name in the goblet—I-I reckon they're trying to do you in!" He said seriously.
"Caught on, have you?" Harry retorted coldly, "Took you long enough"
Hermione stood nervously between them, silently warring with herself over whether she should burst into tears or slap the two of them over the head. Ron opened and closed his mouth uncertainly like a goldfish as he tried to verbalise his apology. "It's okay" Harry interjected before Ron could say anything, "Forget it"
"No" Said Ron, "I shouldn't have—"
"Forget it" Harry reiterated. Ron grinned nervously at him and Harry grinned back.
TH~WACK!
"Ow!" Harry clasped his reddening cheek and turned to stare wide-eyed at the witch next to them.
"What was that for, 'Mione?!" Ron demanded, mirroring Harry.
"You two are so stupid!" Hermione cried as she burst into tears, unable to hold them back any longer. They trekked down her face in long watery tracks and her eyes puffed up red as she launched herself forward to wrap the two in a tight hug, clinging to Harry with one arm and Ron with the other.
"There's nothing to cry about!" Harry returned the hug, bewildered.
"Then stop being idiots!" Hermione sniffed, pulling them closer until the two boys were practically glued to her side.
"Hermione, we're fine" Ron tried to reason with her, patting her back. His actions were rather awkward but practised as he was used to dealing with Ginny.
" 'Mione? Are you ever going to let go?" Harry tried to pry himself out of her death grip.
"Only if you two promise to stop being idiots" Hermione replied childishly, her hands clasping the back of their shirts in a tight grip.
"Okay, sure, we promise"
Rather reluctantly, Hermione let the two embarrassed boys go, letting them fluff themselves up like peacocks as she sniffed and wiped away her tears. When she looked up, Ron seemed to be giving her the same once-over that her father would give before she went to a school dance during Primary school.
"What?" Hermione sniffed, meeting the ginger's gaze.
"So," Ron began, sharing a conspiratory glance with Harry, "what's this I hear about a hickey?"
"Ronald!" Hermione squawked in surprise at the sudden turn in events. Unbeknownst to the trio, in the next cubicle over Krum smirked.