Ch. 11 Triwizard Cup
I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO HARRY POTTER
Hermione returned from Easter Holiday feeling as though it was exactly what she needed. She did not see Draco on the train ride back, although she randomly walked through the train during the ride. As a matter of fact, Hermione did not see Draco again until the morning after Harry had gone down to see what the next trial was. She, Ron and Harry had been up early at the owlery, sending Sirius a letter about what Harry had witnessed.
"And . . . remind me what he said about You-Know-Who?" Ron asked.
"I've told you," Harry said "He said he's getting stronger." There was a silent moment, then Ron spoke again.
"But he was out of his mind, like you said, so half of it was probably just raving. . . ." Ron interjected.
"He was sanest when he was trying to talk about Voldemort," Harry spoke and Ron cringed at the name. "He was having real trouble stringing two words together, but that was when he seemed to know where he was, and knew what he wanted to do. He just kept saying he had to see Dumbledore." Hermione stopped speaking abruptly as she heard something.
"Shh." Draco appeared but not through the door, as they had expected, he climbed in through the side window. Both Harry and Ron looked at him confused. But Hermione looked away.
"Where did you come from?" Ron asked him and he rolled his eyes and spoke quickly.
"None of your business Weaselby." Draco said. "And why are you lot here? Answering Fan letters, Potter?" He asked, pushing past them and standing by the door. Before Harry responded, voices could be heard coming up the steps.
"— that's blackmail, that is, we could get into a lot of trouble for that —"
"— we've tried being polite; it's time to play dirty, like him. He wouldn't like the Ministry of Magic knowing what he did —"
"I'm telling you, if you put that in writing, it's blackmail!"
Fred and George's voice sounded louder as they got closer to the Owlery and saw all the people standing there. Draco wore a wide grin across his face.
"What are you looking at Malfoy?" George asked.
"Something Funny?" Fred added. Draco gripped his wand in his hand visibly and the twins smirked.
"There's nothing funny about blackmail, mate." Malfoy taunted and George edged closer.
"Enough." Hermione said. "You'll get us all in trouble." She said to the twins and they laughed, moving away from Draco.
"Why don't you just leave?" Ron said and they all waited. Draco rolled his eyes and left without a word. Hermione looked at the twins menacingly.
"Stupid Prat." Fred muttered under his breath. Then they turned on each other.
"What're you doing here?" Ron and Fred said together.
"Sending a letter," said Harry and George also said together.
"What, at this time?" Hermione said and Fred mimicked her, Grinning.
"Fine — we won't ask you what you're doing, if you don't ask us," he said, but they were watching his hand, it was holding an envelope and covering the name."Well, don't let us hold you up." Fred said and pointed them to the door. No one moved.
"Who're you blackmailing?" Ron asked and then the twins were serious.
"Don't be stupid, I was only joking," George said.
"Didn't sound like that," Ron Commented.
"I've told you before, Ron, keep your nose out if you like it the shape it is. Can't see why you would, but —"
"It's my business if you're blackmailing someone," Ron defended."George's right, you could end up in serious trouble for that."
"Told you, I was joking," George now defended and snatched the letter from his brother's hand and attached it to an owl. "You're starting to sound a bit like our dear older brother, you are, Ron. Carry on like this and you'll be made a prefect."
"No, I won't!" Ron Yelled. George let the owl leave and Fred watched it turned on Ron.
"Well, stop telling people what to do then. See you later." Hermione, Ron and Harry discussed the twins' odd behavior. They spoke to Moody shortly after to see if he had found Crouch, but he had not. Moody warned Harry to watch out for himself. Sirius writes him back rather quickly, lecturing him to be careful too and to prepare for the third task. They start right away.
"I think stunning spells definitely." Hermione said handing Harry another book in the library.
"I think this is enough book work, Hermione. I need to practice these, not read about them." He told her.
"And how will you practice them, if you have no idea how they are supposed to be done?" She asked. "Exactly." She told him.
"Really Hermione, you can't find everything in a book." Ron told her.
"They haven't failed me yet." She said and smiled. A few days later, after Harry has an incident in Divination class and sees Dumbledore, he tells Hermione and Ron about what he's learned about Barty Crouch Jr. They discuss it, but their attention is on the third task. She and Ron have to help Harry prepare and before they know it the day arrives when Harry is supposed to compete in the final task for the Triwizard Cup. Breakfast was especially loud the morning of the last task. Harry receives a good luck letter from Sirius. The Owls also dropped off the latest Daily Prophet in front of Hermione. She was so shocked by the contents of the front page that she spat her pumpkin juice all over it.
"What?" Harry and Ron said together.
"Nothing," She said pushing the paper away from her, but Ron grabbed it.
"No way. Not today. That old cow." Ron said, staring at the page.
"What?" said Harry. "Rita Skeeter again?"
"No," Ron said, pushing the paper away now.
"It's about me, isn't it?" said Harry.
"No," Ron did not get a chance to ask for the paper. Draco shouted across the great hall, a terrible smile spread across his face. Hermione scowled in his direction.
"Hey, Potter! Potter! How's your head? You feeling alright? Sure you're not going to go berserk on us?" Malfoy laughed while holding up his copy of the Daily Prophet. Hermione could see Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini and Pansy laughing terribly beside him, watching Harry.
"Let me see it," Harry said through gritted teeth. "Give it here." Ron hesitated, but handed it over to Harry all the same. Hermione gulped. Harry stared at the paper bewildered. "Gone off me a bit, hasn't she?" Harry said, folding the paper. Hermione and Harry stared at the sniggering Slytherin table. They made faces and stuck their tongues out like snakes, laughing exuberantly.
"How did she know your scar hurt in Divination?" Ron asked. "There's no way she was there, there's no way she could've heard —"
"The window was open," Harry said. "I opened it to breathe."
"You were at the top of North Tower!" Hermione yelled. "Your voice couldn't have carried all the way down to the grounds!" She was so angry her hands shook, thinking of that vile woman.
"Well, you're the one who's supposed to be researching magical methods of bugging!" Harry said. . "You tell me how she did it!"
"I've been trying!" Hermione spoke, but something dawned on her. She touched her fingertips to her hair. "But I . . . but . . ."
"Are you all right?" Ron frowned.
"Yes," Hermione said excitedly now. Her fingers ran through her hair again and then she held her hand out like she was talking through an invisible walkie talkie. She's had it!. "I've had an idea, I think I know . . . because then no one would be able to see . . . even Moody . . . and she'd have been able to get onto the window ledge . . . but she's not allowed . . . she's definitely not allowed . . . I think we've got her! Just give me two seconds in the library — just to make sure!" She stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder. She looked over at Draco as she left, a smug look on her face. She knew where she was going, she knew what book she needed. She picked it up and checked it out, running to get to her History of Magic exam. When she sat down, Ron looked at her wildly, but she brushed him off, sure that she had the answer. Hermione rushed back to the library again to go rummage through a few books and she was sure she'd have her, she just had to wait for her moment. Draco walked past her, oblivious to her presence and she stood abruptly.
"You're rather clever, Malfoy." She said and smirked as she left. He looked after her confused. She found herself have missed have the lunch period and to her surprise Harry sat with Bill and Mrs. Weasley and all the Weasley children.
"Are you going to tell us — ?" Hermione shook her head warningly at Harry and glanced at Mrs. Weasley.
"Hello, Hermione,"Mrs. Weasley said coldly.
"Hello," unable to smile because of the cold expression on her face. Harry stared between them.
"Mrs. Weasley, you didn't believe that rubbish Rita Skeeter wrote in Witch Weekly, did you? Because Hermione's not my girlfriend." Hermione smiled.
"Oh!" said Mrs. Weasley. "No — of course I didn't!" But Hermione noticed how much kinder she was then. An announcement came up then in the Great Hall. They would be making their way down to the last event shortly. Hermione stared at Harry terrified again. He stood up and hugged them as he was leaving with Professor McGonagall. Hermione looked up at Ron and he placed his hand on her shoulder.
"He'll be fine, Hermione." He told her, when he disappeared out of sight. "Oh not you too Mum. Dumbledore is not going to let anything happen to him." He said and pulled her up to stand. "Come on, let's get good seats, so Harry can see us cheering him on." Ron said certainly. Hermione took her bag and walked down with them. They sat in the middle of the lifted stands, as the band played. When Harry emerged with the other Champions a strong applause filled the stands and Hermione smiled reassuringly at Mrs. Weasly. Once they were in the Maze they could not see anything. Hermione was tense as she waited. When Fluer was pulled out of the maze after a red spark called the judges to her peril, Hermione could not sit there waiting. She excused herself and walked down behind the stands, where it was a little more quiet. She paced back and forth, ignoring the strange feeling in her stomach. Harry would be fine. She kept pacing. Harry would be fine. He may even win.
"Are you losing your marbles too?" Draco's voice emerged from the darkness. She jumped.
"I thought you were supposed to stop doing this." She told him, holding her hand over her chest.
"Doing what? I was standing here and you came over, talking to yourself and pacing like a nutter." He told her, a smile erupting on his face.
"I thought you were going to stay away from me." She reiterated.
"Do you want me to go?" He asked her and she felt unnerved. In truth she wanted to tell him to leave her alone and never come back, but her heart ached at the thought. Even through his horrid behavior this morning, Hermione still wanted to be near him and maybe she was crazy for feeling that way. "Hermione, do you want me to leave?"
"You've only used my first name a handful of times, and always when you want your way." She noted and he shook his head.
"That's just not true." He came closer to her, but she continued to pace. "Why're you so worried?" He asked her and she laughed. "It can't be Potter. He's fine, he will be fine. He's Dumbledore's pet, he's not going to let anything happen to him." He told her. It was the same things she was telling herself, but once again she had a bad feeling in her stomach.
"People have died in this tournament." She said. "Someone put Harry's name in the Goblet in the first place, what if it was to be sure he made it here?" Hermione started to panic again and her breathing became harder to do. She held a hand over her mouth. "I'm alright." She told him, when he came closer. "He will be alright." She said and closed her eyes.
"He'll be fine." He said softener from right beside her. He took her hands in his and she rested her head on his chest. Immediately her breathing steadied and she calmed down. "There you are." He said. "It's alright." He whispered, wrapping his arms around her.
"What the bloody hell is this?" Ron's voice came from the darkness behind them. Hermione jumped back, as he stared between them. "What are you doing?" Ron asked her, his face was red and he gripped his wand in his hand. "Hermione, what the bloody hell are you doing?!" He yelled and she jumped. Taking a step towards him, Draco's hand reached up protectively in front of her.
"Calm yourself." Malfoy said through gritted teeth.
"Ron." She said, but she could not speak. She looked at Draco and moved his hand down. "Just listen."
"Talk about fraternizing with the enemy." Ron sputtered and turned away from them.
"No." Hermione whispered and ran after him. "I'm sorry." She called out to Draco as she left him there. He followed them. Beside the stands, still hidden from everyone she caught up to Ron and tried to stop him. He ripped his hand from her grip and she tripped backwards.
"Are you insane?!" Malfoy called out, helping Hermione stand up.
"That's just great." Ron said, while watching him.
"Put your hands on her again and I'll-" Draco started but Hermione flung her arms in between them.
"No. Stop it." She said. "Draco, please, just go." She said and he shook his head. "Please."
"You'd better listen to your girlfriend Malfoy." Ron teased, when the crowd yelled. "What now?" He looked back at the crowd and saw Viktor being pulled into the tent. "Looks like your other boyfriend is out. Boy was Skeeter right about you?" He told her and Hermione's eyes filled with tears.
"Ron, stop it." She said.
"Shut your mouth Weasley." Malfoy said.
"This is bloody fantastic. Draco Malfoy defending Hermione Granger, I must be under a spell." He said to himself.
"Ron, please just let me speak to you, explain." Hermione tried again, but the crowd erupted again in sudden applause and the band started up.
"You can try to explain all you want, but at the end of it, you've lost your mind if any part of that explanation is that you have feelings for Malfoy." He spat. The crowd had stopped clapping abruptly and a scream could be heard. "What now?" Ron turned and Hermione and Draco followed. They were now on ground level looking at a gruesome scene. Harry laid on the ground seizing Cedric's limp body. The minister of magic was close beside them now and Dumbledore looked shocked beside Harry.
"He's dead!" They could hear people say. Hermione looked at Harry. He was alive. Did they mean Cedric?
"He's dead!" They heard again.
"Cedric Diggory! Dead!" The crowd heard that and Hermione looked up at Ron's eyes, their fight obviously seeming unimportant in comparison. They tried to walk forward together, towards Harry, but they were held back by Ministry officials.
"He wanted me to bring him back to his parents. . . ." They could hear Harry crying. Hermione took hold of Ron's hand, the tears streaming down her face. Dumbledore spoke only to him. He picked him up, more people rushed forward, pushing them back more.
"What's happened? Where's my son?!" Amos Diggery was pushing through the people crowding around his son. Hermione could not hold back the stream of tears falling from her face. Ron pulled her closer to his side, embracing her as she cried. Hermione could not see Draco now. He had left from her side.
"Where's Harry?" She asked Ron. "We have to find him." She told Ron. He nodded and still holding her close, used his height to peer around the people.
"Maybe they've taken him to the infirmary, He looked pretty hurt." He said. "Come on." He said to her and they turned back towards the path. Ron yelled up to George where they were going. They nearly ran back, Ron clutching her hand, unable to let her go. "Blimey he's not here." Ron said as they reached the room.
"We have to find him. He'll need us." She said and he stared down at their hands.
"Yes, he'll need us both." Ron said and Hermione could hear the double meaning in the words. Eventually Mrs. Weasley and Ron's siblings met them there.
"Dumbledore sent word. We're to wait here." Mrs. Weasley said, looking at them. Her eyes falling on their joined hands for a moment, causing Ron to let go. Hermione felt unsteady and leaned close to him, for support. It was very late before Harry arrived.