1994 – Fourth Year
Hermione woke to the sound of muffled screams and loud crashes coming from outside their tent. Moving quickly from her bed, she grabbed her coat and her wand and headed to the middle of the tent where she found Mr Weasley swiftly moving towards her.
"Good, you're awake. We need to get out of this tent immediately!" He spoke quickly and with concern.
Hermione and Harry exchanged a look of confusion before they listened to Mr Weasley and scurried out of the tent. Neither of which were prepared for what they were about to see.
What was once rows and rows of colourful tents and banners both emerald and crimson, where now scorched black whilst tall fierce flames thrashed around in the wind, spreading further out and threatening the tents that hadn't yet caught fire.
"Come on!" Mr Weasley shouted as he lead the youngest Weasley into the forest.
Harry turned to his left when he caught site of a familiar muggle family, levitating above them, unconscious and defenceless.
"Harry no, we have to go." Hermione told her friend as she followed his gaze towards the family. She too wanted to help the family, but she caught sight of the masked figures below them in the distance, their wands aimed towards the muggles, clearly the culprits of their torture.
"You should listen to her, Potter." Draco spoke, causing each of them to turn sharply towards him.
Hermione took a step forward before his eyes widened and she stopped herself, suddenly remembering their situation. Draco's face pulled into a smirk as he lent against the tree, looking towards his hands as though his fingers were more interesting than what was happening around them
"I hear they're rounding up Muggles and Mud bloods. Don't you think you should get yours out of here?" He continued, still keeping his eyes from looking into Hermione's, he only hoped she knew he didn't mean the derogatory words that came out of his mouth.
"They? Done you mean we. You're one of them after all." Ron spat towards Draco, taking a few steps towards him before Hermione reached out her hand and blocked his way.
"Fine. Have if your way then, see if I care whether they catch her. Oh look, there's some now." Draco gestured between Hermione and Ron's shoulders towards the Death Eaters that were slowly gaining on them.
Harry launched himself forwards and pushed both of his friends towards the forest and continued to run onwards. Hermione's instincts told her to run with her friends, but her heart caused her to stop momentarily as she turned to Draco, his eyes reaped with fear.
"Hermione, you have to go, please." Draco pleaded as he looked around. The Death Eaters he had spotted earlier had disappeared, but he knew they weren't gone completely.
"Come with me." Hermione begged, already knowing her answer, even before Draco shook his head in response.
"You know I can't, look – we don't have time to discuss this right now. I'm sorry, for all of this, I truly am, but you need to go." Draco turned Hermione round and faced her towards to the forest once more, "Please." He said quietly in her ear.
Hermione had to fight against everything that told her she wanted to stay with him, she wanted him to come with her, to take him out of whatever dark mess he had been forced into, but she knew she couldn't. The breath she felt against her ear was intoxicating, she didn't want to leave but the second she felt the absence of his breath against her skin, Hermione took off running, in search for her friends.
~X~
"How was your summer Draco? Torment any Muggles?" Pansy sniggered as she walked down the corridor of the Hogwarts express.
Draco winced at how casually pansy spoke of the horrific events of the Quidditch World Cup. The blazing fire's and screams from all those children riddled with fear, separated from their parents, scared they may never see them again as the Death Eaters marched on and tormented Muggles and Muggle-born's, where all images that he would never be able to forget about.
"I actually spent my summer considering changing schools." Draco commented, in hopes to change the subject completely.
Pansy stopped in her tracks and turned to Draco, who was suddenly aware for the first time in three years just how small the corridors were on the Hogwarts Express.
"You… You can't." Pansy stuttered, clearly distressed by the thought of Draco changing school.
He rolled his eyes at her and gave her a gentle nudge forwards, continuing her on her path towards a vacant cabin on the train, Theo trailing behind him sniggering at Pansy's reaction to the news.
"Apparently, Father never wanted to me to come to Hogwarts in the first place, Durmstrang was their original choice, but for whatever reason he changed his mind."
"Durmstrang? The school that teaches the Dark Arts?" Pansy asked as she glanced over her shoulder.
"The very one. Mother mentioned over the summer that it was still a possibility, should I wish to change schools that is."
Pansy entered the next available cabin and took a seat closest to the window, Draco moved to sit opposite her, ignoring the hand she used to pat the seat beside her, gesturing for him to take the seat next to her.
"D'you think you'll do it? Change schools that is?" Theo asked as he sat next to Pansy, who scowled at him as he took the seat she had intended for Draco.
"Course he wont." Blaise spoke whilst entering the room, "He's got it too easy here."
"Please elaborate on how I have it so easy here?"
"Well, Durmstrang doesn't have Snape there for a start, and we all know you're only flying through potions because he clearly favours you. Students either worship you or fear you hear, because the Malfoy name means something in Britain, do you honestly think if you travelled across the world, that would be the same?"
"Do you honestly think I would see that as a negative?" Draco quipped, surprising Blaise with his response.
To Blaise, all anyone ever needed was power, and to have people fear you was the ultimate power. He couldn't understand why somebody would pass up that opportunity, even at such a young age.
"But you are right about one thing Blaise, I'm not going to do it." Draco said as he picked up his book and prepared to switch off to his friends.
"Why's that?" Theo asked.
"Because what would you do without me Theo." Draco teased, causing Theo to scoff in response.
Draco chuckled to himself as he heard his friends continue their conversations around him before his mind wondered off and he became stuck in a daze, wandering what the new year at school year would bring.
Earlier that morning, at breakfast, Draco's father had warned him that there would be a big event happening at Hogwarts this year. There would also be a large opportunity for the Death Eaters to make another move. When Draco asked questions, his father didn't elaborate any further, which told him he wasn't privy to that information. A small part of him was grateful to finally not be forced to be apart of something dark again, but he mostly felt uneasy that he didn't know, therefore wasn't sure what to expect.
~X~
"Did you hear that?" Harry asked Ron as they walked through the narrow corridors on the Hogwarts Express, Ron simply shrugged in response.
"I did," Hermione answered from behind Ron, "Do you really think he would transfer?"
The three friends made their way to an empty cabin before they began trudging their suitcases into their compartments. Hermione sat first, with her book in hand, next to the window as she waited for a response to her question. Harry sat opposite her leaving Ron to glance awkwardly at Hermione before sitting next to Harry, facing out towards the platform.
"Hopefully." Ron answered without looking at her.
"He'd definitely fit in there that's for sure." Harry added.
"Why? Because it's a school that encourages the Dark Arts and prejudice towards anyone less than a pureblood?" Hermione snapped, causing Ron to finally look at her with confusion before he gave an awkward laugh.
"Mione, this is Malfoy we are talking about. Course he would fit in with that."
"How would you know!? You don't really know him!"
"And you do?" Harry questioned, Hermione felt her cheeks flair before she realised what she was doing – defending Draco as though they were anything more than what Harry and Ron believed them to be, enemies.
"That's my point. None of us know him. At least at Hogwarts he has a chance to be good. Shipping him off to Durmstrang would condemn him to that life, he would have no choice but to become the monster everybody already thinks he is."
"Hermione, you saw him at the Quidditch World cup, he wasn't exactly running with the rest of us."
"No but he warned us, he told us that we needed to get out of there."
"He was tormenting us, he was showing his cards! He practically stood there and gloated that he was one of them and therefore untouchable, he wasn't telling us that we had to get you out of there out of the kindness of his heart, he was reminding you that you were inferior to him, that your blood status made you a target to him and his followers." Ron exploded, his own cheeks turned the same crimson colour Hermione's were.
"Morning All." Seamus said as he entered the three Gryffindor's cabin, Dean walking in behind him before they both took seats opposite each other, Dean beside Hermione.
"Pwarrr, you could cut the tension in here with a knife!" Dean laughed as he sat down next to Hermione, giving her a slight nudge from his shoulder to hers.
"I'm going to hazard a guess and say something to do with house elves…" Ron's eyes snapped up from Hermione's and quickly moved to Seamus as he groaned and threw his head into his hands.
"Seamus! Why?!" Ron whined.
"Why what? Why mention a serious topic? Honestly Ronald, you act like it isn't an issue and I've just misplaced my opinion. House elves are being used as slaves! In what world is that acceptable? Can you imagine if another being, a stronger one than the human race, came along and just decided to make it a tradition to have a wizard, be them pureblood or Muggle-born, to be a slave in their house. Work every single day, follow every command, do every unspeakable thing that gets demanded of you, even punish yourself when you haven't done it right or fast enough or even at all! Not even for a wage, just because that is the sole purpose in life!" Hermione finished her rant, panting and infuriated, her frustration brought pools of tears to her eyes which she felt were going to betray her and leak at any moment.
"Hermione," Harry said her name gently as he placed his hand on her knee in attempts to calm her down, "I'm with you on this all the way, but baby steps. You can't fix the world over night." He gave her a slight smile that she mirrored before nodding and sitting back.
Ron finally took his head from his hands and scowled at Seamus before turning to Dean to discuss this years Quidditch predictions. Hermione immediately switched off to the room and buried her head in her book, completely oblivious to their ramblings within five minutes of getting lost in her knew world.
~X~
"Gin, I honestly don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh please, you can pretend all you like, but I know you agree with me?" Ginny laughed at Hermione as she put another fork full of cottage pie into her mouth.
"Agree with what?" Ron asked through his usual mouth full of food, causing Hermione to roll her eyes as the display of gravy sloshing around in his mouth.
"That Victor Krum is an absolute dream boat." With this statement Ron almost chocked on his chicken, he reached for his glass and swallowed the contents as he patted his chest heavily.
"Excuse me?" He said between coughing spurts before he finally managed to stop chocking.
"Oh come off it Ron, everybody fancies him."
"Yea, even you Ronny." George shouted over, causing Ron's to turn red and as he scowled at his brother. He placed a small pea at the end of his fork and flicked it towards his brother, missing every so slightly before George picked up his own to retaliate when the ghost of Nearly Headless Nick appeared through the Gryffindor table and gave both Weasleys a judging look.
"I'd be a little more precious with your food tonight if I were you, Peeves is in the Kitchen tormenting the elves, so there may not be desert tonight." The ghost said before he levitated higher, and headed away from the table.
"The elves?" Hermione asked, Ron immediately groaned whilst Harry gave him a warning look, signalling from him not to set their friend off on another rant like they had witnessed on the train earlier in the day.
"As in – House Elves?" Hermione asked the Ghost, Sir Nicholas turned to face her and hummed in agreement before her jaw dropped.
"Hogwarts uses House Elves!?" Hermione asked outraged.
"Why yes Miss Granger, Hogwarts has a handful of House Elves that work in the kitchen, who did you think cooked all this food for hundreds of students every year?" The Ghost chucked before gliding through the air and away from the table completely.
Hermione remained silent for a few moments as she processed the information she had just been told, as far as she was concerned, Hogwarts was engaging in slave-labour and there was no other way to see it. The more she though on it, the dizzier she began to feel at the imagery inside her head of the elves in the kitchen, in filthy rags, mistreated and abused, slaved over the hot stoves as they prepped for hundreds of meals without so much as a thank you. Her mind then moved from the elves work environment to their possible living conditions and her heart became heavy with guilt.
"Hermione?" Harry said softly, anxious to pull her from wherever she had been.
"Mmm." Was all she managed to say before she put down he fork and pushed away her plate, refusing to take another bite.
"You have to eat Hermione. You haven't eaten anything all day." Harry said, maintaining his calm voice as he spoke.
"I don't want to take another bite of what those poor elves have had to slave over to cook for us!"
"It'll just go to waste Mione." Ron said between bites, before he reached over and took a chicken drumstick from her plate so that he had one for each hand. "If everyone did that they'd have done it all of nothing, you're just making it so that they've wasted their time on their meal."
Hermione glared and Ron as she folded her arms across her chest, she could feel her rage bubbling inside her and was beginning to care less and less that they were surrounded by a hall full of students and teachers.
"Hermione - Ouch - " Harry had reached for his friends arm when he felt a shock of electricity course through him upon touch, Hermione snapped out of her glare and faced Harry with concern, she immediately relaxed her shoulders as she stared at him in disbelief.
"Harry! I'm so sorry! I don't know what happened!" She squealed and reached forward before retracting straight way, too scared she may repeat the last few seconds and hurt him again.
"I'm fine Hermione," Harry chuckled as he shook his hand around, "It felt like nothing more than a static shock."
Hermione smiled faintly towards him, ashamed of how she had let Ron get her again. She watched as Harry mouthed the words 'baby steps' and she nodded. Still, Hermione refused to eat anything further for the rest of the night, despite her stomach constantly growling as she had only just started.
Instead she pushed her plate back further and placed her book in front of her, she needed something to distract her from her ever growing hunger and her current annoyance in one of her best friends.
Hermione was used to having to tune out loud noises, having studied several times in the Gryffindor common room when Fred and George where experimenting with their latest tricks. She had picked up a talent for it, so much so that she hadn't heard the great hall quieten down when Dumbledore's speech had started, if not for Ginny's nudge, she would've no doubt missed the whole thing.
Ginny gestured towards the professors table when Hermione looked up quizzingly from her book. Once her eyes landed on Dumbledore, she closed her book and started to listen to this years announcement.
"- with that, I regrettably inform you that there will be no Quidditch Cup this year."
The great hall erupted with protests of outraged students demanding an explanation, Hermione shook her head as she though about the irony of their rage when had they just stayed quiet, their headmaster would have already explained his reason for it. Her eyes wandered around the hall before they finally landed on the Slytherin table as she noticed Draco was one of the students who was causing a fuss about the news.
Dumbledore looked over his half-moon shaped glasses with a slight smirk as he observed the students firing multiple questions and statements at him, without a single sound or response, his eyes moved towards and landed on the doors for the entrance to the great hall, as if waiting for someone to enter.
Hermione followed Dumbledore's gaze with curiosity and as if on que, the doors swung open and slammed against the walls, causing each student to silence and stare alarmed at the man who had just entered the hall.
The grumpy looking man, who appeared to have just arrived at the castle as his clothes were evidently wet from the rain that was now pouring down outside, bounded up the centre of the hall towards Dumbledore. Hermione noted the way the man walked, as though one leg was broken or a prosthetic as he relied heavily on the assistance of a peculiar looking staff. The heavily wet leather trench coat that the man wore appeared to be laced in wax as it repelled the water and left drips with each swinging step he took towards the head table.
It wasn't until the man stopped and greeted Dumbledore with a handshake that Hermione decided exactly what was the strangest thing about this man. As he turned to the rest of the all, Dumbledore introduced him as Professor Moody, Hogwarts new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. It was then that Hermione noticed the strap she could only see part of until now was holding to the mans face, as a large mechanical eye swirled rapidly in place, never stopping for more than a second before moving to look at something else.
The man moved towards the corner of the room instead of taking a seat with the rest of the professors, had it not been for the large eye moving around the room, he'd have been almost completely hidden in the dark corner he had chosen to stand in.
"As I was saying – this castle will not only be your home this year, but also home to some very special guests. Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event, the Triwizard Tournament. For those of you who do not know, the Triwizard Tournament brings together three schools, for a series of magical contests. From each school a single student is selected to compete."
Excitement spread like wildfire through the great hall as students started to whisper about anything and everything they had heard or ever been told about the Triwizard Tournament.
"Let me make something very clear, if you are chosen to take part, you stand alone. Believe me when I say that these contests are not for the faint hearted."
"That immediately rules Blaise out then." Theo said, causing the surrounding Slytherins to chuckle.
"Fuck off, I'm not faint hearted."
"Dude, you weren't far behind Longbottom in second year when Sprout brought out the Mandrake. You had nightmares for weeks about those things." Theo added.
"Something tells me there's going to be bigger, nastier things than Mandrakes involved in this thing." Draco commented, Blaise blushed and scowled at his friends before turning back to Dumbledore as he watched the speech continue.
"This year is going to be interesting, I just know it." Ginny whispered to Hermione. Hermione nodded before she caught site of the Weasley twins giggling and scheming of ways to win a tournament they knew nothing about.
Hermione's eyes flickered across to the Slytherin table where she spotted Pansy Parkinson swooning over Draco, she could only imagine that Pansy was trying to convince Draco how he should go forward for such an event.
'Drakey, win this event in my honor' Hermione thought as she mimicked Pansy's voice in her head, with emphasis on the whining. She couldn't help but scowl at the girl who's hair was raven black and skin as pale as snow, draped herself over Draco. No matter how much Hermione didn't like Pansy Parkinson, she would be lying if she said the girl wasn't beautiful. Snow White, a character from a book Hermione had read as a child, was the first thing that came to mind when she looked at Pansy, but the girls voice and personality ruined that image as she resembled nothing further than the appearance of the storybook character.
"Hermione!" Ginny hissed, elbowing her friend in the ribs and gestured in the direction towards the entrance to the great hall.
"Please join me as we welcome the lovely ladies of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic." Dumbledore finished.
Hermione heard sharp inhales all around her as the students from Beauxbatons entered the great hall. There was no denying how beautiful each girl was that entered the hall, each as breath taking as the last. Hermione noticed one student in particular, who's golden hair flowed as she glided down the middle of the hall, her skin was flawless and her smile stunned even her. Hermione felt a pang of jealous as she scanned the room and noticed that even Draco looked as though he was a victim to her dazzle.
Just as the new students reached the end of the hall, Draco snapped out of his trance and caught sight of Hermione looking at him. His cheeks immediately blushed as she offered him a disapproving look across the hall and rolled her eyes before looking back towards the entrance.
"And now our friends from the north, please greet the students from Durmstrang institute for Magical Learning."
As the girls from Beauxbatons took their seats, a loud thumping came from the just outside the hall, that grew louder until the students from Durmstrang entered, slamming large staffs on the floor with every third step they took, causing sparks to fly from the bottom each time they made contact with the floor. Hermione looked over the students from Durmstrang until her eyes landed on one she recognised.
"Its him!" Ginny squealed from beside her, confirming her recognition.
Victor Krum walked alone, he neither carried a stick nor made any addition to the theatrical entrance the rest of his fellow students had made, instead he simply walked at the back of the group and took the first seat he found once he reached the end of the hall, his school mates following suit soon after.
Hermione's eyes remained transfixed on Krum for just a while longer as she tried to figure out the appeal he held on the many girls currently swooning over him. Just as she tore her eyes away, she caught sight of Draco once more, this time it was her turn to receive a disapproving look, to which she responded a little more childish to as she stuck out her tongue before turning back towards the front of the hall to listen to Dumbledore continue his speech.
"Eternal Glory, that is what awaits the student who wins the Tri-Wizard Tournament." Dumbledore continued slowly.
"The students who are selected will face three tasks, three very dangerous tasks."
"Wicked." Fred and George Weasley said in unison as they looked at each other and nodded in approval.
"Which is why the Ministry of Magic has decided to impose some new rules. Let me introduce Sir Barty Crouch from the Ministry to explain such rules."
"After due consideration, the Ministry has concluded that no student under the age of seventeen should be allowed to put forth their name into the -"
The Great Hall erupted into loud screams objections and rants as students protested this new rule, Hermione shook her head at the Weasley twins as they disagreed with the new rule, their response to being told no never ceased to amaze her.
Dumbledore stood in front of Crouch and silenced the hall with a flick of his wrist, bringing their attention back towards him as he stood to the side and revealed a very old looking statue. With a wave of his wand, the top of the statue began to crumble, the detailed sides disappeared until eventually it stopped half way to reveal a goblet, that once revealed set fire in an almighty blue flame.
"Anyone wishing to submit their name into the Goblet of fire, simply has to write their name onto a piece of parchment and drop it into the goblet before Thursday evening, those who do this should not do so lightly, if the goblet chooses you and your name is pulled from the fire, there is no turning back." Dumbledore finished and turned his back to the students before he walked over to the headteachers from both visiting schools.
"Can you believe it!" Hermione hear Ron said excitedly, "The Triwizard tournament, here, at Hogwarts!"
"I'm slightly relieved there is an age restriction, Id rather not be involved in whatever the main event is this year at Hogwarts." Harry said as he and Hermione chuckled at the idea of a relatively quiet here for the three of them.
"Speak for yourself Potter." George Weasley said from across the table.
"I think its an act of discrimination against age." Fred added, gaining a nod from his brother.
"It is our responsibility to change that."
"How so?" Hermione asked curiously, intrigued as the whatever reasoning they had cooked up from why the Ministry of Magic should change their rules and why two teenage boys were going to achieve that.
"We are going to have to find a way around it of course." George told her before reaching for a slice of dessert that had just appeared on the table in front of him.
"Good Luck. If Dumbledore is involved, you'll never find a way." Hermione told him.
"Ever the pessimist Hermione." George said disapprovingly.
"Have faith!" Fred told her.
"We can find out way around any rule."
"I think she's just scared for us, in case one of our names is pulled from the fire."
"That's sweet."
"Very, but fear not Hermione."
"Hey Freddie, d'you reckon there's a prize?"
"I heard there's 1000 Galleons up for grabs." Seamus said across the table, causing the Weasley twins eyes to glow brightly.
"We could make it happen Freddie!"
"What we have always wanted." Fred said absently as his brother shook him in excitement.
Hermione had no doubt the twins were determined and capable of achieving almost anything they set their minds to. She couldn't however, see a way around the age restriction for this tournament. Despite her scepticism, she didn't want to ruin their excitement further and so she remained quite and she let her eyes wander around the hall once more.
They flickered between the tables in which the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang sat, then towards the Headteachers who represented their school, both different in so many ways.
Hermione allowed herself to glance over at Draco once more before she prepared herself for the inevitable end to the feast where the students would leave for their dormitories. Once her eyes reached Draco's she found that his too were already on her, which caused the corners of her lips to turn up slightly.
Draco sat with his eyes transfixed on his favourite Gryffindor, she had changed so much over a summer, changes he hadn't quite noticed the last time he saw her. The reminder of the last time he saw her made his stomach flip and he suddenly remembered that he still hadn't explained to her his involvement in the events that happened at the Quidditch World Cup.
With that in mind, he lifted his arm above the table and rested his elbow on it before placing his chin in the palm of his hand. Hermione could just about make out from across the room the black band around Draco's finger, just a few seconds after she spotted the ring, he lifted his face from his hand and noticeably stroked the ring with his thumb ever so slightly.
She tore her eyes away from the ring and looked into his silver eyes, as she did she felt the familiar burning from her Dragon Pendent which leant against her chest, signalling that Draco wanted to meet with her, no doubt once the students had gone to bed.
Hermione's hand shot up the her chest as the heat intensified, she didn't feel pain when this happened, she wasn't sure what she felt, only desire and a strong need, but for what she did not know. She felt her breath quicken the longer she looked into his eyes and the longer he rubbed his thumb along his ring. She forced herself to nod at him and eventually he stopped, the intensity flittered away and she was able to regain her composer as she steadied her breath, grateful that her friends were too engrossed in discussions of Tournaments and new students to have noticed what had just happened to her.
