"Hermione, are you still in here?"

No response.

Ginny peeked her head into the bedroom and saw the packed trunk sitting atop one of the four beds. The witch in question however was nowhere to be found. That left just one place. A place, in hindsight, Ginny should've checked first. Shaking her head, she made her way down the Gryffindor tower and towards the Hogwarts library.

The smell of old tomes and parchment hit Ginny's nose as soon as she entered the library. She walked up to the welcome desk and greeted the stern witch sitting there, opting for her most polite smile.

"Good morning, Madam Pince. Is Hermione here? They're all waiting for her back at the Great Hall."

Madam Pince glanced up sharply from her book. Like always, Ginny couldn't help but stare at her long hooked nose. She could imagine it now, Madam Pince as a vulture. She would be just as terrifying as she was now.

"Miss Granger is in the Magical Illusions section, I believe."

Ginny snapped her gaze up, hoping she didn't get caught staring. She forced a little more cheer into her smile. "Thank you."

She turned and continued walking into the library before suddenly stopping and retracing her steps back. Madam Pince looked up warily as Ginny reappeared in front of her.

"Er, where is that again?" Ginny asked sheepishly. The look Pince gave her was wholly unimpressed. It wasn't her fault. The Hogwarts library was humongous. Apart from Hermione, Ginny doubted any student could navigate this maze of bookshelves with ease.

Without responding, Madam Pince merely flicked her wrist. A book popped out from a bookshelf and began wandering into the stacks. Ginny hurried after it.

"Thank you!"

"No running!" Madam Pince's stern voice chased after her. Ginny immediately slowed to a brisk walk. As soon as she was out of Madam Pince's sight, she resumed sprinting after the book. She didn't bother being careful. The library was empty after all. The entire school, save for Madam Pince apparently, was gathered in the Great Hall.

After many twists and turns and several flights of stairs, Ginny found herself in a random section of the library.

"Merlins, is this how Hermione stays fit?" Ginny always considered herself athletic, being on the Quidditch team and all, but even she got tired after climbing these three flights of stairs.

She followed the floating book until it led her to a small clearing furnished with several wooden study tables. Out of the ten or so available spots, only one was occupied.

"Thank you," Ginny said to the book. It dipped, almost like a bow, before floating away back to where it came from. Ginny took a moment to catch her breath before heading towards the lone girl.

To no one's surprise, least of all Ginny's, Hermione Granger had her nose stuck in a book. And like always, it was a comically large and (probably ridiculously old) tome, one that dwarfed Hermione's thin frame.

Probably another reason why Hermione was so fit. Those books did not look light.

Coming up to stand behind the girl, Ginny crossed her arms and waited.

After a few moments, she began tapping her foot.

Still no response.

"Everyone's waiting you know?" she said eventually.

Hermione didn't look up. "I have at least one more hour."

Ginny smiled amusedly at her bookworm friend. "Actually, the portkey leaves in fifteen minutes."

"What?" Hermione snapped her head up. Brown curls bounced violently off her shoulders. Ginny watched as floating red numbers appeared out of nowhere over the table.

A nonverbal wandless Tempus charm. Of course.

Sometimes, she couldn't help but marvel at how easily Hermione performed magic.

"Oh no!" Hermione stood up, waving her hand aimlessly. The large book she'd been reading closed shut and flew inside her magically charmed bag. She turned towards Ginny with an apologetic look. "Time must've gotten away from me."

"Yeah, time tends to do that," Ginny smiled wryly.

"Thank you for getting me," said Hermione, running and a hand through her hair as she fixed her robes. "It would've been bad if I missed it. Come on, we should hurry. Poor boys. They must've been waiting for so long."

"Eh," Ginny shrugged. "We're all kind of used to it."

Hermione shot Ginny an empty glare that had the redhead giggling, before walking away.

"Where are you going?" Ginny shouted after her. "The exit is this way." She pointed in the direction she just came from.

Hermione looked over her shoulder, a knowing grin flashing across her lips. "There's a shortcut this way."

Ginny rolled her eyes, throwing her arms exasperatedly into the air, before following after the older Gryffindor. "Of course there's a shortcut and of course you would know it."

Without missing a beat, Hermione responded, "Harry would too if only he used his map for anything other than just sneaking out of the castle to visit Hagrid!"

"Right, because finding shortcuts within the library is so much cooler."

"It is!"

They hurried into the Great Hall with eight minutes to spare. Nearly the entire school was gathered inside, waiting for her arrival.

"She's here!"

"There she is! Hurry!"

"Ah, it appears Granger has arrived."

"Geez," Hermione muttered under her breath as over two hundred pairs of eyes turned towards her. "You'd think the feast yesterday was enough of a farewell party."

She walked past the large excited crowd of students, professors and ghosts alike, each shouting their own variations of encouragement, good-lucks, and congratulations towards her. She did her best to smile at them and thank them for their support as she squeezed her way through.

Hermione gasped as a wave of cool air washed through her stomach.

"Peeves!"

"Hehehe! Good luck Granger!" Peeves cheered as he flew away.

"Come now, give her some space." Dumbledore's voice rang out.

The crowd eased up somewhat and Hermione gave the headmaster a grateful look as she made her way past the last of the students, coming to stand in front of her best mate Harry Potter and...Draco Malfoy.

Draco donned his signature sneer as she approached. "About time Granger. I was beginning to think you got scared and ran away."

Hermione raised a challenging eyebrow in his direction. "You wish, Malfoy."

Harry stepped forward, an appeasing grin on his face. "Don't mind him. I'm glad you're here now." His eyes fell to her feet and he frowned. "Where's your stuff?"

Hermione looked down, seemingly noticing her lack of luggage for the first time. "It should be on my bed where I left it."

Ginny groaned loudly. "I can go get it," she grumbled, already turning around to head back.

"No need." Hermione held out her palm. "Accio!"

There's a moment of silence.

And then a couple more.

A cough from the crowd.

Then a quiet wooshing sound that grew louder and louder until a trunk came flying through the doors of the Great Hall, nearly taking the heads off of some unfortunate students who ducked and screamed for cover, before it settled down gently by Hermione's feet.

"Sorry about that," Hermione grinned sheepishly. Harry shook his head in fondness.

Dumbledore smiled at her as he stepped forward, his eyes twinkling with good humor behind his half-moon spectacles. "Looks like we're finally all prepared and ready to go. You have a few more minutes before the portkey activates. Say your last goodbyes now."

Hermione and Harry turned towards their friends standing at the font of the crowd.

Ron held out his arms. "Come 'ere you two." They rushed forward.

He pulled them into a tight hug, squeezing the air out of them. "I'm going to miss you guys."

"It's only for a month," Hermione reassured him, hugging him back just as tightly.

"Yeah, we'll be back before you know it," said Harry.

"Yeah right," Ron sniffed jokingly. "I really wish classes weren't a thing. That way I could go with you guys. I've always wanted to go visit Japan. I heard their national Quidditch team is pretty good. You reckon you can try and get their autographs if you run into any of the players?"

"I can try," said Harry, never one to say no.

Hermione pulled away from the hug, and gave Ron a stern look. "You better pay attention in class when we're gone, Ronald. No slacking off and waiting until the last minute to do your assignments. I won't be here for you to copy your essays off of."

Ron gulped. It was never good when Hermione used her mom-voice.

"I don't want you repeating your seventh year just because you failed your NEWTS."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah, alright mum." He grinned at Harry. "You were right. A month is too short. Oh, how I'm going to miss her nagging. Good luck, mate."

Harry laughed. "Don't worry," he said to Hermione. "Ron will be fine."

Hermione didn't look convinced. She turned to Ginny for support.

"I'll make sure he doesn't flunk his classes," Ginny promised. "You worry about your competition. I've got him handled."

"Just in case though, I checked out a couple of books from the library that should help you on the next two weeks worth of assignments. They should be under your bed." Hermione told Ron.

"Of course you did," he muttered before giving her a wry grin. "I'll read them all. Happy?"

He pulled the two of them back into a hug. "Don't worry about me. You two just focus on winning and bringing home that eternal glory to Hogwarts." He lowered his voice mischievously. "And if you manage to find a way to embarrass Malfoy while you're at it, at an international event nonetheless, all the better, I say!" He looked at Harry. "You've got the Dungbombs and Exploding Whizz Poppers that Fred and George sent you, right?"

"And a whole lot of other stuff that I have no idea what they do," Harry confirmed.

"Good. Don't be shy to try them out on Malfoy."

Hermione tapped both of the boys' shoulders in mild admonishment. "Draco's our teammate. We should try to get along."

"With that privileged git? Good luck," Ron snorted. "You'd be lucky if he doesn't betray you both mid-competition. I still can't believe Dumbledore chose him to represent our school."

"Draco's decent in his academics," Hermione retorted stiffly. "And I doubt he would do anything to sabotage the team. It's in his favor to work with us."

"You never know." The look on Ron's face was a little unsettling and Hermione wanted to ask what he meant but Dumbledore's voice boomed through once more.

"Wrap up your goodbyes! This shoe is starting to look hot!"

"Anyways," said Ron. "Good luck. When you come back with that prize money, don't forget to share it with me."

"Of course," Harry promised.

"And send me letters. I want to know everything that's happening."

"Definitely. We'll floo you too," said Hermione.

"You better." Ron patted them both, giving them one last look, before stepping aside to let the others have a chance to say goodbye.

"Good luck Harry. Good luck Hermione," said Luna. "May your journey be guided by Single-Toed Quigglebears."

"If anyone can win this competition, it's you two," said Neville. "Do us proud."

"Yeah! Show 'em who's boss!" shouted Ginny. "We'll be cheering you on from home."

Hermione smiled. "Thank you guys. For everything."

"Hurry now!" Dumbledore urged. "The portkey is activated!"

Hermione and Harry quickly made their way over to the single worn out shoe placed in the middle of the floor, which was now starting to vibrate. They placed their hands on it. Draco inched his own hand away when Harry's pinky brushed his. He glared at him.

"Don't touch me."

Harry rolled his eyes and gave Hermione a silent look that says, 'Can you believe him?'

Hermione could only shrug. Here's to a fun month ahead of them.

"Now, a final word to our proud champions," Dumbledore beamed. "May you three bring–"

And with a quick swoosh, they were yanked away.

Hermione stumbled to her feet, her stomach lurching violently against her. Merlins, she didn't think she would ever get used to traveling by portkey. Next to her, Harry dry heaved into the grass. She patted his back sympathetically.

"Look at you two," Draco commented snidely from several feet away, "rendered useless by a simple portkey."

Despite his words, Hermione noted that he was definitely looking a little wobbly in the legs and a little green in the face. She opened her mouth, a retort ready on her lips, when the sight behind Draco caught her attention. Her breath hitched.

A large white pagoda, highlighted by jade green rooftops, sat majestically atop a white mountain peak. The pagoda was framed by an alcove of cherry blossoms. Loose pink petals flew through the air, carried by the gentle breeze. The mountain was islanded by a large sparkling blue lake with crystal waters. Little balls of light floated over the waters like fireflies. They varied in color, pink, blue, purple and yellow.

"Wow," Hermione breathed out. "It's beautiful."

Draco turned and Hermione watched as his words got similarly sucked out of him.

"Dang," Harry murmured. "And here I always thought no school could ever compare to Hogwarts."

"You also didn't even know that other wizarding schools existed until the start of this year," Hermione pointed out with less bite than usual, too busy gaping at the sight in front of her.

"Mahoutokoro," she murmured under her breath. This was where she will be spending the next month – learning, studying, competing – against the best and brightest wizards and witches her age from all around the world in the biggest, most prestigious wizarding competition of all time.

The Triwizard Tournament

Harry took a deep breath, glancing at his two companions. "You ready?"

Hermione nodded.