AN: Alright everyone I know I just posted an update saying I was taking a hiatus on this story so I could write another one that I've been thinking about for a while. However, some anonymous user decided to leave a review bashing the Dramione ship and my writing in general but said they were looking forward to the other story but only if I wrote it basically like the Emma Watson Beauty and the Beast. So now I'm continuing this story purely out of spite, so enjoy. (Also I deleted the comment; no one's forcing you to read my stories so go read another one)
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books, and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Chapter Thirteen
Hermione sat next to Ron on the plush couch, taking her earlier position. Aside from the trio, there was hardly anyone in the common room, as most people were readying themselves for the coming festivities. Fred and George had left and Hermione hoped it was to put the final touches on the polyjuice potion.
Another two hours passed and the boys looked at each other with a growing sense of unease as Hermione furrowed her brows in deep thought; where was Ginny? There was only an hour before the masquerade ball and they still had to find Fred and George for the polyjuice potion. After a minute or two of contemplation, Hermione realized they were completely stupid; they'd had the answer to finding Ginny this whole time.
"Harry, the map." Hermione's tired tone reflected the disappointment she felt over her obliviousness. Harry perked up and pulled out the Marauder's Map he had stashed away hours before when the throng of Gryffindor girls had wandered through.
After resting his wand on the blank parchment and softly speaking, the Marauder's Map slowly came to life. The trio huddled around the map, Harry hastily rearranging the paper to show as much of the castle as possible. When the boys were beginning to lose hope, Hermione spotted their friend standing in the courtyard with who else but Viktor Krum.
When Hermione pointed out Ginny to Ron and Harry, she wondered for a split second if the Weasley might be okay with the Krum talking to his sister given his starstruck attitude towards the Quidditch player. Surprisingly, however, Ron was practically red in the face, his eyes blazing with anger.
"Looks like I'm going to the courtyard. Coming, Harry?" Ron's terse tone reflected the brewing melting pot of negative emotions he was feeling.
Harry nodded, visibly not nearly as angry as Ron, but he still appeared slightly upset. Hermione wasn't sure whether he was upset because of his and Ginny's ill-defined relationship or more supporting Ron's clear anger.
The pair leaped to their feet and hustled out the portrait hole, leaving Hermione to stare at the Marauder's Map, slightly put out that Ginny was with that Bulgarian tosser. Silently, she watched the two pairs of feet labeled Harry James Potter and Ronald Bilius Weasley practically sprinting down a corridor towards the courtyard.
Hermione chuckled softly when she watched them slow down right before they rounded the corner to the courtyard, apparently not wanting to look like they ran there from the common room. They walked across the courtyard and Hermione noticed they rather quickly squeezed their way between Ginny and Krum.
Hermione watched the map for a few moments until Krum walked away from the trio. Hermione could only guess what Harry and Ron had said to make him leave so quickly. She could only hope that they had insulted him.
Before long, Harry and Ron entered the portrait hole, a disgruntled Ginny trailing behind them with her arms crossed. Hermione got up to approach Ginny, but the Weasley girl ran up the stairs to the common room.
"You're such an arsehole!" Ginny yelled out before slamming the dormitory door.
Hermione sat back down, Ron and Harry sitting on the floor in front of her. Ron was clearly put out by his sister's actions and resolved to mope like a child while Harry sighed and shrugged his shoulders, an unreadable expression on his face.
"Alright you two, what happened?" Hermione looked pointedly at Harry, knowing by now to not ask Ron when he's moping around.
"We went to get her and I told her how long she'd been gone but she didn't care. She said she was having fun talking to that bloody Krum. Then Ron practically yelled in his face, saying that he better stay away from Ginny because she's only a third year. Krum apparently didn't know she was a third-year and buzzed off pretty quick." Hermione sighed, silently agreeing that Ron did the right thing and was slightly annoyed at Ginny's reaction.
"She's a total muppet," Ron muttered angrily before following his sister's example and stomping up the boy's dormitory stairs and slamming the door.
Harry sighed once again, and Hermione waited for him to speak. Eventually, he did. "She likes him. She knows he's too old for her but she likes him and I can't figure out why." His voice was soft, almost a whisper, and Hermione felt her heart breaking for her friend.
"He's new and different, Harry. She's not going to date him and she knows better than to even try. You two are going to the masquerade ball together anyways. I bet Krum is going with a seventh year like Veronica Pearson." Hermione's little pep talk seemed to help a little, but she could see in Harry's eyes that he doubted Ginny.
"Yeah… I guess you're right… but what if she doesn't even want to go with me anymore?" Harry looked up at her helplessly, swimming in doubts about his unlabeled status with Ginny.
"Let's do this: you go get ready for tonight and I work on casting some glamour charms and then we find Fred and George just before the ball. Knowing Filch he'll probably have me… I mean them… stuck cleaning the trophy case all night. That means they can drink more potion whenever they need to." Harry nodded solemnly at Hermione's plan, doubting that he would have a date to the dance.
The pair separated and Hermione went up to the girl's dormitory. It hadn't occurred to her until she was opening the door that Ginny was no doubt still in a foul mood. Pausing with the door half-open, she briefly considered going to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom to cast her charms instead. Thinking about it, she was more nervous leaving the bathroom as a different person than dealing with Ginny's attitude.
Shoving the door the rest of the way open, Hermione braced herself for yelling but was shocked to find her friend applying makeup in the mirror, softly humming to herself. Hermione shut the door and walked slowly over to Ginny, thankful that they were the only two there.
"Want to talk, Gin?" Hermione looked at her friend's eyes in the mirror.
"Nope, I'm late already." Ginny's slow response didn't reflect any urgency in being late.
"Harry's still getting ready, so you have time." At Hermione's response, Ginny sighed and cast her eyes down, slowly closing the eye shadow palette she had been using. "You're not going with Harry anymore, are you?" Ginny looked at Hermione in the mirror, softly shaking her head. "You know he's a horrible person. He cornered me outside the lavatory alone and insulted me and he's done horrible things to other girls. Not to mention he's eighteen and you're thirteen!" By the end of her objection, Hermione was practically screaming.
Ginny spun around and got in Hermione's face. "I'm well aware of how old Viktor is and how old I am! But he doesn't care! He said he'll wait until I'm old enough before we do anything sexual! And he told me about the lavatory incident! He said that he was trying to go to the lavatory when you cornered him and pushed him up against the wall, practically begging to go on a date with him and he turned you down." By the end of her outburst, she was inches from Hermione's face, shaking with anger. When she spoke again, her voice was low. "And he said those are all rumors from girls he wouldn't sleep with."
Hermione stepped back, confused at Ginny's outburst. How could she believe him over her, Ginny's best friend? Ginny went back to doing her makeup, humming again as if she hadn't been screaming moments prior. Hermione was at a loss; she couldn't let Ginny go with Krum but she had no idea how to keep her from doing so.
Leaving the dormitory, Hermione rushed to Harry and Ron's and began pounding on the door. Harry opened the door, toothbrush in hand. He smiled softly at Hermione, his smile not reaching his eyes.
"You alright, 'Mione? You look like you've seen a ghost." Hermione pushed past Harry who shut the door behind her. "No please, come in." His tone was playful, clearly not actually caring.
"It's Ginny." Harry's smile vanished and he leaned against one of his bedposts. He raised his eyebrows, gesturing for her to continue. When she did, her voice was shaky. "She's going with Krum."
Harry inhaled sharply, before rushing to the dormitory door and throwing it open, and sprinting down the stairs. Hermione followed after him, worried he was going after Krum. She stopped in the common room when he turned sharply on his heel and started up to the girl's dormitory; she knew whatever conversation was about to happen, Harry needed to do it himself.
After five or six minutes passed, Hermione sat on one of the plush chairs at the base of the staircase, waiting for Harry to show once more. Another five minutes passed before Harry slowly descended the staircase. Hermione got up to ask him what happened when she saw the tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Oh, Harry." Hermione rushed over to him, her arms outstretched to give him her best version of Molly's bear hug. Harry dodged her arms and made his way to the boy's dormitory staircase. Hermione tried to not feel hurt by his actions but she still felt a pang in her heart. "What happened?"
"It doesn't matter. I'm taking the polyjuice potion." With that, Harry ascended the staircase leaving Hermione standing helplessly in the middle of the common room.
Standing silently for a minute, Hermione tried to figure out what to do. Yesterday things had been great between the four of them; Harry and Ginny were awkwardly progressing their relationship and Ron had stopped objecting every time he saw them together. In walked that tosser Viktor Krum and everything fell apart.
Hermione didn't know how long she had been standing in the common room before Ginny descended the girl's dormitory staircase, her ginger curls bouncing with each step she took. Hermione couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked in her purple knee-length dress. She didn't know whether to approach Ginny or not, but the girl in question passed Hermione without a second glance.
"You look pretty…" Hermione called out to Ginny, turning to face her retreating form. Ginny paused in the portrait entrance, her hand resting on the cold wall.
"Thanks, 'Mione." Hermione almost thought she imagined Ginny's soft response before she walked out the portrait hole leaving Hermione alone in the common room.
Eventually, she couldn't stand the emptiness and went back to her room, changing into comfortable clothes. Figuring she better break the news to Fred and George rather than let them see themselves, Hermione made another trek to the boy's dormitory stairs. She couldn't remember the last time she had gone to the boy's dormitory so many times and she was grateful everyone had already left for the masquerade ball.
The closer the ball came, the less she wanted to go. She was so grateful that Fred and George would use their polyjuice polyjuice potion for her, but she thought detention might be better since her best friend wouldn't even look at her.
When she reached the twin's room, she knocked a few times before taking a small step back so she wouldn't be in their face when they opened the door. A few moments passed before Lee Jordan opened the door and when he saw Hermione, a confused look spread on his face.
"Jeeze, you're fast, Hermione." He leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms in front of his chest and raising an eyebrow at her. Hermione's brow furrowed in confusion, not understanding what Lee meant; she'd been in the common room basically all day.
"What are you talking about, Lee?" Hermione tilted her head slightly, peaking past the gap in the door to see if Fred or George were there; sadly, it was only Lee in the room. He noticed and opened the door wider so she didn't have to crane her neck.
"You were just in the Great Hall…" Lee's sentence trailed off, but Hermione knew instantly what had happened: the twins had already given Harry the polyjuice potion.
Bloody hell.