Harry found George Weasley and Lee Jordan talking over by one of the fireplaces. Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell were also nearby, talking with Hermione on the couch. Relieved to find Hermione, he quickly headed over.
Harry passed Dennis Creevey who was with two girls from his year, looking solemn. He gave a wave to Harry when he passed. On the other side of the room, Cho Chang was with her friend Marietta, both wearing draping blue dresses. Beside them, two other Ravenclaw boys stood looking at the gathering crowd.
Michael Corner and Hannah Abbott stood in line for the bar, talking quietly. Ernie Macmillian was behind them, looking uncomfortable in his old Hufflepuff tie. Several girls were in line as well, all of whom Harry believed were Slytherins from two or three years after him.
As Harry continued to look around, he tried to remember how many years Kingsley said the Wizengamot intended to include in this law; obviously, they had to make some sort of restrictions for the people already married. And it was the Wizengamot's strict emphasis on already married that really pissed Harry off.
"Aye Harry. How are you?" George said, putting a hand on his arm in comfort. "Mum told me how Ginny's been acting. I can't imagine you're taking it much better."
Harry sighed. "Thanks, it's been tough on us all really. It has really taken a toll on your sister and it hurts that I haven't been spending much time with her."
Lee frowned. "Don't think that way Harry, it's not helping you either way."
"Yeah mate and think of it this way," George tried, "our family is pureblood and you're only half. There's definitely a possibility."
Hermione saw Harry approach and, upon finishing her conversation with the girls, excused herself to speak with him. "Harry, where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere!" she said, giving him a quick hug. He looked so tired.
"Hey Hermione. I was just in the loo, ran into Malfoy in there, believe it or not. Scared me half to death," he explained, rubbing a hand through his hair.
"Typical, aye? But Merlin, I would have thought he'd have paid someone off to get out of this," Lee said.
"If only it were that easy," Hermione said through gritted teeth. "Once they wrote it into official Magical Law it became completely binding."
Harry sighed again. "There is no way out no matter who you are. Trust me, I tried."
"I went to a joint financial meeting with him and the Wizengamot over sponsoring this whole thing and let me tell you, not the same Malfoy, that's for sure. Something was up with him, all casual and normal. Freaked me out actually," George was wide eyed.
Hermione found this information unsettling. "I know what you mean," Harry said, looking thoughtful, "but are we sure this isn't just some sort of gimmick he's playing at?"
Before anyone could voice their opinions, a loud chime from the enormous clock at the top of the balcony began to sound. A hushed silence fell over the witches and wizards as they all listened for eight long, painful chimes.
At the end of the last, the sound reverberated against the far walls, echoing the fears of all in the room. A sickeningly sweet voice came out of nowhere, replacing the chimes. It sounded like it was coming from a loudspeaker:
"Hello and welcome to the Wizarding World's first ever Joining Ceremony! A lot of excitement is filling the air I see, no need to worry! Your future spouse is eagerly waiting to join you, so please make your way to the south side of the ballroom so we can get started momentarily!"
Hermione had gone pale. The drink in her hand began to slip. She managed to get a grip on it before it fell completely. Everyone's eyes gazed over to the huge windows at the far side of the room where the white marble stand stood sentinel. There was no sign of the Goblet yet.
Hermione reached for Harry's hand and looked at him, his features frozen in a melancholy trance. He knew as one of the Golden Trio he would have to mask his fears, to look strong for the rest of his friends and fellow witches and wizards about to meet their fates. When he finally looked to Hermione, he knew she was thinking the same. She took a deep breath, trying to feel brave.
"Come on," she said quietly. "Let's go find Ron." Together they began a slow walk towards the south side of the hall.
…
The sickeningly sweet voice that had announced directions to everyone had come from a witch clad in a lively red dress. She floated down from the balcony after her announcement to stand in front of the white pillar. A ring similar to that around the Goblet of Fire was made in the tiles on the floor, marking the area where they all were to stand.
As Hermione and Harry got closer, Hermione noticed a small group of people sitting in a row of chairs behind the circle. She eyed two of the officials they had met when Kingsley first told them about the law. The man with the bristling mustache and the witch with pink hair were chatting lightly with each other. Next to the witch was some fancy looking wizard in long gray robes; Hermione recognized him from the Wizengamot.
There were two other witches from the Wizengamot who looked almost identical in their long skirts and delicate hats. Two more Ministry officials sat at the end, appearing bored. Behind them, a collection of reporters had gathered, talking quietly, adjusting magical lenses, and getting quick-quill pens ready. Hermione felt her ears grow hot.
When she turned to look away, she noticed just outside the circle opposite the row of Wizengamot and Ministry members sat a wooden table decorated in gold. On top of it was a long, velvet lined chest that sat open, revealing several rows of what appeared to be identical silver wedding bands.
Hermione looked away, fearful. She had forgotten all about the rings. What kinds of spells were on those? She wondered. She stared at her feet, feeling the nervousness bubble up in her throat. She downed the rest of her drink and then attempted to take some deep breaths. It seemed to help.
When she finally looked up, she noticed the witch announcer in red. She was smiling much too wide for anyone's liking and her hair boasted of the same violent shade of red as her dress. It was clear Hermione wasn't the only one wondering who the hell she was. Several people around them shot the woman looks of annoyance; the other half of the crowd was too nervous to care.
Hermione and Harry approached the circle cautiously, not wanting a front row seat by any means. Hermione spotted Ginny off to the right, arms crossed looking ready to punch someone.
Ginny's blue eyes shot icy stares at the witch in red, her lips forming an angry frown. Luna stood next to her. Hermione looked to Harry, who gave her an understanding nod. She squeezed his arm before letting go and Harry was left to find Ron on his own.
Harry looked around the crowd again, noticing several of the Slytherins had gathered on the left side of the room. He saw Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini standing together whispering. Nott and Malfoy were next to them, their faces disguised in indifference. Several Ravenclaws had gathered nearby, keeping a little distance without trying to be obvious.
It was only a matter of seconds before Ron approached Harry's side, looking on edge. Ron's eyes wandered the crowd too. His hands fidgeted, but he clearly was trying to ignore them. Neville showed up to his right.
The look of worry that plagued Neville's face was reminiscent of taking their OWLs at Hogwarts. He leaned forward to Harry and Ron then. "Hey guys. How you doing? Better than I am, I take it."
"I wouldn't put bets on that," Ron said hollowly. "They need to just get on with it, I can't wait around like this, its torture."
"That woman is torture," George said out of nowhere, gesturing to the witch in red, still smiling disgustingly in front of them.
"Yeah, who is she anyway? I've never seen her before," Harry squinted unhappily.
With that, Harry's and Ron's prayers were answered and the sickly sweet voice of the witch in red spoke once again.
"Hello there! It's so good to see you all gathered here tonight and what a wonderful night it will be. Allow me to welcome you all to the Ministry of Magic's first-ever Joining Ceremony!" she paused for applause, only receiving it from the group of Ministry officials behind her. The crowd before her answered with vacant and confused stares.
"For those who don't know me, my name is Wimberly Wilmont and I was graciously elected as the event coordinator for this marvelous ceremony. My associates and I have worked tirelessly to make this place sparkle on your big day. And I dare say, we did an excellent job, no?" she laughed at her own joke, but only the Wizengamot officials seemed to think she was funny. Hermione rolled her eyes. A few flashes from the reporters' cameras went off before Wimberly continued.
"Anyway, enough from me! It's my honor to introduce our spectacular Minister of Magic, here to say a few words before things get going. Please welcome Mr. Kingsley Shacklebolt!" and with that, she turned to look behind the row of Ministry and Wizengamot members to an empty door frame.
This time the Ministry and Wizengamot members were not the only ones to join in her clapping. The crowd, however reluctant to be supportive of this law, still believed in Kingsley. He was a war hero and one of the best aurors the Wizarding World had ever seen. Hermione knew there had to be something forcing him into this whole ordeal, she thought as she slowly clapped along, watching the doorway for the arrival of the Minister.
In seconds Kingsley appeared, waving to the crowd. His purple robes swirled past him as he strode towards Wimberly Wilmont and the pillar in the center of the circle, accompanied by many more camera flashes. Hermione watched as he smiled endlessly, walking past the members sitting in the rows and greeting each with an enthusiastic handshake. It was all a little too suspicious.
Hermione studied Kingsley, his too big smile and his cheery attitude were something new. The last time she'd seen or heard from him he looked as exasperated by this law as her and her friends. Was he putting this on for the purposes of the Wizengamot? Was he trying to make light of it all? The thoughts raced in her mind as Kingsley finally finished shaking hands and walked to the center of the circle.
"Hello at last, and welcome!" Kingsley said loudly, not bothering with a Sonorous charm. Wimberly Wilmont took this as her cue to step back and she stood by the officials instead. "As you all know, it is my duty as Minister of Magic to show my utmost support for this valiant effort by all to help restore our damaged magical lineages."
Hermione could feel her eyebrows knitting. This was not the response she expected from the Minister, who had made it quite clear to her that he was only supporting this law because his hands were tied by the Wizengamot. Whatever that meant…
Kingsley's attitude tonight was suspiciously too cheery as he continued, "we owe it to our society to promote your wonderful magical abilities into the future, as the Wizengamot surely has made me realize!"
"They are truly dedicated to helping solve the Wizarding World's greatest dilemmas and needs and for that we thank them graciously," he said, turning toward the Wizengamot members behind him. He held his hands up and started clapping, the audience feeling compelled to follow.
"This law, while presented as a sensible solution by the Wizengamot, has also gone through critical analysis by these accredited Ministry members," he gestured to the officials behind him. "They have worked painstakingly hard to collect and analyze data, to accommodate all the legal ramifications and hidden strings. Please, let's give them a round of applause too!" he began clapping again. And again, it was too enthusiastic for Kingsley, Hermione was realizing.
The crowd clapped along rather reluctantly. Hermione stared, noticing how his voice was carrying much faster, his normal soothing tone absent. The more she watched, the more different Kingsley appeared. His mannerisms were most notably off; Kingsley was always fluid, his movements graceful and calculated like that of the practiced auror he was.
Yet tonight, everything he did had a bit of tension to it that, if she hadn't known Kingsley for as long as she had, she would not have noticed. While she would have normally attributed it to the anxiety of the unknown consequences of this dreadful ceremony, hadn't he just said how great this all was? Wasn't he acting like this whole thing was a brilliant idea when, previously, she knew he'd been upset with it? It didn't make any sense.
It was almost as if he were not himself, almost as if…. No! She thought suddenly, her eyes widening. It couldn't be… polyjuice potion, could it?! The Imperius?!
Ginny tapped her elbow then, whispering, "What the bloody hell is wrong with him?" Hermione had gone white. They exchanged a serious look of concern. "That is not the Kingsley Shacklebolt we know and love."
"No," Hermione whispered back slowly, almost unable to speak, "I-I don't think it is." Hermione went to turn to look at Harry and Ron, hoping they noticed as well. But when she peered over to them something more urgent caught her attention.
Witches and wizards in gold robes had now appeared, almost out of thin air, around the perimeter of the room. They had their hands behind their backs, standing firm like soldiers. And it appeared as if they were guarding the crowd.
Hermione poked Ginny in the side and pointed inconspicuously. Ginny surveyed the room and then all at once, her eyes widened and her frown deepened when she noticed the army that had surrounded them.
"What the hell…" she whispered furiously.
"Either they expect something bad or they're here to ensure we comply," she whispered quickly and so quietly that Ginny practically leaned toward her to hear.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say they're aurors but we both know that's wrong. Harry would have known. What do we do?" Ginny asked then, looking ready to go after the gold clad wizards and witches.
"Nothing right now," Hermione insisted, despite her desire to go after them as well. "We don't want to cause a scene. If someone is impersonating him, the last thing we should do is ambush a criminal in front of all these people. Or in front of those fake aurors or whoever they are…" she glanced at them trying to discern any weaknesses. "We don't know who they are or who they work for."
Ginny sighed and turned back to the front. "This whole thing is so irritating."
"We've got to relax," Hermione said, grabbing Ginny's hand and giving it a squeeze.
Her mind began racing with thoughts, too quick for her to make sense of right now. She wanted so badly to lock herself up in her office, write out all the details and connect the dots, find a solution of some kind. Yet, the timing was anything but ideal. How was she supposed to care about getting married when there may be so much worse ahead?
She shook her head as she realized the not-so-Kingsley Kingsley was still speaking and she was actually minutes away from her inevitable future. "Additional thanks must be extended to our sponsors of this event, without which the Joining Ceremony could not look this stunning."
"Their support and generosity in monetary donations has afforded us the luxury of this ballroom, its food and its amenities, not to mention the stunning silver rings for you and your spouses," Kingsley gestured rather obnoxiously to the velvet box, open on the table opposite the row of Wizengamot and Ministry officials.
While he hadn't known about the rings per say, Draco had been waiting for the moment when the Minister would mention his contributions. He held his breath but kept his face neutral, anticipating the reaction of the crowd.
"Thanks are extended to the representatives of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes Incorporated, ZW Sales, The Daily Prophet Business Incorporated, The World Quidditch Organization, and Malfoy Enterprise," his hands came together in booming claps as a wave of whispers opened up over the crowd. While the rest of the businesses didn't seem out of place, the mention of ZW Sales, Blaise Zabini's company, and Malfoy Enterprise obviously sparked some concern.
Witches and wizards shot sideways looks at the small group of Slytherins that stood together. Draco and Blaise looked to one another. Blaise rolling his eyes at the crowd's dramatics. The sound of two or three cameras went off, aimed in their direction. The pressure of the whole Ceremony was starting to make everyone go crazy and Draco tried to convince himself that that's all this was.
As a sign of courtesy, Draco decided to wave a hand at the crowd. It was more towards the Minister than anyone in particular and the eyes of the crowd seemed to dart away. Several more camera snaps quickly went off and he sighed, wishing they'd just get on with it.
Kingsley continued over the remaining noise. "And of course, I must thank the witches and wizards who gave not only their support, but their time and skills, in helping make this Ceremony a reality," Kingsley went on, "Let us applaud Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ernie Macmillan, Padma Patil, Theodore Nott, and Luna Lovegood for their brave sacrifice."
Mumbles and whispers mixed with flashes and clicks of cameras carrying through the crowd. The individuals in the room had been in the dark about any involvement on their part, except that they would be the ones getting the law applied to their lives. It was a bit of a shock to hear that several of their friends and classmates had provided the skills necessary for the law to work.
As Hermione inspected the reactions of the people around her, she wasn't met with anger. If anything, it was curiosity; curiosity as to just how people would be paired. She tried to keep her own face neutral for the sake of all the photos.
Ron had been staring at Kingsley with his arms across his chest and a puzzled look on his face that was getting more severe by the minute. He had already scrutinized Malfoy and Zabini, wondering if they had any more input than was necessary as donors. But Kingsley's words directed at him and all that helped got under his skin even more.
He leaned towards Harry, "Brave sacrifice aye? I guess they're choosing to forget the part where this was forced on us…" Harry raised his eyebrows and nodded in agreement.
It was then that Harry noticed movement over Ron's shoulder. He squinted into the shadows, the lights having dimmed to put the attention to the circle where Kingsley was still talking about their "brave sacrifices".
Harry could just see a few golden robed witches and wizards looking like guards at the patio doors. As he scanned over towards the opposite side of the room, he noticed several more lingering at the staircase.
"We're being watched," he whispered to Ron.
When Ron followed Harry's gaze, his hand balled into fist. "Are they bloody joking?"
"They aren't any of my aurors that's for sure," Harry said with bitterness. At that Ron began searching the crowd for Hermione. He wondered if she had noticed too. This had red flags all over it.
When he caught sight of her across the crowd, standing next to Ginny, it was the first time he saw her tonight. He blinked, forgetting just how beautiful she was. Her dress was a nice color on her creamy skin. But lingering on her looks didn't last. She had been glancing in their direction this whole time, trying to get his or Harry's attention and one of them had finally looked.
When they locked eyes, the suspicion in hers was well hidden to most, but he knew her too well. He knew she must have already discovered the guards and possibly more. The stiffness in her jaw wasn't just from the nerves.
Worried and without thinking, Ron took a step towards her. Hermione's eyes widened then and he paused. They couldn't risk anything, not now. She mouthed the word later to him and he nodded in understanding. He took a step back towards Harry, who had watched the whole thing. Ron shifted on his feet, making it seem like he couldn't stand still out of nervousness instead. With a deep breath, he turned back to Kingsley.
"The work these witches and wizards have done has helped create our unbiased selector, the Goblet of Unity!" he waved his wand over the marble stand then and in a swirl of purple sparks, the chalice appeared. The moment they had all been waiting for.
If the crowd had been whispering before, it was now twice as loud and filled with twice as much noise from the reporters. People uttered their opinions of the object to their friends in a wave of rushing voices and confusion. Reporters were rushing to jot down anything they could hear or see.
It was the first time Hermione had seen all the charms and spells come together and she felt a wave of nausea come over her at the sudden appearance of the Goblet. It sparkled and shone like liquid silver in the dim light. It made everything that much more real.
Kingsley cleared his throat, loud enough to hush the rampant noise down to a gentle rumble that he could talk over. People around them continued to whisper.
"The Goblet of Unity is a special magical object, much like the famed Goblet of Fire many of you already know about. It is unbiased, having been placed under rigorous tests to ensure its fairness by the very witches and wizards previously mentioned."
"Yes, it does take bloodlines into consideration but," Kingsley rushed through this as obvious gasps from the crowd could not be helped, "the majority of its choosing capabilities come from compatibility charms, potions, enchantments, and spells. The expertise of each individual that worked on the Goblet in such areas was the reason for their choosing and I daresay, we shall finally get to see their hard work pay off!"
The final words felt icy as they left Kingsley's lips despite his grin, putting a damper on any remaining chatter. The crowd's attention had turned and all eyes settled on the Goblet of Unity. The chalice was large, like the Goblet of Fire had been, and you could just make out the beautiful silver etchings that ran up and down the sides. The etchings appeared like vines, wrapping around and around, almost choking the cup. It was an eerie presence in front of the now somber crowd.
"Now," Kingsley's voice felt harsher even though he was still smiling, "let us get this Ceremony underway! Ms. Wilmont, if you please," as Wimberly Wilmont resurfaced in front of the crowd, everything seemed to still. A silence was building out of uneasiness and anxiety.
Her smile was big and she held a long cherry wand delicately in her hand. She addressed the witches and wizards standing in front of her. "Your names have already been submitted. The Goblet will choose based on the best compatible match it sees fit! And with that… let the Choosing begin!" she said simply.
She tapped her wand against the Goblet twice and the crowd held their breaths, waiting. Purple flames shot from the cup, swirling two feet up in a rush of heat and magic. A single piece of parchment shot out from the flames, unburnt as it began to flutter down to Wimberly Wilmont's open hand.
Hermione felt a wave of nostalgia as she looked around at all the members of the different houses gathered outside the circle. It was almost as if they were back at Hogwarts. Except tonight they were no longer just kids playing at a wizard's game. There would be no grand prize or tasks, she thought then, as the worry crept back to her. They were adults and they were playing with their lives.
Wimberly Wilmont caught the piece of parchment then and the crowd seemed to suck in air as one. "Mr. Harry Potter and…" she began.
Hermione's eyes grew wide. It was obvious Harry would be the first chosen. Why wouldn't he? The crowd was still holding their breaths, wondering and waiting.
Harry swallowed hard, feeling his palms sweating. Ginny stared stiff and tense, as if blinking would cause the wrong person's name to follow.
"Ms. Ginevra W-"
The rest of her voice was drowned out as cheering broke over the crowd. Applause was heard mixed with sighs of relief. Hermione felt like crying. She turned to her best friend, whose beautiful face streamed with tears.
"Hermione, oh thank Merlin!" Ginny managed, jumping into Hermione's arms for a hug. Hermione could feel the tension release through the girl's shoulders.
"I'm so happy for you Ginny," Hermione said and she truly meant it. Ginny gave Luna a squeeze before searching for her groom. Hermione smiled for the first time in ages as she watched Ginny's eyes light up as she caught sight of Harry grinning back at her. In that moment, it was as if nothing else mattered.
Hermione and Luna watched as Ginny ran over to Harry, waiting with open arms and eyes glistening. Hermione had never seen anyone embrace so fiercely and the crowd seemed to suck in their happiness. It gave them a spot of hope that the night wasn't going to be as tragic as they believed. But this was only the beginning.
When the two finally let go, Ginny and Harry stood smiling at each other in disbelief, Ron beside them. He gave Harry an encouraging pat on the back and a knowing smile before embracing his sister. Ginny hugged him tightly and then let go to grab hands with Harry.
"Wonderful!" Wimberly Wilmont spoke, her Sonorous charm echoing over the crowd. "If you two would please come to the table to receive your rings you'll be all set!"
Ginny looked to Harry, somewhat concerned, but he nudged her on. They didn't let go of each other's hands the entire walk up to the table. Kingsley was standing beside it and Hermione watched as Harry, and then Ginny, shook his hand in congratulations.
If Harry hadn't been so awestruck by the happiness of his bride, Hermione would have guessed he would have tried to talk to Kingsley. See if he could get anything out of him that would give them any clues of what was going on. That's what she would have done.
But she knew Harry wasn't thinking of anything but Ginny. She watched as he turned straight towards the case of rings. His hand shook out of sheer excitement as he took the first one in the row and slid it on her finger. Ginny practically shoved the ring onto his so she could jump to kiss him. Hermione couldn't help but smile.
And it seemed the crowd was just as mesmerized. No one seemed to be paying the Goblet much attention as another flash of purple flames licked towards the ceiling. It wasn't until the rush of magic crackled and sparked that suddenly everyone's attention was brought back, the nerves engulfing the room once again.
Hermione's head whipped around. It chose Harry first, of course. Ron or I has got to be next then… Merlin please let it be Ron, she thought to herself as Luna stepped to stand beside her. She reached over and gave Hermione's hand a squeeze.
Both girls turned to watch another piece of parchment shoot out, fluttering slowly down to meet Wimberly Wilmont's hand once again. "Mr. Ronald Weasley and…"
Hermione knew very well that, as a muggleborn, any pureblood wizard could be her new spouse. But what would she do if it actually were Ron? Would they find some level of happiness buried in the past? Could they make a relationship work after all?
Hermione's mind felt flooded with thoughts once again, this time full of images of herself, hand in hand with Ron. She pictured them taking walks and hugging red-haired children and visiting the Burrow and growing old. It would be okay, wouldn't it? It was something she had dreamed of, once upon a time...
Yet as she stared at the flames she couldn't get a smile to form. She thought of her job at the Ministry and sitting at Quidditch pitch after Quidditch pitch. She thought of their arguments over fire whiskey and starting a family. Wimberly's voice broke her thoughts, "Ms. Daphne Greengrass."
It was as if the crowd had been frozen over. No one spoke for what felt like minutes disbelieving the name they heard leave Wimberly's lips. Hermione blinked before turning to look at Ron, whose jaw was slack and open. Neville and George looked at each other, trying to figure out what to do. George gave his brother a gentle shove in the back to get him moving and at that, Ron took a few steps up towards the front.
Several people in the crowd around him eyed Hermione as if waiting to see a tearful response. Instead, she gave Ron an encouraging smile when he passed her and looked around for Daphne.
Hermione remembered the Greengrass sisters as being quite beautiful with dark hair and pale faces of high cheekbones. Daphne had been friends with Pansy but she never really did partake in any of Pansy's lame bullying attempts, so that was something. Her family had fled during the war and she hadn't been back to Hogwarts for their seventh year. Hiding in the French countryside, it was rumored they both finished schooling at Beauxbatons.
But that still didn't mean Daphne would go with Ron willingly. She hadn't seen either girl at any point in the night and it was obvious she wasn't the only curious one. People all around the crowd searched and whispers began to fill the air once again.
Finally Daphne stepped forward; she had been standing with Pansy and Blaise but Pansy's large dress had engulfed Daphne's tiny figure in the shadows. She walked towards the front circle much like a new fawn, tentative and shaking. Her light blue dress was reminiscent of the Beauxbatons robes and it looked soft and comforting the way it draped her shoulders.
Pansy looked smug as she watched her friend walk up to Ron Weasley. She leaned towards Blaise, her lips flying. When Daphne finally reached him, she didn't give any inclination that she was happy nor upset about the match.
It was clear her indifference confused Ron, who at first went to put his arm out for her to take. But halfway through doing so he decided better and gestured towards the rings instead. Daphne, who appeared to hide the slightest of smiles at this, obliged and the two silently shook Kingsley's hand.
It was curious that the goblet had picked them, two purebloods, to be linked, but it didn't seem like anyone in the Wizengamot paid this any notice. They all were clapping along politely as everyone else in the crowd did. Maybe just breaking up the gang of Slytherins was enough for those old bastards, Hermione thought.
Yet the whispers hadn't stopped. The crowd teemed with the thoughts of many and
Hermione was starting to pick up on some:
How exactly does this Goblet work anyway?
What is this, the Weasleys and Greengrasses are both purebloods!
This doesn't solve anything!
I thought purebloods are supposed to be paired with muggleborns…
Hermione's mind reeled as the whispers swarmed in. The pureblood comment was interesting, to say the least. She didn't recall any of them working on a charm or spell that actually dealt with blood purity. Her thoughts were changed however, when she caught the last whisper…
Do you think he's scared of her? Or is she scared of him?
Hermione hung particularly to this last one as it made her the most nervous.
"Lovely!" Wimberly Wilmont sang then, attempting to cut off the noise. She was gesturing towards the rings as the goblet's flame began to swirl and hiss again.
It was then that Hermione didn't have any more thoughts. They all seemed to stop midstream as the worry came tumbling back. While the idea of being betrothed to Ron hadn't thrilled her, she was quickly realizing that her other options were quite limited and she was most certainly next.
The goblet's purple flames edged up in a crack that sounded much like an old whip and the piece of parchment that came down was smoking on the edges. Luna squeezed Hermione's hand quickly as Wimberly's voice spoke out in front of the crowd, "Ah, Ms. Hermione Granger and…"
Everyone seemed to forget their whispers and comments. The anticipation flooded the floor, surrounding everything in sight. Even though the match of Ron Weasley and Daphne Greengrass had sparked a nerve, the match of the first muggle-born was what was on everyone's mind. Even better yet, it was that of Hermione Granger, the last of the Golden Trio.
Hermione's breath caught in her throat. The crowd around her seemed to disappear. She stared into the purple flames, as she heard Wimberly utter the words, "Mr. Draco Malfoy."
And with that, all the color drained from her cheeks.