Chapter One


October 30th, 1994


The Halloween Feast was just beginning and the school had been abuzz with news of the Triwizard Tournament and the visitors that would be arriving at Hogwarts soon. Hermione, Harry, and Ron were seated at the Gryffindor table, as usual, their friends around them chattering incessantly about the upcoming events of the evening.

Hermione scanned her eyes over the beautiful decorations and candles that embellished the Great Hall, sweeping her gaze over the House tables that resided therein. Across the way, the Hufflepuff table was bright with mustard-colored adornments and cheery students all looking around and waiting for the festivities.

The Slytherin table was subdued and disinterested, as usual, and the students at the Ravenclaw table appeared to be involved in an impassioned discussion. Unfortunately, her ears hadn't heard them over the din of other student's voices.

Her eyes then happened to rest upon Cedric Diggory, a handsome Hufflepuff in his 6th year. His hair was dark and unruly, with the occasional light strand or so scattered throughout his ruffled mop of hair. His eyes were warm, the color of cherry wood. His face was handsome and masculine, his jaw chiseled. He caught her eye and sent a roguish smile her way.

Hermione's cheeks flushed and she averted her gaze, attempting to focus on the other students that were bustling into the Great Hall.

Anticipating the arrival of the guest schools, Hermione considered their contrasting reputations. The ladies from Beauxbatons were all beautiful in one way or another, Hermione thought, scrunching her nose slightly as they began filtering through the entrance to the Great Hall.

The French school, Beauxbatons, had a reputation for elegance, rumored to house and educate its female students in a beautiful chateau surrounded by a rugged mountainscape.

The girls were the picture of sophistication and class. Their Headmaster, Madame Maxine, stood at one side of the Great Hall. Hermione recalled reading in a French wizarding history book that Madame Maxine was suspected to be half-giantess.

Hagrid would be quite interested in that information, Hermione thought with a small smile.

The Beauxbatons students floated down the aisles with grace in a seductive dance, drawing all eyes onto them. The Hogwarts students ooh-ed and aah-ed as the French girls entered.

Everyone in the room was transfixed, some with envy and some with lust. Once the Beauxbatons students finished their performance, they joined their Headmaster at one side of the Great Hall.

A rumbling echoed throughout the room, and it seemed as if the air thickened unpleasantly. The atmosphere in the Great Hall became cloying and some students looked around nervously.

A foreboding man with a dark beard marched brusquely into the Hall, flanked by intimidating looking wizards. The bearded man seemed rather suspicious with a dark aura about him. And are those intimidating men really the Durmstrang students?

The men were, in fact, Durmstrang students. Their performance presented a sharp contrast to the girls' school, marching in with muscles contracting and flexing in a show of bravado; once again, inspiring attraction in some and envy in others.

When Hermione had watched the display of strength and brawn, she'd subconsciously flushed.

Ron had seemed to notice but said nothing, whereas Harry was still too distracted by the Beauxbatons girls' previous performance to notice anything around him, a vacant stare his only facial expression. The Durmstrang men ended their performance with a synchronized cry.

These students were the best from each school, selected specifically for their prowess and abilities. Candles had illuminated the students in a warm glow as the performances began and were dimming now.

The feast had concluded and House table chairs shuffled as their occupants began to leave the Hall. Hermione glanced around, searching for Cedric, as she and the rest of Gryffindor House left the Great Hall.

Her gaze settled onto Malfoy instead and she quickly looked away, annoyed at his presence. Malfoy gave no inclination that he'd noticed her and simply strode out of the room with the rest of Slytherin.

Once the students retired to their House dormitories, Hermione had lain in bed for a few restless hours. The rain outside of the castle had been soothing enough, but her mind roamed aimlessly, thinking about everything that transpired in her Third Year.

Annoyed, she dragged herself out of her thoughts, directing them back towards the present. She dreaded seeing Malfoy anymore this year and hoped she could avoid him as much as possible. Nevertheless, she thought about last summer, going over her memories.

Hermione and Harry, helping Hagrid with Buckbeak's trial, had stumbled upon Malfoy and his cronies joking about the hippogriff's impending execution.

"It's just a meaningless beast, Granger, what are you so riled up about? Not like anyone cares for it anyways, it's better off dead," he drawled, while Crabbe and Goyle chuckled their assent.

She had become so angry at Malfoy's assumptions that she stormed up to him and had firmly pressed her wand against his throat.

"Of course that's what you would think! You wouldn't know what it feels like to care about anything, let alone another living being. You're just a selfish, heartless prat!" she'd seethed.

He cast a blank expression her way; his mask of indifference didn't falter in the slightest.

"You know absolutely nothing about me, Mudblood, and I intend to keep it that way." In a quick movement, Malfoy had roughly brushed Hermione aside, knocking her wand arm downward. Before he could pass her, though, Hermione slammed her fist into the side of his face.

She heard a distinct cracking sound and winced as her knuckles made contact with his nose. Malfoy stumbled to the ground but otherwise gave no indication of his pain or injury. Crabbe and Goyle made no effort to help, leaving the clearing with clumsy footfalls.

Hermione felt Ron and Harry seething a few feet behind her. Although punching the arrogant prat was satisfying, tears had welled in her eyes.

Hermione jolted out of her thoughts, looking around. It was nearly sunrise, she surmised. The gentle blue of morning painted the walls of the girl's dormitory. She turned over, attempting to rest. The Goblet would be revealed the next evening and she had no idea how to feel.


Hogwarts was blanketed in a thick layer of snow. December crept upon the castle, bringing with the promise of heartwarming holidays. Hermione sat on a windowsill in the Gryffindor common room, reading a book she'd brought from home.

Her most recent interests were Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. The topics piqued her interest, and she longed to know more about them. This afternoon, the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff houses were to have a Hogsmeade weekend and Hermione was looking forward to it.

She and Cedric had conversed many times over the past few months about his participation in the Triwizard Tournament. Although he and Harry were participating in the tournament together, they weren't on the best of terms.

Hermione, however, hadn't been caught in the middle of their mutual wariness. Quite the contrary, she and Cedric conversed amicably and had many conversations about varying topics.

She had come to enjoy their talks and looked forward to meeting him in Hogsmeade later in the day.

Hermione donned a thick cable knit sweater, lacing her boots tightly. Striding down the dormitory stairs, she spotted Harry and Ron waiting for her just outside of the common room.

The Fat Lady paid them no mind as the trio walked down several sets of stairs, stopping to catch their breath along the way.

Finally reaching the ground floor, they continued to march onto the paths that led to Hogsmeade. Harry and Ron went their separate ways, having plans of their own. She bid them a warm farewell, looking forward to her own afternoon plans.

Hermione started off in search of Cedric in the cozy village. Eventually, she spotted his distinctive shock of dark hair in the distance and made to stride towards him, but stopped short. Malfoy? Hermione squinted in suspicion, leaning behind the wall of a nearby muggle shop.

Malfoy and Cedric were standing beside Madam Puddifoot's where she and Cedric were supposed to be meeting for tea. She strained her ears but couldn't hear anything they were saying.

Cedric looked taken aback slightly, and Malfoy had an air of indifference about him, though his body language seemed tense.

After a few moments, they clasped hands, almost respectfully, and Malfoy strode off. Hermione noted that Malfoy's facial features looked different, but she was at too awkward of an angle to truly make out what was different.

She waited a few minutes and then strode over to Cedric. He beamed at her, leaning his torso forward to envelop her in a hug.

She smiled back at him, wrapping her arms around his torso and giving him a gentle squeeze. She pushed the suspicious meeting out of her mind and they walked into the cafe.

"And that is exactly why you're amazing at Arithmancy. You're really not going to take the advanced sections in fifth or sixth year?" Cedric questioned, surprise tinging his tone. Hermione shrugged. "I'm thinking I might. The subject matter is very interesting but ultimately I'm hoping to work in a field that involves the rights of magical creatures, protecting and upholding those rights."

Cedric nodded in understanding.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, Hermione tentatively asked him about his meeting with Malfoy.

"I won't lie to you, I arrived earlier than we agreed upon, and I happened to notice you meeting with a certain Slytherin, Draco Malfoy. Why were you two conversing so civilly?" she tilted her head as she awaited his response.

His eyes widened a fraction, and he looked away. "Oh, yes, Malfoy was just speaking to me about my time as Quidditch Captain. He'd wanted a few pointers on certain strategies, and I was happy to oblige."

He smiled, somewhat lopsidedly. Hermione feigned ignorance. "That's nice of you to promote House Unity in such a way, Cedric." Despite her suspicions, she couldn't help but smile back at him. What reason does he have to lie?

She considered his possible motives. Cedric steered the conversation back to her academic progress.

He himself had taken Advanced Arithmancy in his Fifth Year and so he was surprised to learn that she was so well versed in the subject early on. She was Hermione Granger, after all. He cast her a glance full of admiration, which she missed because she was looking around the cafe happily.

When Hermione had noticed his gaze upon her the night of the Halloween Feast, she was slightly shocked, as she didn't think he'd known she'd existed in the first place.

Had he sought me out? she'd wondered. In the weeks after being chosen as Hogwarts' champion for the Tournament, Cedric had been around her more frequently.

They'd developed a strong friendship through their many shared interests.

He'd asked her to go with him on the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend, much to her surprise. She was just hoping she didn't screw up this date.

Their fingers twined together on top of the table, and their date continued smoothly. However, her suspicions about Malfoy wouldn't leave her mind.

That night, Hermione replayed the day in her mind. Despite Cedric's genuine answer to her question about Malfoy, something didn't sit right. She attempted to sift through his reactions but hadn't noted anything too suspicious.

Realizing she was over-analyzing her date, she sighed. She tossed and turned in her bed, attempting sleep.


Draco Malfoy glared at the mirror hanging above the bathroom sink. It was entirely too late at night and he'd had no success with sleeping.

His glare hardened as he took in his facial features. Everything was the same except for his damn nose. Where before, his nose used to be straight and at an acceptable angle, there was now a notch marring it.

Directly underneath his browline, the beginning of the bridge of his nose pressed inwards slightly. Damn Mudblood.

Growling under his breath, he turned away from his reflection. Ever since she had punched him, his face hadn't been the same. Broken and bloody nose. Bruised cheek. A jawbone that became sore in the cold months.

Ever since that incident in Third Year, he'd stopped being able to look at himself with pride and narcissism, and instead with annoyance and dislike, almost shame.

How could a creature so below my station be allowed to disfigure my face? She should be dealt with. His eyes darkened and he turned from the mirror. His last thought before drifting into unconsciousness was that her punch had been surprisingly strong.

Cedric gazed at the stars, adjusting his position on the steps leading into the Great Hall. Ever since he and Hermione had parted ways, he couldn't stop feeling guilty for lying about what Malfoy had told him.

Well, partially lying, at least. Malfoy had spoken with contempt in his voice about Cedric's Quidditch strategies, and his captain rank in general.

But when the contempt had leaked out of Malfoy's voice, that was when Cedric became concerned.

Cedric blanched at what Draco had said next, almost as if it was too heinous to believe. The words echoed in his mind, an ominous tinge to them.

"The Dark Lord will be making an appearance at the Tournament."


Author's note: This is my first fic! Please be kind, I appreciate any and all reviews! I plan to update once or twice a week, depending on my workflow. If I can't keep up with that I'll let y'all know. I currently have started writing the second chapter so I hope to have it up this week.

This is meant to be a Dramione fic first and foremost, but Hermione will have one other relationship beforehand, and possibly a love interest before the actual Dramione. This will be a slightly canon-divergent story, with some canon events occuring differently or not at all.

And obviously J.K. Rowling owns everything Harry Potter.