Chapter 13 – Into the Kitchens

Hermione was making her way out of the stands in no time. She was rushing down the stairs, when she heard someone call out from behind her.

"Hermione!" She spun around quickly and saw Ron rushing for her. "Where are you going?"

"To see Harry. Are you coming?" She didn't give him time to answer, though as she rushed off for the medical tent to see how he was. Hermione had just entered the tent when Harry had reached its opening looking as though he was going to leave. "Harry, you were brilliant! You really were amazing! You really were!" Hermione noticed now that Harry wasn't even paying attention to her though, but instead he was looking at Ron.

"Harry," Ron said, "whoever put your name in that goblet – I – I reckon they're trying to do you in!" Hermione wanted to jump forward and hug Ron tighter than ever, but that feeling soon died as Harry spoke up.

"Caught on, have you? Took you long enough," Harry said in a cold way. She wanted to smack him. Ron was relenting just like Harry had wanted and he was throwing it back in Ron's face. "It's okay," Harry sighed before either she or Ron could say anything. "Forget it." Hermione felt the urge to hug them swell up in her again as her throat tightened.

"No, I shouldn't've-"

"Forget it," Harry ordered Ron. Hermione couldn't bare it any longer though as she burst into tears. "There's not to cry about!"

"You two are so stupid!" With that, Hermione left the tent and was on her way to find Ginny when she ran into Krum again.

"Hello," he greeted just as he had yesterday.

"Hello," Hermione greeted as she quickly wiped away her tears.

"Vhat are you crying about?"

"Nothing, nothing," Hermione said as she took a deep breath. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you been in one of the first aid tents?"

"No, I'm fine. I vas just coming out to see the scores," Viktor explained.

"Oh, you mean Harry's scores."

"Yes, he vas quite good," Krum admitted. Hermione smiled, Viktor was actually quite nice, nothing like she had imagined him to be. He was stuck up because of fame, and he wasn't rude, he was actually kind of modest. Hermione had been so busy judging Krum's character, that she hadn't realized that he was staring at her through an awkward silence.

"Well, uh- if you'll just um-... just excuse me," Hermione stuttered. "I'm going to look for a friend of mine." With that, Hermione rushed off to find Ginny, Krum staring off after her just as he had done yesterday. She felt slightly strange because of that, but she wasn't about to let it get to her, she was going to be happy today, for Harry.

"Hey, I've got to go to the Owlery," Harry said later that night, "want to come?"

"Sure," Hermione and Ron chimed in unison. It felt so good to her, and probably not only her she thought, to have the three of them back to being friends. They left Gryffindor common room, Harry and Ron talking about Sirius, Karkaroff, Malfoy, Malfoy's dad, and all sorts of things that had happened while they weren't talking. Hermione didn't say a word though, she was content with just hearing them talking again. Hermione soon found the conversation had turned to the tournament, and Ron was filling Harry's head.

"You know what? I reckon you could win this tournament, Harry, I'm serious," Ron gloated.

"Harry's got a long way to go before he finishes this tournament. If that was the first task, I hate to think what's coming next," Hermione pointed out as she spoke up for the first time since they left the common room.

"Right little ray of sunshine, aren't you? You and Professor Trelawney should get together sometime." Hermione shook her head, she was only trying to point out the truth of the matter. Then again, tonight was supposed to be happy, she wasn't about to let things get ruined. "Well, we'd better get downstairs for your surprise party, Harry," Ron said. "Fred and George should have nicked enough food from the kitchens by now." Hermione followed them out of the Owlery as she thought about this. 'So Fred and George do know how to get into there. Wonder if they would tell me how?'

"C'mon, Hermione," Harry called as Hermione lagged behind. She looked up and realized that Harry and Ron were halfway down the corridor. She ran to catch up, all three of them entering the common room where the party was just beginning. The trio had ate and ate some more until they finally had to retire to chairs in the corner where they were soon joined by Lee Jordan, Fred, George, and others. Lee was playing with the egg Harry had gotten in the first task, when he suggested that Harry open it.

"He's supposed to work out the clue on his own," Hermione cut in. "It's in the tournament rules..."

"I was supposed to work out how to get past the dragon on my own too," Harry whispered to her. She grinned sheepishly and blushed a bit as she realized she should practice what she preached.

"Yeah, go on, Harry, open it!" Hermione sat back and watched as Harry took the egg and opened it, but as soon as it did, a horrible screech erupted from it. It sounded like ten banshees screaming all at once. Hermione put her hands over her ears and saw Fred's mouth moving, but she could barely make out what he was saying. Hermione's ears were still ringing even after Harry closed the egg and she could only hear fractions of what people were saying. She had heard something about a banshee and then something about the Cruciatus Curse, but the only thing she heard fully was Fred's voice as he stood next to her offering her a jam tart.

"Want a jam tart, Hermione?" She was doubtful as she realized that this could be one of their experiments that Mrs. Weasley hated so much. "It's all right. I've haven't done anything to them. It's the custard creams you've got to watch-" Hermione felt a bit of alarm as Neville began to spit out what he was eating, but then Fred laughed. "Just my little joke, Neville..." Hermione sighed and shook off the weary feeling as she took one of the pastries she was being offered. Then something dawned on her.

"Did you get all this from the kitchens, Fred?"

"Yep," he replied, then he pretended to be a house-elf, much to the amusement of those around them. "'Anything we can get you, sir, anything at all!' They're dead helpful... get me a roast ox if I said I was peckish." Hermione felt excitement rise in her as she continued to ask questions.

"How do you get in there?"

"Easy. Concealed door behind a painting of a bowl of fruit. Just tickle the pear, and it giggled and-" Hermione felt the excitement die as he stopped and looked at her with some suspicion. "Why?"

"Nothing." Hermione had been too quick because George had caught on.

"Going to try and lead the house-elves on strike now, are you? Going to give up all the leaflet stuff and try and stir them into rebellion?" Hermione wasn't exactly going to try that, but it didn't sound like a bad idea.

"Don't you go upsetting them," Fred said sternly, almost warningly, "and telling them they've got to take clothes and salaries! You'll put them off their cooking!" Hermione was about to say something in protest when Neville turned into a canary with a large pop. Hermione smiled to herself as she slipped out of her chair and up to her dorm as Neville's distraction caught everyone's attention. Now was her chance to formulate a plan.

"I won't upset them or put them off their cooking," Hermione whispered as she closed the dorm door behind her and went over to her bed. "I'll just show them the error in their working ways... with a little help from Harry and Ron that is." Hermione got out a notebook and began to write down things she could tell the house-elves and things she could do to persuade them that their treatment was unfair.

Hermione had been in the library everyday after lessons and she noticed that someone else had too. Viktor Krum. She felt herself growing uncomfortable with this because each day, he would get a seat closer and closer to hers. She felt that if she didn't soon move, he would be sitting on her lap within three days. She felt eyes upon her, and looked up from her book on house-elves to see him staring at her. It scared her in a way, so she got up to go look for a book, seeing that as her only escape. She was wondering in the rows of dusty books when she noticed someone come into the aisle she was in. It was Cedric.

"Hello, Hermione," he greeted.

"Cedric," Hermione said politely in return.

"How's the uh- house-elf thing coming?" Hermione noticed Cedric look to the three books in her arms and then she looked to his chest. He wasn't wearing his S.P.E.W. badge anymore.

"It's fine... more members than I had expected," Hermione lied with a forced smile. Silence followed these words, and she soon felt herself wanting to run as she turned her attention to the books in her arms. Cedric was about to say something, but he didn't say what she thought he might.

"Hello, Krum," Cedric greeted. Hermione turned around and noticed Viktor standing in the aisle with Hermione and Cedric. Viktor said nothing, but he simply nodded to Cedric and then smiled awkwardly at Hermione. She smiled back in an uncertain way before figuring it best to leave the aisle. She was safely back at her table when she looked up to see Cedric checking out a book. Now was her chance to tell him that she was sorry for being so distant lately and that she didn't mean to make things between them awkward. She stood up and gathered her books quickly, and was about to leave when someone stopped her.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" Hermione saw Krum before her, his dark profile scaring her a bit as she realized he was staring at her a little more attentively than she would have liked.

"No, I was just leaving," Hermione said as she dodged him and ran to the counter to check out her books. Madam Pince was taking an awful long time to check out her books, so long that by the time Hermione got out into the hall, she had completely missed Cedric. Her heart faltered. She couldn't really be falling for him, could she? "Oh, well," she sighed to herself as she readjusted her book bag on her shoulder and decided to head off for the common room when something hit her. She could head off for the Hufflepuff's common room, everyone knew it was in the same corridor as the kitchens. She would wait for him there. Hermione was running along the corridors, when she ran into Nearly Headless Nick.

"Good evening, Miss Granger," he greeted.

"Hello, Nick. Sorry, no time to talk!" Hermione rushed right past him and down the corridors to the hall where the kitchens were. Hermione had been waiting several minutes when she realized that dinner was over and there was no reason for Cedric to come out now. With a frown, Hermione decided that there was nothing to do but to go back to her own common room. She was on her way down the corridor when she passed something that sparked interest in her. It was a painting of a fruit bowl with a rather large green pear on it. Hermione couldn't figure out why, but she had the strangest urge to tickle it, and then she remembered what Fred had told her. Hermione did just that, she tickled the pear. It giggled and swung forward to reveal a door. Hermione went inside and came face-to-face, or rather thigh-to-face with someone she thought Harry would be happy to see.

"Harry!" Hermione was on the seventh floor now, she had ran the whole way there to get Ron and Harry. Much to her liking, they were just getting ready to go into the common room. "Harry, you've got to come – you've got to come, the most amazing thing's happened – please-" She grabbed Harry's arm and began to pull him off down the corridor, the kitchens being their new destination.

"What's the matter?"

"I'll show you when we get there – oh, come on, quick-"

"Okay." Harry and Ron were soon following Hermione down the many corridors, straight for the kitchens. "Hermione, where are we going?"

"You'll see, you'll see in a minute!"

"Oh, hang on...," Harry said slowly. "Wait a minute, Hermione..."

"What?"

"I know what this is about." Hermione watched Harry point out the painting of the fruit bowl to Ron and soon, he too was protesting.

"Hermione! You're trying to rope us into that spew stuff again!"

"No, no, I'm not. And it's not spew, Ron-"

"Changed the name, have you? What are we now, then, the House-Elf Liberation Front?" Ron was looking very annoyed, and Hermione was growing impatient with his complaining. "I'm not barging into that kitchen and trying to make them stop work, I'm not doing it-"

"I'm not asking you to!" Hermione paused for a moment, she needed a way to explain this. "I came down here just now, to talk to-" She couldn't tell them the truth or they would get suspicious and act weirdly about it. "To talk to them all, and I found – oh, com on, Harry, I want to show you!" Hermione grabbed his yet again by the arm and did just as she had before, tickled the pear, let it giggle and went in the door. Hermione didn't even have time to explain when someone came hurtling at them.

"Harry Potter, sir! Harry Potter!"

"D-Dobby?"

"It is Dobby, sir, it is! Dobby had been hoping and hoping to see Harry Potter, sir, and Harry Potter had come to see him, sir!"

"Dobby, what are you doing here?"

"Dobby has come to work at Hogwarts, sir! Professor Dumbledore gave Dobby and Winky jobs, sir!"

"Winky, she's here too?"

"Yes, sir, yes!" Hermione watched happily as Dobby lead Harry over to where Winky was sitting by the fire on a stool. If Hermione couldn't bring the house-elves salaries, she could at least bring them happiness.

"How did you find this place?" Hermione turned to Ron as Harry and Dobby stood across the kitchen talking to Winky.

"Um-," again, Hermione couldn't tell them she had been looking for Cedric. "Long story... I'll tell you later." Hermione smiled and went over to where Harry was, but she felt her happiness flea her as she saw Winky. "Oh, dear." Hermione looked around at Ron and Harry and Dobby before turning back to Winky. "Winky, don't cry, please, don't..."

"Would Harry Potter like a cup of tea?" How could Dobby offer such a thing at a time like this, Hermione just didn't understand it.

"Er – year, okay," Harry replied. How could Harry accept it was something more she didn't understand. Suddenly they were surrounded by house-elves who brought them food and drink. Hermione didn't know if she could bare this.

"Good service!" Hermione frowned, Ron could be so stupid at times, but she decided to keep quiet about it in the presence of the house-elves. Hermione sighed and went on listening to Harry and Dobby's conversation about Dobby's working at Hogwarts, Hermione becoming pleased with the fact that Dobby was wanting to be paid. The conversation didn't seem to help Winky though, it only made her worse as she began to cry harder and now lay on the floor sobbing. Hermione dropped to her knees to help the poor thing, but nothing seemed to make her stop. In fact, Hermione made it worse when she asked how much Dumbledore was paying her.

"And how much is Professor Dumbledore paying you, Winky?" For the first time, Winky spoke up as she glared at Hermione through her tears.

"Winky is a disgraced elf, but Winky is not yet getting paid! Winky is not sunk so low as that! Winky is properly ashamed of being freed!"

"Ashamed? But – Winky, come on! It's Mr. Crouch who should be ashamed, not you! You didn't do anything wrong," Hermione argued lightly. "He was really horrible to you-" This only sent Winky into fits of shouting though as Hermione stopped and Harry and Dobby continued to talk. It would seem that the longer Hermione was down in the kitchens, the more she wanted to help the house-elves. Especially when Dobby began beating his head on the table for speaking illy against the Malfoy's, but what shocked Hermione more was when Winky said Ludo Bagman was a bad wizard. Bagman, bad? It didn't make sense. Hermione was a bit happy to leave the kitchens, she wasn't one for depressing things. She was kind of happy, though when Ron offered to give Dobby the shirt his mom knitted for him for Christmas.

Hermione lie awake one night in bed, her mind racing with aspects of the past four days. Professor McGonagall's voice kept ringing in her head along with the mad giggling of Parvati and Lavender. McGonagall had told them at the end of her class that there would be a ball for the tournament. She had kept saying it was a tradition and she told Harry that he had to find someone. Hermione would have gladly gone if he had asked, but only as friends. Hermione also would have gone with Ron, had he asked her, but she didn't see that happening.

"Fat chance," she grumbled in the dark as she rolled over and hugged her pillow. She recalled the slight row she and Ron had just had only two hours before.

" We should get a move on, you know... ask someone. He's right. We don't want to end up with a pair of trolls."

"A pair of... what, excuse me?"

"Well – you know. I'd rather go alone than with – with Eloise Midgen, say."

"Her acne's loads better lately – and she's really nice!"

"Her nose is off-center!"

"Oh, I see. So basically, you're going to take the best-looking girl who'll have you, even is she's completely horrible?"

"Er – yeah, that sounds about right."

Hermione rolled her eyes now. How could guys be so shallow? Hermione would like to show up with someone they would perfectly despise, just to show them. Her mind began working, but everyone that they despised, she seemed to as well, and for good reason, like Malfoy for instance. Suddenly she thought of someone as she ran through names in her head, jumping from house to house. Cedric Diggory. She would love to go with him.

"Fat chance again," Hermione sighed. But then again, she didn't know that for sure. They were friends and Cedric was champion, that did require him to have a partner, maybe it could be her. 'Or his girlfriend' her mind suggested. "Yeah, Cho Chang... Definitely no chance now." She parted her hangings and climbed out of bed to go look out the window. Her eyes landed on the Durmstrang ship with its billowing black sails and its seemingly black structure against the shimmering lake. The moon was making it a beautiful sight, and the more Hermione hoped that the moon would be out the night of the ball and make her like the lake, beautiful in its light, the more she thought that it wouldn't hurt to try and ask Cedric. The least he could do was say no.

The next morning really was something. Hermione jumped out of bed at eight o'clock to get ready. She put on the best of her school robes and pulled her hair up in a cute fashion just as Lavender would, though Lavender's usually looked better. She put on a bit of make-up and with one last look in the mirror, she grabbed the books she needed to return to the library and left the Gryffindor Tower. She had made it to the library, all the way hoping that Cedric hadn't been back to return his books yet. When she got there, there seemed to be no one in the library, but then, much to her horror, Viktor Krum came out from around a bookshelf.

"Hello." Hermione frowned as he said this. If Cedric came in and saw him talking to her, then he might think that she was going to the ball with Viktor.

"Hi," Hermione greeted as she passed him by and went into the back to look at a card catalog. She had been there for what seemed like ages upon ages, when finally Cedric came in. Hermione felt her heart leap as she realized it was now or never. Cedric was headed her way, all she would have to do was say a polite hello, inquire about the ball, and then ask him. "Hello, Cedric."

"Oh, good morning," he said in a cheery tone as he stopped in front of Hermione with a smile. Hermione felt that that smile was only making her more intimidated by the minute.

"What are you er – doing here so early?"

"Just returning a book," Cedric replied. "What about you? Still working on the house-elf liberation?"

"Yeah... it's coming along nicely, but I've taken a little break for now," Hermione sighed, and then she thought to add something that might help progress the subject. "Seeing as the Yule Ball is coming and all."

"Ah, yeah, that it is."

"So, Harry was telling me that the champions have to have a date because they have to start the ball off with a dance with their partners," Hermione chatted.

"Yep," Cedric agreed as he nodded and then gave a weak smile.

"Yeah," Hermione sighed. Why couldn't she ask him? It was just a simple question. Where had all the courage she had had before gone? That awkward silence that always seemed to accompany them when they were together for more than two minutes came and enveloped them.

"So, who are you going with?" Hermione's heart skipped a beat. Could he possibly be asking her?

"No one yet," Hermione said hopefully.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Hermione breathed, her heart pounding faster and faster with each passing second. She could have swore that he could hear it because what he did next seemed to stop it.

"You'll find someone to ask you... just don't say yes to anybody, though. Make sure they're worth it," Cedric said with a smile. Hermione saw this as a dismissal and she nodded before feeling her arms and legs start to go numb.

"Yeah, I'll make sure of that," she said as her throat tightened. "Well, if you'll excuse me, there's a book I need to get." Hermione turned and walked off toward a bookshelf, she could feel his eyes staring at her as she retreated. She went behind the shelf and took a moment to breath before peeking over the books at him as he stood there, rooted to the spot where she had left him. Why was he still standing there looking like he was lost? Hermione stood up straight and with a furrowed brow, she turned to get the book she had come for, but she was shocked when she turned and end up coming face-to-face with someone.

"Hello, Her-mee-one," Viktor said. Hermione went wide-eyed and nearly jumped four feet in the air as he smiled weirdly at her. 'How does he know my name?'

"Hello, Viktor." He smiled more when she said his name, and for some reason, she felt like giggling. "Can I help you with something?"

"I vas just vondering who you vere going to the ball vith?" Hermione was really taken aback now. She looked around to make sure this wasn't some kind of joke, but she saw no one, even Cedric had moved.

"No one. Why?" Hermione watched him take a deep breath, and she cocked a brow as he seemed to fidget a bit before speaking up in a voice that wasn't his own, or at least it didn't sound like it.

"Because I vanted to know if you vood like to go with me?" If Hermione had been taken aback before, it was nothing compared to how she felt now. Her eyes bugged and her jaw dropped a bit as he stood there waiting for her answer.

"You- you want to- to go with me?"

"Yes," he said quickly. Hermione smiled suddenly. Here was a famous Quidditch player and champion for Durmstrang, and he, of all people, was asking her to the Yule Ball.

"Um-... okay. I'll go with you," Hermione agreed. His eyes seemed to light up and he looked as though he could hug her on the spot. She looked down at the card in her hand from the card catalog, and decided that it wouldn't hurt to get to know him since she was going to the ball with him. "Care to join me?" He looked at the book in his hand and then at her with a smile before nodding. The two of them seemed to be rather happy, but one person in the area wasn't. Cedric Diggory. He had been hiding around the corner of the bookshelf in which they had been next to, and he had heard everything.

"So much for asking her to the ball," he sighed in defeat as he watched from over a row of books as they sat down and began talking.