Chapter 19 – Revenge & Romance
February ended with quite a bit of excitement from the Gryffindor end as Ron told and retold his story of what happened during the second task. Hermione had got so fed up with his constant changing and retelling of the story that she had snapped at him one afternoon in March at lunch.
"I could have taken those mere-idiots any time I wanted," Ron gloated as he told his story for the umpteenth time.
"What were you going to do, snore at them?" Hermione's words came out harshly and she soon felt somewhat bad for them. It wasn't really Ron that was bothering her, but the constant tauntings of the other students. They kept teasing her about being the thing that Viktor Krum would miss the most.
She was so fed up with it that she was ready to scream and she really didn't want to see Viktor any time soon either. She was extremely glad though when an owl arrived with a letter from Sirius for Harry. It was a change of subject and something to take her mind off of the stupidity around her.
They read the letter which told them to meet him at stile at the end of the road that lead out of Hogsmeade during their next weekend visit at two o'clock. It would appear that he was also very hungry as well because he had told them to bring as much food as they could, or from what Hermione concluded, Sirius was planning to stay for a while and needed a stash.
"He hasn't come back to Hogsmeade?"
"It looks like it," Hermione replied to Ron's incredulously exclamation, "doesn't it?"
"I can't believe him," Harry grumbled angrily, "if he's caught..."
"Made it so far, thought, hasn't he? And it's not like the place is swarming with dementors anymore," Ron pointed out.
"Ron's right, Harry," Hermione added as Harry folded up the letter and stuffed it away in his pocket. "But in the meantime, let's not think about that. What we should do is get to double Potions."
With that, the Golden Trio left lunch and went to their last lesson before dinner. Things were going quite well because Harry seemed to be happier, but they didn't last for long as the trio entered the dungeon and were met by Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, and her Slytherin girls.
"There they are, there they are!" Hermione didn't know what Pansy was giggling about, but as the group of slimy Slytherins broke apart, Pansy spoke up to Hermione. "You might find something to interest you in there, Granger!"
Hermione took the magazine, Witch Weekly, that Pansy shoved in her hands, and continued into the Potions classroom with Harry and Ron. The trio took their seat in the back and Hermione waited on pins and needles for an opportune moment to look through the magazine. Finally, Snape turned his back and Hermione began to search frantically in the magazine.
She finally came to Harry's picture over a neat, curly title of: Harry Potter's Secret Heartache. Hermione wasn't quite sure what this was about, but she had a feeling that it was going to be extremely ridiculous because her eyes caught sight of the article's author, Rita Skeeter.
A boy like no other, perhaps – yet a boy suffering all the usual pangs of adolescence, writes Rita Skeeter. Deprived of love since the tragic demise of his parents, fourteen-year-old Harry Potter thought he had found solace in his steady girlfriend at Hogwarts, Muggle-born Hermione Granger. Little did he know that he would shortly be suffering yet another emotional blow in life already littered with personal loss.
The article made Hermione's blood boiled as it continued on. Things weren't looking good and Hermione was really starting to despise Rita for all her lies and untruthfulness.
Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl, seems to have a taste for famous wizards that Harry alone cannot satisfy. Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Viktor Krum, Bulgarian Seeker and hero of the last World Quidditch Cup, Miss Granger has been toying with both boys' affections. Krum, who is openly smitten with the devious Miss Granger, has already invited her to visit him in Bulgaria over the summer holidays, and insists that he has "never felt this way about any other girl."
However, it might not be Miss Granger's doubtful natural charm that have captured these unfortunate boys' interest.
And here was the point where Hermione felt that the Skrewt dung would hit the fan. She looked up only for a moment to see what Snape was doing, still writing ingredients on the board, and then she returned to the article.
"She's really ugly," says Pansy Parkinson, a pretty and vivacious fourth-year student, "but she'd be well up to making a Love Potion, she's quite brainy. I think that's how she's doing it."
Love Potions are, of course, banned at Hogwarts, and no doubt Albus Dumbledore will want to investigate these claims. In the meantime, Harry Potter's well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart on a worthier candidate.
It was more than Hermione thought; more than ridiculous. It was idiocy and ignorance at its absolute most. Hermione figured that there was no sense in getting angry or upset over it, she did figure however that a good use of that energy would be used on hoping that people didn't actually believe that.
"I told you! I told you not to annoy Rita Skeeter! She's made you out to be some sort of- of scarlet woman!" Up until that point, Hermione had been looking somewhat shocked and astonished at the thought of what people who say if the actually believed that, but Ron's words were just too funny to her.
"Scarlet woman?" Hermione was in fits of giggles, she just couldn't help herself but Ron didn't seem to think it funny as he tinged at the ears.
"It's what my mum calls them," he answered bashfully.
"If that's the best Rita can so, she's losing her touch," Hermione said determinedly. "What a pile of old rubbish." Hermione tossed aside the magazine and looked over at the Slytherins who seemed a bit disappointed that Hermione had been giggling. "There's something funny, though," Hermione spoke up a little while later as she sat there working on their potion. "How could Rita Skeeter have known...?"
"Known what? You haven't been mixing up Love Potions, have you?"
"Don't be stupid," Hermione snapped at Ron. "No, it's just... how did she know Viktor asked me to visit him over the summer?"
"What?" Ron dropped his pestle and stared at Hermione as she blushed and avoided his eyes.
"He asked me right after he's pulled me out of the lake. After he got rid of his shark's head," Hermione explained. "Madam Pomfrey gave us both blankets and then he sort of pulled me away from the judges so they wouldn't hear, and he said, if I wasn't doing anything over the summer, would I like to-"
"And what did you say?" Hermione ignored Ron's teeth-gritted, growling question and went on as though speaking her thoughts aloud.
"And he did say he's never felt the same way about anyone else, but how could Rita Skeeter have heard him? She wasn't there... or was she? Maybe she has got an Invisibility Cloak; maybe she sneaked onto the grounds to watch the second task..."
"And what did you say?" Ron seemed even angrier now that she had ignored him the first time, so she chose not to ignore him this time and began the careful process of answering.
"Well, I was too busy seeing whether you and Harry were okay to-"
"Fascinating though your social life undoubtedly is, Miss Granger," Snape interrupted, "I must ask you not to discuss it in my class. Ten points from Gryffindor." Snape then snatched up the copy of Witch Weekly from the chair beside Hermione and continued. "Ah... reading magazines under the table as well? A further ten points from Gryffindor... oh, but of course... Potter has to keep up with his press clippings..."
Hermione had been determined not to let the article bother her, not only for herself, but for Harry and Viktor as well. Now though, she wasn't so sure as Snape began to read the article aloud between the Slytherin laughter. It had been the worst ten minutes of Hermione's life, and when Snape was done, he made matters worse. He moved Harry to the front of the class and Hermione next to Pansy Parkinson while Ron stayed put.
Hermione watched from her new seat as Snape seemingly harassed Harry. Hermione could tell from there, that whatever Snape was saying, it wasn't good because Hermione could see Harry getting angry. Things seemed to be getting nasty when Karkaroff knocked and entered the dungeon.
'Curious' Hermione thought 'Why's he here?' Hermione finished her potion while watching Karkaroff and Snape out of the corner of her eye as they stood near Harry in a bit of an argument. Hermione had no idea what was going on, but little did she know that what they were talking about and the thing that Karkaroff was trying to show Snape would affect her later down the road in a very big way.
The next day, Hermione, Ron, and Harry went into Hogsmeade and to the stile at the end of the road at two o'clock just like they were directed, and sure enough, the met up with Sirius in his dog form. He led them to a cave where he sat eating and talking with them.
They learned many things while they were there. Like Barty Crouch, Jr. was a Death Eater, why Sirius returned, that strange things were happening, and little tidbits like that. Once they had finished talking, they realized that it was in fact time for them to go and the returned up to the castle for dinner.
Hermione was on her way up to Gryffindor Tower with Harry and Ron after dinner, when Viktor stopped her and pulled her just outside the castle for a private talk. She wasn't quite sure what he wanted, but she told Ron and Harry that she would catch up with them, for them to go on without her.
"What is it, Viktor?"
"Herm-own-ninny, are you dating Harry Potter?"
"What!" Hermione was in complete shock. "You don't honestly believe that article by that awful woman, Rita Skeeter, do you?"
"No, I don't, but I'm not sure. You and him seem very involved and I vas vondering if you vere more interested in him than in me," Viktor explained.
"Never, Viktor. Harry is just my friend... I help him from time to time and that's all there is to it. Harry's like a brother to me, in fact," Hermione half laughed. The thought of this conversation seemed so stupid to her, but something didn't seem to set right with Viktor, especially when she laughed.
"I'm not laughing, Herm-own-ninny. I really feel for you... I don't vant to haff to vorry if you are vith Potter," Viktor said seriously. Hermione felt that he was a little too serious in fact, and she didn't like it one bit.
"Listen, I've done told you that Harry and I are just friends and for that matter, so are you and I." Viktor opened his mouth to protest at this, but Hermione cut him off. "I don't want to hear anymore about it, Viktor. This is ridiculous, and if you don't mind, I'm going upstairs to my common room to read a book. Now, if you'll excuse me."
With that, Hermione turned her back on him and walked away into the castle. She stocked the whole way up to the tower and wasn't at all happy until she sat down in a large, comfy armchair in the common room. She had no sooner sat down and gotten comfortable when people began to ask her questions.
"Hey, Hermione, what did Krum want?"
"None of your business, Ron," Hermione replied without even looking up at him. She began to read the book that Cedric had gotten her for Christmas, and she was once again interrupted.
"Hermione!"
"Hermione!" Hermione looked up to see Parvati and Lavender coming across the common room toward her. "Tell Lavender that this is my skir-"
"Well, tell her that this is my bracelet," Lavender barked.
"I don't care whose things they are, I'm not either of your mothers – thank Merlin – and I'm sick of settling stupid, petty fights like this between you two," Hermione hissed as she closed her book and shot out of her chair.
"Well," Parvati grumbled as she looked completely scandalized and turned on her heel to stock off to the girls' dorm.
"Harry, let me borrow your Invisibility Cloak," Hermione demanded firmly as she walked over to where Harry was playing Wizard's Chess with Ron.
"Where are you going?"
"Somewhere where I can read in peace," Hermione yelled over her shoulder to Ron as Harry she followed Harry to the boys' dorm stairs to get the cloak.
"Here you go, Hermione," Harry said a few minutes later as he descended the stairs and handed her the cloak. She walked to the portrait hole and threw the cloak on before going out, book tucked under her arm and her wand clutched tight in her hand.
Hermione made her way down the corridor, not real sure where she would go when an idea struck her. She would go to the Astronomy Tower. Hardly anyone ever went there, and it was quite, high above the noise of the school, not to mention the peaceful breeze of the night.
She hurried along the corridor to the tower and up into the upper most room, just short of going out onto the roof. She sat down against the wall, took off the cloak, lit the end of her wand, and began to read. She wasn't sure how long she had been reading, but she was one chapter four when she heard footsteps on the Astronomy Tower stairs.
She panicked and put out her wand as she threw the cloak over her and waited to see who was there. She hoped that they wouldn't walk over toward her and trip on her, then she would be in big trouble, but she relaxed a little when she saw who it was.
A wand light appeared and the person holding the wand was lit faintly by its light. It was Cedric. He seemed troubled and the look on his face was anything but happy. Hermione contemplated staying hid, and she thought that if she were in his position, she wouldn't want anyone sitting there secretly listening and watching her. So, she quietly removed the cloak, put away her wand, laid the book on the floor, and stood up.
"Hello, Cedric," Hermione greeted softly from across the room. Cedric jumped at the sound of her voice and threw his wand light onto her. She shielded her eyes from the light as he squinted at her to see who it was.
"Hermione?"
"Yes, it's me," she laughed.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'd be more than happy to tell you if you would lower your wand, sir," she joked.
"Oh, yeah, sorry about that," Cedric apologized as he lower the lighted tip of his wand and Hermione straightened up. She crossed the room and sat down on the floor where her book and cloak were and looked up to Cedric who sat down next to her.
"I'm here for the simple fact that it's the quietest part of the castle and I was quite interested in this wonderful book," she explained sheepishly as she held the book up.
"That's the one that I got you for Christmas," Cedric laughed. "So, do you really like it?"
"I love it... the perfect fairy tale romance with a magical twist," Hermione sighed dreamily. "Now, if only guys like that truly existed," she added with a giggle. Catching Cedric's amused eye, Hermione recomposed herself and looked at him seriously before continuing to speak. "So what about you, what are you doing here?"
"Cho and I had another row," Cedric admitted. "Ever since the second task, she's been more than grouchy and she always seems to pick a fight over the smallest thing."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Hermione lied. Really, she was hoping for a break-up between the two, no matter how wrong it was for her to wish this.
"I really should have saved you instead of her when we were at the bottom of the lake back in the second task," Cedric thought aloud.
"You didn't second think it then, don't second think saving your girlfriend now. She means more to you... you would miss her more than me if we were gone," Hermione assured him.
Cedric said nothing as he turned his head and looked at her reassuring smile. He loved her smile, even when it was at it's least, he loved it. That's when a little voice inside his head spoke up louder than any time it had before, even when it had told him to ask Cho out. 'Tell her about what you were thinking at the bottom of the lake... TELL HER YOU LIKE- NO LOVE HER!'
Cedric shook his head and looked away from her. This caused Hermione's smile to fade and her heart to sink a little. He wasn't looking at her any longer and she bit her bottom lip frantically as she searched for a way to ask what was wrong.
"You're wrong," he mumbled before she could say anything.
"What?"
"I did second think myself down there in the lake. I saw Cho first and I was going to take her, but then I saw whose shoulder her head was resting on and I didn't know what to do. I knew I couldn't take two hostages and I knew that if I took you then there would be trouble so I reluctantly took Cho," Cedric explained.
"Are- are you... serious?"
"Does it look like I'm lying?" For the first time within that moment, he looked back at her and it seemed to stop her breath at her throat. She shivered at the way his eyes seemed to search hers for something.
The air became tense and heavy with an unknown essence. Hermione shivered again and Cedric turned himself to face her. She didn't dare look away from her though her mind was wildly beating for a way out of this. 'This is wrong, this is wrong' her brain screamed, but for every shout that her brain made, her heart beat twice as fast and ten times louder than the shout.
"Cedric, I-," Hermione didn't know what to say. She what? Then she knew as she thought about it. She wanted to kiss him and at that moment, that unknown essence in the air became recognizable. It was a passionate hunger that only two people who were in love could share and make stir around them like Cedric and Hermione were at that point in time.
He leaned forward, neither daring to speak or look away from the other. His eyes left hers only for a moment as they traveled down her face to her lips. She realized then how dry her mouth was as she swallowed back all fear and leaned forward a bit while tilting her head slightly to the side.
She stopped as began to doubt herself, she had never kissed a guy before. Not even Viktor, this was her first. Then she realized that she wouldn't want her first to be any other way. Here she was in a quiet tower of her school, the only lights were from Cedric's forgotten wand, the moonlight that came in the window, and the distant flicker of the torches that lit up the stairs of the tower.
And what made it better was that it was Cedric. A knight in shining armor if ever there was one, a complete gentleman, or at least the best you could get. The dream guy of most ever girl in the school, and most of all, Hermione's own secret crush. If only she knew that he too had liked her like she liked him. At that very moment even, his thoughts were along the same lines as her own.
Cedric couldn't keep his heart from beating. It was pounding wildly, he could hear it in his ears and the world had seemed to come to a complete halt. There was no time, no other people but him and her, and nothing that could stop him. Not even if Cho came walking into the tower, he would just kiss Hermione in front of her. He had waited for this almost all year and it was finally here.
Both had been so wrapped up in their thoughts, that they hadn't realized just how close they were. Centimeters away, the breath of the other dancing upon each other's lips. At any second, their lips would touch and passion would explode around them. Closer even now, she could smell him, a sweet and intoxicating scent of a woody cinnamon mixed with a light pine needle fragrance that tingled her nose.
She smiled as she closed her eyes and breathed it in deep. This breath was her last as her own. His lips met hers in a gentle brushing touch that lasted only five seconds, but before they even got an inch apart, both were moving back in for another kiss. This time the kiss was deeper and lasted longer.
She parted her lips as they pulled away the second time and this left an opportunity for him to slide his tongue slowly into her mouth. She giggled inwardly as his tongue danced with her own in a circular tango before retreating back into his own mouth. Their lips parted for the third time and Hermione opened her eyes to see him staring at her lovingly with his deep ocean eyes.
He was totally enraptured by her. Her sweet vanilla sugar scent engulfed him and her velvet breath warmed his skin. Her lips had been so soft, like the finest silk or the newly bloomed petals of a pale pink rose. He smiled as she opened her eyes and he saw them sparkling happy in all their splendor. He loved her eyes when they glittered like that, it was like watching diamonds glitter in the dark walls of a mine shaft.
Neither dared speak even now. They just moved closer to each other, Cedric wrapping his arms around Hermione and Hermione resting her head on his slightly muscular shoulder. There had never been such bliss in their lives such as the one they were sharing now with the other. There couldn't be anything wrong with this feeling, it was too good, like it was meant to be.