There Is
Chapter Two: Resolve
"Mind if I join you?"
Hermione knew it was Cedric Diggory before looking, but was still slightly annoyed at being interrupted. But she decided not to show it as she didn't want Cedric to think badly of her,
"Of course not" she moved her books over to make room for him opposite her.
He sat down and started busying himself looking through his bag for something, Hermione took this time to study his profile (out of sheer curiosity) as most girls she knew had mentioned at some point just how attractive he was and it was common for arguments to break out over his best feature. Some argued his eyes, some his lips ("so kissable" Ginny had remarked) so Hermione wanted to form her own opinion.
She looked at his eyes first. They were a deep blue-grey, quite beautiful. Next she studied his lips, Ginny was right when she called them "kissable" they were full, but not too full and a nice pinkie-red colour.
Cedric looked up a bit too suddenly and Hermione ripped her eyes away and blushed red despite herself, she didn't want Cedric to think she was just another girl who fancied him rotten. Because she most certainly wasn't.
She continued to read her book, but Cedric's presence made her slightly uneasy. She never knew what to say to people she had only just met. A few years ago she never would have had this problem, she never got tongue tied and never ever worried about what kind of first impression she made.
This had changed, like a lot of things when she met Harry and Ron. She had realised the value of true friendship after their many adventures together. She had learned the importance of treating people well.
"What ya reading?" He asked curiously. Hermione was slightly baffled that the Quidditch captain, Prefect and all round most admired guy in Hogwarts would care what little Hermione Granger was reading in her spare time. That he was actually having a conversation with her!
"Oh" she managed to say, realising she hadn't said anything and there had been a good pause since he had asked, "something about house elves"
"House elves?" He seemed surprised, "you surprise me"
"Why?"
"I… I just didn't expect it. Why house elves?" He seemed genuinely curious, baffling Hermione more.
"Umm…" She couldn't actually think of a logical reason why, and she didn't fancy forcing her views on him when they'd only had one proper conversation. Cedric just looked at her, amused. Waiting for her to give a coherent answer.
"I'm reading a book on house elves because I don't agree with how there treated. There enslaved and treated like… Like animals! Like scum or something…" She felt a bit embarrassed and couldn't believe she had said it. She didn't want him to think she was some sort of weird girl who had nothing better to do. But to her surprise he actually smiled at her, warmly.
"I agree"
She was sceptical, was he making fun?
"You agree?" She questioned tentatively,
"Yeah… It's not exactly fair is it?"
She smiled. She couldn't help it. Cedric Diggory really was a charmer.
"Exactly! Don't you-" But she was interrupted by the arrival of the pretty Ravenclaw seeker, Cho Chang.
"Hi Cedric" she said breathily, ignoring Hermione entirely, "Have a nice summer?"
"Can't complain. You were at the World Cup weren't you?"
Hermione suddenly knew what it was like to be the third wheel. So deciding it was best to slip out unnoticed, she got up and left the library while Cedric and Cho were discussing Quidditch terms or something of the like.
"Hermione!" Someone called, she heard their footsteps quicken until they were right beside her.
"Hi Cho" she felt a little odd. Cho Chang had never said more than three words to her before, what could she possibly want now?
"Hey" she continued, smiling, "I just, thought I should ask… You don't like Cedric do you?"
"Like him?" She questioned, confused. She didn't even know him. She told Cho this.
"Oh.. Thanks Hermione" she skipped away. Leaving Hermione a bit confused.
It suddenly dawned on her. Cedric had seen her looking at him and had mentioned it to Cho. She bet they had been having a right laugh about it too! How could he be so full of himself! She made a mental note to stay away from Cedric from now on.
When she was back in the common room she made her way over to Ron, who asked as soon she sat down,
"You… You don't fancy helping us with these Potions essays do you?" He seemed rather nervous. She had completed hers while at the library.
Of course, she hadn't confided in Harry or Ron what happened at the library with Cedric or Cho. She didn't feel comfortable enough and didn't want to have to deal with Ron's remarks about her 'fancying' Cedric. Especially when she was so unsure of her feelings for Ron himself.
"I'm busy" she replied, twirling her wand in her fingers. She heard Ron grumble distinctly, but didn't feel bad.
"Busy! With what exactly, twirling your wand!" He challenged.
"Thinking"
Hermione heard Ron say something along the lines of "my arse" but didn't respond, she was in fact thinking. What if she took her house elf campaign further? Cedric seemed interested…And look who his father was? Amos Diggory was the main reason she became interested in the first place. Hermione found his treatment of Winky at the World Cup despicable.
"Look, if its that house elf thing again your better off leaving it alone!" Hermione jumped up in rage (which often happened when Ron said idiotic things)
"What is that supposed to mean!" She didn't understand why she let him get to her.
"They like it. They LIKE being enslaved!" He insisted. Hermione wouldn't have been surprised if he started throwing his toys out of a pram at that moment. Why did he always have to act this way?
"Well if you wont help, I'll do it myself!" She stomped up to her dormitory, and for the second time in two nights rudely said goodnight to Parvarti and Lavender and pulled the hanging shut around her bed. She lay in her bed for a few hours mulling things over and something Ron had said in first year came into her mind,
"No wonder she hasn't got any friends"
A tear rolled down her cheek. Maybe he was right, maybe the reason she only had two real friends was because of herself. She was the only one to blame.
After the eventful first couple of days back at Hogwarts, time moved pretty quickly for Hermione. Between working on her unnamed house elf project and homework she had little time for anything else. Before she knew it, it was mid October, with only a week until the foreign schools arrived.
Lavender and Parvarti (what with their increased giggling as of late) were obviously very excited by this.
"Think how many hot guys there will be! Especially from Durmstrang!" Lavender squealed
"Ooh I know!" Parvarti added, and they broke out in hysterical giggles.
"Come on Hermione, you must be a little excited!" Lavender practically screamed at her in the common room one night, she wasn't in the mood for this. She had too much homework to do and was putting the final touches to her house elf campaign.
"No, I'm not. And if you don't mind I have homework to do"
This set Lavender and Parvarti off again, and Hermione heard them throw the word "lesbian" around. Annoyed, she packed her things and headed for the library where she wouldn't be bothered by pointless chatter about people that weren't even here yet.
With relief, she put her heavy bag on her usual table in the library and started her work again, glad to finally have some peace.
During this time she finally came up with a name for her house elf campaign: S.P.E.W. Standing for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. Smiling to herself Hermione packed her books back into her bag.
"Fancy seeing you here" Hermione got the impression he must have been smirking.
"Cedric" she acknowledged, rather coolly, she hadn't yet gotten over his assumption that she must have some schoolgirl crush on him. And the humiliation of him probably having Cho ask her about it. Cedric seemed to notice her tone because all the playfulness evaporated from him demeanour.
"What's the problem?" He seemed concerned, but this didn't make Hermione think anymore of him,
"What problem?" She asked innocently,
"Your being a bit rude" he stated bluntly
"Rude!" She accused, slightly hysterical, "I'm being rude! You're the one who just assumed I must have some big crush on you! I bet you and Cho had a huge laugh about that!"
Hermione hated it when this happened. It seemed that whenever a male someone pissed her off, she would jump into this huge (rather unnecessary) defensive mode.
"You've got it all wrong"
"I have?" She said disbelievingly, "Is that so?"
"Yes" he was smiling now, "I know your probably not used to that, being so intelligent…" She couldn't help smiling, "but I didn't tell Cho anything. She just jumped to that conclusion when she saw us sitting together"
"Oh" Hermione started laughing nervously, "I guess I really just didn't think it through properly. I'm sorry, I've hated you for a month for no good reason"
"No hard feelings… Are you leaving?"
"Erm… Yeah, I'm finished"
"I'll see you around then, Hermione"
Feeling cheered up, Hermione left the library. When back in her dormitory, she was still smiling. She even felt that maybe her and Cedric could be good friends one day, if these library meetings kept up.