…Champions?...
We went back into the castle. Everyone settled down in the Great Hall. The feast was delicious. The cuisine included foods from Durmstrangs and Beauxbatons. We went up to bed after Dumbledore gave more information about the Tournament. The hall was filled, and students watched the Goblet of Fire with interest. Izzy, Luna, Ginny, and I watched as the Weasley twins and their friend Lee tried to put their names in the goblet.
We spent the day watching people putting their names in the goblet. We went into the Halloween feast. We waited patiently for the goblet to make its decision. The champions were decided, and everyone cheered. Dumbledore was asking everyone to support the champions as much as they could when the goblet spit out another name. It was Harry's.
The hall was deadly silent, and everyone peered at him. The erupted into whispers as Harry went join the others. Everyone went to back to their common rooms. Harry entered the common room to only face the cheers of the whole of Gryffindor. Despite his pleas of innocence and desperate attempts to get away everyone kept pestering him.
The next morning, we went down to breakfast. Ron apparently was no longer speaking to Harry. I saw Harry and Hermione pass by the hall and continue on their way. Ron was making vicious comments under his breath while tearing a piece of bread.
Classes went on and the other houses treated Harry with disdain. Ron continued keeping his distance from Harry. "Honestly, Ron's jealousy and Harry's lack of wanting to talk to Ron is getting on my nerves." Hermione gritted her teeth looking back and forth at the distance between the two.
The Slytherins had made anti Harry badges and selling them. I heard from others that Harry and Draco tried duel each other. Hermione had gone to the hospital wing to get her teeth fixed. An article by Rita Skeeter was published in the Daily Prophet. It was terrible and badly written. Things were getting worse as the first task neared.
We went to Hogsmeade before the first task. We saw Hermione, but it seemed as if she was talking to herself. We went and got some sweets and enjoyed some butterbeers.
…The First Task…
I felt very nervous as the first task approached. Izzy, Ginny, Luna, and I were walking around the halls. "Why are you so nervous? You're not even competing.", Luna said in her dream-like tone. "Harry's had to face difficulty after difficulty his whole life, and now this." my voice was very shaky. Realization washed over the others.
The day of the first task dawned. The tension was thick in the air and classes ended early. We made our way to enclosure for the first task. We watched in horror as the first three tackled their dragons. We watched as Harry came from the same place as the other champions. His Firebolt came to him. I watched him as he flew into the air around the dragon. He got the golden egg fairly easily. Everyone erupted into cheers. "You'd have to be insane to want to do that." Izzy said to us, but looked at Ron who went pink at her words. Hermione and Ron went off to visit Harry in the infirmary.
I felt relief wash over me when Harry reemerged. Harry got his score. Gryffindor cheered wildly. Hermione was back and wiping at tears. "They finally made up." she whispered to us. We breathed a collective sigh of relief and joined the rest of the school back up to the castle.
There was a party in the common room for Harry. After pestering from some Gryffindors Harry opened the egg and it screeched. He closed it. The party went on into the morning hours.
Classes went on and everyone was lively once more. I was reading in the library when Draco and his gang came by. "Shame Potter didn't die in that first task." he drawled. I roll my eyes. "Are you happy that he survived?" he asked. "Why, oh yes I am. The only thing I can't figure out is why a little ferret like you is in the library bothering me. I didn't know you or your friends could read." I sigh sadly. Draco went pink.
He'd begun to reach for his wand when Krum walked past followed by his fan club. Draco put his wand away and left with his friends. Blaise smirked at me as he followed the others. I nod at Krum, and he nods back. I keep on reading as he disappeared into another row of books.
Snow was falling, and I find myself longing for the spring air. We'd gotten news about the Yule Ball a while ago. Most everyone fourth year and higher were staying for Christmas. Both Izzy and I had been asked by two guys from Beauxbatons. Ginny was going with Neville.
We were walking through the halls when Ginny told us that Hermione had been asked by Krum. Mum sent our dress robes. Mine was golden yellow and Izzy's was silver. We went with Ginny to look at Hermione's dress robes. "Mione, it's gorgeous." I gasp taking in the floaty blue dress. "The only problem is my hair. I've already gotten my teeth fixed by Madam Pomfrey." Hermione complains. Izzy tsks impatiently. "You could have Char do your hair. You too Ginny." she states sitting on Hermione's bed. Hermione seems shocked, but I was peering at her hair already trying to figure out how to tame it.
…The Yule Ball…
We were on our way back from class when we heard the portrait open again. Ron had screamed at Fleur asking her to go to the ball. We had a hard time not laughing. Ron tried and failed to ask Hermione. That poor boy and his way with words.
On Christmas day, I wake to find Izzy and Ginny on my bed. "Merry Christmas!" they yell happily. I unbraided my hair and let my curls breathe a bit. We open our gifts and eat some snacks. Hermione came in and joined us.
We enjoyed the day and as the hours neared to the ball, we rushed upstairs to get ready. I began taming Hermione's hair. I did Izzy and Ginny's hair next. We dressed and went downstairs. Harry and Parvati's interaction was even more awkward than the sorting. I rushed back up to Hermione "Make sure you breathe. You look gorgeous.". I left and went to find my date.
We made our way downstairs. We found our dates and entered the Great Hall. Hermione looked lovely and held herself much differently. Ron was not happy and was growing ever sulkier. We sat and enjoyed the feast. I chatted with my date. We stood at the end of the feast. We watched as the champions and their dates dance. We joined the others after a bit.
I made a note to thank mum later for all my dance lessons. We danced and danced. He spun and spun me until I was giddy. Blaise cut in some time later. I danced with him for a bit. "Shame. You look very pretty tonight." he murmurs. He left and I danced with some other Gryffindors and Beauxbatons. I was just taking a small break when I see Ron and Hermione fighting.
I see Ginny dancing with Michael Corner. She caught my eye, and I wriggled my eyebrows. I danced with a Durmstrang boy who came up to me for quite a few songs.
It was a wild song, and everyone seemed to be huddled closer together. I danced in a circle with Hermione, Ginny, and Izzy for a song too.
I decided at some point in the night I had abandoned my shoes. I said good night to my date, and he kissed my cheek good night. I spun up the stairs with Ginny and Izzy. Neville laughed at us as we spun. In the common room Ron and Hermione were fighting. We stood to the side. We went up to the dorm when they cleared out. I fell asleep as soon as I hit my pillow.
…Confrontation…
Ron and Hermione had sort of made up, or so it seemed. Ginny often gazed at her dress robes remembering the ball. "Char, you danced with lots of people, didn't you?" she asks and I nod. "You should have seen mum and dad's letter when I told them about our night. I expect them to have lots of questions this summer." Izzy sighed. She'd danced with many different people that night too. "I saw you with Michael that night if my memory serves me right." I smirk in Ginny's direction. She blushes something fierce. Izzy and I laugh lightly.
Classes began again as second term started. I put my dress robe away carefully. The second task was still weeks away. We had a temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher. She was nice and all, but I missed Hagrid.
I was working on my music assignment in an empty classroom. I was translating some music sheets to English so they could be read. "Look who it is!" a familiar voice calls. I give an exasperated sigh. "Wow, you're not going to pay me any mind?" Blaise asks sitting in front of me. He gazes at me intently. "Do you need something?" I ask as I organized the finished papers. He tilts his head as if I am an unknown creature. "You never thanked me for the dance." he replies as I begin to pack my things. "Did I have to? I was having a grand time. Before you even ask, my date was very annoyed that you interrupted like that." I snap. "Your date was mad, eh?" he asks leaning back. I took a deep breath. "I just wanted a dance with you. Poor boy couldn't stand others dancing with you that entire night." Blaise mumbles.
I stand and walked to the door with my bag in hand. "Wait, where are you going?" he asks following me. "For your information, he wasn't mad at me for dancing with the others. We were talking about the holiday decorations at the different schools." I round on him. He steps towards me backing me into a wall. "Pardon me then." he mutters just loud enough for me to hear. He takes a calming breath and steps away. He was murmuring to himself and I took the chance to start walking away. He grabs my hand stopping me. "I apologize for my actions." he speaks firmly and gives me a light kiss on my forehead before rushing down the corridor.
I stood there to stunned to move. After 30 minutes, I rush to Gryffindor Tower. I burst into the common room ignoring the glances people gave me. I rushed through so fast that I didn't see Fred and George jump out of my way or Izzy and Ginny waving at me. I throw my things at the foot of my bed and flopped onto my bed. I covered my face with a pillow and scream into it.
