I hope you guys enjoy this one, because it may be the only update for a couple weeks. I just graduated and will be starting a job in a couple days, and I'll be working fifty+ hours a week, which means I'll have very little time to work on this. I'll keep going with it, don't worry about that, I don't plan on abandoning this - it's my baby, after all. Just don't expect updates to be all that frequent, and for that, I apologize.

Dear Mum and Dad,

I realize that I haven't written to you since October, but I promise that this letter will make it all up to you. A lot has happened since my last letter, but I think it would be best if I kept this one a bit short and to the point. Merlin knows I won't though.

This year, Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard Tournament. This tournament is a magical contest between the three largest wizarding schools in Europe: Hogwarts, of course, Durmstrang Institute, and Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and each school is represented by one person called a Champion. Usually anyone of any age is allowed to enter, but the headmasters of each school decided that an age limit would be best, so anyone seventeen or older could enter their name. Durmstrang and Beauxbatons each brought about twelve students and they're all staying somewhere on the Hogwarts grounds.

Viktor Krum is the Durmstrang champion, but he's also a famous Quidditch player on the Bulgarian national team and Ron's role model – Ron would snog Krum if ever given the opportunity! Cedric Diggory from Hufflepuff was chosen for Hogwarts, and the 'Puffs are quite proud that their house is finally getting some recognition. And get this: Fleur Delacour is the Beauxbatons champion! I never imagined that I would ever see her again, but she'll be here until the end of June! On the dire side of things, Harry was drawn as the fourth champion, which has never happened in the history of the tournament before – it's called the Triwizard tournament after all. Ron acted like a bit of a prat about it for a while, but he's over it now for the most part. I'm helping Harry however I can, and I can just feel that he'll do just as well as the other Champions.

Since I know you'll ask about her in your next letter, yes, Fleur and I have been spending some time together. She's even taller than she was nearly two years ago. She should be about your height now, Mum. Fleur gets along great with Ginny and I couldn't be any happier about that. Sometimes they study together in the library – Ginny helps Fleur with English words she doesn't know and Fleur helps her with some more complex spells – or occasionally brave the cold December winds and go for walks across the grounds together. I've also met Fleur's friend, Clara Rousseau, who never wears her hair out of a braid and could talk for hours about anything, but she's really nice. Ginny gets along with her really well too, but Ron turns an awfully dark shade of purple whenever either one of them is within ten feet of him.

I hope the dentistry practice is going well. Has Dad been bitten yet since I've been gone? He's always been the one that the kids like to bite. I would say that I would see you soon for Christmas break in a week and a half, but the Tournament includes a Yule Ball that I'll be attending. I asked Fleur to be my date a couple days ago and she said yes. I'll be sure to send you guys an extra gift as an apology for not being able to spend this time of the year with you.

Happy Holidays

Love,

Hermione

Hermione double checked her letter to make sure that she had crossed every t and dotted every i. Once that was complete, she carefully blew on it to dry the ink before rolling it up and tying it up with a length of twine (her parents loved receiving "scrolls" from the owls that Hermione sent. She didn't understand why considering the fact that she was a witch, not a withered old scholar. But Hermione didn't fight it – she rarely saw her parents anymore, so any way that she could make them happy, she would do it).

A glance at her muggle watch confirmed that lunch was nearly over. She didn't have enough time to run across the castle to the owlery, but she did have a free period after Transfiguration. She would send her letter off then.

Hermione put the stopper in her inkwell and placed it within a pocket of her bag, along with her quill. The letter followed into the same pocket. She checked her watch again. Five more minutes until lunch was over. Her stomach growled. Maybe she would stop by the kitchen for something light before she would make the trek to the owlery. She stood and slung her bag over her shoulder before walking across the common room to the portrait hole. She reached out to push open the Fat Lady's portrait when it suddenly yanked open from the other side and a head full of bright red hair popped into her vision.

"There you are!" Ginny exclaimed. "I've been looking everywhere for you! Why have you been holed up in here?"

"I was writing a letter to my parents," Hermione answered.

"Well, you missed lunch, so I brought you a turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato. I figured it was better than nothing," Ginny said, holding the sandwich out to Hermione.

Hermione smiled, touched by the simple gesture from her redheaded friend. She imagined that Ron or Harry wouldn't have bothered and just assumed that she skipped on purpose. "Thanks, Gin. Come walk with me?" The two easily fell into step, with Hermione attempting to eat her sandwich as fast as possible, but with dignity.

"So," Ginny started, a mischievous grin already forming. "A little birdie told me that you have a date this weekend."

"The Fat Lady was gossiping again, wasn't she?" Hermione guessed.

"Well what else do you expect her to do? She's cooped up in that frame all the time with nothing to do but drink and gossip."

Hermione shrugged. "But yeah, I do have a date. With Fleur." She smiled at the thought of her not-quite-girlfriend.

"No, I thought it was with Malfoy," Ginny said, sarcasm nearly dripping from every word. She elbowed Hermione. "Anyhow, while you've been off with your little French girlie, I've snagged myself a date to the ball."

"Oh really? And who's the poor soul?"

Ginny barked out a laugh. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, 'Mione. It's Neville, and he asked me, so don't be throwin' him a pity party just yet. Wait 'til I've flattened his toes for that."

"Oh, be quiet," Hermione hissed as she fought off her own laugh. "Get to class and learn something."

Ginny walked ahead of Hermione and turned until she was walking backwards. She held her arms out in indignation. "It's History of Magic, sweet cheeks. I'm not going to learn a whole lot with Binns."

"At least take some notes," Hermione insisted, choosing to ignore the nickname just this once.

"We'll see how I'm feeling."

"To those of you that recall, I had instructed you to transfigure a teapot into a tortoise last year." McGonagall stood tall and proud at the front of the classroom. Her emerald robes looked as elegant as ever but she had ditched the pointed hat today, choosing instead to showcase the tight bun she normally put her hair in. A cage full of tittering hedgehogs was placed on her desk behind her. "Today, you will be expected to transfigure a hedgehog into a pincushion – the opposite of what you have completed before." She gestured to the chalkboard behind her and a series of complex symbols and shapes appeared, followed by the customary groans from all the students. "These are the notes over the theory of this spell – be sure to copy them down. The incantation is rursus verto. Repeat it now, chop chop."

"Rursus verto," everyone chanted back.

With that being done, Professor McGonagall waved her hand once more and the hedgehogs from within the cage zoomed around the room until each student had one. Ron's hedgehog immediately tried to scurry away but skidded to a stop at the edge of his desk, seeming to value its life more than escape. Harry's hedgehog had no problem with jumping off the desk, and it was Harry's Quidditch reflexes that helped him catch the tiny animal before it hit the floor. Ron quickly built a sort of fort with his book and various objects from within his bag so it wouldn't try to escape again. Instead of dealing with the hassle of building a makeshift pen, Hermione quickly said "Immobulus!" to freeze her hedgehog in place.

"Good thinking, 'Mione," Harry said as he copied her. His hedgehog started to squeak in fright. "Bloody animal… Silencio!"

Hermione turned to watch Ron's first attempt at transfiguring the hedgehog into a pincushion. He swung his arm out wide and made a couple circles with the tip of his wand before saying the incantation. When he noticed that nothing happened, he tapped the animal on the head a couple times, and then poked it with his finger. It fell over from his jab and then scurried away. Harry snorted.

"Honestly, Ronald, you don't need to brandish your wand like such a prat. You're going to take someone's eye out," Hermione scolded. "Just point your wand at the hedgehog, say the incantation, and gently tap it on the head." She decided to demonstrate for him. She pointed her wand at her frozen target, said "Rursus verto!" and tapped it on the head. The edges of the hedgehog blurred and then with a soft pop, it turned into a pincushion.

"Well done, Miss Granger!" McGonagall said from across the classroom. "And on the first try, too! Twenty points to Gryffindor."

Ron turned back to his hedgehog with a determined look in his eyes. He pointed his wand at his hedgehog, chanted "Rursus verto!" and tapped it on the head with the tip of his wand. The hedgehog squeaked once before it turned into a pincushion with a pop.

"Nice job, mate!" Harry said as he elbowed Ron in congratulations.

Suddenly, the three friends heard snickering and chortling from the Slytherin side of the room. Malfoy had a hold of his hedgehog by one of its hind legs and was swinging it to and fro as Pansy jabbed at it with her wand. A faint yellow spell shot out and hit the hedgehog, causing it to suddenly swell and balloon, much like what happened to Harry's aunt Marge last year. Malfoy poked it this time and it deflated, though he jabbed it again and its head shrank down, making it look rather ridiculous. The cries of the poor animal must've reached McGonagall because she whirled around from Neville's desk, lips pursed into a thin line.

"Mr. Malfoy! Miss Parkinson!" McGonagall barked, her eyes drilling holes into the two of them. The two of them flinched back, Malfoy dropping the hedgehog in the process. McGonagall summoned the hedgehog to her before it could hit the ground and she cancelled any enchantments that had been put on it before stalking closer to the Slytherin duo.

"Malfoy is really gonna get it now," Ron muttered gleefully.

Hermione shivered. "You can feel the magic pouring off of Professor McGonagall," she said reverently. The air around McGonagall shimmered with the magic she was exuding in her anger and her hair was starting to fall out of its bun.

"The two of you are supposed to be learning the powerful art of transfiguration," McGonagall said through gritted teeth, barely managing to restrain herself, "not torturing the animals that I give you to practice on. The next time that you don't take my class seriously, will be the last time. Do I make myself clear?" The two paled and nodded their heads. "Good. Now, I will be taking fifteen points from the both of you, and you can both serve a detention with me tonight after dinner." She then turned and started back toward her desk.

"Just wait until my father hears about this," Malfoy muttered to his friends, though not quietly enough because McGonagall whirled back around with fire in her eyes.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, do try to explain the circumstances regarding your punishment to your father. I can't imagine he'll be pleased to hear that you've tortured an animal and disrespected your professor, and not to mention went running back to your father to complain of the punishment you've received for doing so. Fifty more points will be taken from Slytherin and you'll now have a whole week's worth of detentions with me," McGonagall snapped.

The Gryffindor side burst out in cheers, applause, and laughter at the look on Malfoy's face. Ron blew a loud whistle and gave Harry a high five before leaning over and ruffling Hermione's hair. She halfheartedly swatted at his hand, but she was far too pleased with McGonagall to care.

"Alright, settle down," McGonagall said, but the small smile on her face betrayed her words. "Get back to practicing."

It took a few minutes for everyone to properly settle down, but by the end of the class period, every Gryffindor had been able to transfigure their hedgehog into a pincushion, while only a third of the Slytherins managed it. Hermione, Ron, and Harry left class laughing, still imagining the look on Malfoy's face once McGonagall chastised him and his father.

"I'd say that was our most successful Transfiguration lesson yet," Ron commented. He was awfully proud that he managed to transfigure the hedgehog after just two tries.

Harry laughed. "This was the first time that you actually managed to transfigure something while in the classroom."

Ron shoved Harry. "Shove it, you tosser," Ron grumbled. Harry continued to laugh at his friend's expense. "Well, at least I've managed to ask someone to the Yule Ball!"

"You seem to have forgotten that I asked Cho last week," Harry shot back. "Besides, she said no to you, so I wouldn't necessarily be bragging about that."

"Who did you ask, Ron?" Hermione asked. This was news to her – she didn't even know that he had asked anyone.

His ears turned red. "Fleur's friend," he said quietly, his blush spreading to his face now. "The one with the braid that Ginny likes to hang out with."

"Clara? You asked Clara to the ball?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I had originally planned on asking Fleur, but then you beat me to it – congrats by the way, very nice catch – and I also find Clara really attractive but I guess I could settle for Susan Bones or someone," Ron rambled sheepishly.

Hermione smiled smugly. "So you approve of Fleur?"

"Well, yeah," Ron said as if it were obvious. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Just making sure you're not too jealous that I beat you to it," Hermione joked.

"I'm sure that Fleur likes you more than Ron anyway," Harry said, earning himself a glare from Ron. "Don't give me that look. You've seen how Fleur is always touching her. You may be a wanker sometimes but you're not blind."

"I am not a wanker!"

"Yes you are. A bloody thickheaded wanker."

"Hey!"

Hermione listened to the two boys argue with a content smile. She didn't even mind that Ron wanted to ask Fleur to the ball because she knew that he had literally zero chance and she may have just saved him from a humiliating experience. But the best thing about it was that her friends didn't care that she and Fleur were basically a Thing™ – they took it in stride and had no expectations for her. Everything was nice and simple.

"Hermione, I'm not actually a wanker, am I?" Ron asked, drawing her attention back to the present.

"You're a bit of a wanker, actually," she responded. Harry cackled madly as Ron sputtered in protest.

She smiled. Everything was great.