Hermione sat at breakfast the next morning, eagerly awaiting the post. She must have seemed more cheerful than usual, for Neville nudged her gently and asked what happened.
She brushed it off easily, saying, "Oh, I'm waiting for a letter from my parents. They might take me skiing this winter." This had the happy effect of confusing Neville, and Hermione spent the next few minutes explaining what skis were. By the time the owls flew in, she had almost forgotten her excitement.
The arrival of the owl post was always a messy affair. The sky, usually a sunny blue dotted with grays and whites, was flooded with owls of every color, and the occasional raven or eagle. Today, the Prophet owls were easily identifiable by their heavy loads: the Prophet was bigger than usual today, and it showed in each heavy flap of an owl's wings.
Hermione's Prophet landed in front of her, and she was treated to the sight of a very familiar article, combined with a rather slapdash picture of the champions.
Looking over her shoulder, Neville noticed the photo and exclaimed, "Look at this, Harry, you've gotten the front page!"
"Cor blimey, Harry, that's wicked – erm, I mean, bloody aweful!" Said Ron, who changed his tune quickly when he saw Harry's dark look.
"Why is it always me?" Harry whined, picking at his toast. Hermione privately thought he should be greatful that it wasn't solely his photo taking up the front page, but of course couldn't say anything at all.
"I hear you, mate," Neville said sadly. "You'd think there was more important news than a school tournament."
Hermione frowned, considering his words. "It is a bit dodgy, isn't it, publicizing these schoolchildren's lives like this? Before the age line existed – for all the good it did, clearly – they would've had champions potentially as young as eleven! That's far too young."
"D'you think I could make that argument to the Goblet of ruddy Fire?" said Harry. "This tournament is nothing but trouble. I don't know about you all, but I'm rooting for Cedric."
The students in the seats around them all reeled back in shock. They all understood that Harry didn't want to be in the tournament, but it was a different story altogether to actively root for another competitor. Hermione was proud of Harry; if he was to be believed, he had to make quite a strong statement against the whole situation. Otherwise public opinion, fickle as it was, would eventually turn against him.
"Just stay alive, Harry. We're your friends no matter what." Hermione said strongly. Around her, Ron, Neville, and even Ginny nodded.
"Yeah, mate, imagine if you just turned up and did nothing at each of the tasks? I bet the Marauders would be jealous – they've never pranked the entire world before !" Ron said, being surprisingly understanding.
Harry laughed heartily. "Yeah, I'm not a champion, I'm just a participant. They might reconsider this stupid game after that!"
Hermione leaned over, quickly casting a muffliato. "Harry, maybe you should talk to one of the Marauders." She spoke quietly. "You know, he may have some good ideas."
"I've got to wait for him to floo me, Hermione. Hedwig is too conspicuous. And he hasn't yet. He said he'd stay in Berlin after all, even though he wanted to follow me back here to keep an eye on me. He's such a worrier." Harry said, a glint in his eye. Hermione could tell just how much he loved his godfather: he loved having a parental figure, having someone to turn to when he was worried or upset, and most of all, having somewhere else to go than the Dursleys.
"Maybe you don't," Hermione said consideringly. "There's other manners of communication, you know." She was thinking of the two-way mirrors, and although she didn't want to give up her own contact with Sirius, she could see him wanting to talk to Harry without the threat of being caught in the Floo network.
"What d'you mean?" Harry cocked his head. "Besides the Floo?"
Hermione scoffed. "Of course, Harry. If you had to choose between communicating daily through a chimney or something like a mirror, which would you choose? Anyways, it's a Hogsmeade weekend! We can look through the shops, maybe we'll find something."
"Hermione, you're brilliant!" Harry said happily, and leaned over to give her a half-hug. She received it happily.
They did manage to find some two-way mirrors at Hogsmeade. They were a total of twelve galleons, which made Hermione flinch, but Harry paid it easily. The trio, plus Neville, who decided to tag along, had been wandering around the little town for an hour. Hermione was reveling in the peace of the day, and when Ron recommended the Three Broomsticks, she was all too happy to oblige.
As they walked in, Hermione noticed Ludo Bagman in the corner, talking to some goblins, as well as some professors gathering for a cuppa. Hagrid was among them, and he pulled Harry aside in a very unsubtle manner. Hermione remembered with a jolt that this was when Harry would learn about the dragons, and sadly prepared herself for the peace between them to shatter that evening.
In the meantime, however, Hermione was determined to enjoy her few minutes of peace.
"Oy, Ginny! Luna!" Yelled Ron across the pub. Ginny, Luna, and a third-year Hufflepuff had jsut walked into the pub, and everyone scooted to make room for them.
"Hello Hermione Granger," said Luna serenely. "It is very nice to see you again."
"It doesn't happen nearly often enough, Luna!" Hermione said, giving her a wide smile. "How're your housemates treating you?"
Luna replied evenly, "Oh, quite nicely. I haven't even lost anything this year, you know."
That caught the rest of the table's attention, and Ron asked through a sandwich, "What 'appened?"
"Some other students weren't appreciating Luna enough," said Hermione. "I convinced them that she was a very interesting person." With that, she returned to her own sandwich, clearly closing the conversation.
"Women," said Ron sagely, to Neville. "They get scarier as they get older, I tell you!"
Ginny slapped Ron's arm and rolled her eyes. "Oh shove off, Ron. You're just a wimp." Her statement was confirmed when Ron yelped at the impact. "Always has been, especially when you catch him around spiders," She said to her Hufflepuff friend, who grinned.
"Oi!" said Ron indignantly. "What is this, team up on Ron day?"
They all laughed, and Hermione let herself laugh along cheerfully. It was heartwarming to be around friends, and for the first time since she came back, Hermione thought she might just feel at home in this time period. All was right in the world, even if it was just this one moment. When Harry returned from his talk with Hagrid, he gave her a big grin and joined in their friendly bickering. It was about as good as life could be.
Like all things, unfortunately, the cheer didn't last. Harry left under his invisibility cloak that evening. Hermione and Ron waited for him in the common room, playing a game of Wizard's chess (which Ron was winning, aggravatingly).
He came back at almost midnight, after everyone else had wandered back to their dormitories. Hermione was reading a book, while Ron was playing another game of chess against the white pieces. "Blimey, mate. You look like you just ran a mile!"
Harry, panting, dropped into one of the cozy leather chairs. "I did. I just ran here from the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid showed me what the first task's gonna be. Merlin, I can't believe it." He said, breath finally starting to even out.
"What is it?" Hermione asked, pretending to be worried.
"Dragons." Said Harry simply. "The first task is Dragons."*
Ron summed it up the best: "Shite."
AN: Thanks for your support!
*I try my best to keep away from the exact wording of canon, both for the fact that I don't own them, and because it's rare for people to say the exact same thing in the exact same way every time. Here, though, I've lifted straight from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.