WHAT IF

Chapter 10 - The Conclusion

For the next hour, Hermione busied herself with helping Mr Weasley and Harry building up the tents muggle-style. It was a hassle but in the end, the happy look of content on Mr Weasley's face was worth it. Plus, the insides of the tents was absolutely fascinating. Hermione hadn't known that magic could be used to extend space in such a way.

Afterwards, Hermione, Harry and Ron were sent to fetch up water and they used the time to stroll through the camp. Everything at the camp was simply extraordinary. There were tents in all shapes and sizes and with a lot of magical extras. Ministry workers were running like chickens between the countless tents and tried to prevent the magical community from showing magic too much.

On their way, the three of them met Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas, who were right in the middle of the Irish camp, which was grown over by green clovers. The two of them and Seamus' mother were already in full Quidditch mood.

Curiously Hermione followed Harry and Ron to the Bulgarian Camp to see how they had decorated. Instead of something that represented the country all the fans had decorated their tents with hundreds of pictures of Viktor Krum.

"He looks quite grumpy, doesn't he?" Hermione said as she inspected the posters. She only knew sports pictures of Muggle sports and there the stars at least tried to smile. Viktor Krum, who was a genius according to Ron, looked like he hated being photographed. Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron tried to further explain to her why and how Krum was the best and youngest and blah blah blah…

Hermione opted for ignoring Ron and Harry's Quidditch talks and rather enjoyed watching the witches and wizards around her. Especially the little children, who grew up with magic like it was the most normal thing in the world, amazed her. Hermione loved her parents but in moments like these, she felt like she had missed out on something. She had missed out on years and years of being surrounded by magic and now she had to learn as fast as she could to make up for this missing time.

On their way back the three of them met even more Hogwarts students, like Ernie Macmillan, and Oliver Wood, who was talking nonstop about his new career as a reserve player for Puddlemore United.

The most interesting occurrence was Cho Chang, who smiled and waved at Harry from a distance, which led to Harry spilling water all over himself when he tried to wave back. While Ron snickered at their friend's misery, Hermione studied Harry carefully.

He was blushing furiously and Hermione realised that maybe Ginny had to give up on Harry sooner than Hermione had thought. Till now Ginny and Hermione had speculated that Harry simply didn't notice girls in a romantic way because he was too busy with surviving the school year. But that theory was now clearly off the table because Harry not only noticed Cho Chang. He obviously liked her.

"You've been ages," said George when they finally came back.

"Met a few people," Ron said and put down the water. "You not got that fire started yet?" Ron and Harry sat down beside George and Hermione realised that the only available place to sit now was beside Fred.

"Dad's having fun with the matches," said Fred nodding towards his father. Quickly Hermione made her way to Mr Weasley and offered to show him how to use the matches correctly. She was glad for the opportunity because when she came back Bill, Charlie and Percy had arrived and all seats were taken. Hermione squeezed herself in between Ginny and Ron and carefully avoided looking at Fred.

The rest of the day was spent on cooking lunch, watching wizards and witches and talking to some of Mr Weasley's co-workers. Ludo Bagman and Mr Crouch were interesting, but Bagman was clearly a walking and talking surprise. Not only did he offer bets to everyone, but he also took Fred and George's money, something Hermione found highly immoral.

Right before the game started, they all went down to the souvenir stands. Harry and Ron were on cloud nine with all the souvenirs and little magical gadgets. Meanwhile, Hermione went and got them all some programs, including the twins as she belatedly realised.

"Here, give them to Fred and George." She pushed two programs into Ginny's hands and quickly walked off to Bill and Charlie in hope that it would look like she was only effectively giving out the programs to everyone and not avoiding Fred.

After a small and unpleasant encounter with the Malfoy family, which left Hermione with the distinct feeling of being looked down, the program finally started.

The first thing was the mascots and when the Bulgarian Veela stormed the stadium Hermione forgot to breathe for a second. The Veela were beautiful and enthralling but they also awoke a feeling of being inferior in Hermione. Suddenly all her new fears about her body were pushed to the surface. She felt small and almost invisible in the presence of those beautiful creatures.

With all her strength Hermione averted her eyes and looked around to see how the others were reacting. For some reason, Harry and Ron were close to jumping down to the pitch and both mumbled something about how they were the most splendid man around.

With a tutting noise, Hermione and Ginny pulled them down while Mr Weasley explained how men were influenced by the Veela with the wish to impress them. The older Weasley boys like Bill, Charlie and Percy weren't influenced at all and laughed at Fred and George, who were bragging to each other about how they were each the better-looking twin. Hermione wasn't sure why but she was actually disappointed that the twins reacted to the Veela.

When the Quidditch game finally started it was clear from the first second that it would be a hard and fast game. The players were flying in crazy formations and with incredible speed and Hermione was glad for the Omnioculars from Harry, which made it easier to follow the game.

As the game went on even Hermione could say that it was a good game. The players were fantastic and even Hermione became so invested that she screamed, when she thought that the two seekers Krum and Lynch were going to crash. But in the last second Krum turned up, while Lynch crashed into the ground on high speed. Charlie explained with a soothing voice that it had only been a feint and that Lynch would be up soon when Ginny and Hermione squeaked in surprise.

With every passing minute, the game became dirtier and it finally showed its most ugly side when the Irish Leprechauns taunted the Veela after a foul. The beautiful Veela suddenly turned into bird-like creatures and started to throw fire towards the little green men.

"And that, boys, is why you should never go for looks alone." Mr Weasley shouted and Hermione recognizes with a satisfied smirk that Ron and Harry looked like someone had slapped them. Bill and Charlie were laughing loudly, while Percy frowned at the scene in the pitch. Fred and George instead snickered about something.

Never go for looks alone, I wonder if it's the case with… Hermione thought as she watched how Fred grinned at his twin brother. Quickly she shook her head and turned her gaze back to the pitch.

She was just in time to see how a bludger crashed into Viktor Krum's face with full force and how blood streamed out of his nose. Hermione winced as she saw the injuries. That was the reason why she didn't like Quidditch much. Sure, there were plenty of dangerous muggle sports but at least you could only be injured by a real human being and it was almost always considered a foul.

Suddenly the whole crowd began to scream and cheer when Lynch, the Irish Seeker, started to race off, Krum only a second behind him. They had seen the snitch and were racing with almost no space between them to get it. Krum was finally the one who won the race when he caught the golden ball, but ultimately he lost the game.

"It was quite brave, wasn't it? Catching the snitch with such an injury and ending the game on his own terms." Hermione thought loudly. For someone, so grumpy looking Krum had made a big impression on her.

"It was, Granger." The twins jumped the stairs down beside Hermione.

"And it also won us a bet so-" George slung one arm around Hermione back as Fred covered her shoulders with his from the other side.

"-from now on Viktor Krum is our favourite person in the world." A prickling feeling ran over Hermione's shoulders. It felt like a thousand ants were running over her bare skin but that made no sense. She looked up and realised that it only felt that way where Fred was touching her. George didn't make her react in any way.

Odd, they're twins, that doesn't make any sense, she thought. And this thought didn't leave her for the rest of the evening. Even in bed later Hermione couldn't let go of this idea and it made it impossible for her to fall asleep. And so, she was one of the first ones to hear the riot when it started.

"Ginny," she whispered. "Wake up, I think something is happening and I don't know if it's something good." Sleepily Ginny searched for a pullover and when the two of them came out of their tent the rest of their group was already outside.

"Hide in the woods while we help the ministry workers." Mr Weasley screamed as he followed his three eldest sons, who were already ahead.

The run to the woods was pure chaos. Everywhere were screaming wizards and witches, children and then came the ones with the masks, who were levitating the muggle family through the air. Hermione almost puked.

That could be her parents up there! Her grandparents or aunts and uncles. Her little cousins, still elementary school kids. And it could be her! Those death eaters probably regarded her also as a muggle, she realised when Draco Malfoy stepped out of the woods and taunted them.

Hermione was only an inch away from slapping him again but they had lost Fred, George and Ginny already and if they didn't run along now they had no chance of finding them again. So, she suppressed her anger and pulled Ron with her. Her heart was beating like a drum. Was she really in more danger that all the others around her?

When Hermione, Harry and Ron finally came back to the tent with Mr Weasley everyone else was already there. Bill, Charlie and Percy seemed quite roughed up from the fights while Ginny and the twins were mainly confused.

Hermione left it to Harry and Mr Weasley to report the happenings from the night while she herself boiled with rage.

She hated how Winky had been treated! Why had no one realised that the little elf too was a being with feelings and a sense of survival? A being that had needs and rights and shouldn't be treated like something lesser than wizards and witches! The treatment of Winky reminded Hermione awfully of the way some magical folks thought about muggles and this evening had shown that those thoughts were still very alive. And it awoke the wish in Hermione to do something in order to change the situation.

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The next morning their little group woke up again at dawn and hurried to get the next portkey to the Burrow. There Mrs Weasley was already anxiously waiting for them to come home and burst into tears as soon as she saw her children alive and well. With a warm feeling in her chest, Hermione watched how Mrs Weasley hugged Fred and George and apologized again and again for yelling at them.

Hermione was just about to go to Ginny's room in order to take a nap when Harry pulled her and Ron with him. In detail, he described how his scar had hurt a few days ago and that he had already written Sirius about it. Hermione was both pleased with Harry's responsible approach of telling a grown-up and nervous because of it happening it all. Harry's scar hurting and the attack of the Death Eaters a few days later hardly could be a coincidence.

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"They won't let me play," Ginny grumbled as she sat down beside Hermione.

Half an hour ago all the boys in the house - minus Percy of course - had decided to play a round of Quidditch in the afternoon. From one minute to the other an excited brimming had gone through the house and Hermione had fled the scene.

Equipped with one of her new schoolbooks, a soft blanket and her sunglasses she had made herself comfortable under one of the big trees near the 'pitch' at the Burrow. Mrs Weasley had kindly brought her a few bottles of ice-cold butterbeer - charmed to stay that way - and a plate full of cookies.

"Bloody gits," Ginny cursed, while she nibbled on a cookie. "I knew Ron wouldn't let me play, but the others…" With a dark expression on her face, the redhead watched how her brothers and Harry made their way out of the house. Each had a broom with them and they were laughing about something.

"Why won't they?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Ron says I can't keep up with them. Bill and Charlie don't want me to get hurt and the twins just laughed. Harry was the only one who didn't vote against me." A small smile appeared at the last part. "They all believe I can't fly well enough. But the joke is on them!"

Hermione laughed as she saw the determined face of her friend.

"Planning a vendetta?" She joked.

"Nah, I will take revenge the same way as I did in the last years. By stealing their brooms at night and flying on my own." Ginny winked and both laughed as the boys mounted their brooms.

Harry, Fred and Bill were playing in one team against Charlie, George and Ron, so that both teams had two Quidditch players from the house team and one rookie. But still, Hermione could see that both Ron and Bill were good flyers and played quite well. They were also both playing as keepers, while Fred, Harry, George and Charlie were playing as chasers. Apparently, they were playing without the snitch and the bludgers.

For a while, Hermione was reading peacefully on her blanket while Ginny watched the game and occasionally cursed her older brothers. But then the redhead let out a loud sigh and Hermione looked up.

"Sorry, I didn't want to disturb you." Ginny's face was beet red but Hermione realised it wasn't because of her but because of Harry. Hermione grinned.

"A bit distracted, aren't you?"

"That's an understatement." Ginny sighed again.

"I know I'm stupid. I know Harry isn't really interested in me that way, or in girls in general." Hermione bit her tongue as she thought back about Harry's reaction to Cho Chang. She didn't want to hurt her friend about something she wasn't even sure herself. Maybe Hermione was wrong about Cho after all.

"You know, he seems so happy and free when he's playing Quidditch. Like he is on his own little world, away from everything." Ginny sighed - again - but Hermione was too distracted to answer.

She watched how Fred outsmarted Ron and got the Quaffle right through one of the rings. Ron was cursing loudly - something Hermione couldn't understand but she thought it was bloody git - while Fred just laughed so hard that he almost fell off his broom.

As Hermione watched how Fred grinned and flew a victory round through the pitch her heart started to beat much faster and harder than normal. A warm feeling spread through her chest.

"Ginny, can I ask you a question?" Hermione said, a bit distracted by the ongoing game.

"Sure."

"How do you know you're really in love with Harry? I mean, how do you know it's not just a crush or you idolising him?" There was a moment of silence and Hermione feared that her question was too much and that she had hurt her friend. But then Ginny answered thoughtfully.

"You know, I thought about that quite often during the last year. After Harry rescued me in the Chamber of Secrets my feelings for him became much stronger. Back then I actually hoped that it was just a crush, just me idolising him. That would have made everything so much easier." There was a pause while Ginny searched for the right words.

"I can't help it. I just like him. Whenever Harry is around I just feel… I feel so excited and shy at the same time. There is this tingle in my heart and my stomach flips whenever he talks to me. I can't explain it, it's just… it's just happening and there is nothing I can do."

A sudden realisation hit Hermione as she remembered how she felt around Fred in the last weeks, maybe even in the last months. She couldn't pinpoint the exact moment but Hermione realised that somehow her feelings towards Fred had changed a while ago.

She was in love with him. She was in love with Fred Weasley, her best friend's older brother.

Well, shit…

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Hermione spent the last evening at the Burrow sitting in the living room with everyone else but hiding behind a book. She pretended to read her new spells book but in reality, she was observing the room closely. Ginny was repairing her school books with the help of Charlie while Ron played an intense game of chess against Bill. Mrs Weasley and Percy were deep into a conversation about the ministry. Mr Weasley was still at work.

The twins were plotting something in a corner of the living room. In the last days Hermione had thought about how she wanted to deal with Fred but till now she hadn't come to a conclusion. She just tried to behave as normal as possible so that no one would become suspicious of her.

"Hermione, why are there dress robes for you?" Ginny asked as the girls came to their shared room. Surprised Hermione looked at the wardrobe, where the dress robes were hanging. There were obviously for her since they were not Ginny's size.

They were made of a floaty, silky material and had a nice periwinkle blue colour. Hermione found them wonderful but was still confused. Why would she need dress robes?

"Wait a moment," she searched for the Hogwarts shopping list. And there it was. Dress robes for all students in the fourth year and above.

"What? Why only fourth years and above? That's not fair." Ginny huffed and flopped down in her bed. Hermione meanwhile inspected her dress robes closer. There was a small notice attached to it.

Hermione darling, I hope you don't mind but Mrs Weasley contacted me when the letter with the shopping list arrived. She thought it was a good idea to choose your dress robes together. I had a lot of fun and I hope you like the dress. I think you will have a lot of fun with it. Mrs Weasley told me a bit of what will happen this year. It sounds really exciting. Love, Mum.

"Oh, that's not fair." Hermione frowned. "My Mum knows what's going on…" Hermione showed Ginny the letter and they started to speculate about it till Mrs Weasley came and ordered them to bed.

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After a really horrible taxi ride to the train station, they arrived at King's cross with just enough time to pester Mrs Weasley, Bill and Charlie with questions about what was happening in Hogwarts this year. The boys had also caught on that it was something spectacular and were now curious as hell. But in the end, they all had to board the train without getting any useful information.

The ride was the most peaceful they had ever had. No searching for toads or best friends who had missed the train and no Dementors trying to suck out your soul. Ron, Harry and Hermione spent it in a compartment with Neville, Seamus and Dean and while the boys talked about the Quidditch Cup, Hermione tried to finally read her spells book.

Their peace and quiet were only disturbed by Draco Malfoy and his stupid minions Crabbe and Goyle, who came for their usual visit and tried to torment and taunt Harry. But all in all, it was exactly the kind of train ride Hermione had hoped for since she first boarded the Hogwarts Express. A nice ride with friends, talking about school and magic.

The weather was horrible outside but Hermione's mood was excellent. She looked forward to the sorting and the feast and of course hoped that Professor Dumbledore would reveal some of these top secret information to them. Even Peeves throwing water bombs at the students couldn't change Hermione's mood.

And then Nearly-Headless-Nick told them about the house elves working at the Hogwarts kitchens. Instantly Hermione was remembered of the poor treatment against Winky and her mind raced. She couldn't believe that something like the enslavement of a whole race of creatures was just… okay for the magical community! But it was also the same community that thought that Muggle-borns were worth less than purebloods so maybe she shouldn't be surprised about it.

Hermione put down her knife and fork in a silent protest. Maybe she could do a hunger strike and demand better working conditions for the elves?

But before Hermione could work out a plan in her head Professor Dumbledore finally stood up and started to explain - finally - what was happening this year. Like everyone else, Hermione was in disbelief when he explained what the Triwizard Tournament was and an odd silence was filling the room.

"You're JOKING!" Fred asked a bit too loud but effectively broke the silence and suddenly the whole hall was laughing. Even Dumbledore had a smile on his face. With a sudden lurch in her stomach, Hermione realised how much she liked this about Fred. His easy confidence to say and do whatever he wanted.

But Fred's - and everyone else's - excitement was put down when the headmaster proceeded to explain the conditions for participating in the tournament.

"They can't do that! We're seventeen in April, why can't we have a shot?" George grumbled as they were sent to their dormitories. Him, Fred, Harry, Ron and Hermione were amongst the last ones in the Great Hall as the boys discussed the announcement.

"They're not stopping me entering. The champions will get to do all sorts of stuff you'd never be allowed to normally. And a thousand Galleons prize money!" Fred said stubbornly.

"Come on, we'll be the only ones left here if you don't move." Hermione shooed them out of the Hall in order to act normal. That's what she normally did, right? She wasn't sure anymore how to behave normally around Fred. What was normal?

While they were on their way to Gryffindor Tower Hermione listened as the twins started to think about ways to enter the tournament despite the age rule. Fred was astonishingly logical and sharp with his conclusion but Hermione doubted that they really would find a way. She hoped they wouldn't find a way. Because the thought about Fred - or one of the others - entering the tournament, a tournament that had ended deadly in the past, scared the living hell out of her.

Later that night Hermione lay awake thinking about Fred. Damn it, this crush was getting out of hand. It prevented her from sleeping and thinking straight.

But it's just a crush, it will go away! Hermione thought determined. She just needed something to keep her mind occupied otherwise. She needed a task or a project… Maybe something to help the house elves. Something better than starving herself.

Okay, after my little down last week it went better with this chapter. I hope it will stay this way. I'm still in this annoying writing phase where you think everything you write is shit, but I know it's normal.

Do you all know the phases of the creative process?

1) This is awesome

2) This is tricky

3) This is shit

4) I am shit

5) This might be okay

6) This is awesome.

And I'm somewhere between 3 and 4 ;)