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11. 19. 94
Hermione left the library in an uncharacteristic huff, rolling her eyes as she passed another group of giggling girls. Honestly, she thought, as her hands gripped her Potions textbook tighter, some girls just couldn't keep their composure around boys.
She exited the castle, beginning the short trek down to the Black Lake. Su was in the middle of Quidditch practice, and Padma had somehow been convinced to watch the team play. So she was left to fend for herself amongst the twittering fangirls following a certain star Seeker who had a penchant for showing up wherever she was.
Finally coming upon an acceptable space by the lake to read, she withdrew a deep blue pashmina out of her bag and spread it as a makeshift picnic blanket, dropping her bag unceremoniously on the ground a moment after.
A few students were milling about here and there, several Beauxbatons girls were doing some form of yoga by their carriage, and a few of the Durmstrang students could be seen splashing about in the lake. Hermione frowned to herself, the fact that she was yet to make a friend with any of the other schools' students hadn't escaped her. Su was getting on well enough with some of the Durmstrang Quidditch boys, and Padma had made friends with a Beauxbatons girl she had spied looking for the same novel as her in Hogsmeade. Hermione however, remained awkward and nervous with the thought of approaching new people. A small, wistful sigh escaped her as she resumed her reading.
Thirty or so minutes had passed when an irregularly shaped shadow loomed over Hermione, blocking out her light. Her glare was met by the grinning face of Justin Finch-Fletchley.
"Afternoon, milady." he said, bowing.
Hermione refrained from rolling her eyes. Ever since Justin had found her out, he had become a little over-zealous in his friendship. Truly, she was glad that she had someone who understood her dilemma, but one could only have so much Hufflepuff in their day. After pretending to listen to him drone on about his pet puffskein who had just produced several pupskeins, she tidied her things up for the second time that day.
"Justin," she said, interrupting him in his description of the third female pupskein, who had bright pink fur all over and lime green fur around the eyes. "I heard the Hufflepuff dorms were near the kitchens. Do you know how to get there?"
"Er, yeah, just tickle the pear in the painting of a bowl of fruit. Why?" he asked.
"Just feeling a little peckish." she said simply, folding up her pashmina. Before the boy could begin to suggest he come along, she said, "You know, Padma's been dying to hear all about your puffskein, I think she might even take one off of your hands."
"Really?" Justin asked, none the wiser.
"Mhmm, she's over by the Quidditch fields. Why don't you go look for her?" she said, grinning.
A handful of minutes later found Hermione walking happily along the basement corridor, where she found the bowl of fruit in question and tickled its pear. Giggling wildly, the painting flew open to reveal a bright green door. Thinking being friends with Justin had proved good for something, she smiled and knocked.
A wide eyed house elf opened the door, peering up at her in question.
"Hello!" she smiled sweetly, "Do you think I could stay here for a moment? The castle's been a bit over crowded for me lately."
The elf squeaked happily and pried the door open for her to pass through, "Yes, Miss! Come in, Miss! Would Miss like anything to drink? To eat? Maybe a bit of blue pie?"
Hermione smiled, "No, thank you, just a place to sit and a spot of tea would be nice."
The elf nodded aggressively, taking her hand to guide her to a corner of the large kitchen, where a picnic table sat waiting for her. She thanked the creature as she sat, only then taking note of her surroundings. Several more elves were milling about, the smells of their dinner later tonight wafting around the kitchen.
Her attention was stolen by the same elf that had attended to her. He had come back with her tea.
"Is Earl Grey alright, Miss?" the elf asked nervously.
"Yes, that's perfect." she nodded. "Milk and sugar, please, darling."
Surprised, the elf blushed at the endearment and nodded.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Bitsy, Miss."
"Do you think the other elves would mind if I stayed here from time to time? The library's always full and I can't find a lick of peace anywhere in the castle." she pleaded.
Hermione almost jumped out of her seat when a chorus of affirmation came from the working elves, who had all paused what they were doing. An amused laugh bubbled out of her at their reaction.
"Thank you!" she said, before taking her things out to begin her homework again.
In the middle of writing her 18 inch essay about the Mermish Council of Elders, the kitchen door swung open again, unbeknownst to her. Only when a bookbag was set on the table in front of her did she realize she was no longer alone with the elves in the kitchen. Looking up, she was faced with the friendly grin of yet another Hufflepuff, the most famous Hufflepuff as of late, actually.
"Can I help you?" she asked nicely, though she was a bit irked at being interrupted once again.
"Well, seeing as you're in my seat…" he said good naturedly.
"Oh!" she said, sitting straighter, "Would you like me to leave?"
"No, no, it's alright." he chuckled to himself. Hermione could not help but notice that he really was quite handsome, as Padma had pointed out when the school champions had been chosen several weeks before. His chestnut dark hair fell into his eyes dashingly, framing deep green eyes that were shining brightly in mirth. "Would you mind if we shared the table though? My name's Cedric, by the way."
"Oh, you don't need to introduce yourself, everyone likely knows who you are by now. I'm Hermione Granger, and no, I don't mind." she said, moving her things around to create some space for him. "Having trouble finding some quiet as well?"
He nodded, running a hand through his hair bashfully. Oh, honestly how could someone be so good-looking?
"I was just in the library researching for the first task but I got interrupted every few minutes." he admitted.
"You as well?" she empathized, "I thought it was just Krum who had the adoring fans."
"Me as well, unfortunately." he winced, "I borrowed a few things to read here, though."
"Have you found out what the first task is going to be?" she asked curiously watching as he unloaded several heavy books onto the table.
"Not quite, but traditionally, the Triwizard tournament begins with a battle with beasts. The last tournament the first task was to round up a Minotaur back into its cage."
"Oh, how horrid." she frowned.
"Yeah, I know, and this is the first tournament in a long time so we should be expecting something even worse than a Minotaur."
"And you're going into this blindly? No instructions whatsoever?"
He shrugged, "The only instruction is 'don't die' I suppose."
"Oh, I don't like that at all." she said, thinking aloud, "I'd rather just study, if I were you. Though I guess it's a good thing you're excused from exams."
He winced again, "I can't really sit them out. I'm hoping for a Ministry internship at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and they require nothing less than an 'E' in every subject."
"Impressive," Hermione commented, eyebrows raised.
Diggory grinned, "Not just a Triwizard Champion and a pretty face, eh?"
She laughed, ignoring the blush that filled her cheeks, "You sound like the article that Skeeter woman put out in the Prophet, 'Quidditch Captain, charmingly handsome, and most likely the brightest student at Hogwarts…' , it was a very positive review of you."
"You're making me blush, Granger," he grinned, "Though I can't very well steal your title from you now, can I? The professors talk about you even to us sixth years, you know."
Her blush deepened, "I didn't know-"
"Oh, stop being modest, Hermione, it isn't a good look on you." he joked, "We all know you're bloody brilliant."
She probably looked like a ripe tomato by now, "I'm not, honestly! I just like studying."
"Whatever you say, Granger." Diggory winked.
"Hush, you." she said, finally, feeling her face burning.
"Alright, alright, I'll leave you to your homework, then." he teased.
After writing a few more inches to her essay, she set down her quill and brought her fingers to her temples. A few hours of reading the miniscule texts would do that to her. She sighed and gathered her things together.
"Doing alright there, Granger?" Diggory asked, noticing her movement. His eyes followed her hands as they rifled through her papers, arranging them one by one. Sticky fingers shot out to steal a sheet of parchment, much to her annoyance.
"May I have that back?" she asked, the headache wearing her patience thin.
"This is good." he said in a tone of surprise that made her brows raise in offense.
"It's just a bit of homework. I can paraphrase off textbooks, you know."
Cedric rolled his eyes, "I meant this." he said, showing her the parchment, one of her drafts that had a few sketches of merpeople to the side.
"Oh!" she gasped, trying to snatch the parchment from him, "Give that back!"
Cedric pulled it out of her reach, bringing the paper closer to his eyes, "Honestly, this really is brilliant. They look real!"
Hermione huffed rather unladylike-ly. "Are you quite finished?"
Cedric had the audacity to chuckle at her expense, "Here you go then."
"Thank you very much." she said prissily.
"Oh, come now, Granger, it's all in good fun."
"Hermione." she said flatly.
"What?" he asked, confused.
"I don't like it when people call me Granger." she said, scrunching up her nose, aggravating her growing migrain all the more.
"But it's your name." he said, looking at her oddly.
"Well, so is Hermione and I prefer it."
"Alright, then." he shrugged, "Suppose if we were going to be study buddies I might as well be on your good side."
She narrowed her eyes at him, wincing as she did so, but decided to drop her comeback, "I have to go. This headache is killing me."
"I'll walk you to the Hospital Wing." Cedric said, getting up after her.
"No need." she replied, walking quicker. Of course that didn't help her very much because Diggory was as tall as a tree and his strides matched hers three to one.
"Come on, then, can't have Hogwarts' brightest pupil fainting on us now." he grinned.
"Are you normally this irritating or is my headache skewing my perception of you?" she said bitingly, making him grin even wider.
"Nope, that's just me." he quipped.
"Oh, joy." she said, heaving her bag up to rest better on her shoulder.
"Here, I'll carry that for you." Diggory offered, as he was already lifting her book bag to his own shoulder, "Bloody hell, witch! What's in here?"
"Language!" she tutted, "Also, it's just a few reference books."
"It feels like you brought the whole bloody library with you." he muttered.
"What was that?" she asked sharply.
"Nothing." he said innocently, "Hospital Wing's this way."
"What did you do today Hermione?" Padma asked at dinner later that day, after Su had finished relaying a play by play recap of her Quidditch practice.
"Not much." she said, smiling to herself, "Though I did make a new friend, or study buddy as he called it."
"Oooooh, a he?" Su asked intriguingly.
"Hush," she admonished, "it's not like that. He's a sixth year."
"Oooooh, even better! An older he?" Su grinned.
"Oh, honestly," she pouted over her pudding, "I don't know why I even tell you anything."
"Because you adore us and we're your best friends." Su said matter of factly.
"Su, quiet, she's trying to tell us something," Padma said, "Who's your new friend, Hermione?"
"Cedric Diggory." she said, without much fanfare.
The twin back takes from her friends made her ponder for a moment whether she should be offended. Their looks of disbelief made her laugh out loud, though.
"Close your mouths you to, or else you'll both be having flies for dinner."
"Are you taking the mickey?" Su asked, eyes wide.
"What she said." Padma nodded.
"Of course not, why would I joke about that?" she frowned, "We just studied together is all. He's not quite how you think he is. He's a bit annoying to be honest."
"Who cares?" Padma sighed, sounding entirely not like her usual level-headed self, "He's stupidly handsome."
Hermione laughed, "That's one way of putting it. Anyway, I've got to get to my studio. I have a couple of sketches I need to sort."
"Go on then," Su nodded, ""But we're finishing this discussion later!"
She was shaking her head as she walked away. Her friends could be so amusing sometimes.
Lost in her thoughts, she did not see the figure coming towards her as she rounded a corner, resulting in a collision that made her drop several of her books.
"Oof!"she groaned as her bottom met hard stone. That was going to hurt later on.
"Merlin, I'm sorry!" the person she had crashed into said. Before she knew it he was helping her up, gripping her arms for support.
"Thank you." she said, just as her mind processed just who it was she bumped into.
"Here you go." he said, handing her the books she had let go of, hands brushing against her own as he did so.
Where was the unveiled disgust at touching her? The icy glare? The mocking sneer? Who the hell was this person and what had they done with Draco Malfoy?
"Um-" she said dumbly.
"Sorry for that." he said, running a hand through his hair, "Didn't watch where I was going."
"It's alright-"
"See you later, Granger." he said, brushing past her as he walked off quickly.
What in the high heavens had just happened?
His heart was beating wildly in his chest as he walked off. Oh, what in Merlin's good name had gotten into him? The moment he had seen her round the corner it was as if a switch had turned off in him and he had lost all sense in his body. He had acted like a poncey Hufflepuff, -with all the apologizing.
This existential crisis was costing him his reputation and he did not like it.
a/n: I'm cooking something up, can you tell? Also I've decided to continue writing my LOTR/HP Xover, though I'm not sure whether I'll post it or not. I've also been itching to write a GOT/HP story since the GOT season started. Any thoughts about the first episode of GOT?