Fourth Year (part 3)

~o0o~

Hermione found herself standing on some sort of stand. Glancing around, she saw that she was at the edge of Black Lake.

Ludo Bagman's voice boomed across the place as he signaled for the contestants to start.

She looked to her sides and saw Fred, George and Ginny standing on their toes, watching anxiously as Harry plunged into the cold water some distance from where they were.

"I hope he's going to be all right," Ginny said.

"I just wonder why we're made to watch an event from here when the entire thing is taking place underwater," said Lee, standing behind them.

Fred and George laughed.

Ginny did not appear to be in the mood for jokes. "Where are Hermione and Ron? Their best friend is in the second task and I can't see them anywhere."

Her brothers looked at each other, eyes wide. "You don't think-"

"-perhaps she did-"

"-that means we did this-"

"-and Harry's going to kill us."

Ginny had enough of their twin language. "What are you on about?"

Just then, Ludo Bagman used another sonorus charm, silencing the entire audience.

"The contestants are all underwater, attempting to complete the second task. As they are, I am going to explain the task again to remind you of what is occurring under the surface of Black Lake."

Everyone looked expectantly at the former Quidditch athlete.

"The four contestants have one hour to retrieve their one most prized possession, what they value above all else. To do this, they will have to face whatever obstacles are hiding within this lake, and return before time runs out."

Murmurs erupted amongst the stands.

"So you reckon Hermione and Ron were asked to be Harry's possessions then?" said Fred.

George bit his lip. "Well, Bagman said they only had one, didn't he? Makes me wonder if some other contestant has one of them."

"And since no one sane could possibly deem Ron as their most valuable person except for Harry, then that means..." Fred trailed off and his brother waited for him to catch on.

"Oh, sodding Hippogriff," Fred swore. "Bloody Bulgarians..."

George patted him on the back. "There, there."

Fred raised his hands in disbelief. "But they just met!"

Ginny scoffed. "You don't understand anything, do you?"

Her brothers looked at their sister with interest.

"What don't we understand, Gin?"

"Krum is an international Quidditch player," she started. "He's also known as an exceptional student at Durmstrang. There are loads of people eager to take advantage of his name and status; just look at Karkaroff. Not to mention his heap of giggling fans."

George hummed. "Right, we know all that, I'm just not seeing the point yet."

Ginny clucked her tongue impatiently, like she had to explain how one plus one equaled two. "Well, how would you feel if everyone around you seemed to only be after to gain something from you?"

"Pretty shite, I suppose," said Fred.

His sister nodded approvingly. "Right, and who do we know that doesn't give a trolls arse about someone's Quidditch trophies?"

"Language, Ginny," scolded Lee jokingly, but he too appeared curious.

Ginny sent him a glare for interrupting her, but sighed as none of them dared a real guess.

"Hermione," she explained. "That's probably why she's down there. She doesn't care about his fame. And did you also stop to think that about how sad it is that she's his most prized possession? Because that means he doesn't have any close friends from his school at all. That means that the most decent person he's met, in his life ever, is a girl he's known for a couple of months."

Fred, George and Lee took a moment to absorb this new information about the professional Quidditch player. Hermione observed that while George and Lee looked earnestly sympathetic, Fred seemed reluctantly so. Like he wanted to not feel bad for Viktor but couldn't quite manage.

"Bloody hell, that is sad," said Lee finally.

Luckily, it didn't take too long after that that the crowd got excited again. Ginny's speech had left the small group in a subdued mood, and the lack of action from above the surface hadn't helped. Honestly, what had the tournament planners been thinking?

There was a loud gasp from the lake.

Fleur Delacour emerged from the water, looking less like her beautiful self; covered from head to toe in cuts.

The French girl gave a hysterical cry when Madame Maxime stepped forward to escort her to Madam Pomfrey. It was difficult to understand what she was saying, especially since she was rambling in French.

When Madam Pomfrey offered her some help, she shook her blonde hair furiously, but at least switching to English when she spoke.

"Non, I have to go back! She's still down there! I 'ave to rescue my leetle sister!"

Ginny snorted. "Dramatic much?"

Fred raised a brow at his sister.

"Oh, come on, she can't seriously think Dumbledore would let them drown under there, can she?"

"Well, I don't know, Gin, Dumbledore's done crazier things..." said George.

"Fair enough," she said. "Still...Merlin, look how she starts crying! Honestly."

Time sped forwards, and this time Cedric Diggory swam towards the bank of the lake, Cho Chang holding onto his arm.

"It's already outside of the time-limit, what d'you suppose happens to them if they haven't returned?" asked George.

"Diggory just arrived, though," said Fred.

"Yeah, but that was just one minute, wasn't it?"

Lee pointed to the bank. "Looks like your brother is beginning to worry about this as well."

They looked to where Percy stood talking to Cedric.

"Oh, don't tell me the daft prat hasn't realized Ron's down there until now?" said Fred.

"Ron was there?" the bespectacled Weasley said rather loud, his question echoing across the valley.

Cedric and Cho looked like they were explaining something through their rattling teeth.

Madam Pomfrey pulled them to her, reprimanding Percy for not letting them rest after their ordeal.

Percy, meanwhile, had started to turn quite pale.

Ginny gave a squeal. "Look, someone else is arriving!"

The crowd watched with curiosity as a shark broke the surface.

"Bloody Merlin, are there sharks in Black Lake?" shouted someone that sounded suspiciously like Lavender Brown.

The rest of them erupted in 'oh's and 'ah's as the shark turned into Viktor Krum.

They then spotted the figure that was coughing next to him.

"Hermione!" said Ginny.

"Merlin, it is Granger!"

"-bookworm Granger is Krum's most prized possession?"

"What does he even see in her, she's not even pretty."

"-she's so lucky-"

"They did go to the Ball together..."

"I thought she was with Potter, though-"

"-maybe he's with her out of pity?"

Hermione let a growl escape as she heard the crowd talk about her. She heard something similar to her right and realized Fred had been annoyed by it as well.

Ginny looked behind her and told the people closest to shut up.

The students watched Viktor help her get safely to the beach and how once they arrived, he held her close for a while. This had them babbling even more than before.

To her left, George sighed, and Hermione turned her attention back to the stands. Fred was looking like he was sucking on a piece of lemon.

"-I wonder what Krum's saying?" said someone nearby.

Hermione squirmed as she remembered Viktor murmuring things into her ear in Bulgarian and then proceeding to invite her to spend the summer with him. Embarrassed as she was by this public display, she'd stayed still in his arms because she'd liked Viktor and it had felt good to have someone hold her that way.

Now, though, this gesture held a lot more significance. While Viktor had told her that he'd never felt the way he felt about her about anyone else, she'd never quite let herself believe it. Surely, there were more people in his life to care about? But Ginny's words earlier made sense, and Hermione scolded herself for being so blind.

How had she not caught how relieved Viktor had been when he held her? How had she not stopped to suspect that his foreign whispers probably were words used to comfort himself with the fact that she was safe? Or even paused to notice how tenderly he'd wrapped her in the towel Madam Pomfrey gave her?

I've been so blind about so many things, she thought, and without meaning to, glanced up at the tall boy beside her. He was still making a face, looking quite ridiculous, but the sight made her smile.

So, so blind…

Loud shouting interrupted Hermione's thoughts.

Harry had arrived.

She heard Ginny give an audible sigh. "Of course he had to go rescue the other one as well. He loves being the hero, doesn't he?" But even as she said it there was an unmistakable smile on the girl's face. After all, him being so good was what she loved about The-Boy-Who-Lived.

"Well, Delacour seems to appreciate it at least," said George. "And blimey Percy, stop embarrassing yourself."

Their brother had ungracefully made his way out into the water to meet up with Ron. He splashed and huffed, and dragged a very annoyed Ron to land while Harry walked behind them, reuniting Fleur with her sister.

Harry was bombarded with care and force fed potions by Madam Pomfrey when mini 'Mione stepped up to him, waving her hands excitedly.

"Harry, well done!"

Someone snorted nearby.

"Poor Krum, though. Granger seems to only have eyes for Potter," they said.

"Now that you mention it, didn't Witch Weekly say they were involved?" another asked.

"You know most of their stuff's rubbish."

"Yeah, but look-"

There was a pause.

"Oh, I can't believe it, she waved Krum off! You know, you might be right, there could be some truth to this…"

When Hermione flipped around, eager to spot who would be daft enough to believe her and Harry could be more than friends, they were no longer speaking and so she had no idea how to find them.

Then again, she recalled how all the hateful mail would trickle in after this event, claiming just that; that Harry and her had been an item and that she'd crushed the poor boys heart.

However, these were her peers. People she'd gone to school with. The people sending her hate mail only had the magazines to go by. The idea that ones close to her would believe…Hermione stopped and thought about Mrs. Weasley. She had believed in those lies.

The memory made Hermione uncomfortable.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted George lean into to whisper something into Fred's ear. She sighed.

They're always whispering, it's getting kind of difficult keeping up.

"-at's Krum, Ron and now Harry. You sure do know how to pick them, Freddie," she heard George tease.

Fred didn't say anything, but his eyes had a tired look to them.

Ginny suddenly growled. "Bloody French."

The three boys and Hermione peered down to where Fleur was giving Harry kisses on his cheeks.

The next memory played out in a Hogwarts hallway.

Hermione followed when Fred walked a few steps before breaking into a grin and waving at a person ahead of him.

"Oy, Granger!"

Hermione saw herself arriving at the doors leading to the Hospital Wing. She looked close to tears, clutching her hands.

"Hi, Fred. Sorry, but I've got to-"

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" he interrupted.

If she had been in her proper state of mind, real Hermione was certain she would have noticed the worried look the older Gryffindor was giving her, but alas, the pain from undiluted bubotuber pus had made her head fuzzy and unfocused at the time.

She remembered wanting the conversation to be over, to dismiss him in the least rude way possible and get help from Madam Pomfrey.

"Just got some nasty mail from Witch Weekly's finest readers. Again, Fred, sorry but I've got to get some help-"

That's when he saw her hands.

"Blimey, Hermione! What happened to your hands they're huge!" he said and laughed.

That right there is part of why I never suspected anything! How can someone claim to be interested in me while simultaneously laugh at my hands turning big?

Younger Hermione's nostrils flared and tried to blink away the tears threatening to escape. Fred obviously realized he'd said something wrong, but before he got the chance to apologize she'd entered the room and slammed the door shut in his face.

Before the scene drifted away to another, there was an image of Fred scratching his head, looking very sorry.

They were outside, walking up the steps to the Owlery.

George was trailing after his twin, seeming desperate.

"I told you it's a bad idea, Fred."

Fred shook his head. "No, George, it's the only idea. This," he raised his hand which held a sealed envelope, "is the last one where we ask him nicely. After this we tell him to hand us the money he owes, or we'll let everyone know about his little past-"

"-that's blackmail, that is, we could get into a lot of trouble for that-"

"-we've tried being polite; it's time to play dirty, like him. He wouldn't like the Ministry of Magic knowing what he did-"

George moved his hands in frustrated gestures. "I'm telling you, if you put that in writing, it's blackmail!"

"Yeah, and you won't be complaining if we get a nice fat payoff, will you?", Fred barked back at him over his shoulder.

He slammed the door open, then climbed over the threshold with George stepping up next to him. The twins were startled silent when they discovered the room wasn't empty.

Harry, Ron and Mini Hermione was standing there, appearing equally surprised.

"What're you doing here?" Ron and Fred said at the same time.

"Sending a letter," said Harry and George in unison.

"What, at this time?" said Hermione and Fred.

Fred grinned.

"Fine-we won't ask you what you're doing, if you don't ask us," he said.

Hermione saw Harry and Ron trying to spot who the letter was addressed to, while she herself blushed annoyed, averting her gaze when Fred shifted to look at her. She'd still remembered about the Hospital Wing and thought his questioning eyes had to be told that she was still cross with him.

How petty it seemed now.

Fred didn't seem too put off. In fact, his grin remained intact throughout his mock bow, all up until Ron asked him who the twins were blackmailing.

After telling their younger brother to stay out of their business, and sending one of the owls off with the letter, they left the three fourth years.

Descending the steps, they began talking again.

"Now that wasn't suspicious at all, was it?" said George sarcastically.

"Don't go putting that on me, George. They heard both of us talking."

"Yeah, about your idea."

"Well, don't you want to open the joke shop? Focus on the dream, keep that goal in mind," said Fred. "If we get the money, it will all be worth it."

"Of course I want the joke shop, but blackmail…" George shook his head. "That's not the way to go."

Fred sighed. "What else is there? Wait until someone's kind enough to just hand us a bag of galleons?"

Hermione almost laughed.

Yes, she thought and awaited the next memory to take shape.

She stood by the Gryffindor table.

It was Mrs. Weasley and Bills visit to Hogwarts where they were to represent Harry's family, and they were in the middle of lunch at the Great Hall with Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George.

"Pass me some bread would you, Gin?"

Ginny handed Fred a roll and then proceeded to eat her lunch.

Ron was stuffing his face as usual when he glanced up and caught Mrs. Weasley's glare.

"I thought I'd taught you better manners than that, chew your food for Godric's sake," she said.

The rest of the lot laughed as Ron's ears turned red and even more so when he began chewing his food properly.

Though this was Fred's memory Hermione couldn't help herself when she instead of him watched her best friend for a moment. Harry looked so happy and carefree and it hurt her, because only hours after this he would yet again be facing the man who killed his parents and watch Cedric die before his eyes. But he didn't know that yet. He didn't know he'd face another three years of suffering before finally defeating his lifelong enemy.

But at least I made sure to be there with him, the whole way through, she thought and felt a small sense of pride well up. Naturally she would be there for the people she loved, but it hadn't been easy and so Hermione allowed herself a brief moment of feeling proud of her own accomplishments.

She looked sadly at Ron for a second as the reminder of his momentary weakness surfaced her thoughts, which she to this day had trouble forgiving. He'd come back, yes, but it had hurt so much. Too much. She'd loved him, needed him, and he'd left.

Although, didn't you just do the same thing to him? a small voice whispered in the back of her head.

Don't be ridiculous, that's not nearly the same thing, she spat back forcefully. Arguing against no one, brilliant.

Suddenly, Harry's smile dropped when her younger self walked towards the table.

The Weasley siblings watched their mother turn her gaze towards her plate, suddenly finding the cutting of her steak more interesting than her company.

Fred, George and Ginny shared confused glances, while Ron looked embarrassed.

It wasn't until Harry began asking 'Mione a question and she silently urged him not to that Mrs. Weasley raised her head.

"Hello, Hermione," said Mrs. Weasley, much more stiffly than usual.

Hermione saw Fred furrow his brows at his mother.

"Hello," said mini 'Mione, her smile faltering at the cold expression on Mrs. Weasley's face.

Harry looked between them, then said, "Mrs. Weasley, you didn't believe that rubbish Rita Skeeter wrote in Witch Weekly, did you? Because Hermione's not my girlfriend."

"Oh!" said Mrs. Weasley. "No-of course I didn't!"

But she became considerably warmer toward Hermione after that.

Hermione also noted how Fred seemed to try really hard not to look pleased.

Then everything swirled around her before taking the shape of the Hogwarts Express. The sun shone through every nearby window and made Fred's ginger hair almost golden.

This, for whatever reason, brought a smile to Hermione's lips and she almost missed it when he pocketed his Chocolate Frog and suddenly nudged his twin in the ribs as the lunch trolley passed by.

"Look who's walking to Harry's compartment, George."

George scowled. "As if the poor kid doesn't have enough to think about. Let's see what they're up to, shall we?"

"We shall."

They hunched and began tip-toeing forward. Somewhere behind them in one of the compartments Katie's voice sounded.

"Oh, don't worry Ange, they're only sneaking about again."

"That is something to worry about," Angelina laughed.

The boys didn't appear to have heard but were busy hiding themselves out of view as Malfoy's voice grew louder the closer they got.

He was spouting nonsense, Crabbe and Goyle behind him, leering.

"-Dark Lord's back! Mudbloods and Muggle lovers first!"

Fred's wand hand twitched, and George gritted his teeth.

But since he was unaware of his seniors sending him death glares, Malfoy continued. "Well-second- Diggory was the f-"

That had been the breaking point for all of them and thus there erupted an explosion of curses.

Everywhere there were colours and bangs of different volumes. Hermione blinked away the stars forming behind her eyelids.

"Thought we'd see what those three were up to," said Fred whilst stepping over the Slytherin's (and onto Goyle) and into the compartment. When his twin followed after, letting his feet slightly linger on Malfoy, Hermione felt a bit conflicted. Malfoy wasn't too bad now. But then again, she'd just seen him make a mockery of Cedric's death, so she reasoned his younger version had totally deserved it.

Everyone had had their wands out and after pocketing them, Ron, Harry and George rolled the three unconscious Slytherin's out into the corridor.

Meanwhile, Fred sat scratching a very annoyed Crookshanks behind the ears. He glanced up and smiled brightly when he saw Hermione smiling back at him. The incident by the Hospital Wing all forgotten.

She'd been too happy about catching Rita Skeeter to care anyway.

After a couple of seconds, Fred's neck began looking awfully red from where real Hermione stood. He rubbed it, cleared his throat and then pulled out a deck of cards. "Exploding Snap, anyone?"

Time sped forwards, ignoring the game and the part where the twins explained that they'd been swindled by Ludo Bagman, and stopping when Crookshanks knocked down mini Hermione's bag, causing a glass jar in it to roll out.

"What's that?" asked George, brushing away some soot from his sleeve. "Is that- Granger, why'd you have a live beetle in a jar?"

Hermione looked flustered. "Well, we're witches and wizards aren't we?"

"Sure, but you're not really going to illegally be crafting potions during the summer, are you? Because if not, then that poor bugger will probably be dead by the start of next term anyway."

Ron snorted. "Believe me, there's nothing poor about that bug."

Harry grinned. "Yeah, and Hermione isn't the one doing things illegally."

Fred put down his cards. "What're you three up to?"

Mini 'Mione bit her lip as she lifted the jar onto her lap. "Well…first, you have to promise you won't tell anyone."

The twins exchanged a look of mischief. "Oh, this is going to be good," they chorused.

She shot them a look of her own which they promptly ignored.

Harry raised his brows. "Hermione, you can tell them, you know. Dunno why you're so worried when you barely restrained yourself telling me and Ron."

"Yes, well that's because I wanted to tell you. And I don't know what they," she rolled her eyes at the twins, "will do with the information."

Ron laughed. "'Mione, you're worried they'll blackmail you for blackmailing someone?"

Fred and George's eyes bulged.

"-blackmail?"

"-Granger, who-"

"-what-"

"-now you have to tell us more!"

Never being one to pass on an opportunity to shine, Hermione began explaining.

"This, Fred and George, is Rita Skeeter. Rita; Fred and George."

Naturally the beetle didn't respond, unless you counted frantically moving around in the jar as responding.

Hermione waited for their reactions.

"So," Fred began, smiling yet looking slightly wary, "did you turn her into a beetle or was that a preexisting condition? 'Cause I tell you, if it's the latter then that explains a lot."

Hermione grinned. "I didn't turn her into this, no. I'm simply keeping her this way until we get to London."

"Then," said Fred. "how'd she get like this?"

"Well, as an Animagus I suppose you just transform-"

"Wait," interrupted George. "Rita Skeeter's an Animagus? But we've never heard about that!"

Harry and Ron smirked as Hermione tried her best to keep her face straight. "I wouldn't expect you to, seeing as how she's doing it illegally."

Real Hermione observed that she was looking to smug for her own good. Although, could she really blame herself? It had been such a good moment. And to have impressed the twins had brought even more satisfaction.

The looks on their faces when she told them about arranging for Rita to keep her hands off her quill for a whole year had completely pushed her self-conscious part aside, the part that held slightly back when achieving something, in fear of putting others off. She allowed herself to get animated and excited over her own genius.

"That," said George when she finished. "is the most brilliant thing I've ever heard."

"Truly, Granger, well done. You sure you won't consider partnering up with us? You might have what it takes after all," Fred teased.

Hermione frowned. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

The others laughed.

The group was about to resume another game when the two older Gryffindor's remembered they'd forgotten to tell Lee where they'd gone. They excused themselves for a moment and shut the compartment door behind them.

"You know, you two might just be meant for each other," said George.

"What d'you mean?" said Fred.

"Well, I'm sure most people would be against blackmail, but you and Granger don't seem to mind."

"Oh, shut it," said Fred, but he was smiling too widely for the words to seem threatening.

~o0o~

A/N: Hiya!

There you have it, the end of year four! Hope it was to your liking!

Please tell me what you thought!

And thank you so much for reviewing, following and adding this story to your favorites!

Until next time!
/Primrue