-The Portkey-

"I know! Boys can be so clueless at times..." Ginny laughed to Hermione. Hermione laughed along with her, trying her hardest not to look back at Ron. He hadn't talked to her much all morning.

They were on their way to the portkey that was scheduled to take them to the camp grounds around the Quiditch World Cup stadium. It was positioned in an isolated muggle forest this year. There so many complicated protective charms against muggles and other things that even Hermione couldn't name half of them.

"Who d'ya guys think's gonna win this year?" Ron asked Fred and George enthusiastically. He always practically worshipped the twins' opinion because they had an uncanny way of always knowing what would happen.

"Krum's gonna catch the snitch," said Fred, "but Ireland'll win," George finished. The twins nodded and hurried to catch up with their dad to ask him a few questions about the tent.

"Bloody mad, both of 'em." Ron said to Harry, who laughed cheerfully.

"Yet somehow they're always right." Ron rolled his eyes at Harry and argued,

"I have a hunch that this time things'll be different. They can't be right!" Harry just laughed more. He was so happy to go to the Quiditch World cup! He had never really been to a real wizarding event before. Further more, he was going with his two best mates; Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

"C'mon boys, we're almost there!" Hermione called back to the lagging Harry and Ron.

They were approaching the top of a small hill, on which there was a small oak tree.

"Wow. It's really beautiful here," Ginny turned slowly on the spot, marveling at the lovely landscape. Hermione nodded in agreement with this observation. It was a really pretty place. On all sides but one of the hill there was woods and on the remaining one there was a wide open plateau of green grass, surrounded by trees. Across one side was a clear blue creek.

Ginny chatted with the boys asking their opinions on the teams and who they thought was going to win, so Hermione just looked about, thinking about the upcoming trip.

"Everyone, this way!" Mr. Weasley called from somewhere up ahead.

"Oh wow, we'd better get moving," Hermione said as Ginny joined her and they hurried to catch up to Mr. Weasley.

"The boys are convinced Fred and George are wrong this year," Ginny stated, "At least, Ron is."

Hermione nodded. "I don't really know much about quiditch," she said brightly.

"Hermione, Hermione, Hermione," Ginny said, in a tsk-tsk sort of way. Hermione just smiled. "Who are you dating now, Gin? You move through boys quickly." Ginny shoved Hermione.

"Well, I just broke up with Dean..." She trailed off, looking out at the mountains.

"Oh my gosh, you actually did it?"

Ginny nodded. "Larissa's going to think I'm a prat for it, she's so madly in love with him."

Hermione didn't listen to this bit of uninteresting news, instead she pushed for more about Dean. "Is it still... I mean do you still..." She couldn't finish. She didn't want to say anything to loud for fear of Ginny getting mad or of one of the four boys of hearing.

"Yes." Ginny slumped in dismay. "I really love him, Hermione. I can't get over him, no matter how many boys I go out with." Hermione looked at her young friend with sympathy.

"I'm so sorry Gin," she said. Ginny shrugged.

"What is a girl to do?" Hermione shrugged too.

"Ughhh!!!" Mr. Weasley jumped back with a start as a boy a year older than Hermione fell out of a tree in front of him. "Cedric!" Mr. Weasley hugged the boy and stepped back. "Look at you, you've grown quite a bit!" Cedric smiled.

"Hello, Mr. Weasley," they shook hands and out of behind the tree came an older man, about Mr. Weasley's age.

"Ah, Mr. Diggory! How nice to see you. Cedric looks awfully well. How have you been?" Mr. Weasley greeted Mr. Diggory and the two hugged like old friends. Hermione eyed Cedric. He was quite attractive.

"Well isn't he a looker," Hermione whispered in Ginny's ear. Ginny giggled and Harry's head jerked in her direction. Hermione observed this with interest. Ron looked annoyed at the girls and Cedric.

"Is everyone quite ready?" Mr. Diggory asked. Everyone nodded and came forward and they circled themselves around what appeared to be an old boot. "Everyone grab on tight!" Mr. Weasley cried. Just as Hermione did so, she felt like she was being sucked into nothingness and then flying. It was as if all of them were twisting and circling the boot in mid air. All of a sudden, it stopped and the boot disappeared. Hermione flailed blindly in the air, trying to grab hold of something as she fell.

With a dull thud, she hit the ground. The wind was knocked out of her; she could stand up so she lay on the ground for minutes doubled up, clutching her stomach.

Two seconds later Ron fell on her left, Harry fell on her right, and Ginny fell somewhere below her feet.

Harry sat up immediately, clutching his side. "What the bloody hell was that?" came Ron's voice. Hermione couldn't help but smile.

Once they had all caught their breath they stood up to see Mr. Weasley, Mr. Diggory, and Cedric were all standing, patiently waiting for them. Cedric reached and helped Hermione up.

"Thank you..." she said, and hurried over to Ginny to tell her. They giggled together and Hermione thought she saw Ron roll his eyes and whisper something to Harry.

From this hill that they had landed on, they could see instead of woods, an extensive camping ground covered in tents. The whole scene was very lively in fact; people running around, walking, talking, laughing, chatting, debating, playing, children, huge hats and banners supporting different teams. The entire thing had a positive effect on the group, for once they entered the scene they were quite cheery themselves.

Hermione noticed the twins disappear into the croud but didn't say anything as it seemed not to bother Mr. Weasley.

"Well, see you at the game, Cedric," Mr. Weasley shook Cedric's hand, and then Mr. Diggory's.

"See you, Arthur," Mr. Diggory smiled at Mr. Weasley. "We're way over there, across the field. Have fun!" They too then disappeared into the croud. Not a moment later however, Fred and George came back.

"How about some butterbeers!" They cried to an approaving Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Ron.