It was a good thing that the Yule Ball had been scheduled for a Saturday, Hermione thought to herself as she watched the pandemonium in the Gryffindor girls bathroom. Had it been on a day they had class she didn't imagine too many would have attended. Girls ran about in all directions as they prepared for the evening, some with charmed brushes chasing after them as hair was straightened, curled, crimped and plaited.

Hermione was no better than the rest of them, really, though she had at least some idea of what she was doing; unlike others such as Fay, who was currently on her fourth hairstyle. She stood and left the room before too long, deciding that it would be better to finish getting ready in her dorm after seeing a girl turn green as two beauty charms had crossed paths.

"Whatever you do, stay out of the bathroom," she advised Parvati upon entering her room.

The girl was sitting peacefully, slowly brushing her hair out, but a smile crossed her face at Hermione's warning. "Thanks, I saw it earlier and decided the same thing."

"Everyone's trying to make themselves and each other up at the same time, it's a mess. I thought it was time to leave when I saw Katie turn green." Hermione explained.

Parvati's eyes bulged a bit but she didn't pause in getting ready.

The chaos gradually settled, but the buzz of the castle continued to grow all the way through the afternoon. Before long Hermione found herself gliding down the stairs toward the Great Hall, a cloud of butterflies fluttering inside her.

At the foot of the stairs, waiting by the doors to the Great Hall just as he'd promised, was Viktor Krum. She watched for a moment as he stood regally, his long red and black formal robes crisply highlighting his warrior's physique. He turned and bowed again as he saw her descending the last few steps, then offered her his arm, before guiding her towards the opening doors leading to the ball.

Whispers surrounded them as they walked into the Great Hall, and Hermione could see many a jealous look from the girls she walked past. A proud - and somewhat smug - smile grew across her face as she walked, and when she took a quick look at Viktor she saw his usual air of confidence was enhanced with a small grin and a sparkle in his eyes. The whispers followed them right on to the dance floor, where he took her gently by the waist and skillfully lead her as the music began.

Hermione couldn't remember a time in her life where she'd smiled so much or for so long; the night was like a dream. They danced, they chatted, and occasionally drifted to the side of the room for a drink or to nibble on the platters of food from the tables lining the walls.

The night continued in the same vein, they danced, talked, and smiled well in to the night. Viktor showed himself to be nothing but a gentleman; and when the night started to draw to a close, he thanked her simply and with genuine feeling, before brushing a light kiss across her knuckles.

Hermione spun on the spot as he left, and with a faint glow about her made her way over to a nearby seat and promptly sat with a content smile on her face.

Right next to Ron and Harry.

Harry gave her a faint smile, while Ron just sneered at her.

"What's gotten into you?" She asked, brow furrowed at the red head.

"Into me?" Ron spat, and pointed in the direction of the doors, "he's a Durmstrang, you're fraternising with the enemy you are!"

"The enemy? Who was it wanted his autograph?" She was completely ignored, "besides the whole point of the tournament is international magical cooperation... to make friends."

"Think he's got a bit more than friendship on his mind." Was the redhead's sarcastic response.

"How dare you! Besides I can look after myself."

"Doubt it, he's using you, and way too old."

"What?! How do you figure that you half wit?" She brushed an angry tear away, and glared, "Ron! you spoil everything."

She ran from the entrance hall, tears falling freely, wanting nothing more than to get away from her former friends. As she turned the corner though, someone grabbed her arm and and spun her into the wall. A moment later she was looking into the wild eyes of the Durmstrang Headmaster.

"Keep your filthy muggle paws off my champion," he growled menacingly. Then stormed off without glancing back at her.

The tears continued to fall, as she leant against the wall for a few minutes trying to calm herself. But before long, she pulled herself up and began to make her way down the corridor once more.

The night had started so well too, she thought, unsure whether to go back to the dorms, or find somewhere away from everyone. Deciding to keep walking for a bit, hoping the cool corridors of the castle would help calm her, she turned the corner where an unwanted voice broke her train of thought.

"Crying Granger? Krum finally come to his senses and realise he should keep away from filthy little mudbloods?"

Hermione stopped in the middle of the hallway, a shudder running through her as she slowly looked up at the pristine green and silver robes of her constant tormentor. She felt a flush of burning rage race through her as every moment of being teased, bullied, and insulted flicked through her mind, bubbling up in pure anger as she turned on the sneering Slytherin; having well and truly hit her limit. She acted so fast the boy barely had time to trip over as she shoved him hard into a nearby classroom. By the time he realised what had happened, he was lying on the floor, wand out of reach, in a well locked and silenced room with a seething witch pointing her wand at him.

Shaking in anger, Hermione leaned over him and hissed menacingly. "You don't mention my filthy muggle parents, ever again. You disgusting little toad."

She watched as a smug grin started to form on Draco's face, but didn't give him a chance to say a thing. Directing all her rage at him, she saw his eyes widen in shock moments before it hit him.

"Crucio!"

His screams seemed to fuel her rage as she held him under the curse for several minutes. Watching him thrash about on the ground was intoxicating, with a dark beauty all of its own. When she released him, he just lay there, twitching and whimpering. She watched on, as she felt the anger in her slowly die down.

"You'd better hope no one hears of this," she sneered at him, before turning and marching from the room.

She quickly made her way back to her dorm, and soon flopped on her bed, drawing the curtains around her. That night she hardly slept a wink, part of her was worried that at any moment Aurors would burst into the dorm to arrest her, while a little voice shook in the back of her mind, fearful of just what she'd done. Mostly though, she was still hyped up from the feeling of power the curse had instilled in her.

In Defense class a few days later, Hermione couldn't help but feel that Professor Moody's magic eye was watching her more intently than usual. She was so distracted she didn't even notice what was going on till the Professor was standing in front of her with his wand drawn.

The next thing she knew, she was floating as every thought and worry in her head was wiped gently away, leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness. She stood there feeling immensely relaxed, only dimly aware of everyone watching.

And then she heard Mad-Eye Moody's voice, echoing in some distant chamber of her empty mind: Jump onto the desk... jump onto the desk...

When she finally had her senses back, she was standing on her desk, having just belly danced in front of the whole class. She quickly sat down and blushed furiously. She watched a little more closely as the rest of the class was put under the curse; and was grateful that no one else seemed able to fight it off either.

No one except Harry of course, he probably had special tutoring from dumbledore just so he could show off in class. Not wanting to wait around and feed his ego, she quickly packed her things at the end of class, and tried to leave quickly.

"Miss Granger," being growled out from the front of the classroom however, soon pulled her plans to a halt. "A word with you before you leave."

With a gulp, Hermione nodded at her Professor and sat back down with her bag in her lap.

Moody stood near his desk, watching her as the rest of the class left the room, when everyone was gone he flicked his wand and the door slammed shut. He silently watched her a moment longer, before speaking. "I found Mr. Malfoy out after curfew the other night, he's got detentions for it."

Hermione just looked at him, hoping she didn't look anywhere near as guilty as she was feeling. Her stomach dropped when he continued.

"He seemed a bit shaken though, as if he'd been hit by a pretty nasty curse. Wouldn't know anything about that would you?" His magic eye continued to bore into her. "What was that?" he prompted, when she only shook her head.

"N-No sir." She finally answered. Her hand creeping under her bag.

The next moment she was pressed back in her seat with his wand pointed in her face.

"Hands where I can see them." He growled, and watched her shakily put her hands on top of her bag. A minute or so passed as he continued to watch her, before lowering his wand a little. "You're not going to be expelled or thrown in Azkaban Miss Granger, so calm down."

This didn't really help at all, but she took a couple of deep breaths, and the shaking lessened.

"Let me guess, couple of people said some things to you that weren't too nice, maybe shoved you around a bit?"

She nodded, but he continued without pause, "Then Malfoy there says or does something, and without thinking much you just unloaded all your anger on him?"

She nodded again, before answering with a squeak, "Yes sir."

He stared down at her for a moment, before continuing. "Sometimes in the heat of the moment things happen Miss Granger, I can understand that. But mind yourself, there's Ministry officials in the castle this year, think where you'd be now if one of them had caught you."

A shiver ran up her spine, and he nodded as he continued, "Consider yourself lucky then, you've got a month's detention with me, starting tonight after dinner." He waved her off and she got up to leave.

She was just about to open the door, and make her escape, when he called out to her in a slightly lighter tone.

"Miss Granger. 20 points to Gryffindor for successful use of such an advanced spell."

That brought a smile back to her face, she didn't think anyone had been so glad to get a detention before.