A/N SydLant! Thank you so much for your review you left! Its great when I have readers who fallow my work and then take chances when I write something usually out of my comfort zone! So SydLant this chapter is for you!
-o-
"I wonder if Cedric and Fleur know about the dragons…" Hermione said as she and Viktor walked hand in hand to the great hall. They were at least a half an hour late from studying in the library, one thing Viktor would admit was that being around Hermione had elevated his grades by an outstanding percentage.
"I'm sure headmasters haf told them." He said.
"Maybe…" she said.
"You never said how you knew of dragons."
"I'm not supposed to say if I did it might make it seem that Harry has an unfair advantage." Hermione said.
"Did Harry get to see dragons as well?" he asked.
"Maybe, I'm not sure, I can't seem to even get near him without Ron dragging me away." she said.
"He is still angry about Harry?"
"No he knows he's wrong he just won't apologize." She said.
"This is stubborn of him real man would say sorry." He said as he squeezed her hand.
"We should stop…" Hermione said with a frown as pulled her hand away.
"Why?" he asked with a frown.
"We're nearing the great hall if people see…"
"Ahk." He groaned as he stopped walking and took her other hand. "I do not wish to be secret; I wish to scream from roof top about us."
"Then why don't we?" she asked.
"I Fear for you, fan girls haf gotten… Violent towards other vomen…"
"How many vomen have there been?" she asked with a smile.
"None like you I swear." He said as he cupped her face. "Do you wish to be secret?"
"No… but I understand if you wouldn't feel right about it." she said.
"I feel very right about us, it is-."
"My safety."
"Yes safety concerns me…"
"What have they done?" Hermione asked. "The fan girls?"
"With Natalia… One girl fired a very dangerous hex at her; she began to bleed from every pore. Was very scary… I do not wish you to be in harms way." Hermione frowned.
"I'm pretty good at blocking curses." She said.
"I haf seen this." Viktor said. "But still…"
"Viktor…" Hermione said carefully. "If you don't want anyone to know that you're dating me for any other reasons… I may not be happy about it but I'll understand it…" she said carefully.
"What other reasons could there be… I am more upset I can't tell anyone… You are gorgeous Voman and mine…" he said kissing her as he took her hand once more.
"What makes you think I'm yours?" she asked with a playful smile.
"Viktor there you are." Hermione and Viktor jumped away their hands dropping as Karkaroff came around the corner. "You girl shouldn't you be with students in hall?" he asked as he walked up and glared into Hermione.
"Oh yes… I'm erm… sorry…" Hermione said. "I was just trying to get an autograph…" Viktor smiled as Hermione scurried off.
"These girls throw selves at you." Karkaroff said as he swatted Viktor in the back.
"Yes…" Viktor said as he watched Hermione look over her shoulder and wink at him. "Yes they do…"
"I thought might be somfing else." Viktor looked up at his headmaster. "Thought you may be rubbing elbows with mud blood best friend too opponent, potter boy."
"She is witch like any other." Viktor said glaring up at the older man.
"She is still impure un like us." He swatted him in back again.
"Do not touch me…" Viktor said in Bulgarian before moving away.
"Eh boy!" Viktor turned. "Do not forget your place, and what you must do." Karkaroff said.
"How can I forget when you remind me every day?" Viktor asked before walking off into the great hall.
"Troublesome…" Karkaroff turned to see Snape. "You asked to see me Karkaroff."
"Yes wanted to speak to you about… old days."
"I have no interest in speaking of such things especially… With you…" he said as he began to walk past him.
"You haf noticed change you must haf." Karkaroff said grabbing his arm only to have Snape jerk it away.
"Have a good evening Karkaroff…" Snape said as he turned away and headed into the great hall.
He is death eater still… both men thought as they went their separate ways.
-o-
"Where have you been all day?" Ginny asked when Hermione sat right next to her at the Gryffindor table.
"Trying to figure out how Harry is going to get past… His little problem." Hermione said carefully, not wanting it to get around that dragons were the first challenge. She was fearful that if anyone else found out and it spread across the school Crouch would change the challenge at the last moment. "How's Harry?"
"He has been better." Ginny said pointing to Harry who was staring down at a plate of food while Neville went on about some sort of plant life.
"He looks like he's in pain." Hermione said.
"After two hours of listening to under water plant life you would be too…" Ginny said. "It was somewhat unbearable."
"There he is…" Ron said looking to see Krum walking into the great hall.
"Looks like someone else has been studying as well." Ginny said. Hermione looked to her to see she was chewing on some salad with a small smile playing her lips. It wasn't just any smile though; it had a knowing look to it.
"Ginny…" she said carefully.
Does… Does Ginny know? Is there any way she could? We've been so careful…
"Yep." Ginny said with another smile.
"What?" Hermione asked.
"Huh?" Ginny asked looking up at her friend with a seemingly innocent look.
"Do you…"
"Do I?" Ginny asked her eyes glinting.
"What are you two on about?" Ron asked eyeing the two girls.
"Nothing." Hermione said rather quickly while Ginny said it calmly as she went back to her salad.
"Think he'd give me his autograph?" Ron asked.
"Why would you want it he's just a person Ronald?" Hermione said.
"Just a person?" Ron asked. "Hermione that right there is the greatest seeker in the world." Ron said pointing.
"One who is staring right at you." Ginny said with a smirk. Ron slowly turned to see the Bulgarian eyeing him with some unreadable expression. Ron slowly raised his hand up and waved with a goofy grin.
"Oooh… I don't think that was a good smile Ron." Ginny said seeing the seeker glaring heavily.
"Think he overheard you." Hermione said.
"What would he possibly have to be mad about I didn't say anything bad? I complimented the man." Ron said.
"Do you know how many people have been asking him for his autograph? It has to be tiring." Hermione said giving a small sympathetic smile as she started to eat her food.
"Someday that will be us…" Ron said looking to Viktor before turning back to his sister and Hermione who was seated across from him.
"Meaning?" Hermione asked a fork filled with pork halted right before her mouth.
"Well, think about it we're Harry Potter's best friends… We're going to help him take down you know who…" he said leaning forward and talking in a hushed tone. He sat up with a proud smile. "There's bound to be a bunch of people who are going to view us as war heroes of some sort." Ginny grimaced as she felt Hermione stiffen next to her.
"Is that the only reason you're helping him?" Hermione asked putting her fork of food back down against her plate.
"No, I'm just saying." Ron said. "I even now get kids asking me once in a while." Hermione frowned, she too had gotten one or two but they had mostly been enthusiastic first year muggle borns looking for a role model.
"You should be known for your own accomplishments, not because you happened to be somewhere." Hermione said.
"I didn't mean it how it sounded." Ron said.
"Well it sounded how you didn't mean it." Hermione said earning her a confused look. "Just heed what you say Ronald…"
"Especially now that Rita Skeeter is around." Ginny said.
"Is that the reporter who has been doing the champions interviews?" Hermione inquired.
"Yeah, Harry said he had a bit of a rough time through it." Ginny said.
"Doesn't matter what ever that woman writes is always a lie it's not like any one believes her… I should go check on Harry…." Hermione went to get up only to receive a strange look from Ron. "He's my friend too Ron…" she said, he nodded slowly. Hermione got three feet away from her seat when Fred and George hooked their arms under hers and picked her off the ground.
"Hermione pet there you are." Fred said.
"We have been looking everywhere for you love." George added.
"Indeed we have." They chimed in unison as they began to pull her down the aisle between the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables.
"Put me down this instant." Hermione said glaring at the two boys. "People are staring."
"Well maybe they wouldn't if you stopped flailing your legs in a dramatic sort. " Fred said.
"I wouldn't if you'd let me use my own legs." They set her on the ground and continued to drag her out of the great hall. It wasn't as noticeable as it would have been seeing as other students were leaving as well. She saw Viktor stand in his seat with a questioning look.
"I'm fine…" she mouthed to him. He smiled softly but still worriedly as he sat back down.
"Lovely night isn't it?" Fred asked.
"Look at all those stars outside…" George nodded. "Do you like stars Mione?"
"Drop the small talk. Where are you taking me?" she asked.
"Nowhere in particular." Fred said.
"Well you're taking me some where so just tell me." Hermione said.
"Well if you must know we're taking you to the tri wizard cup." George said.
"What why?"
"Because you-." Fred started.
"Our resident genius-." George continued
"Are going to-."
"Help us-."
"Knick it." they said together.
"I am doing no such thing!" she said as she was dragged into the room.
"You are too!" they said as they let her go.
"Am not now this is just ridiculous. I have better things to do with my time then help you two delinquents steal the tri wizard cup!"
"You know you wouldn't be here if you just told us your great plan to get our hands on it." Fred said crossing his arms over his chest as he looked her up in down.
"Yes now we tried levitation to get it out and it didn't work!"
"How did you try it?" she asked.
"We tried to levitate the trophy through the barrier." Fred said.
"That's not thinking outside the box." Hermione said.
"What does that even mean?" George asked.
"What box we see no box!" Fred said motioning to the trophy.
"It's a metaphor!" Hermione said.
"What does that even mean?" George asked.
"What metaphor we see no metaphor!" Fred said motioning to it again.
"Oh don't act stupid boys." Hermione said. "It isn't becoming of you."
"Oh…" Fred said winking.
"You find us becoming?" George asked flashing a dazzling smile.
"Figure it out yourselves." Hermione said as she rolled her eyes and headed out.
"Wait wait wait." Fred said running to block her way.
"Come on Hermione the Weasley twins are asking you for help." George said.
"You're not ever going to get this offer again." Fred said.
"Really?" she asked, both twins nodded. "Thank Merlin…" she said before heading past them.
"Give us another hint at least!?" they called together.
"Levitation!"
"That's the same bloody hint!" Fred called.
"Think outside the box!" Hermione called as she walked around a corner.
"There is no bloody box!" George yelled.
"This is really irritating." Fred said turning to his brother.
"How is it we can figure out how to make filches mop spread mud whenever he tried to use it but we can't figure out how to get this bloody trophy out of this bloody room?" George asked.
"It's going to drive us mad…" Fred said.
"We're already mad…" George quipped.
"Just a little bit, but I have a feeling this is really going to drive us over the edge."
"Sounds fun." Fred high-fived his brother.
"Come George we have plotting to do." Fred said as George and he headed out of the room.
-o-
The next morning Hermione rose out of bed quite early. No matter how hard she tried she had trouble trying to fall back asleep. So around six AM she finally gave up and took her towel to the private bathroom in her private room. She had been given it after the year before when her room mates had complained to the school about her staying up at all hours of the night to study. She was irritated at first but when she had come back to school and McGonagall showed her the big circular room at the top of the tower she had instantly wanted to find her old Roommates and hug them.
After a long hot glorius shower she came out of the bathroom magically drying her hair as she did. She grabbed the first clothes she spotted and threw them on when she was done with her makeup she stood back to check her over all reflection. She ran her hands down her clothes a few times per her ritual demanded as she tilted her head. She was wearing a white hooded sweater that hugged her figure with low riding jeans and her deep blue converse shoes. It wasn't the best thing she could put together but she wasn't trying to impress anyone. She reached into her closet and pulled out a grey pea coat. It wasn't heavy but gave enough warmth in case she needed it. She loved Hogwarts but the one downfall to its location was no one ever really knew what the weather would exactly be like. She smiled before she headed out the door ready to face the day. When she came down the stairs she smiled seeing a familiar face sitting on a common room cushion an old book in hand.
"Morning Neville what are you doing up so early?"
"Reading." He said holding up his herbology book.
"Anything interesting?" she asked as she asked as she folded her coat over her arms.
"Have you ever heard of shavacious tanaish?" he asked.
"Isn't that a tropical healing herb?" she asked.
"Yes yes it is." Neville said with bright eyes.
"It's very rare, it's said that only a hand full of wizards have gazed upon it. It's rumored to be hot pink." Hermione said.
"They have a picture in here." Neville said walking up to her.
"Really? May I take a look?"
"Of course." He pointed it out and Hermione smiled her fingers moving across the picture slowly.
"Gorgeous…" Hermione said looking at it.
"Isn't it?" Neville asked before closing the book.
"Say, are you hungry? I was just going to head down for an early breakfast."
"Sure, I'll go. I'm getting pretty hungry. Though I told Seamus I'd wait but I have a feeling he fell back asleep."
"Well let's head down then, you can tell me more about these plants…" Hermione said with a small smile. She wasn't actually interested, but maybe she could learn something new. Hermione eyed the book in his arms, it was rare, a one of a kind text, she knew that for sure. She had only heard of the book from rumors. "Neville where did you get that book?" she inquired as they walked down the staircase leading away from Gryffindor tower.
"Mad eye. Gave me it that day we had tea." He said.
"You do know it's very rare."
"Of course he told me to be very careful with it; on more than one occasion I've had to take it to the librarian to have her fix some pages… They are very delicate."
"I wonder how he got his hands on a copy." Hermione said.
"He said he got it off of another auror." Neville said. "Say Hermione you know Ginny right?"
"Yeah sure she's quickly becoming one of my best friends."
"She's great." Neville said as they walked down one of the stair cases. "She's so great I'd venture to say she already has a boyfriend."
"If she does she hasn't mentioned it." Hermione said with a small smile. "Are you interested?" his cheeks flamed red as he hugged the book to his chest.
"What? No no…" he said.
"I see…" Hermione said with a small nod as she looked down at the coat neatly folded in her arms.
"But if I was do you think she'd say yes?"
"Well… I can't be sure… Maybe you should ask…" Hermione said looking to him with a kind expression. Ginny was completely obsessed with Harry, that much she as sure of. Still that didn't mean she wouldn't give Neville a chance.
"How should I ask exactly?" Neville asked.
"Well I don't know…" Hermione said honestly. "Maybe speak over a mutual topic and see what happens from there…" he slowly nodded before looking to her.
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell Ginny about this… I'm not sure just yet… You know what my feelings are pertaining to her."
"Oh I won't tell." Hermione said. "I'm no gossip."
"Thanks Mione." Neville said.
"No problem Neville." She said as they walked into the great hall to find a few other students already in. Hermione spotted Viktor and smiled fondly only to receive a small worried smile. She eyed him for a second before his eyes moved towards a daily prophet that Jamous was holding. Hermione could see there were stacks of them on every table Neville grabbing one as he passed. They sat down together as Hermione reached for her own prophet.
"Hermione you're picture is in here…" Neville said.
"What?" Hermione asked instantly taking his from his grasp. "Where?"
"Second page…" he said. Hermione opened it up to see a continuing article that had Harry's dazed looking face in one corner and then herself walking in another. Her eyes moved down to the caption.
"Though it has been a rocky start for the young champion, Harry has at last found love at Hogwarts. A close friend to Potters, Collin Creevey, says that the young wizard is rarely seen out of the company of one Hermione Granger, a stunningly pretty Muggle-Born girl who like Harry is one of the top students at Hogwarts."
"She'll pay…" Hermione said her teeth grinding. Viktor smiled softly. He knew Hermione had undoubtedly seen the article about her and Harry and he could tell she wasn't pleased in the least.
"No one believes this stuff Hermione…" Neville said not looking the fuming witch in the eyes.
"Well well well if it isn't Mrs. Potter." Hermione turned to see Malfoy moving in a snickering Crabbe and Goyle trotting behind him.
"I have to go find Harry, worn him about this." Hermione said to Neville who nodded understandingly as she got up.
"Where you going Potter?" Malfoy asked grabbing her arm and swinging her around as if she were a rag doll. She pulled her arm from his grasp to turn only to find the two cave men standing in her way. Hermione turned to Malfoy with an annoyed look.
"Tell them to move." She said knowing they wouldn't do it if she commanded them to do so.
"Or what you'll run and get your sensitive boy toy?" Malfoy said.
"Maybe she needs to go wipe all his tears." Crabbe said making Malfoy and Goyle laugh. Hermione went to move past Draco to go the long way only to have two other Slytherins stand in her way once more, she sighed heavily. Viktor slowly went to stand but Jamous held him back.
"They'll know my friend it'll be worse for her if they know about you two…" He muttered.
"Get out of my way." She said her temper flaring.
"Or what?" Malfoy asked pulling his wand out only to have Hermione pull hers quicker and point it at his chest. His eyes narrowed as he stared at her with a smirk. "Take a look Granger there are five of us and one of you."
"Then get a few more of your idiot friends and it will be more even." Hermione said and some of the Bulgarians chuckled at the young woman's bravery and wit. Her eyes glared into Malfoy before she sighed and dropped her wand wielding hand to her side. Malfoy chuckled with the others. "You know what's really pathetic?" she asked walking up to him. "Is that you need all these guys to take me on in a duel, can't even defeat a muggle born on your own… Let's have a round of applause for Pureblood pride."
"Reducto!" he shouted. Hermione dropped to the ground easily. Malfoys curse hit both Crabbe and Goyle making them fly back. Hermione stood drawing her wand with a smile as she backed away.
"Thanks for getting them out of my way." She said with a smirk.
"Expelliarmus!" he shouted.
"Pretego!" Hermione deflected his shot before stepping forward. "Stupify!" Malfoy flew back into the other two Slytherins and hit the ground with a thud. She turned to the Slytherin table to see others beginning to stand. "Go ahead I dare you…" her voice had and edge and her eyes flared with anger. They all froze when they saw the deadly look in her eyes.
"You can't take us all on mudblood." Someone said.
"You have no idea what I'm capable of…" she said with a dark look that surprised Viktor.
"What is going on in here!?" McGonagall asked rushing in with Snape and Moody behind her.
"That stupid filthy mud blood attacked me!" Malfoy shouted as he was helped up by two other Slytherins. "My father will hear about this you troll!"
"Oh how original Malfoy hiding behind daddy's dress robes!" Hermione shouted turning and glaring at him.
"You stupid filthy-."
"Go ahead finish that sentence I bloody dare you!" Hermione yelled.
"You are lower than dirt!"
"And you are a little less then pathetic!"
"You bitc-."
"That is enough!" McGonagall called. "Miss Granger did you attack Mr. Malfoy?"
"It was a mutual attack." She said. "I saw him raise his wand so I raised mine it escalated from there. Did I attack? No. Did I defend myself? Yes."
"She's lying!" Malfoy shouted.
"No she's not." Neville said standing slowly. "They all just surrounded her, they wouldn't let her leave she tried to remove herself but they kept at it."
"You surrounded her?" Snape asked the students from his house.
"No." they all said.
"Twenty five points will be taken from both parties." McGonagall said. At the groans from the Slytherins she looked to them. "Each."
"That's like ninety points." Goyle said.
"No that's like one hundred and twenty five points." Hermione quipped.
"Have I missed a photo op?" They turned to see Rita Skeeter a quick quill elevated beside her. Hermione glared into the woman heavily as Rita walked up to her. "Miss Granger just the girl I was looking for. What can you tell me about you and Mr. Potters relationship."
"May I leave professor?" Hermione asked McGonagall.
"Of course Miss Granger, why don't you go get some air." She said. Hermione nodded before moving out of the hall.
As she moved through the halls she saw the different students staring at her as they looked up from their daily prophets. With every step that took her past the observers she felt her chest tighten. She wondered if this was how Harry felt with every one looking at him. She knew the tightness of her chest was also caused by the rage she felt for the Slytherins and embarrassment from having to have Viktor watch the whole confrontation. She had acted like a child and she would be the first to admit it.
"Hey Mione!" she looked up to see Lavender and groaned as she dove into another corridor and ran as fast as she could to escape the gossiper. When she reached the passage way to the greenhouses she took a steadying breath knowing full well that no one would be there.
-o-
"That filthy stupid little mud blood." Malfoy muttered as he walked down the corridor Crabbe and Goyle beside him. "I'll get her back… One of these days she's going to be in a dark corridor all alone and I'll be there to show her whose pathetic… Don't know why we even let the likes of her in this school…"
"Malvoy!" he stopped and turned to see Viktor and Jamous moving towards them. Fear clutched Malfoy, he had called Hermione a mud blood in front of him.
"Good job of you guys." Jamous said clapping him on back.
"Put girl in place." Viktor said as he too clapped him a little roughly on the back. "By way, wanted to speak to you about somfing very important."
"Me?" Malfoy asked with a smile. "Uh sure."
"We take walk?" Jamous said pulling Crabbe and Goyle away.
"Yeah take a walk boys." Malfoy said as he and Viktor walked off towards some classrooms.
"I have three friends, want you to meet." Jamous said moving Crabbe and Goyle toward another set of class rooms where three very large seventh year Durmstrang boys waited.
"So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Malfoy asked as he and Viktor entered an empty class room. Viktor closed the door behind him and turned to see Malfoy smugly sitting at the edge of desk.
"Over heard you talking about her-… Granger girl… Somfing bout dark corridor."
"Well can't let a muggle born like her getting away with that." Malfoy said. "Calling me pathetic… Then having the gull to attack a pure blood? She needs to be put back into her place."
"And you would do this?" Viktor asked taking a step closer.
"Been planning it for months actually…" Malfoy said.
"Really?" Viktor asked. "What is plan?"
"Well she seems to think that she can say whatever she wants to me without consequence… someone needs to… Dominate her…"
"Dominate?" Viktor could feel his blood boiling.
"Make that Mud blood scream my name if you know what I mean. Split her apart… Play with her a bit, then finish the job… Maybe go all the way and get rid of her… like any one would come after me." Malfoy said with a chuckle. Without warning Viktor grabbed Malfoy by his coat and picked him off the ground before slamming him back down onto the desk.
"You will not touch her ever…" he said his chest heaving with anger. "She is very dear to me if you even think about coming near her again I swear to god that no one will be able to save you from my wrath…"
"What?" Malfoy asked. Viktor had been so angry he had stopped speaking English and started speaking in Bulgarian.
"I said that if you ever come near her again I vill kill you…" he said. "No one vill be able to save you from my wrath…"
"What are you some mud blood lover!?" Malfoy shouted. Viktor slammed him back down on the table, the sheer force of it splintering the wood underneath Malfoy.
"What did I say about calling her such things!" he bellowed.
"Why do you even care!?"
"She is very dear to me…" He said glaring heavily into the greasy haired boy.
"Viktor we have to go that filch guy is coming!" Jamous yelled in Bulgarian as he rushed into the class room with the three other Bulgarians behind him.
"You touch her, you die." Viktor said slamming Malfoy against the desk once more. This time the weakened wood crumbled under his weight causing him to slam onto the stone ground.
"Viktor enough!" Jamous yelled as he pulled his friend form the room.
"He threatened her…" Viktor muttered as he was pulled far from the boy he so badly wanted to end. "Said he would hurt her in… unspeakable ways…"
"He won't be coming near her not now." Jamous said.
"I haf to see her…" Viktor said his chest still heaving.
"I thought I saw her going towards green houses." One of his classmates said.
"I haf to go…" Viktor said pulling away from Jamous. "I haf to see her…"