"I hate the ministry, I hate this tournament and I hate those stupid badges." Hermione glared over the 1st-floor bridge towards the courtyard, a deep furrow to her brow. Students were milling below, enjoying the last rays of sun that November would allow before the Scottish winter would truly take hold. "We've got to do something."
"About the badges? Yeah." Ginny replied, thoroughly engrossed in her own task, as she leaned against the warm stone. "I'm improving this one," She paused looking at the marks she'd scratched into the 'Potter Stinks' badge.
"I don't think Cedric suits a mustache, do you?"
"I think he deserves a piece of my mind."
"Hm?"
"Draco, with his stupid badges. I am so done with him strutting around- 'eh potter'- idiot." Hermione threw her book into her bag.
"Hermione, what- hey wait up!" Ginny scrambled for her bag as her friend stormed off. She zig-zagged between the other students loitering on the bridge, and those huddled in the adjacent corridor. She jogged alongside Hermione as she barrelled forward, through a scarlet tapestry that led them down a narrow, uneven, set of concealed stairs. "How do you know about all these secret passages and I don't? I swear one day Fred or George is going to give me that map and you're all going to be sorry... am I talking to myself here?"
They appeared from the dark stair, and through a portrait's false back, to find themselves in the emptying courtyard. Hermione's face was red, her breathing already heavy. She scoured the courtyard for the blond mop that she spotted, which could only belong to Draco Malfoy. However, seemingly he had moved along. Hermione settled on the next best thing.
"Diggory!"
"Aw no." Ginny breathed. She tried to flatten her hair, and her stomach gave a slight twist. Cedric turned towards them and Ginny smiled back at him, swallowing her urge to breathe a skittish laugh. She was in complete contrast to Hermione, whose features were set in a stony glower. Mercifully his friends had left him, heading out of the courtyard, as they approached.
"Weasley, Granger, h-"
"You need to do something about these." Hermione snatched the graffitied badge Ginny was holding out of her hands and thrust it towards Cedric's face.
"There not mine!"
"Yes, yes it was Draco, I know, but you can get people to stop wearing them. Besides you owe Harry for the...the dragon thing." Hermione lowered her voice slightly, and Cedric relaxed, shrugging.
"Alright, sure. But I don't know why you've come to me to get rid of them. Better it be- uh, I don't know- "
"Oh come on Diggory. Your..." Hermione scrunched up her face gesturing towards him, she looked at Ginny.
"Charming?"
"Yes,"
"Popular?"
"Yes,"
"Handsome?"
"Uh," Hermione flustered and Ginny laughed before realising her tease revealed more of her own feelings than her friends and clenched her jaw shut. Cedric became entirely still, a smile plastered across his face, and a blush crawling up his neck.
"If you say so." Hermione squeaked, glancing up at Cedric in an alarmed fashion but mirroring his grin.
"Oh shut up. So, anyway, Cedric," Ginny stalled, "How are you doing with the clue?"
"You can't ask him about the clue!"
"Why not?"
"Because of the rules?" Hermione said incredulously.
"Oh, come on. Only a third of champions manage to figure out the clue on their own. And do you know how many of the champions get the clue on their own when their fourteen and the fourth champion to be picked? None! Zero!" Hermione screwed up her nose at Ginny. Cedric stepped closer.
"Where did you hear that?"
"I made it up, but the point still stands."
"Well, I'm actually on my way to the library to read up about the clue right now so..."
"So are we." Hermione interrupted grabbing her bag from off the floor, where it had flung itself. "I'm going to do some research for Harry."
"Hypocrite." Ginny smiled as she began to walk, Hermione by her side leaving Cedric no choice but to follow along behind them.
Hermione turned back choosing to ignore her friend.
"I think, as it's a competition for sixth and seventh years, that they're going to be asking you to perform complex spells from your newt levels to show off your skill. But Harry's only a fourth year and I can't single them down until we get the clue..." Hermione trailed off looking ahead.
"But it's a good idea," Ginny bolstered, linking her arm through her friends, "Isn't Cedric?"
"Uh yeah, yeah-" Cedric began but Ginny continued on,
"I was thinking we should just look through the castle and grounds because they've got to be keeping the stuff for the next trail somewhere. Honestly how hard would it have been to accidentally come across the four dragons they were keeping in the forest? But I suppose they would only have that stuff prepared a couple of days beforehand. What about you? What are you doing, what's your... I don't know, tactic."
"I've just been focusing on the egg." He stated. They stared at him. "I was going on the bases it's not just screaming. That it's a language. That I need to translate."
"Huh."
"Only problem is I can't stand to listen to it for more than 10 seconds."
"And I'm sure Madam Pince isn't keen on you studying it in the library," Hermione said smiling faintly.
"Or the 'Puffs on listening to it in the common room." Ginny grinned.
"'Puffs?"
"It's something I'm trying out. What d'you think? Oo Hermione look whose here." Ginny chirped looking through the open library doors as they approached them.
"Again!" Hermione stopped short in the corridor as she too noticed Victor Krum, a blue leather book in hand. He was staring down intently at his page, looking like he was crouched on his seat, his bulky limps too long to fit under the squat desk. "Well, you can't say he's not dedicated."
"Looks like you'll be studying on the barrel again." Ginny turned to Cedric, "Hermione's been keeping me company as I try to break into the kitchens. You know I think the entrance is in that corridor opposite the great hall, but I keep getting stuck, I think it's protected by some sort of puzzle-"
"The back wall on the left-hand side? A tapestry hung on either side?"
"Er yes."
"It's you trying to break in! That wall opens up to the Hufflepuff common room, not the kitchen." He laughed, the sound loud and bright.
"Oh," Ginny rocked back on the balls of her feet and pinched her lips, sighing, "Great."
"Your close though, it's further up the hall-"
"No do tell me, I'll find it myself. Thanks."
"Sure. Most people don't even realise there is a puzzle to be found so, you know..." Cedric nodded casting a longing glance at the warm, quiet library. Hermione straightened.
"Okay, Diggory, badges, please, thank you. Now we've got to go."
"Yeah, I'll do, uh something."
"Thanks, Diggory. And you can keep that one." Ginny smiled, pointing at the yellow badge Hermione had given him, she quickly waved and hurried off after the Griffindor who was already three steps ahead.
Authors Note: Hey, this is my first published piece and I've been wanting to do this for a while, so please leave a review if you feel any way inclined. Thanks for reading!
BlushingBelle
(Updated 2/2/20) (Edited and updated 06/08/2023)
