Where Hermione experiences a lot of unpleasant things.
And a few surprises as well.
HERMIONE XIII
"Hey, Hermione!"
Another girl from Ravenclaw who she didn't know just called her name, and Hermione chose to ignore her. Two weeks after the second task, there were still people teasing her about the fact that she was the most precious person in the world to Viktor. She also kept getting jealous looks from many girls, while others pestered her with questions about him, and others kept mocking her. She had suffered all this at the beginning of the year and after the Yule Ball with relative indifference, telling herself this was nothing, but this began to seriously get on her nerves.
"You would think that they would have let it go by now," Ron said, looking behind at the girl.
"Well, people are lacking interesting topics of conversation, so they turn to futile ones," Hermione said between her teeth.
"Cheer up, Hermione. We're only one afternoon away from the weekend," Ron said as the two of them sat down at the Gryffindor table for lunch. "Then this is Hogsmeade for the weekend."
"And before that, we have a double Potions class with the Slytherins," Hermione said in an exasperated tone. Usually, she was the one who talked to make things looked not as unpleasant as they seemed, but today roles were reversed between her and Ron. She was simply in no mood to receive more mockeries from anyone. She supported them at the beginning of the year, but this really began to be too much.
"Try to see things from the bright side," Ron suggested.
She wished she could, but right now it was impossible. She would feel better once they were done with Potions. At least, there was one real bright side to all of this, and it was that Ron's mood was very good.
After the second task, he showed joy that both she and Harry came back unscathed from the lake, but she could sense it was partially forced. She was afraid that something similar to what happened in November would take place, as Harry and Hermione received again lots of attention while he received none, not having been in the lake like they were. He remained grumpy each time she was asked about Viktor, a feeling she shared with him this time. And from his comments, Hermione also felt that something else concerning Harry bothered him.
"It's a chance that she's not in Gryffindor," he said a few days after the second task, when Harry just left the common room for the evening. He informed them that he had plans with Susan. "Or else we would be seeing her all the time," he muttered in a grumpy voice.
"What do you have against Susan?" Hermione had then asked him, exasperated by the negative comments he made on her almost each and every time Harry was not around.
"What do I have against her? Well, not much. Except that I've got the feeling she's stealing our friend away from us."
"Ron, they have the right to spend some time together."
"They are together half the time in class." That was true, and Hermione had to admit that she regretted not having Susan sitting next to her like before. She liked Ron, but he wasn't as serious as she was during lessons. "Not to mention all the time she spent with us while searching a way for Harry to breathe under water."
"Not everyone thinks that seeing each other in the library is good time," Hermione pointed out. She thought about Viktor while saying that, and it was clear from Ron's expression that he guessed it as well. Both had not talked for the entire evening afterwards, but they silently agreed to forget about it the next morning.
But this was two or three weeks ago. Over the week that was about to end, Ron's mood greatly improved. He didn't even seem to mind the few times that Hermione mentioned Viktor. This was a source of great relief, for Hermione was sometimes tired of trying to avoid mentioning him in all circumstances.
"I can't wait for the afternoon to be over," Seamus said, sitting in front of them with Dean.
Dean then used an injurious epithet to qualify the Potions lessons, one that would have gotten him detention right away if a professor heard him.
"I can't wait for the weekend at Hogsmeade," Ron said, a smile on his lips. He really looked more excited about this weekend than usual.
Harry joined them in the Great Hall not long after, and they spent lunch discussing what they would do at Hogsmeade tomorrow. The mood was generally positive, considering they were heading for a double Potions lesson. They arrived while the door of the classroom was still closed. Hermione hated when this happened, for it forced them to spend quite unpleasant time waiting with the Slytherins, who were all gathered around Pansy Parkinson at the moment. Hermione hated that girl. She was at the head of the most hateful gang of bully girls in the castle. It seemed that this cow (Hermione wouldn't say the word aloud, but she didn't bother thinking it that much) found something to amuse her fellow Slytherins. Whatever it was, Hermione knew that it was either too stupid or cruel to be amusing.
"There they are, there they are!" Parkinson said, while still sniggering so much that she was jumping on her feet. She then threw something at Hermione who caught it to prevent it from hitting her face. "You might find something to interest you in there, Granger!"
The other Slytherins were containing their laughter when Snape opened the door. Hermione looked at the edition of Witch Weekly that Parkinson just threw at her. If that was what she was laughing about, then indeed, it couldn't be anything worth laughing at. This magazine was the refuge for all witches who could find nothing better to do with their free time but reading about the stupidest gossips and news in the world.
Hermione set aside the magazine once she sat at the back of the classroom with Harry and Ron.
"For today's lesson, you will learn, or rather try to learn, the Pepperup Potion," Snape said to the class. "Any student who tastes it or brings some quantity out of this class will be punished in a way he will never forget. The instructions are written on the blackboard."
While Snape wrote, Hermione took a look at the magazine, only to see what could get Pansy Parkinson and the other Slytherins to laugh. She turned the pages one by one, until she fell on an article that displayed a photograph of Harry, with a short story below, titled Harry Potter's Secret Heartache.
Hermione went quickly through the short article. That, if you could call it an article. It was full of such nonsense that she was split between feelings of disgust and amusement, since the story was so absurd.
"I told you," Ron said when he finished reading. "I told you not to annoy Rita Skeeter. She's made you out to be some sort of… scarlet woman."
Hermione looked at Ron, totally bewildered.
"Scarlet woman?"
Then she burst into giggles.
"It's what my mom calls them," he said, looking outraged.
Hermione couldn't retain her laughter. She threw the magazine away. "If that's the best Rita can do, she's losing her touch. What a pile of old rubbish."
Hermione stared at the Slytherins, and gave them a satisfied smile with a shrug, cocking her head before returning her attention to what was really important, the Pepperup Potion that Snape tasked them with preparing.
Harry, on his side, pushed a sigh that sounded tired.
"Oh, Harry, don't tell me you worry about this stupid story," she said.
"No… I just… wished all of this could end…" He looked at Hermione. "You're not the only one who's fed up with people asking her questions about how and why she ended at the bottom of the Black Lake."
Now, Hermione understood. "Harry, Susan knows very well to not believe any word uttered or written by Rita Skeeter. She told you herself. And anyway, I highly doubt that she would read something like Witch Weekly."
"Probably not. But I guess it would be utopic to hope that no one in Hufflepuff reads it, and that no one will bother her with this article."
Hermione had to admit it was true. The Slytherins would certainly seize the first occasion to bother Susan with it.
"Well, anyway, it's a pile of rubbish. Someone would need to be really stupid to believe anything in it," she declared as she checked the quantities for the potion.
"You would be surprised how many idiots believed that article at the beginning of the year that said you and Harry were dating," Ron reminded her.
Hermione chose to ignore his comment. For about ten minutes, she focused on burning the fire at the right temperature and adding the ingredients cut in the right way. However, something kept gnawing at her mind.
"There's something," she said to herself after a while, crushing some herbs while thinking about something else. This was a step in the preparation of the potion that didn't require so much concentration. "How could Rita Skeeter have known…?" Her voice trailed as she kept thinking while the herbs were slowly turned into mush.
"Known what?" Ron asked her. But Hermione ignored him. She was too focused thinking while brewing with her hands.
"You haven't been mixing up Love Potions, have you?" Ron asked further.
On that, Hermione stopped the brewing process and turned straight at him. "Don't be stupid," she snapped. She then returned to her crushing movement again. "No, it's just…" Her voice trailed off again. "How did she know Viktor asked me to visit him over the summer?"
The memory of his proposition made her cheeks flush red. She focused on the herbs.
"What?" Ron asked. His pestle dropped loudly in the bowl where he was supposed to be crushing his own herbs. Hermione decided to avoid his gaze and to keep thinking.
"He asked me right after he pulled me out of the lake. After he got rid of his shark's head. Madam Pomfrey gave us both blankets and then he sort of pulled me away from the judges so they wouldn't hear, and he said that if I wasn't doing anything over the summer, if I would like to…"
"And what did you say?" Ron asked her, interrupting her, but she chose to keep ignoring his question.
"And he did say he never felt he same way about anyone else," she insisted, feeling rather hot as she spoke. "But how could Rita Skeeter have heard him? She wasn't there. Or was she? But how? Dumbledore banned her from the school? She's not allowed here anymore."
"Maybe she has an Invisibility Cloak," Harry suggested.
"Maybe…" she said, as she thought hard about it.
She was done crushing the herbs, so she put them in her cauldron.
"And what did you say?" Ron insisted. Hermione sighed internally and finally gave him an answer.
"I was too busy waiting for Harry and Susan to emerge from the water," she snapped. "I didn't give him an answer."
"Okay, but after? Did you give him an answer? Or what are you going to answer, if you haven't already?"
Hermione wished Ron stopped pestering her about this, like he pestered her to know who she was going to the ball with for entire days before Christmas. However, she didn't hate it as much as what happened next.
"As fascinating Miss Granger's life would be, Mr Weasley, I must ask you to not discuss it in my class. Ten points from Gryffindor."
Snape somehow made his way behind them while they were discussing. Hermione was in the process of cutting roots, and she stopped at the icy voice. She wanted to protest, but she knew it would only make things worse. However, it seemed her protests were not needed to make things even worse, for Snape then snatched the magazine Hermione threw away on a nearby seat.
"Reading magazines under the table as well?" the professor stated more than he asked. "A further ten points from Gryffindor," he declared.
While everyone in the classroom stared at them, the Slytherins laughing on their side, displaying those stupid badges, Snape opened the magazine and went through it. To Hermione, he found the article way too quickly.
"Oh, but of course… Potter has to keep up with his press cuttings…"
To Hermione's fury, and also that of Harry and Ron, Snape began to read the article while the Slytherins were laughing hard, not even trying to conceal their laughter. As for Snape, he had a satisfied smile as he read it.
"Harry Potter's secret heartache… Dear, dear, Potter. What's hailing you now? A boy like no other, perhaps, yet a boy suffering all the usual pangs of adolescence… You indeed have all the problems of adolescence, Potter, I can confirm."
The Slytherins were making the POTTER STINKS badges very visible.
"Deprived of love since the tragic demise of his father, fourteen-year-old Harry Potter thought he had found solace in his steady girlfriend at Hogwarts, Muggle-born Hermione Granger…"
He made a pause, which allowed the Slytherins to laugh further.
"The Boy Who Lived, whose only relative still alive is his mother, herself Muggle-born, seems to have developed feelings for a girl who must have reminded him of the woman who raised him…"
"Hermione is not my girlfriend!" Harry snapped. Hermione closed her eyes. What was he doing? This would only get them in trouble. Snape continued without a single hesitation.
"…while the mother in question is busy in her duties as an elite Auror. Little did he know that he would shortly be suffering another emotional blow that would add to the absence of a loving mother…"
"I guess you never had a mother. If you had one, she would have disowned you."
Snape stopped this time. And Hermione got the feeling that Harry just crossed a line. A complete silence fell on the classroom. The other Gryffindors looked very afraid, and most Slytherins looked in expectation to see their professor's reaction. However, some of them looked just as afraid as the Gryffindors. Snape was staring at Harry, who returned his stare. They stayed like that for a very long moment.
Hermione waited for the explosion. For she really thought that this time, Snape would explode. He looked utterly furious. It wasn't disdain, disgust, haughtiness or mockery that you could see on her face. It was pure hatred.
"Fifty points from Gryffindor!" The Potions teacher snapped. "Weasley, you move. You'll sit next to Mr Malfoy. You, Granger. There, next to Miss Parkinson. As for you, Potter…" He looked more than furious. "You may believe that your fame gives you every right, but not in this classroom. You'll stay where you are and wait at the end of the lesson when we will determine your detention."
And so, Hermione was forced to move and sit next to the cow of Slytherin. As soon as she placed her cauldron and ingredients down, Parkinson didn't lose any time to whisper to her.
"Your boyfriend doesn't seem very happy, Granger." Hermione chose to ignore her, but she continued speaking as Hermione was adding ingredients to the potion. "But you must admit, you had it coming, both of you. Did any of you really think that you could date two different people at the same time without suffering the consequences one day? Though I wonder… I can understand why you would go after famous wizards. Although Potter, I don't get it very much, but I understand why it would be tempting for a Mudblood."
"Don't say that word, Pansy," another girl from Slytherin said behind. Hermione recognized the voice as that of Daphne Greengrass, a girl who was often seen with Pansy but seldom spoke.
"Which house are you from, Greengrass?" Parkinson snapped, giving Hermione some reprieve. She saw how Ron looked miserable next to Malfoy as well. The only problem was that Ron was retorting to his taunts, which could only end up worse with Snape around. And his retorts were getting louder each time.
"Well, anyway," Parkinson resumed after taking enough time to berate Greengrass. "I guess things are not going to last long between you and Krum, or between Potter and his other girlfriend. I must say, I never understood why he began to date a pile of bones. But well, see the good side of things, you'll have him all for yourself from now on. Though maybe not for long. Potter seems to have a habit of not keeping his girlfriends for very long. You'll be lucky, I guess, if it lasts a month or two."
Hermione forced herself to not reply and to focus on her potions. However, what bothered her the most was not Parkinson's comments, but Ron's retorts to Malfoy. Until finally, Ron told Malfoy, very aloud and for everyone to hear, to eat something you should never say aloud, and certainly not in a classroom.
"Weasley, you will remain at the end of the classroom as well," Snape declared.
This lesson was truly horrible. The only thing that broke the insufferable comments and insults of Pansy Parkinson and a few other Slytherin girls who kept laughing at everything she said was when the headmaster of Durmstrang, Igor Karkaroof, walked in and had a ushed conversation with Snape. But Snape didn't seem disposed to talking to him right now, and Karkaroff instead lingered around his desk, silent, for the rest of the classroom. Hermione found it quite strange.
Hermione was very relieved when the lesson was over. She waited outside for Ron and Harry. When they finally came out, both looked to be in a very bad mood.
"He gave us both a detention," Harry said before her questioning look.
"For the whole morning tomorrow," Ron added. "We are going to miss half our day at Hogsmeade."
"You shouldn't have said those things," Hermione chided them. "You know it only makes things worse with Snape."
"Thank you for the support," Ron said, gloomy.
They went to the Great Hall, and dinner managed to improve their mood a little. Their friends from Gryffindor were empathetic with Harry and Ron, although Lavender Brown couldn't stop herself from asking whether Harry and Hermione dated.
"NO!" they replied together, and Lavender didn't ask any further question.
Near the end of dinner, Harry stood up without having finished his dessert. Hermione understood when she noticed him rushing to the doors of the Great Hall while Susan and Hannah were walking through it. Ron stood up as well a few seconds later to go to the washroom. Seeing Harry going after Susan, Hermione thought that maybe she should warn Viktor about the article. This was a pile of rubbish and nonsense, and Hermione heavily doubted he read the magazine, but people could talk to him about it, so it would be better if she warned him about it before someone else did. He wasn't at the Slytherin table right now. The people from Durmstrang often dined earlier than other students. She could try to find him tomorrow morning. Since Harry and Ron would be in detention anyway, it would be useless for her to go to Hogsmeade.
When Hermione walked into the Entrance Hall, she noticed Ron talking with Hannah Abbott.
"So… there's really nothing between Harry and Hermione? And there never has been anything?" she was asking him.
"No," Ron replied, the same exasperation Hermione felt piercing through his voice. "It's that Rita Skeeter. Hermione insulted her in public during out last trip to Hogsmeade, and she's trying to get her revenge by writing anything."
Hermione didn't need to hear about all this, so she headed towards Harry who was discussing in a corner of the hall with Susan.
"Don't worry, Harry," Hermione's friend was saying, her back turned on her. "The moment I see the name of Rita Skeeter under a title, I don't care about what it says, I know it's all false. And anyway, someone would need to be stupid to actually believe that Hermione could prepare a Love Potion."
"See, Harry. Most people know this is rubbish," Hermione said. Susan jumped and turned quickly to look at Hermione. "Sorry, Susan. I didn't want to startle you." She noticed the bothered look on Harry's face. "Excuse me. If it's a private conversation…"
"No, not at all," Susan said. "You just… startled me, like you said. Anyway, Hannah told me about the article this morning. She's subscribed to Witch Weekly." Hermione was as exasperated as Susan looked to be. "Harry told me you all had trouble in Potions."
"Yes. Snape read the article to the whole class."
"I hate this teacher," Susan said. "Karkaroff walked into the dungeons while you were there?"
"Yes. That was strange," Hermione commented, thinking. "He seemed to want to talk with Snape, but I think Snape refused and Karkaroff stayed for the rest of the lesson until the end."
"He was still there when Ron and I left," Harry said. "And it's strange. I think he showed something to Snape. Right before I left, I looked behind, and he was showing something on his hand or his forearm."
"His forearm?" Susan asked.
"Yes, but I couldn't see what it was."
Susan looked thoughtful as well for a moment. But Ron appeared at this moment.
"So, someone wants to play a game of chess? I would rather try to spend a good evening before the detention with Snape," he declared. He looked a little less gloomy than during dinner.
They said goodbye to Susan. She and Harry kissed each other quickly before they went separate ways.
"You really have to do that?" Ron asked as they climbed the stairs.
"Do what?" Harry asked.
"Well… Snog each other."
Hermione saw Harry's face taking a slightly redder tone.
"Ron, this was barely a peck on the cheek," Hermione said to defend her other friend. Although the peck was on the lips, not the cheeks.
"Talk for yourself. Seamus told us that someone saw the two of them snogging in an empty classroom a few days ago. He said it was torrid."
Harry reddened further. Hermione thought it wouldn't be a good idea to dwell on the matter more at length. So she chose the first subject that might divert the attention to something else.
"What will your detention of tomorrow be about?" she asked.
As a result, Ron's mood was more bitter when they reached the common room, but at least he spent the walk there lashing about Snape, Malfoy and all the Slytherins. While he went to the dormitory to take his chess board and the pieces, Hermione took Harry apart.
"So, things are still going well between you and Susan?" she asked him.
"Yes," Harry said. "Only… I hope not many people will read that article. She's tired of people asking her questions about us."
Hermione nodded. Susan told her about that aspect of her relationship. Hermione advised her to ignore all these people, which Susan tried her best to do, but she wasn't as used as Hermione could have been to have people lurking around her. Otherwise, her friend assured her that everything was fine with Harry, especially since the second task. Hermione saw something, a spark in Susan's eyes, whenever she spoke about Harry. However, she preferred to not tell Harry about this. Susan may not appreciate that she reported their conversations to her boyfriend. Still, Hermione felt there was something she should say.
"Harry… Look, you and Susan are together, and I'm very happy for you two. And you can do whatever you want, but… If someone saw you, maybe you should try to be a little more discreet."
Harry looked quite uncomfortable all of a sudden. "We are being discreet, Hermione… And we don't spend our time… snogging, like Ron says. Yes, we are… kissing, sometimes, and yes, we sometimes do it in… not very occupied sections of the castle… But even if we do… Don't tell me you never kissed Viktor."
Hermione felt herself redden all of a sudden. Yes, she and Viktor had kissed. However, they made sure to do it when they were absolutely certain that no one was around or could see them. She was saved from answering by Ron who came down with the game of chess, and they began to play, two per game while the third looked.
The next morning, Harry and Ron went with resigned faces to the detention Snape gave them. Although Hermione thought they should not have behaved they way they did, knowing how Snape was, she did feel this was unfair, especially for a day at Hogsmeade.
Hermione decided to go to the library for the morning. The first reason was to progress in her homework. The second reason was to talk with Viktor about the article of Rita Skeeter. As Hermione headed for the library, she was joined by Susan.
"Going to the library you too?" her friend from Hufflepuff asked.
"Yes. I think I'll start with the potions homework. Snape gave us quite one yesterday."
"Same thing for us," Susan said, no more enthusiastic to do the homework in question than Hermione was. "Snape is competent as a teacher, but really, his behavior… He seems to hate us. Even most Slytherins are afraid of him."
"Well, he is our professor. So we have to do the homework he's giving us anyway."
"Yes, but I only wish he didn't cut my day with my boyfriend in two."
Hermione felt sorry for Susan. "Harry should not have retorted to Snape."
"I know," Susan acknowledged, "but sometimes, he goes too far, Hermione. Even in my own classroom, some students end up lashing at him when they cannot support it anymore. Hannah even got a detention once because she made a joke about him, and he heard it. She wasn't even trying to laugh at him. It was innocent."
"I got it, Susan. I don't like Snape me neither, but we've got to live with him."
"I would rather not live with a Death Eater," Susan declared, bitter. "By the way, you remember what Harry saw yesterday between Snape and Karkaroff. I thought about it. You know, when he said that Karkaroff showed his forearm to Snape. I'm wondering whether it was his left arm. Did Harry tell you which?"
"No," Hermione said after a moment. "Is that important?"
"I'm not sure. It's just that… Well, anyway, we've arrived."
They were indeed in front of the library's door. Hermione and Susan walked in without saying a word, to avoid causing some displeasure to Madam Pince. Hermione then spotted Viktor, reading alone at his own table like always. His face brightened the moment he saw Hermione walk in.
"I have to leave you, Susan," she said.
"It's fine," Susan said, looking at Viktor. "See you later. Have a good time," she added with a smile.
And the Hufflepuff walked to another corner of the library while Hermione came to sit in front of Viktor, smiling.
"Who was she?" Viktor asked her, pointing his chin towards the direction where Susan disappeared.
"She's one of my friends. Her name is Susan. You already met. She was at the table of the champions with Harry during the Yule Ball. She's his girlfriend."
Viktor first frowned, then looked surprised. "His girlfriend?"
"Yes. She's the one who Harry got out of the lake during the second task, remember?"
Viktor looked surprised and skeptical at the same time. "I didn't notice her. I was too preoccupied by you."
She smiled back at him as she kept getting out her books for the potions homework. She decided however that the time was good to broach a related subject.
"Viktor, by the way, there's something I must talk to you about. You remember that journalist who took photos of you before the Tournament? Rita Skeeter?"
"That blond reporter with glasses and jewels everywhere?" he asked.
"Yes, that one. Well, I kind of… told her my way of thinking a few weeks before the second task, and she kind of hates me ever since. And the thing is, she wrote an article about me in Witch Weekly. This is a magazine for witches, mostly, talking discussing fashion, cooking, and gossips, the likes of them."
He nodded but didn't say a word, keeping looking at her.
"Well, mostly, she wrote something that is entirely rubbish. She said that I concocted a Love Potion to seduce you, and that I'm also dating Harry. Which is totally untrue."
Viktor kept looking straight at her for a moment. Hermione was afraid of his reaction, but he finally seemed to brush away the topic. "I know of these magazines. They often said I had a girlfriend only by taking a picture of me with a woman. They only look for ways to make money. I'm sorry you got involved in that."
"Oh no, Viktor. It's not your fault. It is me who insulted Rita Skeeter, and now she's trying to make me pay the price."
"Just ignore the article. The story will die down on its own."
She felt relieved. She also thought this, but hearing Viktor say the same was comforting her in her beliefs.
"Have you thought about what I asked you? Coming to Bulgaria in summer?" he asked her.
Hermione felt quite embarrassed. She hadn't taken a decision yet. In fact, she had not really thought seriously about it yet.
"Hmmm… I'm sorry, I don't know yet. It's not that I don't want to come. It's just that… my parents are Muggles, and I didn't even tell them about us yet. And I'm not sure they will want me to head to another country without them. They usually want to spend as much time with me as they can during summer, since I'm at school most of the year."
He nodded. "They can come, if you want. I'm sure my parents would be very happy to meet them."
"I'll see with them. I'll ask them," she answered quickly, red climbing to her cheeks. Viktor must have noticed it, for he smiled as well. Hermione rushed to begin her homework under his watchful eyes.
She should have told her parents by now, after so much time. Only, the truth was that Hermione didn't know where her relationship with Viktor could lead. After all, in June, once the Tournament would be over, they would go separate ways. Viktor would go back to his home in Bulgaria. So Hermione was not certain how to announce that to her parents, and even less how to explain to them that a boy, a Quidditch star on top of that, would like her to visit him in Eastern Europe. Especially since her parents were Muggles, and for them Eastern Europe was not a place to visit. They still viewed it as the Eastern, Communist Bloc, despite the fall of the USSR. And also… Hermione was ashamed to admit it, but one of Ron's comments at the Yule Ball about Viktor kept gnawing at her mind. The comment about the fact that Viktor was too old. Although Hermione didn't consider him too old, her parents might not be as open to letting their only daughter of fifteen head to another country to meet an eighteen-year-old man.
Hermione tried to focus the best she could on advancing her homework through the morning. When she went to the Great Hall for lunch, she found Harry and Ron, who looked particularly tired.
"He made us scrub all the empty vials, bowls and cauldrons of the dungeons," Ron explained. "Without the use of magic," he added.
"Well, it's over now," Harry said. "Though I've been wanting to throw something at Snape the whole time."
"This would only have gotten you to lose the rest of your day," Hermione told him.
"I know. That's why I didn't. Snape can thank Susan. I might not have resisted the temptation if it wasn't for her. I wouldn't be surprised if he removed points from Hufflepuff for taking away another chance for him to give me additional detentions and remove more points from Gryffindor."
"For once, he wouldn't be removing points from Gryffindor," Ron observed.
"I don't think it would be good that Hufflepuff loses points instead of us, Ronald," Hermione reproached him.
"Better be them than us. But anyway, the ordeal with Snape is over. We have all the afternoon for us now."
"True. What are you two going to do?" Harry asked. He already told them a while ago that he would be spending that day with Susan.
"Well, I was thinking we could stop by…" Hermione began to suggest.
"Hmm…" Ron just cleared his throat. "Sorry, Hermione, but I won't be going to Hogsmeade with you."
"Why?" Hermione asked, totally taken aback.
Ron looked at them both with a huge grin. "Well, Harry is not the only one who can get a date to Hogsmeade."
It was as if someone punched Hermione in the stomach. She looked at Ron with round eyes as he resumed eating his lunch.
"You're going to Hogsmeade with someone, Ron?" Harry asked. He sounded uncertain.
"Well, yes. Sorry to inform you at the last minute, but I have a date."
A date. A date?
"Wha…" Hermione wasn't sure what she was about to ask, but it was different from the question that finally left her lips. "Why didn't you tell us before?"
Ron shrugged. "What? You hid from everyone who you were going to the ball with." That wasn't true. She had told Ginny. "Harry hid it as well. And when he went on his first date with Susan, he lied and told us he would study the egg all day. At least, I'm being honest. What? You can have dates. I can have mine too."
Hermione's brain was numb for a moment. When she finally managed to get over it, Ron was already standing.
"Excuse me now. My date must be waiting."
And he walked away, like that, a huge smile on his face. Hermione thought about following him from afar to see who he was going to Hogsmeade with. However, the rational part of her decided it wouldn't be appropriate. She wouldn't appreciate it if Harry or Ron spied on her while she was with Viktor. She didn't spy on Harry and Susan either, so she had no legitimate reason to spy on Ron. Instead, she turned to Harry, who didn't seem to know what to say.
"Did you know?"
Sometimes, there were things Harry and Ron shared between them and they wouldn't tell Hermione.
"No. It's the first time I hear about this."
Hermione somewhat felt better that Harry had been as much in the dark as she was. "Who do you think he's going with?"
"No idea."
Hermione thought. Which girl could Ron be going on a date with? The only girls she ever noticed Ron was attracted to were Fleur Delacour and Madam Rosmerta. It couldn't be either of them. For Fleur, even if Harry had asked her to go on a date with Ron, despite the fact she appreciated Harry way more since the second task and he got her sister out of the water, Hermione didn't see Fleur Delacour going with Ron to Hogsmeade. The mere thought of it didn't only look impossible, but also disgusting. If Viktor was too old for Hermione, then how could Fleur be any different for Ron?
No, it had to be a girl from Hogwarts. Probably a girl from their year. But Hermione never saw Ron show any preference for any girl from Hogwarts. He had gone with Parvati to the Yule Ball, only for her to abandon him and to go dancing with other boys. Judging by how cold her roommate' behavior had been with Ron since the ball, Hermione highly doubted Parvati would like to have anything to do with him. Anyway, Ron had not seemed to show her any concern after he learned that she was Harry's ex-girlfriend. He couldn't be going with Lavender either. She was dating Seamus. As for Sophie and Lily, Hermione never got the feeling that either of them was interested in Ron, or that Ron was interested in them. No, really, Hermione couldn't see which girl Ron would go on a date with. Unless…
"Do you think he was joking?" Hermione asked to Harry. "I mean, do you think he could have been only acting as if he was going on a date?"
"Eehhh… I don't know," Harry replied. "I don't see why Ron would do something like that."
Hermione could see very well why Ron would do something like that. Hermione was with Viktor, and Harry with Susan. Out of the three of them, Ron was the only who was still single. And ever since the Yule Ball, many couples had emerged. Seamus was dating Lavender, Parvati dated a boy from Beauxbatons who she met at the ball. Even Draco Malfoy was likely dating Pansy Parkinson, and Ginny was in some sort of a story with Michael Corner. Perhaps Ron felt pressure to find someone for himself. And if not, to make the others believe he had someone. Hermione could imagine it. She remembered how Ron seemed miserable and desperate to find a date for the Yule Ball, despite the fact he never asked any girl, except for his mistake to invite Fleur Delacour. He needed Harry to arrange a date for him to not end alone.
Hermione had no trouble imagining Ron inventing a date only to give the impression he wasn't left behind everyone. After he told her he would rather go to the ball with a beautiful girl who was unlivable rather than a kind girl who looked boring, Hermione didn't feel impressed by Ron's priorities when it came to personal and heart matters. Not to mention his negative comments on Susan. Last they spoke about it, Ron still believed this relationship with Harry wouldn't last. Hermione considered that such thinking was totally unfair, especially since the second task. Harry and Susan had grown much closer in their relationship since they emerged from that lake. She could see that they both loved each other, and she was very happy for both of them. That fact that Ron thought so little about her friend wasn't to make her think any better of him.
No, Hermione had no trouble imagining Ron inventing a date only to make himself look interesting. Really, boys were sometimes really, really, really stupid. And dumb on top of that.
"If you want, you can come with me to Hogsmeade," Harry offered her. "I'm sure Susan will not mind."
Hermione thought for a moment. "No, Harry. You've been planning this day together for quite some time, and I don't want to play the role of the third wheel. No, go to Hogsmeade together. I'll find something else to occupy myself. By the way, you girlfriend is approaching."
Hermione had spotted Susan walking in their direction. Like this morning, she had heir hair falling free over her shoulders, but it looked more sleek than earlier today.
"Hi, Harry. Are you done soon?" she asked him.
"Yes. I arrive in one minute," he said.
"Good. I'll wait for you in the Entrance Hall."
She made to walk away, but Harry stopped her. "Susan, would you mind Hermione coming with us?"
Hermione had no time to react. Susan turned to look at them, and before Hermione could protest, her friend answered. "Not at all. You can come, Hermione."
And then she walked away.
"Harry, why did you do that?" Hermione snapped.
"You're not going to spend another afternoon in the library. Susan doesn't mind anyway," Harry brushed aside.
"Harry, I'll be in your feet the whole time."
"Come on. We spent entire weeks together at the library. Don't tell me you were in our feet back then."
"No, but it was different…"
"I'm going. If you're interested to go to Hogsmeade today, follow me."
Harry stood up and walked to the heavy doors. After a moment, cursing under her breath at her best friend, Hermione stood up as well and followed him.
"So, what were you planning to do?" Hermione asked the couple as they progressed on the path leading to the village.
"Well, we were thinking to go to Gladrags Wizardwear first," Susan replied.
"You want to buy clothes?" Hermione had no knowledge of Harry or Susan necessitating new clothes, and neither of them were interested by fashion to justify the first stop to be there.
"That's not for us."
"It's for Dobby," Harry said. "To thank him for the Gillyweed."
Dobby was the elf who tried to stop Harry from coming back to Hogwarts in their second year. Harry had explained to her and Ron how Dobby gave him the Gillyweed.
"What are you going to buy him?" Hermione asked.
"Socks," Susan replied with a smile.
"He still has the one that Malfoy gave him when he got his freedom," Harry explained. "He still wears it."
"How do you know that?" Hermione asked.
"We went to visit him," Susan answered.
"When?"
"One evening after the second task," Harry replied.
Harry then proceeded to explain how he got the trick from Fred and George to access the kitchens of Hogwarts, where they found Dobby along with dozens of other house-elves who took care of preparing food and cleaning the castle. Hermione was impressed. She never knew there were so many elves at Hogwarts.
The afternoon went pretty well. The visit to Gladrags Wizardwear proved to be very entertaining, choosing the most imaginative socks for Dobby. Hermione guessed he deserved it, considering this allowed Harry to get to the bottom of the Black Lake. They then went to the Three Broomsticks to take a Butterbeer, and also visited a few other shops.
Hermione tried to give as much space as she could to Harry and Susan, often walking away from them while in shops to give them some impression of intimacy. It also allowed her to search for Ron, but she saw him nowhere, comforting her in her belief that he probably invented this whole story of a date.
They came back to the castle with their bags full. Harry and Hermione went back to the Gryffindor Tower while Susan headed in the corridor that led to both her house's common room and the kitchens.
"You'll show me the kitchens one of those days, Harry," Hermione said.
"Promise. So, how did you find the day?" he asked her.
"Great. Thank you, Harry. But you shouldn't have invited me. I had the impression that I was bothering you the whole day."
"Come on, Hermione. You're our friend to both of us. And we're going to have other opportunities for dates in Hogsmeade anyway."
They reached the common rooms of Gryffindor and placed their packages in their respective dormitories. When Harry came down from his own dormitory, Hermione asked him if Ron was there.
"No, he's not there. I haven't seen him since lunch."
They went down together to the Great Hall. One girl from Slytherin mocked them on their way, asking Harry whether it bothered him to date a girl who was already with someone else. This had happened a few times during the day at Hogsmeade, people even asking Hermione and Susan if they were double dating. It wasn't that bothering, but enough for all of them to wish this could cease. Still, there seemed to be very few people who read Rita Skeeter's article.
They found Ron already at the Gryffindor table, discussing with Seamus, Dean, Neville, Sophie, Lavender and Parvati.
"Ah, here you are!" he said, looking very happy as he saw both of them approach. It seemed that the day had gone very well for Ron. "Where have you been?"
"We were only bringing our stuff in the common room, Ron," Hermione replied. "So, how has been your afternoon?"
A few people around muffled laughter, and almost all displayed huge smiles. "What's going on here?" Hermione asked, a little exasperated as she took some beef.
"Ron has a girlfriend."
For the second time this day, Hermione's mind went numb as it felt like another punch was delivered to her stomach.
"Wha…Who?" she found herself asking.
"Hannah Abbott!" Lavender said excitedly, and she and Parvati went to giggle.
Hermione looked over at the Hufflepuff table, where Hannah was sitting next to Susan, along with other people she knew like Ernie, Justin and Sally-Anne.
"It's with her that you went on a date to Hogsmeade today?" Harry asked to Ron, a certain uncertainty in his voice.
"Yeah. I invited her a few days ago, and she said yes on the spot," he said proudly.
Parvati and Lavender, and even some of the boys, kept asking Ron questions about the whole thing. Hermione reddened as Ron explained how he and Hannah found themselves together during the second task, waiting for everyone to reach the surface. After Cedric Diggory came back from the bottom of the lake with Cho Chang, and Viktor came back with Hermione, Hannah and Ron had deduced that Susan was the one Harry was supposed to bring back, which explained her absence in the crowd. Ron had remained next to her, comforting her, until finally Harry and Susan came back. He almost bragged how Hannah kissed him on the mouth when both Harry and Susan were safe. Then Hannah had somewhat followed him over the following days, until finally Ron invited her to Hogsmeade today, and they started dating at this moment. Harry looked quite surprised and unsure about what to think. Dean looked envious. He said he was the only one without a girlfriend in their dormitory. On this comment, Neville didn't look very comfortable, considering he had no girlfriend either. Parvati and Lavender were giggling on low tones when they weren't bombarding Ron with questions. As for Hermione, she remained silent, too stunned and surprised to say a single word.
After a while though, the Great Hall fell silent as Dumbledore stood up and required everyone's attention.
"Please forgive me for interrupting your sumptuous dinner after a full day spent at Hogsmeade," he declared, "but I have an important announcement to make. An announcement which I am sure will bring great joy to all of you."
All whispers had faded away. Everyone was listening attentively.
"As many of you will remember, I had the painful duty of informing you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup would not take place this year due to the organization of the Triwizard Tournament." Many nodded, still regretting this despite the Tournament that took place ever since. "For our guests who were not present on this day of September 1st, let me explain to you. Each year, the four houses of Hogwarts, that being Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin, face each other in a friendly competition…" Hermione would have interrupted Dumbledore on this, like many others. This competition was seldom entirely friendly. "… which saw each house face the three others in Quidditch matches over the year. The house with the best point differential at the end of the year would win the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup. However, due to the organization of the Triwizard Tournament and the coming of our esteemed guests, we had to cancel the Quidditch season this year, so that our staff could focus on preparing and holding the tournament."
Dumbledore made a pause. Everyone was listening to him.
"And now, I beg everyone to listen to me, for I highly doubt you will want to miss what I'm about to tell. After long conversations between me, Professor Karkaroff, Madam Maxime and the two other judges, we have decided to hold, as part of the Triwizard Tournament, a friendly Quidditch match between the three schools."
The reactions were immediate. Students chattered between them excitedly, and the students from the other schools looked excited as well. Hermione herself had to admit this was an excellent idea. She looked to the Slytherin table, where Krum was being patted on the back by his comrades. He was smiling widely like she seldom saw him do, and their eyes met.
"The match," Dumbledore resumed, "will take place on April 24th, two months exactly before the third and final task. Now, considering that the delegations of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons are limited in number, it has been agreed that the two schools will team together to create their own team. Professor Karkaroff and Madam Maxime will determine themselves who will be playing on this team."
"Everyone already knows who will play as Seeker," Ron commented. Hermione agreed with him on that.
"As for Hogwarts, considering the larger pool of students who are present," Dumbledore went on, "we have decided to give a chance to each and every student to be part of the team that will represent their school. Selections will be held on March 24th, at the end of which seven players will be chosen to represent the school. Everyone is allowed to participate to the selections and to put forward his candidacy for the position he would like. All students are welcomed, whether they are in their first or seventh year."
This was too much. Some people yelled in excitement. And many more began talking.
"You're in, Harry?" Dean asked.
"I will be, of course. If I'm chosen through the selections," he said, looking as enthusiastic as he was embarrassed.
"As long as it's not Diggory, or worse Malfoy," Ron said. "Harry, if you let one of them become the Seeker, I kill you."
Everyone burst into laughter.
"Who do you think are going to be the players for the Hogwarts team?"
"I hope it's all our players," Seamus said.
"Yeah, but Oliver is gone. So we're missing our best Keeper," Harry said.
"That means the position of Keeper is free," Ron said, hopeful.
Hermione knew that Ron dreamed of playing at this position, but she also knew that this game would be huge. Maybe it wouldn't be a good idea for Ron to begin with such a match against Viktor. There were three other Keepers, way more experienced, who would certainly do a better job. And Hermione did not think that with any meaning of offending Ron.
They all kept talking about this upcoming match of Quidditch for the rest of the evening. Hermione went to bed in a state, she had to admit, that was quite as exhilarated as the state of the others. She remembered seeing Viktor play at the Quidditch World Cup last summer. She couldn't wait to see him play again. And the possibility of him playing against Harry excited her even further, although it left her with the hard choice as to who she should support.
Sunday proved relatively uneventful. People kept talking about the upcoming Quidditch match, and all sorts of rumors already circulated, including that scouts to recruit new talents would come to Hogwarts due to Viktor's presence. Harry went flying over the Quidditch pitch for the first time this year and came back quite happy from the stadium for dinner. He also showed Hermione the kitchens when he brought his socks to Dobby in the morning. The elf looked so happy, Hermione never saw someone so happy after receiving socks.
On Monday morning, some people were still discussing as excitedly about the Quidditch match as yesterday and the day before. The only thing that muddied the morning for Hermione was when Hannah came to meet Ron in the Entrance Hall and kissed him in front of everyone. Hermione looked away. For someone who two days ago was complaining about Harry and Susan simply giving each other a peck on the lips, she found him quite hypocritical.
"You're going to support Viktor for the Quidditch match, I guess," Harry asked Hermione.
She was taken aback as they sat down for breakfast. "No, of course. I'll be taking for Hogwarts. It's my school. And you'll likely be on the team anyway, so…" she explained.
"Hermione, I wouldn't mind if you were to take for Krum this time."
"I won't, Harry. I'm going to take for Hogwarts, even if you're not the Seeker on the team."
"Thank you," he said.
The owls began to arrive the moment Ron sat down next to them, an expression of satisfaction plain on his face. Hermione ignored him and looked at the owls flying over their heads.
"You're waiting for something?" Harry asked her.
"I've taken a new subscription to the Daily Prophet." She sent an owl with an order two days ago. "I'm getting sick of finding everything out from the Slytherins." She received a few more negative comments on her supposed relationships with Harry and Viktor yesterday.
"Good thinking!"
"It seems like it's already here," Ron said, pointing to a grey owl flying in her direction.
Hermione looked at the owl with expectation, but she noticed that he wasn't carrying a newspaper.
"It hasn't got a newspaper," she said, disappointed, as the owl landed in front of her, showing his leg with the letter he was carrying.
"What's that?" Harry asked all of a sudden, and in no time, about a dozen other owls had landed in front of Hermione, spilling the contents of Hermione's goblet and those of her neighbors, including Harry's. "How many subscriptions did you take?"
"What on earth?" Hermione wondered aloud, bewildered.
Who could have sent all those owls to her? Not a single one was carrying her exemplary of the Daily Prophet. She took the letter from the grey owl, which took flight again immediately, turning its back on her. She opened the letter and began to read.
"Oh, really! That's ridiculous!"
Someone wrote her a message from what looked like letters cut out from copies of the Daily Prophet.
YOU ARE A WICKED GIRL. HARRY POTTER DESERVES BETTER. GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM MUGGLE.
She threw the letter away, disgusted. Did someone really send this to her? All that because of a few stupid paragraphs inside a stupid magazine? But the other letters were all the same. Harry Potter can do much better than the likes of you… Viktor Krum is mine, not yours… You deserve to be boiled in frog-spawn… There should be a special place in Azkaban for people like you… Go to hell, Mudblood… You deserve to spend the rest of your days alone.
And then, she opened a letter that let a green liquid come out.
"OUCH!"
Hermione watched in horror as the pus caused sores to appear all over her hands.
"Undiluted Bubotuber pus!" Ron said.
Hermione tried to remove the substance, but her hands were inflating.
"Get to the hospital wing," Harry said quickly. "We'll tell Professor Sprout…"
But Hermione was already running in that direction. As tears fell from her face and her hands endured searing pain like never before, she heard Ron say something behind.
"I warned her not to annoy Rita Skeeter!"
Hermione swore that she would get this woman at this very instant.
Someone is going to have problems, judging from the very last sentence of this chapter.
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Next chapter: Harry