November turned to December in a gale of howling wind and deluge of freezing slush. The Great Lake roiled outside, tossing the Durmstrang ship about in its churning waters. Hermione started wearing her scarf inside to keep warm during classes, and Care of Magical Creatures lessons held outside on the grounds were downright miserable. Although the greater part of that may have been from dealing with Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts.
Hermione still sat next to Malfoy during every Arithmancy class, but apart from slightly inclining his head at her when she sat down, they didn't speak. Hermione didn't worry about it overmuch. She felt that she had already made considerable progress. Malfoy accepted her proximity, and she hadn't heard a single cruel remark about herself from him in months.
It was nearing mid-December when Hermione received a note from Professor Dumbledore during the breakfast mail delivery. He would meet with her at six o'clock this evening to discuss the working and living conditions of the house-elves at Hogwarts. She rushed to dinner after her last lesson, gathered her materials, and was waiting outside of the stone gargoyle by precisely six o'clock.
When the gargoyle leapt aside, she rode the moving staircase up and knocked firmly on Dumbledore's office door. It swung open to admit her, and she stared in open curiosity. Hermione had never seen the Headmaster's office before.
"Good evening, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, smiling warmly. He was standing behind a large, claw-foot desk. "Please, do make yourself comfortable." He gestured to one of the padded chairs nearby. A resplendent Phoenix was perched on a stand just to the side of it.
Hermione sat, still goggling at all of the portraits lining the walls and the cases and tables of whirring instruments. Dumbledore sat back in his chair, too, and observed her over steepled fingers.
"Thank you for meeting me, Professor—" Hermione began, then launched into the twelve-point dissertation she had prepared for the occasion, backed by hours of research into current regulations for similar beings, case studies, and various secondary sources.
Dumbledore let her finish without interruption, his eyes twinkling.
"—so, while it is not the current standard to offer house-elves wages, sick leave, holidays, and pensions, there are basic rights that should be afforded to all individuals, no matter their current legal classification. In addition to the potential for Hogwarts to gain endorsements, donations, and further respect as the leading institution in such a movement, Hogwarts policy itself is perfectly poised to be a catalyst for the overall betterment of magical beings." Hermione sucked air heavily back into her lungs after she'd finished.
Professor Dumbledore clapped his hands together. "Wonderful, Miss Granger. Truly. I am very impressed by your thorough research and dedication to the cause."
Hermione beamed at him, and he continued.
"I am delighted to inform you that I have offered the benefits you suggested to the Hogwarts house elves, and have left the offer completely open-ended. They will need time, I think, to adjust and accept the change, and it will be waiting for them whenever they so choose. Even better, I hired two new elves just last week, who have both accepted my offer, and one quite enthusiastically at that. As I understand it, you may know of Harry's friend, Dobby?"
Hermione's mouth dropped open. "Y— yes, I do," she stammered. "So, you are already offering wages, leave… everything to the Hogwarts house-elves?"
"Yes, it seemed about time, didn't it? And it is all thanks to you, Miss Granger. Hagrid paid me a visit to tell just how passionate you were when you spoke with him on the matter, and it moved forward from there. I called you up this evening to tell you the good news."
Hermione smiled weakly, feeling rather embarrassed by both the praise and the fact that she had lectured for half an hour straight, all to find out it had already worked.
"If I may ask, Miss Granger," Dumbledore began, "would you mind terribly if I keep a copy of your research? I may have a contact or two at the Ministry who would be quite interested to see it."
Hermione perked up at that. "Of course! Please, if there is anything else I can do…"
"I will be sure to let you know," Dumbledore said genially. He waved his wand over the stack of parchment in her hand and a duplicate pile appeared on his desk. Hermione excused herself after wishing Professor Dumbledore a goodnight, taking one last look around the circular office as she exited.
She walked briskly back to the common room to tell Harry and Ron about Dobby. After tracking down Fred and George to ask about finding the entrance, they nipped down to the kitchens for a visit before curfew. She was shocked to find Winky, the former Crouch family elf, also there. Upon leaving, Hermione was disgruntled at the amount of bowing and scraping from the elves, but hoped that the change set in motion by Dumbledore would eventually be enough to put a stop to that.
During Transfiguration the next day, Professor McGonagall informed them all of an upcoming traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament, the Yule Ball. Lavender and Parvati immediately started giggling and whispering behind their hands, while many of the boys in the room looked around at each other in alarm.
Hermione wasn't really surprised at the news; the requirement for dress robes this year on their school lists had stood out, and it was clearly something to do with the tournament. The ball was to be held on Christmas Day, and only fourth years and above could attend unless invited by an older student. Hermione would have to write her mum and dad to let them know she wouldn't be visiting for the holidays this year. She expected that she, Harry, and Ron would be able to go together as friends and have a great time. Hermione wondered who Malfoy would invite, or if he would go with his usual Slytherin friends.
McGonagall held Harry after class to let him know that he and his partner would have to open the dance for the ball with the other champions. When Harry informed her and Ron, Hermione patted his shoulder sympathetically. She didn't think she would like very much to have everyone staring at her dancing, either.
Fortunately, Harry didn't suggest that Hermione go as his partner. She had a shrewd suspicion that Harry had his eye on a girl in Ravenclaw, anyway.
Hermione spent almost every evening the last week of term in the library, sometimes studying for an upcoming Potions final, but mostly hoping to find a chance to talk to Malfoy one-on-one again. To her disappointment, he never came by to study at one of his usual tables. In fact, she hadn't seen him in the library since the conversation Montague interrupted. Was Malfoy avoiding her?
In the nearly empty library on the second to last evening of term, Hermione was beginning to pack up her belongings when Viktor Krum was suddenly standing across from her.
"May I have a vord?" he asked politely, gesturing to the seat across from her.
Hermione smiled and nodded. "Of course."
Krum sat, looking around rather apprehensively. He then looked at her so intently she began to wonder if she had an ink smudge on her nose.
Krum finally spoke. "I am thinking it is best to just come out vith it… yes. And it should be done properly."
At that, he got back out of his chair and came to stand next to her, making a formal bow.
"I vould be privileged if you vould accompany me to the Yule Ball next veek. Vould you do me this honour?"
At this, he reached into his uniform pocket and produced a delicate golden rose. Hermione could tell right away that the spellwork on it was intricately laid.
Hermione was stunned. She admired the flower for a moment before looking back up into Krum's fervent gaze. A thrill of excitement coursed through her — suddenly the fact that the champions and their partners had to open the ball didn't seem so terrible.
Hermione smiled widely up at him. "Yes. I would love to go to the ball with you."
Krum exhaled a sigh of relief and returned her smile. Hermione reached out to finger the rose still in his palm and he moved it up slightly towards her face.
"May I?"
Hermione nodded, and held her breath as Krum used a hand to brush one side of her hair back. He carefully tucked the truncated stem of the flower behind her ear.
Krum pulled out the chair next to her this time and sat, still looking quite relieved, but a good deal more cheerful. "I vill not take up too much of your time, but I should at least know your name."
"Hermione Granger," she said with a smile.
"Hermy-own?" Krum repeated, concentrating intently on her face.
"Her-my-oh-nee," she said, more slowly this time.
"Herm-own-ninny," Krum tried again.
Hermione laughed and shrugged. "Close enough." She grinned at him.
"I vill vork on it, Hermy-own." Krum returned her grin. "You may call me Viktor."
"Viktor," she repeated with a nod, trying out the sound of his first name. He looked pleased.
"Vell I must get back to the ship soon, unfortunately, or Karkaroff vill be vorried. If you are also leaving, may I valk you to your quarters?"
"Thank you," Hermione said gratefully. "That would be nice."
They stood up and Viktor shouldered her bag in addition to his own as they left the library. It was almost curfew now, and the halls were empty as they walked. She reached up again wonderingly to touch the rose resting atop her ear. Viktor noticed her attentions.
"Do you like it?" he asked eagerly. "I have alvays had an ability vith transfiguration. It is magicked to preserve its colour and shape, too. And no thorns, of course."
"It is very beautiful," Hermione replied seriously. This was magic as it was meant to be. Pure and good. Viktor gave her a shy smile, looking satisfied. They turned to take a flight of stairs towards Gryffindor Tower.
"You know," Viktor began, "I vas vorried you might say no. The first day ve met, right after the feast, that Malfoy vas behind you, looking at you so intently I thought you might be vith him. But I've seen you both in the library, and you never seemed to get on… And then you vere alvays vith Potter, so… no matter. I vill be very glad to have you on my arm."
Hermione laughed, but her mind was working furiously, trying to remember that night.
"No," she said offhandedly. "Malfoy and I aren't really friends at all, and Harry is my best friend, but there's nothing more between us."
Then she remembered. That was the night she, Harry, and Ron were leaving the Great Hall after the welcome feast for Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, when they'd been stopped by Karkaroff. She had locked eyes with Viktor. And Malfoy had been nearby with his group of Slytherins, but she'd only seen him staring hard after Viktor. That evening happened not long after Malfoy lent her the quill in Arithmancy.
"I understand," Viktor said. "All the better for me, I think."
Hermione made no reply, and merely smiled demurely up at him.
"Your friend. Potter," Viktor continued. "I saw him fly at the first task. He is very good. Has he thought about playing professionally?"
"I'm not sure," Hermione answered. "Probably. Harry loves to fly. He's been a natural since his first day on a broom." And after a moment, she added, "I saw you fly at the World Cup. I thought it was very brave how you caught the snitch after being injured."
It was Viktor's turn to look shy. "Thank you. That vas a difficult match. Do you have an interest in Qvidditch?"
Hermione bit her lower lip. "Um… I mean, I enjoy watching my friends play. And the World Cup was very exciting. But, other than that… no." She gave a weak laugh.
He grinned at her as Hermione stopped in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. "No vorries. I talk about Qvidditch vith everyone else. It vill be nice to learn vhat you like to talk about."
After a moment's hesitation, he spoke again.
"I must confess. I heard you and Potter talking about the dragons on the night before the first task. I had planned to use a simple Conjunctivitus Curse, but I heard you telling Potter you thought it vas inhumane, and I did not vant you to think badly of me. It vorked out better in the end, I think, but I hope you do not begrudge me for vinning the first task."
Hermione gaped at him. "No, no, of course not. That was very… thoughtful of you."
Viktor smiled and offered her bag back. "I vill be gone until the night of the ball, but vill you meet me down by our ship that evening? Maybe at half past seven? Karkaroff vould like us all to enter together, but I can persuade him if you vould like to meet somewhere else."
Hermione had regained some of her composure. "No need, the ship will be just fine. I will see you then. Good night, Viktor."
"Good night, Herm-own-ninny."
He made another formal bow. Her breath caught once more as he took her hand and brushed his lips against the back of it before turning away.
Hermione watched him turn the corner in a bit of a daze. She'd just turned to enter the common room when Ginny appeared at her shoulder.
"Hermione," she said with wide eyes. "Was that Viktor Krum?"
Hermione nodded mutely. She knew her own eyes must be reflecting Ginny's astonishment.
"Did he ask you to the Yule Ball?"
"Yes," Hermione managed to squeak out, then traded wide smiles with Ginny. She saw Ginny's lips silently form the word "wow".
Ginny then sighed. "I wish I could go."
Hermione patted her arm consolingly. "Oh, chin up, Ginny. I'll bet you have a date before you know it."
Ginny looked at her doubtfully.
"Besides, it's probably going to end up being overrated, anyway," Hermione tried, unsuccessfully keeping the excitement from her voice. Ginny gave her a flat stare at that.
"You two going to gossip out here all evening, then?" said the Fat Lady.
Ginny made a face before giving the password. "Fairy Lights."
"Cheers," said the Fat Lady, swinging forward to admit them. They clambered through the portrait hole and into the common room.
"I think I'll just go to bed," Ginny said mournfully, and she disappeared up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. Hermione spotted Harry and Ron in armchairs by the fireplace and went to join them.
They had their Potions notes spread out before them, presumably preparing for the final exam the next day, but Harry had Flying with the Cannons open on his lap and Ron was building a castle with his Exploding Snap card pack. Ron already had one singed eyebrow.
They were discussing dates for the ball — apparently they still hadn't asked anyone. Hermione made an indignant sound in her throat when Ron pointed out that if they waited much longer to find dates, all the good ones would be gone. Harry and Ron agreed that by tomorrow evening, they would both have found dates for the ball. Hermione felt somewhat reluctant to share that she already had a date when the boys were looking so thoroughly miserable about their own lack of partners, so she decided to wait to share the good news until tomorrow evening.
Hermione was startled again when Neville found her after Ancient Runes class to ask if she'd like to attend the Yule Ball with him. She tried to let him down gently, saying that she already had a date, but still felt a little guilty at the exceedingly disappointed look on his face.
She met up with Harry and Ron for lunch, then they made for the dungeons for the final Potions class of term. Ron was in a dour mood, while Harry seemed downright distracted. He jumped every time a group of Ravenclaw girls passed by in the corridors.
Hermione spotted Malfoy as they entered the Potions classroom and wondered again if he had asked anyone to the ball. Probably some Pureblood girl like Pansy. Errant thoughts disappeared once the exam commenced, and Hermione poured all of her concentration into brewing her antidote correctly.
When the bell rang, Harry dashed out of the room with barely a word, and Ron hurried away soon after, mumbling something about "just grit his teeth and do it". Hermione vanished the rest of the contents in her cauldron and stored it away next to Harry's and Ron's in the adjacent closet. She turned to leave and bumped straight into Theodore Nott, who dropped his cauldron with a metallic thud.
"Oh no, I am so sorry," Hermione breathed, scrambling to help him pick it up.
He straightened. "No hard feelings, it was an accident."
He offered her a tentative smile and she returned it. Hermione glanced over his shoulder, wondering if Malfoy was behind him. Nott noticed the movement of her eyes, and looked back over his own shoulder. Most of the other students had already filed out into the corridor. He looked back at her.
"So, what is it, Granger? Do you fancy Draco or something?" Nott said lightly.
Hermione met his gaze again in shock. "Do I… what?" she spluttered.
"Do you fancy Draco?" he repeated patiently, looking as if he were fighting another smile.
She blinked. "Is that what he thinks?" she asked incredulously. Maybe Malfoy had been avoiding her.
Nott laughed softly. "I don't really know what Draco thinks. We haven't discussed it."
"Oh. Well, no, if you must know," Hermione said primly.
Nott regarded her with open confusion. "So what are—" he began.
"I really should get going," Hermione said hurriedly, edging past him. "Sorry again about knocking into you. I will—" She stopped short when he laid a hand gently on her shoulder.
"Look, Granger," Nott said seriously. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. Just… be careful. Your world and his don't really get on, yeah?" And with that, he moved past her into the closet, leaving Hermione to exit the classroom alone with her thoughts.
Hermione looked for Harry and Ron at dinner, but they never showed up. When she got back to the common room, she found Ron being consoled by Harry and Ginny for being turned down by the girl he had asked to the ball.
Apparently, Ron had completely lost his mind and asked Fleur Delacour, of all people, when he walked by her talking with Cedric Diggory in the Entrance Hall. Ginny looked as if she were fighting hard not to laugh. Harry, also trying and failing to look sombre at Ron's misfortune, confirmed that Fleur actually was part veela, and that was probably what had caused Ron to make a fool of himself.
Ron looked at Hermione and suddenly lit up. "Hermione! You can go with one of us."
"No, I can't," Hermione replied evenly.
"Oh, come on. It will be fun. We can just hang out as friends—"
"I'm already going with someone," she snapped at him.
Ron looked disgruntled. "Fine. Be that way. But it'd be the least you could do to go with Harry. He's going to look like a right twit opening the ball without a partner…"
"Er…" Harry began. "I've actually got a date, too."
Ginny went very still.
"What?" Ron practically shouted, sitting up abruptly. "Who?"
Harry let the smile he'd been holding back break through. "Cho Chang. You know her, she plays seeker for Ravenclaw."
Harry's behaviour around the Ravenclaw girls made complete sense now.
"Gah!" Ron groaned. "I mean I'm happy for you, though, mate. Truly. Looks like it'll just be me and Neville without partners, now."
Ginny cleared her throat, looking quite miserable. "Actually, Neville asked me after Hermione, and I said yes. I wouldn't be able to go otherwise…"
Ron groaned again, louder this time.
"Don't worry, mate," Harry said confidently. "I'm sure Cho has a Ravenclaw friend she could set you up with. I'll ask her tomorrow."
Ginny, looking keen to get out of the common room, turned to Hermione.
"Hermione, do you think you could help me pick out some dress robes? Mum didn't get me any in Diagon Alley, but I'm sure there's a copy of the latest Witch Weekly lying around somewhere. I can place an owl order and hopefully still get some in time."
"Of course, Ginny," she replied kindly.
Hermione and Ginny left the boys in the common room and settled in Hermione's dormitory. They pored over a magazine borrowed from Parvati until finding a set of robes that were reasonably priced and close enough to Ginny's standards.
By then, Ginny had mostly regained her usual personality, and they went back down to the common room so that she could ask to borrow some gold from Fred and George, who were doing a surprisingly good business selling their joke confections. Ginny set off with Harry for the Owlery, looking quite cheerful now. He was letting her borrow Hedwig to send off the order.
Hermione sat back next to Ron. They sat in silence, each with their own thoughts, as the common room slowly emptied. Crookshanks jumped to curl up on Hermione's lap and she scratched behind his ears. She was feeling quite content, and a little drowsy, with the warmth from both Crookshanks and the fire washing over her. When Harry and Ginny returned, Ginny went straight up to bed and Harry came back over to join them.
"Hermione — who are you going to the ball with?" Ron suddenly asked as Harry sat down.
She sighed and looked at him. Finally she said, "You promise you won't laugh at me?"
"I promise," Ron said, nodding solemnly.
"Well… I was in the library the other evening, and Viktor asked me—"
"Krum?" Ron yelled, leaping halfway out of his seat. Crookshanks raised his head to eye him reproachfully. "Viktor Krum?"
Harry also looked stunned.
"Yes," Hermione replied, irritable at being interrupted. "Viktor Krum. Don't go gobbing it around, though, please. I just want to enjoy the ball, and there'll be enough attention as it is."
Harry laughed at that.
"But Hermione," Ron started indignantly. "He's… well, he's from Durmstrang! He's competing against Harry!"
"So what?" Hermione asked scathingly. "It's not like I'm helping him win, Ron. It's just a dance. I'd hardly spoken two words to him before the night he asked me to go with him."
"But he's so much older!" Ron declared, trying a new angle.
"What?" Hermione exclaimed. "I've already turned fifteen this year, and he's only seventeen."
"Eighteen," Ron grumbled, unable to stop himself.
Hermione gave him a reproving look. "I hardly think that's anything for you to be concerned over."
Ron spluttered and Harry jumped in, laying a hand on his shoulder before Ron could think of a response. "Ron, I haven't got a problem with Hermione going with Krum."
"Yeah, but… Hermione, she… Krum… the tournament—" Ron tried incoherently.
Hermione resumed petting a purring Crookshanks. "And look Ron, I was thinking we could all get together at the ball, after the dinner and everything, and maybe you could even get his autograph…"
"Yeah," Ron said slowly. "Yeah, I suppose…"
Hermione continued. "And I don't know much about professional Quidditch, but he saw you fly, Harry, and he was quite impressed, and I think he'd have some pointers for you both if that was something you wanted…"
"Yeah, alright…" Ron said, seemingly coming around.
Harry and Hermione spent the rest of the evening talking Ron around the idea. Harry promised again that Cho would have a friend in Ravenclaw who would love to go with Ron, and she would of course be very pretty and obviously find Ron very funny. Hermione also promised to help Ron neaten up the old dress robes his mum had sent with him at the beginning of the year. She was sure she knew a few charms that could help.
Hermione was especially glad now that she had decided to tell Harry and Ron about her date for the ball early. Ron never did well with surprises, and had a tendency to overreact. She couldn't imagine how badly that might have gone if it had been sprung on him during the ball. For that matter, she probably wouldn't have been able to stay calm either.
With Ron's spirits lifted, Harry's still raised, and feeling rather buoyant herself, they split for their dormitories and beds, ready to enjoy their holiday break the following morning.