Chapter 21 - Year 4, part 2
October 27th, 1994
Today was good. Thinking about it, most of her days were actually pretty decent now that she thought about it.
Her studies were moving in the right direction. Her body was treating her properly. She still had loads of time to spend with her friends - including at the study sessions, that were also coming up this evening.
Also, no one had as of yet tried to murder Harry yet this year. So, year, it was going great. Hopefully they would make it to the other side of Halloween before any attempts would be made.
But then again… Halloween somehow always happened to be the exact time when something was supposed to go down. And then it would all end in absolute chaos around June, with Harry being close to death in one way or another. Maybe Voldemort really did have a soft spot for Harry's education? Cute. Kind of.
No, gruelling for All Hallows Eve wasn't something she would do today. Today was a good day, and it wasn't fair towards William to not look forward to his birthday. He did turn 17 after all.
She had the perfect gift for him this year, not many people knew of this piece - but she did, and she would use it to its fullest. But should he receive it in front of his friends, or in private?
Before going back to school, she had gone shopping with mum and found it by chance, and he was going to be SO excited! Really, nothing could ever compare. Not even the gloves she had given him her first year at Hogwarts.
Hermione was planning his birthday into the smallest of details in her mind, while polishing off a particularly well-seasoned Shepards Pie, when Dumbledore stood and asked for their silence. Not giving the fool the satisfaction of ruining her dinner she ate through as much of his speech as possible. Until he made her want to vomit it all up, that is.
….
She wouldn't be able to focus on anything academic this evening. She just knew. But they had a study session planned where they needed to work on a Charms essay and she had to go.
But she really couldn't. But then again, she didn't have it in her to just outright ditch them.
But if she went, they would want to know why her mood sucked so bad, and she would have to tell them. William was bad enough. Just thinking about how his mood would nosedive was enough to make her own mood sour.
But they were coming, and there was no getting around it.
Since they were coming, it meant that by default, so would he.
She hadn't been told specifically, of course, but she knew there was no way that he would not do anything and everything he could, to be a part of the damn tournament. Of course, he would be coming.
In Just three days.
Everyone around her seemed preoccupied. Why wouldn't they be? It was the biggest news of their entire school year that they were to host this damn tournament, and now they finally knew when the other schools would arrive. It was major news.
Having pushed her food around her plate enough times, she decided that she might as well just leave. She would go to the classroom they normally occupied, leave them a note and be out of the room before they got there. Then they wouldn't get the opportunity of asking questions she didn't want to answer at the moment.
She was just pushing her plate away from her, when she noticed the fork vibrating slightly, before lifting in the air. Only a couple of centimetres into the air, before it settled again - but it was enough.
Inconspicuously, she looked up and down her table to see if any of them had noticed - or done it in the first place. Nothing really seemed out of place to her. This time looking at the other tables around her - she noticed Theo staring at him. Beside him, Draco was in deep conversation with Pansy.
Theo put his hand in his hand - feigning bored indifference, before he narrowed his eyes slightly at her and mouthed, 'you okay?'. She shook her head, making him frown in reaction. He nodded his head towards the door, so as to tell her that they would just meet up there and talk about it.
She shook her head again, and stood from the table. Leaving it behind with her head bent low.
…
October 30th, 1994
She spent the next couple of days in something akin to a trance. She barely ate, she barely spoke to anyone unless she absolutely had to. To be real, she barely functioned, but she didn't know what else to do. She didn't know how to tell her friends how she felt or what was going on inside her head, because she didn't know.
Her favourite location once again happened to be the astronomy-tower, which was now the place where she spent all of her time. Dinner was soon, and she spent the early evening in her own company knowing what awaited her.
She was surprised that Harry or Daniel hadn't come seeking her out yet, demanding to know what was going on with her.
But they hadn't - hadn't even really talked to her in classes or in the Great Hall - and she was grateful for it. Of course, they weren't stupid and several questioning looks had been sent her way, but she had ignored them. She had simply eaten what she needed before standing up and leaving again. Withdrawing into herself once again.
Sitting by the railing in her thick cloak, she looked out into the distant mountain, at the lake and the woods.
What in Merlin's name would she do when he arrived?
Talk to him? Pretend like she hadn't known him for almost a year.
Like she hadn't ignored him for extended periods of time - like he hadn't done the same thing towards her.
She didn't know what his motives were, but she was getting sick and tired of not knowing where she stood with him - even after having been very verbal about not wanting to have anything to do with him.
Pretend like she didn't know him? She snorted at herself. That would obviously go very well.
Something glittered in the horizon beyond the forest. At first, she thought it was just a bird carrying something shiny that it had found, but then it came closer - fast.
It was ten? Twelve? Bird-ish creatures, carrying something big and very glittery.
It was almost at the castle, turned off and flew around the towers before landing right by the lake - in front of what looked like the rest of the school. She had the fleeting thought that maybe she should be there, but she simply didn't care.
Almost as soon as the Beauxbatons stepped out of the carriage in their pretty little blue outfits - they were sure to be freezing in the highland cold - were they moving swiftly inside.
Hermione sat back and enjoyed the remaining quiet before she saw it. The light from the castle and the reminders of the daylight were reflected in the surface of the lake. But now, the lake was rippling…
Something that looked like sails were suddenly emerging from the ripples in the water. It was almost like it was taking steps out of the water, as it emerged in something akin to levels until the entire, enormous, ship was fully visible.
When had she stood? And when the hell had she moved to the railing, peering down on the spectacle.
Bloody hell - this was it.
It was now.
With a hard sigh, heart hammering away in her chest and visibly shaking hands, Hermione made her way down from the Astronomy tower. She made her way into the Great Hall where she found the rest of the school sitting patiently. Looking around she also found the two other wizarding schools waiting at the table. The French by the Ravenclaws and Durmstrang by the Slytherins. Why did they have to sit right beside her table? Why couldn't they just move?
Everyone was talking excitedly in the Great Hall, but no food had been served. Looking at the Head Table, she saw the Professors greeting the new teachers. Great - that gave her plenty of time to find the others and take a seat.
As she carefully made her way down between the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables, she spied him. He was sitting at the very end on the opposite side of the table, but so far away that she wouldn't have to think about being that close to him. And it didn't look like he had seen her. Just her luck. She ducked down a bit so as to disappear from view and sat down by her friends, with her back to the Slytherin table.
Never in her life had she been so happy for her height and petite form.
Of course, it meant that she wouldn't be able to look at Draco today, but they hadn't spoken properly the last couple of days anyway, so it would just have to be her loss.
Daniel and Harry were sending her funny looks which she chose to ignore. Daniel had been told at some point what was going on with her and Krum, but she didn't know if he realised what was going on.
Soon enough, the Professors seated and introductions were made. First were the Beauxbatons who bowed prettily, before sitting down quickly, huddled down closely.
Then were the Durmstrangs. Krum, for some reason, was introduced by himself and looked like… Well, she was sure what he looked like, because she hadn't looked. But she heard the other girls moaning and fangirling at him, while she did the most thorough inspection of their dinnertable that she had ever done before. Then came the above-polite clapping at his presence in their school. Everyone seemed to be so excited, but she just wanted to leave.
They were then informed that the students had 24 hours to put their name into the famous Goblet of Fire, if they wanted to compete, but also that no student under the age of 17 would be able to do it. There had been loads of indignant and angry yells of course, but Hermione just found herself thinking that at least that meant that none of her friends could do so. Not that she thought that any of them were stupid enough to actually want eternal glory.
A couple of ministerial people had even shown up like it would somehow make it more fancy or meaningful. Hermione almost vomited her bouillabaisse up. Or what little she had managed to eat anyway.
They had a longer time to eat that day so that they could welcome their guests with a proper feast, but Hermione just wanted to leave. She had no appetite, and she wasn't going to pretend like she did.
"Hermione?" Harry asked softly in front of her and she looked up at him. She didn't know what he saw but it made him narrow his eyes. "What's going on?"
It wasn't like she could hide it forever, so instead of answering, she just nodded her head very carefully in the direction of Krum. Hopefully Harry would get it.
Harry looked in the direction before his eyes grew wide. When his eyes returned to her, he leaned forward and whispered: "Has he said anything more?"
She just shook her head before answering, "Not since he arrived, obviously, but… Yeah. He's…" She looked around. "Not here. Later." She just finished before looking back down at nothing in particular.
Some time later, the food and plates were removed and the students stood to leave. She chose to stay put in the hope that he would take the natural way out - from the side of the table he had sat on - and she would be able to leave after he had left.
She wasn't that lucky. When was she ever?
Hermione could hear the booming voice of Headmaster Karkaroff as he swept Krum up with him to leave for the ship, while asking all sorts of stupid questions about how to make him and his apparent cold, more comfortable. But that also meant walking down through the centre of the Great Hall. Right by her.
They were almost there and she did her very best to appear as small and insignificant as humanly possible. She leaned into the table, feigning reaching for a tissue when he suddenly grabbed her.
It wasn't hard and it wasn't long. But it was there. He grabbed the side of her arm, before releasing it and dragging his hand across his robes. All while walking casually with his Headmaster.
Others might have seen it as simply trying to right himself in a stumble, but she felt it for what it was.
He had seen her. He knew that she was there, and he wanted her to know that he knew it too.
She was trapped in her own body as she froze and flinched all at the same time.
"Oy!" Yelled Harry in indignation, but everyone ignored him. The noise of the hall was simply too great at this moment for anyone to give him any sort of attention. "Bloody wanker." Daniel muttered as he looked at her in something akin to realisation.
Maybe he now understood that this was how it had felt for her?
She didn't know, and right now she didn't care. She just wanted out.
While Ron was busy holding the door open to the Durmstrang, Hermione was up on her feet the second they were out - running like all hell was loose just to get away.
…
Returning from the Astronomy tower some hours later, she found the Common room almost deserted. All that was left were her friends.
As Hermione stepped out of the portrait, Harry's head perked up from where they sat on the floor with their game. "Lass has emerged."
Hermione wrinkled her nose as she threw on the couch to watch Neville's eyebrows get singed. "Did you guys spend too much time with Finnigan?"
"Well, since you've been gone from the surface of the world for three days, we had to find other companions." Harry shrugged as his eyes narrowed at the game, though she found herself thinking about why he had used companions in plural. Finnigan didn't have that many personalities as far as she was concerned.
So, was he talking about Ron or Dean?
"Just don't turn into an asshole this time, please." She said, now laying completely horizontal, staring at the ceiling of the tower.
"No, we'll let Krum do the assholing." Daniel muttered, and Hermione snorted, before muttering an 'eww'.
After that, she just continued studying the ceiling while listening to the noises of the game beside her. She didn't have to talk to them to be a part of their company. That was one of the best things about their friendships.
"I promised not to tell anyone," Harry started with a small sigh while he laid down - particularly singed this time, "you have to do it. It's been too long."
She released a small sigh as she sat up, crossed her legs on the couch and rested her head on her hand, which she then supported on her knee by the elbow. "The short version is that I met Viktor at Christmas break last year in France. He has then gotten this idea into his head that I can't live without him, and has then spent the entire summer hitting on me. I told him 'no' and he has chosen to ignore that. That's more or less it. Not many people know about it of course." She finished with a shrug and a pointed look at Neville and Daniel. "Harry only knows because he caught me reading a letter, and refused to let me off the hook." A pointed look in Harry's direction this time. He just shrugged and looked awfully proud of himself.
"So, what are we going to do about it?" Neville asked, putting down cards and sat back on his hands, his eyes finding hers.
She was in complete awe of Neville. Here was a boy who had struggled all the way through Hogwarts, but who still went to her side the moment she needed help - knowingly or unknowingly.
"I-I don't know. I was hoping he would just ignore me or forget I existed in the first place, but… That obviously didn't happen." She said in a low voice, remembering the grab he had on her earlier. "I need to figure out what's going on with him before I do anything else, I think."
"What do your Slytherins think about it?" Daniel asked.
"My… What?" She stuttered, completely unprepared for the question.
"Does Malfoy know? Nott?" Hermione would have thought his voice to be acidic, but she heard none of it in his voice. Just curiosity.
"He - No. He doesn't. No one but you - and I intend to keep it that way." She said, hoping her voice held more conviction than she felt.
"If he does another World Cup Act, it'll be hard. I can't understand why I didn't see right through it back then." Daniel said, obviously berating himself for it.
"I don't know. I don't think anyone was prepared for anything he did there, to be honest." She sighed as she dragged her hand tiredly down her face. It had been a long couple of days for her head and state of mind, and today hadn't helped.
"I heard that Krum already put his name into the Goblet tonight. Not wasting any time, is he?" Daniel said with a roll of his eyes, "But then again, he did come all this way to win the tournament, so why not?"
No one answered him, though looking around Hermione could see agreement on Harry and Neville's faces.
"Come on, let's get to bed," Harry said and picked up the card game, taking the lead for the dormitories. "We need to be ready for Wills tomorrow."
"Can you wait for me, before going down?" She asked, letting the 'I don't want to go down there alone' left unsaid.
…
October 31st, 1994
Arriving by the doors to the Great Hall the next morning, Neville opened it and walked in first, followed by Hermione who walked between Harry and Daniel. They were talking about a potions essay that was for tomorrow - but that they had already finished at this point. They were just talking to talk.
Quiet meant anxious and alert - two things they definitely didn't want to display.
Casually, they walked to their table where she sat down on the side of the table where she normally did - giving her a direct view of the Slytherin-table. Normally, it was to eye out Draco or make funny faces at Theo - in secret of course - but today was to be as far away from Viktor as humanly possible. Also, it meant that she was right by the Hufflepuff table which was also pretty important today.
Viktor, of course, was already sitting at the table. Hermione thought she did really well at ignoring him, by simply conversing with her friends until William arrived.
Out of nowhere, the table behind her erupted in loud cheers. Turning towards the door, Hermione saw William prancing down between the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables, his arm hanging casually around Ellinor's shoulders as she grinned up at him. Hufflepuff continued their cheers into a loud 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!'-song, in which both Hermione, Daniel, Harry, Neville and all of the present Weasley's all joined in on. Ending the song with more loud cheers and celebratory claps, Hermione quickly went to her brother's side.
"Happy birthday, Wills!" She gushed as he crushed her in a hug. "17 and legal, huh?"
"Thank Nene, it's so strange - I don't feel any different at all." He shrugged as he took a step back, and smiled at his friends who were all making fun of him.
"I don't think you're supposed to," she said while rolling her eyes at him, before looking up at him in mischief. "But I've still got a present for you… Do you want it now? Or in private?"
He looked at her like she had just suggested he could eat cake for breakfast - which he could today seeing as Max was currently extracting a large sprinkles-covered cake from a box. She grinned up at Wills, "Now. Now, please." He said excitedly.
Hermione, taking her sweet purposeful time, took out a small rectangular box, enlarged it and handed it to William. He looked at the box that was now almost half the size of the television he had helped dad manoeuvre into the leaving room before they left for Hogwarts.
He turned around intending to put it on the bench, when she saw that his friends had made space for it on the table - not a small feat considering how big it was. Obviously, they all wanted to see what it was.
He ripped open the table, before pulling off the wrapping paper - staring at the insides like she had struck him upside the head with a cast iron pan.
"But… what is it?" Someone asked. Hermione didn't know his name, but he looked very confused. She didn't blame him.
"Warhammer 40.000." He whispered, looking at Hermione in awe. She thought she saw a bit of momentary dampness in his eyes. "Warhammer. 40.000. Epic. Titan. Legions. Hermione Jean Granger - you did not." With a small scream of surprise, she felt herself getting lifted, hugged, and swung easily from side to side. She laughed as he said in a low voice: "I love you, Hermione. You are the best sister in the world."
I know, Wills, I know.
He put her down without letting go of her, hugging her close and gave the top of her head a small kiss before stepping back and turning his entire focus to the game he had just received. Max handed him a large piece of cake, before he threw himself right into explaining what game it was, how it was played, about painting the miniatures and so on. His happiness was contagious and she soon found herself listening along with her own friends with smiles on their faces, as they ate their own breakfast quickly.
"I'd wager that was a success, Hermione." Harry said as he high-fived her, while leaving to go to their classes - Viktor completely forgotten for the moment.
…
Between lunch and dinner was supposed to be a double lesson of Arithmancy, but in light of the Goblet of Fire, it had been decided that the last lesson before dinner would be cancelled, and dinner moved to be a bit earlier.
The teachers apparently knew that their students wouldn't be able to focus on the lessons, and found it a better solution. Hermione saw the logic in it of course, but thought to herself that it would make more sense for only the 6th and 7th years to be let off, since they were the only ones who would be old enough to put in their names.
But since she had nothing better to do right now, she sat down on the newly-placed stands in the Great Hall, reading up on some homework while observing as student after student put their name into the Goblet.
Earlier that day, even Fred and George had attempted some sort of potion - an ageing potion - to try and cheat the age line that Dumbledore had put up. To no one's surprise, they hadn't succeeded, but it had been fun to watch never-the-less. It always was with those two.
Harry and Daniel sat happily by her side, making jokes and discussing whom they thought would be chosen for their school. "My galleon's on Angelina." Hermione said before adding; "Maybe Roger Davis. Did McLaggen sign up?" Her nose wrinkled in distaste. She did not like McLaggen, though she had no real as to why.
"Sure, he did - made sure the entire table heard about it afterwards. Apparently, you didn't hear, but everyone else did." Harry shrugged like it was the tiniest detail in the entire world, and that he really couldn't care any less about it.
No sooner had Neville joined them, completely out of breath after having run from the greenhouses, before the foreign students joined them and sat down in groups on the stands opposite the four friends.
Then the Professors, Headmasters and ministry officials arrived.
Though Hermione was almost shaking with nervousness, she crossed one leg over the other, straightened her back and put her book down beside her.
This was it. This would be the choosing.
Dumbledore made a surprisingly short speech about what the chosen champions should do when their name was called, before extinguishing most of the candles and torches in the room, making everyone stare at the Goblet in wonder.
It was almost physically painful to watch the Goblet of Fire as it shone in a blue-ish white light - lighting up the entire Great Hall.
No sooner had the light blinded her, before it turned red and sparks started flying. Looking at the faces on the opposite rows, she saw everything from wonder and excitement to fear, reflected in their eyes.
With a collective gasp from the room, a particular large number of sparks, spewed out a piece of parchment. Dumbledore caught it easily, using the Goblet as a light to be able to read it out loud: "The champion from Durmstrang will be Viktor Krum."
The room erupted in cheers - not unlike the ones she had been a part of that morning in celebration of Wills' birthday. This time, though, she barely joined in. She clapped, albeit only just enough to appear polite. But then she ended up doing something she hadn't thought she would be able to do, because he turned in her direction, and locked eyes with her.
And she stared back. She didn't move a muscle. Didn't nod her head or fake a smile. She just stared back.
And then he left.
When he turned around, it was like she suddenly remembered how to breathe again.
Viktor had only just left through the door in the corner, when red, angry sparks once again erupted.
"The champion for Beauxbatons is Fleur Delacour."
Cheers, though not as loudly as with Viktor, erupted once again and followed the new champion out as she waved and smiled.
She's very pretty. Hermione thought to herself, as the girl threw her white hair over her shoulder and sent a smile to someone in the crowd. But it would seem that not all were as happy about her choosing as she was. Multiple students from the French magical school could be seen openly crying or staring hatefully at the girl.
When Delacour had exited through the door, the excitement and nervousness in the room somehow reached an all-time high. It was almost buzzing through the air like lightning during a thunderstorm.
The cup once again turned red and started spewing sparks. But they seemed to last longer this time.
Like it was thinking, and couldn't decide.
Then a piece of parchment appeared, which Dumbledore caught in a flurry of movement.
He moved it so close to the Goblet that the flames were almost touching the paper. "The Champion for Hogwarts is William Granger."
