Chapter 22 - Year 4, part 3
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."
…
October 31st, 1994
She didn't understand what had just happened.
For a second, she thought it sounded like William's name being called - but that was ridiculous. It must have been a mistake. Someone must have bumped into her at the wrong time and she had simply misheard it. She must have.
Because it couldn't be right.
"William Granger!" Dumbledore called again, and Hermione looked back up the seats where she saw Ellinor looking with big, wide, panicky eyes at William.
William who looked scared to death. He slowly stood and cheering started, though it wasn't the big ones that Viktor and Fleur had received. This was the tentative kind. The one where people knew that something was wrong. That something hadn't gone the way it was supposed to.
He made his way down, and in her own haze, she heard him say "I didn't - Professor, I didn't-" But he was merely silenced by a hand waving him towards the door in the corner. The door to where the two other Triwizard Champions were located.
He had barely taken two steps, before Zabini sneered: "They're actually letting a Mudblood compete! How low can you go?!"
She didn't realise that she had moved. Didn't even know when she had drawn her wand - but she had. And no sooner had she taken the first step before her wand was pointed into the Slytherin's throat.
"Say that about my brother one more time, and I will make every proton and neutron in your wretched body fuse." She bristled as she narrowed her eyes at his very confused ones.
"Ms. Granger! Lower your wand immediately!" Professor McGonagall yelled, outraged.
"It's cute how you're so uneducated you don't even know what it means. Talk about low." She whispered acidly.
"Hermione. Let it go." William said, but she ignored them, as she stared into the brown eyes of the Slytherin who had tried so hard to make her feel like a lesser being for years. Involuntarily, her wand dug in harder and she saw him wince as his Adams apple bopped against the tip.
Good. He deserved to be in pain.
"Hermione!" Her arm was yanked hard, making her take a step back. Automatically, her wandarm turned and she found the tip of her wand poking angrily into William's cheek.
He said nothing at first. He simply let go of her arm, and moved it to the hand clutching her wand, softly removing the tip from his cheek. Somehow, he shuffled them so that his arm was around her shoulder, leading her back to her seat.
"Sit down - and stay seated." He whispered, before softly pushing her back into her seat.
Her haze hadn't left her. She didn't know what was going on.
Even as Zabini stared at her with newly ignited hatred.
Even as Professor McGonagall called out that both Slytherin house and Gryffindor house would be deducted twenty points each, she didn't understand. And she didn't care.
Points suddenly seemed so inconsequential.
Harry clutched her hand, but she shouldn't have been surprised when he suddenly had to let go of it as well.
Why did it always have to be Harry?
He wasn't even old enough!
He didn't want to be a part of the Circus - none of them did.
Both William and Harry had agreed on separate occasions that they didn't even care about the tournament.
So why were they even called into being with the other champions in the first place? Couldn't the Goblet just find another champion?
She did nothing but stare into the empty space in front of The Goblet of Fire, as the headmasters, ministry officials, Professor Sprout and Professor McGonagall left to talk to the 'Champions'. As always, the students took it as their cue to start discussing what had just happened.
She didn't care.
Well, that wasn't completely true.
She cared too much, too often and now it meant that she was hurting.
Her brain lay splattered on the ground in front of her with all her knowledge and logical thinking, and she didn't know how to pick it up. Didn't know how to stuff it back in through her ear-canal - or if it would even fit. How had it gotten out in the first place? There were so many questions that she could neither ask nor answer, and she didn't know how she felt about that.
Didn't know what to do about it.
It was all just too much.
People died in this thing.
Her brother could die.
Harry could die.
She didn't know what was worse, because neither possibility was something she would ever acknowledge as anything but bullshit.
The loud noises of the room slowly disappeared with the students, while Hermione and her friends waited. They hadn't talked to her. At least, she didn't think they had. But somehow, they had all silently agreed that they would wait at the stands for their friend. For their family.
A short while later, Daniel bumped his elbow softly into her arm, making her look up at him in question. He said nothing, but pointed in the opposite direction.
She followed his finger to where he was pointing - on the four Champions who were silently making their way through the Great Hall. Fleur was being rushed away by her giant headmistress, while Krum walked alongside Karkaroff. Viktors eyes were plastered to her in a weird expression Hermione couldn't understand, until his headmaster pulled his attention back to him.
Behind them, Harry and William walked slowly towards their waiting company.
Hermione was on her feet instantly, sprinting across the room and right into William. She didn't know if his arms had been out and ready. Didn't know if he had been prepared in any way - and she didn't care right now.
She held on for dear life, praying and hoping that he would never ever let go of her, because she wasn't sure she would be able to.
…
They had sat down at the stands at some point, talking it over. Hermione sat with Harry, Daniel and Neville, While William sat with Max by his side, and Ellinor hugged close into his side.
"They're still having you do it then? Even though you didn't put your names in the Cup?" Daniel said, looking absolute flabbergasted.
"Yeah. It's a binding contract, and apparently there's nothing they can do about it. Except investigate who put our names up in the first place." William sighed in resignation.
"I overheard McGonagall and Sprout discussing us working together since I'm not of age, but I highly doubt Karkaroff and Maxime being very happy about that." Harry muttered, like the idea of working together might be his only saving grace in the matter.
The thought made her stomach clench painfully.
They talked carefully through what would happen next and how they should go about it, before leaving to head back to their dormitories.
…
November 9th, 1994
The entire school was tense. The teachers, the students, the foreigners, Harry, William, Daniel - everyone.
She was tense.
She was walking around on eggshells around everyone. They either stared at her like she had grown a horn in the middle of her forehead - or like she would jinx them if they breathed too loudly. Maybe she would… She hadn't fully decided yet.
There was always this pricking in the back of her neck, like there was someone there - but for the most part, there never was.
Harry felt it too, he had said one evening. "I know I'm the chosen one and all that dung, but it hasn't been this bad since before we started school. What is wrong with people?"
She couldn't do anything but agree with him, because he had been right. There had of course been that time in Flourish and Blotts where Lockhart had made a big spectacle out of Harry going to buy his books, but that was the only big-ish incident there had really been since they went to Hogwarts. And even before then, it wasn't like it happened a lot… But there was still the odd person who from time to time came to their table when they had gone out to eat, congratulating him on 'banishing the dark lord'.
Those occurrences had always been strange.
But this was strange in a completely different way. Strange, because now, nobody believed what he was saying.
No one believed that he hadn't put his name in the Goblet. No one believed that he wasn't scheming on something grand. And though people were staring at him, it wasn't for any good reasons.
People thought him a cheat. A fool. But most of all, they thought him a liar.
People from their own house tried - almost desperately - to rile him up about the tasks. Telling him that he could finally get revenge on Hufflepuff for losing to them that one time when the Dementors had attacked him mid-game. Telling him that he would do much better than William. That he was so much better.
Didn't they know that Wills was two years in front of him, in school? Even though Harry was very accomplished academically, there were sure to be loads of things that William knew, which Harry surely would not. If that wasn't the case - then there would have been no reason for the two schoolyears that were between them - they could as well have all been in the same year.
That was why she was once again in the library. She had managed to talk to William the day before, and had borrowed his schoolbooks from his fifth year. It was her plan to spend the entire afternoon, browsing the books in search of anything that might help Harry in some stupid way.
Because let's be honest, there was no way in hell she would voluntarily send Harry into the shitshow without being as prepared as possible. What kind of friends would she be, if she did?
So, she was here, in the library, again. She had already flicked through potions, but found nothing.
Herbology was much more Neville's forté, so he had promised to look into that himself.
Ancient Runes wouldn't help him, and neither would Arithmancy or Divination, so they were off the table.
Well, divination might help him if he would do a proper prediction telling him what he was up against. That would help. She would discuss it with him later, she thought and noted it on a piece of parchment.
Care for magical Creatures didn't look too promising either.
Astronomy? Not bloody likely.
History of Magic? Nope.
That left her with DADA, Charms and transfiguration…
She dragged the defence-book towards her as she once again got that… Feeling. She looked up, and found Viktor standing by a bookcase, staring openly at her. Maybe it had been a bad sign to start out with Defence against the Dark Arts, since it had apparently summoned the need for them.
Her eyes were glued to him as he walked closer to him, dragged out a chair and sat down opposite her. He looked at her like he was a carnivore, and she was his prey.
"You did not congratulate me on making Champion." He said gruffly and leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. His stare never left hers, and she didn't have the ability to remove hers from him.
"Why would I? People risk their lives in the Tournament - that's not something I want to congratulate them on."
"But you should - participating is a great honour." He said matter-of-factly.
Hermione saw his baiting for what it was, and she wasn't biting back. At least not in the way he intended for her to do.
So she did the next best thing - she ignored it. "What do you want, Viktor?" Maybe she was being a bit hard on him, but she didn't have the energy for it today. She had too much to do already, and he was stealing that time away from her.
His eyes hardened as he focused on her: "I don't appreciate you taking that tone with me."
"And I don't appreciate you telling me what to do." She snapped instantly, and stood up to pick up all of the books.
He wasn't having it and snatched up one of her books before she could grab it. He opened it and started flipping through it with a look of utter distaste. "What happened Herm-own-ninny? Why are you leaving?"
"I'm leaving because I have better things to do than be in the company of someone who won't even try to say my name correctly, let alone spell it correctly." She snapped and snatched the book from his grasp, stepping quickly out of reach as he reached forward after her. "You want to be friends? Great, this is your first lesson - don't touch me. Ever. And don't tell me what to do either. Have a pleasant Wednesday." Then she turned around with her heavy bag and her arms laden with heavy books, to find an empty classroom.
But even as she walked, her heart was hammering away in her chest - and it wasn't in a good way.
…
November 15th, 1994
Hermione sat down at her table with the newly acquired potion-ingredients to find a note slightly tucked under her book. Hidden just enough to stay out of curious eyes, but visible enough for her to see it instantly. Opening the note quickly, she saw Theo's handwriting.
Is Potter a good kisser? Is it worth a try?
As he walked towards her from the ingredient-cupboard, she made a face like she was about to hurl. He snickered in response.
When they left class, she handed him a note saying:
Like snogging gillyweed - 0/10, do not recommend.
When the class entered the hallway, she heard him laugh loudly, much to the annoyance of the Gryffindors - except for her of course
…
November 17th, 1994
The next couple of days followed in the same fashion.
After the Weighing of the wands, an article had been released by that wretched Rita Skeeter, stating that apparently, she and Harry were dating. It was a running joke in their closed circle of course, where they would just laugh it off, but Hermione could also see where they were coming from, considering that they were always together.
But then again, since they were always together, no one seemed to understand the stolen glances that Harry had been sending Ginny for months.
People saw what they wanted to see.
Viktor had even made a point to question her about it, like it was somehow his business to get into. She had laughed it off, of course, and continued doing her chosen homework.
It really was the most ridiculous rumour.
What annoyed her the most about it, though, was that Millicent Bullstrode had made a thing out of picking on her and her looks whenever she was around. Hermione was neither confident in her looks nor hateful of them, but in light of Bullstrode she felt like a damn supermodel - and she knew that Bullstrode had nothing on her.
But that didn't make it hurt any less.
Being at the study-session on that Thursday-night, somehow didn't help her either.
She was sitting at the usual table, in their usual empty classroom, with Daphne, Theo, Draco and Pansy. The last two of whom sat closely together, pointing to different parts of a star-map.
Pansy continuously did this thing where she would brush up against Draco.
It made her insides grow cold.
Were they a thing? Were they dating?
Did he like Pansy?
"I'm sorry guys, my brain isn't working today - I'm going to head out." The excuse flew from her lips before she had worked properly through it, but at the same time, she wasn't mad about it.
She wasn't really enjoying watching their… Things.
"You know what? Me too." Draco said so suddenly it made her look up in confusion. What was he talking about? He had been working nonstop with Pansy for the last hour, and together they had been like an unstoppable force.
Maybe she shouldn't put up a fight. Maybe she should just let Pansy have him without making a fuss.
"Aww, but we've really worked into it, Draco!" Pansy cooed, looking up at Draco as he started packing up his stuff.
"No matter, Pans, Daph and I will help you!" Theo said cheerfully, elbowing Hermione slightly as he stood to take Draco's seat between the two other girls.
"Thanks Theo!" Pansy said cheerfully.
Hermione picked up her bag with clammy hands, even as Draco held the door open to her. Together they walked in silence towards the stairs, but when he was supposed to turn off towards the dungeons, he instead followed her up the stairs.
"I'll just walk you to your portrait." He said to her with a small smile.
What on earth was going on? He never walked her to her portrait. Never!
"I- ehh… I was actually thinking of going for some fresh air. So, uhm, I'm not heading for Gryffindor Tower." She said slowly, standing still on the stairs as they moved around on their own.
"Oh. Well… Do you mind if I… Tag along?" He asked, looking around at the different portraits.
She had really hoped for some time alone. Some time to just ponder at what she had seen, heard and experienced these past couple of days.
Her mind was never quite as of late.
But how could she say 'no' to him when she had literally just had a minor mental breakdown because he was focused on someone else, other than her?
Still, she found herself uttering a "Sure." Before she had the time to talk against it.
In silence, they made their way to the Astronomy tower. The second she opened the door into the open space of her self-found sanctuary, she felt like she could breathe again. Without saying a word, she dropped her bag by one of the pillars, went outside and leaned against it, and slowly slid to the stonefloor.
This was peace.
Sitting outside, while still under a roof, looking out over the mountains, lake and forest - all of which were currently being covered in ice-cold rain. But she was safe here.
"So, this is where you've been hiding from us." Draco muttered as he took a seat beside her. 'Us' he had said, not 'me'. She didn't know if it was something she should look more into or not.
"I haven't been hiding." She muttered and hugged her knees closer to her chest. "Anyone could have found me if they just tried."
"But to be 'found' you have to have been 'gone' in the first place." Draco stated easily. Why was he so smart? She couldn't challenge him on that damnit.
So, she didn't answer him. She just stared out into the big open world.
"Why have you been staying up here?" He asked after they had sat for a long while in the silence.
Was this where she told him about Viktor? About the anxiety she had felt about the guy until a few days ago when she finally stood up to him.
Told him about all of the things that were running through her mind at all hours of the day?
"Everything has just been… A bit much as of late. Everything is too loud, or too emotional, too… Too much. Classes are picking up again, and it's a lot even though it's nowhere near what it was like last year with the damn-" She stopped herself as she realized what she had almost done. She looked down on her hand that rested on her knees, looking at the bracelet that she had yet to take off. She softly caressed the Alexandrite-gem, drawing strength from it. "It's just been too much, all of it. But this helps. The silence helps."
After her confession, he didn't say anything for a while. When she couldn't take it anymore, she looked up at him.
He was looking out into the open, a pained look on his face. Like he was hurting, but couldn't say so.
She reached out, and with shaky hands, carefully took his. His head whipped to hers, and she saw the shock painted so clearly on his face.
She shouldn't have taken his hand.
You're so stupid! She screamed at herself mentally.
She felt her hand putting his down, but just as she was about to let go of it, she felt his hand tightening around hers.
She would have cried in relief if it wouldn't have been too obvious. If it wouldn't have been too much. Instead, they sat in utter silence, as she heard the sound of her blood rushing through her ears, and felt her heart hammering away in her chest as fast as it ever had.
Too soon, he gave her hand a squeeze before letting go of it. "I need to go before the other's start looking for me."
She hadn't realised how late it was, but looking out over the lake, she noticed the lights on the ship had been extinguished. It must be a fair bit past curfew.
But… Somehow, she found herself thinking that being caught being this… intimate, with Draco - wasn't such a bad thing.
"Oh. Ehh, yeah." She stammered and stood up herself to leave with him, grabbing her bag on the way.
Somehow, they managed to walk around the castle without encountering much activity. They did have to hide behind one of the tapestries from Madam Norris at one point, but that was it.
When they had to split up, he looked down at her and whispered: "I tried, by the way - for what it's worth."
"What?" She questioned in a whisper. What was he talking about?
"Looking for you. I looked everywhere, and I couldn't find you. Because you were hiding. I'm just glad it wasn't from me." He finished, leaning forward and grabbing her hand carefully, picking it up like it was the most gorgeous China in the world which he had to keep safe from harm. He gave it a small squeeze, before letting go of it again and turned around to head down for the dungeons.
She had no words, she just stood there staring at him until he turned the last corner and she had to return to her own tower for the night.
…
November 19th, 1994
He was doing that thing again. Every time she was at the library in these days, he always seemed to be there as well. What a bloody coincidence.
She could feel his shadow looming somewhere at the outer banks of her vision.
Just a shadow. But when she turned towards him, he was gone.
Not even a scuff of a shoe could be heard - but considering he was a 7th year at this point, he probably knew the appropriate silencing charms. But if it didn't drive her mad all the same.
She hadn't seen much of him since that day two weeks ago, when he had all but demanded that she congratulate him on making Champion.
She couldn't really say that she had missed him, because she hadn't. It had actually been rather peaceful except for these… Episodes.
With an annoyed huff, she plucked the advanced charms book from the shelf and turned around to go note down that she had taken it with her. She went down past shelf after shelf, turned a corner and then another. As far as she had noticed, she was the only one present at the library except for the sourly librarian. It had its advantages of course, as she knew Madam Pince would be at her station by the entrance, and not behind her where she just heard a sound.
She didn't know what the sound was and didn't care for it, but the fact that it was here, was out of place.
Taking one last corner, she stopped suddenly in her tracks, whirled around and pointed her wand directly into the face of Viktor Krum. He didn't look surprised. In fact, he didn't show any kind of emotion at all.
"I'm not doing this shit again. Why are you following me?" She clipped with narrowed eyes at the stalker.
He said nothing, but just stared at her. Though, she did notice his throat bobbing as he swallowed. At least she had an effect on him.
"Well?" She demanded; her wand still steadily pointed into his face.
"I wanted to talk to you." He finally said in a low voice.
"Then bloody talk to me!" She hissed and feeling empowered by her anger, she continued; "You've been at my home for two and a half weeks and have done nothing to communicate with me except for following me around or grabbing me like I'm some kind of possession."
"But my dear, you will not speak to me." He said in a low gruff voice, while his eyes looked pleadingly at her.
"I have no issue with talking to you. I have issues with you pretending like I'm yours, like you own me and every damn bit of my time. Like you have the right to make me feel bad about standing my ground and saying no, when I don't agree. So let me make myself extremely clear, now that it seems we have a slight lingual barrier -" She stepped closer, her wand almost touching the bottom of his chin as she looked up at him, "I don't belong to you, and I am not your 'dear', so, I would very much appreciate you not referring to me as such. Also, manhandle me one more time and you will lose your arm. Goodnight Viktor."
She didn't wait for his response. She simply took a single step backwards while maintaining eye contact with him, before she turned around to walk to where she would sign out her book before leaving the library.
…
November 24th, 1994
It was all leading up to this. All of their preparation.
Today's classes had been cancelled because of the first task, and Hermione, Harry and Daniel had spent the entire night before and this morning preparing Summoning charms in every possible way. That was the only thing they could think of, that might help him.
She had tried talking William into joining them, but he had told her that he had his own plans that he needed to prepare for. What those plans were, he hadn't told her.
It was killing her, not knowing what he was going to do.
Who the hell knew what to do with a damn dragon?
A DRAGON, of all things.
It was madness.
"I'll meet you guys afterwards." Harry said after Professor McGonagall informed him that the Champions were to go to the grounds to get ready.
"Sure, Harry. Good luck!" Daniel and Neville called back to him as he made his way to the door.
Hermione couldn't speak.
Her throat was completely closed up as she watched both her best friend and her brother make their way out to fight a dragon.
"They'll be fine." Daniel whispered to her, as he pushed the breadrolls her way. She wanted to believe him, she really did, but she couldn't find any conviction in his voice.
…
She was going to vomit, she was sure of it.
All at once, the school and their guests made their way to the Forbidden Forest. A large tent had been erected at the place where Harry told her he had seen the Dragons, and they were now all entering it to find an enchanted sort of… Ring… With seating for all of them.
It was like being at the Circus. Except, she had to watch people she loved, fight bloody dragons.
A canon announced the start of the task, and second later, William arrived. He looked around like he was trying to decipher what was going on.
She didn't blame him one bit.
She was at the edge of her seat, her fingers clutching at the seat in front of her.
He dodged blow after blow from his Swedish Short-Snout. Avoided the blazing fire that erupted from the mouth of the creature, time and time again.
What was he doing?!
He said he had something planned, but he did nothing except avoid and flee attack after attack!
He then shouted something that she couldn't hear, and she watched as a dog bounded out from his hiding spot and in the opposite direction than the egg.
She could see him watch the dragon for a short moment, before he jumped into a sprint.
A sprint towards the egg.
He was almost there when the angry dragon suddenly turned around and saw what he was doing.
But William hadn't seen it.
"WILLIAM! BEHIND YOU! WATCH OUT!" She roared at him. She didn't care that there was too much noise in the tent. Didn't care that he might not be able to hear her. She had to TRY!
William turned his head as he turned the egg, only to be engulfed in flames.
She screamed his name even as the entire stadium gasped in horror.
Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
William.
There was no way he would -
"HE'S MADE IT! MR. GRANGER HAS GOT HIS EGG!" The commentator boomed, and the audience cheered loudly.
William was standing up, though a bit too wobbly for her liking. He was being held upright by two people, while clutching the golden egg in one arm, the other slung over the healer's shoulder.
As he was led from the room by the sound of roaring cheers, Hermione saw Ellinor and Max dashing from the stands and towards the stairs.
She was right behind them.
…
The canon boomed somewhere above her, announcing Fleur's arrival, as Hermione rounded the corner and hurried into the Champion's tent.
Krum was standing in the corner looking as sourly as ever. Harry stood by William's side with Ellinor and Max. In front of them, William was being attended to by a healer - small whimpers erupting from him every now and then.
"Is he - will he-" She couldn't finish the sentence from her voice breaking.
"He's okay. He'll be okay." Ellinor answered as she looked back at Hermione, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
"Oh, thank Merlin." She sighed hard in relief.
"It'll probably scar pretty bad…" Wills whispered between whimpers of pain, and Hermione carefully inched closer to look at him.
The right side of his torso, neck and face was completely covered in bandages. With some of the bandages, you could see blood slowly starting to seep through.
"Don't worry. You'll still be my pretty little tosser." She smiled and caressed the arm that hadn't been hurt. When she reached his fingers, he caught her hand in his.
"Sod off."
"Naah, you'd miss me too much." She smiled down at him, and Hermione had the fleeting thought that she was intruding on something very private. She looked away and instead caught Harry's eyes. He looked almost as uncomfortable as her, though she could see that he was heavy with nervousness.
"True. I probably would." He chuckled low before moaning in pain.
Cheers erupted outside the tent, and soon enough, the canon was sounding again.
Viktor looked at her as he walked towards the opening. His posture was suddenly one of great achievements and high confidence. Like he could conquer the world and still make it back in time for Lunch.
"Good luck out there." She said, and he bowed his head in what looked like a 'thanks' before walking out and into the arena.
She stayed for a couple of minutes before leaving to go into the stands again.
…
She made it just in time to see Krum's now blinded dragon fall and crush half of its eggs, before Krum walked over to snatch his golden one in a look of easy confidence. Then he walked out so casually this might have been his Sunday morning stroll.
The Chinese firebolt was removed from the enclosure and then a Hungarian Horntail was led in in its place. The canon sounded again, and seconds later she saw Harry walking into the enclosure.
He looked sickly green as he watched the dragon.
He then looked to be taking several deep breaths before raising his wand into the air and shouted: "ACCIO FIREBOLT!"
Harry lowered his wand and stood waiting, just like they had practised.
Let it work. Let it work. Let it work. She chanted in her head as some sort of prayer. This had to work.
Harry looked behind him and into the forest, and then the crowd went even wilder than before. "Potter has summoned his firebolt! What an interesting move from our youngest contestant! The firebolt - a state-of-the-art first class racingbroom that goes up to 150 miles an hour in just ten seconds-" Hermione zoned out the commentary about Harry broom.
She knew all about it from everyone around her already.
While Bagman had droned on uncontrollably, Harry had meanwhile mounted his broom and kicked off the ground with such speed she could see the dust turning into mini-tornados at the spot where he had just been. He soared high, high, HIGH into the air and seemed to stop as he looked down on the stadium.
You can do it, Harry. It's just another Quidditch match, with yet another annoying member of the opposite team.
Suddenly, Harry dove towards the angry dragon. Hermione could see it preparing to roast him, but just as the Horntail spurted its flames, Harry dove to the side.
"Great Scott, he can fly! Are you watching this, Mr Krum?" Bagman commentated. Hermione felt pride blossoming in her chest.
Harry was a magnificent flyer, and he damn well knew it.
They all knew it.
Harry soared higher and higher again, but in a circle around the dragon. She could see its head following Harry's every movement.
"He needs to be careful or it's going to breathe fire on him again." Daniel whispered fearfully by her side. She couldn't agree more.
The dragon had had enough. It opened its mouth and Harry diverted once again, but none of them had predicted on the tail being in his way. Harry made a last second roll on his Firebolt, resulting in the tail only just grazing him - ripping his uniform by his arm in its wake.
Hermione gasped collectively with the crowd around her, while some others screamed. All in all, everyone knew that it was bad news.
During his roll, Harry ended up behind the dragon. He remained there for a short while, until he soared into the air. First one way, then another. He wasn't nearly close enough for her to breathe fire on him, but he was definitely close enough for her to watch every move he made.
What are you doing, Harry?
He soared a bit higher and Hermione could see the dragon's neck go completely taught.
Harry increased his height a bit more - just by a few metres or so.
Hermione caught on just as the dragon spread out her wings, and raised from the ground where she had been protecting her eggs.
"Merlin, the Hungarian Horntail is off the ground!" Bagman sounded out of the speakers and the crown roared and cheered.
The dragon's legs had only just left the comforts of the ground, when Harry suddenly dived. He reared forward at an incredible speed - right towards the dragon! She lunged for him, but he rolled again, sped up and went below her belly.
She felt like she was almost watching the events unfurl in slowmotion. While at full speed, Harry let go of his broomhandle, leaning ever slightly to the side and caught the golden egg - and sped off and out of reach of the Horntail.
"YEEESSSSSS!" Hermione screamed as she reared out of her seat and towards the railing, grabbing it hard in front of her as she shouted celebratory at Harry.
"Look at that! Will you look at that! Our youngest contestant is quickest to get his egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Mr Potter!" Bagman shouted in commentary, as she, Daniel and Neville cheered loudly for their friend with massive grins on their faces.
…
December 10th, 1994
The Great Hall was absolutely buzzing at the recent revelation.
A ball.
The girls were screeching in delight - well, most of them - and the boys were a mixture of loud, excruciating moans of displeasure, and loud cheeriness at the prospect of such an event.
Of course, if you weren't a muggle nobility or Pureblood, a ball wasn't necessarily something you had tried before. Hermione included. She was excited about it happening, that was for sure - but she didn't think she had ever been looking forward so little, to anything in her entire life. It was an odd mixture really.
On one hand, the dresses used for a ball were more often than not, big, poofy, feminine and every bit over-the-top - which were fine for the most part. Hermione just wasn't looking forward to neither buying, trying nor wearing such an item.
And where would she find the money to buy anything? There was a boutique in Hogsmeade - Professor McGonagall had said when telling them about the ball - maybe she could go there? Maybe she could owl her parents and ask them what they thought.
Or could she possibly just show up in her jeans and jumper, or maybe her school robes? Surely, that would be fine. That would save her the trouble.
But after that, there was also the issue of… Partners.
McGonagall had been very thorough in explaining that it was expected of them to arrive with a partner. Arriving without one, would be doable of course, but apparently it was frowned upon.
Leaving the great Hall that day, the girls were already whispering and sending doe-eyes to the one they wanted to ask them out as their date.
But Hermione couldn't do that.
It hit her like a brick, that she wouldn't be able to go with Draco under any circumstances.
Even behind the secure walls of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, this summer's attack at the Quidditch Cup had woken something up. It had yet to become anything but a low ember… But it was felt.
Zabini and his cronies had been relentless this year in the bullying and mocking of anything they thought below them. That, of course, included her. She gave them back in every possible way, not wanting to let them win. Also; she knew better.
And because she knew better, she knew that it would be dangerous to go with Draco to the ball. Not dangerous in the sense that he would be beaten up the second he let go of her hand. But in the sense that she knew - even without it having been outright said - that Lucius had dealings with the Death Eaters on some level. She had no doubts in her mind that something as small and inconsequential as two teenagers going to a ball together, would quite possibly have a horrendous fallback that wouldn't necessarily end up being taken out of her.
No, it would be the Malfoy's being put on the spot.
So, she would play nice. Just this once. Smile and be happy about a ball, where she could under no circumstances go with the one she really wanted.
He would bring someone from his own house, and she would simply have to sit tight. Yeah, that's it. She could do that. Maybe he'd partner up with Daphne?
He and Daphne were friends. There was no way that could hurt her aching heart.
Maybe she could go with Harry?
She looked in his direction and caught him smiling brightly at Ginny. Well, that was a negative.
Daniel! Well… No, she couldn't go with Daniel, she thought gloomily to herself, as she remembered their breakup that they were only just starting to get over.
How about Neville? Looking around her as she and her friend were slowly making their way up the stairs, she couldn't seem to find him.
Nevermind, I'll just ask him later.
…
December 11th, 1994
Something had shifted between her and Viktor after that night in the library where she had caught him stalking her.
It had started out with him simply finding the table where she was studying. He would sit down and do his own work, without saying a single word to her. Then the following week, he would ask her what subject she was studying and she would ask him the same question back. It was… friendly, yet a bit cold though she didn't mind it. But just like that, they ended up spending a bit of time together every now and then, and she found herself enjoying the sometimes-silent studying that she didn't really find with any of her other study-groups anymore.
She loved studying with Draco Theo, Daphne and Pansy, really, she did. But bringing Pansy into their group had shifted things up in a way Hermione didn't always enjoy.
"I have a question." Viktor said, breaking the silence with his gruff voice. She lifted her head from her book to look at him, urging him on.
"Will you go to the ball with me?"
She was stunned. She had expected a purely academic question.
This was obviously not academic.
"I… Ehh…" She thought back to how she couldn't go with Draco… How Harry had a date, and Neville too - she had even asked him - and it wasn't like she wanted to go with Daniel. Theo wasn't exactly an opportunity either though she would have loved to go with him as well, if the world had been different. "I… Yes, thank you for asking me." She said in a small voice but then cleared her throat at the light shining in his eyes at her answer, "Though, I find it necessary to say that I can only go with you as a friend."
"A… Friend?" He repeated.
"Yes, a friend."
"There is… Someone else?" He looked like he was having difficulties understanding what she was on about.
"Yes. There is someone else. But he." He sighed as she found herself unable to finish the sentence. Instead, she closed her books, and bagged them. "I'm sorry, I'd love to go with you. I do appreciate it." She looked at her watch so as to steel herself, "I'm sorry, I have somewhere to be - Enjoy the rest of your Sunday." She smiled and gave him a small wave before turning around to walk away from the drama she didn't want to be a part of, yet had just agreed to.
You're so stupid.
She had only just rounded the bookcase when she barreled into something simultaneously soft and hard. "Oh!" She gasped and took an involuntary step back, but was kept from falling over by hands on her arms.
"He already asked you, then? I guess I'm too slow." He drawled, though she could hear the humour in his voice.
"Oh, sod off, Theo. It's not like I could go with you anyway." She said in a small giggle and smacked his chest lightheartedly. This may be all fun and games, but she really wished that she could have gone with him. Or Draco.
She really, really wanted to go with Draco.
There were so many things she wanted to do with Draco…
"No, you're probably right." He said in a low voice as they made their way silently through the library. "Though… I don't think he would mind very much, going with you either."
Half an hour later, when she sat down in her common room, she was still reeling from what Theo had just revealed to her.
…
December 12th, 1994
Hermione rounded a bookshelf after having picked a book from it and walked towards the table that she normally occupied. As she came into view of her table, she started hearing whispered voices.
William's whispered voice.
She was about to open her mouth and greet him, when she saw that he was talking to a very sour-looking Viktor Krum. So, she did the only reasonable thing she could think of.
She hid, and listened in on the conversation.
"... done anything." Viktor said. She hadn't heard the first part, so she didn't know what he was talking about.
"If you harm her, Merlin better fucking help you because I will END you." Oh, shit.
"I would never touch her." Viktor answered, clearly annoyed. He also looked like he didn't have the time for a conversation like this. Like he was actually bored.
"Harm doesn't require you to be physical, you moron, neither does it require intent. I've seen the way she crumbles, fucking CRUMBLES, when you time and time again give her attention only to act like she suddenly isn't important. Because she is; she is the most important thing in the world for so many people, and you better get that into your thick head. Hurt my sister or disrespect her in any way, and you better hope that I never find you." William sneered with such malice it made her want to go and hug him. Tell him that she was okay.
But though she felt grateful for his protection and him standing up for her, there was also that tiny voice in her mind telling her that she could damn well take care of herself.
William quickly strode away in the opposite direction of where she was standing and she suddenly didn't feel like staying in the library with Viktor standing by her table, after having just had that talk with her brother.
Instead, she turned around, put the book back and left the library. Maybe studying could wait for the next day.
…
December 21st, 1994
Hermione, Theo, Daphne, Pansy and Draco were seated in their empty classroom, for the very last study session of the year.
Theo and Draco had brought butterbeers from their trip to Hogsmeade this previous weekend, while Daphne had talked the house elves into handing them a large treacle tart for them to share on this special night. Hermione had entered with a bag of homemade cookies from her latest care-package, and Pansy walked confidently into the room with small bags of candy for each of them to snack on during the Christmas-break.
All in all, this ordinary Wednesday held everything a sort-of-Christmas with friends should, and Hermione was thoroughly enjoying herself.
None of them had much homework to actually do today, so they spent the day going over what they had written in their assignments and what arguments they had made therein, what grades they expected and how they thought their other schoolmates had fared.
But most of all, they talked Christmas. They talked about what their own traditions intrailed back home, if they would miss it since most of them planned to stay after the Yule Ball this coming weekend, and so on.
Daphne was very interested in what a Muggle Christmas looked like, because Hermione should of course know that. She must have realised her mistake as she clamped her hand over her mouth so suddenly, Pansy let go of a small shocked shriek by her side. "Oh, I'm so sorry - I forgot!"
Hermione wasn't entirely sure what Daphne had forgotten and her face must have shown as much.
"That you're not… Muggleborn. It's so easy to forget sometimes." She said in a low voice, sounding thoroughly apologetic.
"You're not a Muggleborn?! But you seem so sure of everything Muggle! You can't be a pureblood." Pansy's surprised exclamation, moved into a look of utter confusion. And then further into something akin to incredulousness.
Everyone in the room except for Pansy and Hermione looked stunned into speechlessness, but it was Hermione who finally picked her imaginary balls up from the ground and broke the silence. "Actually, I'm half blood, everyone here just seems to have this belief that somehow, I'm muggle. I don't know why. But no one has ever asked me, and I don't have the energy to go parading my heritage around the school at every hour of the day."
"But – Half blood? Who?" In anyone in the room should ever choose to ignore the
"Pansy, that's enough." Draco said hard, looking at the black-haired witch like he had no idea what had just come over her. Hermione put a tentative hand on his arm as he was sitting between the two girls.
"It's alright, I can explain myself." She said more calmly than she felt, because Draco had just defended her -and her stomach was doing so many summersaults she was having difficulties staying seated. She then looked to Pansy, trying to not sound as irritated as she currently felt about the girl; "My mother is a muggle. My father is a squib, born from a French pureblood wizard and a British Pureblood Witch. I don't know who people think my grandmother is, but I'm guessing they think I'm a muggle because no one from school has really met my parents."
"I don't know any 'Grangers'." Pansy continued with her arms crossed, looking at her suspiciously.
"French."
"It doesn't sound French."
"I don't give a shit what you think it sounds like Pansy. My Grandfather has been dead since before I was born so it's not like I can bloody well ask him, now can I?" Hermione countered, having had quite enough of the questioning. Pansy opened her mouth to say something back, but Hermione didn't let her. "And before you ask me one more damn question about my lineage of birth, like it somehow determines whether or not I'm worthy of being in your almighty presence; my grandmother was born a Scamander." She then stood from her chair, packed her books and left the room with a muttered 'Happy Christmas' to no one in particular.
She didn't bother picking up any of the sweets as she went out the door, completely ignoring the shouts that erupted right before she closed it behind her.
…
December 22nd, 1994
I'm sorry about Pansy. I should have done something.
She almost crumbled the note the moment she had read it, but she couldn't make herself do it considering he was sitting right beside her.
She was sitting at their shared table. Well, more like laying on it at this point, but who went into specifics anyway? She was exhausted, both physically and emotionally and she simply didn't have the energy to pretend like she cared today. Therefore, her arms were currently being crossed in front of her, on the table, being used as a pillow.
She wasn't even trying to pretend like she wasn't openly reading secret notes while in class.
Instead of rolling it up and throwing it away, she simply pushed it back to him, and shook her head lightly.
"Hey." He whispered, his fingers lightly touching hers that were poking out from under her arm. "I'm sorry."
Suddenly two rolls of parchment appeared in front of them on the table. "This is this month's assignment. When you're done, you may start revising. Feel free to discuss with your table-partner." Professor Babbling called, and the class as one rolled out their assignment and started. This was one of the things Hermione really enjoyed about Ancient Runes; there was no fuss.
"It's okay. It doesn't matter." She whispered back and wrote down the first couple or runes, required to answer the first question.
He scribbled down on his own parchment before whispering back: "No, it wasn't okay how she spoke to you."
She answered the next couple of questions with ease. "Just let it go. She's your friend, but she doesn't know any better."
"You're my friend too." He countered instantly.
Friend.
The word tasted sour in her mouth. Did it taste the same for him?
Another question answered - this one being a hard one.
She didn't answer him.
His leg was suddenly pressed into hers, as he gave her a small nudge with it. Looking up, she could see him staring directly at her. "You are, Hermione."
She couldn't hold his stare for very long, and finally succumbed to looking down. Her eyes were immediately caught by the bracelet around her wrist. "I know. As you are mine." She whispered, and the word made echoes in her mind.
Mine.
Mine.
Mine.
…
December 23rd, 1994
That afternoon right as potions had ended, a note had ended up on her table.
I'm calling girl time. Meet me by the owlery after dinner. Daphne
To say that she had been surprised by the note was an understatement. A massive understatement. Unless it was with Ginny and Natacha, she never did girl time. And what did girl time entail? And why did it have to be at the owlery of all places?
It was perhaps as good a time as any to send her 'Happy Christmas' letter to her parents, as any, but she was so out of her comfort zone.
She had met the blond girl as per request, and Daphne had simply linked her arm into hers before dragging her off to the Quidditch pitch, all with a bright smile.
"What are we doing here? It's empty Daph." Hermione stated as she pointed to the snow covered, completely empty Quidditch pitch in front of them.
"We are going to be ogling mancandy for the next hour and a half. Don't worry, I brought blankets. And snacks." She said light-heartedly and pulled out two fuzzy blankets which she then returned to their original size.
"Mancandy? I don't -"
She never finished the sentence as two green-clad blondes came barrelling out from underneath their stand, and then continued to go as fast as possible around the pitch.
"Give it 20 minutes, and they'll be glistening."
Oh my.
20 minutes later, and they really were glistening. Draco and Theo gave it everything they had by throwing a quaffle back and forth at top speed, while diving and manoeuvring around a bludger charmed to attack them. Hermione had never been so mesmerised by this particular game, in her entire life.
"You know… Draco was quite put out by Pansy the other night."
"He was?"
"Yeah. That boy is pretty protective of you. It'll be… interesting, when he brings her to the Yule ball after their argument."
Hermione leaned back further into her chair and started picking at the blanket in her lap, as she watched the boys. Thank Merlin for warming charms taking the blunt of the freezing December weather.
"I know he is. I feel the same way about him."
"Do you? Feel the same way about him?" It sounded like a loaded question, and Hermione felt her face growing warm at the insinuation. She looked to the side at Daphne and found the blond girl staring at her with a nervous smile.
"Yeah."
Daphne's small smile grew instantly into a big, bright one. "So, what are you wearing for the ball?"
"A statement." Hermione answered, her smile mirroring Daphne's.
