December 1994
"Hermione, you look stunning," Lavender sighed.
Hermione twirled around in front of the mirror self-consciously. "You think so?"
"You really do, Mione," Bethany said.
"And you!" Lavender cried, turning on Bethany now. "Those robes are perfect."
Bethany had always won the dress-robe lottery compared to Hermione - thankfully, Lily had been able to teach Hermione a dress-alteration spell, and she and Bethany had spent a long afternoon in the Room of Requirement, Transfiguring the chocolate brown robes into sleeveless periwinkle blue with a scalloped neckline.
They now matched Bethany's but for the colour, since Bethany's were pale green.
Parvati, upon seeing their robes, had insisted on doing their hair - which involved a good deal of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion in Hermione's case - and Lavender their make-up, and both were now watching Hermione and Bethany tearfully, looking rather like proud parents at graduation.
"Thank you for tonight," Bethany said.
"Of course," Parvati said, smiling at her. "Your dates are going to pass out."
"I hope not," Hermione said dryly, grabbing her cloak. "Mine's not even technically a date. Have a good time, ladies; I'll see you there." She slipped the cloak around her and fastened it.
Bethany caught her arm as she passed. "Be safe, yeah?" She asked in an undertone.
"He's not a threat," Hermione murmured.
Bethany frowned. "It's not him I'm worried about."
Hermione understood that, so she squeezed Bethany's hand and headed down the staircase, lifting the hood of her cloak so she wouldn't be stopped on the way.
The castle was abuzz with excitement, and Hermione slipped through the crowd in the Entrance Hall and out into the dark grounds, skirting around the rose garden that had sprung up overnight at the beginning of the Christmas holidays, fairy lights twinkling amidst the buses that lined the twisting pathways.
Hogwarts had really gone all out this year.
The Durmstrang ship loomed out of the darkness, making her shiver at the sight; it was one of the creepier sights she'd seen, and that included Ron's table manners.
As she reached it, the gang-plank fell with a heavy thud and the students began to disembark, many of them already paired off.
"Ah, Viktor!" Karkaroff boomed, his voice echoing through the night. "This must be your date for the evening!"
Nervously, knowing full well how Karkaroff felt about people like her (and, more importantly, what he'd done to people like her), Hermione removed her hood, letting the light from the ship illuminate her.
Viktor approached her with a smile and bent to kiss her hand. "You look beautiful."
"Oh, thank you," Hermione said, slightly startled.
"Karina thanks you for keeping the - how do you say - vultures avay," he added quietly.
Hermione chuckled. "Well, I'm happy to help."
Viktor helped her with her cloak and then turned to his headmaster. "This is Hermione Granger, Professor."
"Charmed, my dear," Karkaroff said, with a smile she thought was intended to be charming, but missed the mark entirely. He didn't take her hand, nor did she offer it. "I don't think I recognise the name Granger."
"You wouldn't, sir," Hermione said politely. "I'm Muggle-born."
For a second, Karkaroff's smile faltered, but it was hastily restored, and he turned back to the students, organising them into a line.
Hermione slipped her cloak into her magically-expanded purse, and took Viktor's offered arm, allowing him to lead her to the front of the students.
"Do not vorry," Viktor said quietly. "He vill not do anything for fear of upsetting me."
"No," Hermione agreed. "I didn't think he would."
Bethany had been a little disappointed that Hermione had to go and meet Krum by the ship, and more than a little concerned by it.
Still, Hermione trusted Krum, and given how Karkaroff acted around him, the Durmstrang headmaster seemed rather intent on keeping the Quidditch star in his good graces.
She trusted Krum to keep her safe, at least.
But that meant making her way down to the Great Hall alone, which she didn't particularly want to do.
Lavender and Parvati met up with Seamus and Dean in the Common Room, and Colin was flitting around taking photographs, promising to send people copies.
"Well, well, well."
Bethany's gaze shot to the twins. "Don't you dare."
George held up his hands. "Relax, we're not going to do anything."
"Yeah, Angie'd kill me," Fred said. "Even if we are just going as friends."
"Damn right I would," Angelina said. "You look amazing, Snidget."
Bethany tried not to smile. The Lionesses had called her 'Snidget' ever since her first practice, after the tiny bird that acted as the original Golden Snitch. She pretended it annoyed her, and maybe it had to start with, but now it just made her feel warm inside.
She had assumed that George would be taking Alicia, considering how long he'd had a crush on her, but Alicia was with Lee, and Katie was with George.
Bethany's confusion must have shown, because Lee winked at her, and Katie gave her a hug. "We have a plan," she whispered in Bethany's ear. "They're stubborn."
"Katie, do you mind if I briefly abandon you to escort our champion to her date?" George asked, oblivious.
"No problem at all," Katie said with a grin.
George offered Bethany his arm and they made their way out of the Common Room.
"You look lovely, Beth," he said on the way down the stairs. "Too lovely; as your self-appointed big brother, I feel like I should be sending you back to change."
Bethany sniggered. "Prat."
"How dare you?" George asked in mock-offence. "I'll have you know that Ron is the prat of the family."
"What are you two then?" Bethany asked.
"Well, it depends," George said. "Sometimes I'm the chaos and Fred's the mayhem. Other days it's the other way round. Seriously though, Beth - tell me he's a gentleman."
"He is," Bethany said, unable to keep from smiling.
"Ooh, someone's got it bad," George said in a sing-song voice. "What about Hermione?"
"That's not a 'date' date," Bethany said. "They're going as friends."
"Oh good," George said. "Fred can stop moping then."
Realisation hit Bethany like a Bludger at that, but before she could say anything, they had arrived at the Entrance Hall.
Cedric was standing near the stairs, wearing pale grey dress robes that matched his eyes. He glanced up as they approached, his eyes widening.
"Diggory," George greeted cordially. He turned to Bethany. "Really?"
"You know you're not actually my brother, don't you?" Bethany said.
George sniffed haughtily. "Rude." He looked Cedric up and down. "I suppose you'll do."
"Get back to your date," Bethany said, trying not to blush, "and stop trying to intimidate mine. I am so sorry," she added to Cedric once George was gone.
Cedric was grinning, much to her relief. "Relax, I grew up down the road from them; I know what they're like. I'm glad you've got people looking after you." He pressed a lingering kiss to her cheek. "You look stunning."
"Thank you," Bethany said, her blush receding. "You don't look too bad yourself."
"Well, it's easier for guys," Cedric said. "Nervous?"
"Little bit," Bethany said. "Small warning; can't dance."
"Small warning; not good at it," Cedric responded. "Just relax; follow my lead and we'll be fine."
"Champions over here please!"
"That's our cue," Cedric said, offering Bethany his arm.
As they made their way over to the small recess by the doors where the champions would wait until everyone else had entered, Bethany caught side of Cho glaring at her.
"I warned Flitwick," Cedric murmured, seeing the direction of her gaze. "Told him she'd been telling all and sundry we were dating, and that she was heading for humiliation. He's keeping an eye out."
Bethany managed a small nod.
"And if she does do anything," Cedric added, "it's going to reflect on her, not you."
"It always reflects on me," Bethany said. "It's a curse."
Hermione and Krum were already there, as was Fleur, who was holding Hermione's hands and chattering away in French. They had chatted a few times in the library; apparently, Hermione was the only Hogwarts student who a) spoke French and b) was willing to speak to 'the enemy'.
Fleur was with Roger Davies, the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, who kept staring at her as though he couldn't believe his luck.
Cedric let out a quiet snigger beside her.
"What?" Bethany asked softly.
Cedric leaned down to whisper in her ear, almost completely distracting her from what he said. "Let's just say I'm more his type than she is."
Bethany bit back a laugh, disguising it with a cough.
Fleur had clearly not heard what was said, but the cough drew her attention, and she swept over to kiss Bethany on both cheeks, exclaiming something in French, before (assumedly) repeating it in English. "Bethany, you look beautiful!"
"Doesn't she?" Cedric agreed, beaming.
Bethany blushed a little, catching sight of Hermione, who looked just as pink. She wondered if Hermione had received a similar compliment and felt similarly wrong-footed by such genuine words from someone like Fleur.
Before any more could be said, the doors to the Great Hall opened, and the other students filed past them, most Hogwarts students doing double-takes when they saw Hermione and Bethany.
Bethany wasn't sure whether she should be flattered or insulted, especially when Ron walked right past them without even glancing at her.
Or Hermione.
Once everyone was inside, McGonagall directed the champions into pairs and instructed them to follow her.
They entered the Great Hall to loud applause. For the first time since the Tournament began, Bethany felt comfortable with where she was. The attention, she could do without, but on Cedric's arm, it felt as though the three proper champions were getting their deserved limelight.
The Great Hall was always stunning at Christmas, but Hogwarts had outdone herself once again tonight, and it took her breath away.
The house tables had been replaced with circular ones, leaving a large dance floor in the middle of the room. In one corner, a small stage had been set up for the band - people had been gossiping for days about the Weird Sisters, but Bethany had never heard of them.
The walls were covered in silver frost and hundreds of garlands of holly and mistletoe were strewn from the starry ceiling, which had been enchanted to snow softly - although the flakes disappeared before they reached the crowd below, and the floor was perfectly dry.
Four of the judges were already seated at the large rounded head table - Bagman seemed to have taken tips from Dumbledore as to where to find robes - but Barty Crouch was conspicuously absent. His seat was occupied by Percy Weasley, who greeted Cedric and Bethany with solemn formality, as though they were meeting at a funeral, rather than a Yule Ball.
Over dinner, Viktor, Cedric and Bethany chatted about Quidditch and playing professionally. Hermione joined in every now and then, and Bethany was surprised how much Hermione knew about the game, purely from watching and listening to her.
At one of the other tables, Ron was sitting with Neville and Ginny, Seamus and Lavender, and Dean and Parvati. Bethany and Hermione had eventually asked for help, and Parvati had talked her sister, Padma, into accompanying Ron, but he seemed to be ignoring her, in favour of glaring at Hermione and Bethany.
"He is not your boyfriend, is he?" Viktor asked Hermione.
"No." Hermione narrowed her eyes at Ron and nodded pointedly towards the girl sitting next to him. "We've been best friends since first year, but he seems to have hit the emotional level of a teaspoon and just stayed there."
Cedric chuckled. "Unfortunately, most of us do at that age. He'll grow out of it, I'm sure."
Bethany was bewildered by Ron's behaviour. She had assumed that maybe he had a crush on Hermione, but that would not explain why he was glaring at her.
Once everyone had eaten, Dumbledore asked everyone to stand and, with a wave of his wand, he tables moved back against the wall, making the dance space even bigger.
The Weird Sisters trooped onstage to wild applause and, at the judges' cue, the champions and their dates made their way on to the dance floor as a slow, mournful waltz began playing.
Cedric settled a hand on her waist. "Breathe," he murmured. "Just focus on us, yeah? Trust me."
Bethany couldn't help smiling despite her nerves, and she let him spin her around the floor. She was fairly sure her footwork was wrong, but he kept her on her feet (and off of his), and Bethany felt she was doing quite well, considering that she could barely focus on anything other than his arms around her.
Better than Roger Davies, at least, who was still staring at Fleur (as, indeed, he had been throughout dinner, to the extent that he kept missing his mouth), and needed to be physically steered around the dance floor.
Soon enough, other dancers took to the floor as well, and Bethany relaxed more with every couple, as focus was drawn away from her.
After a few dances, Cedric suggested they take a break, and Bethany agreed, accompanying him off the floor to where Ginny and Neville were chatting, and Ron was ignoring them.
"Evening," she greeted brightly.
"I love that colour," Ginny said brightly. "I always worry about wearing green, in case I look like Christmas."
"Well, you do have an excuse," Bethany said, glancing at Ron, who was glaring daggers at Cedric.
Before she could ask, Hermione appeared beside her. "Hey. Where's Padma?"
Ron shrugged.
"She went off with some boy from Beauxbatons," Ginny answered for him. "Ron wasn't being a very good date."
Ron didn't seem particularly bothered by that, even when Bethany and Hermione both gave him a very disappointed look.
"It's hot, isn't it?" Hermione said, apparently deciding not to pick that particular battle. "Viktor's just gone to get us some drinks."
"Hasn't he asked you to call him Vicky yet?" Ron asked waspishly.
"What's the matter with you?" Hermione asked.
"If you can't tell, then I'm not going to tell you," Ron snapped.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, I'm not a mind-reader, Ron, so just what are you …?"
"He's from Durmstrang!" Ron snarled. "He's competing against Bethany!"
"Don't bring me into this," Bethany said sharply.
Ron ignored her. "You're fraternising with the enemy!"
At that moment, Viktor appeared next to Hermione and handed her a bottle of butterbeer. Before Ron could make any comment, Ginny leapt to her feet and seized his hand.
"Come on, big brother! You're going to dance at least once tonight!"
"Why would I want to dance with you?" Ron muttered as Ginny dragged him away.
Her retort was lost as they vanished into the crowd, and Bethany relaxed. "Ginevra Weasley to the rescue."
"Don't let her catch you calling her that," Hermione warned.
"What was all that about?" Cedric asked, sounding bewildered.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Bethany said wearily.
"He's panicking," Neville said wisely.
"Panicking?" Bethany repeated.
"Yeah, he's just realised you're both girls and he hasn't been nearly as overbearingly protective as he thinks he should have been," Neville said. "So now he's overdoing it."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Give me strength."
Susan Bones came over at that point and leaned against Neville's chair. "Has your date abandoned you?"
"She's wrangling her brother," Neville said.
"Ah." Susan nodded. "Care to dance?"
"Why not?" Neville asked, draining his own butterbeer.
Bethany raised an eyebrow. "That was … smooth for Neville."
"Well, Susan's his cousin," Cedric said. "She's safe."
"I feel like I should have known that," Bethany murmured.
"How?" Cedric asked fairly. "You weren't raised in this world. You're not a mind-reader either. She's my cousin too, while we're on the subject."
"Is she?" Bethany asked.
"My mother and hers were twins," Cedric confirmed.
There was a note of sadness in his voice, and she squeezed his arm, not asking why but having a pretty good idea.
He smiled, and kissed her cheek. "How about a drink?"
"Do you want me to come with you to protect you?" Bethany asked, not quite teasingly.
Cedric grinned. "Please and thank you."
As soon as Bethany and Cedric left, Draco Malfoy suddenly appeared, shaking Viktor's hand and just generally sucking up.
Hermione paid no attention to the conversation, watching Ginny attempt to reason with Ron, before giving up and forcefully leading him out of the Hall, presumably to yell at him in private.
Lee and Katie were laughing at a table nearby with Fred and Angelina, having practically forced George and Alicia together; the two were currently in the middle of the dance floor somewhere.
Fred had been keeping a close eye on Ron, and Hermione had a feeling that if Ginny hadn't stepped in, he would have done (and not nearly as tactfully).
"I was wondering if I could borrow your date for a dance."
Hermione almost choked on her butterbeer, brought back to the two beside her with a sharp jolt of reality.
There was no way Malfoy had just said that.
But Viktor was shrugging. "I haff no problem vith it. Hermione?"
Faintly, Hermione agreed, taking Draco's offered hand and allowing him to lead her out into the crowd of people.
"You're wondering why I'm doing this," he said, as his hand rested on her waist.
"Wondering doesn't begin to cover it," Hermione responded carefully. "Won't Pansy and the others throw a fit?" She caught sight of Fred's face over his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.
At least Ron wasn't in the Hall for this.
As far as they're aware, I'm doing this to impress Krum," Draco said. "He's made it abundantly clear that he's got no problem with you being Muggle-born. If it appears I do …" he stopped suddenly, as though he'd divulged too much. "I've been getting odd notes."
Hermione smiled a little. "Have you?"
"None of them sent by owl," Draco continued, "all of which seem to end up on my person shortly after you've been around."
Hermione didn't say anything. He knew it was her - it had only been a matter of time, after all. Not for nothing was he one of the top-performing students of their year.
"How did you know?" Draco asked in a low voice. "I've never told anyone. Ever. And don't say they're not from you, because we both know they are."
"I have my ways," Hermione said slowly. "You, of all people, should know how prudent it is to keep your cards close to your chest."
"What, exactly, do you know?" Draco asked, as though dreading the answer.
Hermione hesitated. It would be easy - too easy - to just look into his head and find the answer, but she would never do it.
She remembered what James had said about Mother Magic only gifting Natural Legilimency to those who wouldn't abuse it, and guessed that was what he had meant.
"I know you dislike your father," she said softly, just loud enough for him to hear over the music. "I know that you were trying to warn me in the woods at the World Cup, not threaten me. I know that for the last term, at least, you've just been going through the motions; there's no real heat behind any of it. I know you don't care about blood as you pretend to, because you only ever call me a Mudblood when you feel like you have to, and you've said nothing about me undermining your father in the Top Box."
"How do I know I can trust you?" Draco pressed, looking paler than usual.
"You don't," Hermione answered simply, not missing a step as he spun her. "Look, I can't get into it here. One day I'll tell you the full story. But you have my word that this will not spread any further than me. Bethany and Ron know my suspicions, but that's all. The question is: how can I help?"
Draco sighed, the first sign of outward emotion she'd seen. "I don't think you can. At the moment, I just need to finish school and get away from him."
"Okay." Hermione wasn't convinced, but she let it go anyway. "If there's anything I can do, just owl me."
"Why do you care?" Draco asked.
"Gryffindor," Hermione answered, as the song came to an end. "Why does it matter?"
Draco smirked at her. "Slytherin."
As Viktor joined them, Draco released her, squeezing her hand almost imperceptibly as he nodded to Viktor and left them.
"I take, by the expression on your face, that vas not a common occurrence," Viktor said, spinning her into another waltz.
Hermione nodded "Quite the opposite actually."
A few hours later, Viktor and Hermione parted ways in the Entrance Hall, and she made her way up to the Gryffindor Common Room, letting her hair out of its top-knot as she went.
Her dance with Draco was still on her mind. She hadn't expected him to accept her knowledge so readily, and could only assume that it was due to desperation.
Her path was interrupted when she climbed through the portrait hole, and came face-to-face with a very angry Ron.
"What the hell did you think you were doing?"
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "What?" She was playing stupid on purpose, of course, but she had no intentions of playing along.
Ron glared at her. "That! Viktor Krum! Beth's opponent! How could you?!"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Given that Bethany knew who I was going with and was there with another one of her opponents, I think we can say she's fine with it. Besides, it's not like we're dating. He has a girlfriend and asked me so he wouldn't have to put up with a giggling fan-girl all night."
"A-ha!" Ron cried triumphantly. "See?! He is using you!"
"It's not being used if it's with my consent!" Hermione yelled, not even caring if the argument called people down from the dormitories above.
"He's trying to get information on Bethany!" Ron argued. "Why else would he have asked you?!"
"Because she's pretty?" Bethany suggested, closing the portrait behind her. "Back off. Even if that was why he asked Hermione, I trust her entirely. I have always had her full support."
Ron's ears turned red. "Yeah? Well, what are you playing at? Diggory? Seriously? He's three years older than you!"
"And?" Bethany asked.
"If you don't get that he only wants one thing from you, you're delusional," Ron said, a little spitefully. "Both of you! It's not like you're …"
Hermione could feel tears burning in her eyes and was trying desperately to fight them back.
"Not like I'm what?!" Bethany demanded. "A girl? A proper girl? Worth it?"
"You really are on fire tonight, aren't you?"
The quiet voice broke through the tension, and Hermione turned to see that the twins were standing inside the portrait hole, standing shoulder to shoulder, giving Ron almost identical glares.
"I'm trying to …"
"Zip it!" Fred said sharply. "You've done enough damage."
Hermione sank on to one of the sofas, drained from keeping her Empathy under control all evening, and finally let herself cry.
Bethany sat on the arm beside her, wrapping an arm around her.
"Come on," George said, seizing Ron's arm. "You and I are going to have a chat." He turned to Alicia, who was standing behind them. "Sorry."
"It's okay," Alicia said, somehow giving him a smile and Ron a dirty look at the same time. She kissed his cheek. "Let me know when you're back, yeah?"
George managed a smile, returning the gesture, and proceeded to drag Ron out of the portrait hole.
"You alright, Snidget?" Alicia asked kindly.
Bethany nodded, sniffling a little. "I'm fine."
"Hermione?"
Hermione was startled, not so much by the question, but by the fact that there was as much affection in the question aimed at her, as at Bethany. "I will be."
"I've got it," Fred said quietly.
Alicia narrowed her eyes at him. "Be nice."
Fred put a hand to his heart. "I am always nice."
Alicia observed him for a few seconds more. "She can tell you apart, can't she?"
Fred frowned. "How did you know?"
Alicia smiled. "Because I can too."
"Yeah, and I still don't know how you can do it either," Fred grumbled.
Hermione had frozen, staring up at Alicia. If Alicia could tell the twins apart for the same reason she could tell the twins apart …
Alicia caught her eye. "Relax. Your secret's safe with me. Bethany, Cedric's outside."
"I know," Bethany said. "I could hear Ron yelling and I wanted to check on Hermione."
"I've got it," Fred repeated.
Bethany hesitated, looking down at Hermione, who hastily wiped her eyes and patted her arm. "I'm fine, Beth. Go."
Bethany wasn't convinced, but if what George had said earlier was any indication, and if her suspicions about Hermione were correct, her best friend was in the best possible arms.
So she stood up, straightened her dress robes, and left the Common Room.
Cedric was exactly where she had left him, and he gave her a smile, which swiftly disappeared. "What happened?"
"Nothing," Bethany lied.
Cedric touched her cheek, making her realise that she had also started to cry at some point. "I wouldn't say nothing."
"Ron being an arse," Bethany said with a sigh. "More to Mione than me."
"What did he say?" Cedric asked.
Bethany grimaced. "Not here."
Cedric nodded, offering her his hand and they strolled through the corridors until they reached the Room of Requirement.
Once again, the Room that formed was small and intimate, and Ron's words floated in her head again.
"… he only wants one thing from you …"
He couldn't be right.
Cedric had been a complete gentleman thus far, and the one time it could be argued that he hadn't been, he had apologised immediately (and she had just told him she had survived something that apparently she shouldn't have, so she figured he could be excused).
"You said you wanted to talk," Bethany said.
Cedric raised an eyebrow. "What did he say?"
"You first," Bethany said.
Cedric sighed. "Alright. How's the egg clue going?"
"Fine," Bethany said.
"You're full of them tonight, aren't you?" Cedric said with a grin. "You've got no idea, have you?"
"None whatsoever," Bethany admitted. "Don't you dare help."
"You told me about the dragons," Cedric said.
"Yeah, because I knew that Maxime and Karkaroff had seen them," Bethany said. "So I knew you were the only one that didn't know."
"Okay, well, I'm fairly sure the other two have figured out the clue," Cedric said.
Bethany sighed. "You're not going to drop this, are you?"
"Nope."
"Okay," Bethany conceded. "You can give me a hint. But that's all."
Cedric grinned. "That's fair. Take a bath with it."
"A bath?" Bethany repeated. "I don't know what the Hufflepuff dorms look like, but we don't have baths in Gryffindor."
"You can use the Prefect's bathroom," Cedric said. "It's on the fifth floor, fourth door to the left of that statue of Boris the Bewildered. Password's Pine Fresh."
Bethany could not see at all how taking a bath with the egg would make the screeching any easier to understand, but she also had no other ideas. "Okay."
"So," Cedric said, taking her hand, "what got you so upset?"
Bethany shook her head. "It's silly. Ron's just … What Neville said."
"Okay, which explains the shouting," Cedric said. "He was yelling at Hermione."
Bethany nodded. "Yeah, and then I got dragged into it. I mean to be fair, I dragged myself into it, but …"
"What did he say to you?"
Bethany didn't answered, her gaze dropping to her lap.
A second later, a warm hand touched her cheek and gently lifted her chin to meet her eyes. "Beth, I'm guessing it was something about me. I'm not going to be offended."
"He said …" Bethany sighed. "He said I was being delusional because you're three years older than me and only want one thing from me."
"Ah, I see." Cedric was quiet for a few moments. "Okay, well, first of all, to put your mind at ease, I don't. You're beautiful, and I won't lie and say that I don't want it at all, but this," he lifted their joined hands to press a kiss to her fingertips. "This is enough. Anything else can wait. As for the three years, it's two, isn't it?"
Bethany shook her head. "It's two school years. I don't turn fifteen until next July, and you'll be eighteen in September."
"Oh, yeah," Cedric murmured. "I suppose it is three. All the more reason why anything else can wait."
"Won't that … bother you?" Bethany asked, turning a little red.
"It hasn't bothered me so far," Cedric said with a smile. Apparently seeing the look in her eyes, he gave her hand a little squeeze. "I really like you, Beth. And I am … very attracted to you. But I would never and I will never want you to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable out of some misguided belief that you're going to lose me if you don't."
Bethany let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding, and leaned in to kiss him. "Thank you."
He pulled her closer, kissing her again. "Is this okay?"
Bethany nodded, letting herself be surrounded by him; he still smelled of sandalwood and chocolate, but tasted of butterbeer, and when his lips parted against hers, she followed suit, caught up in the heady wish of wanting to be closer to him.
How long they stayed there, she didn't know, but when he finally pressed his forehead against hers and murmured something about curfew, her hair had been freed from its braid, and she was sprawled half on top of him.
"Curfew?" She repeated.
"We're past it," Cedric said.
"And?"
Cedric chuckled. "And you don't have your Invisibility Cloak."
"That's true." Bethany pressed one last kiss to his lips, and sat up, trying to tidy her hair a little. Her dress robes were still in place, although her skirt needed to be tugged down a little. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him smiling at her. "What?"
Cedric sat up as well, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "You're beautiful."
Bethany blushed, and took his arm, allowing him to escort her back to Gryffindor Tower.
Outside the Fat Lady's portrait, he gave her one last kiss, murmuring a goodnight against her lips.
"Goodnight," Bethany said softly. She watched him leave, before turning to the Fat Lady and giving the password, stepping into the Common Room, fully aware that she had a lovestruck smile on her face.
She wasn't expecting what she walked in on.
Hermione tried to scowl at Fred, but it came out rather pathetically. He ignored her, perching on the coffee table in front of her.
"Sorry my brother's such a dick."
Hermione snorted. "I should be used to it by now. Neville's got this theory about him only just realising he was supposed to be 'protecting us'."
"Neville's probably right," Fred admitted. "Still there are more subtle ways to do that that don't involve insulting you."
"Did you hear what he said?" Hermione asked quietly.
Fred scowled. "I heard enough."
"Maybe he's right," Hermione said softly. "Not about Cedric. Or Viktor, for that matter, because I trust my instincts. But … it's not like there were people lining up to ask me, so maybe …"
"I was."
Hermione fell silent, staring at Fred in surprise.
He seemed surprised as well, his face reddening. "I mean … you know, I was … but then you … It doesn't matter."
"You were going to ask me?" Hermione asked.
"It doesn't matter," Fred said with a shaky smile. "What does matter is that my brother's a prat and we're going to help you hide the body."
Normally Hermione would have laughed, but this was too important to allow him to distract her. "If I told you that Viktor only asked me as a friend because his girlfriend is back in Bulgaria and couldn't make it, that wouldn't mean anything at all then?"
Now she was looking for it, she could see the relief that settled in his eyes.
"At least we know you're safe."
"Fred," Hermione said firmly. "Just … be serious for a moment. Please? Why were you going to ask me?"
Fred winced. "Well, that would depend on what you would have said. If you'd said no, I'd have had to save face somehow, right?"
"I don't think that works when you tell me that's what you're doing," Hermione said gently.
Fred sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I know we're like brothers to you, and I never wanted to make things awkward; you've got enough crap to deal with without me adding to it."
"She sees him," Hermione blurted out.
Fred faltered, sufficiently distracted. "Who?"
"Alicia," Hermione said. "She sees George. That's how she can tell the difference between you. Because you don't make her feel the way he does."
"What's that got to …" Fred trailed off, something like hope dawning in his eyes. "Is that how you can tell us apart as well?"
Hermione nodded, blushing a little. "I do see George as a brother, you're right. You're … different. You've always been different."
"Even though I'm an idiot?" Fred asked.
Hermione frowned. "You're not an idiot! All the work you put into those products, you're both bloody geniuses."
"You … You don't think the shop's a waste of time?"
"Have I ever said that?" Hermione asked.
"No," Fred said, "but Ron said you did."
"I think we can agree that Ronald is not the best at knowing what I'm thinking," Hermione said, a little sniffily. "I used to wish you took school-work a bit more seriously, before I realised that you do in your own way, just only the stuff that's going to help you. But, no, I don't think it's a waste of time. I think it's brilliant. And I would have said yes. If you'd asked me."
"What if I asked you to come to Hogsmeade with me in January?" Fred asked boldly. "Would you still say yes?"
Hermione raised an eyebrow, her heart beating so hard in her chest she was surprised he couldn't hear it. "That depends. Are you asking me?"
Fred's face lit up with a smile that had her wondering if maybe he'd heard something she hadn't said.
Or maybe he did hear her heartbeat after all.
Whatever the reason, it was the smile that was her undoing.
"Yes."
His smile broadened and she mentally kicked herself - she had intended to wait for him to ask her before giving him an answer.
But then he was kissing her and it suddenly didn't matter anymore.
"I'm an idiot," Fred murmured against her lips.
"Obviously," she retorted, pulling back a little. "What have you done this time?"
"Should have asked you the second we heard about it," Fred said, trailing kisses down her jawline. "Should have asked you to dance tonight." He lifted his head. "Have I even told you how stunning you looked this evening?"
"N-No," Hermione answered, irritated at the way she stuttered.
"I'm an idiot," Fred repeated, leaning in to kiss her again. "I mean, you're beautiful anyway, but …"
"I'm not."
Fred froze and she flinched, silently cursing herself when he pulled away from her.
"Do you really think that?"
"I have a mirror," Hermione said wryly.
"Does it work?" Fred asked.
Hermione frowned, pulling her hands out of his. "I'm serious!"
"So am I!" Fred said, catching her hands again. "Do you really not …?" He faltered. "Okay, let me start again." He moved off the coffee table and crouched down in front of her. "I find you beautiful, Mya. You've got this smile that just … lights up a room. Not just since November. When you arrived in Diagon Alley last summer, and you smiled at me, it felt like the entire world disappeared."
"You noticed?" Hermione whispered.
"Well, yeah," Fred answered. "Oh, you mean your teeth. Yeah, of course I noticed. Didn't think it was necessary personally, but I could see how much better you felt about yourself." He brushed a curl out of her eyes. "And your eyes."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Brown?"
"Chocolate," Fred corrected. "Flecked with caramel. And they just … You shine out of them, Mya. And you're so passionate about things, and …" He shut his mouth abruptly, turning very red.
It was such an adorable sight (not that she would ever tell him that - she didn't think he would be particularly fond of the choice of words) that she leaned forwards and kissed him. She felt him smile, and then his arms were around her waist, pulling her off the couch and on to the rug in front of the fire with a little squeak.
She would have blushed, but then he was doing something with his tongue that drew a moan from her lips.
"Oh for goodness sake!"
This squeak was for another reason, and Hermione hastily separated herself from Fred to look up at one of her best friends, and now she was blushing.
Ginny, however, was glaring at Fred with her hands on his hips. "My best friend? Really?"
Fred held up his hands placatingly. "Gin …"
"Don't Gin me!" Ginny snapped. "Hasn't Ron done enough damage for one night? I don't want to lose my best friend because my brothers are being idiots!"
Hermione got to her feet, smoothing her dress down, intending to reassure Ginny that she wouldn't abandon the younger girl just because her brothers were idiots.
"I'm not messing around," Fred said sharply, before she could. "I really like her, Ginny."
Ginny faltered, the wind taken out of her sails. "Wait, really?"
"Was it really only George that noticed?" Fred asked. "He says I've been nauseatingly obvious."
Ginny looked at Hermione. "Did you know?"
"I should have," Hermione said (because she was an Empath, for goodness sake; how had she not noticed?). "But I didn't."
"And … you feel the same way?" Ginny asked. "Is that why you can tell them apart? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because he's your brother," Hermione said. "How was I supposed to tell you that he makes me want to do really stupid things?"
"What kind of stupid things?" Fred asked.
"Not now!" Hermione said. "Sister - more important."
Ginny narrowed her eyes and took a step towards Fred. "If you hurt her, they will never find the body."
Fred held his hands up in surrender. "Gin, I wouldn't do that even if I wasn't terrified of you."
"Good." Ginny turned on Hermione, giving her the same look. "If you hurt him, they will never find the body."
Hermione smiled, more at the look of surprise in Fred's eyes. "Believe me, Ginny; I know."
"Good." Ginny suddenly smiled. "You two actually fit really well. Just … I don't want to see that."
"That's fair," Hermione said.
Fred sneaked an arm around her waist. "You may want to look away then."
"Oh for …" Ginny spun on her heel and bolted for the stairs.
"Evil," Hermione said.
Fred gave her the smirk that always turned her insides to some kind of mush. "You love it."
"I have a reputation to maintain," Hermione said.
"Oh, darling, I'm afraid that might be impossible." He pulled her into another kiss and she melted into him.
One of his hands splayed out on her lower back, holding her to him, and the other slid up to tangle in her hair, teasing it out of the braids Parvati had so carefully woven into them.
She gripped his shoulders, parting her lips at his silent request, swallowing his moan, and then …
"Are you kidding me?!"
That wasn't Ginny's voice.
Hermione winced, looking over her shoulder to see her other best friend standing there, hands on her hips, smirking at them.
"At least it wasn't Ron this time," Fred said softly.
Bethany raised an eyebrow. "Ron's walked in you?"
"Ginny," Hermione said sheepishly.
"And … you didn't think to find somewhere less public?" Bethany asked, her smirk growing. "You. Fred Weasley. Mr "I Know The School Better Than Anyone" doesn't have a better place to defile my best friend?"
"He was not defiling me!" Hermione protested.
"Yet," Fred muttered, just loud enough for Hermione to hear.
Hermione gave him a warning look. "You don't look surprised."
"George said something earlier," Bethany admitted, "when I said that you and Krum were just friends. And then suddenly so much made sense." She shook her head. "Hermione Granger, I'm surprised with you. Right in the middle of the Common Room."
"Oh really?" Hermione asked. "Where have you been then?"
"Not in the Common Room," Bethany said cheerfully. "So no one will ever know."
Fred sniggered. "Hate to break it to you, sis, but …" he rubbed a spot on his collar bone.
Hermione followed his gaze to see a red mark forming in that exact place on Bethany. "Oh, people are going to know."
Bethany let out a mortified squeak and dashed up the stairs.
Hermione shook her head. "I should talk to her. And," she added before Fred could argue, "she does have a point."
Fred pouted. "Just a little one?"
Hermione kissed him lightly. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Halfway up the stairs, Hermione glanced back, seeing Fred doing a weird kind of happy dance in front of the fireplace. Her smile grew, and she let herself into the dorm room, to find Bethany being interrogated by Lavender and Parvati.
"She was making out with Fred in the Common Room!" Bethany said, pointing at her.
Lavender and Parvati turned on her eagerly, and Hermione turned betrayed eyes on Bethany. "Why?"
"I panicked!" Bethany said. "Also I had to see that!" She sniggered. "Also they'd have found out."
Hermione gave her a questioning look.
"You're going to need concealer tomorrow as well," Lavender agreed. "But now, tell us everything!"
Her words sunk in and Hermione darted into the bathroom to look in the mirror. Her hair was a mess and her lips swollen, but the love bite forming on her throat was definitely still going to be there tomorrow.
"I am going to kill him."