Hi Everyone apologies for the long wait on this chapter, work/life has been crazy but I do my best to get what I can written. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Oh and to answer a question I got multiple times I am not planning on killing Cedric in my story, he is here to stay. I am playing around with the idea of this becoming a multi pairing story. Maybe Victor/Hermione/Bill or Victor/Hermione/Charlie what would you think?
Thank you so much to everyone who commented and let me know their thoughts! it always inspires me to write and I love hearing new idea's for directions for the story!-Dayin
Ron's face held a nervous look as he walked towards them, quickly followed by the rest of the Weasleys and Harry.
"Hermione?!" She heard Ginny call before feeling a thump as the tall girl ran up and squeezed the air out of her. She was soon returning the warm embrace.
"I thought you couldn't make it. What are you doing here? I am so happy to see you" the youngest Weasley said joyfully as she pulled out of the hug looking at her with a confused grin.
"Hi Ginny, the same as you I suppose going to the World Cup game? And I'm glad to see you too" Hermione responded, confused at first at why her presence was such a surprise when she had told Harry she was coming with Cedric. A look at the sneaky grin on Harry's face had her quickly deducing Ron must have gone with the excuse he had ordered she use in the letter and Harry hadn't seen the need to save him the embarrassment by correcting him.
"But Ron said you told him you couldn't make it?" Ginny said repeating her question "not that we aren't happy to have you of course you and I can share my room in the tent and we can just move it about a bit!" she rushed out making the older girl feel filled with her kindness. She had always liked Ginny and the immediate acceptance of her surprise presence reaffirmed why.
"N-"
"Yeah I thought you were busy Hermione?" Ron said quickly, interrupting her response scowling as he questioned "A bit last minute to change yer mind really" he rebuked his tone attempting to push her to go with his version of events.
"Oh silly me did I forget to say that someone else had invited Hermione to go to the game with them?" Harry chimed in nonchalantly, "sorry Ron I knew how you were hoping she would come to us after you so kindly invited her. I didn't mean for you to be caught unaware" Harry said his voice dripping with thinly veiled sarcasm. At his words Ron's eyes widened realisation dawning that Harry was likely aware of his lie.
"Oh yes so silly of you Harry you goose" George said elbowing Harry in the ribs playfully though confusion was evident in his voice.
"Yes Harry, how careless of you to forget such important information and not tell us" Fred said going along with his twin, his eyes looking at Harry calculatingly sensing the undertones of mischief in the air.
"I suppose that must have been you who invited our Mione then Cedric?" Harry asked his grin, losing the flash of mischief for a moment and slightly defusing the tense situation as he turned from his conversation with the twins.
"Yep just right Harry, my dad works at the ministry and got the tickets they were offering employees and my mum was not interested in coming so he let me invite our study group and Mione-bee was kind enough to join us."
"I think she just couldn't resist seeing our handsome faces, isn't that right Mione?" George said, turning his attention to her.
"Nah if I had known I'd have to be seeing you two I would have turned Cedric's invite down" she said turning his teasing back on him. Making George let out a loud chuckle in surprise at the playful jab.
"Oh how you wound me" Fred said, grabbing his chest and falling down only to be caught in his brother's arms a moment before touching the ground.
"Fred nooo" George cried out dramatically before pounding at his chest. Fred continued his theatrics with a loud and dramatic death scene that finally ended when his eyes popped back open and he rose to give a flamboyant bow at his miraculous recovery.
"Alright you lot, we need to get moving if we are going to make the game." Amos said joined by Mr Weasley who was walking beside him now.
"Follow us to the portkey up ahead, when we get there everyone make sure you have a hold of it before the timer goes off, I don't want anyone getting left behind. The ministry tickets all included a small area together where we can pop the tents so no wandering off until we are fully set up."
They all voiced their agreement as the group trudged forward towards the portkey. She quickly fell into line walking next to Harry and Cedric who were talking about the upcoming quidditch match.
"Have either of you used a portkey before?" Harry asked nervously, changing the subject back to what they were walking towards.
"Oh yes quite a few times this summer actually they aren't too bad once you get over the initial dizziness you will be fine Harry" Hermione answered immediately doing her best to be encouraging , she had been nervous herself before using one.
"Why were you using portkeys this summer?" Ginny asked from behind them, making Hermione mentally kick herself. She was hoping to keep her OWLS and offers private for at least a while longer.
"Oh, Uh, just a few things at the Ministry I was sorting, not a big deal really." she said nonchalantly.
"Hermione doesn't give herself credit, she was looking to see what she could do to further her studies over the summer, you could all do with taking a page from her book" Mr Weasley chimed in surprising her, she had almost forgotten about seeing him when she was last there, "especially you Ron don't think your mother and I haven't noticed that you are the only one who hasn't cracked open a book at all this summer"
Ron's already annoyed face turned sour as his fathers attention turned to him " I'll get round to it, s'not like Harrys done a lot of his either" he shot a dark look in her direction "Some of us don't have extra study time dad we actually have lives and friends who want to hang out with us" a short gasp left her lips at the sudden cruelty coming from Ron; she couldn't help but feel a few pricks of tears at her eyes as the jab hit close to home poking at some of her deeper insecurities.
"Oh stop don't be so sensitive yanno what I mean, of course you were at the ministry looking for even more work, did you run out of summer homework then? Needed some more essay topics?" Ron jabbed at her his tone turning more humorous as he attempted to joke but the cold edge in his voice betrayed him.
"Ron knock it off, that is astoundingly rude" Mr Weasley said looking at his youngest son shocked "I never want to hear you talking that way about another human being that way, never mind someone you call a friend. And not that it should matter but I have seen Harry staying up with the twins and Ginny to study when you go to bed and I know for a fact they invited you to join them so I wouldn't try and use others' work as an excuse for your laziness ."
"Didn't mean nothing by it, I was just teasing wasn't I Hermione?" He said backtracking in an attempt to defend himself his tone firm and demanding as he addressed her. He looked at her imploringly not breaking eye contact as he waited for her to agree and let him off the hook.
She felt anger flash through her as he tried to draw her in to defend him, her insides recoiled at his tone that seemed to carry an implied order to back him up.
"I don't know what you were doing Ron but I wouldn't call it joking. I have had enough and just because I care about my education and you seemingly don't doesn't mean you get to be a bully" she said returning his firm tone with one of her own, a flush of pride running through her as she stood up to his terrible attitude.
At her response Ron's lip curled back in disgust as he stepped forward toward her letting out something akin to a snarl that had her take a stuttered step back and let out an unintentional squeal of surprise.
This caught the attention of Harry and Cedric, who raced forward to either side of her shoulders.
"Back off Ron" Cedric growled out, placing a steadying hand on Hermione's shoulder, his presence helping to calm her racing heart.
At Cedric's firm words the anger seemed to take pause in Ron's eyes as he quickly stepped back.
Arthurs eyebrows flew to his hairline as he watched the interaction between the group of children. "Ron that is enough, I think you need a moment away to think. Go ahead of us to the portkey now, I will be talking to you about this later." he instructed firmly leaving no room for argument.
"Ugh whatever, sorry that you all can't take a joke then" He said, marching forward away from the group towards the portkey, dark looks from the group boring into his back as he went.
"I am sorry for the way he is behaving, Hermione I will have a word with him later" Arthur assured her.
"Don't worry at all Mr Weasley" she replied. Truly after her realisations of last year this was the kind of behaviour she had come to expect from Ron and she was not going to let it get to her anymore.
They continued walking and were soon at the portkey and began getting ready for it to activate. With Ron remaining blissfully silent as the portkey was explained for anyone who had not used one before.
"Don't want a repeat of the floo incident now Harry do we?" Mr Weasley joked as he explained the portkey process again to Harry before guiding him on how to hold it. "There's a lad just keep holding on like that, now the rest of you make sure you have it too, we have about one minute left." they all placed a hand on the portkey waiting as the seconds ticked down.
Soon she felt the pull just behind her navel and the swirling dizziness began, after a few seconds they touched down at the edge of what looked to be another large clearing.
The sounds of laughter and smell of fast food greeted her senses, reminding her of fairs she had visited with her parents as a child. Amos and Arthur lead the group forward towards their designated camp spot before having the children help with setting up the tents.
She was happy that they had come the day before the game to give them a chance to settle in.
To her the tents still seemed to look like small muggle tents, big enough for 1 or 2 people but definitely not large enough for the large groups they were expecting to fit.
Cedric chuckled at the look of disbelief on her face as they placed the last pegs to secure the tent.
"Oh yee of little faith, do you forget that magic exists?" he said, guiding her into the tent which opened up into a large house size accommodation with what looked to be a kitchen and working bathroom.
"It's like the tardis" she said with amazement clouding her voice. She truly did adore magic. moments like this were why she could not understand her peers not being eager to learn all they could. If this was the type of thing studying would teach her to do, she wanted to learn it all.
"We are going to split into girls and boys rooms over here. The rest of the group is coming in from Diagon Alley tomorrow as they weren't able to stay the extra night "
"Oh that's perfect" she replied.
"Not to assume anything and I know it may not apply to you but there is a trunk here with tons of blankets and pillows for anyone that needs extra" he said awkwardly gesturing to the trunk. A flash of amusement went through her at him getting so embarrassed over there being extra pillows.
"Thank you, I will grab some more if I need them later" she said gratefully, a hint of her amusement and slight confusion at his sudden awkwardness leaking into her voice.
"Oh that's great, I just wanted to make sure you had them in case. I am glad you weren't offended, when I asked Cho to go on a camping date last year I asked if she needed extra pillows and she nearly took my head off and laid into me about assuming and being a dumb alpha male." he said with a nervous laugh, "but I suppose you are too young to be worrying about the problems of us old folk Mione bee"
"I guess so, it seems…complicated" she confirmed, definitely glad that she hadn't had to start worrying about romantic relationships yet. Cho did seem like the independent type from what Hermione had seen of her but it did seem like an overreaction over someone simply offering pillows.
"Nah just part of growing up you'll see soon enough I imagine, sixth years always when the bulk start going mental" he said, a contemplative expression on his face as he looked at her.
In the meantime we can just get settled in and wait, I brought a few card games we could play, we could even get the Weasleys and Harry in on it if you'd like?" He asked changing the subject to which she quickly agreed, her competitive streak was not just reserved for her academics; she had always been good with strategy games and between her memory and many years camping with her parents she had become a dab hand at cards.
Cedric grabbed the cards and they both walked towards the exit of the tent.
"Hermione while we have a quiet night before the game I was going to have a read through your offers if that is okay?" Amos said, catching them on their way out.
"Yes of course Mr Diggory" she said, walking to grab the copies he had made for her earlier from her backpack in her given room, "thank you very much" she said gratefully as she handed them over.
"No thank you Hermione, it is not often I get the pleasure of giving advice to a student so eager to achieve" He said as he took the papers and headed to sit in the small lounge area of the tent on a poofy arm chair.
They went outside and met with the group of Weasleys who had just finished putting up their own tent.
"Oi you lot, are you up for a game of cards?" Cedric called out jovially.
And so began the most intense game of cards Hermione had ever played. All the Weasley children ,with the exception of Ron who seemed to be in the tent with Arthur, raced over to play.
A couple bags of Bertie Botts jelly beans were quickly found and shared out to use for betting.
And there is the update, thank you for taking the time to read it and I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know any thoughts/ideas! -Dayout
P.S gentle reminder due to a few comments that I removed, I am dyslexic and I write fanfiction as a way to practice, improve and most importantly have fun. That means my spelling/grammar is not going to be perfect and I have no beta reader so as much as I appreciate you taking the time to read the story if that bothers you enough to leave nasty comments then I just nicely ask you click away instead!
