Chapter 37

A/N: As always, my gratitude for Ms. Rowling's work that I have taken to weave into this chapter. Also, my deepest thanks to luvsev and WriterMerrin for all their hard work!

***

The next days after the arrival of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, students were full of hoping, dreaming, and plotting about being the Triwizard champion for Hogwarts. Hermione just sat and shook her head as Fred and George tried to get their plan just right. It was a lot of fun when they finally placed their plan into action, only to end up with gray beards. Dumbledore laughed at their attempt, and Hermione just looked at them with an "I told you so" smirk on her face.

The night finally arrived, and the Goblet was ready to decide the champions. One by one, the papers with names on them spat out of the goblet and into the eager hands of Albus Dumbledore. First, Viktor Krum from Durmstrang, then Fleur Delacour from Beauxbatons, finally for Hogwarts was Cedric Diggory, a very handsome and likeable boy from Hufflepuff house. Each one went into a secluded room off the side of the Great Hall to await further instructions.

Dumbledore began to speak on the need to support all of the champions, but Hermione was looking at the Goblet, which was looking rather strange. Suddenly a spark shot out and another paper floated down into Albus' hand.

***

Hermione was just as shocked as everyone else as Dumbledore shouted Harry's name. Harry remained frozen in his seat. Finally, Hermione nudged him and hissed, "Go on!"

Harry disappeared into the secret room, and the faculty of each school of each champion and the Ministry officials along with Dumbledore followed them into the antechamber.

"How did he do it?" asked George in disbelief.

Hermione shook her head. "Something is wrong. Very wrong." She turned to Ron, only to find him looking surly and angry.

"Ron?" she whispered.

"You'd think he'd have given his best mate a chance!" he grumbled. "But, no! He always has to get the glory for himself," he snarled.

Ron got up and went to sit at the other end of the table.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders at Fred and George. She didn't want to be around when this hit the fan. She knew there would be some serious partying tonight as well as some severe yelling. She decided to steer clear of it all. Soon enough, she'd hear all about how Harry had become the fourth champion.

***

Hermione waited patiently outside the common room door until Harry made his appearance.

"I've got a stack of toast here if you're interested," she offered. "I thought we could skip all the morning breakfast drama and have a chat."

Harry smiled. "Sounds perfect," he said tiredly.

They made their way outside. "Not much sleep?" she asked.

"No," he replied. "Ron is being a prat about this whole situation. I swear, Hermione, it wasn't me! I didn't do this. Someone's trying to set me up."

"I believe you, Harry," she whispered.

"You do?" he asked as if he couldn't believe what she'd said. "Thanks," he finally replied when he got his head sorted out.

They made their circuit around the lake, munching on toast for a while until Hermione said, "The problem is that we have to find out who did put your name in. Do you have any ideas?" she asked him.

Harry told her of Karkaroff's argument with Moody, and how Moody had said only a powerful wizard could have done such a thing.

"Moody is right, Harry," she agreed. "I don't think any student could have done it."

Harry changed the subject. "Did you see Ron at breakfast?" he asked.

"Yes, I did," she replied quietly.

"Does he still think I entered myself?" he hollered.

Hermione took a breath and tried to explain. "No, not really, Harry. He may say it, but he really doesn't believe it. It goes much farther than this stupid competition."

"Well, what the ruddy hell is it?" he exclaimed.

"Harry, can't you see? He's jealous!"

"Jealous?" he shouted. "Jealous of what? He just wants to make a prat of himself in front of everybody," he grumbled.

"Look, it's like this. Ron is the last son in a long line of boys. He's always getting the hand-me-downs, never the best. Then there is you, Harry Potter, who gets all the attention while he is your best friend. No one seems to see him because they're staring at you."

"Great!" Harry spat. "Tell him he's welcome to it! People always gawping at my forehead everywhere I go..."

Hermione interrupted him. "I am not telling him a thing, Harry. You are going to work this out between the two of you. It's the only way."

She took another steadying breath. "Now, I need to change the subject. I want you to keep an open mind about it. I want you to write to Sirius and tell him what happened."

Harry glanced all around them. "Come off it," he scoffed. "He's back in the country just because my scar twinged. He'll probably come bursting through the castle doors if I told him about this!"

Hermione was undeterred, although she did silently agree with Harry's assessment of Sirius' penchant for the dramatic. "Harry, Sirius would want you to tell him about this. Besides, it's not like he's not going to find out anyway."

"What are you talking about?"

Hermione sighed. "Harry, this is big news! It's going to be all over the Prophet and goodness knows what other publications will be writing about it. Think of the Wireless Network, plus there's all the gossip. Everybody will be talking about it."

"Okay, okay," he acquiesced. "I'll do it."

They made their way up to the owlery, and Hermione looked at the area under the steps with longing. The memories flooded back of all the talks and intimate moments she and Severus had shared there. She cleared her head as they reached the top, and she took out parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink.

"Now write!" she ordered.

***

Hermione began to notice badges that other students were wearing, mostly the Slytherins. When she got close to one, she saw it read "Potter Stinks" and would change itself to "Support Cedric Diggory!" She knew Harry was suffering. He and Ron weren't speaking, and everywhere Harry turned, there was a stupid badge and a smart-ass comment dogging him wherever he went. As for her, she just tried to tell him to ignore it.

Then, soon after Harry's mandatory interview with Rita Skeeter, writer for the Daily Prophet, an article emerged that threatened to send Hermione exploding all over the breakfast table. There it was, bold as brass:

"Harry has found love with one Hermione Granger, a stunningly pretty Muggle-born girl who, like Harry, is one of the top students in the school."

It was sheer hell. Hermione knew Severus was going to blow when he read it. He was already insecure about their age difference; now this was going to send him over the edge. Then, to make matters infinitely worse, Krum had started to hang out at the library. That didn't bother her so much. A person had a right to use the library. He was a quiet person. The problem was exactly how he hung around. He stared at her, and it was starting to become creepy. That coupled with the fact that wherever he went there was always a pack of giggling, idiotic girls following his every move. She couldn't concentrate with all of that racket. Then it dawned on her that, perhaps, Viktor Krum might be interested in her.

It was a disaster. The rumor was that Hermione and Krum were trying to keep their obvious attraction a secret. She tried to talk to Severus about it, but he shut down completely and refused to discuss the issue. She was getting the cold shoulder from her best friend just like Harry was from his. So they sought solace with each other. They were quite the ironic pair, actually.

***

A week later, Harry told Hermione he had spoken with Sirius through the Floo in Gryffindor tower the night before. He gave a full report to Hermione on their talk. They sat in a secluded area of the common room while Harry filled her in on the situation. "Sirius wanted to warn me about Death Eaters at Hogwarts," he said worriedly. "He is afraid that someone inside Hogwarts is trying to kill me."

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time, now would it?" she said off-handedly.

Harry smirked. "Yeah, every year someone wants me dead. But to show their hand so early...I mean...the Tournament hasn't even begun! Sirius said there are Death Eaters in the school and to keep my head down. As if I could!" he snarled. "I've got a ruddy dragon ready to have my arse for lunch!"

Hermione tried to look shocked, but she knew exactly whom Sirius was referring to: Igor Karkaroff. The wizard had taken half a year for Moody to catch and was now side-by-side with him.

It wasn't working out so well. Karkaroff was a coward that had sold out his friends and master just to save his sorry hide. He never even joined with Dumbledore. He just didn't want to be in Azkaban.

Harry's voice dragged her from her thoughts. "Sirius said many Death Eaters that are still imprisoned don't like him. That's why he stays mostly at Durmstrang, teaching Dark Arts to all his students. So, Sirius told me to watch out for Krum."

Hermione remained calm. "So, does Sirius believe Karkaroff put your name in the goblet?" she asked him.

"I dunno. Nothing seems to be clear. He just asked me to be careful and train well."

Hermione found it oddly refreshing to be in agreement with Sirius Black. "I'll help you, Harry. We'll figure out how to defeat this dragon," she replied.

Hermione was mighty grateful that Harry had Hagrid and Sirius on his side to inform him of the things he needed to know. Sure, she could snoop around and get info on the tasks, but to inform him on how dangerous Karkaroff was? Not a chance. He would become far too suspicious about how much a student was interested in his business, let alone if he discovered how much she really knew about the wizard.

***

Hermione and Harry got up early on Sunday morning and got a bit of breakfast before Harry dragged her out and into an empty classroom to figure out a battle plan. Hermione was getting frustrated. Harry couldn't keep his mind focused on the task. She finally told him that first, they needed to defeat the dragon, and then they could worry and plot all they wanted after the task concerning Karkaroff and Death Eaters.

That got him reasonably focused. Hermione brainstormed on a number of different possibilities, each one more far-fetched than the previous on how he could defeat the dragon.

"I just don't know, Harry," she said as she sat down in exhaustion. "The problem is that these are difficult spells, and you've not even done your O.W.L.s yet."

"I don't believe it!" she moaned. Harry snapped his head up as Hermione began to pack up her things. "Come on, Harry, let's go to the common room. Wherever Krum is, his gaggle of giggling girls won't be far behind!" Sure enough, there they were, and Hermione rolled her eyes. Why wouldn't he just leave her alone?

***

A few days later, Harry ran up to Hermione, who was working in the greenhouse. He was all excited. "Hermione, I need you to teach me how to do a Summoning Charm."

"That's a fantastic idea, Harry!" she praised him. "Let's go." As they walked to the common room, Hermione wondered where Harry had gotten the idea to think of a Summoning Charm. She decided to keep her thoughts to herself and her eyes wide-open.

It was a disaster. Hermione kept on saying, "Concentrate, Harry, concentrate!"

What d'you think I'm trying to do?" he yelled at her. "I'm sorry, I just keep getting a vision of a great big dragon popping in my head for some reason..."

They kept on, only stopping for classes and meals. By two in the morning, Harry had finally gotten it down pat. Hermione was pleased but exhausted.

"You'll be brilliant, Harry," she assured him as they went back to the common room. "Let's have a kip. You'll need it for later."

***

In the morning after breakfast, a very angry and surly Snape ambushed Hermione and quick marched her underneath the main staircase.

"Spending lots of time late at night, I see," he said silkily. "What were you up to at two a.m. if you don't mind me asking?"

Hermione crossed her arms. "I have nothing to say, Severus. You refused to talk with me about that Skeeter woman's article. Now, it seems you've allowed your paranoia to sink to lower depths. If you can't know deep in your soul that I love you and would never cheat on you, then we are truly making an error by continuing to wait," she said simply.

"You would rather be released from me?" he thundered. His fists were balled in rage.

"That's not what I said, damn it!" she yelled as she felt herself back up against a wall.

He leaned into her, placing his fists on either side of her head. "I will not be made a fool of, Hermione," he warned as he swept away from her.

***

The first task was later that day, and Hermione was glad. It got her mind off of her troubles with Severus. They were getting so close now to the end of the waiting; things couldn't fall apart because of a stupid, ignorant woman's article! She refused to give him up. She was that determined.

Harry did very well during the first task. He summoned his Firebolt and sped off with the dragon close behind. He was the fastest to get the egg, and after it was all over, there was Ron, ready to talk with Harry for the first time. Hermione was relieved. How stupid could two people be? She wished she could get Severus to talk with her and make things right again. She started crying and hugged them both just before running off to sob in private.

She sat alone in her dorm room as the party commenced downstairs. She was relieved that Harry was with Ron and that all was well again; it was just so infuriating that Severus would not speak to her. In the past, he had always come around to see reason. The fact that he wouldn't even talk about that damn article and at least yell about how mad it made him feel was very telling. He was distancing himself from her.

Hermione tossed and turned in her bed, trying to sleep. She finally lay flat on her back. She wanted to scream, actually. She wanted to scream, and she wanted to give Severus a good shaking! She wished she could understand why this stupid article? Why now, after so many other terrible things that could have torn them apart, was this little ridiculous bit of fluff causing him to distance from her?

***

The next day, Ron, Harry, and Hermione went to the owlery to send a note to Sirius about Harry's success in the first task. On the way, they filled Ron in on all that had been going on with Karkaroff.

Ron snorted. "Bet he feels like an idiot! Look at you, Harry; you did the best out of all of them. And there is no way any of the other tasks are going to be that dangerous. How could they be?" he said as he struggled with Pig to tie the letter on.

Hermione frowned and folded her arms. "The end is a long way from now. If the first task was any indication from what we should expect from the subsequent tasks, well, I shudder to think!" she said darkly.

"Right little ray of sunshine, aren't you?" Ron quipped. "You and Trelawney should get together sometime."

Hermione ignored that comment, and Ron went on. "Well, we'd best get into the common room. I'm sure Fred and George have gotten all the stuff ready for your celebration party.

When they had returned, the common room was all decorated and ready for the party. Lee Jordon was with Fred and George as they carried in massive amounts of food with them.

"Cool!" said Ron. "How did you nick all this stuff?"

"Didn't have to nick it, little bro," said George.

"Yeah, the house-elves practically fall over themselves to help you. Right friendly lot, the little buggers," added Fred.

Hermione's interest was piqued. "How did you get in there?"

"Easy," Fred replied. "All you have to do is tickle the pear on the portrait of the painting of the bowl of fruit. It giggles and..." He stopped short. "Why?"

"Nothing," she replied. Hermione wanted desperately to talk to Winky. She knew she was working here at Hogwarts now. She had her suspicions all along about Barty Crouch and how he had overreacted towards her.

***

December came, and Hermione still had not been able to get through to Severus. He was as cold and reserved as ever. Hermione spent a lot of time crying now in her dorm room, afraid and saddened and afraid that she had lost him forever. She took out her two notes that he had written to her that said, "Love does not know time" and held them to her heart as she cried. She wanted to believe he still loved her...that he still cared. After all, wasn't the fact that he was still so angry a sign that he still felt for her? She wanted to believe. She wanted to keep hoping, but he was making it so difficult. She was ready to do something very drastic. She had to get it though Severus that he couldn't keep treating her this way. A witch has her pride, after all. So she began to think of her options. Immediately, one came to mind: Viktor Krum.