“I was caught up in my own thoughts at the time and I didn’t quite understand what you had said,” Hermione stated to Ron very formal.
At first Ron didn’t entirely believe her. But as she continued to explain what had happened in the book store her story began to fit and by the time they had arrived at the station he had forgiven her.
All wrongs righted, Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Harry had entered the platform of 9 and ¾. She crossed the bustling area and waited to board the train.
“Come on Harry, Ron! We’re not going to save you a seat if you don’t hurry!” Hermione lightheartedly hollered to them. As she turned around, she saw them approaching Cedric who was waiting to board the train.
“Ginny! Ginny! Hide me,” she whispered. However it was too to turn back now. In a flight of panic Hermione dove to the ground making a rather loud thud when she landed. She hid her torso behind Ginny’s trunk and hide her legs under Ginny’s large atrocious black skirt.
“HERMIONE! HERMIONE! ARE YOU OKAY?!” Ron shouted, he ran to her and Harry followed.
“Ron Shut up! I’m fine!”
“Hermione?” Harry said slowing his run into a walk, “I don’t want to be rude, but what the hell are you doing under there?”
“I dropped my gum,” she said bluntly.
“You dropped your gum up Ginny’s skirt?”
“Its none of your business where I choose to drop my gum and where I don’t.”
“Hermione?” said a quizzical looking Cedric as he poked his head over the trunk she was so cleverly hiding behind, “Are you alright?” he asked and shot both Ron and Harry a look of disgrace for not helping her up.
Then, he demonstrated what a man should do when a lady falls. He walked in behind the trunk took her hand loosely in his and bent down, took her waist in his other hand and helped her up. Hermione swooned, her eyes glazed over and a drop of drool placed itself on the side of her mouth.
Ginny quickly shut Hermione’s slacking jaw closed.
“She means thank you,” corrected Ginny whose hand was still holding Hermione’s jaw shut.
“Tell her that it was my pleasure.”
“Uh huh,” mumbled a love drunk Hermione.
Cedric smiled at her vacant expression of happiness and got onto the train. Ginny let go of Hermione’s wet chin and wiped her spitty hand on her skirt.
“How lady like of you Hermione,” Ginny said as she boarded.
Ronald had a particularly sour expression on his face when Hermione left the carriage to find Cedric and explain her actions.
“Gosh Ron wipe that smile off your face!” Ginny sarcastically mentioned after Hermione left.
“It is rather obvious she likes him,” Harry reminded Ginny.
“Of course and thanks to her scene on the platform the entire school knows by now. But I’m going to run to the restroom and freshen up.”
Ginny had only been in the restroom for 5 minutes when Hermione burst in the door.
“Ginny! You’re here! Thank goodness,” Hermione panted as she frantically locked the door.
“What’s happened? Has he kissed you yet?” Ginny teased.
“NO!” Hermione shouted, “I found his carriage and …” her voice wandered into recollection.
“Hello Hermione,”
“Hi Cedric… I wanted to apologize for what happened in Diagon Alley. I’m sure you remember it. I thought you were, a wall. Not that you are a wall of course, or look like one. No certainly no. It would have to be a pretty good looking wall to match you,” Hermione rambled as she progressively turned redder and redder.
“Its fine, honestly its been the most excitement I’ve had all summer.”
“You must have had an awful summer then… no. I didn’t mean it that way. Oh,” she gasped in frustration, “I’m sorry again.”
Cedric just smiled at her, they held each others gaze for a long time. Almost an eternity. Hermione’s mind was racing, thinking about what to say next but she couldn’t seem to stop staring. Giggling began erupting from the other people in the car and finally she broke their gaze.
“Anyway I just wanted to clear that up, I should go put on my robes. Goodbye!” she quickly spoke and then backed up.
Unknowingly Hermione had conveniently left the carriage door open which not only aloud the everyone in the carriages next to her to hear the entire conversation but, gave Hermione the perfect place to trip over. She backed up and her right foot caught along the track of the foor. She fell painfully on her bottom and Cedric stood up to give her a hand.
“Gosh, I’m always on my back for you!” Hermione casually said as he lifted her up. Hermione instantly looked horrified, she clamped a hand over her mouth and tears welled up in her eyes. Cedric tried desperately not to laugh but the humor in this slip of tongue was unmistakable and he began to chuckle whilst the entire carriage and surrounding carriages were in an uproar. Hermione in her horror, dashed as fast as she could into the restroom where she conveniently found Ginny.
Ginny hobbled, clutching her stomach into a bathroom stall. She couldn’t remember ever laughing so hard. Robes in hand, Hermione moved into the stall next to her and wiped away a few tears. Slowly and with difficulty she dressed herself and once Ginny had stopped her cruel laughter she emerged, obviously shaken but trying to hide it, from the stall.
When Ginny saw the look on Hermione’s devastated face a feeling of remorse and guilt hit her.
“Lets go sit, I’m sure it will all be over. For all we know people might not have heard,” she coaxed.
When the train had come to a stop Hermione only endured a cruel word from Malfoy, whom she quickly cursed. After that a few sniggers from various passers by all of whom were to afraid to open their mouths because they saw that Malfoy no longer had one thanks to her.
He sat at the Hufflepuff table indulging in the beginning of term feast. Every so often he would glance at Hermione and once or twice he noticed her noticing him.
“Who’re you lookin’ at?” whispered Ernie Macmillan from beside Cedric.
“Hermione Granger,” Cedric whispered back and smiled.
Only when Dumbledore began to describe the Triwizard tournament was Cedric’s interest was deflected from Hermione. But Hermione was only partially listening to Dumbledore’s speech as she was busy looking lustfully at Cedric. She wondered what he thought of her, and if she should speak to him. She looked at his hair, and his strong jaw line. She glanced at Ron who was picking his teeth with a fork. With a look of disappointment she turned away and continued staring at Cedric until the feast was over and the entire school filled out with excitement. (and disappointment due the age limit of the tournament) Hermione saw Cedric approaching her from across the hallway, but inconspicuously moved with her fellow Gryffindor’s.
“Hermione! Hermione!” Cedric yelled. But she continued with the crowd and Cedric was left looking like a lunatic.
Days after their last meeting Cedric was still thinking about her and he desperately wanted to apologize. However at the urging of some of his fellow Hufflepuffians decided he would give her time to recover. He made his way down to the library at break to find some reading material. As he headed to the right wing of the library he passed a bushy haired girl who was attempting to reach a very large book from the top shelve of one of the book cases. Cedric rushed over and grabbed the book for her just before it was going to fall on her head.
“Heh… Thanks Cedric,” Hermione nervously thanked him, “I-I umm…” shetried to remember how to speak English and cursed her nerves under her breath. Thankfully Cedric cut in before Hermione had a chance to embarrass herself further.
“I’m sorry for laughing when you fell, I asked everyone to stop talking about it.”
Hermione was silent for a moment. This was the first time she had even spoken to him, she wanted time to absorb this moment. She stalled for a very long time and they stood in silence.
“Um, Its okay and thank you. I don‘t usually act like that.”
“We’re alright then?”
“We’re alright,” she said, he smiled and continued on his way to the Quidditch section. Once he had turned the corner around the book shelve Hermione darted to the end of the row and watched his gluteus maximus wiggle its way down the isle. He, as though sensing the prying eyes on his behind turned his head and the last thing saw was bushy hair darting behind a book shelf.
Days had turned into weeks and weeks into months with much interaction between the pair. They communicated mostly in secrecy through owls. Even Ginny didn’t know about their letters to one another. However there wasn’t much to tell. Mostly Cedric asked for spells or if Hermione knew about a specific creature occasionally they discussed current events or their teachers, specifically Moody. He always seemed to creep into their letters. The only thing Hermione kept out of their conversations, was her involvement in S.P.E.W. Although she wasn't one to be embarrassed about what she believed in, she thought it best to keep this part of her life out of their new found friendship.
The one thing they spoke most about was the Tournament. Hermione greatly suspected that he intended on entering and her suspicions were confirmed when Ernie McMillan told the Harry, Ron and herself that he was to be entering. When he said it Hermione couldn’t help but reveal a bit of her respect and some of her lust towards him. This made Ronald angrier then a pig in labor and he refused to speak with her.
It had been four days since the beginning of their argument when Hermione ran into the Great Hall almost late for dinner. Much to her dismay the only seat left was across from Ron. She regrettably sat down and sat in silence and looked towards the front of the hall.
“Your not going look at me now or are you too busy looking at pretty boy Diggory?”
Harry gave Ron a look telling him to stop talking but he wouldn’t and a shouting match ensued shortly afterwards. Accusations flew across the table, as did the spit in Ron’s mouth. The air in the Great Hall was filled with silence and discomfort which was felt by everyone except maybe Harry. He had heard the same insults so many times that it no longer phased him.
Then as suddenly as the argument began, Hermione quieted and lowered the fork she was threatening Ron with. Dumbledore had risen was ready to introduce the students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons who had arrived. Hermione had the pleasure of giving Ron an extremely disagreeable look when he found himself very excited and feeling greatly exhilarated by the Beauxbatons girls. Ron scowled back at her and they avoided eye contact throughout the duration of the feast.
Hermione was the first out of the hall, she made her way to the common room and to her dorm as quickly as to avoid Ron.
“Had a fight with Ron?” Ginny said as she caught up with Hermione.
“How did you know?” Hermione sarcastically replied.
“You should have seen the look on Cedric Diggory’s face when he was yelling at you. He looked like he was going to take those big muscular biceps of his--” Ginny teased, “and use them to put Ron in a head lock.”
“Oh shut up,” barked a very red Hermione. They entered the common room and sat by the warm fire. It was a pleasant night and the sky was clear, so clear that Ginny was able to spot a large owl flying from one of the towers straight towards theirs.
“Hermione whose bird is this?” she asked. It landed on the window sill and with a tap tap tap pleaded with them to be let in. Ginny opened the window and stroked the large red-brown owl. Hermione had recognized it immediately and good her letter out of its beak.
“Its from no one important,” Hermione said as she tore the envelope open.
Dear Hermione,
I wanted you to be the first to know (and would have told you after the feast but I didn’t want to go near your red-headed boyfriend. He looked angry.) I’m going to put my name in the cup tomorrow during break, hopefully I get chosen as champion. Do you think I should do it? I think I could do it.
Wish me luck,
Cedric
“It’s from Cedric?” Ginny gasped, “I wish I got love letters in the post!”
Hermione’s first instinct was to tell him he shoulder. She too believed he could participate but it was just too dangerous. However Hermione was a smart witch and knew perfectly well that no matter what her opinion, Cedric was going to enter. So she resolved to encourage his decision and went to get her quill.
“I guess I’ll write him back. I don’t want this bird in here all night,” Hermione calmly said ignoring Ginny’s comment about love letters.
“Cedric,” she wrote onto the parchment. She really didn’t know how to start the letter, she wanted it to sound sincere but not mushy.
“Thanks for telling me first. It’s really an honor. I think you--” she hesitated, “should enter the tournament. You could do it, for goodness sake you ARE a prefect.!
Ronald’s not my boyfriend. Just so you know. I don’t have a boyfriend and if I did it certainly wouldn’t be someone as insensitive, irresponsible and judgmental as Ron.
Hermione”
With that she tied to the letter to the exceptionally large owl and sent it out the window.