You're Not Alone-Hermione Granger(Currently Editing)

Seventy-Three

After a very long speech from Dumbledore who explained what Draco apparently already knew from the beginning, something about a Triwizard Tournament Hogwarts was hosting where three champions from different schools competed against each other for the Triwizard cup, completing hard tasks and even winning some galleons, Juniper, Hermione, Harry, Ron and the Weasley Twins all follow the crowd out of the Great Hall, Fred and George all angrily complaining about not being able to compete considering they apparently had to be 17 or older.

"Who's this impartial judge who's going to decide who the champions are?" Harry brings up what Dumbledore mentioned earlier about some impartial judge that'll be picking the champions. "Dunno, but it's them we'll have to fool. I reckon a couple of drops of Ageing Potion might do it, George..." Juniper goes into deep thought, wondering what it'd be like if she was a champion then. How would her parents react if she was champion for such an important event?

"Dumbledore knows you're not of age, though" Ron reminds the two. "Yeah, but he's not the one who decides who the champion is, is he? Sounds to me like once this judge knows who wants to enter, he'll choose the best from each school and never mind how old they are. Dumbledore's trying to stop us giving our names" Fred explains. "People have died, though!" Hermione hadn't even realized she looped her arm with Juniper's, her tone worried as she looked between the twins.

Juniper looks at her in surprise but Hermione wasn't paying any attention to her, listening to what the twins had to say as they made their way towards the Gryffindor tower. "Yeah, but that was years ago, wasn't it? Anyway, where's the fun without a bit of risk? Hey, Ron, what if we find out how to get round Dumbledore? Fancy entering? Juniper?" Fred looks between the two of them, wriggling his eyebrows.

Hermione turns to give the two of them looks then but Juniper was still focused on the fact that Hermione was hanging onto her so casually. Why? This is what friends do after all. Summer and her do this all the time. But this was Hermione, her crush. And it felt amazing and nerve-wracking all at the same time. "What d'you reckon? Be cool to enter, wouldn't it? But I s'pose they might want someone older...dunno if we've learnt enough..." Ron brings up as he thinks it over.

"I think it'd be cool." Juniper agrees. "No, Juniper. You are not trying it" Hermione chastises. "I just said it'd be cool. I never said I actually would. Ronald's right anyways. I have not learned nearly enough to be in something like that" Juniper shrugs. "I definitely haven't" They all glance back as Neville appears, walking behind the group, looking glum. "I expect my gran'd want me to try, though, she's always going on about how I should be upholding the family honour. I'll just have to- ooops..." Neville's foot falls through the trick step on the stairs which causes a suit of armour up top to creak and clank as it laughed.

Most people knew to skip that particular step but then again, this was Neville, the clumsiest boy Juniper had ever met. Ron and Harry help him up as the suit of armour continues to laugh at Neville's misfortune which prompts Ron to bang down on it's visor as they pass, telling it to shut it. They make it to the portrait of the Fat Lady then, dressed in a pink silk dress. "Password?" She asks curiously. "Balderdash, a Prefect downstairs told me" George informs her.

She swings open for them and Juniper grins. "Might I say, m'lady, is that a new dress?" The portrait swings shut then, the fat lady smiling widely. "D'you like it?" "It is delightful. Where'd you get it?" The Golden Trio was obviously confused and annoyed, Neville looking ready to fall asleep but the twins were just amused. "Oh, you will never believe how long it took me to get this dress. Let me start from the beginning" The Golden Trio and Neville all groan then. "Can you at least let us in?" Ron wonders. "Oh, impatient children" She swings open again and Hermione finally lets go of June, all of them climbing in, minus Juniper. Juniper watches after Hermione, missing the feeling of Hermione's arm looped with hers but turns back to the Fat Lady as the painting closes.