Hogwarts: A History (Hermione's Version)

Chapter 22

November 1994

The arrival of the students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons brought excitement and curiosity to Hogwarts. Viktor Krum, the famous Quidditch Player, had found himself surrounded by more and more people as students from each of the houses flocked to get to know him. He tended to spend more of his time over at the Slytherin table as he seemed more comfortable there. It was no surprise to anyone when the three champions for the tournament that were named included Viktor and Cedric Diggory.

The lead-up to the first task had been exhilarating. When the day finally arrived, Hermione, Draco, and Harry sat with their friends cheering on the competitors as they took on Dragons. More than once Hermione had covered her eyes, burying her head into Draco's shoulder or neck as the mumbled heatedly about barbaric practices and Dragon rights. The blonde wizard couldn't help but smile as he held her close to him. He wouldn't change a thing about Hermione Black.

What he would change though, would be the sudden slight friendship that Ron Weasley had seemed to be able to strike with the curly-haired Gryffindor. From the moment they had left the welcoming feast, the redhead had seemed to go out of his way to speak to her and try to form some sort of semblance of friendship. Hermione could hold a grudge with the best of them, but no one was shocked when she set everything aside rather quickly and was kind and cordial with him. It wasn't that Draco didn't want her to have friends outside of him, it was that he couldn't get the words he had heard Ron Weasley spout on the train out of his head. He was only being nice to her now because he thought she was beautiful. And she was.

It had become quite clear to everyone at Hogwarts that the witch had matured over the summer and was becoming more beautiful by the day. Her curly hair has grown long and hung in perfect, shiny ringlets all the way to her waist. Her brown eyes were more vibrant causing Draco to swear that he could see gold in them every time she smiled. Then there were the other physical changes that caused Draco and the other boys their age to feel things that they weren't quite familiar with. She was no longer the tiny little girl that ran around, unafraid to skin a knee or get dirt on her hands. She was delicate, with the beginnings of soft curves that showed she was indeed becoming a young lady. It had become normal for the blonde wizard to daydream about his favorite witch or even just stare at her when she wasn't looking.

"Draco are you listening to anything that we are saying?" Harry laughed, causing him to jump slightly and tear his eyes away from the girl that was always on his mind. "Or are you staring at my sister again?"

"Shut up Potter," Draco muttered and Blaise and Theo cackled.

"I heard a rumor that there is going to be a Yule Ball," Blaise said, spinning his wand in his hand.

"It's not a rumor," Theo shook his head and Harry nodded. They had already gotten a lecture from their head of house about the dance. "It's a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament since its inception. It's held on Christmas Eve night. As the host school, obviously, it will be held here"

"Wait so we don't get to go home for Yule? Mi won't be happy," Harry asked.

"I'm sure we would be allowed to after the ball," Theo shrugged. "Besides, it's not like our parents won't just show up here."

"He has a point," Draco chuckled. Everyone knew that Sirius wouldn't miss seeing Hermione especially since Remus would likely be chaperoning. His father and mother would show of course due to being one of the school Governors and Lily and James Potter would show up just because they wouldn't want to miss it.

"Professor McGonagall says it's a night of well-mannered frivolity. Since we are representatives of Hogwarts she expects us to all put our best foot forward," Harry chuckled.