Don't Act Like You Know Me

Year 4 - The Third Task

Hermione woke up with a grumbly stomach. "Shit," she whispered as she realized she had forgotten to eat yesterday. She rolled out of bed and ended up just thumping the floor. She groaned, not moving. Ginny approached her.

"Hermione?" Ginny said. "You've missed breakfast again."

"What the bloody hell?" Hermione grumbled. "Really?"

"Yeah. Lunch is in two hours."

"Two hours? I'm going to die before that."

"Don't be so dramatic. Get yourself dressed."

Hermione groaned and pushed herself up off of the floor. She wrestled into her clothes and stumbled down the stairs. She felt herself grow light-headed as she reached the last step. She lost control of her body and began to topple to the ground but was caught. Her vision was blurry and all she could see was a cloud of ginger. "Hermione," Ron's voice said. "Are you okay?"

"No," Hermione closed her eyes and massaged her temples.

"You missed breakfast again."

"I know. I need food."

"Come on, lunch is in an hour but we'll get you down to the Great Hall."

Hermione and Ron sat on a bench outside the Great Hall. Hermione had her eyes closed and her head was leaning on Ron's shoulder as they waited. "What the bloody hell?" Viktor Krum walked up. "Are you trying to poach my Hermione, Weasley?"

"No. She's just incredibly weak. She hasn't eaten in almost two and a half days," Ron said. "Don't get your undies in a knot, Krum."

Hermione ignored both of them and stormed into the Great Hall. Students were starting to sit down. The food would appear shortly.

When the food did appear, Hermione shoveled it into her mouth and kept on loading more onto her plate. Food had never tasted so good in her entire life. She didn't think she'd ever miss a meal again. The third trial was this evening and Hermione couldn't wait to cheer Harry on. She didn't know what it was, but she was sure Harry would be able to handle it. Once she was finished with her food, she exited the hall. "'Sup, Granger," Draco said as he passed her in the hall. He winked and continued walking. She felt herself almost faint. He was so gorgeous and she couldn't stand being without him. If only she hadn't pledged herself to Viktor...

There was no time for those thoughts. Not today.

Hermione was planning on taking another one of her walks.

"Hermione," Viktor walked up to her with a smile on his face.

"Hi, Viktor."

"Good afternoon."

"Are you prepared for the trial tonight?"

"As much as I can be, yes."

"That's good to hear. Do you have any clue what it's going to be?"

"No idea. I'm sure it'll be just as challenging as the rest of them. Maybe it'll be even more difficult." 

"Listen, I wanted to say thanks for saving me."

"It was no problem at all."

"And I'm sorry for being so distant."

"I noticed that you haven't been conversing with me as much." Something struck Hermione in her brain. Should she tell him the truth about Malfoy? "Why?"

Hermione hesitated. "I'm having trouble getting rid of an ex of mine. He just keeps resurfacing."

"Who is it? I'm asking that like I don't know exactly who it is." Hermione's stomach dropped. "It's that Ronald Weasley, isn't it?" Hermione was smart. She knew that if she said no, he was going to keep asking questions. Instead of telling the truth, she nodded slightly. "I knew it. I'm going to beat that twerp to a pulp."