The introduction of the Tournament was a great source of excitement for the students but a major headache for the teachers, as it was clear that until the Champions were chosen, no one would be able to focus. My brothers were terribly jealous and were constantly asking me random questions about the Tournament, knowing that I had read up on it as soon as I found out. It was only two weeks into the year, and already I was more stressed than I was last year. Only this time, it was more of the guilty, emotional stress than anything relating to my studies. It was hard trying to find time to see my father, but I made a habit of going to Potions class really early so that I could at least get a few minutes to say ‘hi’. Thankfully due to my reputation as class nerd, it wasn’t surprising that I would turn up to class 15 minutes early. What was more difficult was explaining to my friends why I would suddenly zone out during conversations. I couldn’t very well say ‘oh sorry, I wasn’t paying attention cause I was talking to my twin brothers telepathically...oh did I mention I found out I was Snape’s daughter?’ But aside from that, the year looked promising, not to mention full of excitement.
“Hey Mione, where’re ya going?” Ron asked as I was about to walk out of the common room.
“To the library” I called back
“Right, have fun!”
“See ya” I said, finally getting out of the crowded room. I took up a leisurely pace as I made my way to my sanctuary, ie. the library. Unfortunately my good mood was ruined soon after I left Gryffindor tower.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t our resident know-it-all mudblood, what even your precious Gryffindors got sick of you and kicked you out?” Malfoy sneered
“Hardly Malfoy, Gryffindors, unlike Slytherins, are loyal and don’t let themselves be ruled by silly prejudices” I replied coolly. Apparently my father has been rubbing off on me.
“I always knew Gryffindors were stupid, you just proved it”
“Well, stupidity should be determined by the wise, and you Malfoy, are as far from wise as a person could get, so you calling Gryffindors stupid really doesn’t mean much” I responded as I pushed passed him and continued to the library. I looked over my shoulder before I turned the corner and nearly burst out laughing, for there was Malfoy, red faced and sputtering with rage.
Haha, Hermione: 1 Malfoy: 0
I entered the library in a cheerful frame of mind, and made my way to my usual spot in the far corner. It was always my favourite study spot, since it was out of view, secluded and therefore the quietest part of the library. I sat down and pulled out my notes, intent on spending a few quality hours with my studies. This plan did not seem to work out very well though, for not 20 minutes after I sat down, a large shadow loomed over me. I looked up expecting it to be Harry or Ron begging for help with homework, but was instead shocked to see the one and only Victor Krum standing in front of me.
“Um, hi, can I help you?” I asked politely
“Vould you mind if I sat with you?” he asked shyly.
“Not at all, please...” I said gesturing to the seat in front of me, “I’m Hermione Granger, by the way” I said holding my hand out for him to shake.
“A pleasure to meet you, Hermy-own-ninnie” he said shaking my hand.
“No, no...it’s Her-my-own-knee” I corrected, sounding my name out phonetically.
“Hermy-own-knee” he said back.
“Almost, Her-My-Own-Knee” I said with a smile
“Sorry, Herm-me-no-ninnie?” he tried again, flushing with embarrassment.
“Why don’t we stick to Mione huh?” I asked since it was clear he wouldn’t be able to say my name properly any time soon.
“Mione” he stated satisfied.
“Right!”
“I’m sorry, you have a beautiful name, but I find it difficult to pronounce” he apologised gracefully.
“Don’t worry about it, at least you tried, besides, ‘Mione’ works just fine”
“You are not like the others” he stated casually after a while.
“What others?” I asked curiously.
He paused for a moment and glanced over his shoulder at the gaggle of girls giggling and staring at him from behind the bookshelf.
“Them” he said pointing to the girls.
“Oh” I said blushing as I understood his meaning, “no I don’t suppose I am like them. You may be a Quidditch star, but aside from that, you’re just like everybody else” I said practically
“Yes. Unfortunately not everyone thinks as you do”
“No I guess not huh?” I said with a laugh.
“I did not mean to disturb you from your studies, it was nice to meet you, I think when I leave, you’ll have your quiet corner back” he said with a chuckle as he rose to leave.
“That’s alright, it was nice meeting you too. I’ll see you around”
With that, he left, and I found myself strangely distracted. He was rather nice, and oddly shy. I suppose that I didn’t expect that of him, seeing as he was a famous Quidditch star and all, but he seemed nice enough. In the end I packed up my books, since it was clear that I wouldn’t be getting anything done, but opted to go for a walk rather than return to Gryffindor Tower.
As much as I loved the boys, I wasn’t in the mood to listen to anymore Quidditch talk, and since I didn’t feel inclined to study either, it left me with very few options to pass my time.
So I left the library, and as I was about to pass the dungeons, a sudden thought occurred to me. Technically it was my father’s office hours, but it was common knowledge that not even the Slytherins dared to harass him with inane questions. With this satisfying knowledge, I made my way down to his office, hoping he would have a few minutes to spare with his daughter.
I knocked on his office door, bracing myself for a scathing comment, until he noticed it was me. I made the mistake of letting his ignorant words hurt me once, I wasn’t eager to make the same mistake again.
“Enter” he growled.
I walked in, shutting the door, as soon as I was sure there was no one else present in the room. He looked up, an insult on his lips, until he saw that it was just me. He muttered a quick ‘silencio’ before he greeted me with a pleased, “hello Mia, what brings you here?”
“Nothing much, are you busy?” I asked not wanting to bother him.
“Not at all. Just marking some first year essays, believe me, any distraction from those are completely welcome” he said getting up. He paused for a moment as though contemplating a thought, and upon reaching his decision he briskly said “come with me” as he walked through his office door towards the far wall.
“Um...where?” I asked confused.
“You’ll see” he stated ambiguously as he made a series of tapping motions at the plain brick wall. Then with a muttered spell a door appeared. He pushed it open, and indicated for me to enter the room.
I gave him an odd look, but did as I was told, and walked into a large, cozy looking sitting room. It had thick, plush black carpeting, presumably to keep the chill out, and was furnished in comfortable black couches, and two wing-backed chairs. There was a mahogany coffee table in front of one of the couches, leaving the area before the fireplace clear. However, it was the large bookshelves that stretched over the walls that caught my eye.
“I thought we might be more comfortable in my private chambers rather than my office” My father said watching me take in the details of the room.
“Oh, yes, thanks...your rooms are very nice” I said, still ogling the bookshelves.
“Thank you. You know, if you ask nicely I might let you borrow one of those” he said nodding towards the shelves.
“What? Oh!” I said blushing “really? I mean, you would let me borrow one?” I asked hopefully.
“Perhaps” he said sending me an indulgent smile, “go ahead and take a look, the dangerous ones are in my study, so there isn’t anything there that should be problematic, I’ll just make us some tea, shall I?”
“Sure...goodness, I know I shouldn’t be so shocked, I have seen the family library, but still!” I said excitedly trailing my fingertips across the spines of the books. “do you do a lot of your own research when you’re not teaching?” I asked curiously, accepting a cup of tea from him.
“I try to...whenever I have time. The last few years have been easier for me to conduct research, since the boys are older.” He responded thoughtfully. “I have been mainly working on an improvement of the Wolfsbane potion for the last few years, but I’ve had a few other projects in between.”
“Really?” I asked interestedly, “have you made any progress?”
“Some, but not nearly enough...and you Mia? How do you spend your free time?”
“Well, when I’m here at Hogwarts, I study, read, or hang out in the common room with Harry and Ron, or we like to walk around the lake and just be in each others’ company...at home, I mostly like to relax and catch up on my light reading, or go for bike rides, the usual sort of teenager stuff I guess” I said trying to think of what all I do when I’m not studying.
“Are you ever without Potter and Weasley in your free time?” he asked quirking an eyebrow
“Yes!” I replied indignantly, “they never come to the library with me...unless I nag them into it that is...”
“Indeed.”
“Well, they’re my best friends, what’d you expect?”
“Mhmm, well, I don’t think I will ever understand why you are friends with them, so I will let it go for now...” he said before he proceeded to tell me about his potions research. We chatted for another hour, before I realised that it was almost time for dinner, and that the boys would be looking for me soon.
“Thanks for taking the time to talk, it was nice” I said as I stood to leave
“I should be thanking you for coming to see me, I had no expectations when I learned of your identity.” He said sincerely, “the boys aren’t annoying you too much are they?”
“Naw, not yet” I said with a laugh, “I still haven’t got all this telepathy stuff all figured out yet”
“Hmm, it will come in time” he said with a sigh, “but you ought to run along before your little friends decide to go looking for you”
“Yeah, thanks again father” I said, and then, just as I was about to walk out of his office, I turned and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, before rushing out the door, and back to Gryffindor Tower.
I don’t know what prompted me into doing that, but it seemed right. I hoped he wouldn’t be upset, I didn’t think he would, but I wasn’t sure...He could be so strange about certain things, but I am his daughter...so I supposed he wouldn’t object.
Nevertheless, I controlled my emotions quickly, for I was assaulted by a barrage of questions the second I stepped through the portrait.
“Where were you Mione?” asked Ron
“You know, you shouldn’t study so much” Harry said
“Oh ease off, leave her be” Ginny said swatting Ron as she passed, “come on, we were just about to head to dinner”
“Alright, I’ll just put my bag away, give me a minute okay?” I said making my way up to the girls staircase.
“Sure” Harry replied.
I dropped my bag off, and with that, we made our way down to the Great Hall. Dinner passed normally, and when I was sure no one was looking, I sent a quick shy smile up at my father, and received a nearly imperceptible nod in return. At least I knew he wasn’t angry. When Ron finally finished eating, we traipsed off back to the common room, and spent the rest of the evening talking, and gossiping about who would be chosen as the ‘Champions’. Eventually we went to bed, knowing that the next day would bring about the verdict and the end to all of our speculations.
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