Mudblood and Pureblood.

Lakeside Lounge.

"Harry Potter!" Dumbledor bellowed, the burning paper scrunched up in his fist.

The entire hall gasped before turning silent, trying to comprehend what they were hearing. Harry couldn't possibly a contestant, he was under aged! Surely, Dumbledor's age line hadn't faulted, had it? But why would Harry even try to enter. It seemed like hours before Harry felt someone tug at his arm and force him to his feet.

He looked around at the many faces that shot in his direction. He was used to attention, no wizard or witch alive didn't know his name. This was different... Some looked betrayed, some looked hurt and some looked jealous. He looked back to Hermione, questioning her as to why she made him stand. She looked worriedly at him, but she was stubborn. He started moving to the centre of the Great Hall where the Goblet of Fire glowed, illuminating the entire room.

When he found himself in front of Dumbledor, he was given his name slip. Harry didn't know what to think, or what to say... He didn't enter! He didn't want fame and glory! It was bad enough he was the chosen one. Now he was the chosen one that entered the Tri-Wizard Tournament before he was old enough by supposedly tricking Dumbledor!

He found that his legs worked and he slowly headed towards the door the other champions had gone through. It was then that the other students in the hall had finally let it sink in. They now had the words to speak.

"He's a cheat!" one yelled, "He's not even seventeen yet!" another piped up.

***

She sat against her favourite tree with a book resting up against her knees. Her bushy hair pressed against the bark of the old oak as she felt the wet grass beneath her feet. She had taken off her shoes so as to enjoy the last few days of clear skies before winter came. While she had the opportunity, she just had to come by the Black Lake, it was their favourite studying spot during the summer, it was too bad that Harry and Ron were not with her. In fact, they were just one of the reasons she had come to the lake. Ever since Harry had legally become a Tri-Wizard Champion, Ron had done his best to avoid his best friend. Hermione just wanted out!

She looked across the calm lake, marvelling at the Drumstrang Boat out in the distance, docked nearer to the castle. She thought of Victor Krum for a few moments, letting herself fantasise a dream or two. Each time though, her thoughts were invaded by one person. Draco. She just kept remembering his hurt face when she and Ginny were giggling. 

Speak of the devil, she thought, as her head snapped round at the sound of squealing and screaming. It was none other than Victor Krum himself, followed by a swarm of girls. He was shirtless and seemed to be running through a few exercises. Hermione let out a small gasp before looking away. She didn't know what to make of him. She liked him because he was the perfect specimen of a man, even though there were quite a few of them in Hogwarts. He was famous...? No, that wasn't it, Harry was famous and quite the looker, but she didn't feel that way about him much. She also hated Krum, he was always followed by a group of girls and that just told her that he was like every other celebratory.

Something unexpected then happened. As he walked away, he looked back at her and winked. It was so discreet that his entire posy didn't catch it. But it did happen. Victor Krum had just winked at her while he was half naked! Hermione's cheeks flushed pink.

"Hey ya, Bookworm!" She snapped back to reality when she heard a comforting voice.

She immediately stopped twiddling with her hair and she stopped fluttering her eyelashes.

"Hey, Sleekhair!" she teased as Draco swung his bag near her feet and plopped down next to her.

"What's this?" she said, bringing the rather heavy bag closer.

"Well..." he started, a warm smile curling on his lips as he budged up closer to her, "I thought that maybe you wanted to do some reading with me? Or maybe we could revise, cus that's your thing, right?" he chuckled as she nudged him in the ribs playfully.

"What do you have?" she asked eagerly as he started to pull out a few textbooks and a handful of old wizarding fables.

"Don't you have any muggle books?" she cocked an eyebrow as she closed her own book in her lap and handing it over to Draco.

"Why would I have any muggle- What's this?" he turned to old book over in his hands and read the cover, his own eyebrows now raised, "Alice in Wonderland...?" he looked at Hermione.

"It was always my favourite as a child... It is one of the most well known muggle books. I'm surprised that you haven't at least heard it before..." she looked puzzlingly at him as she took the book back into her hands, "This copy was my mother's..." 

"What's it about?" Draco asked, not really believing that only a year ago, the thought of anything muggle or mudblood would have made him laugh.

"It's about how to find your way home in a world where up is down and left is right. I think you might like it, as well as many other books I know..." she smiled as she placed it on the grass and pulled one of Draco's textbooks closer.