Goblet of Fire (Male Reader x Hermione) - Book 3

Disaster after Disaster

The training was so amped up now that it began to overtake my own rest times meaning that my friends had become a tad grouchy with me...regrettably including Hermione. Neville had decided he wanted to become a bit more "healthy" so Juni had willingly accepted him under her tutelage for a little while, purely for fitness and nothing else though since I don't think Juni or myself for that matter could ever see him fighting like us. 

"Ron, why is it Hermione has become so distant all of a sudden?" I asked Ron as both him and Harry accompanied me to the main hall to relax and spectate the students who dared put their names into the goblet. 

"Honestly mate it's just because she thinks you're a changed man after that fight. In a way she's right," he replied in a monotone voice, trying his best to make it as deep as possible.

"What d'you meannnn she's right?" I questioned to myself more than anyone else, looking to the floor as we walked and pondering over how I had changed.

"You just don't see her as much. Nor us be we know you still care," Harry half-joked, carrying on Ron's point. "She is acting a bit too much like a...you know needy wife though. Why do you ask though?" Harry laughed digging further than he should have.

"Because unlike you two sods she doesn't need me to survive so naturally, I'd be more curious."

A bunch of cheers erupted as we rounded the corner and the Diggory boy placed his name into the blue flame. Since it had been revealed to us, the goblet had quite literally taken center stage in the hall, demanding everyone's attention whether they like it or not. I politely nodded to Neville as we passed him, he's eyes partially drawn to the events around him and the book he was reading...probably something on Herbology considering his love for it. Ron raised a weak hand to Cedric as he passed, receiving nothing in return but still it was Ron and waving in the middle of a room wasn't the most surprising thing he would do. 

"Eternal glory...sounds great doesn't it," Ron remarked as we circled the chalk line on the floor, it's weight much more than the white powder you would find in Dover due to the age barrier it crafted. 

"Much rather you than me," Harry laughed.

"Yeah, I'm with Harry on this one. The only good thing about my firepower is that I can fight and cook shit. Aside from that, I'm pretty much useless," I said giving my input before familiar jokey laughter came through the door announcing the arrival of the Weasley twins. I raised my hands to head height and gave an encoring clap as the stepped up to the benches and received high fives from everyone. 

"Well lads, we've done it! Cooked it up this morning," Fred joyously said. 

"It's not going to workkkk," a hidden Hermione sang. She pointed to the white line I had mentioned earlier before saying "it's an age line. Created by Dumbledore himself. So, a genius like Dumbledore couldn't possibly be fooled by something as pathetically dimwitted as an aging potion!"

The twins opened the two test tubes and jumped over the line, revealing that they had in fact managed to find a way past the barrier. However, both the boys' laughter was cut off as the fire began to spurt out streams of the cerulean blue trails carried them away and dumped them on the floor, leaving them to fight over each other as grey beards and dreads hung from their heads and chins. Using the diversion as a means of opportunity, I slid out of the group and sat next to the annoyed brunette, nudging her slightly with my shoulder and making sure to grab her attention, even if it meant annoying her further. 

"What is it Y/N?" she huffed placing both of her palms on the book she had been reading.

Thinking on my toes, I decided to ruffle her feathers a bit and get her confused...well at least try and get her confused if that was even possible. "Have you been avoiding me or something?" I asked in my most serious tone, switching the roles and placing the blame on her. "Why is it I can never see you around?"

"I...I...You've been avoiding me!" she argued back giving me her full attention. "This...I...I haven't been avoiding you have I?" she asked herself as she doubled back on her first assumption. However, the room instantly hushed as the lead Russian quidditch player came through with his entourage followed close behind. His eyes were fixated completely on the goblet as he approached but after he placed it in, with a slight smirk, he looked toward the both of us or should I say Hermione...specifically. What was this big man doing? I stared at him with a rising heat inside but not one on my exterior. I wasn't going to give him the Viktor-y. After all, he was just a Krum-my wizard. Did he want to pick up the Krum-bs I had left for him to follow in my footsteps? Enough of the puns though because as I turned to look at Hermione's reaction, I was disturbed to find her face no longer looking confused or annoyed but instead happy and with a slight smile. Once he had left, I tried my best to act as normal as before questioning...don't ask why...I don't know why I cared.

"Oi oi so you and Krum close?" 

"I...what if we are close?" she said looking at me in a way that not even I could read nor could I explain. "Does it matter if we're close?"

I smiled a look of mixed pain and defeat but decided to play along with it anyway, finding my easiest way out. "No no of course not. I don't own you so why would it? I'm going to go do some...homework right now but I'll see you around. Don't avoid me!"

I hurried off with both Harry and Ron chasing behind confused at why I had just left. The next few days went by with only minimal conversation being passed between the two of us but I knew I couldn't keep up this forever. I had to get back to normal otherwise...I don't know. Maybe...would it be crazy to say I'm building up feelings for a girl in a temporary world? I promised I wouldn't but...

"Now the moment you have all been waiting for!" Dumbledore shouted through the hall, gathering everyone's attention and dimming the lights so that the dominant blue glow was the main source of illumination. He placed his hands on the cup, changing the color to a red and taking a step back. "The Durmstrang champion is...Viktor Krum! The champion from Beauxbaton is...Fleur Delacour! The Hogwarts Champion...Cedrick Diggory! Excellent! Now we have three champions...but only one will go down in history! Only one will hoist this chalice of victory, the Tri-Wizard Cup!" 

Everyone began to applaud but Snape looked quizzically at the cup, shaken at how it was still alive and jutting out flames. Dumbledore turned, approaching it again slowly but with caution this time. A single flame shot out, it's reaction more violent and unpredictable than the others but still in the red color. Dumbledore caught the note, twisting it over multiple times in disbelief and viewing both sides. The writing was visible on both sides from where we sat which meant that...there were two names on one slip? Wait this slip shouldn't have even come out!

"Harry Potter and Y/N L/N," Dumbledore said in a quiet tone. The next was much larger as he yelled for us to come forth. Hermione grabbed both of us by our jumpers, pushing us forward and forcing us to go up. Eyes fell upon me for the first time since before the fight and I nervously walked toward Dumbledore, his eyes penetrating my soul...along with everyone else's as calls for cheat caught alight. McGonagall and Juni each placed a supportive hand on my shoulder, their eyes wide with surprise and fear as to what might happen to me and Harry. Once I reached the waiting room, the teachers chased down behind us, grabbing both me and Harry and barraging us with questions of which we honestly denied.

Moody came to our rescue, stating that the true power of the Goblet would forbid either of us from putting our names in, even if we had used some bizarre spell to trick the line. 

Crouch looked away gravely. "The rules are absolute. The Goblet of Fire constitutes a binding magical contract...Mr. Potter and Mr. L/N have no choice...as of tonight, they are Tri-Wizard champions."

A/N: Sorry for no update yesterday and a shitty one today. I sort of have the story split up so some chapters act as fillers and are boring but I have some cool surprises and things lined up so I ask you just wait. Until then, I'll see you in a bizzle