Chapter Text
Part 1
1991
Hermione's first year and Cedric's third year.
"Don't be afraid to be different, to be unique. Stand up for yourself, especially when you think you're right."
Hermione Granger could hear her father's voice in her head. She was reminded not only that she had to be brave, but she was also loved and protected. If things go wrong, she could turn to her parents.
But I want to go to Hogwarts, she thought. I belong there, not in the Muggle world.
Over a year ago, a month before Hermione's eleventh birthday, her mind was already on Benenden School. It was one of the most prestigious secondary schools in the country and she already got her acceptance letter. However, a woman named Professor Minerva McGonagall came to visit her and explained that Hermione was accepted at the school she was working for: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Her parents were surprised to know that not only a school for magic existed, but also there was an entire community where she could practice her magic properly.
As a child, her parents witnessed some of her so-called accidental magic. She could turn her mother's garden flowers in different colours. She could make their plates at home float in the air. Her parents weren't scared of her. They were scared for her.
So when Professor McGonagall answered all of her parents' questions about the magical community and school, the Grangers decided to forget Benenden.
But things weren't easy, Hermione decided. This was her first trip to Hogwarts - her first ever! But that arrogant 'Pureblood' boy ruined her day. She started crying silently in her own compartment. Thankfully, (and sadly) no one wanted to share a compartment with a bushy-haired girl who didn't come from a magical family.
After a good cry, she decided to just read her favourite book: Hogwarts: A History.
But the compartment door opened gently and Hermione almost jumped from her seat at the sight of a kind-looking and handsome boy. He looked older. He was almost a foot taller than the boys who bullied her earlier.
It was the Hufflepuff boy who defended her from the three arrogant boys, Cedric Diggory.
"Hello," said the boy gently.
"Hello," Hermione replied sheepishly.
Cedric sat on the opposite chair. "I just want to make sure you're okay," he said kindly.
Hermione shrugged. "I'm fine. I'm used to it." She closed the book and looked outside the window.
"What do you mean you're 'used to it'?"
Hermione turned to look at Cedric. He was frowning.
"That bunch of arrogant boys was bullying you." He sounded worried as well.
Hermione looked up and met the older student's eyes. He had grey eyes, like one of the boys who bullied her, but his eyes were full of warmth and gentleness.
"Kids in my former school didn't like me. I don't have friends," she said casually, looking out the window again. "I'm not expecting to have friends here, too, because of my blood status. I'm a Muggleborn. Those boys are pureblood wizards and I don't expect pureblood wizards to be friends with me," she replied frankly. This boy should know she didn't need pity. He should not feel obliged to be nice to her.
"But I'm a pureblood and I don't see any problem being friends with half-bloods and Muggleborns," replied the boy rather sincerely.
Her eyes widened like saucers and her mouth formed a small 'o'. "Y-you just defended a Muggle-born like me to pure-bloods like you..."
The boy smiled beautifully and nodded. "I did. We're called blood traitors because my parents are Muggleborn-friendly but it doesn't matter. So, Hermione Granger, please don't ever think that you won't have any friends in Hogwarts because you will break my heart," he joked and Hermione blushed.
"Er, thanks," she replied sheepishly. "I wish I would be in Hufflepuff, too. According to the book Hogwarts: A History, Hufflepuffs are loyal, patient, and fair."
"Yes, that's true, but that doesn't mean that there aren't arrogant people in our house," he chuckled. "And hey, you're too bright to be in Hufflepuff. I bet you'd be in Ravenclaw."
Hermione blushed again. "Thanks," she mumbled.
"Don't worry. Even if you'd be sorted to a different house, I'd still be your friend."
Hermione gave Cedric a relaxed smile. "That's very nice of you," she said.
Cedric gave her a crooked smile that made him look even more handsome. "So, Hermione, my new friend, tell me about the Muggle world..."
.
"One day, I was five, a boy came into my parents' dental clinic and he cried so hard after his teeth removal. I wanted to scream and throw one of my father's trinkets at him," she told Cedric after they finished eating Honeydukes' Cauldron Cakes he bought for the two of them from the trolley.
Cedric laughed gracefully. Hermione smiled at the sight of her new friend. How could he laugh freely yet gracefully? she thought and shook her head inwardly.
"So, how about your parents? What do they do?" she asked.
"My father works in the Being Division of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures," Cedric told her
"What does he do?" she asked with interest.
Before Cedric could answer her question, the compartment door opened, and a boy with brown hair and a round face nervously looked at them. "I'm sorry, but have you seen a toad? I lost my pet, Trevor!"
Hermione and Cedric exchanged looks before turning back to the boy. "No, we haven't," replied Cedric. "But let me help you find him," he offered.
Hermione was shocked for a moment, amazed by the kindness the Hufflepuff boy was demonstrating, so she got up as well. "I'll help, too," she replied casually.
.
Hermione found herself in a big hall with hundreds of candles floating near the ceiling. No light bulbs nor florescent; just candles, and the room was so beautiful. She had read about it in Hogwarts: A History, of course, and she imagined that it must be really magical. But the Great Hall in her imagination was nothing compared to this one. This was gorgeous.
There were four long tables, one table for each house. Hermione tried locating Cedric at the Hufflepuff table, but she couldn't see him. Perhaps he was seated near the other end of the table, she thought.
"Finnigan, Seamus!"
Hermione turned her eyes back to Professor McGonagall. Did she just call 'Finnugan'? She might be next. Pay attention, Hermione!
She watched as the boy with sandy hair was sorted to Gryffindor.
"Granger, Hermione," she called the professor loudly.
She told herself to calm down, before sitting on the stool and placing the talking hat on her head.
Silence.
The hat was murmuring something about whether to put her in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. Everyone, except for the hat, was silent. And while Hermione was nervously waiting for the hat's decision, her eyes found Cedric at the Hufflepuff table. She was right, he was sitting near the other end of the table. She wasn't sure, but it seemed that his eyes were fixed on her as well, and he smiled warmly as if comforting her.
After four minutes, the hat finally shouted: "GRYFFINDOR!"
Hermione thought she saw the disappointment in Cedric's face before she took off the hat and got off the stool. But she wasn't sure. She ran to the Gryffindor table happily and once she was settled, she looked at the opposite table. She met Cedric's eyes and offered him a small smile. He smiled back and mouthed 'congratulations'.
.
Hermione liked all of her classes and respected all of her professors, even Professor Snape who embarrassed her in their first meeting. Hermione wasn't offended too much. She just had to prove him that she wasn't a dunderhead and prove to the Slytherins that she belonged to Hogwarts.
But what could she do about flying? She heard Slytherins Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson tell everyone from their house that they practiced flying last summer.
She sighed and looked at the ceiling - which showed the accurate weather outside. It was sunny. It was going to be a good day. She returned to her breakfast and when she glanced at the Hufflepuff table, she found Cedric looking at her. They exchanged smiles.
.
Cedric was done eating. He was only half-listening to his best mates, Ian and Terrence, chattering. He did his best to stop looking at Hermione too much. She was still eating and he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable.
Just when Ian was telling them about the Weasley twins' new prank, he saw Hermione stand up, so he left the table and left the hall as well without paying attention to his friends.
"Hermione!" he called.
Hermione turned around and smiled when she saw him. She stopped walking and waited for him. "Cedric," she greeted.
He finally made it to her side. "Hi. How are your classes?" he asked timidly. He heard from a bunch of Slytherins that Professor Snape embarrassed her in their first Potions class.
"Er, fine," she replied sheepishly. "And yours?"
"Fine," he replied. "Er, listen. I heard that you're having your first flying lesson tomorrow. Maybe, you want to watch the Hufflepuff Quidditch game this afternoon? I'm not part of the team yet but everyone's allowed to play I can teach you some flying techniques."
Hermione gave Cedric an appreciative look, but she looked hesitant. "Er... I'm not sure."
He frowned and then smiled sadly. "All right. Just in case you want, you can come to the Quidditch pitch after classes."
Hermione nodded and smiled timidly.
.
"Happy birthday, mate," greeted Ian sleepily when his friend sat beside him.
"Thanks, mate," he replied with a smile. "Open your eyes, will you?" he laughed.
Terrence walked in and joined them at the table. He placed an arm on Cedric's shoulder. "Happy birthday, mate!" he greeted cheerfully.
"Big thanks!" he replied and turned to his breakfast.
Several owls flew in the middle of their breakfast. His family owl landed in front of him, dropping two medium-sized parcels which were obviously from his parents.
"Looks like you're not the only one who's celebrating a birthday," commented Terrence.
Ced turned to his friend whose eyes were somewhere else. He followed where he was looking at; the Gryffindor table, at Hermione Granger.
Hermione also received a parcel and she opened a card attached to it. She smiled to herself and when she looked up, their eyes met. He smiled at her warmly and he jerked his head to the door. Hermione nodded.
He got up first, carrying his things, and went to an alcove outside the Great Hall. Hermione arrived after a few seconds.
"Hello," he greeted.
"Hi," Hermione greeted back and her eyes roamed to the packages he was holding. "Is it your birthday, too?"
Ced was surprised. So Terrence was right! He felt rather excited at the thought of sharing a birthday with his little friend. "Yes, September the nineteenth. Is it your birthday?" He tried to sound casual. He didn't want to give Hermione the impression that he was too excited.
Hermione smiled. "Yes. It's my twelfth birthday. Mum and Dad sent me presents."
He smirked. "It's my fourteenth," he replied.
"Fourteenth?" Hermione teased.
"I just look tall for my age, but I swear, I'm only fourteen and in my third year," he replied.
Hermione smiled and nodded. "I know. Happy birthday, then."
He flashed his crooked smile. "Happy birthday, Hermione."
.
I hate you, Ronald Weasley! Hermione thought as she was wiping her tears, thinking of what happened after their Charms class. While the Hufflepuffs were not friends with her, they were civil. They treat her nicely. Unlike her fellow Gryffindors.
I wish the hat put me in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff instead, she thought.
"Hermione?"
She was startled by the voice. Was it her imagination? Or he was really there?
"It's me, Cedric. Are you all right?"
Hermione stopped sniffing. "What's he doing here?" she asked herself in a whisper while wiping her tears with a hanky and straightening her uniform.
"Hermione, I know you're there," he said gently. "Please, I want to know if you're okay."
Hermione was touched by his words. Cedric was really a nice guy. He was kind and gentlemanly.
"I'm okay," she called rather loudly and casually.
"Can you please come here?" Cedric pleaded softly.
Hermione did. She came out of the cubicle even with her puffy eyes. Her hair was tied in a loose bun and still looked messy. She still went to the doorway of the lavatory and met Cedric.
Hermione was shocked when Cedric reached out and pulled her into a hug.
"I heard about what happened. Those first years in my house told me; you have Charms with them."
There's no more use in hiding the truth. Hermione cried silently against Ced's chest reluctantly.
"Don't mind Weasley. He's just probably jealous that you can do the spell brilliantly and he could not," Ced consoled her while running a hand on her head like she was a little girl.
She was touched by the gesture and for a moment, he wondered if Cedric had a little sister.
Hermione gently pulled away from his friendly embrace and found her shoes interesting. "Thanks," she said as she wiped her tears.
"I was thinking of writing to my parents and tell them that I want to quit. Maybe I can go back to London and just study in the prestigious Muggle school they dreamed of for me. I got an acceptance letter, anyway. I guess, no one would bully me there because all students are above average. You will only get bullied if you're a dunderhead," she said quietly.
Cedric sighed and placed his two hands on her shoulders. "Is that really what you want?" he asked.
"Yes," she mumbled without looking up.
"Hermione, look at me, please," said Cedric gently.
Hermione did. She met his eyes with a forced smile. "Tell me that you're not happy here. Tell me that you don't like magic. Tell me that you don't enjoy brewing potions, transfiguring things, and casting charms."
Her eyes brimmed with tears. "They don't want me here."
"I want you here. Our professors, except for Professor Snape, like you, and I heard Professor Sprout once saying that you should be in Ravenclaw, much to Professor McGonagall's dismay."
She chuckled and relaxed. "Are you telling the truth, or are you just trying to make me laugh?"
Cedric gave out his crooked smile. "Made you laugh, didn't I? But I'm telling the truth. I'd be willing to take Veritaserum just to prove that - "
"Silly!" she giggled. "Truth potions are forbidden. But I believe you now. I know that you never lied to me," she said truthfully.
Cedric smiled with satisfaction. "Good. Let's go to the feast, then?" he offered.
"You go ahead. I'll just... do something. Girl thing," she replied sheepishly. She had to wash up and change her tampon.
Cedric nodded. "See you at the Halloween feast."
.
Hermione could not believe what happened last night. Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley apologized! And Fred, George, and Percy Weasley scolded their brother for treating her badly!
Guess I'm wrong about some of my housemates, especially about the upper class, she thought happily as she entered the Great Hall for breakfast.
"Hermione!"
Hermione's eyes twinkled upon hearing that voice and when she turned around, she saw him approaching her. "Cedric!" she called happily.
"What happened after the incident last night? Did you get detention or something? I wished Professor Sprout didn't pull me away."
Merlin, he sounds so worried, Hermione thought.
Hermione giggled. "Relax, Ced. Yes, I've got detention but just to help Madam Pince at the library. Don't worry, I love books and I can take care of magical ones."
"Hermione, are you sure you're okay? You were almost killed by a mountain troll last night. If Potter, Weasley, and I didn't come..."
"I would be dead by now," she finished. "Thanks for saving me, Harry, and Ron, Cedric. It was really because of you. Ron's levitating charm wasn't enough to kill the troll," she told him gratefully.
Cedric nodded. "Why were they there, anyway?" he asked.
Hermione smiled sheepishly. "Well, the same reason as yours. Harry heard from our housemates that I was crying, so he blamed Ron. Then, when they heard that there was a mountain troll in the dungeon, Harry thought of me and told Ron that they had to warn me."
"What happened after?"
"After you left with Professor Sprout, of course, we lost points for Gryffindor, but when we returned to the Gryffindor Tower, Harry, Ron, and I just... felt comfortable around each other. Ron mumbled his apologies and Harry said that he wanted me to be his friend. Ron, too," she told him happily.
Cedric placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad that you've found new friends."
She looked at Cedric anxiously. "But... we're still friends, right?"
Cedric flashed his crooked smile. "Of course, Hermione."
Hermione smiled happily. "Thanks, Cedric."
.
"I can't believe you did that to Neville, Hermione!" Ron was saying while they were running. They just left the Gryffindor Tower for the third-floor corridor where they believe the Sorcerer's Stone was hidden.
"I can't, either. I have to apologize to him again. If we make it alive," she replied.
Harry, who was ahead of them, stopped running because he almost collided with someone.
"Hermione? Harry, Ron!"
How come he saw me first even if I was behind Harry? she wondered inwardly.
"What are you doing here? It's after curfew!" Cedric asked the three of them.
"I should ask you the same," she blurted. They've been friends for more than nine months now, so they were comfortable around each other.
"He's got detention," came a new voice from behind Cedric.
"With us," said another voice.
The twins appeared and they stood on Cedric's sides.
"Fred, George!" exclaimed Ron.
.
"Why did you get detention?" asked Hermione in a worried tone.
"Nothing," he replied promptly. He didn't want her to know.
"Oh, shut it, Diggory. Hermione won't believe you," said one of the twins.
"She's not a dunderhead, mate," said the other. "Only Hermione Granger could tell us apart outside the family."
"And I still wonder how."
"I will tell you if you tell me why Diggory's got detention," said Hermione in a bossy tone.
If Cedric wasn't worried about what Hermione and the other two boys were up to, he would've laughed and pinched her nose because of her bossiness.
"Well, Diggory here hexed one Slytherin boy for insulting our resident bookworm," said one of the twins.
"It happened in the courtyard and we saw that bloke, Flint. Of course, we hexed him, too."
Hermione looked at him and frowned. "Why?"
Cedric glared. "What do you mean 'why'? Of course, you're my friend! I won't let anyone insult you. You've done nothing wrong."
"Hufflepuffs," mumbled Hermione with a shake of her head.
"Oi, we're not Hufflepuffs!" said one of the twins.
"Honestly, Slytherins call me 'filthy' all the time because of my blood status. Pansy Parkinson calls me 'beaver' all the time. Those things don't bother me. I've told you already, I'm used to it and if I would react negatively, I would just give them the satisfaction of - "
"But it bothers me because you're neither filthy nor a beaver!" he said indignantly.
"Yeah, Granger. No need to be shirty with Diggory," joked one of the twins.
Hermione glared at the twins. "And how about you, two?"
"We did it because you're like our little sister and Gryffindor House couldn't afford to lose its resident bookworm who works so hard to make up for the lost points because of her two dunderhead friends."
"Oi, Fred, I'm your brother!" protested the youngest Weasley boy to the twin on his left.
"And what did you do during detention?" asked Hermione.
"Just bits and bobs," replied George.
"Odds and sods," said Fred.
"Hermione, there's no more time! Come on, hurry up!" insisted The Boy Who Lived.
Hermione and Ronald started moving, but the older trio blocked their way.
Hermione quirked eyebrows. "Sorry, gentlemen but we're a bit in a hurry to do something really important."
"And what could that be?" he asked. "It's late and you should be getting back to your house."
"Don't ask us questions and we won't tell you lies," said Hermione and she drew her wand from her sleeve. "I just threw Petrificus Totalus to Neville because he was trying to stop us. I'd hate to do the same to you."
Cedric and the twins shook their heads and stepped aside. The younger trio smiled and waved.
"Thanks!" said Harry with a grin.
"You know, Diggory," said Fred Weasley who placed a hand on his shoulder, "if you don't marry that girl someday, I will."
Cedric blushed and shook his head. "You two return to your dorm. I'll follow those three. I can't let anything happen to Hermione."
"Then we won't let anything happen to Ickle Ronnikins as well!"
And the three of them followed the younger trio.
Thirty minutes later, Cedric, Fred, and George arrived at an odd room with a giant chessboard. They saw the chess pieces destroyed and an injured Ron. The twins ran to help their little brother while Cedric looked around for Hermione.
A door to his left opened and revealed a disheveled Hermione. She looked like she was going to pass out, so he instantly came to her side and enveloped her in his arms. He carefully carried her until they reached the hospital wing.