A Romance Of Champions

When Harry continuously refuses to accept her help during the Triwizard Tournament, Hermione finds that there are other champions who are willing to take it and ends up finding everything she was missing. GoF AU Hermione/Cedric/Viktor endgame

I know this is a slightly weird pairing for some and I had this originally written as Hermione/Cedric, but I couldn't resist adding Viktor into the mix.

Chapter 1- Take Your Heart And Walk Away

Hermione was completely fed up of that stupid boy and his willingness to ignore something that could possibly kill him. He was well aware of the dragons and wasn't bothering to use his newfound knowledge to his benefit. She had figured that from the moment that his name was extracted from the Goblet of Fire that he would work consistently, knowing that he had a definite disadvantage against the older and more talented wizards.

Of course, he was determined to slack off as much as possible, maybe just to annoy her to her wit's end.

Even without the influence of Ron, Harry simply had no desire to even think about the First Task until it was approaching. Well, now it was approaching. And Harry was still slacking off.

So Hermione decided to confront him about it, in true Hermione Granger fashion.

"Harry," she began. "Don't you think it's important that you try to prepare for the First Task anytime soon? I mean, you have an advantage! You know what it's going to be. You can study dragons and find their weaknesses and try to plan some strategies. I've already started doing some research and I have a few suggestions that might help you out a little bit."

"Hermione, stop. It'll be fine. I'll just act on my initiative. It's worked before."

Hermione was not impressed. "Let's take a look back, shall we? First year, Ronald and I were the only reason you got past the Devil's Snare, the Chessboard and Snape's Potions Challenge. Without us, you would have been crushed by the Devil's Snare and Voldemort would have taken the Philosopher's Stone. Second year, if I hadn't have practically given you the answer to the big mystery, you wouldn't have even known that there was a Basilisk in the school! Tom Riddle would have killed Ginny. Third year, okay you handled the Dementors, but where would you be if I didn't have the Time Turner or if I didn't learn how to imitate a werewolf howl? You would be dead, Harry. The Boy Who Lived title means nothing if you don't care about living. At the moment, you're giving up. You'll be on your own in that arena and I don't think that I can help you any more than I already am! So make your mind up whether you want to live or die, won't you?"

Harry was stunned. Hermione had kept relatively quiet about her frustration towards his lackadaisical attitude towards…well, everything and she had reached her limit. "Tell me how you really feel why don't you?"

"You know what, Harry, if you're not going to take this seriously, what is the point?"

"We're friends. That's the point! Or at least it's supposed to be." Harry sighed.

Hermione crossed her arms and shook her head. "That's the way that it used to be. Now, I'm not even sure. You and Ronald always seem to be friends with me when it's convenient for you. I help you with homework, give you advice, but what do I get in return? A whole lot of nothing."

"Wow, Hermione, you really know what to say to someone that has been entered in a Tournament which could actually kill him."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. You certainly know how to proactively try to not die in said Tournament. You're not even acting like you care!"

"Of course I care."

"Then prove it. Go to the library now and do some research. Actually, you know what? I don't care anymore. Do what you like. I'm out."

"Hermione, wait," Harry tried feebly, but Hermione was done.

"Absolutely not. I'm going to the library. I have Ancient Runes homework that I should have a week ago but I deferred due to helping you. Well, just like the Tournament intended, you're all on your own. Or maybe Ron will come around and you two can procrastinate together. Good luck, Harry."

Hermione exited the portrait hole and grunted repeatedly at Harry's lack of consideration for his own life.

Eventually, she reached the library and planted the biggest book that she could find right in front of her. Flicking open the pages, but not actually reading them, she sighed.

"Stupid boys," She whispered to herself but, as she looked up, she realised that she wasn't alone.

"Boy trouble?" A voice that sounded as though it was actually dipped in melted honey rumbled through her corner. Even though she hadn't heard it much, she could recognise it anywhere.

"Cedric Diggory. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Hermione smiled kindly but couldn't stamp down on the vine of…something that grew in her chest. What it was she didn't actually know. And she wasn't sure that she wanted to just yet.

Cedric shrugged. "You know, just trying not to die in a competition where the possibility is quite likely without the correct preparation."

Hermione's smile grew wider because Cedric just got it. He understood how dangerous the Tournament was. That just proved that the Age Restriction was necessary because Harry hadn't the slightest inkling about how to ensure his own survival and that was just stupid.

"Your look tells me that Harry hasn't been doing the same and you've been working harder than he has."

Hermione blinked. "You got all of that from a look?"

Cedric smirked. "And also the fact that I saw him playing Exploding Snap for about an hour with Dean Thomas in one of our designated study periods for the Tournament."

Hermione shook her head, huffing. "Unbelievable. But yes, you're right. I'm tired of doing all of the work for him."

Cedric perched on the edge of the table, looking down at her, frowning. "May I ask exactly what work you've been doing? Is it just general spellcasting or something with a more focused objective?"

That was when Hermione realised that Harry had been selfish and had not warned Cedric about the dragons. She had cajoled him for hours about doing the right thing as Fleur and Viktor already knew, but apparently he had not taken her advice. As usual.

Hermione leaned forward. "Cedric, there's something that I think you ought to know. All of the other Champions know what you have to face in the First Task."

Cedric's surprised look both enraged her and filled her with sympathy. She had been in the dark for far too long before but, this time in Cedric's case, it actually mattered. "They do?"

Hermione nodded. "I told Harry to tell you, but I guess he wanted to further his chances, which are becoming exponentially slimmer with every day that goes by without research."

"I assume you're going to tell me, but how did they know?"

"Well, Hagrid knows and he's sweet on Madame Maxime, who is conversing with Igor Karkaroff so that the Hogwarts duo don't win the Tournament."

Cedric's face dropped. "So, if Hagrid knows, why wasn't I clued in?"

Hermione shrugged, reflecting on what was a good question. "Hagrid and Harry have this bond with each other. I think that Harry thinks he owes Hagrid a lot because he was the one to tell him that he was a wizard. And Hagrid dotes on Harry because of his parents, I think. It's all quite strange, I find."

Cedric nodded before bracing himself. He rubbed the hem of his robes in between his fingers. "So, what do we have to face in the First Task?"

Hermione inhaled. "It's dragons. They have one for each of the Champions. I'm guessing that the dragons are assigned at random and they will possibly be at different levels of ferocity. I was reading up on everything that I could find about the Tournament and, occasionally, luck is an important factor. You just have to pray that you don't get the Hungarian Horntail."

Cedric nodded, wincing automatically. "Dragons, huh? I'll do some reading. I don't suppose you'd like to help me. I don't want to take you away from your studies, but I would appreciate the help. I know how thirsty for knowledge you can get."

Hermione preened. Cedric was asking for her help, the help that she had been impatiently waiting to give to Harry. "Of course, I would love to. This shouldn't impact my academics at all. I'm on top of it. Well, I will be once I stop worrying about Harry. Oh, but now I have you to worry about! But I suppose that you can handle yourself better than Harry can. You're at least wise enough to accept my help."

"You worry about me?" Cedric flashed that dazzling smile and Hermione's breath was taken away. Cedric Diggory really was beautiful. She had noticed, but hadn't noticed just how beautiful he was.

"Sure I do. Ever since the Quidditch World Cup. We did have quite the illuminating discussion on the walk there about wizarding politics. I worry about all of my friends, not that I'll have many anymore after my argument with Harry."

Cedric grinned, remembering the memory fondly. "Hey, if things come to worst, you'll have all the Diggory supporters on your side." He winked. "Plus, I believe that Viktor Krum has his eye on you, too."

"Too?" She hadn't missed that.

Cedric just kept on smiling. He lowered his voice slightly. "I always thought that you were dating Harry."

Hermione frowned, surprised. "What? Does it look that way? I mean, we were friends, close friends, but never! I would never date Harry."

Cedric held his hands up. "Just a few rumours that went around. I wasn't sure what to believe. I tried observing you both at the World Cup, but I didn't see anything worth confirming the rumour over. I think that the extent of it was you picking lint from his shirt."

Hermione giggled, something that was genuinely rare. She laughed, sure, but giggling? Not so much.

"That is more of a motherly action than anything else," Hermione said.

"That definitely calls for a point in my favour," Cedric raised his eyebrow.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "How do you mean?"

"The fact that you're not interested in dating Harry works out pretty well for me. You know, in case I actually work up the courage to formally ask you out."

Hermione decided to be out of character and play curveball. "Well, what if I'm already with Krum by that point?"

Cedric laughed and shrugged. "Well, he's incredibly gorgeous, so I wouldn't mind getting in on that, even if it was only to watch."

Hermione's eyes bulged.

"Bisexuality is a thing in the wizarding world, you know?"

"I figured. I just didn't expect you to be…"

Cedric sighed. "Not many people do. It's why it makes it so much fun to tell people. They go through the whole shocked phase and then start to grill me about which boys I think are cute."

Hermione smirked. "Come to think of it, you didn't seem to be as wonderstruck by the Veela at the Quidditch World Cup as everybody else was."

"Well, when sporting hero Viktor Krum is flying around, there are more interesting things to be concentrating on."

Hermione nodded and grinned. "So, do you think Krum's hotter than Fleur?"

Cedric rolled his eyes. "Well, that's basically the bisexual version of Sophie's Choice!" At Hermione's confused expression, he elaborated. "Last summer, for some extra credit for Muggle Studies, I decided to integrate with the Muggle world a bit more and I watched a lot of movies. I cannot believe that wizards haven't discovered Meryl Streep."

Hermione laughed, agreeing. "She is amazing. But you're deflecting."

"Well, Krum is one of those guys that you have a crush on from an early age. If you had grown up a sports fan in the wizarding world, you would have had the poster in your bedroom. Fleur is a natural beauty, but she knows that she's elegant. She uses it too much. I know that that's the Veela way, but still, it's a little disconcerting."

Hermione was about to agree, but Cedric continued to talk.

"Now you, on the other hand, have no idea truly how beautiful you are. Probably because those clueless friends of yours never noticed it. I have. Krum has. You're a catch, Granger." He nudged her awkwardly.

"Thank you, Cedric. I'm sure scores of girls tell you that you're insanely handsome."

Cedric shuffled modestly.

"Just as I thought. But I like how you don't play on that, just as Fleur does. I know that Viktor uses his celebrity when he needs to, but I hear that he is rather humble about it, like you."

"Thank you, Hermione. It means a lot that you think such things."

"Everyone does. I heard from the biggest gossipmongers in the school that Cho Chang fancies the pants off you."

Cedric nodded glumly. "She does. Or, well, she did. She didn't take my sexuality too kindly. Marietta Edgecombe apparently has some strong views on the matter, as does Cho. Anything between us ended right there and then."

"Honestly, I've never really liked her. Sure, she's beautiful, but she seems a little too vapid to be in Ravenclaw."

"I know what you mean. She mostly likes to talk about snow. I know, it's weird," Cedric replied.

A comfortable silence drifted over them as Hermione remembered why she was there and why Cedric was there, too.

"The dragon. I'm going to help you formulate a plan to deal with it. You're going to get first place in this task if it kills me."

Cedric stared at her lexical choice. She faltered under his gaze. "Oh, you know what I mean. You're going to win, Cedric."

Cedric smiled genuinely at her and, for the first time since his name was drawn from the Goblet of Fire, realised his potential as a possible Triwizard Champion.

Author's Note: Ugh, I know other stories require my attention, but I could NOT leave this alone! This is my first venture into the HP universe without a crossover with Glee, so fingers crossed that this turns out well! Hopefully you guys like it! More soon! Review please! xoxo