A New Adventure {Book Three}

The Yule Ball

Twelve.

Hermione entered the main doorway to the lobby to the Great Hall. The clock tower struck seven. The younger Hermione was about to come down the steps, so the time-traveling Hermione had to make it all look natural, without being seen by her younger self.

So she races upstairs to then step out of the way of her other self. As the youngster goes down the stairs to be taken in the striding steps of Krum, the older Hermione watched from a distance as the four champions entered the Great Hall.

Then she waited in a small corner for something else to come. And there was.

From the Great Hall, marching out came Ron and Hermione holding up a disagreement about Krum. Ron was trying to help her, "He's using you.."

"How dare you?! Besides I can take care of myself."

"Doubt it. He's way too old"

"What?!"

From a distance, the older Hermione laughs at hearing this, because Ron was definitely right about it.

The agreement cannot be subsided. Soon enough, now Ron and Harry are both scurrying up the stairs without her. Instead she sits at the bottom of the stairs crying to herself. The elder Hermione stands at the top looking down.

Next she notices a familiar figure standing in front of the younger Hermione.

The mysterious man asks the tearful one a question, "Are you alright, Granger?"

"I'm fine. Just- just leave me alone, Malfoy"

"Ah, now that wouldn't be right. A pretty girl like you shouldn't be left alone. I-- I mean-"

"What did you just say?"

'Now things are getting interesting, still it could've been only a slip-up. That usually happens with the Draco I know, but only when he was around me alone...'

Hermione's thoughts were finally connecting with one another, but she couldn't be so sure that easily.

She continued to watch the two of them down below. She saw the young Draco holding out his hand and the other Hermione using it to stand back up. They started walking out the main doorway.

Some may say that the time-traveler would leave them be, but nope. She followed them straight on.