Through the Years (Dramione Genderswap Fanfic)

Chapter Four: Fourth Year

Of course he should have anticipated this. His past three years in Hogwarts were enough proof that nothing had ever gone according to his plan. Hermes Granger just wanted to diligently study for his lessons now that he was in his fourth year, but being best friends with Harry Potter did not really give him the luxury.

A wide yawn tore away from his mouth as Hermes stretched a little. It amused him immensely that because of the Triwizard Tournament, fewer students now go to the library to study. He still couldn't accept the fact that Dumbledore had to cancel some academic activities and exams just to accommodate the thrilling events of the said tournament. But then again, with two House Champions competing in a dangerous game that could potentially result to death... well, how could they really study at all?

It was still a mystery to him how Harry was chosen as the Fourth Champion. Cedric Diggory was already a perfect choice, the poster boy of Hogwarts' brilliance and strength, so it was suspicious the Goblet of Fire chose another Champion from their school. Although he understood that the magic used to make the Goblet of Fire was extensive, it was ridiculous how they never thought of such loophole. Now, Harry had to compete in such a deadly completion because the goblet said so.

Sighing, he glanced at a book he was reading on dragons. Hagrid had secretly showed Harry what his first task would be, which Hermes knew was totally unfair to the other champions but absolutely necessary to keep Harry alive. Ever since then, he had been trying to research on dragons to aide Harry during his First Task.

He wanted to ask help from Ron, but he'd been a huge tosser ever since Harry was named Fourth Champion. Ron couldn't accept that someone was framing Harry; the only acceptable reason why Harry was chosen was of course The-Boy-Who-Lived wanted all the glory once more. Ron had avoided them both, for Merlin's sake, and Hermes was too busy keeping Harry alive to concern himself with his other, stupid best friend.

"Merlin, Granger, have you no life?"

His hands stilled, slowly lifting his eyes to see a bemused Iris Malfoy standing in front of his desk. Her hair was held back by a green headband and he wasn't really sure if he was imaging things but was her lips extra glossy today? Ever since school started, there was something different about Malfoy this time. Sure she'd grown taller and all but there was something else.

"What do you want?" he coolly asked, trying to breathe through his nose to calm his suddenly racing heart. He mentally berated himself for getting all riled up with just her mere presence. He promised at the end of third year he'd push away such antagonistic feelings away from his heart just to be the better man between the two of them. But, Merlin Almighty, Malfoy always went out of her way to bother him.

"Dragons? Really?" she asked, sitting down on the vacant seat across from him, uninvited. "What? No Potions essay to finish? No Transfiguration spell to practice?"

"Bugger off," he murmured with a deep frown.

Of course, she didn't listen to him. Instead, she placed her pointy chin on top of her palm and smirked. "So, is it really true Potter tricked the Goblet of Fire?" she innocently asked.

"Nobody can trick the Goblet of Fire," he reminded her. "Much less a fourteen-year-old."

"True," she said, flicking her silky hair over one shoulder, "but how can you explain that Hogwarts has another champion? I wouldn't be surprised if Potter went out of his way to bring the attention back to him."

Hermes expelled a humongous sigh. "Merlin, I'm sure you don't believe that codswallop," he said, closing the book he was reading on and grabbing another.

"Of course Potter's too stupid to accomplish something as advanced as tricking the Goblet of Fire," she said, her steely grey eyes landing on him. "You, however..."