Harry Potter 04 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

more brightly. ‘So what?’
    ‘What happened – trying to get him to join spew , were you?’
    ‘No, I wasn’t! If you really want to know, he – he said he’d been coming up to the library every day to try and talk to me, but he hadn’t been able to pluck up the courage!’
    Hermione said this very quickly, and blushed so deeply that she was the same colour as Parvati’s robes.
    ‘Yeah, well – that’s his story,’ said Ron nastily.
    ‘And what’s that supposed to mean?’
    ‘Obvious, isn’t it? He’s Karkaroff’s student, isn’t he? He knows who you hang around with … he’s just trying to get closer to Harry – get inside information on him – or get near enough to jinx him –’
    Hermione looked as though Ron had slapped her. When she spoke, her voice quivered. ‘For your information, he hasn’t asked me one single thing about Harry, not one –’
    Ron changed tack at the speed of light. ‘Then he’s hoping you’ll help him find out what his egg means! I suppose you’ve been putting your heads together during those cosy little library sessions –’
    ‘I’d never help him work out that egg!’ said Hermione, looking outraged. ‘ Never . How could you say something like that – I want Harry to win the Tournament. Harry knows that, don’t you, Harry?’
    ‘You’ve got a funny way of showing it,’ sneered Ron.
    ‘This whole Tournament’s supposed to be about getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them!’ said Hermione shrilly.
    ‘No, it isn’t!’ shouted Ron. ‘It’s about winning!’
    People were starting to stare at them.
    ‘Ron,’ said Harry quietly, ‘I haven’t got a problem with Hermione coming with Krum –’
    But Ron ignored Harry too.
    ‘Why don’t you go and find Vicky, he’ll be wondering where you are,’ said Ron.
    ‘Don’t call him Vicky!’ Hermione jumped to her feet, and stormed off across the dance floor, disappearing into the crowd.
    Ron watched her go with a mixture of anger and satisfaction on his face.
    ‘Are you going to ask me to dance at all?’ Padma asked him.
    ‘No,’ said Ron, still glaring after Hermione.
    ‘Fine,’ snapped Padma, and she got up and went to join Parvati and the Beauxbatons boy, who conjured up one of his friends to join them so fast that Harry could have sworn he had zoomed him there by a Summoning Charm.
    ‘Vare is Herm-own-ninny?’ said a voice.
    Krum had just arrived at their table clutching two Butterbeers.
    ‘No idea,’ said Ron mulishly, looking up at him. ‘Lost her, have you?’
    Krum was looking surly again.
    ‘Vell, if you see her, tell her I haff drinks,’ he said, and he slouched off.
    ‘Made friends with Viktor Krum, have you, Ron?’
    Percy had bustled over, rubbing his hands together and looking extremely pompous. ‘Excellent! That’s the whole point, you know – international magical co-operation!’
    To Harry’s annoyance, Percy promptly took Padma’s vacated seat. The top table was now empty; Professor Dumbledore was dancing with Professor Sprout; Ludo Bagman, with Professor McGonagall; Madame Maxime and Hagrid were cutting a wide path around the dance floor as they waltzed through the students and Karkaroff was nowhere to be seen. When the next song ended, everybody applauded once more, and Harry saw Ludo Bagman kiss Professor McGonagall’s hand and make his way back through the crowds, at which point Fred and George accosted him.
    ‘What do they think they’re doing, annoying senior Ministry members?’ Percy hissed, watching Fred and George suspiciously. ‘ No respect …’
    Ludo Bagman shook off Fred and George fairly quickly, however, and, spotting Harry, waved and came over to their table.
    ‘I hope my brothers weren’t bothering you, Mr Bagman?’ said Percy at once.
    ‘What? Oh, not at all, not at all!’ said Bagman. ‘No, they were just telling me a bit more about those fake wands of theirs. Wondering if I could advise them on the marketing. I’ve promised to put them in touch with a couple of contacts of mine at Zonko’s Joke Shop …’
    Percy didn’t look happy about this at all, and Harry was prepared to bet he would be rushing to tell Mrs Weasley about it the moment he got home. Apparently Fred and George’s plans had grown even more ambitious lately, if they were hoping to sell to the public.
    Bagman opened his mouth to ask Harry something, but Percy diverted him. ‘How do you feel the Tournament’s going, Mr Bagman? Our