Into the Morning
Hermione woke up exhausted, late that Saturday morning. It was near 1:00 when she got out of bed. She had stayed up the whole night reading her book. She liked to study but that History of Magic really got to her. It was like being in a completely different time, a completely different place. She stumbled out of her pajamas and into the hot shower and got clean. After putting on her clothes, did she realize it was 1:30. She didn't have any classes that day, thank God. However, there was a trip to Hogsmeade that was occupying her thoughts. Perhaps, her and Ron would go? That was if he could pluck up the courage to ask her. He was such a She never really had had a boyfriend but she imagined he would have cheated on her or lie to her occasionally. Hermione didn't really mind if the guy cheated, she was hideous. No guys ever seemed to look her way. Oh well, she sighed while picking up the book she didn't finish last night. Hermione walked down the stairs and to the library while reading the last pages of her book, unaware someone's eyes were fixed straight upon hers.
She sat down in a comfortable recliner, deeply in her book. When a boy a bit after her age passed her by. She had never seen him before and she had just noticed him. But she shook it off. A voice then broke the silence between Hermione and her textbook.
"Umm ... excuse me?"
She turned around.
"Hi, umm. Do you know vere umm… Pansy Parkinson is, by a chance? Ve vere supposed to go to Hogsmeade today. I believe she may be blowing me off …" He blushed.
He was pretty cute, dark brown hair, and somewhat muscular. Who has the chance to work out at Hogwarts? She had almost forgotten to answer.
"She has a habit of doing that, even to her friends." She said maliciously.
She knew Pansy. She was absolutely beautiful and hideous all the while, she was a true Slytherin at heart. But when it came to guys, she groveled all over them, stealing other girls' guys left and right. Why would she blow off this guy?
"I'm sorry, you vant to talk about it? I'm Viktor, by the vay."
"I'm Hermione. We're not even friends, she's just a two faced witch."
"Vell I'd love to talk to you more. Listen, vould you like to go to Hogsmeade instead? I mean I have many friends there and ... I don't vant to sound ignorant but ... but they vouldn't really be happy if I didn't bring someone. They vanted to go on a group date at Three Broomsticks."
"Umm ... sure. I don't have anything else to do."
She set her book on the side table and followed Viktor out of the room.
"So what year are you?" he asked her.
"I'm a fourth year." Hermione replied.
"Sixth. I vonder vhy I haven't seen you around the school. But then again I don't go to Hogvarts …"
"Oh, I get really busy. I take advanced potions and basically every other class advanced."
"Oh ... vell that's intimidating."
"Not really ... well I guess I could be. I just study a lot but besides that I'm pretty normal."
He smiled. Hermione and Viktor had reached the end of the corridor and were stepping outside. It was winter. Snow was falling. It was a beautiful day.
"Ready?," He asked.
"Yeah. Where's your friends?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, ve're meeting them in Three Broomsticks."
"Oh, okay." She said enthusiastically.
They walked for a short amount of distance talking of quidditch and the house cup until Viktor stopped and looked at her. She looked back.
"What? Do I have something on my face?" asked Hermione nervously.
He chuckled, "No, no you look beautiful. I'm not going to lie to you. I've … I've … I've seen you around. And umm ... I have slight crush on you." he stuttered.
He blushed and she smiled.
"You ... have a crush ... on me?" Hermione asked, obviously startled.
"Mhm. Is that bad?" he replied.
"No, no, not at all. It's just a little surprising."
He pulled her hair back. It was glistening with the snow. A snowflake fell on her nose. He brushed it off.
They both laughed and kept walking.
"So let me guess ... your friends aren't coming are they?"
He looked hesitant, "No.", He laughed.
"So then, what do you want to do?"
"Doesn't matter to me. You vant to still go to Hogsmeade? Though I doubt ve'd be there for an hour and then ve'd have to start heading back."
"Okay, then follow me."
She led him to the back of the school since they didn't make it far and brought him near the One Eyed Witch passageway.
"Vere are ... Vere are we?"
"Missing." She laughed.
"Missing?" he asked curiously.
"Meaning, no one knows where we are. Not even you. I'm kidnapping you."
"Vell then, you can kidnap me anytime."
They laughed. His smile was so gorgeous. He, himself, was just gorgeous. Why would he have a crush on me?
"Why do you like me?" Hermione asked.
He looked confused.
"I mean, it's just. I've been told all my life. I'm normal, I'm nothing special, I'm just … oh I don't know. You understand what I'm saying?" She asked while tilting her head to the side.
"Vho told you that?"
"The same girl you were looking for."
"Vell then obviously, she was lying."
Hermione looked up to Viktor hopefully, to search through his words and possibly, just maybe, this will work.
"Virst of all, I vasn't really looking for Pansy. I just know her from the Slytherin table. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. You're funny, sweet, caring. Exactly vhat a girl should be. Not too vain, but not too self-conscious. Not stubborn, but not always giving. You're perfect."
"How would you know that?" Hermione asked, seriously doubting this pick up attempt.
"Vell, I see you vith Harry and Ron. You're always laughing and you helped them vith their school vork in the library. I've been trying to ask you to go to the Yule ball vith me but I never got the courage to."
"That's why you always were in the library … but with no books."
"Yes, and" he added, "Every guy in this school, just happens to be in love vith you."
"That's a lie." She said turning her face away so he wouldn't see the tear.
Viktor shifted. He couldn't believe that she wouldn't see it, that she couldn't see her own beauty.
"You don't believe me? Vine, next time you are around a guy, look to see they're reaction to your every moment, your ever vord. Their jaws drop just by looking at you."
Hermione turned her face towards him, exposing the tear. His eyes softened more, if possible, and his own jaw dropped. In front of him was the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. Something so perfect, he was afraid to tarnish. But he slowly move his hand to wipe the tear, then to caress her face. Slowly they moved closer, closer, and even closer, until they were attached lip by lip. The kiss lasted for hours it seemed.
"Kind of ... like that?" asked Hermione, who was sporting a small smile.
"Exactly like that." He replied.
He pulled her lips to his and she returned the favor. They sat there gazing into each other's eyes, wondering why she had never noticed this.
"Wait, how do I know you don't do this with all your posse girls?"
"Because the posse girls are never vith me. They just like me for what I do as an occupation but you, I think you like me because I tell the truth and take action." He said laughing.
"Funny … but it works for me." she said jokingly.
Hermione grabbed his hand and they both started slow dancing in the snow, occasionally interrupted by the random snowball Viktor would toss at her back. The rest of the day they slept hand in hand, head on shoulder, while waiting for the moon to pass them both by. Then possibly, Hermione and Viktor would wake up in the morning, together in arms ... that's if ... they weren't caught.
