A.N: Written for the Hunger Games Trilogy competition/challenge with the prompt of Peeta Mellark – write about unrequited love.

[She was a beautiful contradiction – the icy waves
that crashed and destroyed when you got too close
but loved you from afar.]

oOo

It was a dark time, but there were people who were still trying to make their own light in this world. Fleur Delacour was to be married, to one of the older Weasley brothers. Viktor Krum hadn't really wanted to come to the wedding – he didn't really understand why he'd been invited. He only knew Fleur from the Triwizard Tournament, which took place at Hogwarts School several years before, and even then he had barely spoken to her. He knew nothing of her husband or his family, nor was he particularly interested in knowing anything about them. But he did know that a particular someone was attending the wedding – the girl he had fawned after when she was in her fourth year, Hermione Granger.

He sat down at a table quite far back when he arrived at the service – he was late, the actual ceremony had already taken place before his arrival. He was sure no one would have noticed his absence, so he decided to just take a seat until he spotted Fleur somewhere among the throng of people, and then he would go over and congratulate them on their marriage. But until then, he just had to wait. The tent that the service was being held under was huge, it stretched out quite far and there were a lot of people, all tightly strung together, dancing, laughing, trying to catch up with the many waiters and waitresses that were carrying food and Butterbeer on silver platters. But he couldn't see her yet, even though he knew she would be here, somewhere.

Viktor had been writing to Hermione since he had left Hogwarts when the Triwizard Tournament ended. She always responded back promptly, and they talked about all manner of things. But no matter how many times Viktor tried to hint at them pursuing a relationship together, she bounced off his advances easily. He didn't really know where he was going wrong; he thought they had really hit it off while they were at Hogwarts together. He had offered to come and visit her during the holidays, or even her come and see him in Bulgaria, but every time he'd mentioned it, she'd had some excuse up her sleeve. Every time he received a letter from her – a letter of rejection – he swore that he wouldn't bother writing to her again, because it was obviously pointless…but he would always be sucked back in, desperate to hear from her once more time.

He remembered her at the Yule Ball, and how magnificent she had looked as she came down the staircase. Her bushy hair was sleek and shiny and piled up on top of her head, and wearing a set of long, floaty dress robes that highlighted her soft frame perfectly. He had a picture of them both at the Yule Ball back home – he kept it on his bedside table in a frame. The photographer had taken it sporadically, while they weren't paying attention. He had an arm around her shoulders, looking down at her with a smile playing on his face, and she was looking forward somewhere, one hand on her stomach as she laughed loudly at something he'd said. He looked at the picture almost every night – remembering the moment as if it was only yesterday.

Suddenly, Viktor spotted her pushing her way through the crowd. She looked just as beautiful as she had done not so long ago – if not more. She was a little taller, but still as well defined. Her hair was in the sleek style again, free of its bushy mane that Viktor was really quite fond of. He stood up automatically, a smile spreading on his face.

"Viktor!?" she shouted suddenly, and rushed over, hitching her skirt up around her ankles. He held out his hand, as if he was expecting her to shake it, but instead she jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck. Viktor blinked, momentarily stunned, then wound his arms around her waist, and hugged her back tightly. He could smell her perfume, and her hair, feel her warm body against his. He was instantly glad he had chosen to come to this wedding, when he had originally been planning to avoid it. Travelling to England was totally worth it, just for this small moment with Hermione.

"Hermy…" he replied, as he noticed the red haired boy he remembered was called Ron, scowling from a table somewhere behind her. "It has been so long."

Hermione leaned back out of the embrace, and smiled up at him. She looked simply radiant, and he felt warmth spreading through his belly and chest. "Yes! Your English is much better, Viktor!" she linked her arm through his and began walking him towards the table she had been sat at. "Do you think you can say my name, 'Hermione', properly now?"

Viktor smiled down at her, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Yes, I believe so. But I do much prefer to call you Hermyninny." Hermione laughed out loud, and Viktor had a flashback to her laughing at something he'd said back at the Yule Ball. She had such an infectious laugh, and he found himself chuckling as they reached the table. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, another girl with bright red hair, and a strange, wide-eyed looking girl with long blonde hair, wearing dress robes a hideous shade of yellow.

"Sit down, Viktor," Hermione invited him. "You remember Harry and Ron, of course?" Viktor nodded at Harry and Ron in turn. "And this is Ginny, Ron's sister," she gestured to the red headed girl, who was glugging down a glass of Butterbeer with alarming speed, "and this is Luna Lovegood." The odd girl was staring at him, her eyes goggling. Viktor turned his gaze away from her, feeling quite uncomfortable.

"Nice to see you all," Viktor said carefully, trying to keep his accent quite clear. "I vill soon be heading over to the bride, to give her my good vishes." He smiled awkwardly at Luna as he said this, noticing she was still staring at him with her big eyes. He heard a snigger from opposite him, and saw the red haired boy, Ron, saying something to Harry Potter. Viktor decided to turn to Hermione instead, and they began to engage in a conversation for a while.

They talked about several things – but it was just like his letters to her. When he brought up the subject of her coming to see him in Bulgaria for a holiday, she rejected his advances quickly, careful not to sound too mean or uncaring. She seemed to have a clever excuse every time. Just as Viktor was about to give up, and stand up from the table to go over and find Fleur, Ron had gotten up from his seat. He walked round to their side of the table, and stood next to Hermione.

"Do you want to dance?" he asked, but he was staring right at Viktor as he said this. Hermione looked awkwardly between them, but stood up nonetheless. They headed off onto the dance floor, and Ron began to spin her wildly around – he obviously hadn't taken his fourth year dancing lessons very seriously. Hermione looked flustered within two minutes of exert dancing.

Viktor slid over into Hermione's seat to sit beside Harry Potter, as Ginny and Luna left the table to go dance as well. "Are they together now?" he asked, nodding over to Hermione and Ron. Hermione had managed to calm Ron down, and they were dancing slowly, he had his arms around her waist and was looking down at her, with a look in his eye that Viktor couldn't place. Hermione was smiling up at him, her hands resting on his shoulders as they swayed.

"What?" Harry replied. He had been staring over at Ginny. "Oh, yeah, I guess so."

Viktor felt a stab of envy and jealousy coursing through him. This was why she had been re-bounding him for so long – she already was in love with Ron. He sighed deeply, and slouched back in his chair. He had tried for so long already, but Hermione was never going to love Viktor back. She loved another – her fate lied with Ron.

He just would have to accept it. Being an international Quidditch player or not, it didn't mean he could get whomever he wanted – contrary to popular belief.