when we're together, jealousy doesn't matter
Hermione tries to hold back her tears as she walks, rather forcefully, away from where Ron and Harry are sitting. How dare Ron say she was fraternising with the enemy when he had been all but worshipping Viktor at the Quidditch World Cup? As her eyes start to brim with the furious tears she's trying to hold back, she can barely make her way through the room. The silver and royal blue of the chairs, tables, and decorations all blur into one mass of winter-themed colour. For a split second, she wants to laugh; only Ron could make her so angry she can't take in the beauty of the Great Hall.
Viktor's getting them both drinks—champagne by the looks of it, and Hermione can't help but wonder how he's managed to get them alcohol—and for a moment Hermione considers leaving. She doesn't really want to face him, not with tears in her eyes and a desire to punch the next person who says something out of line. But she does. It's the Yule Ball and Hermione refuses to let Ron's words ruin her night. It's not as though an event like this will happen again in her time at school.
"Why so sad?" Viktor asks when Hermione reaches him. He puts an arm around her and squeezes slightly. "That pretty face is too pretty to be crying."
Hermione can't help but smile. Viktor's accent has always made his near-perfect use of the English language attractive. She's even able to quiet the voice inside that wants to correct him for using the word 'pretty' twice—it's a voice she's never been able to quiet around Ron.
Just thinking his name sends tears to her eyes once more that threaten to spill over.
"Ron," she tells him, realising that Viktor was actually waiting for an answer. "He's supposed to be one of my best friends yet won't be happy for me. He accused me of 'fraternising with the enemy'." Hermione can't help but laugh a little as she tells Viktor. Voicing the words aloud, she realises how ridiculous the accusation is.
"It sounds to me as if he is jealous because he missed his shot," Viktor says. "And who would not be when you are looking so beautiful?"
Jealous of Viktor, or jealous of me? Hermione wonders.
"Let us dance," Viktor says, gently guiding her towards the dance floor.
Hermione takes a couple of sips of her champagne to combat how dry her throat feels after almost crying and then places the glass on the first table they pass—she would feel bad about not drinking it since Viktor went to the trouble of getting it for her, but the few times Hermione has been allowed to try champagne before, she's never particularly enjoyed it and this time is no different.
It's a lot more crowded on the dance floor than Hermione had been expecting, and the music is much louder here too. She wonders if there had been a charm cast on the rest of the room to make it quieter and easier to talk. It was a wonderful bit of spellcasting if it had.
The song is a fast one that Hermione doesn't know and doesn't know how to dance to. Viktor has a huge grin on his face and Hermione can't help but smile too; his joy is infectious. She ends up awkwardly jumping around for a while and Viktor seems to be doing the same thing so she wonders if she actually looks as awkward as she feels.
When the song changes, it's to a much slower one. Hermione blushes as Viktor takes her in his arms. Even though she danced like this with him for the first song, she can't help but feel as though it's much more intimate this time.
It's a smooth transition, and Viktor effortlessly leads in a way that betrays his previous training in dance. Hermione smiles as they move and for a moment, all thoughts of Ron fade from her mind. When the music comes to an end, Hermione and Viktor find themselves chest to chest, Hermione looking up into the dark depths of his eyes.
In one fluid motion that Hermione barely registers, Viktor moves his hand to her cheek and leans his head down until their lips meet. Hermione's eyes widen in surprise. She wasn't been expecting this at all, and suddenly Hermione realises her lack of experience when it comes to kissing. Both in Gryffindor common room and her dorm she's heard people speak about kissing someone else, but none of their comments had been even remotely helpful. She hastily shuts her eyes and lets the kiss happen, hoping she's doing the right things with her mouth. It isn't unpleasant and she had wanted it to happen, but she hadn't been prepared for it to happen right now.
Her senses are in overdrive and she can feel every slight shift of Viktor's mouth, the ring on his finger that she had noticed him playing with earlier digging into her cheek. She's also very aware of the fact that they're on a crowded dance floor where anyone in the school could see this happen.
Viktor pulls away, and Hermione is relieved for a brief moment. It passes when Hermione realises she shouldn't be feeling relieved that it's over and maybe something isn't quite right between her and Viktor. At that moment, she realises that's a conversation she needs to have with Viktor sooner rather than later, and it's not one she's particularly looking forward to.
Word Count: 923.
This is for:
Hogwarts World Cup Event – Croatia;
(colour) royal blue
Hogwarts Yearly Event – Insane House Challenge;
169. (location) The Great Hall
Hogwarts Yearly Event – 365 Prompts;
211. (plot point) dancing together
Hogwarts Yearly Event – Fanfiction Resolutions;
61. Write a collection based around a certain character (Hermione)
Hogwarts Writing Club – Character Appreciation;
21. (house) Gryffindor
Hogwarts Writing Club – Disney Challenge;
C2 – Write about jealousy
Hogwarts Writing Club – Book Club;
Nibs – (word) helpful, (plot point) comforting someone, (action) dancing
Hogwarts Writing Club – Showtime;
46. (word) time
Hogwarts Writing Club – Count Your Buttons;
D5 – "Why so sad?"
W4 – shot
Hogwarts Writing Club – Lyric Alley;
6. Everybody's dancing and the band's top volume
Hogwarts Writing Club – Sophie's Shelf;
Vault 68 – (restriction) only one female character
Hogwarts Writing Club – Emy's Emporium;
I2 – (setting) Hogwarts
Hogwarts Seasonal Event – Days of the Year;
National Kissing Day – write about someone being kissed
Hogwarts Seasonal Event – Flowers;
Aster – (word) attractive
Hogwarts Seasonal Event – Fire Element;
(word) dry
Hogwarts Seasonal Event – Shay's Musical Challenge;
The Phantom of the Opera – Write about someone being jealous
Hogwarts Seasonal Event – Gryffindor Themed Prompts;
(character) Hermione Granger
Hogwarts Northern Funfair – Kissing Booth;
(easy) Hermione/Viktor
Hogwarts Eastern Funfair – Ferris Wheel;
(theme) jealousy
Hogwarts Southern Funfair – Wheel of Fortune;
(object) ring
Hogwarts July Event – Hamilton Mania;
A1, 10 – (food) champagne
OP9 – (character) Hermione Granger
Hogwarts Fortnightly Event – Canadian Craze!;
18. Write a story set in winter
Pairing Diversity Bootcamp;
Hermione/Viktor, event
Favourite Character Bootcamp;
Hermione, even
Character Diversity Bootcamp;
Viktor, experience