Breaking down Barriers

It's all Krum's fault again. :P Someone's got to be to blame and Krum always seems to get it in my R/Hr stories – but it just wouldn't be the same without a bit of Krum bashing. :D Anyway enjoy the first chapter of this new story! (Which I couldn't think of a decent title for and in my mind, went through some completely ridiculous ones like 'My Best Friends Cardigan' (you'll see) and 'Melee in the Marquee'. But since those would have majorly taken the p...*insert expletive here*, I settled on the above).

It was Bill and Fleur's wedding day and Ron had just managed to escape from Aunt Muriel's deadly clutches. As he made a swift exit across the marquee he could still hear her carrying voice - 'Ronald! What are you wearing? It looks like a tent!'

Ron's outfit didn't look like a tent, it was just that Muriel was running out of insults and had in fact, started inventing criticisms which was much more annoying than the insults being founded on reality.

Ron had also spotted Viktor Krum at the wedding, which did nothing to improve his mood. What he really wanted to do was find Hermione before Krum did and maybe, just maybe, ask her if she wanted to dance.

He found her behind a floaty curtain parted from the rest of the proceedings. It was much quieter here and people could watch the twinkling muggle fairy lights that Mr Weasley had put on the trees nearby.

Quietly slipping through the curtains, Ron eyed her curiously. Who was she hiding from?

'Hermione?'

She jumped and held a hand to her heart, adrenaline coursing through her. She was wrapping a pretty white cardigan with sparkling threads around herself more securely.

'Ron! You made me jump!'

'I know, I saw you!' Ron stared at her as though she had two heads. 'Are you alright out here?'

Hermione looked at him properly and he got the feeling he was being x-rayed.

'I'm fine,' she squeaked, which seemed to contradict her words.

'Well er... don't you want to come back to the party? The band's about to start playing and I don't want to miss Krum make a prat of himself on the dance floor...' He grinned slyly at her.

'Oh is he around?' Hermione suddenly looked nervous.

'Yeah but I think he's on the other side of the tent.' Ron was staring at her again. What was wrong?

'I didn't think it was that cold tonight?' Ron looked at her cardigan questioningly.

'It isn't. I'm not cold... not really...'

'Oh,' Ron was getting nowhere fast here, 'why not take it off?'

'No!' she said, a little too quickly.

'Why not? Has someone hexed you and written across your dress? Because if they have...' Ron looked angry.

Hermione smiled, despite herself.

'No it's nothing like that Ron. It's Viktor...'

Ron continued to glare. Nothing about Krum could be good.

'He told me I...' She felt tears coming. 'If I was trying to impress him it wasn't any good because he's got a girlfriend. I wasn't even trying anything... I... I was just wearing this dress to look nice for the wedding and...' She blushed and avoided his eyes. 'It was so hurtful Ron. Before I spoke to him I felt so nice dressed up for once and I was enjoying myself. And it was a double blow after what your Aunt Muriel said to me...'

At this point she actually did start crying.

Ron couldn't believe Krum had stooped so low. Someone was going to get it later – but he needed to help Hermione right now.

'Right, well for starters - sod Muriel, she's a bloody nuisance. She's never got a good word to say about anyone. I mean she just cornered me and told me I was wearing a tent. Does this look like a tent to you?' He grinned at her, gesturing at his smart suit.

'N..no...' Hermione managed a smile through her tears.

'Well there you go, she's full of crap... and as for that complete and utter pile of bats droppings out there, don't listen to him. He's probably just made up having a girlfriend to make himself look better – and you know what? I bet he still fancies you and he's trying to cover it up. But don't worry – I'll see to him later,' Ron said, fiercely.

'Oh, Ron!' Hermione felt such a surge of affection for him she wanted to hug him. Stopping herself just in time, she looked down at the cardigan instead, then removed it and threw it on a nearby chair.

'Thank you, I feel so much better! Well I'm certainly not wearing that thing for the rest of the night. He just made me feel as though I ought to cover myself up!'

Poor Ron was speechless; his expression quite comical. He'd never seen Hermione wear anything that made her look so such a... well a girl! Not since the Yule Ball at any rate, and this dress did her far more justice than the robes had.

Before he could even attempt to speak (which he would have struggled with anyway), she reached up and kissed him on the cheek. He had to stifle a moan as she walked back through the curtains and into the party; she was beautiful and it took all his strength not to shout it at her like a complete idiot.

Hope you like it. It's 'to be continued' anyway!