Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters (unfortunately)! I'm not out to make any money with them or this story (I don't think I would get a single dime for this rubbish anyway)!

Warning: English is not my native language, so excuse any misspellings and wrong use of words... I'm trying though!

Warning #2: This might have some adult material... but I haven't quite gotten to that part yet, but just to be save I'll rate it M.

Pairing: Hermione / Viktor (If you don't like it - don't read it)

A weekend in Bulgaria

Chapter 1 The Invitation

She was rushing down the big stairs, part of her periwinkle robes ruffled in her hand to prevent tripping over the low hanging hem. As she reached the bottom of the magical stair case, which just started to move about again, the tingly feeling in her belly intensified.

The beautiful white and silver decoration went unnoticed as her brown eyes darted nervously over the crowd of well dressed wizards and witches in the entrance hall. She had yet to descend the wide stairs to join the mingling crowd, but she wanted to use the elevated position to find someone first. Eventually deciding she might look silly standing up here by herself, she went down the stairs half way and stopped again when she noticed a speck of red moving in her direction.

Her breath caught in her throat when her gaze connected with his, revealing the most striking eyes she had seen in her life. He looked so handsome in his red uniform, it made her gasp knowing he was waiting here for HER. A shy smile placed itself on her lips as she reached the end of the stairs and was now just a few feet away from the cause of her nervousness. She startled a bit when he clicked his heels and bowed gallantly before his mesmerizing dark eyes captured her again. Never breaking the magical bond between their eyes, he moved to her left and offered his arm. Without another thought she slipped her hand between his body and the outstretched arm and formed the connection by placing it on his forearm.

She could feel herself blushing as he gave her one of these deep and passionate looks that made her blood boil. "I haff missed you Her-my-own-ninny!" His gaze changed from passionate to longing as he pulled away his arm to wrap it around her waist and crush her against his body. The brunette gasped in surprise, somehow this didn't feel right to her. She watched as his eyes fluttered shut and his face started to move towards hers. This is not right! she thought, moving her head back. This is not how it happened! "WAIT!" she yelled.

Her eyes flew open, her doe brown orbs darting around in confusion. Her anxiousness slowly faded as she took in the familiar surroundings. She was in her room in London and not in the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts. She was wearing a tank top and some shorts (which she liked to abuse as night wear during the summer) instead of her Yule Ball robes and Viktor was nowhere to be seen. Realization slowly settled in as her heart rate went back to normal. "Just a dream" she mumbled, still a little sleepy as she closed her eyes once more, trying to visualize the handsome features of Viktor Krum one last time before getting up. The rough unshaven face of the Bulgarian appeared and flashed her a persuasive smile before it disappeared again, due to Hermione opening her eyes.

"That was awkward" Her eyebrows knitted together. The fifteen year old Gryffindor had dreams like this before. Ever since the Yule Ball and especially during the first two weeks of the summer break she kept reliving that night or sometimes other events of the past year at Hogwarts in her dreams. But it had always just been an exact reenactment, just like she'd remembered it. She frowned. She knew, that that was an unusual thing for dreams, for dreams are usually bizarre and nothing like reality. So actually it is rather strange that my dreams had been so 'real' all the time before this... so what exactly should I be worried about now!? her hand automatically flew up to her mouth to cover up the giggle that left her lips.

Later that day, she just got done finishing the last of her homework - a five foot essay about Ancient Medicinal Herbs And Their Use A Thousand Years Ago And Today for Potions - she sighed and murmured something like "can't believe how lazy I've gotten... two damn weeks..." when she heard a tap on her window.

She got up from her desk and walked over to the window. A huge black owl with little funny looking feathers sticking out of the top of his head, which made it look like he had ears, was sitting on the sill, patiently waiting for her to let him in. The bird looked a bit intimidating to Hermione so she hesitated to open the window. She noticed a piece of parchment on his left foot, so curiosity got the better of her and she welcomed him in. The bird hopped into her room and walked awkwardly over to the desk before jumping on it and giving a soft hoot.

Hermione watched all this in disbelief, never had she seen such a well mannered owl - beside Hedwig maybe. He could've easily knocked over something with his wide wings - I wonder who's owl this is! She grabbed an owl-treat out of the bag she keeps in a shelf by the window and walked back to her desk. "So, who sent you?" she asked, while offering the treat. The bird looked at her with big amber eyes and, as if to answer, softly hooted again. He carefully took the treat and swallowed it whole while stretching out his foot towards Hermione.

Still amazed about the birds gentle behavior she took the message and went to her bed to read. The handwriting didn't look familiar at all. It looked like the writer had a hard time bringing the lines to paper. And then the way her address was all written out - most definitely not someone she knew. She quickly broke the seal and unfolded the paper to read.

Dear Hermione,

how are you being? I am hoping you are well. Your letter made me really happy. Thank you. I would have write sooner, but had a Quidditch Game against Praha Pouchers and lot of practice. I apologize.

Hermione, I know it is sudden and you already told me that you would have to think about my invitation to visit, but I want you to be guest at my house, for we have, as my Papa says, 'important social gathering'. Please do me the honor of participating.

Gathering is to be the next Saturday. I would come and pick you and your luggage up Friday evening at seven. I am looking forward excitedly to be seeing you.

I have missed you Hermione.

Yours,
Viktor

P.S.: Varlo will be waiting for your answer. I hope he will be behaving good.

As the young Gryffindor had finished reading a broad smile covered her face. She had not really expected to ever hear from him again, but hoped of course. And here it was, the letter she'd secretly waited on getting since she wrote to him right after she got home from Hogwarts. Not only did he apologize for not replying sooner but he even invited her over for a 'social gathering'. A soft chuckle slipped over her lips; she just loved the way he talked. Not just the way he put sentences together or mispronounced, no she also adored his thick bulgarian accent and the low masculine voice.

Her mind drifted to the dream she had last night, his voice cutting through the cluster of conversations held around them "I haff missed you Her-my-own-ninny!" She shrieked. Suddenly recognition swept through. Her eyes were scanning the parchment in her hands again as they suddenly widened in surprise. "This is more than strange..." A soft hoot pulled her attention away from the similar sentence in the letter and her dream "what is it Varlo?" His feathers poofed up as he made a screeching noise. "Ah, I bet you're thirsty! And that little owl cookie was probably not enough to fill you up either...I'll be right back!" A few minutes later she was back from the kitchen, three slices of bread and a dish of water in hand.

She knew Varlo wasn't leaving untill she wrote a response to Viktors letter. A rush of anxiety made her body shiver. This is the second time he invited me now... it was no lie when I told him I had to think about it... do I feel comfortable enough to go... yeah, I think I do! at that she nodded confidently. But... what will my parents say? her face scrunched at the thought. Well, just one way to find out...

With weak knees she went down stairs in the living room where her parents sat on the couch and watched TV. Her mothers favorite Talk Show was on. Before she had a chance to reconsider and come back later, her father noticed her presence. "What is it pumpkin?" Tom Granger asked, causing his wife Jane to tear her gaze from the TV as well and look at Hermione. The Gryffindor quickly went over her options say you don't want anything and try later - face the music and ask already... maybe I shouldn't say where I'm going though - I could tell them that I go to visit Ron... they never said anything against that... Hermione was never good at lying, especially not to her parents. They had a real good and trusting relationship. Come on, just ask! Get it over with! she urged herself and took a step towards the couch.

"I-I... just received an owl. It... it had an invitation with it!" she said slowly. "Oh, Ron is inviting you early this year" her father threw in. There was the opportunity, she could just say yes, every body would be satisfied and she would go without any uncomfortable questions being asked. But her self conscious didn't want to play along. "Ehm... well... it's not from Ron. It's from Viktor!" she added the last sentence quickly. Her fathers expression was unreadable, while her mother showed increased curiosity when she asked "the young man that took you to the Yule Ball last year?"

An unwanted and undoubtedly not helpful flush donned her face at this question. For lack of words, she only nodded. "He lives in Bulgaria, right?!" her father more stated than asked as his face still didn't give away any emotion. The red on her cheeks persisted as she nodded once more. "I was rather intrigued by the way you wrote about him... you described him as a real gentleman" Jane smiled at her husband. Hermiones gaze shifted to her father. His lips were pressed together tightly, his eyes were fixed on a picture frame containing the family portrait they had taken before Hermione started her first year at Hogwarts.

Without lifting his gaze from the picture he asked in a pressed voice "for how long?" She opened her mouth to answer and shut it again. How long did he invite me for? I know, when he asked me the first time, he wanted me to come all summer... but in the letter he said he would pick me up Friday and the event was on Saturday. So, it's probably just for the weekend! "Just next weekend" she hurried to fill in, afraid her hesitation would raise more questions she would rather not answer.

The Talk Show Host just called another guest in who was greeted with loud boo's from the audience. Not even the TV gives me support! The face of the Brunette fell in defeat when her father suddenly cleared his throat. "I suppose a weekend will be OK!" Hermione was about to thank him when he spoke up again. "I believe we raised a responsible young lady who would not run off with the next best Quidditch Player or do other sorts of..." now Misses Granger cleared her throat "what your father is trying to say is, that we trust you pumpkin!"

The wide smile on her mothers face creeped her out a bit, so she mumbled a "Thank you" and ran back up to her room. Her door closed a little louder than it should've but she didn't care. With a childish giggle and a joyful "yippy" she threw herself on her bed and giggled some more into her fluffy pillow. "I'm going to see Viktor again - ewww... I can't wait!" She got out of bed again and went over to her desk, grabbing a piece of parchment and her quill.

Dear Viktor,

I can't believe it, my parents actually said yes. I'll be able to visit you this weekend and attend the get together you were talking about.

I can't wait to see you again.

Yours,
Hermione

P.S.: Varlo was behaving great! What a well mannered owl!