AUTHOR: Krissy
DISCLAIMER: J.K. Rowling owns them, not me.
AUTHOR NOTES: This was written for Cassie. And, um, I didn't really do Viktor's accent, but he doesn't speak much, so there isn't any misery in reading the dialogue. :D Mild spoilers for Goblet of Fire.
PAIRING(S): implied Viktor Krum/Hermione, Viktor/Ginny
RATING: G/PGish
The sky was painted with abstract colors. Orange blended with pink, which melted into the deep purple. The purple was slowly smearing into pale blue, white spirals of pale clouds dusting the never ending heavens. The sun had yet to shower its presence, but Viktor Krum knew it wouldn't be long before it did. The colors at Hogwarts were always beautiful, and he was glad he was awake to see them. He'd always been an early riser, but the colors never looked like this at Durmstrang in the mornings, and so he made himself rise even earlier to watch it. The sunrise was never a disappointment. Even in the coldest of mornings, the colors never failed to warm him, to wake him, to amaze him.
He padded across the grass, eyes tracing the faint clouds, as he fingered the clasp of his cloak.
He really didn't have anything to do, especially considering the fact it was an early Saturday morning. Hours from now would be a trip to Hogsmeade, but Viktor's heart really wasn't into it. Of course, he'd attend with the others, as expected of him. Karkaroff never failed to remind him how important it was that he was surrounded by the Hogwarts and Beauxbatons students. //To study, to know, to memorize.//
And he'd done his part, maybe more than expected of him.
Karkaroff never mentioned anything about falling in love in the process.
He'd probably be punished for the weakness, but Viktor didn't care. All that mattered was spending time with Hermione, but that was nearly impossible. She was never around, always running off with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, her 'best friends.'
Anyone could see her blinding devotion to the two, and just passing interest in him personally. Bitter? Just a bit, but it didn't really matter. He'd never really get a chance to express to her what he felt. He'd seen the expression on her face when he'd asked her to come to Bulgaria with him. It had been shock, mingled with just a touch of disgust. She was too kind, and smart, and tactful, and beautiful, to come right out and tell him no, but he already knew the answer, even in her hesitation to say anything. So she hadn't answered him, instead changing the topic, to the other champions. To Harry Potter, and Cedric Diggory, and even a mention of Fleur. Anything to distract him, he noted sourly.
"Krum!" he heard in the distance, and he knew it was Karkaroff calling. He always seemed to know when he snuck out to see the sunrise.
He turned his back and headed in the opposite direction, back to the school and his classmates, completely missing the first ray of the sun.
---
Ginny Weasley stood in front of Honeydukes, staring adoringly up at the display of chocolate frog cards. When the Wizarding World had learned of Viktor Krum being at Hogwarts, they'd released special cards of Viktor, and Harry (although she wondered if he knew about them), and there was another that featured Fleur, and one of Cedric, the other two champions. The cards were duplicates of the first task; daring displays of bravery as they fought against dragons of all sizes. Concerned had been just a mild word when she'd seen them, beasts larger than her own home, and fire and teeth larger than anything she could imagine on an animal.
She glanced curiously at the back of one of the cards, and found herself watching Viktor Krum drag Hermione out of the lake, of the second task. It went on to talk about the two tasks, and Ginny couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at the idea of being somebody's most missed person.
Who would ever think that about her? She was a nobody, who'd almost gotten the school shut down during her first year. Yeah, she was a real winner.
Shaking off her thoughts, Ginny turned away from the shop, only to bump into a warm, solid body.
Startled, and embarrassed, she mumbled a quick 'sorry,' and turned away, afraid to see the sneering face of Malfoy. He always seemed to be near her lately, voice mocking and mean-spirited as she slowly grew into the gangly Weasley body. Although, she knew, hers was a bit different, and... Well. And he seemed to love to remind her of what she didn't have.
"Are you okay? Are you not hurt?"
Ginny paused at the voice, knowing instantly that the soft, accented voice did not belong to Malfoy. She wondered if she was day dreaming? It sounded like...
Viktor Krum was smiling at her when she turned around, facing him, with wide eyes. When he repeated his question, she quickly, with a slight stammer, told him she was fine.
Ginny was even more embarrassed now. This was even worse than Malfoy. It was Viktor Krum! THE Viktor Krum. She'd admired him from afar, in a different way than she did with Harry. Harry was like her knight; always there to rescue her, to idolize, but Viktor... He was as normal as she was. He'd only been recently recruited into professional Quidditch. He'd been a nobody before it, he'd said in an article. Viktor was talented, and the world knew it, and she knew it, and here he was... In the middle of Hogsmeade, being ran into by little third year girls!
"I'm really sorry," she babbled, before she could stop herself. "I should be asking you if you're okay. ...Are you? You're not hurt?" she added, nervously.
He laughed at her, and Ginny felt her nerves begin to crack. He was laughing at her! She relaxed when she realized he didn't mean it, his laughter subsiding and being replaced by a slow smile. She felt her breath catch at it, and then she realized what she'd said! He played Quidditch; he'd probably hurt himself harder in practice, than just now.
"It's my fault, really," he was saying, ignoring her questions, and Ginny's mind seemed to blink away when he was asking her if he could make it up to her by buying her a chocolate frog, for nearly running her over, he was explaining.
And then he was grinning at her, and Ginny was smiling shyly (and dazedly) back, and it was like watching the sunrise.