Overlooking the whole Ron episode, Hermione had had a delightful time at the ball. The awed whispers of her classmates when she entered the Grand Hall on Viktor Krum's arm made the four torturous hours of playing Lavender and Parvati's little Barbie doll all worth it. The music and dancing was an absolute thrill for the usually reclusive bookworm.
The Yule ball was coming to a close. The singer announced the last song for the few couples that remained, having not found a rosebush or carriage to have a little one-on-one nightcap. Viktor, the gentleman that he was, offered for the last dance. Hermione politely declined. The heels on her feet were absolute murder. She could hex whatever misogynist created the hellish things.
No, Hermione was ready to leave but not quite ready to say goodbye. So, she let Viktor take her by the hand and lead her outside. They passed giggling rosebushes and dodged Professor Snape on Carriage\ Patrol before ending up at the lake, Hermione wrapped up in Viktor's formal jacket.
"D'ose really hert, yes?" Viktor asked, eyeing her heeled feet that she was discreetly shifting to relieve pressure.
The young witch gave a sheepish laugh, "That obvious, huh?"
Viktor gave a small smile, shrugging boyishly, "I see girls all d' time pretending d'at it does not hert when they—how you say?—hobbling around on d'ose t'ing like chicken on glass spikes."
Hermione giggled at his discription. Giggle? Since when did Hermione Granger giggle like a infatuated school girl? She gave her head a shake at herself and continued smiling,"Yeah, some girls can do it but I'm not one of them." With that said she flicked them off, not careing wear the offening shoes landed. She stick her tongue out in their general direction, her antics earning her a soft chuckle from the Bulgarian at her side.
The bright witch couldn't help but let the smile widened until it split her face. She was being completely ridiculous and goofy but she was making the normally brooding Viktor Krum crack a smile so it was worth it. Hermione suddenly felt a large hand on the small of her back, perpelling her to the very edgeof the murky lake. Viktor plopped down, moving his hand on her back to tug gentally on her forearm.
"Come sit with me, любов."
Hermione obliged, sitting down on the silt shore. The backside of her dress would be ruined but she could find it in herself to care. "Oh!"
"Vhat?"
"I sat on my shoe," Hermione lifted her bottom up, holding herself up like a tri-pedal crab while she had dug out her pointy attacker from its roost in her dress. She glared at the object in her hand before flinging it, grinning as she heard a resounding splash, "Stop laughing at me!"
"Can't help it. You are very cute, you know, любов."
The witch felt a blush radiate out from the tip of her nose to the ends of her ears. she wished she could drown herself in the lake. She settled for intense consentration on the mesh material of her dress. She bit her lip and changed the subject."Say, Viktor, whats that word you keep calling me?"
"Vhat vord?"
"Ly—lyun—"
"любов?"
"Yes, that." The witch stuck her feet in the water, reveling in its cool relief. She waited.
It was Viktor's turn to blush with Hermione took as a small victory when she noticed it, "It—it is an… endurmint?" He stammered, accent thick.
"Endearment?" Hermione corrected.
"Yes, dat. It… it means luff," The wizard said roughly, shoulder hunched as he looked everywhere but at Hermione. If the witch looked close enough she could just make out the young man's beet red flush in the light of the waning moon. "Does not bo'der you, does it? If so I vill stop."
"No," Hermione made jazz hands as she quickly objected. Her toes drew figure eights in the water. She said more softly with a privet little smile, "No, I actually quite like it..."
"Y—you do?"
She turned her face toward his, staring at him shyly through her bangs. "Yes."
Then like a bolt out of the blue Viktor kissed her. Quidditch calloused hand encircled her face, slightly chapped lips pressed to her own. The first contact was rough and threw Hermione for a loop but it instantly softened. The witch soon eased into it, returning the favor tenfold. The kiss was wet and sweet and had just enough awkward movement to make the couple pull away laughing at themselves.
Hermione giggled like the infatuated school girl she wasn't used to being and Viktor grinned back boyishly like the boy he usually tries to hide.
Overall it was a delightful night.