Scotch and Snitches
By Karategirl666
Disclaimer: JK Rowling's world twisted to my liking… *Maniacal laugh*
AN: Dedicated to Amsftwilight who Pmd me and said she or he would read this.
-o-
Hermione sat on her leather couch. Her arm draped lazily over the top of it as she stared down at a daily prophet which rested on one knee. Her tongue was clicking against the top of her mouth as she read the article over and over again. The more she read it the more ridiculous it sounded. She heard a pop outside her door and didn't bother to look up as a knock sounded. She would ignore it as she nearly always did. Feign illness or a pending novel writing session so she wouldn't have to open it up. Sometimes she would act as if she wasn't there which is what she chose to do this time.
"Mione open up please!?" She heard Ron call and she slowly looked to the door. It was the first time Ron had ever come to her flat. She tilted her head as she slowly stood. "Mione are you in there!? I'm coming in." She quickly apperated out of sight the prophet still held in hand. She slowly looked around the deserted street of Hogsmeade. It was unusually quiet, but she had to wonder if it was because of the article in the prophet. She slowly walked over to the pub and walked in going to her usual dark corner.
"Didn't expect to see you here today Miss Granger." The bartender commented.
"The usual Liam." She said.
"Coming up." He said as he set down a glass of fire whiskey. When he walked away she slowly opened up the prophet and laid it out in front of her.
DAILY PROPHET
SPECIAL EDITION
-O-
A Marriage Law in Crisis!
Rita Skeeter reporting live write from the Ministry of Magic. It seems that the Marriage law which has been debated for the past two years since the Freedom War ended has come to light once more. For the first time, since its first admission into the Ministry of Magic Law Abiding Division, the law has made it to the courts. After many hours of deliberation the Ministry of Magic has declared the Wizard World in a state of crisis.
For the first time in 500 years a marriage law will be put into effect immediately. Instead of everyone being up for engagement one witch and one wizard will be put up for engagement from every Magical Country with a low Birthrate. The witches and Wizards chosen will receive letters right away. Though there are already whispers as to who the UK witches and Wizards may be including the war hero Hermione Jane Granger.
She stopped reading the article at that point. She couldn't seem to get past her name. Couldn't seem to read beyond it. She didn't want to be married. She wanted to sit in her flat and write all day, then come out once in a while for a bite to eat at the pub she was sitting in now. She still didn't have a letter and she wondered if Rita Skeeter had just put her name in the article as revenge for keeping her in a bug like state for weeks in a tiny glass jar. Hermione quirked a smile.
"Fond memory…" She muttered as she took a sip of whiskey.
"Here you are a BLT." Liam said setting the plate down.
"Thank you Liam."
"Any time Miss Granger." As he walked away a small pop sounded and she stared at an envelope sitting in front of her. She looked at it for a long moment as she tilted her head. She slowly reached forward and undid the letter. It looked like a cheap flyer from a muggle fair, but it wasn't fair at all. Not in the slightest.
MINISTRY OF MAGIC:
Marriage Division
Dear Miss Hermione Jane Granger,
You have been selected as the UK witch up for marriage. Report to the Ministry of Magic Marriage division tomorrow at 3 for your pairing. Not showing up will result in your immediate expulsion from the Magical world.
Heggle Hawthorn
Marriage specialist.
"What kind of name is Heggle?" She asked with a blank look as she downed her glass of Fire whiskey. "Another Liam!"
"Coming Miss Granger!" he called.
-o-
Hermione stared at herself in the mirror. She usually wore jeans and a t shirt around her flat while writing, reading, or cooking. She never got dressed up not seeing the need to as she was never around any one to impress. But when she went to the Ministry of Magic, and she was nearly called in once a month to lecture new Aurors she had a few things on hand to look presentable. She turned in a small circle as she looked around before nodding in approval and grabbing her wand and heading to her fireplace.
She threw down the floo powder and thought about her destination. She no longer had to shout it out like others. Not with the knowledge she had gained over the years. As her feet hit the ground she was engulfed by photographers. She walked past them and the screaming reporters as she always did during a press fire storm. She tried not to yawn as the reporters continued to scream at the top of their lungs.
It was all very tiring. Normally she was just bored by it. But the night before she truthfully hadn't slept. She wasn't sure what she was going to do yet. If she was going to allow herself to get expelled from the magical world or stay in it and marry someone she didn't know. In all honesty she was very curious about the whole matching process. She didn't know much when it came to the magical marriage laws but this was a chance for her to learn.
She walked down an empty hallway where the reporters weren't allowed and headed up to an elevator. She got inside and grabbed onto a lever as a man took her to the floor he knew she was to be going thanks to the prophet. She stared aimlessly out as the elevator was jerked here and there before it came to a halt and the doors opened.
"Good luck Miss Granger."
"Thank you." She said as she walked down a long hallway.
"Miss Granger there you are." A man walked up to her.
"Heggle I presume?" she asked as her eyes drifted over the man.
"How did you know?" He inquired with a smile.
"You look like a heggle." She said as she looked him over. Heggle couldn't help but shift uncomfortable under the gaze of the war hero.
"Well everyone is inside we're still waiting on a few people."
"I can imagine…" She said before walking into the room and closing the door behind her. The second she had walked in any discussion that had been filling the air space halted. She turned away from the door and looked out at a group of people all of who she knew from reputation or other means.
Viktor slowly stood from a table as his eyes rested on a familiar face. He smiled softly seeing Hermione Granger standing at the door. It turned out the rumors were true. She was indeed the witch chosen for the UK. She had changed a lot since the last time he had seen her. His smile slowly faded as he watched her stare out at all of them with a blank expression. She shrugged at them before walking away to a mini bar.
"Fire whiskey." She said to the barkeep and she sighed as he gave her a scrutinizing look. "Yeah I know, it's early, it's a big day mate just pour the glass." He blinked at her before pouring her the whiskey. "Thanks much." She said slipping him a galleon.
"We're all drinking here. So you are in good company..." She turned towards the familiar voice. She looked over a tall broad shouldered man with spiked black hair and kind russet eyes.
"Well if it isn't the Bulgarian Bon Bon Viktor Krum." She said and he smiled as her expression softened towards him.
"If it isn't the wisest witch of her age Hermione Granger." He took her hand and kissed the back. "Good to see you again."
"You as well, I'm impressed, you said my name right."
"I haf been practicing." He said with a smile. "I knew we'd meet again someday."
"It's too bad we're meeting under these circumstances." She said as they walked away from the bar. "So you are the wizard up for engagement from Bulgaria."
"Dah I am, the witch chose exile from my country. She was muggle born so I guess she figures she can fair vell in that world."
"She's wrong." She said speaking from experience before taking a sip of fire whiskey. Viktor took the moment to look her over. Her honey blonde hair was pinned into a French twist. She was wearing a lace blouse that fit her beautifully with a velvet jacket pea coat style with a corset back detail and black skinny jeans. Her feet were tucked into black suede six inch wedges with a strap around the ankle. "Please don't look me over like that it makes me uncomfortable." She said and he jumped. She hadn't even been looking at him. He looked to see Hermione had a mischievous smile and he sighed in relief.
"You always knew how to slyly joke." He said and she smiled. A young man walked over and Hermione sighed.
"Hi I'm-."
"Joseph Miroff from Russia, no it's not nice to meet me, because I killed your cousin in the Freedom War. Keep walking todays not your day for revenge." The mans happy expression shifted and he glared into her while Viktor just blinked.
"I'll kill you someday Mudblood." He hissed.
"Yeah well." She took a sip of Fire whiskey. "Get in line." The man walked away while Viktor just glared at him. "I have a lot of enemies in this room. If I'm paired with one of them I might just have to kill my husband to be." He looked to her quickly the admission surprising him.
"You're very calm." He said looking to her.
"This is nothing." She said with a shrug. "This is easy… At least for me…" She looked to him. "I'm very sad for you that you were roped up into this Viktor."
"Thank you but I'm okay with this…" He said. "I was bound to get married at some point and was hafing no luck finding someone on own so this is easy for me as vell."
"No it's not but you put on a brave face." He smiled as he looked her over. She always could see right through him.
"Please gather around!" Heggle called.
"Good Luck Viktor." She said.
"Mind if sit with you at the table?"
"Not at all." She said with a smile as they walked over. Viktor pulled out her chair and she tilted her head at the movement before smiling and sitting down. She forgot what a gentleman Viktor could be.
"First I'd like to say what an honor it is to have Miss Grang-."
"Move it along I want to get back to my flat." Hermione said as she set her glass down. Viktor smiled as he looked to Hermione. She had gotten as tough as nails over the years. He had to admit, he liked her new found spunk. She looked to Heggle who was staring at her seemingly at a loss for words. "Seriously move it along I've got better things to do then be auctioned off like a piece of cattle at a slow pace like this… Hop to it skippy…" He quickly nodded
"Right then why don't we go around and introduce our selves, Hermione should we start with you…"
"My name is Hermione Jane Granger, I'm a writer."
"And war hero." Someone said and her jaw clenched visibly though Viktor was the only one who noticed.
"Right well there's my name whose next?" She asked looking around. "Viktor how about you?" He nodded quickly.
"Viktor Miroslav Krum I'm the seeker for the Bulgarian Quidditch Team."
"Nice job in the finals by the way…" Hermione muttered to him as the next person introduced themselves and Viktor smiled at Hermione who was staring forward at Heggles. He looked to the man who was shifting uncomfortable under her gaze. Viktor coughed as to hide his chuckle, she was really working hard at intimidating the man that held all their fates in his hands. After an hour a whole group of sixty people introduced themselves.
"Think it would be rude if I got up and got another drink?" Viktor asked Hermione quietly who smiled.
"No but if you get up get me one too." She said stretching. "I'm bored to bloody tears." Viktor laughed softly.
"You know some of us are taking this seriously." A witch from Spain by the name of Maria said as she glared into the two.
"So am I I'm just not as worried about it." Hermione said.
"Why because you're such a catch?" A Russian witch by the name of Sophie said.
"Honey I've been through a war, this." She motioned to the group of people. "Is nothing compared to that."
"Got a bloody point she has."
"You weren't even there Daniel." She said to the UK wizard chosen. "Don't act like you understand." Viktor smiled. She was a little spit fire that was for sure. He wasn't sure if he envied the man paired with her or slightly pitied him. There wasn't many who could handle her. In fact no one could.
"Shall we start getting paired then?" Heggle asked.
"You mean us you're not getting paired with any one after all." An Italian Wizard by the name of Jose said and Hermione smiled.
"Boy has a point." Hermione said as she got up to get another drink taking Viktor's glass with her. "Another round mate." She said to the bartender who nodded and re filled the glasses. She turned to see the group staring at her. "What?" she asked heading back to the table. "I'm not the only one who needs a drink I'm sure of it…"
"She's right." The wizard from France by the name of Jean said as he and a few others got up to get more alcohol.
"Here you are…" Hermione handed Viktor his glass of Rum and Coke.
"Thank you." He said taking the glass and taking a sip. Hermione sat back down as she looked to Heggles who seemed annoyed.
"Relax you'll get to pair us soon…" She said and he instantly looked to her. "Or do you have somewhere else more interesting to be?" he averted his eyes as Hermione took a sip of fire whiskey. After a few minutes Heggle looked around to see everyone had once more seated.
"So how does this work?" The Italian witch by the name of Juliet asked.
"We'll every ones name has been entered into this Goblet." Heggles said with a smile.
"I do not like this." Viktor said sitting up as Heggle continued to tell them the plan for matching. "Last time name was pulled from goblet I was put under imperious curse."
"You'll be fine… Whoever you're paired with will be lucky to have you…" He somehow found comfort in her words.
"You as well." And she scoffed surprising him.
"Ten men sitting at this table want me dead, six I don't speak their language, four are pureblood extremist, 16 I've sent or killed their family members to Azkaban my chances of happiness are down to a 42 percentile." He looked to her. Logic was kicking in. He knew that whenever Hermione spouted statistics she was more than nervous.
"Don't worry…" He took her hand under the table and Hermione slowly looked down at their entwined hands. "You've been through too much for this to go sour."
"You really don't know my luck do you?" She asked looking him over and in that moment he saw it. For a split second it flashed in her eyes. Fear. He gave her hand a light squeeze and she gave him a soft expression of thanks in return.
"Here we go…" Heggles said and they both turned to the goblet which held their fate in its gaping cup.
-o-
At first Hermione had been nervous, after all her future happiness was in the chalice of a magical goblet. But now she was annoyed. She had been sitting with Viktor for over two hours watching others get matched. She stretched looking down into her glass seeing it was empty. The bartender had left an hour and now there was no way for her to get a drink, which she desperately needed, seeing as there was nothing else to do.
"What is taking so long?" She asked sitting back in her chair.
"We're almost to the end and our choices are looking more and more bleak…" Viktor muttered.
"Please the women left are all giving you hopeful glances, whoever you get will most likely be a doting wife willing and ready to bare you children."
"Only voman here I like is you."
"Trust me… You don't want me." He looked to see she was staring forward as she kicked her feet up on the table.
"Are you serious?" The American Witch asked.
"What?" Hermione asked with a look that made the witch look off quickly not daring to take the war hero on. Viktor smiled as he looked Hermione over. There was something funny in her way. Something very entertaining. She wasn't the awkward blushing girl he had met at Hogwarts. No now she was a confidant strong woman with high morals and an attitude that couldn't be matched. Again he wasn't sure if he envied her husband to be or pitied him.
Who am I kidding, I'm envious of the man who gets to see her walk down the aisle.
"Next match." Heggles said. Fire spit up from the goblet and Hermione removed her feet from the table seeing her name. Viktor reached under the table and took her hand in his knowing that she must have been more than nervous in that moment. "We have Hermione Granger being matched with…" fire spit up and spelled out a familiar name. "Viktor Krum."
"Yes!" Viktor said leaping up from his chair while many of the women sighed sadly.
"Well would you look at that." Hermione said with a smile as she stood. "Come on husband to be let's get reacquainted." She said turning and walking out. Viktor looked to table full of people who were blinking as she walked away.
"Uhm Miss Granger?" Heggles asked standing.
"What?" she asked turning as Viktor walked to her.
"The matching isn't done."
"Sure it is, I've been matched Viktor's been matched there for we're leaving." She said. "I've got better things to do then watch 42 other people get matched..."
"But there are things-."
"Yes rules of the engagement which you'll just send by owl anyways, and honestly I'd rather read it then hear it from you…" She opened the door. "Viktor shall we?"
"We shall." He said walking through. Hermione slammed the door for good measure. Viktor and Hermione looked to each other for a long moment before both laughed and Viktor moved forward picking Hermione up in his arms as he spun in a circle.
"Thank god I thought I was going to get matched with that bloke from Russia for sure." Hermione said as he put her down.
"This is great we are matched and we are friends it vill make whole thing easier don't you think?"
"Sure but you know we haven't talked in a long time…" She said.
"Dah this is true, we should go somewhere to get reacquainted." He said.
"How about my flat?" She asked. "It's safe from reporters."
"Sounds good." He said with a nod and she leant her arm for him to take. "Don't we need to go through floo network to get out of ministry?"
"No." she said. "At least I don't. I just use it because… But I don't have to." He slowly nodded and set his hand on her arm. Instantly he felt the familiar pull at his navel. When his feet touched the ground he looked at a room full of stacks of books. "Uhm… I forgot what a mess it was…" He smiled looking around. It wasn't really a mess, it was just cluttered. Full of books stacked high up against the ceilings. He would expect nothing less from a mind like Hermione. When they had dated he knew she could read up to ten books in three days. He knew that hadn't probably changed, in fact the number of books had probably increased. "I meant to make book shelves…" He looked to her. "But I never got around to it…"
"It's fine…" She nodded slowly before she put her hand out. He watched as a stack of books flew off her table and stacked themselves into a new pile by her front door. It was then he noticed it tons of odd symbols glowing on her door and walls. Hermione watched him walk up to one and tilt his head.
"They're cloaking symbols." He looked to her. "I have a lot of enemies these keep them from finding where I live… I should tell you that only three people know where I reside and now you're one of them."
"I vill keep your location safe."
"Thank you, my life does actually depend on it." He nodded. "So drink?" she asked.
"Water?"
"Yeah I think I have that…" She said with a smile as she walked to her kitchen. Viktor looked to a window sill where an owl sat. It was a barn owl. A strange choice for a post owl. His eyes then went to the table below it where hundreds of unopened letters lay.
"You don't check your mail often…"
"Hmm?" she asked coming back in with a pitcher of water with some lemon cut in it. She set a glass in front of him and he poured himself a glass.
"I said you don't check your mail often…" she looked to it and smiled.
"Yeah there mostly all from my editor wondering where my next book is."
"Vell it's been a year since your last one. Which was my favorite by the way."
"You read my books?" She asked with a smile as she looked him over.
"Everyone does." He said with a smile. After all her novels which were all true accounts of her life at Hogwarts with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley had become a staple in magical literature. It was now a required reading text for most magical students. The series had come to be known as the Golden Trio Chronicles. "Your last one was my favorite."
"The last one, yes that was about the tournament." She said with a smile.
"I liked how you described me." She looked up in thought as she stood.
"Let me see if I remember how I described you…" she said walking over to her bar station. "A tall broad shouldered young man with a dark brooding expression but a smile to melt the hearts of any woman who lay her eyes upon it."
"Yes I think that was it." He said with a smile as he watched her pour herself a glass of fire whiskey. It was her fifth glass but he figured it was because she had been nervous throughout the day, besides it didn't seem to be affecting her.
"I'm sort of embarrassed you read it I revealed a lot about us, about how I felt." She said sitting back down.
"You did not reveal everything though, which I must thank you for." She nodded.
"You know that was my highest selling book, I think it was because of all your fan girls, what are they called again?"
"The Krumpetts." He said and she laughed the sound ringing like a bell and he smiled.
"That's right…" she took a sip of her drink. "The Krumpetts." He laughed as she looked him over. "Well thank you for the Krumpetts readership they really boosted my pay check." He nodded. "By the way I didn't say it back at the marriage division but… It's uhm…" she looked off. "It's good to see you again Viktor." She looked back to him and he smiled.
"You as vell. It has been so very long." She nodded with a smile. They looked at one another for a long moment.
"So what's our next step?" She asked looking off.
"Meeting the family?" He inquired.
"That's right though I've already met a few of your family members, your mother father and the little one."
"Ah Tase has grown he is no longer little."
"How old is he now?"
"Fifteen."
"Oh bloody hell that's old, which means I'm old." She said and he laughed.
"How do you think I veel?" he asked and she laughed.
"Who else is there again?" she asked.
"Three others, my oldest brother Danail." She nodded trying to keep her jaw from clenching. She knew all about Danail Krum after all. "Second oldest brother Johan, and third oldest brother Yosif."
"Well it will be nice to meet the rest of your family seeing as I never got to meet them before." He nodded with a smile. "So when will I meet them?"
"How about tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow, I've got nothing better to do." She said with a smile.
"What of your family?" her jaw clenched as she looked down into her glass.
"What about them?" she asked taking a sip as her jaw clenched.
"When vill I meet them?" He inquired.
"I don't speak to my parents anymore… So you probably won't meet them." He blinked as he looked her over. Her parents and her were closer then he and his own parents.
"You do not speak to them?"
"Nope." She said her glass growing empty.
"Why not?" he inquired and she looked to him.
"I just don't." He slowly nodded seeing in her expression this wasn't a topic he wanted to touch on. "So I'm guessing they won't be at the wed-."
"No."
"Right…" A knock sounded and he looked to the door.
"Just ignore it that door doesn't get opened to anyone."
"Hermione open up it's me Ron!"
"Not even to him?" He asked as she downed her drink.
"Not even to him." She said with a smile.
"Hermione it's out in the paper are you seriously marrying Krum!?"
"You should probably go, I know I'm bailing, so tomorrow I'll meet you at Krum manor when?" She asked standing and he did so as well.
"How about six?" he asked.
"Lovely fancy dress?" She inquired.
"Yes." He said.
"Is that Krum!?" Ron yelled.
"Excellent…" She said with a smile as she shook his hand before apperating out of sight. Viktor looked to the door which Ron was currently pounding on. As the door burst open he apperated out of sight. Hermione's hands slid into her jacket as she moved across the street into her pub. Before she could go inside the spotted Hogwarts castle just off in the distance. Her jaw clenched as pain rose into her chest.
"Run Hermione!"
She quickly walked into the pub her head bowed.
"The usual Liam." She said her jaw clenching as she headed to her usual corner booth. Liam walked over to the war hero a glass and bottle in hand. He let his eyes take in her expression. He could instantly tell she wasn't plagued by the marriage law or her engagement to Viktor Krum which had just been leaked. No he had seen the expression only a few times, and it was one of immense sorrow he knew exactly what she was thinking about. He set the glass down before pouring her drink. She instantly downed it and he looked her over for a long moment before putting the bottle down beside her hand.
"On the house Miss Granger." He said softly and she slowly nodded.
"Thank you Liam…" She said quietly her headed bowed forward.
"Just want to say… I'm glad what happened happened…" Her eyes closed. "It was for the greater good."
"Thank you Liam…"
"Any time Miss Granger…"
-O-
AN: so there it is the first chapter to my new Hermione Viktor fanfic novella series do enjoy and review I'm hoping to beat out my review record of Me and Miss Granger part 2!