Author's notes: Wow! Thank you everyone who gave me such a warm welcoming on my first chapter. I wasn't sure if it would go over well, and I was pleasantly surprised with Story Alerts, Favorite Story's, and Review Alerts. Thank you! So I decided to write a little more than I did last time. I have a goal when writing this story. I really want to kind of follow the main storyline of the books from the 4th one: Goblet of Fire, to the 7th one:Deathly Hallows, and after. The only parts I want to change are just the ones that concern Hermione and her relationship with Ron, and include Hermione with her relationship with Viktor. So yes, it's going to not be a major surprise in plot, just very minor changes. But I hope I can offer different perspectives to you guys. I already have something decently big planned, that may or may not be pleasing, but I figure, if it makes ME feel strongly, then it might make you feel strongly, too. I won't tell you in what direction I'm going here :P

But please, continue to give this story a shot and please review if you can. I love the input and it motivates me to work on it.


Two defining instances had Viktor Krum standing back in the library again very soon after the first task had been completed and done with. The rush of the first task had subsided only slightly after several days, but Viktor, after facing his dragon and being in a good place in the tournament, was distraught by one thing; one person: the 4th year Hogwarts champion who had tied him in scores. And it wasn't because of this unexpected outcome in the tournament that had Viktor going back to his table in the corner in a sour mood. Viktor went on auto-pilot and pulled several books off the shelf before reclaiming his position. He wasn't sure if she would come today, but Viktor settled into the chair and geared himself up to wait. He was intent on doing it today. He only hoped she would come in today. And alone this time.

The two instances that remained in his brain had been exacerbated by his abrupt chance meeting with her after the first task.

She had been walking in a rush from the Champion's tent towards the castle, up the half-dirt ridden path half-cobblestoned walk towards the looming gates. Viktor had the Beauxbeatons champion in tow, the silly girl having run off towards the carriages for a reason he assumed was important enough. Fleur, deemed donning a fresh skirt to replace the singed one she had been wearing after her fight with the Common Welsh dragon excessively important.

Viktor had noticed her immediately for her wild hair, despite the hands on her face. She was heading towards them very unknowingly, but Viktor stood tall, not knowing what he was doing before he had a hand out on her small shoulder and was wrenching her arm away from her face with the other. There were tears, and more coming, streaming down her face. Her face was so red and her eyes so glossy he could see a slight reflection of himself shooting back at him. He tried not to look at the impromptu mirror reflected back through her brown eyes.

"'Vot is 'vong?" Viktor said, unable to stop himself from demanding. "Are you all right?"

She looked greatly surprised; shocked even. She opened her mouth soundlessly then settled for a nod after closing her mouth into a thin line.

"I'm fine... I'm just...I'm fine." She rushed, still very much surprised and confused, looking between him and the Delacour girl behind him. But her voice was quite sure of itself. Her demeanor however... She seemed unable to continue, her eyes then darting like a deer to his own large hand still locked around her wrist.

He dropped his hands quickly. "I...apologize. If there is anything I can do, do not hesitate..." But then a feeling of utter humiliation flooded over him. His stomach was squirming, the look on her face was nothing more than what he plainly saw, embarrassed confusion, and Delacour looked, as politely as she could, very much not there if she could help it. But Fleur was also looking over Viktor's shoulder at the bushy-haired girl.

He could imagine what she saw. The brown-haired 4th year was now looking at Fleur's unintentioned snobbish look with a glowering one of her own.

So Viktor bowed at the waist very stiffly. He walked away from the still nameless girl whose image was burned into his eyes, along with the expression on her face. His back felt very stiff like marble but his feet walked ahead of him, knowing from memory how to walk, one foot ahead of the other.

Fleur quipped behind him, "Do 'oou know 'eer?"

He gave no reply. Viktor only entered the tent quietly.

By the time Viktor had reached the inside of the tent, the final Champion's task had been completed, and the girl had clearly come from that direction.

Viktor could only form one conclusion answering for her state of complete disarray and he stood there in front of Viktor, a gangly boy at best.

If she had come from the stands, he wouldn't have bumped into her up the hill before the castle. That left the most plausible possibilty that she came from the tents. The only person in the Champion's tent was Harry Potter. The other Hogwarts champion entered in from the medic's tent in the next moment.

"Good one, Harry." The older Hogwart's champion nodded to the boy.

"And you." Harry replied with a grin. He looked slightly flushed and very relieved. Either way he was in a high state of emotion. Not unusual for someone who had just finished facing a large, fire-breathing dragon.

And this would have meant nothing to Viktor, had he not seen 1.) A few days prior to the first task, she and Potter walking around the lake several times together.

Viktor had been inside of his room on the Durmstrang ship, which had a direct view of the lake outside and of the stands further away to the west. He couldn't make them out at first, but when raising his head from a letter he was writing a few minutes later, he could make her out. He couldn't distinctly tell who was next to her at first, but he was male.

This irritated him some. He had no claims on her, but still... his curiosity was immediate. Despite his own private resolution to avoid the library until the first task, he was following them very loosely, letter forgotten. He followed them until he met the usual corridors that led to the library. If he could find any place in Hogwarts, he could find the library on the third floor. He knew the Hogwarts library better than his own.

He slouched in a few minutes later so as not to be conspicuous. 2.) Yes, it was Potter.

They were there together with their heads over books at her usual table. It was beyond him why his jealousy was instantaneous. He went to the table of his in the corner and sat. He tried to look at them without making it obvious, but it was right then that he saw an aggravated look shot towards his direction. It was from her eyes. Then she and Potter got up to leave the library after soundless muttering from her.

Surprised and angry, mostly at himself, Viktor got up also and made to leave, feeling foolish. But as he was pulling the door open, a gaggle of girls, one with a red sash tied around her waist, were on the other side of it. They were not expecting to see him up from his spot and leaving. It was their intention to talk to him, but this was too abrupt.

Viktor bowed, allowing them to walk in first, then made to leave again, but before he could have safely been out of reasonable earshot, one of them called to him, "Wait!"

He stopped, then wanted to smack himself. Now he had to turn around.

"'Vot is it?" He tried to reply evenly, but his tone was like his demeanor: surly.

There were four of them. They looked maybe sixteen or seventeen, and one had her hand on her friend's shoulder, the one who wore the red sash. She had a face nearly as red. Inwardly, Viktor sighed. His fists clenched.

"Go on." Her friend nudged her. The girl in the sash just opened her mouth and closed it tightly, blushing harder. Nervously, the friend spoke for her. "She wants to give this to you... umm..." The girl in the sash shakily handed over a letter to the friend, who handed it, quite nervously herself, to Viktor.

The girl in the sash stuttered out, "I-I-It's for luck... f-for the tournament..."

The girl patted her friend's back encouragingly and finished, "There's a charm in there for good luck, she means. This is Tabitha. I'm Isabelle." The other two girls giggled, whispering to each other.

"T-Tabitha Reynolds... I-I'm a really big fan..." She was looking at the floor now. Her friend smiled again, and urged her to go on, but Viktor hastily bowed again. "Thank you." He said automatically, finally finding the silver lining in his particular problem. He tried to brighten up, but he only managed to upgrade to broody. "I 'vonder, if I may ask a favor..." He said quietly.

Tabitha was now officially as red as the sash. Her friend was surprised and happy, and the other two girls were giggling in uncontrollable fits now.

"I am often in the library. I very much enjoy to read, but I cannot concentrate sometimes..." Viktor didn't like to lie, even in small forms, but he was willing to do this particular thing. His shoulders slumped slightly.

A moment passed and then one of the girls went, "Oh!" Another piqued, "Oh, we're sorry..." They gave embarrassed smiles.

"Um..." Tabitha looked up now, so nervous that when she met the edge of his face in her vision her head flew back downwards to the floor. "...I... I will tell people to leave the library alone... I know some of the girls who've been coming here... Sorry..." She muttered. "We're just... r-really excited." Tabitha's hands flew up to her face. She laughed shakily. "We're sorry... Sorry." She repeated.

"No, thank you." He said, bowing again. Feeling awkward, he turned away and treaded from them quickly. He was sure they hadn't finished talking, but he took their stunned silence as a blessing and went back to the ship. Giggles followed him through the corridor on his way out.


Everything screamed at him to leave it alone. Leave her alone. The look in her eyes when she shot him that dirty gaze, her emotional attachment to the Hogwart's champion, her obvious disdain for him... And if not him, then his profession and passion. He put his hands in his hair.

Leaver her alone. Leaver her alone...

He would do it.

He would ask her.

He would ask her to go to the Yule Ball with him before that Potter did.

Viktor flopped onto the top of his book and sighed again, miserable in his cage as he waited uselessly.


Hermione entered the library Thursday evening with a list prepared for several books on Ancient Runes. She was behind schedule for her self-study for next years O.W.L's, having gotten behind from helping Harry rush at the last minute and learn his summoning spell properly. She headed directly to the History section and to the even smaller divsion dedicated to runes. Checking her list again, Hermione started pulling books off the shelf. She had three books propped into her arms before she realized the silence around her.

She smiled to herself, basking in the quietness of the library. Since the Yule Ball had been announced, a lot of students wouldn't step within the direction of the library unless it was an emergency. For her, the library was at it's best abandoned and empty. Even Madam Pince was gone from her perch at the desk nearing the large wooden doors. This was rare and she intended to take advantage of it.

Hermione had gotten most of the books she was interested in obtaining before spotting a large text just out of reach. It was titled: Index of Ancient Runes. Last time Hermione had checked for it, the huge book had been gone and was in use by a seventh year who refused to return it for weeks. Hermione fished in her robes for her wand, but her hand paused when a shadow overflowed her and the books on the case in front and above her.

She was half-startled but then felt the presence approach closer. Now a voice accompanied it, after a quick cough. In mid-turn she paused at the voice and the umistakeable accent, "'Vould you like help? 'Vich one is it?" She froze in her turn and her shoulders retraced their movement. She felt cornered, embarassed, and nervous. She didn't know why. It was the obvious closeness of the person behind her, and the obvious situation of her and him alone in the library. If he had purposely seeked her out, she didn't know why. Maybe she was paranoid, but she hadn't forgotten the tight grip he'd had on her and how abruptly it had happened. She was blushing and didn't know why. A voice inside her mind screamed: Danger!

She simply replied, "No. I can get it." And pulled the wand out of her robes and directed it upwards. "Accio Index." The large book was heavy and it shuffled sluggishly out of it's spot between the other books. Slightly bent over from the weight of the now slighty-too-heavy books, she waited for a moment longer until she could trust herself, then she turned around.

It was Viktor Krum. She had known it was, recognizing the voice from before, but with him there in front of her, much farther away than she had supposed, she felt foolish for thinking something weird. She mumbled, "Thank you, though." as she moved past him and to her usual table.

She felt like she was being rude. This was the second time she had shrugged him off. He, Viktor Krum, a Triwizard Champion and an International Quiddich player, who was obviously just trying to be friendly. She bit her lip, a voice ringing in her ears that the whole point of the Triwizard Tournament was to make friends, and here she was, going against it instinctively.

No longer comfortable in the library, Hermione had a hand on one of the books and picked up Runes: How Ancient Are They Really?. Her lips pursed at the title. How silly.

Now it would be a wait for Madam Pince to return so she could get permission to take the books out. She was a real stickler for her books, despite Hermione's excessively extreme care with them. Madam Pince still remembered the torn page from that book on Basilisks from Hermione's second year and had never really forgiven her, despite her loyalty to the library.

Hermione heard the shuffling behind her again, Krum's footfalls were of the heavy variety she was learning. Instead of waiting stupidly this time, Hermione turned around to face him. She opened her mouth to ask a polite question to break the ice, but he, a respectful distance from her with his hands behind his back, stood tall and said, "You are very lucky. The library at Durmstrang is nothing compared to this. You take vell advantage of it, I have seen."

There was not a topic of more interest to Hermione than this. She was a sucker for knowledge about places and things she'd never been to or might not know about. Locations and places had been her first area of study when being accepted into Hogwarts. The Institute of Durmstrang had not been overlooked, but there was not a large collection of knowledge on it. Having a Durmstrang student in front of her, she was a rush of questions. "Durmstrang's library isn't bigger? I know Durmstrang was founded much earlier than Hogwarts, but I've never seen any mention of specific dates. How early was Durmstrang founded exactly?"

"'Ven was Hogwarts founded?" Viktor returned.

"990 A.D." Hermioned recalled quickly.

"Ah." There was a silence, then Viktor continued, looking hesitant, but Hermione understood. It wasn't necessarily advisable, even discouraged, to give excessive detail about their respective schools. He was carefully forming a reply.

"Durmstrang actually started out very young and small..." He continued. "It vas originally a coven of 'vitches and 'vizards at first, then over many years they vere thinking to expand, eventually, most likely after Hogvarts had been already founded. I am thinking they also institutionalized because of it. Our library is much smaller in comparison. Before Gridenvald's time there vas a very large book burning. Knowing this, it sheds light on Grindevald's actions, and perhaps he vas not very vell learned."

"I've learned so many things from books," Hermione started, stopping only to wonder how much to divulge about her passion, sometimes called obsession by others, for reading and relying on books. "I'm muggle-born, so when I got my acceptance letter from Hogwarts, I read as much as I could find. I felt very behind, and I ended up reading all my school books before school started." She said in embarassment mixed with pride. She looked at Krum and his face showed no negative signs. In fact, he asked directly after, "And so you are actually muggle-born? No 'vitches or 'vizards in your family?" Then he seemed to rethink the question, quickly adding. "There is nothing 'vong with that, I mean, there are many really vonderful 'vitches and 'vizards who go through long muggle lines." He seemed to hesitate again after this statement.

"They don't accept muggle-born into Durmstrang, do they?"

"No. They do not. We lose many good 'vitches and 'vizards to it, but Durmstrang can often be lacking in progression of society sometimes."

"Durmstrang also allows students to learn the black arts?"

"Ve are different to many schools in that particular area, and ve do learn the dark arts, but it is strictly on a 'knowledge is a preventative power' basis. I do not feel that because I have learned about that kind of magic that I vould feel the need to use it."

"Of course not." Hermione agreed, thinking about all the rules they had to break in order to do good. It mattered entirely on maturity of mind and intent.

A distinct, prim clearing of the throat was heard across the library near Madam Pince's desk, who, standing now behind the desk, pointed to the clock above the doors. It was 8 PM. Closing time.

Hermione apologized to Madam Pince and went to gather her books. Krum was faster than her, and gathered up the large book before she could. "Thank you." She nodded as she went with the rest of the books to Madam Pince's desk.

Madam Pince, looking particularly severe at the two of them, went to magically time-stamping and dating the cards in the books for Hermione.

"I vould actually be interested in a book on Hogvarts." Viktor said in the silence.

Hermione replied, "There's a rather good book that's a must-read if you want to know more about Hogwarts. It's the first book I read on it, and I find myself still going back to it. I know the library has a copy, it's called Hogwarts: A History."

Madam Pince said airly. "You'll have to get that book somewhere else. We don't allow books out of the Hogwart's premises."

Hermione quietly chastised the woman in her head. 'More like YOU don't let the books out of the premises...'

Hermione and Krum were silent until they walked out of the library. Once out of the corrider and Madam Pince's sharp heeled footsteps could be heard fading away, Hermione rolled her eyes.

"You can borrow my copy. It has a lot of notes in it and I marked a lot of pages, but it's still readable. Is that okay?"

"That is vonderful, I vould like that even better."

"I'll be a few minutes, then."

Hermione took Index of Ancient Runes back from Krum and went in the direction of the Gryfindor dormitories, happy that someone was interested for once. This was a wholly new concept to her, to think someone might actually be worth talking to in the intellectual sense. She was smiling as she waited for the next moving staircase to point in the right direction.

Viktor left the castle and to the ship without an answer, but a book. But to him, a book was much a much better thing. A book, her book, with her own thoughts and opinions, a little bit of her past self locked inside, could be looked through and studied. He could have more insight on her. It hadn't been a lie that he was interested in Hogwarts, but he was truly more interested in her and the conversations they might be able to share on similar topics.

He would read it. He could hold onto it indefinitely. Nothing could bring him down at that moment.

When he got back to his room on the ship he settled down and got out of his Durmstrang robes. The only thing he wanted to do was read. It was strange, but not a horrible feeling.

And then he saw it.

Opening the book, scribbled neatly in the upper left corner, was her name.

Hermione Granger.

He could hit himself for his stupidity. Again, he hadn't thought to ask her name. But he had been so jumbled in his feelings while talking to her, talking more than he would usually talk in a month to others, he had forgotten to ask.

'Hermione Granger...' He thought.

He laid in bed next to the book and looked at the name again. Falling asleep with the book open to his side, his last thought was, 'I'll never be able to say it... but now I know...'