03. Straightening Things Out

"No, Hermione," Ron said in a flat but angry tone. "Don't even bother explaining. I don't want to know."

"But... Ron! If I could only tell you what happened, why he's here..." Hermione stuttered, trying to find the perfect words to explain the situation.

"You don't need to," Viktor Krum suddenly barked, looking annoyed. "I vill go."

"Wha... Vikt... no! You needn't go--"

"So will I," Ron agreed, sounding heartbreakingly pained.

"NO! I just need to explain, just tell you what's--"

But no words could describe how she felt as both Ron and Viktor walked out at the same time. Instead she broke down and cried, over and over again letting out whispers in which the only coherent words were "explain" and "no".

Hermione awoke chilled and more terrified than ever to tell Ron about Krum, thanks to her dream.

"Explain what?" Ginny asked gently. "Was that a nightmare?"

Hermione could only nod, tears beginning to form in her eyes, and Ginny gave her a hug. "You'll be fine," she said comfortingly. "It won't come true."

"That's the problem," Hermione explained shakily. "It could."

Ginny took on a look of understanding. "Something about Viktor." It wasn't a question.

Her friend nodded. "They walked out."

"Hermione, that won't happen, you know that. You and I both do. Ron is going to take the news fine. You'll have to tell him today, you know that, right?"

"I do," she replied. "I will. I've got to."

"The sooner the better."

Hermione sighed. She knew that too.

At breakfast, Hermione found the perfect time to tell Ron: Ginny had agreed to walk Harry to work before going to practice, and they were alone.

"Ron?"

Ron looked up, mouth full of food. He held up a finger, swallowed, and then asked, "Yeah?"

"I need to ask you something," she started uneasily.

"Okay."

"About Viktor Krum."

Ron slowly turned a reddish-purple color, and Hermione blushed, but continued firmly. If this didn't work, nothing would. "He came to see me at work and asked me for a place to stay for a while."

Ron still looked shocked and speechless.

"He's got nowhere else to go, Ron, really he hasn't, and I couldn't let him go without a home."

Finally Ron spoke. "Why?"

"Someone on his Quidditch team was... not who they seemed to be. His things may have curses on them, and it needs to be looked over."

Ron groaned. "He really had nowhere else to go? Not a nice fourth-cousin twice-removed, or even a cardboard box somewhere?"

Hermione felt her spirits lift at Ron's seeming to accept that Viktor was coming, but only said, "He said he had no one. And I don't know about the cardboard box," she added sarcastically, "but I don't suppose he's got one of those, or would be willing to stay in one."

"I only meant that maybe he just..."

"What? Wanted to see me?" Hermione laughed. Ridiculous. "That's impossible, Ron, I promise. We've been over ever since fourth year ended. Before then, really. Honestly."

"It seems likely," Ron grumbled. "When's he coming?"

"Two days -- or, I suppose, one," she corrected herself. "So tomorrow I imagine he'll be here. And Ron, you'll need to be mature," Hermione went on, glad that she was able to alter her tone to where she wasn't so much asking as informing. "Your new maturity has brought about a lot of things, and it should help you here too."

Ron sighed. "I'll be -- civil... but we're not going to end up friends or whatever, it won't happen..."

"I don't expect that," Hermione said and almost laughed once more. Ron and Viktor friends? It didn't seem the least bit plausible. But there was something she needed to say. "So you're okay with it?" She asked it very softly, not looking at him.

Ron didn't look at her either. "I just... didn't much like the idea of him stealing you again."

Hermione wanted to question his use of the word "again" but thought better of it in her happiness. "Good," she said, and gave him a kiss on the cheek, turning quite red. Then she Disapparated to tell Ginny what had happened.