A/N: Shoutout to my beta, Krissy. Thanks for all the sweet reviews, faves, and follows!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 4

Hermione pulled her coat tighter around her to block the cold breeze. Viktor had shown her around the grounds, which were absolutely breathtaking. She had lingered in the stables longer than they had originally planned. His horses were magnificent, large with a black shiny coat. It was only after Viktor promised they could go riding tomorrow that she managed to tear herself away.

The two of them had then Apparated to Plovdiv, a popular city in Bulgaria. It was a beautiful sight; there were cobbled streets and older stone buildings. She could hear music playing in the distance. It was breathtaking.

Walking down the street, she followed Viktor to a small café that he often frequented.

"Are you cold, Nin?" he asked, his dark beady eyes looking at her worriedly as she pulled her coat tighter around herself once more.

She shook her head, giving him a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Viktor. It's much colder here than it is in England."

"England's veather is… bad. It is either raining or too hot for my taking."

She nodded in understanding. The climate was a really fickle thing sometimes. It was often difficult to determine how to dress for the day as one could never be sure of the forecast.

"Ve are here," he said, stopping in front of a small building. He held open the door for her, smiling as she walked past.

"Viktor, darling!" A motherly looking woman came bustling over, pulling Viktor in for a hug. She spoke something in Bulgarian that Hermione didn't quite catch.

"Mama Donnas, this is Ninny Granger. She is from England," he explained, introducing them both. "Nin, this is a close friend of mine. She runs the café."

"Hermione Granger, ma'am, pleasure to meet you," she said politely, sticking her hand out. Mama Donnas took her hand, shaking it fiercly.

"Oh, the Granger girl? The one involved in all that business with You-Know-Who?" Mama Donnas inquired, looking Hermione up and down.

Blushing, Hermione nodded. She would never get use to all of the attention that came with being a war-hero.

"Well, welcome! Take a seat, darlings." Mama Donnas smiled at them both warmly. "I'll be over in a moment."

Viktor lead Hermione towards a small table in the back, pulling the seat out for her. Once she was siting, Viktor took his own seat.

"She seems very nice," Hermione commented, picking up a menu. She glanced at some of the items on the menu — it all looked delicious.

Viktor nodded in agreement. "Mama Donnas has been very supportive of my Quidditch career," he explained. "She's a very kind voman. Very generous. My mama and she are friends."

Hermione looked him over, unable to keep herself from smiling. She could feel her cheeks grow slightly warm.

"Vhat?" he asked, turning slightly red in the face himself. The small look of self-consciousness on him was adorable in Hermione's opinion.

"I'm just happy to see you," she answered quietly, telling him the truth. "I've missed you, Viktor." She met his gaze, her blush deepening.

He reached across the table and grasped her hand. "I've missed you as vell, Ninny." His voice was low and husky. It sent chills down her spine.

Hermione thought it was adorable that he still couldn't pronounce her name the full way. It gave him an excuse to use a nickname, one that no one else called her.

Mama Donnas came over and Viktor ordered them both sandwiches. Apparently Mama Donnas baked the baguettes herself and they always came out delicious.

They spent the time waiting for their food talking. Viktor told her all about his latest Quidditch game and Hermione told him how she had just helped to pass a bill promoting werewolf rights.

The conversation came easy between them, and Hermione couldn't remember the last time she had felt so relaxed around someone. It was a comfortable conversation. Even the silence was comfortable, instead of awkward as it often was with people.

The sandwiches eventually arrived and Hermione felt her stomach grumble. She licked her lips in anticipation.

"Hungry, Nin?" he asked, a smirk on his face. He chuckled softly.

"Shush," she admonished him, smiling. "But yes, actually, I am. This food looks delicious."

"It is," he grumbled through a mouthful of his food, having already bit into his sandwich.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Did every man she know talk with his mouth full? But she picked up her food and bit into it. Closing her eyes, she savored the bursting flavor. "Oh, this is delicious." The bread was heavenly, the tomato juicy, and the cheese was smoky. Hermione couldn't remember the last time she had eaten a sandwich so delicious.

"I am glad you like it," Viktor replied, almost halfway done with his meal.

Hermione smiled. The two of them finished up in silence, eating the rest of their meals.

"Thank you, Mama Donnas," Hermione said politely as they were leaving. "It was absolutely delicious."

Mama Donnas surprised her with a hug. "It was my pleasure, darling. Please, come back anytime. And Viktor, tell your mother I will be owling her later this week." She gave Viktor a hug, kissing him on both cheeks.

The two of them stepped back outside into the cold. "Do you want to go for a walk?" Viktor asked, glancing at her.

Nervously, Hermione nodded. "That sounds nice." Her heart began to beat wildly in her chest.

"Vonderful," Viktor said, taking her hand. Hermione blushed at the contact, her heart speeding up even faster.

The two of them walked around the city, taking in all the sights. Viktor pointed out all the famous buildings, explaining the history of the ancient city with every step. He loved the way her eyes lit up when he explained something. It seems my little bookworm is still as curious as she was back then, he mused to himself.

Hermione enjoyed the small tour with Viktor. There was so much history in the city, and she wanted to learn it all. The entire time, he held onto her hand, not yet relinquishing his hold. She would catch him staring at her from the corner of his eye every so often, making Hermione's blush return.

After spending some time in the city, Viktor Apparated them both back to the Manor. Hermione didn't miss the way his hands lingered on her waist once they arrived. Blushing, she looked up into his dark eyes. "Viktor," she said gently, her mouth going dry.

"Yes, Nin?" he asked, his deep voice sending chills down her spine.

"I, ummm," she stuttered nervously. His eyes were just so beautiful. What was I saying? Oh, right. Viktor leaned forward slightly. Is he going to kiss me? In a moment of panic and sudden uncertainty, Hermione stepped backwards out of his embrace.

His eyes flashed with hurt.

"Goodnight, Viktor. I'll see you in the morning," she said before quickly turning on her heel and hurrying to her room. Once inside, she collapsed on the bed, her head swimming with thoughts. Her heart beat wildly in her chest as she tried to catch her breath.

Viktor was definitely going to kiss her. And she was definitely going to let him kiss her.

So why didn't she?

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