Hermione woke up slowly as if gently pulled from her warm, comforting dream to discover she was surrounded by more limbs than normal. A pale arm was draped lightly over her stomach, and she could just make out a foot somewhere near her hip bone that definitely wasn't hers, not unless she had somehow become a skilled contortionist in her sleep. Vague memories from the end of the previous evening crept into her consciousness; walking back into the main hall from the grounds, feeling so light she was sure it was only Viktor's arm wrapped around hers that kept her on the ground. Saying goodnight when the music died, words exchanged earnestly, but not as intimately as they had been before, surrounded as they were this time by a crowd of their friends, all of whom were similarly engaged. Hermione recalled coming back to the dorms with Luna, an excitable Ginny and Neville. All of them had wanted to hear about each other's evenings but by the time they made it back to the Tower they were all too tired to try.

Twisting her head as much as she was able, Hermione spied a mass of spiralling blonde hair that was so knotted it resembled a flaxen cloud. As she looked closer, she could make out the remnants of the braided flowers they had charmed the night before. If Luna's hair looked like that, Hermione could only imagine how bad her's would be.

As she laid her head back on the pillow, Ginny, who was tailing between them, suddenly levered up without warning, making Hermione jump. Her friend's eyes darted around the unfamiliar room for a moment before her bleary expression landed on Hermione and instantly gained more focus. "Well, that's adorable," she remarked croakily, her voice thick with sleep, "you look like a miniature poodle."

That's what you get for wondering Hermione.

Ginny pulled herself up as she wiped her face, dragging pillows to prop herself up. "So," she began more loudly, "tell us everything." She drew out the last word and emphasised it with the widening of her eyes. Hermione sighed, though her heart wasn't really in the protest. A rustling to the side of her head alerted them all that Ginny's movements had woken up Luna, who eyed Hermione from their shared pillow with just as much enthusiasm evident in her gaze.

With a mostly affected air of being put out, Hermione related what had gone on the night before, what she was willing to share at least. Viktor's teasing words steadying her nerves, his pouting when he lost her to other dance partners, and the incredible care he had taken of her all evening. Several rude words were exchanged between the rapidly waking girls when she mentioned Ron, and various plans were hatched for them to get suitable revenge. The constant flow of excitable ad-libbing that had been going on since Hermione started speaking faded away entirely when she got to the bit where herself and Viktor had gone outside.

"-He insisted I have his cloak and he bent down to fasten the ribbon at the top of my neck," Hermione recalled, her fingers tracing the line of her throat in memory. "As he got close he said, 'Hermione, I'm going to kiss you now,' and he, well he did." Hermione blushed furiously, and there was nothing she could do to stop the dreamy expression on her face or the slight awe like quality her voice had taken.

"Well?" Ginny pressed impatiently as she fell forward, shaking both Hermione's legs. "How was it?" she asked in a squeaky voice.

"It was," she started, and Ginny narrowed her eyes.

"If you say nice, Hermione Granger, so help me-"

Luna let out a peal of giggles, and Hermione smiled. "I wasn't going to say that," she defended, "though it was, I just don't really know how to describe it." Hermione looked up at the canopy of her small bed, collecting her disordered and cloudy thoughts. It didn't help that she felt as if she had dreamt the whole night, not that the memory wasn't clear in her mind, she could recall it with complete lucidity, it was just so magical it felt unreal.

"I was so upset that Ron might have ruined the night and then as I was sat there on the stairs, I started to think that maybe I had ruined it by reacting at all. I could have ignored him, I normally would have done, I'm still not sure why it got to me so much but… I was feeling so happy; everything was perfect, and then Ron had to go and burst the bubble. I just wanted one night where everything went right."

Luna moved to snuggle her head against Hermione's shoulder, and Ginny remained resolutely silent, something of a miracle in itself.

"Then Viktor appeared," Hermione continued, remembering how she had clearly made out the vibrant red of his cloak and known it was him, despite her watery eyes. "There he was, right when I was contemplating how I was going to explain everything. He wasn't cross or put out or anything, and he was just so direct, and even though he asked about my feelings for Ron, he did it with one arm around me. He made me feel better because that's what he does. When I think about Viktor, I feel awkward and off-kilter, and out of my depth, but it's never the same when he's actually there. When he is with me, everything complicated becomes easy, I never worry about what he thinks because he just says it.

Then we went outside, and it was cold and dark, and for a moment I felt this weight of expectation and fear. You know me, I hate not knowing how to do something. But then there were these soft, twinkling lights everywhere and Viktor looked down at me and... it was perfect. It was a moment beyond my adequate description. For once I let myself be in the present, I didn't think about how things like that never happen to me, or what it all meant, or that I didn't know what I was doing, I let it happen, enjoyed it for what it was because… because I trust him.

I trust Viktor not to hurt me, as much as he is able, and while he might not be around forever, I think he would go out of his way to be respectful. So to answer your question it was... beautiful, one of the best experiences of my life, and so romantic that practical little me shouldn't have enjoyed it nearly as much as I did."

Hermione looked up to find Ginny regarding her wide-eyed. "It's like a fairy story," she said, "an actual fairy story."

Luna sat up stretching out her arms in an attempt to shake off the lingering sleep. "That sounds lovely," she said dreamily, "though I would advise you to avoid his Quidditch games, Hermione."

"You don't think I should go?" she questioned looking back at her friend who was studying her own knotted hair with a faint frown.

"Decidedly not, he couldn't take his eyes off you the entire evening, I imagine that might be a distraction in his chosen profession."

Hermione smiled at the earnest nature of Luna's suggestion, and she nodded at the sage advice. "How was your date?" she asked, untangling herself from the covers, it was unlikely any of them were going back to sleep now.

"Good," Luna replied easily. Mikhail was somewhat hesitant to take on board the implications of a Snorkack infiltrating the Bulgarian ecosystem, but surprisingly he had a rather sophisticated understanding of the vampires currently within the European Government. Apparently, three separate nests are fighting for dominance from within the Bulgarian Ministry alone; I imagine the undead are quite in vogue over there."

Ginny good-naturedly rolled her eyes and sprang from the bed. "I obviously have a million more questions, but we are going to need supplies, let's head to breakfast ladies, and then we can reconvene, and Hermione can tell us more."

"Haven't you heard enough?" Hermione protested as she shook off her covers.

"Unlikely. You went to a grand ball with probably the most recognisable and revered sports player in the entire magical world Hermione, we are going to be talking about this until we are in our rocking chairs."

In the weeks that followed the Yule Ball, Viktor became more overt in his attentions towards Hermione. It was nothing that anyone else would have picked up on unless they were looking, which, Hermione realised to her displeasure, many more people were. However, as there had been no great declaration following they're attending a dance together, it seemed the student body at large appeared to believe they're assertions that they were friends, something that suited Hermione just fine. While Viktor hadn't said anything to suggest he wanted a relationship with her, he did nothing to dissuade the notion either. He stopped to talk to her if they happened to pass in the corridors, asking her about her day and touching her almost absentmindedly and it wasn't just him. Since their hesitant introductions and dances together, Hermione saw a great deal more of Filip and Mikhail as well.

Despite the increased attention, Hermione hadn't seen Viktor privately in weeks, and very uncharacteristically - given her independent nature - she was beginning to keenly feel the deprivation of his company. They hadn't had any conversations about what happened, about the kiss. On the one hand, Hermione was glad; she was just getting used to her increased feelings and having to define something now might have been too soon. But on the other hand, the hand that saw the way girls looked at him wherever he went, well, that hand wanted that security of knowing that this wasn't just a passing fancy for him, she was becoming acutely aware it was a lot more than that for her.

Viktor had explained, in their caught moments, how his time was not own, on top of his regular studies and TriWizard preparations he was also getting ready for the upcoming Quidditch season. Considering the dawning of January had brought the beginning of classes Viktor's lack of time was something Hermione could understand, even empathise with, though not enjoy.

As such it somehow got to mid-January before they got to spend any quality time together at all. They had arranged a study meeting in the library, though, through agreement, and possibly some design, their friends were there as well. Since the kiss, Hermione's nerves, which had been slowly disappearing, had reignited and fluttered to the surface whenever Viktor was around. She began feeling awkward around him again and was prone to shuffling feet and limited conversational skills. She had been concerned that Viktor would be offended by her change of demeanour, but the slight smirk he got on his face whenever she became flustered suggested otherwise. Damn him. The same changes did not seem to affect him if anything Viktor seemed more relaxed than ever.

Hermione's nerves did not stop her from seeking Viktor out, and the comforting buffer of Ginny and Luna was not to put a wedge between them so much as to prevent unwanted attention. People may have overlooked them going to the ball together, but that would soon change if they were spotted on their own with any regularity.

So they found themselves sprawled out on one of the larger tables, towards the back of the library, not far from the little table where they used to sit together. Luna was perched at Hermione's side, no parchment or quills in front of her. Instead, the ravenclaw held a single, slim book upside down between her fingers, Hermione had deduced, after a cursory glance, that the text was most likely in some form of mermish. Hermione barely blinked at her, having known that despite appearances this was Luna at study, lack of notetaking notwithstanding. The slightly perplexed expression on Mikhail's face as he watched her blonde friend suggested this was something of a revelation to him and Hermione bit back a smile when his eyebrows raised as Luna dropped to the floor to lean her back against the now empty chair.

Mikhail was sat opposite them with his books and materials spread in front of him with a sort of military prison. His notes were neater than Hermione managed to achieve in the essays she handed in, and in place of alternating colours his planner revealed a series of unfamiliar symbols denoting different subjects, all depicted in plain black ink. Following their intense conversation as they danced, Mikhail seemed to want to get to know her, and once he had managed to tear his gaze away from the now murmuring blonde at her feet, he asked Hermione questions about the work she was doing and made recommendations of texts to further evidentiate the essays she was completing. He was smart - if a little blunt - in his advice, and Hermione felt with further time spent together she could grow to like Mikhail immensely. As he worked, he ticked items off a very detailed list and put his books away as he was finished with them. It was enough to make Hermione feel sloppy in comparison.

Filip was different, since the ball he had been like an excitable child whenever Hermione was near, peppering her with questions of a more straightforward nature than his serious friend and drawing her into detailed debates whenever he could. Unlike with Mikhail, Hermione never felt like he was testing her, rather Filip included her, forcing her to be an integral part of the conversation. Filip was not someone you grew to like throughout a deepening acquaintance, you couldn't help yourself but become wrapped up in him from the moment you met. He was dramatic, emotional and utterly charming. Filip's working style seemed to be an extreme form of organised chaos, or rather, to Hermione it looked like chaos plain and simple. Though, given his calm demeanour, there must have been at least some method to his apparent madness. As for her own friends, Hermione was not entirely convinced that Luna and Ginny were doing anything other than messing with the boys.

In fairness it wasn't Luna's fault that she discombobulated them so much, she did that without conscious thought, Ginny, however, was devious, and if she was going to spend her afternoon in the library, she would do it in a way that provided her with some amusement. The redhead had dedicated the last twenty minutes to encouraging Viktor from his comfortable seat at the table to go to the nearest bookshelf and reach for books higher and higher up while making pointed appreciative faces at Hermione every time he stretched. Hermione valiantly attempted to keep a straight face but after Viktor reached for a particularly high shelf and the back of his shirt lifted to reveal the muscled skin of his lower back she couldn't help the reluctant smile that crept across her face. Sadly, she had been too distracted by Ginny's poorly muffled whoop of victory to notice Viktor had turned back around. His raised eyebrow in her direction seemed to suggest he knew exactly what was going on.

Seeing suspicion written all over Viktor's face, Hermione jumped to her feet and before she had even thought about what she could use as an excuse, she made to dash to the other side of the library. "Err," she said as all eyes turned to her following her abrupt movement. "I'm just going to visit the Astrology section." In reality, she had no desire to do any such thing; she had selected all of the relevant books for her study when she first came in like she always did. After exchanging some looks around the table with the assembled knowing eyes, Hermione pushed out the chair and walked passed Viktor on her way.

"I will come," he declared, rounding the table quickly to catch up with her strides.

"I don't need you to carry for me," Hermione remarked shortly, the embarrassment at having being caught ogling him making her uncomfortable and snappy with it.

Viktor was unperturbed. "I know," he replied as he fell into step beside her. "But you may need me to reach them, you are shorter than Ginny," he winked at her, and Hermione felt the heat rise into her cheeks.

"I'm a witch, Viktor, I could just levitate them," she protested, marching quicker.

"But then how would I prove useful?" Viktor murmured, and Hermione started.

"You don't need to prove yourself to me," she whispered.

He looked at her more seriously. "Do not need to Hermione, want too."

Hermione stopped walking after his declaration, suddenly feeling incredibly silly for attempting to run off on some slim pretext just because she was embarrassed, or she did until Viktor leant down and whispered into her ear. "If it makes you feel better, the quill I dropped before may not have been accident," and with that he marched off in the direction of the Astrology shelf leaving Hermione staring after him, her mouth hanging open.

As it turned out, despite Hermione's assurances to the contrary, Viktor was helpful, not only because she allowed him to get down the books she actually needed, resolutely looking at the floor while he leant up, but he also carried them. After a few minutes of private chat Hermione's brain began whirring, she had a few things on her mind that she needed to raise. It would have been fine, awkward but fine if they didn't have such limited time together. She didn't want to spend their one slot in potential disagreement, but she had felt like she had upset him last time by keeping quiet, and now they knew each other better, keeping quiet now would be inexcusable. He would see it as a betrayal, Hermione was certain.

"So," she began, securing her teeth into her lip to try and suppress her wince. She really didn't want to have this conversation.

"Da," Viktor replied his face becoming more serious as he easily picked up on her change in tone and settled down the pile of books he had been holding.

"I have a couple of things to mention, and I'm not sure which is more difficult," Hermione forced out shifting on her feet.

He smiled indulgently. "Go on."

"I don't know if you have figured out the egg yet, but Cedric told me something to tell Harry," Viktor's face darkened, and she shot her hand out to rub his forearm in what she hoped was a consolatory gesture. "They're not colluding against you or anything, Harry supposedly helped Cedric for the first task, and he was simply repaying the favour," she assured him, dropping her hand as his gaze became unclouded. Viktor's eyes remained intense, apparently paying keen attention to whatever she was trying to say, however inelegantly.

"Anyway, he gave me a clue, a very vague clue, and after the whole thing with the dragons I felt… I thought I should find out if you were fine because it wouldn't be fair... if I knew something that could help you," she risked looking up once she had finished rambling to find him looking down at her softly.

"Hermione, do not worry have sorted it," he assured quietly.

"Really, that's wonderful," she replied, relief sweeping through her.

"Da, would like to speak to you about it but," Viktor began, and it was his turn to offer a reassuring touch, he looked regretful, but Hermione understood, their situation was far from ideal.

"I understand, it's um, well, I look forward to talking to you about it afterwards, I'm sure you will come up with something brilliant," she said brightly, and there were a couple of moments of silence while they readjusted themselves from the surprisingly tense conversation.

"So," Viktor said eventually, "What was second thing?"

"Ah, well," Hermione muttered. One down one to go, deep breath Granger.

She reached into her pocket and with extreme reluctance pulled out a small magical photo of Viktor. In it, he looked exactly as he had in all of those images she had seen everywhere at the world cup. Clad in the deep red kit of the Bulgarian National side, and scowling at the camera. His hair was slightly shorter than he wore it now, and despite it obviously being him, the likeness looked barely familiar to her.

"I was wondering if you wouldn't mind signing this? I know it's stupid and… the twins, Fred and George, they asked me... and they have been really nice lately…" she faltered. The situation made her uncomfortable, it wasn't the request as such, more the reminder that Viktor was a famous wizard, someone worthy of an autograph. He seemed to like her most because she disregarded his notoriety, mainly because she didn't really understand it. Hermione didn't want to give rise to any thoughts that he had been wrong in his assessment of her.

Viktor leant forward, taking the parchment from her hand but rather than letting it drop he twined his fingers through hers tightly. "Are you sure this not for you Hermione?" he teased, and Hermione's initial relief at the levity in his tone was thwarted by a flush as she fully understood what he was asking. Undeterred by her silence he continued, "because if you want autograph, I could get you better picture."

Hermione tried for a scowl, but she knew it was completely ineffectual. "No, Viktor, if you could sign it for my friends please, I would be most grateful," she replied in her primmest tone and made to emphasise her scolding by walking away from him. She didn't get far. Utilising the reflexes that had given rise to the necessity of her request, Viktor caught her before she moved past him, wrapping an arm around her middle and pulling her into him.

"I have missed you," he said into the top of her hair, and Hermione sagged against him.

"I… me too," she managed before pulling back from him so she could look up into his face.

"Once second task is over maybe we could have another date?" he asked, and Hermione smiled.

"That would be nice," she replied, words that barely covered the elation she felt. A weight, she had only been half aware she was carrying, fluttered away.

The next few hours of study flew by quickly and all too soon the boys were heading back to their ship before dinner. Viktor darted his eyes quickly around them before dropping forward and placing a-blink-and-you'll-miss-it-kiss against Hermione's lips before he rushed off to catch up with his friends. Filip must have found something in his behaviour amusing as they had only gone several paces when he was swiftly punched in the arm by Viktor and Mikhail in quick succession.

Ginny's eyes followed them, unashamedly leaning over Hermione as they began to disappear from view. As they finally rounded the corner, she turned to Hermione in puzzlement. "You've been studying together for months you said?"

"Yes," Hermione replied, as she was flooded with happy memories of their time together.

"Just the two of you?"

"Yes."

"How did you get anything done?"

Luna's giggles bubbled up from her place on the floor and Hermione tried to hide her smile as Ginny poked her tongue out at her. How indeed?