Hermione walked into her room and smiled. Her private dorm was never messy but still she could tell the house elves had cleaned whatever they could while bringing the food. She smiled at an assembly of cakes and goodies. She was a little glad it wasn't a huge table of heavy foods but that of decadent foods. She walked over to her mirror and looked over her makeup. It was still in place. Her hair was still smooth and straight. She smiled at her dress fluffing out the skirt slightly. She still had about five minutes before Viktor would start heading her way from there it would probably take him a total of ten minutes to arrive.
As she moved about her room waiting nervously for him to arrive she spotted something lying on her desk. She walked over and smiled at a letter from her mother. Before she could open it she heard a knock and turned smiling at Viktor who was waiting on his broom outside her window. She smiled as she rushed to it and opened it up. He flew inside slowly and rested down on the ground.
"You got here quicker than I thought." She said with a smile.
"I am fast flyer." He said as he set his broom in the corner.
"Guess so." She closed the window. "I got a letter from my mum I think it's my dad's answer…" she walked over to the letter and smiled as she Un did it. He watched carefully feeling the urge to cross his fingers for good luck. She read it over and smiled. "My mum convinced dad I'm coming to Bulgaria." She said.
"This is great!" he said rushing over and hugging her. "We'll haf best of time!"
"The only thing is I have to travel back to my home per rules of the ministry and school. You'll have to come get me at my house. Which will be easy. My house is on the floo network."
"Very good this is good." He said with a smile. "Let's eat cake to celebrate." He said walking to the table of goodies. Hermione smiled as she walked over too and sat down next to him.
"What first?" she asked.
"Chocolate cake?" he asked.
"Good choice… Should we cut it or just… Dig in like barbarians?"
"Barvarian sounds good."
"Good choice." she said making him smile. They both took their forks and got a bite. Goblets of wine filled before them making them both smile.
"Those poor house elves never quit working." She said quietly. "Oh speaking of which… I have to do something for Dobby… Do you mind I have to do it now because he goes to bed in an hour and then he's gone tomorrow to see family…"
"No go ahead." He said with a smile.
"Dobby?" she asked.
"Yes miss?" he appeared before her with his usual large eyes and big smile.
"Oh good you haven't gone to bed yet." She said with a smile. "Well… I called you here because… Well in thanks of all this food you've been feeding me I have two things for you." She said with a smile getting up. Viktor smiled as she he watched her walk over to a chest and grab a present box. "Also I know it's your birthday."
"My birthday how did you know my birthday miss?" he asked.
"Had to ask around but I figured it out through your line." she said with a smile. "Happy 127th birthday."
"Thank you miss!" he said as he hoped into her arms and hugged her tightly. "You are a most wondrous person…" he pulled away while Hermione kneeled before the house elf with a bright smile. He pulled out a red sweater with gold striping.
"The colors of the noble Gryffindors!" he said throwing off his vest and pulling it on.
"How does it fit?" she asked.
"Wonderful!"
"Now when Quidditch resumes and you watch Harry you can cheer him on."
"Thank you so very much!"
"There's one more thing in there for you. But it's from both me and Dumbledore." He took out a piece of paper.
"It says… Gringotts account number…" he stopped and looked up at her.
"Now that you're being paid as a free house elf you'll need a vault to put your money… It took us a few months but we got those goblins to break down and open one up for you…" he looked to her. "You're now in history books Dobby… You are the first house elf to ever be freed, become a paid employee at an institution and have their own account at Gringotts… You know what this means right?"
"I am truly free…" he said quietly.
"That's right." She said with a smile. "No one can ever claim you as theirs again… You are an equal member of this magical society.
"Miss… Thank you so much." He said. Viktor watched as they two hugged as if they were old friends.
"I knew you are leaving to visit family tomorrow I wanted to make sure you had it tonight with you…" he pulled away. "I hope I did not intrude on anything you were doing."
"Not at all." He said. "You are my greatest friend Hermione… You and Harry Potter of course." She smiled.
"Same here Dobby… Now you go show those other house elves what they're missing out on." He nodded with a bright smile before popping out of sight. Hermione smiled as she stood with a proud look.
"You haf officially freed him then?" Viktor asked.
"Yes no one will ever be able to claim him. He is now an official citizen of the united magical world." She said with a smile. "He's an extremist now… I couldn't be more proud." She said with a gushing look as she sat back down next to him.
"Congratulations to him and to you." He said.
"Thank you… It took some fighting but we're finally there." She said with a bright smile. "Oh crème Brule." He smiled.
"What is this… kimmy… brooley?"
"Crème Brule?" she asked. "It's a sort of custard with a hard sugar top and berries… You've never had?" she asked. He shook his head. Hermione got a spoon and scooped a small piece up. "Here." He smiled as he moved his lips around the spoon. When he got the custard in his mouth he smiled.
"This is good very good." He said with a smile.
"It's my favorite dessert." She said taking her own spoon abandoning the chocolate cake. She smiled as she took a bite for herself before taking a sip of wine. "Tell me what your home is like." she said.
"My home?" he asked.
"Yeah…"
"Well…" he looked up in thought. "As I told you it's very large… A manor you see… We all haf our own wings… You'll be staying on mine." she nodded. "It's made out of red bricks and white walls. Each room is decorated by mother… It's hard to explain… Your home you said was smaller?"
"Yeah... It has three bedrooms two bathrooms and of course a kitchen which is the biggest on our street. My mother loves to cook so she had one of the walls knocked out so we could extend our counter space… It's a nice home…" she said quietly.
"What are your parents like?" Hermione smiled.
"Well here let me show you a picture…" she walked over to her bed and Viktor followed. "Here this is my mom..." he took the picture in his hands. It was a still photograph of a woman in her early forties. She had high cheek bones and warm brown eyes with curly brown hair. He smiled.
"You look a lot like her…" he said.
"That's quite a compliment." She said with a smile. "This here is my dad." She handed him a photo of both her parents this time. Her father was a bit more stern looking but had a pleasant smile. He had graying blonde hair and green eyes. "My dad is very protective of me you should know… When you meet him he'll probably put you through the ringer. He'll want to know everything about you…" he nodded.
"This is good… Normal thing for a father to do." He said.
"There's one more thing you should know though… My parents aren't exactly in support of… magic." She said putting the pictures down. "So in their presence, try not to use any…" he nodded.
"Do they support you?" He asked carefully.
"Oh yeah they understand I need to learn and they're always proud of me when they get my grades in potions and things like that… But they just don't want me to use magic for everyday things such as cleaning and cooking. They understand that when I use it it's because I really need to…" he nodded. "They uhm they also don't know about what I've done with Harry though." She said setting the pictures aside. He looked to her for a moment.
"They don't know about you going up against werewolves, Sirius black and the countless other dark things you haf faced?" he asked.
"Not even a little." She said. "My first year… Harry Ron and I we all got pretty banged up while trying to protect the philosophers stone… They said that if I ever got hurt again they would pull me from the magical world… So I made an agreement with Dumbledore to keep whatever happens with Harry Ron and I secretive with my parents. He understands that it's a necessity."
"Why not just refuse to get involved with dangerous tasks?" he asked.
"Because I can't." Hermione said to him with a small smile. "I promised Harry I'd never leave his side… That I'd be there with him right until the end…" he nodded remembering before that she had sworn that if it came down to it she would give her life for his.
"Then parents cannot know because if they took you from magical world you could not help Harry."
"Exactly… So mum's the word." She said. He nodded with a smile as she headed over to her record player.
"Does it bother you to keep secrets?" Hermione nodded as she looked through her music.
"Yes but… I have to… And some day when Voldemort is finally gone I'll sit my parents down and tell them everything." She said looking to him with an eager look before returning to her music. "Do you like Jazz? I could put some on…"
"Hermione Voldemort is gone…" she stopped before slowly turning to gaze at him.
"What?" she asked.
"He is gone. Harry killed him remember?" he looked at her for a long moment. "He is gone… right?" he asked.
"If Voldemort is truly dead and gone… Why would his death eaters still be walking around? Why would they have attacked the world cup?" it all made sense to him now he had never thought of it like that. "All I know is that over the past four years he's tried to slither his way back into power two times… Which tells me the next time he tries he just might succeed… He's had a lot of time to plan Viktor… He's back somehow I know he's back. He may not be as powerful as he once was but mark my words he's finding a way to get that power back."
"You shouldn't haf to worry about such things." He said as he walked to her.
"Someone has too." She said with a small smile. "Soon we might all have to."
"You think he will be coming back to full power soon?"
"Harry's name didn't end up in that cup by accident, I think somehow this tournament is being used to bring him back to his original state."
"Maybe Harry did in fact put it in luff." He regretted it the moment he said it.
"What?" she asked her eyes wide.
"Well… You know…" his eyes grew wide. "There's a small chance."
"No there's no chance Harry isn't that stupid." She now regretted her words. "Oh I didn't mean it like that…"
"You think I'm stupid?" he asked his arms crossing over his chest.
"What? No… But to Harry to enter this tournament at his age and skill level would just be a very bad idea besides it would just be asking for the death eaters to get involved." He slowly nodded now understanding what she meant.
"Still he-."
"No he couldn't okay because he said he didn't and Harry doesn't lie to me… Just like I don't lie to him…"
"You lied to him about us." He said, instantly her eyes narrowed.
"What no I didn't I hid us that's different." She said. "And I eventually told him."
"Maybe he'll eventually tell you." She looked at him for a long time.
"Viktor he looked me straight in the eyes and said he didn't do it… Harry doesn't lie to people straight to their face. Especially not me…" He slowly nodded his arms relaxing at his sides.
"I have soured the evening…" he said quietly.
"No…" She said.
Kind of… she thought as her hand went to the necklace he had given her just a few hours before.
"No I vill put pep in step once more." He said making her smile. "He moved his wand over the record player which began to play a soft tune. Hermione watched as he took off his jacket and folded it over a chair. "Shall we dance?" He took her in his arms and they began to move around the room. Hermione smiling as they did.
"So tell me… Have you figured out the egg yet?" She asked and he laughed.
"I just got it today luff." He said with a smile.
"Yeah but you need time to prepare for the next task… What if it's something Dangerous…"
"More dangerous than dragons?"
"Maybe." She said. "If you figure it out don't tell me okay because I'll just run to Harry and tell him and that's not fair." He nodded.
"Understood." He said with a smile.
"Is there anything in the egg though" she asked.
"Dah, something that glows and then a screeching noise."
"Odd." She said thinking it over.
"Very I can tell this task vill be harder to work out." She nodded.
"I hope it's not too dangerous…"
"Worried about me luff?" he asked.
"Maybe a little." She said. "Or maybe a lot…" he smiled.
"Hey don't smile at that… People have died in this tournament Viktor."
"Nothing's going to get me I'm too fast." he said proudly.
"I hope for both our sakes your right." She said.
"You'd be sad if something happened to me?" he asked as he twirled her slowly.
"Of course I would." She said in a matter of fact tone. "I was so scared when you faced the dragons I couldn't even watch…"
"But you watched Harry."
"Well I had to if anything went wrong the plan between Ron and I was to jump in the arena… But you know then it took to the skies… And well I can't fly." She said. "And Ron doesn't own his own broom…"
"Would you have jumped into the arena for me?"
"In a heartbeat." She said without so much thinking about it. "I had a time limit set if you weren't back in five minutes I was going to go check on you… You came back in four minutes six seconds…" He smiled.
"So am I to take from this that you care for me?" he asked as he twirled her in a circle and then dipped her back Hermione smiled up at him.
"Haven't I made that obvious?" he smiled as he pulled her back up hugging her closely to his body. His hand went through her smoothed hair slowly. His other hand holding hers over his heart. They slowly began to move again dancing easily to the music that swirled around them.
-o-
After dancing for hours and kissing throughout he had taken his leave knowing he couldn't stay. Fearing the charms on the room and what could happen to both Hermione and him if they got caught. That night he had slept easily, his mind filled with thoughts of Hermione. His only regret of the night was not telling her how he felt when adorning her with the necklace. The next day was an off day for the students at Hogwarts in celebration of the ending of the first task. Uniforms we're still to be in order. When he came into the great hall with Jamous he found a lot of eyes resting on him as he sat down.
"What's going on?" Jamous asked in Bulgarian. "The students are staring at you more than usual."
"I wouldn't be surprised if a tabloid had been released telling everyone I take enhancing potions for sport performance… My agent told me this might happen… How could anyone think I do that? I fly the way I do because I love the game… and I have very good broom of course." Jamous smiled before frowning.
"I don't think that's it…" Jamous said grabbing a paper. He handed it over Viktor took it with a thankful smile before his expression fell.
"Oh no." he said in English.
"Oh no is right Comrade…" Jamous said clapping him sympathetically on the back.
"Cheat!" they suddenly heard someone yell. They looked up to see Hermione Harry and Ron walked in.
"Mrs. Krum!" someone else shouted.
"What are they on about?" Ron asked.
"No idea…" Hermione said quietly.
"Did they mean Mr. Krum?" Ron asked.
"Hermione Hermione." Seamus rushed up to her stopping with a big smile as her friend continued on.
"Hey what's going on Seamus? How did that paper go over with Snape the one I helped you with?" Hermione asked with a smile.
"100 points." He said with a smile. "You should have seen his face though he completely didn't want to give it to me." He laughed.
"That's good that's real good."
"So uhm I was wondering if it's true?" he asked.
"If what's true?"
"Oh you haven't seen the paper today." He handed it to her. She stared down at the headline. Viktor watched her very carefully.
HARRY POTTERS SECRET HEARTACHE
His great love and best friend Hermione Granger moves on to bigger better faster wizard!
Hermione didn't say anything but took the paper to sit across from her friends. Seamus watched her with a shrug and headed back to the group who had dared him to ask her. Hermione stared at the article.
"I can't believe she's done it again!" she said a little loud drawing more eyes. "Listen to this. Hermione granger a plain but ambitious girl seems to be developing a taste for famous wizards… Her latest prey sources report is none other than Bulgarian bon bon Viktor Krum…" she looked to Harry with a pleading look, he looked equally angry. "No report on how Harry potter is taking this latest emotional blow."
"So… Uhm is it true?" she jumped slightly not realizing Fred had sat down right by her along with George.
"No." Hermione said standing. "I'm going to the Library." She went to walk only to nearly run straight into Malfoy. Viktor stood only to have Jamous grip his arm and make him sit.
"You have to sit this fight out… If you get involved everyone will know you're with her… And then it will become dangerous remember what your fan girls did to Cecil she nearly died…" Viktor slowly nodded.
"Here she is Miss Viktor Krum…" Malfoy said.
"I believe the suffix you were looking for if I was with him would have been Mrs. Not Miss." She said.
"Oh you're not with him huh?" he asked as she walked away.
"Nope!"
"Then where did you get that necklace around your neck?" she stopped.
"This?" she asked pulling out the gift Viktor had given her and turning to look at him. "It's an antique has been passed down my family for generations…" she said. He walked over to her as everyone in the hall turned to watch.
"Really… Because this is if I'm not mistaken Star Jem which is a magical property." He said. "Why would your muggle family have a magical property in their family? Hmm?"
"I knew it…" "She is with him!" "oh my god how did she get him!?" many whispers spread through the hall. Malfoy went to walk away.
"Maybe because Robert Hilthwall of the great Hilthwall magical line though born non magical was born with a great mind. In 1562 he realized that though he did not have magical abilities he could still profit from the magical world. He mined Star Jem and sold it to muggle companies as diamonds… It took the ministry 50 years to shut him down which meant that over 3000 star jem pieces had already been sold into Muggle production… Including this." She held it up. "It's just a coincidence my family had it you see. My mum gave it to me for my birthday…"
"How did your family afford such an expensive piece?" he asked. "Even back then it as expensive over in muggle cash 3000 euro."
"Her family has money you daft prick." Harry said quietly grabbing Hermione's arm and wheeling her away.
"Going to go talk to your lost love Potter!" he called while many just stared at Malfoy.
"Nice leap there Slytherin…" Fred muttered passing him.
"Yeah everyone knows about the muggle star Jem incident." George said.
"I saw them together!" Malfoy shouted.
"Yeah right." Ginny said. "Looks like someone else must be in love with her!" many laughed.
"This isn't over I'll prove it!" Malfoy turned and stopped seeing the dark look in the Bulgarians eyes.
"I want him crushed…" Viktor said in Bulgarian.
"I'll get the boys together…" Jamous said with a nod. Viktor got up and stared the boy down before taking his leave of the great hall.
-o-
Viktor searched the whole library before finally going to the stacks. He found Hermione next to a boy he had seen her with before.
"Here you go Neville thanks for bringing those books back." She handed him a card. "This will give you permission into the restricted section."
"Is the book I'm getting dangerous?"
"No…" Hermione said thumbing her necklace. "It's just because it's very rare so they wanted to make sure its protected."
"Thanks Mione." He said.
"No problem." He walked off. Viktor smiled as the boy didn't even so much give him a look his nose too deep in a book to see him. He was beginning to really enjoy the library. He watched Hermione get up on a ladder and moved to the very top of the stacks. He smiled as he watched her continue to thumb the pendant he had gotten her.
"Hermyknee?" he asked. She looked down with a smile.
"Viktor what are you doing here?" she asked climbing down the stacks with a smile.
"I was looking for you." He said with a small. "Was 'fraid you were upset." He said.
"Why would I be upset?"
"Because of the things in the prophet."
"Oh I was in the beginning but just because Harry was in there with me… He hates it when the prophet smears him… At first they never did but the rate of Harry Potter stories is on the rise… The last thing he needed was a love triangle story." She said. "Then my little rant on Malfoy abolished any thoughts on us being an item." She said with a smile as she headed past him. "Speaking of us… I wrote to your parents told them I'm coming over Christmas break."
"Oh so did I. how did you know where to write?"
"Your mum told me before she left." She said with a smile.
"You haf hit it off?"
"Yeah she's really very kind." She said with a smile as she grabbed a discarded book she put it up into the air and it flew away. They stopped walking together to find a group of fan girls glaring at them. "Uhm… Why are they looking at you like that?"
"Not looking at me luff… Looking at you."
"They look like they're plotting something." Hermione said before walking over to them. "Oh look you still have no books." She said. "From this point on your banished from the library unless you get written permission from the head of your house… Understand?" they slowly stood.
"Whore." One girl said.
"That's funny coming from you." Hermione fired back while the girls all gasped and Viktor smiled. "Now get out of my library." They all left.
"Hey mione?" she jumped and turned to see Seamus. She looked over his shoulder to see Viktor sitting on a desk waiting for her with a pleasant smile.
I love it when she yells at fan girls… he thought.
"Hey can I help you find something?" she asked walking over to a pile of books right near Viktor.
"Uhm… Well no." Seamus said. "I didn't come here for texts."
"What did you come here for then?" she asked looking to him. "More potions help?"
"Uhm well yes always." He said making her laugh which only made him smile broader. "Look I've just learned… Well through the grape vine. There's going to be a ball here at Hogwarts and-."
"And you want to know if Ginny is taken." Hermione said. "I don't think she is but you should get a move on if you're going to ask her two other boys have inquired if her hand as been taken. And I think I saw her with a Durmstrang student a night ago."
"Well uhm that's great she's got someone but I'm not interested in her."
"Oh?" Hermione asked looking to him.
"I mean she's great and pretty… But not as much as you." Viktor straightened up hearing the course in which their conversation was going.
"I'm sorry?" Hermione asked.
"Well I mean you must know." Seamus said with a smile. "You've grown up in all… the…" he stopped. "What I mean is that would you want to go to the ball with me?"
"Oh uhm… Seamus that's really nice of you to ask…"
"But someone else has asked you?"
"Uhm…" she looked to Viktor. "No…" he motioned to himself then her and nodded his head quickly. "Yes?" she asked he instantly nodded. "Yes! Someone has asked me." she said with an excited laugh before looking to a confused looking Seamus. "I'm sorry Seamus." She said toning it down.
"No I'm just sorry I didn't beat who ever asked you to the punch." He said with a small smile.
"You know Seamus I know someone who really wants to go with you though."
"Really?" he asked.
"Yeah her name is Rosey Dawns… Every time you come in here she's always smiling at you and you never notice." She pointed to a girl around their age in Ravenclaw uniforms and glasses. She had long blonde hair and deep green eyes. "Irish too."
"No way." he said.
"Way… You should go get to know her…" Hermione looked around and pulled a book. "This is the book she pulls out the most… Ask her if she knows anything about it."
"Thanks Mione." He said with a smile as he took the book and waltzed over to the girl who blushed deeply as he did.
"This was nice of you." Viktor said with a smile as he walked over to her.
"Is there really going to be a ball?" she asked looking to him.
"Yes there is." Viktor said.
"And we're going?" she asked.
"I don't see why not." Hermione smiled as she looked both ways and give him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Hey Viktor!" they jumped but relaxed when they saw Jamous running towards them.
"No running in the library…" Hermione said. "You might trip and fall."
"Oh sorry Hermyknee." He said with a smile. "Viktor the boys are ready to take out… The snake." He said in Bulgarian.
"Very good..." he said with a smile before turning to Hermione.
"We haf to go now." He kissed her on the forehead. "I will see you tonight luff." She nodded with a raised eyebrow as she watched the guys leave. Hermione thumbed her necklace. She felt strange and a little unsure. Before she knew it she had put her book down and had begun to follow the two Durmstrang boys.