Hermione knew Viktor's house well enough to apparate directly into her room. She wobbled on her feet for a moment and then sat on the edge of the bed. She was exhausted. She hadn't had a full night of sleep and she was emotionally drained. She couldn't think of anything else to do. So she sat, placed her head in her hands and wept.
Viktor heard her apparate as he was eating breakfast. He immediately left his oatmeal and rushed up the stairs. He slowed when he heard her crying. It took him aback to hear her weeping. He wondered if he should leave her or whether he should go in and comfort her. The decision was not one easily made. But, after a second, he turned on his heel and returned to his oatmeal. She needed time to cry and then he would go to her.
Hermione laid her head on the pillow once her hyperventilating had calmed down. She found herself lost to sleep and before she knew it she was awaking to a knock at her door.
Viktor had left her for as long as he thought he could. Once the sun had set, he knew he needed to go to her.
Hermione saw him, stood in her doorway. Viktor's face was that of complete ignorance as what to do. She sighed. It wasn't his fault. He was completely ignorant of the situation. But Hermione didn't feel much like talking to anyone about what had happened. But, she owed it to Viktor. She knew it would be unfair to leave him in the dark. So she passed him to walk down the stairs and poured herself a drink.
Viktor waited patiently for her to speak. He didn't want to pressure her, but he wanted to know what had happened.
"It's Draco. He attempted last night." Hermione stated simply. Viktor didn't fully understand so he asked for clarification and felt the blood drain from his face. He sat Hermione down and asked her what on earth had possessed him to do such a thing.
"Nobody wanted him. He was completely alone, nowhere to go. He thought he had no other option." Hermione sighed, looking down at her glass of water.
"Vhere is he now?" Viktor asked and Hermione explained that she had gone to McGonagall. Now, he placed his arm around her and pulled her close.
Hermione hadn't cried in front of Viktor about this, she felt that she had cried enough. But still, she felt a tear fall onto her cheek. She couldn't imagine things being so hard that one would resort to the very worst. But then she scolded herself. She was sure if she had been left on her own for long enough that she would have very similar thoughts.
Viktor wanted to take her mind off of this terrible day. So, he asked her to go, shower and change, because he was taking her out for dinner.
Hermione could not remember the last time that someone had taken her out to dinner, or if anyone had actually ever taken her out to dinner. She was glad that Viktor had insisted, because the last thing she wanted was to be sat around, moping and wallowing in her misery. So, she stepped into the steamy shower, allowed the hot water to wash away her worries and pushed Draco out of her mind, just for the evening.
Viktor smiled when he saw Hermione in her little green tea dress, topped off with a little black cardigan. She needed to be showered with affection tonight, more so than any other night. She needed to know that he was there and that he was going to support her no matter what. So, he placed his hands on her arms and gently placed a kiss on her forehead. He watched her smile and took note.
Hermione enjoyed walking in the mild evening air. She had never been to Bulgaria befor and she had to admit that Sofia was beautiful, especially the wizarding part. Viktor led her by hand, to his favourite tavern. Hermione was sure if you were not looking out for it that you could miss the little hole in the wall. She could not read the sign, but she enjoyed the small, quaint style of the place.
The walls were covered in thick soft burgundy carpet-like material and the floor was fitted with a similar shag, in a forest green. The chairs were rickety and made of wood Hermione could not fathom the age of and the bottles of liquor behind the bar were questionable at best. Nonetheless, Hermione was glad to be there. She enjoyed the warm, sweet aroma of the place and the soft, padded nature of the pub made her feel very comfortable.
Viktor pulled out Hermione's seat for her. She blushed and looked down at the table as she sat and Viktor felt his chest swell a little. He noticed the blood rush to her cheeks when he sat and he wondered if it was the heat of the small room or his presence that was causing it, and decided that it was probably a healthy mixture of both.
Hermione allowed Viktor to order for her. She didn't want to think about little things like food and beer, she wanted to relax and let her mind go blank for once.
"You start your training tomorrow." Hermione stated, not being able to stand the blank feeling for too long.
"Yes, I am very excited." Viktor replied. However, despite his words, Hermione knew that Viktor was nervous. She placed a hand over his and looked into his deep, worrying eyes.
"You have nothing to fear. You are on the best Quidditch players I have ever seen." She reassured him. He took her hand and brought it up to his mouth, placing a soft kiss against her fingers.
Their butterbeer arrived and Hermione was grateful for its sweet and frothy taste that seemed so familiar to her. Viktor was talking to her about some of the men on his team until-
"Please, leave the man to eat." A Mother implored her child in hush tones.
"No, Mummy, I might never see him again." The boy protested. Viktor turned and saw the sweet young man, being held back by his mother, gripping a portrait he had obviously cut from a Daily Prophet. Viktor could have been angry and turned the boy away, but this was not his style. He called the boy over and watched as he ran from his Mother's grip. Hermione chuckled into her palm as she watched the boy race over.
Viktor took the boy on his knee and took the picture from him.
"I can not believe that you are real, Mr Krum!" The little boy gasped in Bulgarian.
"I am very real. And I was no bigger than you when I was your age." He nodded to the young man.
"Now, have you ever seen me play?" He asked and the boy nodded.
"He makes me take him to every Durmstrang game." The Mother chuckled and Viktor placed a hand to his chest.
"You are a true fan, if not my biggest fan!" Viktor exclaimed and the boy's face lit up.
Hermione sat and watched as Viktor made the boy's day, or perhaps his year and she felt a twinge of sadness. She knew it was wrong to be jealous of Viktor. But, Hermione had done great things too, she had worked hard and made sacrifices and not once had she been recognised nor idolised in the way that Viktor was.
"This is a very handsome picture of me, do you not think?" Viktor joked with the young man.
"Let us see if my girlfriend agrees. Her-my-knee?" He asked and Hermione giggled.
"Very handsome indeed." And went back to listening. Then the Mother was beside her.
"Her-my-knee Granger?" She asked. Hermione looked up at the women, with her pin curled auburn hair and beautiful pale skin.
"Yes, Ma'am." Hermione nodded her head and watched as the woman patted herself down, and then searched through her bag, eventually pulling out a piece of paper.
"Vhat my husband and daughter would do to be here now." Her English rang perfect. Hermione was taken aback.
"My daughter keeps every article written about you. I vish she vas here. And my husband has followed you for years. You are a very brave vitch. You saved us all." Her head bowed in reverence and Hermione found herself a little choked.
"Oh no, it is nothing. I only did what I could." Hermione tried to play off her achievements.
"And that vas far more than anyone else could do." The woman argues, having none of Hermione's forced modesty.
"Please, sign this for me? My daughter vill shed a tear, knowing that she vasn't here." Hermione scribbled down the girl's name and a short message about always believing in yourself and the woman placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Thank you, for everything." The boy had a quick picture with Viktor and then they were gone. Hermione had never been noticed like that. For Viktor it was commonplace, but for Hermione, this was groundbreaking.
They ate almost in silence, before meandering home. The thought that someone was out there, looking up to Hermione really lifted her spirits. She did not go unnoticed. Viktor had spotted what an impact the woman had had on Hermione. He remembered the first time that a fan approached him, that feeling he had and he was glad to see Hermione experiencing that.
"Tomorrow, I will have to go to Professor McGonagall's house, to see Draco." Hermione whispered, once they were back at the house. Viktor wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
"All you must do is be yourself and the vill be enough." He whispered to her and he felt her squeeze him.
"My things are coming in the afternoon, so I must be here for them." Viktor nodded.
"Tell Minerva this and she vill be sure you leave on time." Viktor reassured her and she nodded, knowing that this was true.
"You must not let them take too much from you." He advised her and Hermione knew that he was right.
Viktor did not want her to be alone tonight, and if he was truthful with himself, he didn't want to be alone either. She wriggled into the large bed beside him, but still her cold toes managed to find his legs and he still gasped, like every other time before. But they giggled together and he kissed her. He knew that she would make it through anything that life could throw at her, for women and children like the ones they had met that night. The little boy might have been Viktor's biggest fan, but the woman was not Hermione's, that title was saved exclusively for Viktor. He would be there, cheering her on through everything and anything, because she held a place in his heart that no one had touched before.