Hermione walked into the small private library room that she had often used throughout her years of Hogwarts. It wasn't well known that these rooms existed only those who dedicated themselves to the knowledge of the magical world ever was let in on the secret, but Viktor was so badly bothered by the fan girls Hermione was only happy to offer up her secret spot to give Viktor some space from the menacing young women.
"Alright so I got you a few different texts on the dragons that will be up in the tournament, seeing as you don't know which one you'll be facing I think it would be a good idea to learn about all of them.." she said as she sat down next to him. "That way whether you face the horntail or the short snout you'll know not only their skills as dragons but their weaknesses."
"Very smart." He said with a smile.
"So here you go… I've taken the liberty of footnoting some things…" she said pointing to the small red magical flags that were sticking out of the book. They waved and flew like a fast wind was hitting them.
"Thank you Luff."
"No problem now I'm going to leave you to your studying and go down stairs and help some of the first years." She said. "Happy reading." He smiled as he watched her leave. He heard something slam into the door and rushed over to it and opened it up to have Hermione fall back into his arms.
"Mina!'
"I'm fine I'm fine… Just a little dazed." She said with a laughed.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Just the lovely peeves." She said with grunt.
"Who is this peeves?"
"Peeves is a rambling fool of a ghost who talks in riddles that don't make sense!" she called up into the air. Hermione suddenly stopped and looked down over the ledge to see half of the library's occupants looking up at her. "Oh don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about!" she shouted pointing.
"Ah what is this?" Hermione froze recognizing the voice she turned to see Fred and George walking towards her.
"Looks like the poor girls finally lost it." she groaned.
"Oh go away." she said.
"Ooh feisty." Fred said.
"Now look Herms we need your help." George said. Hermione groaned again while walking back into the private office where Viktor had dived back into before being scene.
"Don't call me that retched name." Hermione said. "Now, is there anything else I can get for you Mr. Krum?" before he could fake an answer Fred whirled Hermione around to face him.
"Come on love I need your help." He said.
"No and don't call me love… It's creepy." She said before turning to look back at Viktor with a perplexed look and he smiled. She heard something close and turned to see the twins looking at her menacingly in front of the very closed and locked door.
"Look you aren't leaving here until you help us." Hermione laughed lightly making both the twins exchange looks.
"First stealing from filch, then pranks, and now kidnapping what next I wonder…" she said as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"You know a lot of girls would be happy to be stuck in a room almost alone with us." George said looking to Viktor.
"Well I'm a woman George not a girl." She said. "There's a big difference." Fred chuckled.
"A woman are you now?" he asked with a cheeky grin. "Now saying such things would make a lad like me think that our Hermione has been plucked." He muttered to his brother.
"and not by us." George covered his heart. "I'm hurt. So is it true has the ever virtuous Hermione had her dimple knees spread…"
"Don't be vulgar George…" she said in a very serious tone. "It isn't becoming of you." George felt like he had been slapped.
"I'm sorry…" he said softly.
"Sometimes we take things to far…" Fred muttered.
"I'm still not helping you." Hermione said.
"Oh come on!" Fred said. "Please Mione I want my hands on that cup!"
"Well then you should have found a more clever way to get your name in then you would have had a fair shot of it!" she fired back.
"Who needs a fair shot when you have cleverness!" Fred said.
"The only clever I see in this room are the books lining these walls!"
"Why I otta…." Fred said taking a step forward.
"Why you otta what?" she asked in a challenging tone. He suddenly broke down and fell to his knees. "Fred… Come on." Hermione said.
"Please Mione! I've tried thinking of everything. I haven't slept in days you have to tell us how to get in, we've tried every levitation spell there is, we took out all the books on it and everything!"
"That was you?' she asked. He looked up at her with shining eyes.
"Please Mione tell me the secret levitation spell to get in. if you do I will be your forever sex slave!"
"Honestly Fred." She said.
"No no I'm serious!" he said standing and taking her hand in his. "I wouldn't mind you're a brilliant witch I would love to be at your beck and call." She pulled her hands out of his.
"I already have someone at my beck and call thank you very much…" she said. "Now if levitation spells didn't work for you I don't-."
"You do?" Fred asked.
"I'm sorry?" she asked.
"You have someone at your beck and call?" Hermione froze as Fred stared into her.
"Well uhm… Not in a…" She cleared her throat and Viktor smiled. "Sex… way…" she said as she slightly backed up from his perturbing eyes.
"Mione what were you saying about if levitations spells didn't work?" George asked.
"Well if they didn't work then that meant that someone had-."
"Who?" Fred asked.
"Who what?" She asked.
"Who is at your beck and call in a non sex way?" Fred asked.
"Fred…" George said. "Let her speak."
"I was just saying that someone probably found out you two were trying to get your hands on the goblet so they probably put a barrier around the whole thing… that takes a lot of energy so who ever the spell caster was will probably start getting tired… I venture to say that if you lay off trying to steal the cup that eventually the full protection spell will drop and then you'll once again be able to use the method of levitation." She said to George.
"That could take forever I mean if its Dumbledore it could take ages for him to get tired." George said while Hermione laughed. "What's funny?"
"Well… if its Dumbledore's protection spell then you'll never get your hands on that cup... He'll never tire." She said.
"Just great…" George muttered.
"But don't worry it's not Dumbledore…"
"Then who is it?"
"Oh that should be very obvious… George if you had a very special item that you needed protecting who would you get to protect it other than yourself?" she asked.
"Fred…" he said.
"Okay other then Fred."
"Ginny."
"Ginny what? You're mom would be much better… Wait no." she took a steadying breath. "If you were Dumbledore who would you get to protect it." George thought for a moment before smiling.
"You…" he said pointing.
"I'm flattered but other than me George…" she said with a loud sigh. Before he could answer she put her hand up. "And other then Harry… I'll give you a hint… It's a staff member." George smiled wider.
"You're brilliant." He said.
"Yes yes I know…" she said. "Now if you don't mind I have a lot to do today." She said.
"Wouldn't that beck and call guy get angry… I mean you have to spend some time with him." Fred said.
"Why does it interest you so much?" Hermione asked.
"It's Ron inn't it?" Fred asked.
"George if you don't get your twin away from me I'm going to tip off that teacher about your plans."
"Come Fred…" George said pulling his brother from the room. "Let us be on our way… Hermione we owe you a butter beer."
"You owe me no pranks on the first years for the entire year."
"You got it!" George said.
"What?" Fred asked turning to look at his twin as they left the room.
"She didn't mention which group of first years…" he muttered.
Hermione closed the door and slowly turned.
"Can I stay in here? I'm now exhausted." he smiled and pulled out a chair for her. "Thank you…" she sat down next to him and took one of the books she had pulled for herself and began to read.
-o-
"Mina luff?" he asked.
"Mhm?" she looked up from her book to gaze at him.
"Could you translate this for me?" he asked handing the book over.
"Oh sure… Having trouble with the English terminology?" she asked.
"No its not in English or Bulgarian…"
"Hmm my translation spell must be wearing off…" she looked down at the book where he was pointing. "Oh that's why it seems to be Swede… I don't… Don't speak Swede" She said. "But I know the dragon if that's what your trying to find out."
"You know this dragon?" he asked pointing. "The breed?"
"Yes… That is very clearly a Peruvian viper tooth."
"Clearly? How can you tell?" he asked.
"Well the scales." She pointed to a patch of scales that had been put into the book for an example of its hide.
"What about the scales?" he asked.
"Well the Peruvian viper tooth is unique in its scales are smooth and copper." She said running her fingers of them. "Now if you take the horntails scales." She turned back a page and ran her fingers over it and raised them up to show her finger pads were bright red from the rough contact of the scales. "They're rough see…" she turned back to the original page. "Smooth." She turned back. "Rough." She turned once more to the page he was on.
"You know much about dragon."
"Took a class last semester, and whenever I see Charlie rons brother he tells me all about them…" she suddenly frowned.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Oh nothing I was just thinking… I usually see him over the Christmas holidays but I won't this year."
"Why not?" he asked.
"Well… I'm not going over to Rons place to spend the holidays with him… Not with how he's been acting I don't care if he and Harry patch things up by then." She said.
"So you will spend it with your parents?"
"Oh no they've already told me that they have a conference in berlin for dentistry… So I'll be spending it alone." She said.
"You're staying here at Hogwarts?"
"Maybe… or I may go home."
"Home alone?" he asked while shaking his head. "I don't like it…"
"Viktor…"
"I don't like it Mina not with the recent attack… What if death eater bastardz came for you?"
"Then they'd be very sorry…" she said before kissing him softly on the lips to silence him. "And I said I might, who knows Dumbledore may want me to stay here to help out with school… He asks me every year to… It's the only time I ever decline anything to him… It'll make him happy if I stay."
"You like Dumbledore much yes?" he asked.
"Hard not to the mans the only wizard who has ever treated me like everyone else." she said as she got up.
"Don't… I… treat you like everyone else?" she turned and looked to him.
"Of course." She said with a soft smile. "Though you already knew that so didn't think I'd have to add it." he smiled.
"Good you scared me for moment." He said.
"So… hungry at all?" she asked.
"Yes very much so…" he said standing and stretching. "I have lunch ready for us at cabin."
"We're going back to the cabin?" she asked.
"Just to get picnic basket and blanket then we eat by the lake… how does this sound?"
"Perfect." She said with a smile.
-o-
Hermione sat down against a large tree that over looked the lake. They were in a secluded spot; somewhere Viktor was sure no fan girl would find them. They had been lucky so far only being walked in on by Hermione's goof friend Ginny who had seemed to keep the news to herself.
"Viktor… I'm not so sure about this." Hermione said looking down at a type of food she had never seen before.
"It is best thing you will ever taste, Bulgarian delicacy." He said.
"I hate to say this… But I don't know if I should eat it or name it… Does it look fuzzy to you?" Viktor laughed while Hermione continued to examine the food with a smile
"That's the appeal, open your taste buds to new Flavors." He said.
"Hey I love food all types in fact, I've even eaten a tarantula but this… I'm a little worried." He laughed.
"When did you eat tarantula?" he asked.
"One summer my mom and dad went to Cambodia and we had fried tarantula."
"How was it?" he asked.
"Crunchy… Kinda fury like this." She said.
"Then you should have no trouble luff. And that is not fur its like outside of kiwi perfectly fine." he said waving his hand in front of him.
"Okay one more question." She said.
"Anything." He said with a smile.
"How exactly do I eat it?" she asked. It was the strangest thing ever. It was a dark dark purple like an eggplant but was the shape of a pair. The outside had very much kiwi like skin only instead of the fuzz blending in like it did with a kiwi the white little fur stood out against the deep violet.
"Like this." He took the plate and cut with some difficulty down the middle and then took of a perfect triangle slice for her and then himself.
"Viktor what's this called?"
"My mother calls It a Kipaegg plant."
"Did your mother cross species this?" she asked
"How did you know?' he asked.
"Because I know my magical fruits and vegetables… I've never heard of that." She said.
"Very smart luff." He said with a smile. "Now eat it is very good." She smiled as she took a timid bite. Viktor smiled as he saw her eyes brighten.
"Oh my gosh…" she said as some juice went down her chin. She wiped it away rather lady like and smiled. "This is… so amazing." she said with a small laugh.
"I told you!" he said. "It is best."
"Hands down it's really good." She said. "Kind a juicy but nothing is wrong with that."
"Do the seeds bother you?" Viktor asked.
"Not at all." She said. "I don't mind seeds." She suddenly smiled.
"What is it?"
"You have kipaegg plant juice going down your chin." She said.
"Hard not to." he said with small laugh.
"I know it kind a goes everywhere." she said grabbing a napkin and wiping her chin, Viktor did the same with a small laugh. After a few minutes Hermione frowned at her hands.
"What is it?" he asked.
"They're died purple." She said with a smile holding them up.
"Washes right off." he said as he helped her up onto her feet. They both walked to the edge of the lake and dipped their hands in to wash them.
"Those are really good… Will your mother send more?"
"She sends me a basket of them every two weeks, I have lots more at cabin." He said with a smile.
"I can't wait to meet her. She has to be extremely intelligent to be able to cross species these vegetables and fruits." She said. "Too bad she couldn't fit the word cherry into the name."
"You could taste the cherry?" he asked.
"Of course it was so there, my favorite part other than the pear texture." She said with a smile before pulling her hands out of the water and shaking them dry. She stood slowly and looked out at the lake she had seen the squid far off for a split second. "I wouldn't be surprised if they used this lake for the tournament." Viktor stood and looked to her.
"You think they would?" he asked.
"Oh yeah I mean it holds a lot of challenges." She said.
"Such as? It is only lake."
"Oh this lake holds at least seventy different types of aquatic magical species." She said. "There's also the main stream aquatic animals as well." She said. "Most known is the giant squid."
"There's a giant squid in there?"
"Didn't they warn you about it?" she asked.
"No they didn't say one thing." He said.
"Dumbledore must have put a barrier around the ships area to keep it away."
"What else is in the lake?"
"Oh tons of things." She said looking to him. "Grindylows are some of the nastiest things in there…" she said.
"I do not know these creatures." He said and he looked to her to see she was staring back out at the lake..
"Grindylows, also known as water demons are small creatures indigenous to underwater weed beds here in Britain… You can spot them easily by their distinct pale green skin and large green toothed mouths. They have long yet brittle fingers that they use to grip their prey. They're sneaky creatures that are unusually strong and fast for their size and species type. They have been known to hunt in schools ranging from twenty members to two thousand. Furthermore Grindylows are not a type of aquatic magical creature you can domesticate though five merpeople have proven to do so…" Hermione waited for a long moment before slowly looking to Viktor who was staring at the top of her head with a small smile. "What?" She asked.
"It's remarkable how much information you keep up in that head of yours." He said.
"It's weird you think it's weird." He looked to her with a laugh.
"Weird I think it's amazing… I wish I could hold all that in my mind but I am unable to… You are like walking text book it is amazing." Hermione frowned slightly before smiling.
"That's me text book Hermione." she said.
"I…" Viktor frowned. "I haf said something." he said.
"No… no… I was just thinking…" she said with a smile.
"About?" he asked.
"Well to be honest about the fact that I've been compared to text book ever since I was very small." She said.
"This bothers you?" he asked. "I do not understand why you are smart don't you want to be recognized for it?" Hermione stayed silent. "I mean why else would you study as much as you do?"
"Because I have to." she said looking to him like it was obvious.
"I… I do not understand." He said. "Vill you explain to me?"
"It's kind of hard to explain… So many things go into it." she said.
"I haf time." He said with a smile. "Please I want to understand why you do not wish to be known for your intelligence."
"You know… What's strange is from my first year here to the middle of my third year I strived to be known for my intelligence… Especially after my second year… I tried so hard to learn anything and everything…"
"Why? What made you push?"
"I was called a mudblood for the first time." She said. "Suddenly it wasn't about being the best I could be anymore it was about having something to prove to everyone…" his mind flashed back to when she had told him about how being called a mud blood really made her feel. "Then in my third year everything changed."
"How?" he asked.
"Well you see Harry's go-." She stopped she had to remember she couldn't tell him about Sirius. Everyone at Hogwarts thought they had done something completely different then help set Harry's godfather free. If Viktor knew she had helped set a notorious serial killer free she wouldn't know how he would feel. Even if she did tell him how he was innocent.
"What is it luff?" she frowned slightly.
"Well it's just after we fought off Sirius black from attacking the school and murdering Harry." It made her sick to say the sentence but she had no choice. "After we had faced the dementors I realized that I didn't have the luxury to be ignorant… I couldn't risk ever not knowing something especially while I was by Harry and Rons side. Let's say we were attacked and I didn't know the counter spell to something, Harry and Ron could lose their life, I could lose my life… so I just started to learn everything all the way from the earliest types of magical law to the black arts… just so I would be covered at any time…" she laughed. "I even have a potion to turn your tongue green in my head. Why? Because someday I might need it. and… This one will make you very happy. I have so much information up in my had that I can actually craft a racing broom."
"What?" he asked.
"I can its up in my dorm room…" She said looking to him. "I made it out of ashwood."
"Why would you learn that?" he asked.
"Because some day I may be in a tight bind with Harry and Ron and I might need to widdle a broom to get us out of there."
"You do realize you need-."
"A magical core to make it work?" she asked. 'I always carry dragon hearts string on me just in case." She said pulled out a necklace. It was the smallest of vials.
"Don't tell me you have survival supplies in that small thing." He said pointing
"I do." She said. "Because I have to." she just shrugged and tucked the necklace back into her shirt.
"Why doesn't Ron and Harry take up responsibility of this…" Viktor asked his anger somewhat rising, it wasn't fair that Hermione had so much on her shoulders.
"Well Harry has enough on his plate… He's been through hell and back… All the world needs from him is to survive school, which is also why I have to know everything so I can help him with his studies." She said.
"And of Ron what of him? Why does he not study? Why does he not kick books."
"Hit books and he doesn't because he's Ron."
"What does he contribute to your trio?" she asked
"Well Ron is the stone that keeps Harry standing when he no longer can."
"And yet stone has moved when Harry his most tired… He needs best friend more than ever and yet stone is nowhere for him to lean on… Ron has left in great time of need… If anyone is the stone it is you Hermyknee."
"Well usually the stone stays put and I'll have you know the stone is regretting his decision. He's too much like a stone though he won't budge, wont' say he's sorry."
"Which is making you more tired." Viktor said as he pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes.
"A little…" she said. "But it's nothing I can't handle." Viktor shook his head. "What?" she asked.
"Luff you are burning the candle at both ends… Eventually there's going to be no more candle to burn. What vill you do then?" he asked.
"I burned up the candle ages ago." She said with a small chuckle.
"So how do you keep going?" he asked.
"Well I just remember that there is a certain boy who lived that needs my help and support and a red headed Weasley that needs me to write his potions essay and just like that." She snapped. "I find the strength to keep on going." She smiled at him softly.
"This… Sounds terrible."
"It was." she said with a small smile. "But then I found a vibrant very handsome Bulgarian that makes me laugh and seems to just give me tons of energy… All of a sudden things started to look way up. I'm actually having fun."
"Handsome and funny?" Viktor asked.
"Yeah… Jamous is great." She slowly looked to him a twinkle in her eyes. Viktor suddenly laughed.
"Is that so?' he asked as she backed away from him a small sly smile playing her lips. He moved towards her slowly his look was challenging.
"It is, he's ultra great, super fast too."
"Not as fast as me." He said.
"You're fast on a broom and skates but I think when it comes to actual ground I could be faster than you." She said.
"Oh you do?" he asked.
"Yep." She said.
"Well then…" he stretched nonchalantly before suddenly sprinting after her. She squealed slightly with a laugh as she ran away into the woods surrounding the lake. He laughed as he followed close behind. To his surprise Hermione was unbelievably fast on her feet. He smiled brightly as he dove in at her she dodged the tackle perfect, just in time to escape him.
"Ha!" she said her hands on her hips. "I win." She said. Viktor jumped onto his feet the sudden movement making Hermione jump back with a surprised giggle.
"So you and Jamous huh?" he asked.
"Oh yeah, love that man of mine oh baby oh baby." She said dryly making him laugh.
"Here I was thinking I was only man for you."
"Did you now?" she asked with a wicked smile.
"Well yes if I had known you and best friend were… Wait… Miss Granger are you trying to make me jealous?"
"Depends." She said. "Is it working?"
"Only little." He said with a wink. "Don't get me wrong I will kill Jamous like chicken when we return to grounds." Hermione laughed.
"Like a chicken huh?"
"Well… Jamous… he clucks when nervous." She laughed again. in the second her eyes were closed Viktor tackled Hermione back into a pile leaves, the orange yellow and brown leaves puffed out around them while Hermione let out a brilliant laugh that warmed Viktors heart.
"No fair you sucker tackled me." She said.
"Seeker must always be on look out for opening." He said. Hermione smiled up at him her bright brown eyes sparkled up at him. He wondered how she was able to keep them so vibrant all the time. Never once had he seen her eyes dull in their brilliance. Not when she was sad, not when she was scared, not when she was deep in thought. Her eyes were always so full of life. She was laying under him slightly her long wavy hair spread out about her they mixed and camouflaged into the leaves. He had never seen anything so beautiful. He slowly pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes; his hand lingered on her cheek before he captured her lips with his.
Hermione let her eyes drift closed while Viktor titled her chin up gently to give him more access. She parted her lips slowly and to her surprise his tongue slipped across her bottom lip. The kiss was one of the deepest things she had ever experienced. Any movement he made, a touch of her cheek or one of his arms slipping around her body made her heart flutter and her body burn. He hugged her to his body her hands rested comfortably against his broad chest. Viktor slowly pulled away from Hermione and smiled against her lips while he moved his nose against hers intimately.
"I love you…" he whispered against her lips before kissing her again. He had whispered something in Bulgarian to her. It had sounded intimate and beautiful as it rolled off his tongue.
"What did you just say?" she asked softly. Viktor smiled against her mouth before kissing her once more.
"I said you have Beautiful eyes…" he whispered. Hermione smiled up at him as he pulled away. She was hoping he had said something else to her, the way it had sounded had made her feel it had deeper meaning. Then again maybe Bulgarian was one of those unknown romantic languages that could sound utterly beautiful at times.