Hey everyone! Our Friday chapter is short, sweet, and to the point but I honestly love the Viktor/Hermione flashback at the end. It shows why their relationship was so impactful on both of them and what their relationship was really like. I hope y'all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Also, if you haven't had a chance, don't forget to check out the second chapter! It went up yesterday so a few of you might have missed it. :o)

Love,

Adrien

P.S. Thank you so much for all the love in the reviews! I wasn't expecting so many so quickly and it really made today start out great (hence me posting during my planning period/lunch/break for today instead of waiting until after I get off work/before my night classes start). :o)

Disclaimer: Anything recognizable still belongs to J. K. Rowling, I just love building sandcastles in the sandbox she created.

Chapter Three: Of Flashbacks and Old…Friends

Hermione fidgets with the beautiful rose Viktor had sent her, one of the ones from his garden which he had frequently sent her after returning home at the end of her fourth year. Before he began sending her roses, she was of the opinion that roses were cliche but now she knew better. Roses are beautiful, obviously, but they are also incredibly strong. They can weather any storm and still come out blooming just as beautifully as they would have had they grown in protected greenhouse. They also have thorns, again obviously, but those thorns can be removed. If you only take the time to. And their beauty is the kind that is present even as all their petals begin to fall and their youthful appearance withers away in death. They are the flower of his homeland and the fact that he wanted to share that with her made her appreciate the flowers even more. This rose is different from the others he had sent her, however, this one is a portkey that would bring her to his home in exactly seven minutes. Hopefully this was the right choice...

Flashback

"If you say we can trust him then I believe you, maybe he'll be able to find some other Slytherins who will be willing to help us once you're safely out of the country and can start coming up with a more concrete plan. After all, a lot of people only joined Voldemort because it was the only option they had," Harry whispers, his face barely visible in whatever dark place he'd tucked himself into to be able to talk to her.

"And what do you think about Viktor and the opportunity to go to Bulgaria?" She queries, worrying her bottom lip in between her teeth.

"Viktor is a good man, Mione, and I think that you would have gone to him without a second thought had Dumbledore not stopped your correspondence. You wouldn't have been terrified and scrambling for a place to stay because you would have known you could go to him. You became friends with him like you did me, not because he is famous but because you saw the person behind the fame. You made him feel human and he made you feel protected. I'm your best friend, Mione, but you are always the one protecting me and keeping my head above water. Before you met him, you were always tense and afraid to let anyone in because you didn't want people to use you to get to me. And he changed that. I have never seen you as happy as you were that year with him, Mione. And you deserve that happiness more than anyone else I know."

"You deserve to be happy too, Harry," Hermione states softly, touching the surface of the mirror where his face is softly and wishing she could brush away the lock of his hair that is falling into his eyes.

A muffled noise comes from the outside Harry's hiding place. "I have to go," he murmurs.

"I love you. Stay safe," she replies.

"Always, Mione," he whispers, giving her a halfhearted grin before closing his mirror and cutting off the connection.

Flashback Over

A sigh escapes Hermione's lips as she glances from the clock on the mantel to the fireplace underneath it, three more minutes. She pulls a letter from the black dragonhide pouch around her wrist and places it next to the clock on the mantel, she wouldn't be able to say goodbye to Professor Snape in person.

Flashback

"May I ask what you are looking for, Miss Granger?" Professor Snape's voice makes her jump, nearly dropping the book she had been looking through while waiting for Viktor's latest reply in the journal.

"I'm trying to find a charm that will make an extension charm undetectable so that I can place it on a bag when I get to Bulgaria and I won't have to keep shrinking and unshrinking my trunk," Hermione replied as her professor sinks into the seat across from her.

She and Professor Snape stay up late into the night discussing and practicing different charms to create the original effect Hermione had in mind and the next day, Professor Snape returns home with a small dragonhide pouch similar to the one he used to carry potions ingredients in which he gives to Hermione and the two of them spend the night charming.

Flashback Over

Two more minutes. She mentally goes over everything in her head one last time, making sure all of her belongings are packed in her bag. Everything left from the Granger house. Check. School books and materials even though she won't be returning to Hogwarts. Check. Potions books and ingredients from Professor Snape. Check. Other books. Check. Viktor's letters. Check. Bedstand pictures from school trunk. Check. Clothes and toiletries. Check. Locket. Check. Wand. Check. Mirror. Check. Journal. Check.

There's a tug in her gut, the world spins, and then her arse hits the ground. "I'm never going to get used to portkeys," she huffs, running her fingers through her larger than usual (due to the portkey travel) hair.

"It definitely takes some getting used to," a deep, familiar voice chuckles as a large hand appears in her line of vision.

"Viktor!" Hermione grins, placing her hand in his and allowing him to pull her to her feet before she throws her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "It's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too, Mila," Viktor chuckles, hugging her back just as tightly as she hugs him.

Flashback

"What do you say to one last dance, Mila?" Viktor asks, standing up from his place next to her on the stairs where he had found her after being told she had stormed out of the ball with Ron and Harry and holding out his hand to her. "Let's not let the Weasel ruin your night."

"I would love to." Hermione smiles up at him as she takes his offered hand.

He pulls her up and into his arms with his own smile.

"Thank you for asking me to come, Viktor," Hermione murmurs, resting her head in his shoulder as they revolve in a slow circle.

"Thank you for agreeing to come with me," Viktor replies, resting his cheek on the top of her head. "Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight, Mila?"

"Only about a million times, love," Hermione laughs, smiling into his shoulder.

"Well, you look gorgeous tonight," he chuckles, kissing the top of her head.

"You look just as handsome," she replies, kissing his shoulder.

She doesn't care that she is barefoot from chucking her shoes at her best friends or that her makeup is smudged from crying and her hair has long escaped the many charmed bobby pins or that they can just barely hear the song playing at the ball from where they are in the hallway. Because this moment is perfect. This night is perfect.

Flashback Over