IMPORTANT NOTE - TW FOR THIS CHAPTER INCLUDE STALKING AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT - I WILL PROVIDE A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THIS CHAPTER IN CHAPTER THIRTEEN SO SKIP THIS IF YOU NEED TO

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books, and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Beta'd 7/11/21

Chapter Eleven

Hermione and Ginny had made it to the Great Hall just in time, as Dumbledore stood up to speak moments after they had seated themselves within their group of friends. A ripple of excitement spread through the students, eager to meet their guests.

"I know that you're all excited to meet your fellow witches and wizards. However, I must remind you one last time that you are representing Hogwarts School in this competition. Not only will you compete against two other schools, but the Tri-Wizard Tournament will be covered by the Daily Prophet, as well." Dumbledore let his warning sink in before he stepped away from his podium.

As he stepped back, the doors to the Great Hall opened. All the students turned to look at the commotion, wondering if their company finally arrived. A moment passed as a hush fell over the room.

Dumbledore's voice echoed in the quiet hall. Ladies and gentleman, Beauxbatons Academy." The tables in front of the door, along with the students sitting on them, were magically pushed aside to make a large walkway to the front of the Great Hall.

After the tables were properly separated, the largest woman any of the students had ever seen walked through the open doorway. Pansy caught sight of her shiny black shoes, and, with a huff, didn't know if that size was even sold in stores.

Students turned their heads as the woman strode purposefully to the podium where Dumbledore greeted her with a kiss on her hand and a respectful bow. Satisfied, the woman spun to face the students and extended her arm to the door as Dumbledore backed up. Everyone turned their attention back to the doorway.

In two organized lines, about a dozen girls, no older than 18, strutted into the hall dressed in baby blue rompers. A small group of the girls stayed behind as the rest went to the tall woman.

The girls extended their arms out to either side and arched their backs angelically towards the enchanted ceiling. In less than a second, dozens of beautiful blue butterflies sprouted from their chest, along with what appeared to be glitter and sparkles. After the butterflies had disappeared, the girls sauntered up to their peers.

Ron tipped back as the girls passed their little group, muttering to himself. "Bloody hell…" Hermione immediately smacked the back of his head.

"Honestly, Ronald! They aren't pieces of meat!" Hermione's hushed tone apparently wasn't quite enough as she noticed a few students from other houses turn to them.

Not only had a few Hogwarts students noticed, but one girl from Beauxbatons caught her eye and dipped her head, apparently thankful for Hermione's defense. Hermione smiled at the girl and smacked Ron once again for good measure.

"Blimey, 'Mione. I'm sorry." Ron didn't seem incredibly apologetic. However, Hermione didn't press him as before she could speak, Dumbledore announced Durmstrang Institute. Hermione rolled her shoulders and turned away from her friend to focus on the man that had just entered the room.

The man, who she can only assume was the headmaster for the Durmstrang Institute, looked creepy and Hermione got a chill up her spine when he passed her. He didn't bother looking around the Great Hall as the headmistress of Beauxbatons had; he radiated superiority and clearly thought the students of Hogwarts were below him.

When he got to the podium, Dumbledore reached out and the two men shook hands. The man smiled at the old wizard, but his smile didn't seem to reach his eyes, almost as if he was just putting on a show. Hermione got a bad feeling from the new Headmaster.

After the pair had greeted each other, pounding was heard resonating in the hallway outside the Great Hall. Everyone turned to see a group of no more than a dozen wizards dressed for the harsh weather of northern Europe.

The group had staffs they were pounding on the ground as they walked, almost making a beat. Sparks shot out every time the wood hit the ground. Just before they reached the middle of the Great Hall, they spun their staffs, sparks flew from the bottom of the long staff. After they'd spun them, they threw them in the air and they disappeared before they could fall on anyone.

The men reached the front of the Great Hall and, unlike the girls from Beauxbatons who'd gathered near their headmistress, lined up in front of their headmaster, standing prim and proper. After the men had found their positions, another man entered the room. This one looked to be a student, yet much better dressed than his peers.

Hermione thought he might've been the Durmstrang equivalent of Head Boy, until she heard Ron whisper, practically salivating, "That's him… that's Viktor Krum…" At Hermione's questioning look, he quickly explained, "The Bulgarian seeker." Hermione nodded and turned back to the man in question.

She'd been invited to the Quidditch World Cup, but she hadn't felt up to going. As far as she'd heard, nothing too exciting had happened aside from an interesting encounter with Draco and his father.

As the man - Viktor Krum - passed Hermione and her friends, he looked down and caught her eye. So subtly she almost didn't notice, Viktor tipped his head down at her without breaking his stride. When he reached the rest of the men from Durmstrang, the headmaster introduced him to Dumbledore, who seemed overjoyed to meet the man.

In the moments that Dumbledore got the man and woman settled in their seats, the Hogwarts students began getting restless. Hermione chalked it up to having the seeker for the Quidditch World Cup winning team at their school for the foreseeable future.

When Dumbledore had finished seating the headmasters and their students at the empty seats, Dumbledore turned to address his students. Clasping his hands together, his voice immediately silenced any chatter from them.

"Students, it's my pleasure to introduce the Headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, Madame Olympe Maxime." The half-giant woman stood up and dipped her head to the students who clapped before she sat down again. "And the Headmaster of the Durmstrang Institute, Mister Igor Karkaroff." The creepy man stood but didn't bow as students respectfully clapped for him. After he sat down, Dumbledore spoke again. "Enjoy tonight's feast and tomorrow's masquerade ball. Because of our guests and tomorrow night's ball, we will be delaying curfew for an hour tomorrow night only. Use the extra time wisely." He looked across his half-moon glasses at all the students before finishing his speech and sitting down.

Food appeared in front of everyone in the Great Hall. As always, Ron dug into the feast. Hermione noticed that Harry appeared distracted, and looked to where he was staring, only to be met with the Durmstrang Headmaster. Hermione reached around Ginny and nudged Harry, causing him to look at her with a startled expression.

"What?" His tone was harsh, whether from shock or anger, Hermione wasn't sure. She'd intended to ask him why he was staring at Karkaroff, but once she heard his tone she changed her mind.

"Don't be so obvious," Hermione warned him, aware that before she turned back to her plate, not wanting to get into an argument with her friend.

After she filled her plate, she looked up to catch the eye of Viktor Krum. He nodded his head towards her without breaking eye contact. Startled by the attention from him, she turned to Ginny, eager for a distraction. She was deep in discussion with Lavender.

"Are you excited for the ball?" Lavender's voice was slightly grating on Hermione's ears, but she smiled nonetheless, desperate for a distraction. She glanced towards the Durmstrang table and quickly looked away when she caught Viktor's gaze again.

Ginny nudged Hermione. Snapping her head back to the two Gryffindors, Hermione smiled quickly, not quite shaking the seeker from her thoughts. "I wish I could be Lavender, but I have detention tomorrow night."

Lavender loudly sucked in a breath. "Merlin, you can't be serious! That's so sad." She pouted at Hermione, "we're totally gonna miss you." Lavender's pout lasted barely longer than her sentence before she was smiling widely again and launched into a description of her dress, despite having already told them.

Hermione let her continue and focused on her food, still thinking about the strange seeker. Chancing one more last look, she raised her head to peek at Viktor. He was staring at her just as intensely. She practically curled in on herself as she focused on her plate once more.

Throughout dinner, Hermione thought about Viktor. The look he was giving her didn't seem to be a friendly one, if anything it was predatory. Hermione got a gut feeling and it wasn't good. Suddenly, she was scared to leave dinner alone.

She leaned into Ginny, who was talking with an animated Harry. Catching the tail end of Harry's rant, Hermione rested her hand on Ginny's arm. Not wanting to appear too anxious, she waited until Ginny was done talking to speak.

"Gin, after dinner, can you walk with me back to the common room?" Ginny met Hermione's question with an incredulous look. "Please." Hermione's tone and pleading look left no room for Ginny to argue, so her friend agreed. However, in a whisper tone, she said Hermione would tell her later. Hermione nodded in response.

At the end of dinner, Hermione and Ginny stood up and the youngest Weasley addressed the two boys they sat with. "Harry, Ron, we're going to the common room."

Harry got up at Ginny's mention of going to the common room. "Ginny, I thought we were going to the lake…" his voice trailed off, not wanting to ask her to choose him over Hermione.

Ginny looked horrified that she'd forgotten plans with Harry, and turned to Hermione, silently begging Hermione to let her go. Hermione pursed her lips, trying to think of a way to not leave alone. She smiled at Ginny and Harry after a second.

"Don't worry guys, Ron will help me instead." Harry looked like he wanted to ask what Hermione needed help with, but when Ginny grabbed his hand he turned all his attention to her.

Harry and Ginny hustled out of the Great Hall, past the string of people who'd finished early, with no more than a "See you later!" thrown to their friends. Ron, however, looked upset at his sister and best friend.

Hermione noticed that Viktor was still at the Durmstrang table, and took her chance. She grabbed Ron's arm and forced him out of his seat and out of the Great Hall, not listening to his confused let go of Ron's arm when she could no longer see the Great Hall entrance and sagged against a wall.

Ron's expression changed from confusion to concern. "Alright there, 'Mione?" Hermione nodded, not wanting to tell Ron about her gut feeling about practically his favorite Quidditch player. "I have to use the bathroom." Hermione chuckled in surprise at his statement.

"Okay, Ronald. We'll stop on the way." Hermione pushed herself off the wall, and the pair walked to Gryffindor tower together.

Ron nearly cried when he saw a bathroom and sprinted in, not caring that he left Hermione. She, however, was incredibly aware of her surroundings. Moving over to the wall next to the bathroom, Hermione leaned her back against it, not wanting to give a certain Durmstrang student the chance to get behind her.

Seconds after she'd found her spot next to the bathroom, she heard someone round the corner at the end of the corridor. She clenched her firsts by her side as she noticed Viktor Krum was standing at the end of the corridor, the same predatory look on his face.

Hermione was frozen like a deer in headlights, too scared to move. He smirked at her and strolled up to her, presenting an air of confidence that felt sickeningly fake. Hermione clenched her fists tighter, wishing Ron would come to rescue her.

Fate was not on her side, however, as Viktor reached her less than a minute later, and leaned against the wall next to her, blocking her view of the bathroom entrance.

"Hello, beautiful." Hermione couldn't place his accent, but his tone was more condescending than inviting. Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat and simply smiled at him, not trusting herself to speak. "Ah, yes, sorry. I forgot women are dim." Hermione reeled back as if she had been slapped.

"Excuse me? I don't care who you are or how talented you are on a broomstick. You do not say that to anyone!" She tried to stomp away, planning on meeting Ron back in the common room, but Viktor changed his position and caged Hermione between his arms.

"Stay." It sounded almost like an order. Hermione froze, her fear for the Dumstrang man overpowering her offense at his earlier statements. She swallowed, a knock of fear forming in her stomach. "You so beautiful." Hermione sucked in a breath as he reached out and stroked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Say thank you."

"Th-thank you…" Her voice hitched and was only a whisper, yet it sounded loud to her. Viktor smiled again and bent down towards her. Her heartbeat started racing as he drew closer and closer, silently screaming for help.

This time, fate was on her side, as Ron exited the bathroom just before he could kiss her. He looked shocked at what he saw before him: his Quidditch idol about to kiss one of his best friends. His appearance startled Viktor, which caused him to step away from Hermione. She took her chance and dashed to Ron, grabbing his arm and hurrying away. Viktor hit the stone wall in anger and stalked away from them.