A/N THANK YOU, REVIEWERS!!!! I'm going to make this chapter a little longer than the others. I hope you ppl will review and let me know you're alive out there! *hears echo* *Looks in both directions* *raises eyebrows*
This is the important chapter where you finally have an idea of what Viktor has been keeping from Hermione. Oh yeah, when you read this, pretend you know NOTHING about Bulgaria. It helps. I don't want any reviews saying that it isn't done like this and stuff like that.
Secrets Withheld
The process which dressed Hermione was awful. She could hardly move in the dress, let alone dance like she was supposed to.
"How do I dance in this?" she asked the maid once more.
"I wouldn't know. I've never worn a dress like that. All I can say is that you dance. Somehow," the maid answered.
Hermione walked over to the mirror once again to admire the gown. It was made of a deep blue silk with an opening in the skirts to reveal the white petticoats. The sleeves came down to the elbow and then branch out in lace. Hermione's long bangs were pulled back and held back with a sapphire clip. A
deep blue choker was around her small neck.
The overall effect was breathtaking. Hermione felt like Cinderella in the beautiful ball gown about to meet her prince. She giggled. What if she did meet her prince tonight? It would make the whole trip even more romantic.
"Is something wrong?" the maid asked kindly.
Hermione smiled. "No, I was just thinking about how much this reminds me of Cinderella. About meeting my prince," she said.
The maid nodded knowingly. "I see. Do you have any idea of what this prince may look like?"
Hermione was thoughtful for a few moments, then said, "I have an idea." She smiled.
An abrupt knock on the door ended the conversation. The maid walked over to the door and opened it. There Viktor stood, looking his very best. He was handsome, Hermione noticed now more than ever. She shivered with glee. This night was to be quite promising.
Viktor stepped in and reached for Hermione's hand. Bending over, he kissed her hand, while Hermione giggled severely.
"I hope you don't do this at the banquet," he said, a light smile touching his lips.
"I'll try not to, but it's no guarantee," she said, giggling even more.
"Shall we go?" Viktor offered Hermione his arm. She accepted it gracefully and they left the rooms.
The corridor was empty until they reached to point in which it branched into the main hallway. There it was filled with people. As soon as they saw Viktor and Hermione, they stepped aside, either nodding or bowing. Yet again Hermione wondered about Viktor's stature. How powerful was his father?
As she and Viktor walked on, Hermione noticed that these people were witches and wizards. Not muggles. She wondered why only magical people had attended and said so.
"Only magic folk were invited," he replied.
"Why?"
"You ask a lot of questions. This isn't just a banquet, it's a meeting. We're going to discuss the events a few months ago," Viktor said, not mentioning You-Know-Who's name.
"Oh," she replied softly. Well, at least, she would get to witness a discussion such as this. She had never attended anything like it before so it was bound to interesting.
It didn't take very long for Hermione and Viktor to get into the banquet hall. Many other people still crowded towards the entrance.
Viktor led Hermione over to a long front table that overlooked the rest of the hall. There sat Alexander and Annetta.
"Hello," Hermione said shyly.
"Hello, Hermione. That is a very beautiful dress you have," Annetta commented.
"Thank you," Hermione replied.
A few minutes later what seemed like everyone was in the hall. Viktor's father stood up and made a toast. Then he told everyone to begin to feast.
The food was delicious. Hermione loved it all and actually had to stop herself from having thirds. She blushed severely when she saw that Viktor had noticed what she was doing.
"It's all right," he whispered to her. "I won't tell anyone."
"You'd better not," she retorted.
Viktor smiled and sat back in his seat.
Alexander stood up after everyone had finished eating. "Now that our stomachs are full. Some too much." A few men and women chuckled. "We can begin discussing the topics at hand..."
Hermione leaned over to Viktor. "When do we get to dance?" she whispered.
"After this," he replied. "Are you that excited?"
Hermione smiled. "Yes." She settled back into her seat and tried to pay attention to what Viktor's father was saying.
She couldn't concentrate though. She felt like Viktor was trying to reach his hand of to hers, but she wasn't sure. Whenever she looked at him, he was watching his father intently.
She sighed. This was sort of boring because her mind kept drifting. She scolded it and told it to stop, but it kept drifting to Viktor and how his hand was drifting over to hers. She wanted to take it, but she felt she would be too forward if she did. She didn't want him to think she actually noticed it.
Finally, Viktor's large hand reached over and grabbed Hermione's. She welcomed the warmth that it brought. It gave her a giddy feeling. He squeezed her hand lightly. She looked to him, smiled, then squeezed back.
This went on for a bit until one man said,"Your Highness, it's your turn to make your speech."
Viktor pushed his chair back. Hermione's jaw dropped. Highness?? This was something she was not notified of. She tugged on viktor's shirt.
"What?" he asked softly.
"Highness?" she hissed.
"Uh, I'll explain later," he said and stood up.
"Explain now!" she hissed once more.
"Later, Hermione," he said in a voice that meant "case closed."
Hermione sat back in her chair. This was ridiculous. How coume she wasn't told?
**********
Please review! I love reviews....they're my food! Don't let me die! Please! I beg! I'm too young to die!!!
Lady Alanna Salmalin of Conte, the Queen of Fluff
This is the important chapter where you finally have an idea of what Viktor has been keeping from Hermione. Oh yeah, when you read this, pretend you know NOTHING about Bulgaria. It helps. I don't want any reviews saying that it isn't done like this and stuff like that.
Secrets Withheld
The process which dressed Hermione was awful. She could hardly move in the dress, let alone dance like she was supposed to.
"How do I dance in this?" she asked the maid once more.
"I wouldn't know. I've never worn a dress like that. All I can say is that you dance. Somehow," the maid answered.
Hermione walked over to the mirror once again to admire the gown. It was made of a deep blue silk with an opening in the skirts to reveal the white petticoats. The sleeves came down to the elbow and then branch out in lace. Hermione's long bangs were pulled back and held back with a sapphire clip. A
deep blue choker was around her small neck.
The overall effect was breathtaking. Hermione felt like Cinderella in the beautiful ball gown about to meet her prince. She giggled. What if she did meet her prince tonight? It would make the whole trip even more romantic.
"Is something wrong?" the maid asked kindly.
Hermione smiled. "No, I was just thinking about how much this reminds me of Cinderella. About meeting my prince," she said.
The maid nodded knowingly. "I see. Do you have any idea of what this prince may look like?"
Hermione was thoughtful for a few moments, then said, "I have an idea." She smiled.
An abrupt knock on the door ended the conversation. The maid walked over to the door and opened it. There Viktor stood, looking his very best. He was handsome, Hermione noticed now more than ever. She shivered with glee. This night was to be quite promising.
Viktor stepped in and reached for Hermione's hand. Bending over, he kissed her hand, while Hermione giggled severely.
"I hope you don't do this at the banquet," he said, a light smile touching his lips.
"I'll try not to, but it's no guarantee," she said, giggling even more.
"Shall we go?" Viktor offered Hermione his arm. She accepted it gracefully and they left the rooms.
The corridor was empty until they reached to point in which it branched into the main hallway. There it was filled with people. As soon as they saw Viktor and Hermione, they stepped aside, either nodding or bowing. Yet again Hermione wondered about Viktor's stature. How powerful was his father?
As she and Viktor walked on, Hermione noticed that these people were witches and wizards. Not muggles. She wondered why only magical people had attended and said so.
"Only magic folk were invited," he replied.
"Why?"
"You ask a lot of questions. This isn't just a banquet, it's a meeting. We're going to discuss the events a few months ago," Viktor said, not mentioning You-Know-Who's name.
"Oh," she replied softly. Well, at least, she would get to witness a discussion such as this. She had never attended anything like it before so it was bound to interesting.
It didn't take very long for Hermione and Viktor to get into the banquet hall. Many other people still crowded towards the entrance.
Viktor led Hermione over to a long front table that overlooked the rest of the hall. There sat Alexander and Annetta.
"Hello," Hermione said shyly.
"Hello, Hermione. That is a very beautiful dress you have," Annetta commented.
"Thank you," Hermione replied.
A few minutes later what seemed like everyone was in the hall. Viktor's father stood up and made a toast. Then he told everyone to begin to feast.
The food was delicious. Hermione loved it all and actually had to stop herself from having thirds. She blushed severely when she saw that Viktor had noticed what she was doing.
"It's all right," he whispered to her. "I won't tell anyone."
"You'd better not," she retorted.
Viktor smiled and sat back in his seat.
Alexander stood up after everyone had finished eating. "Now that our stomachs are full. Some too much." A few men and women chuckled. "We can begin discussing the topics at hand..."
Hermione leaned over to Viktor. "When do we get to dance?" she whispered.
"After this," he replied. "Are you that excited?"
Hermione smiled. "Yes." She settled back into her seat and tried to pay attention to what Viktor's father was saying.
She couldn't concentrate though. She felt like Viktor was trying to reach his hand of to hers, but she wasn't sure. Whenever she looked at him, he was watching his father intently.
She sighed. This was sort of boring because her mind kept drifting. She scolded it and told it to stop, but it kept drifting to Viktor and how his hand was drifting over to hers. She wanted to take it, but she felt she would be too forward if she did. She didn't want him to think she actually noticed it.
Finally, Viktor's large hand reached over and grabbed Hermione's. She welcomed the warmth that it brought. It gave her a giddy feeling. He squeezed her hand lightly. She looked to him, smiled, then squeezed back.
This went on for a bit until one man said,"Your Highness, it's your turn to make your speech."
Viktor pushed his chair back. Hermione's jaw dropped. Highness?? This was something she was not notified of. She tugged on viktor's shirt.
"What?" he asked softly.
"Highness?" she hissed.
"Uh, I'll explain later," he said and stood up.
"Explain now!" she hissed once more.
"Later, Hermione," he said in a voice that meant "case closed."
Hermione sat back in her chair. This was ridiculous. How coume she wasn't told?
**********
Please review! I love reviews....they're my food! Don't let me die! Please! I beg! I'm too young to die!!!
Lady Alanna Salmalin of Conte, the Queen of Fluff