Hermione's face was too impassive to read as she came back from her brief conversation with Viktor Krum on the last day of the school year, while everyone was waiting for the carriages to take them back to the train station at Hogsmeade. Ron, however, continued to stare at her features as if trying to bore into her brain and discover just what the two of them had said to each other. He was only jarred from the action by the sudden appearance of Krum's hand before him, silently pleading for a shake. With a blink, the fiery-haired young man took the hand of that who was not only his apparent enemy, but also his most coveted celebrity.

It was awkward, but there was something welling within him that could not be supressed or silenced or quelched and all at once he burst out, "Can I have your autograph!?"

Viktor Krum, who had since let go of Ron's hand and turned away paused, then turned back to oblige the Gryffindor. Harry and Hermione, seeing the approach of the carriages, moved off to reserve one for their usual company while Ron fished through his luggage for a spare piece of parchment and a quill.

Taking the quill in hand, Krum moved to press the piece of parchment against the wall and scrawl his signature across it. Before handing the patchment back, however, he leveled Ron with he gaze and spoke, "You are a very lucky man, Ron Veasley," he stated simply.

Puzzled, Ron tilted his head to one side, silently asking for explanation with his look of confusion.

"Herm-own-ninny," Krum answered Ron's dumbstruck expression with a single word, though, seeing he was still confused, went on slowly, though his dark gaze flickered towards the open doors of the entrance hall to where Hermione was standing on the steps. "She is a very beautiful voman. Very intelligent. Brilliant." Although it offered nothing to Ron but an excuse, perhaps, to break Krum's nose, he fell silent and gave a weary smile.

"I ... I suppose so ... " Ron answered, still vaguely confused as what Krum was getting at and a little more than embarrassed to agree with what he had to say.

At the response, Viktor shook his head slowly. "Veasley, take my advice. The next time there is a ball, make sure you ask her ... before somevon like me does."

Another weary -- almost forced -- smile curved his lips, upon which he handed Ron the signed piece of parchment. "You are very lucky," he said again, before turning and moving away to join his fellow students from Durmstrang, gathered in the far corner of the entrance hall.

Ron, quite confused over the statements and advice given by the Bulgarian Seeker, looked simply down at the piece of parchment Krum had handed him -- Although I love her, she says that her heart belongs to another. Good luck, Viktor Krum.