I know it took me a while to post this new chapter, but I think it was worth the time! I'm working on the 10th chapter now, which I can guarantee will much more interesting and exciting. Don't forget to R/R!!!

Chapter 9 - The Isle of Eternity

Hermione needed some advice. And quickly! So she went to the first person that came in her mind, the person she trusted most: Viktor Krum. He used to like her a lot about a year ago, but eventually he understood she couldn't love him and they became best friends. Now Hermione needed his help, so, for the first, actually second time in her life, she broke the school rules willingly: she took the Floo Powder she had since last year and went to the Room of Requirement.

"Incendio!" Flames appeared almost instantly. She threw the Floo Powder into the fire, then she walked in the fireplace and said very clearly: "Krum Manor!"

Everything began to spin and she felt quite sick for a few moments, then she felt the ground under her feet: she had arrived.

Hermione opened her eyes: it wasn't the first time she came here. She recognized the huge walls painted in a night-sky blue, the great curtained bed and the painting revealing the face of a beautiful blonde woman. She was in Viktor's room.

She gave one more look to the whole chamber as to convince herself that she was really alone. And indeed there was no one else in the room. She didn't have the courage to get out of the room: she could run into a member of his family and that would cause both of them trouble. So she waited.

Half an hour passed and nobody came. Hermione was considering she should get back to the castle and talk to Professor Dumbledore, when somebody unlocked the door. Viktor came in.

"Hermione!", he cried in surprise.

"Sssssshhhhh! You want to get in trouble?"

"But-but wha-what are you doing here?"

"Seeking your advice."

"My advice? Why mine?"

"Because Ron is a jerk and Harry and Ginny mustn't know about it."

Hermione told Viktor her whole story, occasionally wiping away some unwanted tear. The boy was clearly shocked and didn't know how to help his dearest friend.

"Oh, what should I do? Will you help me?", the girl said, her voice cracking.

"Of course", Viktor sighed, "I will help you."

"How?"

"Follow me!"

"But..."

"There's no one else in the house except us two."

Hermione nodded. From now on she had no other choice than listen to him or get back to Hogwarts.

Viktor lead her to a half-dark room, which appeared to be some kind of a broomstick chamber. It was full of broomsticks of all kinds, shapes and lengths.

"Here, take this one, it's very good.", he said, handing one to Hermione. It was a little heavy, very stiff and on it were carved with silver letters the words 'Star Shaper'.

Viktor took a broomstick a bit longer than Hermione's and apparently much heavier. On it were carved the words 'Solar Ray'.

"Where are we going to?", Hermione asked, as it was obvious they were heading somewhere.

"To the Isle of Eternity."

They both got on their broomsticks, rising through the air. Hermione had never flown so high in her entire life, but she was willing to get to Draco, even if she would be in great danger.

"Hold tight to your broomstick!", Viktor said, and Hermione obeyed.

Only one word of the young man was enough for the broomsticks to accelerate. They few for what seemed endless hours on the highest speed possible. The girl began to feel sick, but she didn't complain. She was determined to endure.

The ocean. Water everywhere. Dolphins swimming through the waves. It was wonderful, indeed, but one wrong move and death awaited the one who would fall off his broom.

"Hold on tight!", Victor said to Hermione. They began to fly lower, and lower, and lower, until they touched---the ground! It was a tiny piece of earth into the endless ocean.

"Is this...?", Hermione began asking.

"No, it isn't. This is just a portal to the Isle, but here you have to decide. I can not follow you, because whoever goes there may not return."

"Why?"

"It is some kind of Otherworld. Only the brave ones with a pure heart may go there and once they have arrived they must stay there. They shall live there their entire lives with no sickness or poverty. But they can not turn back from their way. Will you try to get there or will you go back with me? It is not late yet!"

Viktor still loved Hermione, but he couldn't stop her from taking her decision. He didn't want to loose her, be he wanted her to be happy. Even if that would break his heart.

"Show me the way. I'll go in."

Viktor showed Hermione a great blue stone, shaped as a hand rising from beneath the waters.

"This is the portkey that will take to the Isle. Good-bye...", he said, tears appearing in his eyes, his voice cracking. He turned back, got on his broomstick and flew away, without even turning around to wave his hand at Hermione.

"Good-bye...", Hermione whispered looking at a black dot far away in the horizon. She closed her eyes and touched the blue stone hand. Suddenly she didn't feel the ground anymore and it seemed like she was spinning through some kind of thick liquid, but as soon as this began it stopped. She opened her eyes in amazement. It was like Paradise! She was on the shore of a lake whose water was crystal-blue and on its bottom you could see various aquatic plants of different shapes and colors. Through what seemed the leaves of these plants, tons of fish were playing and swimming like living jewels. On the other shore of the lake she could see a wonderful fairytale-like crystal palace, surrounded by hundreds of different trees.

"Goodness!", Hermione exclaimed in disbelief. It was all so...magic!