Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
After the episode with the Death Eaters in the Forbidden Forest, Hermione thought that she, Harry and Ron had more important things to worry about such as their exams which were starting the next day.
"You're joking" complained Ron. "We almost get killed and now we have to do exams. That's completely unfair. What does that Rowling woman think she's doing?"
Harry was not looking forward to the exams either because they meant that the end of term was approaching and he would soon have to return to Privet Drive.
Both Harry and Ron agreed that the only good thing about their exams was that they had Potions first which meant they got the worst of it over with fairly quickly. Unfortunately Snape was in a particularly bad mood.
"I bet he's going to miss out on the Defence Against the Dark Arts job again" whispered Ron.
"Probably" agreed Harry "I hope Bill stays though"
"Potter, Weasley, twenty points from Gryffindor" said Snape silkily. The written exam was very long and difficult but the practical was much worse. At the beginning of the exam Seamus Finnigan put Snape in an even worse mood by asking if everyone would be taking Potions in their seventh year.
"Not if I have anything to do with it, Finnigan" said Snape "But as I do not, you will just have to wait and find out for yourself. Ten points from Gryffindor for wasting my time"
The Slytherins looked positively gleeful at this last statement.
Harry tried to ignore Snape breathing down his neck as he worked on his potion. Judging from the look of disappointment that Snape gave him it was worth a fairly good mark.
"I'm glad that's over" said Ron when they left Snape's dungeon an hour later. But they still had more exams to go. And while none of them were as unpleasant as Potions, they were all rather difficult. The only exam that Harry felt confident about was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Bill led the class to a corridor lined with tapestries and suits of armour and told them that they would simply have to walk from one end of the corridor to the other.
"There are obstacles along the way" he said "the further you get the higher your marks. Now if you will all follow me we can begin shortly.
Bill led them to an empty classroom on the floor below. Harry guessed that they must have to wait here to be called. Bill made some notes on a piece of parchment and stood up.
"Lavender, when you are ready you may begin"
Lavender left the classroom looking rather apprehensive. The rest of the class tried to hear what was happening but Harry didn't hear anything it seemed that no one else had either. However, when Parvati was having her turn, Harry heard the unmistakable cry of "PEEVES!" A few minutes later Bill stuck his head in the door and called Harry's name.
"Good luck, mate" whispered Ron as stood up.
"Thanks" said Harry.
"Don't worry, Harry" said Bill as they walked up the stairs. "Peeves isn't part of the exam"
Harry chuckled even though he was apprehensive about what was in store for him.
"There's nothing to worry about, Harry" said Bill. "You can go when you're ready"
Harry pulled out his wand and set off down the corridor at a fairly quick pace. When he reached the first suit of armour a green substance shot out of it blocking his path like a giant spider's web. Harry had no idea what it was. His options were either turn around and fail the exam or try to run through it. But Harry knew that running through an unfamiliar substance was not a good idea.
"I need to get rid of it if I want to keep going" he thought. Then he smiled to himself and shouted "Evanesco!"
The web like obstruction vanished immediately and Harry kept going. At the first tapestry a masked figure jumped out in front of him and yelled "Stupefy". Harry ducked just in time and sent the figure hurtling down the corridor with an impediment jinx. Several more things came shooting out of the suits of armour as Harry passed them and more figures in masks leapt out from behind the tapestries. Harry performed the first spell that came into his head each time and didn't stop to look behind him. After he put the full body bind on the person who had been waiting behind the last tapestry he ran to the end of the corridor.
"Excellent, Harry!" called Bill.
Harry turned around Bill was walking along the corridor performing counter curses on all the people Harry had jinxed. One of them had taken off his mask to reveal a hooked nose and thick eyebrows.
"Viktor?" said Harry walking towards him. Other figures had taken off their masks too. Harry recognised Charlie Weasley and Fleur Delacour but there were a few others whom he hadn't seen before.
"How are you, Harry?" asked Krum.
"Fine" said Harry "What are you doing here?"
"I came for a holiday" said Krum "I met your teacher in the village ven he vos looking for people to help him vith his exam. And your headmaster said ve could come back at any time so I decided to come"
"You were ze best yet, 'Arry" said Fleur.
"Thanks" said Harry.
After chatting with Bill, Charlie, Fleur and Krum for a few minutes Harry joined Hermione outside.
"I wish I could see Ron's face when he sees that Viktor's here" she said.
Harry laughed as he imagined Ron coming face to face with Krum. Sure enough Ron was in an extremely bad mood when he came outside.
"What's wrong, Ron?" asked Hermione innocently.
Ron was almost too angry to speak.
"He…that…what's…Krum's here" he growled.
"Yes we know" said Hermione casually.
"Well at least he'll be gone by now" said Ron.
But Ron was wrong. Krum had decided to stay at Hogwarts for dinner. He was even more annoyed when Krum chose a seat at the Gryffindor table next to Hermione. Ron stood up suddenly, knocking a first year over in the process and stomped off to sit next to the Creevey brothers. Harry, on the other hand had a rather enjoyable time chatting with Hermione and Krum. Hermione looked like she was enjoying herself too, although she did appear to be bored when the conversation turned to Quidditch. Krum appeared to have noticed this too and changed the subject.
"Is your friend alright?" heasked.
"Ron? He's fine" said Hermione "he just wants to know what happened between us the summer before last"
"Vy don't ve go for a valk around the grounds and explain everything to him" suggested Krum.
It took a few minutes to convince Ron to join them and he did so quite grudgingly.
"What's going on with you two then?" he shot at Hermione and Krum the second they had walked into the grounds.
"Nothing" said Hermione.
"Nothing" repeated Ron in a disbelieving tone.
"Ve are good friends. That is all" said Krum.
"Are you still writing to each other?" asked Ron.
"Yes ve write to each other often" said Krum "But ve haff never – how do you say? Gone in together"
"Gone out" Ron corrected Krum and a look of relief came over his face. He was much friendlier towards Krum after that.
"You knew he was coming back, didn't you?" Ron said to Hermione after Krum had left.
"Well yes I did" Hermione admitted "I read it in one of JK Rowling's interviews.
"Would it have killed you to tell us about it?" asked Ron.
Hermione smiled.
"No, but If I'd told you the story wouldn't be nearly as interesting"