Disclaimer: You know already. This story is inspired (sort of) by the movie "The City of Glass".

To flamers: I don't take kindly to flames so back off, if you know what's good for you.

Note: This story is dedicate to my Grandmother, who passed away on 22-1-2005

Thank you all so much for your reviews!

jEnA-gHeRL: He would come back soon.

J.E.A.R.K Potter: I can't kill Krum right now, I need him….

missradcliffe: I said they will show up, but that doesn't mean they will come back to life.

HarryLover345: Being Harry's lawyer, Neville always get to know anything about Harry firsthand and he always tell Ginny.

RmGuccine: They are really dead.

Sugary-Quills: "She Will Be Loved" is awesome!

Lacerta: I will read it when I have the time.

Esmerald tears: Err….

Chapter 21: 23rd of March 2003

Dear Diary,

5.57pm

Something. Is. Not. Right

I could feel it.

Harry has not been writing to me for days.

Has something happened to him? The last time he wrote to me was 16 of March, just before he went for battle.

Why hasn't he been writing to me, Diary? What if…. what if he has died in battle! Or something awful happened, like he is being captured by the purebloods!

I'm so lost, Diary, I'm slowly losing my mind, thinking of what could have happened to Harry these past few days.

I'm beginning to wear the locket that Ginny and Neville have given. In the locket lies the picture of the most handsome, daring and devoted man I have ever known. I never take it off.

You should have seen me, Diary. I haven't slept well for days, thinking about Harry.

I lost my appetite as well. I'm so worried about Harry that I couldn't take a bite.

I looked at myself in the mirror just now. And I looked like hell.

But what's the point of keeping myself healthy and beautiful if my love is away and missing?

Wait a minute. Maybe Harry's letter will come today. It'sonly 6pm in the evening right now…..

Oh, there goes the doorbell. Write again later.

Hermione

9pm

Guess who was at the door in the evening? No, it's not Harry, unfortunately. It's Viktor Krum, the man that I hated. He was wearing a black tuxedo.

"What are you doing here?" I asked at the door.

Viktor frowned. "Is that the way to talk to your husband?"

I scowled. "If you still regard me as your wife, don't talk to me that way."

Viktor looked as if he was going to hit me. But then he took a deep breath and said, "So, you are now living vith Potter, right?"

"Yes."

Viktor's face darkened. "Come home vith me, Herm-own-ninny."

"No." I snapped.

Viktor folded his arms and glared at me deadly. I stared back coolly.

"Fine," he said, "But if you don't, at least come to a party vith me."

I blinked. "Come again?"

"A party," he said impatiently. "Held by the Minister of Magic. All the famous Quidditch stars and personals are required to attend."

I thought for a while before I said, "So?"

"You and I have been invited, as a couple. So you should come with me."

"No way." I said immediately.

"Herm-own-ninny, this is no time to be a kid." growled Viktor.

I opened my mouth to speak.

"You haff to go vith me, or else people will start to ask where you are." interrupted Viktor.

"Tell them that I'm sick." I said.

"I couldn't tell them that you are sick forever." said Viktor. "For your information, I have already told the same people that you are sick for two times."

"Thank you." I said coldly.

"If you don't go, I vill tell the Daily Prophet about you and Potter. Surely you won't want that." said Viktor and smirked and when he saw my face went pale.

"That's blackmail." I said.

Viktor ignored my words. "Well?"

I had no choice, Diary. I had to go with Viktor to the party. Or else he would go to the Daily Prophet and mine and Harry's lives would be ruined.

I sighed. "Wait here. I-I will go and change." I said quietly.

"You should." said Viktor. "And put on some makeup. You look like a zombie."

I frowned, went back into the house and opened the wardrobe in the bedroom. Feeling depressed, I took out a long black evening gown. The front of the dress was low enough to show off my locket.

Before I put it on, I went to put on my waterproof makeup in the washroom.

I stared at myself again in the mirror. Viktor was right, I did look like a zombie. I put powder on my face slowly. Then I used blusher, eyebrow pencil, eye shadow and lipstick. Finally, I pinned up my hair.

I put on my dress and looked at my reflection.

I looked better, but I still looked very thin.

I looked as if I was going to someone's funeral.

"Ah, Mr and Mrs Krum, welcome to the party." said the Minister of Magic, smiling at me and Viktor at the Ministry.

Viktor smiled politely while I just nodded.

"Mrs Krum, you don't look very well today, are you all right?" asked the Minister in concern.

I gave a glance at Viktor and noticed that he was glaring at me.

Swallowing nervously, I said, "Y-yes, I'm all right."

"You could go home and have a rest if you want to." said the Minister kindly.

"It's okay." I said quietly. "I don't need a rest."

"I just need Harry, that's all." I thought.

"Well then, enjoy yourselves." said the Minister before he left.

"Krum! So nice see you here!" someone said and I realized it was one of the Chasers from Puddlemere United.

While Viktor was talking to the Chaser, I looked around the Atrium, where the party was held. There were loads of famous people walking around the place. Quidditch players, Aurors (reminded me of Harry), people who worked in the Ministry….

"Well, well, look who's here." someone said.

I turned around sharply and turned so pale that I bet huge amount of makeup wouldn't help.

Draco Malfoy was standing in front of me.

"How are you, Mudblood?" asked Malfoy.

I turned to look at Viktor, but he had gone elsewhere to talk to another Quidditch player.

Oh great.

"Fine." I lied.

"Oh really? You looked pale to me." said Malfoy. "How's Potty, by the way?"

"You know very well that Harry has gone to Italy. It's in the newspaper." I said.

"Ah yes." said Malfoy in a tone that reminded me of his father very much. "He's gone, leaving his girlfriend behind, how pitiful."

"Shut up about me and Harry, Malfoy. And I will send your picture to the Daily Prophet." I hissed.

"Fine." snapped Malfoy and he left.

There I was, Diary, standing alone in the Atrium like an idiot, not knowing what to do.

A few people walked past me and greeted me as "Mrs Krum." I'm telling you, Diary, I'm sick of that name.

I glared at Viktor, who was now talking to someone that I didn't know. And I thought that if he was not going to come back, I was going to …..

"Hermione?" said a familiar voice.

I turned and smiled happily. "Ginny! Neville!"

Neville smiled back while Ginny looked upset. "Oh Merlin, look at you! You looked so pale. And…." she held my hand and placed her hand on my cheek. "You have gone thinner…. what happened to you?"

I didn't respond.

"Come on, let's go to somewhere else." said Ginny in a low tone.

Neville was about to follow us when someone called, "Mr Longbottom!"

He turned to entertain the person while Ginny and I went to stand near the wall, away from the guests.

"What happened, Hermione?" asked Ginny.

At the sight of Ginny's concern face, I broke into tears.

"Oh Hermione…." said Ginny and she hugged me in comfort.

"I-I miss Harry, Ginny…" I sobbed. "I really do, he hasn't been writing for me for days and I fear that something awful has happened to him…."

Ginny released me and I said in one breath, "What if he died, Ginny? I don't want him to leave me alone in this world. I don't want to live if he dies…."

"Hermione, calm down, calm down! Listen, Harry is still alive!" said Ginny.

I stopped and stared at my best friend with my eyes wide. "What do you mean? What do you mean by he's still alive? How did you…."

"Hermione, you are being hysterical." Ginny pointed out.

I bit my lip hard. Until blood almost come out from my bite.

"Hermione, stop biting your lip, please." she said desperately.

I stopped.

Ginny took a deep breath. "Harry is still alive. I know because Neville had made a death policy for him. If he dies, Neville should have gotten a letter about it."

I blinked. That sentence made sense.

"Don't worry, Harry will be all right." said Ginny, patting me on the shoulder.

"Oh…." I said slowly. Then another thought came into my mind. "If he is still alive…. then why hasn't he been writing to me?" I asked, as if Ginny had the answer. "Maybe he has been captured by the purebloods! Or, or… he is seriously injured!"

"Hermione, you are been hysterical again, please!" said Ginny and she held my hands tightly to stop me from doing anything rash to myself.

I sniffled as tears went down my cheeks.

Neville came over to us and he looked upset at the sight of me.

Then he searched his pockets before he took out a piece of tissue.

Gently, he wiped the tears off my face. "Please don't cry. Harry will be upset if he sees you like this."

After wiping away my tears, he threw the tissue away.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Then I felt calmer.

Ginny pulled me towards her and gave me another hug.

"Herm-own-ninny?" asked Viktor, who had come to find me.

Ginny released me and frowned at Viktor. "Do you mind? Hermione and I are having a conversation."

Ignoring Ginny, Viktor said, "Come on, let's go, Herm-own-ninny."

I noticed Neville was scowling at Viktor while Ginny had her eyes widened.

Not wanting Neville and Viktor to have a fight, I said to Ginny and Neville, "I have to go."

"Hermione…." started Ginny. "Why are you…."

"Goodbye." I said quickly and tried to smile.

Then I turned around. Viktor put his arm around my waist (much to my displeasure) and took me roughly away from the Longbottoms.

"Dance?" asked Viktor, indicating the guests who were dancing.

I shook my head.

Viktor frowned. "No? Maybe the Daily Prophet…."

"All right, all right!" I said frantically and Viktor took me to dance.

As I danced with Viktor, I couldn't help thinking about how Harry and I danced to the song "Try to Remember" just before we made love. That night was wonderful. I could still remember the lyrics….

Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh
So mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When you were a tender and callow fellow.
Try to remember and if you remember
then follow
follow….

Oh no, I felt like crying again….

Slowly, I pushed Viktor away. "Viktor, I want to go back."

"To Potter's house?" he hissed.

I nodded. "I have done my job and accompany you here. Now it's time for you to return the favour and bring me home." I said quietly.

Viktor held my hand tightly. "What's so good about Potter anyway?" he asked.

"In any way, he's better than you." I said coldly.

Face darkened, Viktor said, "Fine, I vill bring you back, but trust me, Herm-own-ninny. You vill regret mixing vith Potter soon."

"I won't." I said with confidence.

Growling, Viktor pulled me towards a space where we could Apparate.

Viktor brought me back to Godric's Hollow safely. Before he left, he said, "How about giving your husband a goodbye kiss?"

"No." I said immediately.

Viktor leaned forward towards my face. "No?"

"No." I snapped.

Viktor pulled back and ….

SLAP

…..gave me a slap.

"Listen, Herm-own-ninny… I'm your husband for 3 bloody years. You should do what I want you to do."

Rubbing my cheek, I said, "From the way you treat me, I don't think I should."

Suddenly, Viktor pushed me roughly on Harry's door. He pinned me on the shoulders with his hands.

"Hey, let go of me!" I said loudly.

Ignoring me, Viktor kissed me hard on my neck. I tried to push him away but after a few days of "diet", I was too weak to push him away.

As he kissed on my bare chest, I cried, I really did. There Viktor goes; kissing me like I was his again and I couldn't do anything to stop it.

I sobbed while he tugged on the zipper on my dress, wanting to take it off.

I thought over and over again, "Harry, I'm so sorry, please forgive me, I beg you….."

"Hey!" someone called.

Immediately, Viktor let me go. I looked at the person a few steps away from us. He had short blond hair and was wearing dark blue robes with the words "Magical Law Enforcement Squad" on the chest. He had his wand lit and was pointing it at us.

Thank the gods! I was saved!

"What the hell are you doing?" asked the wizard.

Viktor was still. Suddenly, he Disapparated, leaving me to clear the mess.

The wizard pointed his wand at me.

"I-I….." I started, not knowing what to say.

"It's okay, Hermione." The wizard said in a familiar voice.

I blinked. "Neville?"

Neville closed his eyes and changed back into his original self. "Learn this from Harry, quite useful sometimes…."

I sighed in relief. "Oh thank the Gods, Neville, you saved me. How did you….."

"Ginny sent me." said Neville. "She's worried about you so she sent me to follow you."

"Oh. Give my thanks to Ginny." I said.

Neville looked concern. "Are you all right?"

I nodded and sniffled. Neville gave me a piece of tissue.

"Thanks." I said and wiped my tears.

"Better get back into the house before Krum comes back." said Neville.

I nodded again. "All right. Err, Neville?"

"Hm?"

I smiled and leaned forward to give him a friendly kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for saving me."

Neville blushed furiously.

I gave a small laugh and said, "You should go back to the party now."

"A-All right," said Neville, stuttering. "T-take care."

I smiled again slightly before he Disapparated.

After I got back into the house, I went to take a long shower. I scrubbed on my neck and chest until the skin turned red. I felt dirty. I wanted to clean the areas where Viktor had kissed.

I kept on scrubbing until I could almost see blood coming out of my skin. Then I sat down on the cold floor. As the water rained on me, I screamed as loudly as I could to let out my frustration.

I still haven't got a letter from Harry.

I wonder what's going on with Harry, Diary.

I wish someone could tell me.

My head hurts, Diary, I think I better go to bed. Maybe I will get a letter from my darling tomorrow.

Hermione

"Good thinking, Ginny. It's brilliant of you to send Neville to follow Hermione." said Lavender, impressed.

"That bastard, he dared to try to rape Hermione at Harry's doorstep!" said Fred.

"I still don't get it. Whydidn't Harry write to Hermione?" asked Katie.

"No idea….." said Ron and looked at the letters. "The last few letters were all by Hermione. I wonder what she said…."

"Well, just read them and find out." said George.

"What? Oh yeah….." said Ron and unfolded the letter dated "24th March 2003"