Disclaimer: I don't own JKR's stuff and am making no money off of this.
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my favorite reviewer, Leha, for her many, many reviews. I hope you enjoy! ) I realize it's been several months since I've updated, and for that, I deeply apologize. I've been going insane with college and all this stuff, and had really hit a wall with this chapter. But I've finally finished it (its long, eh?!) and hope to be updating more frequently from now on—especially now that I've gotten this bit out of the way. Several things in this chapter refer back to things that happened in other chapters, so if you don't remember what happened, it might be good to go back and reread some of it…especially the last two. Have fun!
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A shrill shriek pierced the air, jolting Hermione out of her sleep. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up to see Kalea in a tank top and knickers, standing by the dresser, a look of shock and confusion on her face. Following her gaze, Hermione turned to see a pair of low rise jeans duck behind the bedside table. Rolling over, she fell back on her pillow and pulled the covers over her head. Really—all that fuss when it was just a pair of trousers running about. Tsk.
……
A pair of trousers running about?!?
Hermione's eyes flew open and she jumped up, throwing her covers to the floor. Kalea still stood by her dresser, wand in hand, frantically trying to hex her run away clothes.
"WHAT is going on?!?!?" She asked, ducking a ricochet spell. The ministry wouldn't be happy about this…
"Does it look like I know?!" Kalea cried before shouting, "STUPEFY!" The jeans threw themselves on the floor, rolling out of the way. "All I did was take a shower and start to get dressed when they shook out of my hands and took off!" Right then, the door opened and a mop of messy black hair peeped through.
"What the…???" Harry asked, a shocked look on his face—he didn't know which to be more shocked at—the run away trousers or Kalea in her knickers and Hermione in a silky camisole, shooting spells at them. At the sound of his voice, the girls looked up and, seeing The Boy Who Lived become The Boy Who Saw Us Half Naked, screamed at him to get out.
Hastily retreating, he toppled into Ron.
"What's goin on in there??"
"Don't ask, mate, just run!"
Hermione grabbed her wand and, raising her eyebrow, aimed at the elusive bootcuts and yelled, "Congeliarmas!" Immediately they fell limply to the ground. With a sigh of relief, she turned to Kalea.
"What was that all about??"
"I…have…no…idea…" she breathed, falling back against the dresser. "All I did was grab them and try to put them on…"
"Wait….where did you grab them from?" Hermione asked, looking up.
"From the closet….you know, that is where people generally keep their clothes…"
A sly smile spread across her face. "From the closet…….,"
Kalea watched in confusion as her friend flung open the drawers of the dresser and began tossing various articles of clothing on the bed. After collecting a substantial pile, she turned and began trying each one on. A yellow shirt went on—then was discarded. Next, a purple sweater…also discarded. A blue shirt, a black cardigan, a green…wait, what was this??? As Hermione pulled the green blouse over her head, it began to wriggle until it squirmed out of her grasp. Before she could get it back, it dove to the floor and disappeared behind the dresser.
"Hmm…" she mused, picking up another black sweater. It also wrenched itself free and dropped to the floor. "Exactly what I thought…" she grinned, as it slid across the floor, under the bed.
"Alright, Hermione, WHAT did you think?? What's going on??" Kalea asked, exasperated. The brunette smiled, satisfied, and began to recount George's sudden appearance and strange behaviour in their room the morning before.
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"It's about time you girls came down…I was wondering when we'd be able to get out of here…" Fred commented, lounging on the sofa as the girls came down the stairs.
"Yeah, yeah…well it takes time to look this good, so no complaining." Kalea winked, settling herself on his lap.
Rolling her eyes, Hermione asked, "Have you guys seen Ginny anywhere?? I haven't seen her all morning…"
"Nah…I think she said something about wanting to go for a run or something earlier this morning, but I dunno where she'd have gone. She's been exercising like a fiend, that one… disappears for a few hours every day, it seems… dunno what she's aiming for, she's already slim…" he answered, brow furrowing in thought.
"Oh well…I guess I'll just have to find her later then. I'm going to go find some tea…" she smiled and quickly stepped out of the room before she got the chance to see them snogging yet again. Honestly, if those two didn't fight soon, they'd all go mad with lovey-dovey sugar overload…
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Panting, heart pounding, Ginny hopped lightly over the creek and ran down the worn forest path. It had been at least a week since she'd run, and she could feel herself getting fatter with each minute that went by. She'd just gotten to where she felt she was under control, and now she had to go and let loose for a week and throw herself off pace again. It was so hard to stay fit; even missing a day threw her energy a little. Besides, it was great to finally be alone again, to be able to think and just be herself. Not that she was being fake with everyone else....it just seems as though there's some sort of added freedom in complete solitude that cannot be reached any other way. It was refreshing.
So she was prefect again. That was nice. It was expected, of course, but it was still always nice to receive confirmation of the appreciation of one's hard work. Hermione was head girl…haha, one again, very much expected, but so great! She couldn't think of anyone she'd rather have as head girl; sure, Hermione could be a pain about rules sometimes, but she'd really loosened up through the years—especially now that Kalea was rubbing off on her.
Ah, Kalea…hahaha, that girl. She'd been really afraid her American friend would try to steal Harry away, but alas… Lord knows why, but she chose Fred instead. Which was fine, they're a good match, she decided, but it was still a rather odd choice. In any case, it was going to be an exciting year with her around, there was no doubt about that.
Coming to the top of the hill, Ginny slowed to enjoy the view. The sun shone merrily on the quiet town, reflecting off the windows of the many quaint houses. Each with its own well kept English garden, she longed to see what the insides looked like, what it was like to live in such a small, nice town. Smiling, she jogged down the path towards the town.
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Hermione poked her head into the kitchen and, seeing a steaming pot of water on the stove, grabbed a cup and began to make herself tea. There was something so very soothing about tea…she wasn't sure what it was, but for some reason, it reminded her of her mother…she sighed.
Sitting down at the counter, she glanced out the window. Today's the day…the day she'd break up with Viktor. She could hardly believe it had finally come to this—but how else could it be? It wasn't fair to either of them the way things were going right now. Not only could she not figure out how she felt, but apparently something sketchy was going on from his end as well. She still didn't believe the Daily Prophet's article altogether, but it seemed to have stemmed from something or other. They wouldn't just pull something like that out of the air, would they? Still, it was a sad thing. It always is when relationships end, she mused. Things always start out so wonderfully—elation and butterflies, grins and sweet smiles…but somehow it seemed like those always went out, like the flickering flame of a candle. Viktor had been a great boyfriend… Her mind drifted back to when he asked her out…the fresh, stormy night he'd asked her to be his girlfriend… He'd been gone all day, attending Quidditch meetings and a press conference. She'd been invited to join him, but preferred to stay reading at the side of the pool. Just as evening set in, it began to rain. Soon lightning flashed through the sky, hail knocking against the Krum family's manor windows. He'd been late…she sat by the fire, expecting him to Floo in at any moment. Suddenly, in the distance, she heard her name being called. Straining to hear over the storm, she heard a faint "Herm-own-ninny!" Racing to the window, she was shocked to see him standing outside, in the rain. Completely soaked, he waved up at her, a sopping wet bouquet of roses in his hands. She rushed outside, ignoring the rain, and threw herself into his arms.
"What are you doing out here?? Why didn't you Floo in??"
He smiled sheepishly and replied, "I vanted to do something romantic…but then it started to rain…" He handed her the dripping roses. She looked from the roses to him to the rain and began laughing. Confused, Viktor asked, "Why are you laughing?"
"Nothing is the way I read it would be… no knight in shining armour, no candlelight dinner or fireworks…"
Eyes wide, he began frantically chattering, "I can do that! I didn't know vat you would vant, I'm sorry, I can—" He silenced at the sudden meeting of his lips and Hermione's. She wrapped her arms around his neck and quickly, but gently, kissed him…an effective means of quieting his doubts.
Pulling away, she whispered, "So what does this mean, then?"
"It means…Herm-own-ninny, vill you be my girlfriend?"
She sighed as her thoughts flitted to the Triwizard Tournament when she first met him… the stupidity of the other girls surrounding him, the way he stalked her in the library to ask her to the Yule ball…She sighed. That had all been great, but…their relationship really had no where else to go from this point. They never saw each other, rarely wrote… She was beginning to dream about other blokes and, being famous and able to get any girl he wanted, she was sure it was frustrating for him to feel tied down. Assuming, that is, that he really was as honest and faithful as she believed….no, of course he was! Anyway, it didn't matter anymore. She sighed, resting her head in her hands. It's not that she regretted anything, but she couldn't help but feel sad at the loss of what had been an important part of her life. Hm. Had been. Past tense. With a wry smile Hermione closed her eyes and imagined what she would say. Viktor, I just don't love you the same way… Viktor, it's time we went our separate ways… no, all cliché… Viktor, don't you want something more? What the hell was that supposed to mean? No way… Viktor…
"Hermione?" Ron's voice jolted her out of her thoughts. She looked up, surprised to see him standing right over her, tiny shimmering snitches fluttering all over his Quidditch boxers, his hair sticking up in all directions.
"Yeah?" she replied, trying to shake herself out of her contemplation.
"Are you ok?" He sat down next to her, his deep blue eyes looking concernedly into her face.
"Um, yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Why??" She lowered her eyes under his gaze.
"You just seemed really…I don't know. You were just staring off into space…and I had to say your name twice before you answered. Are you sure you're ok?" he smiled gently, putting his hand on hers.
"Yeh, I'm fine…" she swallowed. Flushed, she stammered, "I…uh…I gotta go."
"Ok…see you later…then…" Ron answered as she retreated up the stairs and out of sight. Alone again, she leaned against the wall and sighed. She had to talk to Viktor today. Now, before she lost her nerve… She ran to her room and grabbed a sweater from her trunk (it's always cooler in Bulgaria) and wrote a quick note telling Ginny where she'd gone. Heart pounding, she hopped downstairs, striding quickly past the 'distracted' couple in the living room. She grabbed tossed a handful of floo powder on the fire and, taking a deep breath, stepped into the emerald flames.
"Oy, was that Hermione??" Kalea's head shot up and she looked around, confused.
"Was what Hermione?" Fred asked, his words muffled as his lips trailed up her neck.
"Ne-Never mind…" She breathed, before surrendering to his wordless plea.
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"Ginny! What are you doing here, I didn't expect to see you until Christmas again—I thought you'd already gone off to that boarding school of yours… where is it again? Switzerland?" The woman called out as Ginny approached.
"Ms. Joan, how are you?" she smiled and helped her stand from her gardening. "School doesn't start for another four days, yet. Besides, how could I leave without saying goodbye to you?" The woman's gray eyes twinkled, framed by gently wrinkled sun-spent skin.
"Whenever my family moved, we had to leave in the dark of night, without telling anyone where we were going. We simply disappeared…" she shook her head and hobbled toward the small farmhouse. Its paint was slowly peeling and cracks were forming in the walls there the ivy had encroached. A rich vine of wine and scarlet hanneva flowers framed her small doorway. "No one liked us Gypsies…thought we were some kind of witch people, always ran us out of their towns…" laughing, she continued, "They think WE were crazy! Can you imagine? Witch people? That's crazy." Behind her, Ginny wordlessly grinned.
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Lightning cracked across the sky, dark clouds rolling ominously over the horizon. Hermione pulled her jumper close as she jogged toward the mansion, hoping to beat the rain. Finally, just as it was starting to rain, she reached up and grabbed the antique door knocker and pounded it against the elegantly aged wood. No answer. She turned the knob and poked her head into the foyer, the creaking of the door echoing in the silence.
Suddenly a deep voice floated down the stairs—"Who's there?"
Immediately she recognized it as Viktor's voice, and followed it upstairs to the library. She found him sitting on a giant plush chair, reading in front of the fire. He looked up to see her standing in the doorway, her hair slightly damp from the coming storm. She was wearing her favorite black turtleneck—she looked beautiful, almost ethereal in the firelight, but even that couldn't mask the troubled look in her eyes.
"Hi." She stated quietly, and sat down next to him.
"Herm-own-ninny! Vat are you doing here??" Her heart wrenched as he gave her a big lopsided grin.
"I…well, I wanted to talk to you." She swallowed nervously, unsure of how to start.
"Vats the matter? You look sad—did you….oh." He fell silent, realization dawning. "You don't believe it, do you? You don't believe everything you read…do you?"
"No, I don't believe it, Viktor, but it does make me wonder… but I'm not here to accuse you. I…well, I've been thinking…and…" she looked into the dancing flames.
"And….you don't vant to be my girlfriend anymore." He finished quietly. Slightly taken aback, she tried to explain.
"It's not that I've stopped liking you, or that anything's changed…but…but everything's changed, and we don't talk anymore, and, and—" she stammered, trying to pull herself together. "Well, you have all the most beautiful women at your disposal, you could have any of them—you shouldn't have to be stuck with me."
"But I don't vant all the most beautiful vimen… I vant you." He looked deeply at her, his eyes pleading. "Please, don't do this."
"Viktor…" her voice cracked. She'd been hoping he'd be happy, relieved… and while sure, it was great to be loved and needed, she knew she couldn't stay with him, but the thought of breaking his heart tormented her.
"Don't. I can see it in your eyes. You don't vant to hurt me, but you vant something else." He sighed deeply and, after a minute, continued, "I love you, Herm-own-ninny, and I vant you to be happy… even if that means you're happy vith someone else."
Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing—he was practically breaking up with himself! Her stomach felt cold—how could she do this to him? Sure, he was rough around the edges, but she'd gotten to know him better than that—he was strong, sweet and obviously caring. What was she thinking?? Why had she come here?? She couldn't—she must have been crazy to think—no, this was going to stop. She couldn't bear to break up with him.
"Viktor," she started, her voice clear again.
"Herm-own-ninny," he interrupted, "I hope that vatever you vant makes you very happy. I vill miss you. Goodnight." He finished, pain evident in his voice, and abruptly, he stood and walked out, leaving Hermione to cry alone in the library.
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