Disclaimer: I can only dreamm of owning anything remotely close to the rights of Harry Potter of any of it's characters.

A/N: Thank you for your fast reviews! I was surprised to see them so soon.

A sudden nervousness enveloped the young witch as she waited for the morning post in the kitchen of the Burrow. She had been pushing her pancakes around on her plate for the better part of 20 minutes already, thankful Harry and Ron had opted to eat at Headquarters. She didn't know if she could face them after what happened only a few hours before.

"Are you sure you don't want anything else dear?" said Mrs. Weasley, doing her best to be extra nice to the girl in front of her.

"No, just not feeling all that great," she admitted.

"Yes, well, boys will do that to you. They all do it eventually."

"Pull a wand on you?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Well, no, not that particularly..."Mrs. Weasley trailed off. "But they all lose their temper when they are confronted with reason."

Hermione gave her a weak smile before looking back down at the sticky mess on her plate, rearranging it into the shape of a frowning face.

"Oh my!" she heard Mrs. Weasley exclaim. Hermione looked up to see a handsome dark brown owl flying over the poor woman's head, zigging and zagging around the ceiling.

Hermione got up and grabbed the tired looking animal, taking the letter from it and setting it down beside her plate. She let the poor thing eat the remainder of her breakfast as she inspected the letter. It was the response she had been waiting for. The butterflies in her stomach increased and she pushed them down. She hoped her invitation was still open. She held her breath as she broke apart the seal and pulled out the parchment.

Dearest Hermione,

I would be honored to have you stay with me over the summer.

I actually never thought you would accept my invitation, and I

am glad you did. It will give us a chance to catch up on everything.

I will meet you in Hogsmeade this afternoon at 3 since you wish

to leave quickly. I will be in front of Honeydukes. I hope you

are alright.

Your friend,

Viktor

Hermione actually gave Mrs. Weasley a genuine smile as she stood up to hug the startled witch. "Thank you for everything," Hermione said as she hugged her. "I'm sorry to give you such short notice but since things are getting...rough, I'm staying with a friend for a bit to give Ron and Harry some room."

"Oh my. I don't want to see you go, but it probably is best right now," she agreed with a frown. "When are you leaving dearie?"

"I'm going to meet them at Hogsmeade at 3, if I could use your Floo of course."

"Wow, so soon. I guess it is for the best dear. And of course you can use the Floo. Come on," said the older witch. "I'll help you pack."

Hermione glanced around, her finger twirling a piece of her hair absent mindedly. She didn't know why she was so nervous. It wasn't like she was going to stay with a boyfriend. He was just a friend. A very good friend. A very good friend that would drop what he was doing and accept an invitation he had given her 3 years ago.

The one thing Hermione would never admit is that she spent 2 hours getting ready after she packed. She just couldn't decide what to wear to see someone she had almost dated and had been a pen-pal with for 3 years. She had finally decided on a black tank dress made of silk that came to her ankles and a pair of black sandals. She wore a dark crimson robe over her dress, lined with gold. It was the robe she had worn at graduation. Every Gryffindor that graduated had one. Then she rushed off to do her hair, thankful it wouldn't be nearly as hard to fix as it was last time she had seen him. Her unruly curls had grown out so they were soft ringlets down her back, and not as knotty or tangled as usual. For that, she was thankful. And for this occassion, she chose to wear her hair down.

Hermione turned around to stare in the window of Honeydukes, contemplating buying something chocolate while she waited.

"Hermione?" came an accented voice behind her, making her jump out of her skin.

Hermione turned around to see Viktor standing there, a giant smile on his face. She had to control her mouth from dropping open as she took in the sight before her. He was taller, or maybe the same height, just not hunching over anymore. His hair was longer, pulled back into a ponytail, and his body had filled out. Hermione didn't even have to see under his robes to know the muscle he had gained. She gave him a giant grin before uncharactaristicly throwing herself at him for a hug. She didn't know what had possessed her to do that, but she found she rather liked it.

His long arms encircled her waist, picking her up off the ground and spinning her around in the air, gaining the attention of most of the people around them. Hermione felt his body pressed against hers and a blush formed on her cheeks. She was definitely right about his muscles.

"It's so good to see you," he said after he put her down, only one arm dropping from around her waist. "Vhen I saw the urgency in your letter, I vondered if everything vas ok."

"Well, yes and no," she said with a small smile. "I just needed to get away from...everything."

"Vell, I vould be happy to be a distraction for you anytime you like." He looked down at her suitcase on the ground. "Is that all you brought?"

"It's all I had with me, so I guess so."

"It's nice to know some vomen can pack light," he said with a light laugh.

Hermione just smiled at him as she took his arm after he had picked up her suitcase with his opposite hand. They walked down the street arm in arm, the butterflies in Hermione's stomach growing in number by the second. She took this chance to study Viktor out of the corner of her eye. He was still breathtakingly handsome to her, crooked nose and all. And with his skin more tan and his hair longer, he looked more mature, and he looked like he had finally grown into his hands and feet. She felt the the muscle in his arm flex underneath hers and a brief smile crossed her face.

Hermione mentally berated herself. This was her friend, a very good friend that had helped her through a lot of rough times during her last 3 years at Hogwarts. This was the first man who also realized she was a female and not one of the guys as well, she reminder herself. Nothing dumber than crossing the line with a friend, she also reminded herself. She had tried that with Ron and it had ended a complete failure. It had taken Harry a full 2 months for the two of them to speak to each other again. Oh well, she sighed. At least she could talk to him in person instead of by Owl every week. Those poor owls.

Hermione hadn't realized how tightly she had been holding on to Viktor until he chuckled and looked down at her. They had just floo'd to his house and even though he had her around the waist, she clung onto him as if her life depended on it.

"Sorry," she apologized. "The Floo hasn't really been kind to me."

He chuckled warmly at her. "Don't vorry. I von't let anything harm you." Viktor set her suitcase down on the floor and quickly wiped the dust off himself as Hermione did the same. "Vell, velcome to my home."

Hermione caught the particular emphasis on the word 'my' but thought nothing of it at the time. She looked around her, the light sparkling from the windows and bouncing all around the room. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but this definitely wasn't it. It was a cozy living room with light colored carpet and furniture to match.

"Vould you like a tour?" he asked, extending his arm.

"Very much, thank you," she accepted, taking his offered arm.

Viktor looked at Hermione out of the corner of his eye, admiring her smile as he took her room to room. She was more beautiful than he had remembered and it just made his heart ache worse. Seeing her again reminded him of why he wanted her so much in the first place. He sighed inwardly. He knew she only wanted to be his friend and he wasn't going to do anything to put that friendship in jeopardy.

"And this is your room," he said, leading her into a spacious bedroom decorated with light greens and golds and a matching bathroom that was bigger than Ginny Weasley's bedroom. After he watched her admire the giant bathtub, he lead her to the doors on the other side of her bed that opened up to the balcony.

"Oh my," she whispered. "It's beautiful," she said louder as she took in the gardens below her room.

"Yes, it really is," he commented, his eyes never leaving her face.

After a minute more of staring out into the gardens Hermione looked up at Viktor who was still looking at her. She blushed.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing. I just can't beleive how much you've changed since I saw you last."

"I was 14 Viktor," she said with a laugh. "I'm almost 18 now. People change a lot in 4 years."

"Vell, you only seemed to have changed on the outside. You're still the same Hermione as ever on the inside," he chided.

"I would like to think I've matured more than THAT," she said with a laugh, causing Viktor to chuckle.

"Of course you have. You're a voman now, there's no mistaking that."

Hermione felt her face getting redder. "Thank you Viktor. That's very sweet."

"I'm not trying to be sweet, I'm being honest. That's what friends do."

If Viktor had been looking at her eyes instead of her lips he would have noticed the disappointment flash through them before she hid it again.

"So, where is your parent's room? I think we've been through the entire house and I don't remember it."

"I said this vas my house. I don't live vith them. I haven't since I graduated."

"Oh! I didn't realize!" she said, the butterflies in her stomach coming back in full force.

"Is that a problem?"

"Oh, no. I just didn't know. This is an awfully big place for just one person."

"Ve are two now, so it's just right."

Hermione looked away and back down at the garden, a feeling of longing in her heart. She would love to stay here with him forever, even if they were never more than friends. But she knew she could never do that. Eventually she would receive Harry and Ron's apology and she would go back and help them with everything.

"Vould you like to eat something? I could make dinner."

"That would be wonderful!" Hermione took his arm again and he lead them back down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Ve might as vell get comfortable vhile ve are here," he said, taking off his robe. Hermione stared as he hung his Robe on the back of a chair. He was wearing black slacks and a dark grey shirt and clung to his every muscle as he moved. Hermione moved to take off her robe after Viktor turned back around, tearing her eyes off him.

Viktor went to pull 2 glasses out of his cabinet and turned back around to see Hermione standing in his kitchen wearing the most seductive dress he had ever seen. The fabric seemed to cling to each curve of her body, twisting and turning as she moved. He felt his mouth go dry and his hands shake slightly before he pulled himself together and went to set the glasses down on the table she was now sitting at.

"That is a beautiful dress," he said as he stood back up.

"Thank you. I never really had an occassion to wear it, but this one seemed as good as any."

"I'm an occassion now, am I?"

"When you haven't seen a good friend in 3 years, you tend to think of it as an occassion when you do," she said with a smile as he poured each of them a drink. "Thank you," she murmured.

Viktor smiled, but it was only on the outside. She had used the 'friend' word again. He knew he was guilty of using it himself, but it was worse when she said it. "So," he said. "Vhat vould you like to eat tonight, m'lady?"

An hour later had both of them laughing over one of Harry and Ron's adventures as they drank a cup of warm chamomile tea after their meal. Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes as she calmed down. She realized how much she missed Harry and Ron. Suddenly her tears went from happy to sad. Once she started, she couldn't stop. The next thing she knew she was in Viktor's arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head in the crook of his shoulder and neck and just cried. He never asked why, he never moved except the soft stroking of her hair. He was perfect.

Hermione broke the embrace and pulled away from him, leaning down and putting her head in her hands, covering her face. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"Vhat do you have to be sorry about?"

"I didn't mean to just...cry like that."

"It's ok. If you need to cry, I'll be here for you. Unless you want me to go away that is."

"No," she said, looking up at him with tear streaks running down her face. "I don't want you to go."

"Then I won't." He was propped up on one knee in front of her, a look of concern on his face.

"You must think I'm such a girl," she said lightly. "One minute I'm laughing, the next I'm crying."

"I've seen grown men do the same thing, so I vouldn't vorry about that too much," he said with a smile.

She let out a strangled laugh before just staring at the floor, her tears drying on her face. "They just haven't been the same," she started. "After we graduated Harry and Ron just started acting so...different towards me. I mean, I don't even know what made them do it! All I know is I'm trying to stop an arguement Harry is having and the next thing he has his wand pointed at me." This brought a fresh rain of tears that went silently down her face. "I just don't know what he would have done if Professor McGonagall hadn't taken it from him a second after he did it. I just...I don't..." She shook her head and sighed deeply.

"I'm sure he vill calm down and apologize until the day he dies," Viktor said as he reached up and brushed the tears off her cheeks. Her breath hitched in her throat at his touch, and she hoped he didn't notice.

She let out a small laugh. "You're probably right. We argue a lot. This one was just a little more serious than the others."

"See, it vill all be better soon. Then you an go back and rub it in his face that he vas vrong and you vere right." Viktor put on a smile for her, but he really didn't want her to go. He had spent 3 years trying to build any kind of relationship with the woman sitting in front of him, and now that he had one, he desperately wanted to make it a different kind of relationship.

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you for everything."

"It is my pleasure." Viktor stood up, grabbed his tea and headed for the door on the other side of the living room. "Vould you like to tour the garden vhile ve finish our tea?" he asked.

A smile lit up her face. "I would love to!"

I promise fluffiness in the next chapter. ;)