A.N: Yay! 10 reviews! Anyway, a humungous thank you to all those who took time to read and review this tale.

Cassandra Cheney-Glad you decided to make that exception! Thanks!

GoogleCorelli- I'm 'fraid you'll have to wait till Chapter 5 to find out…please don't stop readin'!

Elphie73- I'm flattered! And I'll do my best when it comes to updating…

Penelope-Fodavk- Hey, thanks! Glad you like the Ron/Hermione bit!

angelfromhell29- Thank you soooo much! Anyway, things will look up for Harry- don't worry….

I love reviews, they fuel my writing spirit and make me update faster….

Chapter 4: Nightmare

"Ron, Viktor is here…"

"What the heck is he doing in England?" asked Ron very calmly. "And why the bloody hell did he come to your place late at night?"

"H-he's playing in the Federation Cup and he thought he'd look me up," said Hermione lamely.

"He thought he'd look you up late at night?" asked Ron coldly.

"Ron, he didn't have anywhere else to go…"

"Oh, I'm sure he didn't," snorted Ron. "And so you decided to let him spend the night with you?"

Hermione winced. "Why, may I ask, are you harping on the word 'night'?"

"You wouldn't have noticed that if your conscience was clear…"

"Ron, that's out of order," said Hermione angrily. "You're being ridiculous!"

Ron's ears turned red. " So I'm ridiculous, am I, while Vicky is everything I'm not."

"Ron…"

"No, Hermione! You know, I don't think we should go ahead with the wedding, after all."

"Fine."

"Fine!"

Ron turned to storm out of the room, and Viktor came into view, pointing his wand at the former's back.

"Avada Kedavra"

"RON! NOOOOOO!"

Hermione sat up bolt upright, her heart thudding painfully, beads of perspiration pouring down her face. It was a nightmare, she told herself. Ron's alive and Viktor would never…Viktor is here! Omigosh, Viktor Krum, internationally acclaimed quidditch player, is, at this very moment, asleep in the spare bedroom of my humble flat.

Hermione then did what she did best. She analysed the situation at hand.

Okay, Viktor Krum, whom I met in the fourth year and with whom I went to the Yule Ball, is here. Viktor was trying to get me to be his girlfriend and I was trying to get him to be my pen pal. He was gracious enough to accept the situation. So far so good. Five years later, I decide to marry one Ronald Weasley whom I love and who has been, is and always will be, insanely jealous and suspicious of my connections with Krum.

Summary of Situation: Complicated, owing to arrival of V.K. at night and will become extremely complicated when R.W. arrives here early in the morning, correction, in three hours, and sees V.K.

Plan of Action: No other choice but to go over to Ron right now and explain situation (not above situation, but actual situation).

Did I say 'situation' too many times? (A.N: Yes, you did, but it doesn't matter 'cos your brain isn't, understandably, working very well)

Hermione got out of bed and took a sip of water, casting her mind back to her conversation with Viktor the night before. He had said that he wanted to tell her something, but she hadn't let him get a word in, fearing the worst. Instead she had suggested that they put off the talk for another time when he wasn't travel-weary and she wasn't brain-fogged with sleep. That was a close shave thought Hermione. I'd hate to hear any embarrassing out-pourings of love from a person I consider a good friend.

Hermione shuddered and then pulled on her robes as quickly as possible. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she apparated into Ron Weasley's bedroom at 5.32 in the morning.

………………………………………………………………………………

"Traitor…blood traitor…" hissed the hooded and cloaked figure. Join us and you will go unharmed."

" If I join you…that will be treachery. I'll never betray my friends, never!" Gray eyes shone with defiance.

"Just like Sirius Black…very well, you will pay for this…the Dark Lord will destroy your worthless friends…"

Morgan's eyes snapped open. She stared into the darkness, feeling extremely uneasy and trying to remember why she felt so discomfited. A hood…betrayal…pay…destroy…the details of her recent nightmare were already sketchy in her utterly disoriented mind. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep again, dreaming this time of having dinner with a handsome stranger…

When morning came, Morgan had no idea what she'd dreamt of during the night…

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

"What the heck is he doing in England?" asked Ron very calmly.

This was not an auspicious beginning at all. First of all, it hadn't been easy waking Ron up. Secondly, it was quite sometime before Hermione could allay Ron's fears that everything was all right (He was under the wild impression that Voldemort had attacked her). And now, their conversation was sounding like the recording of her nightmare. Not an auspicious beginning.

"He's playing in the Federation Cup and he thought he'd look me up," said Hermione, sounding as lame as she had done in her dream.

"That's what he says," said Ron, frowning at his fiancée. " What did he want? Doesn't he know you're a woman who's about to be married? Is he going to confess his hidden, though obvious, feelings for you?"

Hermione closed her eyes. This was worse than her nightmare.

"He's just a friend, Ron. I don't think you'd be this upset if it were Harry instead of Viktor."

"That's because I know that Harry's love for you is purely brotherly. I don't think Vicky's feelings for you can be classified as brotherly," said Ron darkly.

"Are you saying that you don't trust me?" asked Hermione, feeling something cold go down her spine.

"No, I'm saying I don't trust him," said Ron simply. "And if you ask me, I think I should go over to your place right now and confront him."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Ron."

"Oh, and why not?"

"Because I can handle anything he has to say myself. I don't need you to defend me or our relationship or anything."

"You don't need me?"

"It's not like that, Ron. Oh, this is so frustrating! Why can't you just trust me on this? It's high time you started believing in us, Ron, and if you can't, well, I just don't know…" Hermione stared at Ron, trying to read his expression. His ears were red (never a good sign) and she could see that he was trying not to lose it and start yelling at the top of his voice.

"Fine," he said after a long, wounded silence. "You know, I think I'll just take a walk. You can handle the shopping for today as well, I suppose, seeing I'm not really needed."

And before she could say anything, he summoned his cloak and walked out of his room, and then slammed his way out of the front door.

"What, in the name of Merlin, is going on here?" asked a voice behind her.

Hermione turned and focused her tear-filled eyes on a disheveled Harry.

"Wha-Hermione?" His tone had become gentle. "Did you and Ron just fight?"

Hermione sniffled in reply and then launched herself into Harry's arms, sobbing heartrendingly.

Harry held her awkwardly, waiting patiently for her to pull herself together. Hermione drew back after a while, looking miserable.

"I'm s-sorry, Harry, but everything is such a mess…"

"Want to tell me about it?"

"No…I mean, yes. Okay, it's like this…"

Harry listened intently as Hermione told him of her troubles. Then when she'd finished, he conjured a handkerchief and handed it to her. She took it with a small 'thanks' and blew her nose with a sound like a small foghorn.

"You know, I think you're right when you say you can handle whatever Viktor has to say to you. But to do Ron justice… Hermione-you have to see that he is a bit insecure, poor guy. I won't say anything more, I'm sure you two'll work it out between you. Now, just wash your face and go back and talk to Viktor first, then go after Ron."

Hermione nodded. "Thanks Harry. It feels weird to have you showering advice on me, when you'd always come to me for 'girl advice'!"

"I see you're quite all right now," said Harry dryly and then chuckled.

"What?" asked Hermione indignantly.

"Well, I just feel sorry for Krum, you know, if he confesses his love for you. He's just not in the picture at all, when I look at how you just bawled your heart out because you and Ron had a lovers' tiff!"

Hermione stuck her tongue out at Harry (who was now grinning in a horrible, Cheshire cat-like way) and disapparated, hoping desperately that Harry would be right, that she and Ron would be okay after all.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

" Vell, it's like this, Hermione," said Krum, looking abashed. " I know you and Ron are getting married, so I thought I could tell you…" He broke off, looking very red in the face and uncharacteristically hesitant.

"Tell me what, Viktor?" asked Hermione, willing herself to keep calm and not lose her poise by screaming 'I love Ron, not you' over and over again.

"I'm…I mean, I am interested in Ginerva Veasley and I think she likes me as vell. But I'm, what do you say, not sure how her family will take it. I vas vondering if you would help…"Krum looked positively mortified now.

It took some moments before Hermione processed what Krum had been saying.

"Y-you mean, you're in love with Ginny Weasley? H-how? I mean, when? I mean…" she trailed off, feeling at a loss as to what to say.

"You see, she plays for Chudley Cannons, no? I met her at the Annual Quidditch Associations' Ball last year. Ve got along very vell together."

"Th-that's wonderful, Viktor," said Hermione, still in shock. But the next moment she was flooded with a feeling of relief, which quickly changed to one of apprehension.

What on earth am I going to tell Ron?

……………..

A.N: God, this chapter was a real nightmare. I'm sooo sorry folks, but it just kept intruding and pushing 'The Date' down the line. (I was helpless, I swear…) Anyway, I hope I didn't murder Krum's accent. This was, in fact, an impromptu chapter because the last scene of Chapter 3 surprised even me! (And I had to wrap up that loose end). I solemnly swear to make the next chapter more likeable. Till then, review and bring in any suggestions you may have. (Oh no, what have I done…Viktor and Ginny? I'm not going to go any further than mentions of their relationship, I swear)