My Happy Ending

Humour/Romance -PG - fairytale story - ship: Hermione/Krum
Canon based - the things we missed - short chapters

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters or plots - all property of the wonderful JK Rowling.

Chapter 6 - The Society

Hermione had been trying to form her face into a smile but it seemed like far too much effort, so now she was tucked up behind a book in the Gryffindor Common room in her favourite squashy chair. She was quite oblivious to anything else going on in the room, and hadn't noticed that Fred and George Weasley were selling some kind of sweet they had recently invented, thus her failure to reprimand them.

But life was so much simpler when Hermione was reading, it had always been her favourite pastime. She'd read all the children's books in her local library before she was seven and had soon continued on to working her way through the adult sections. When she first came to Hogwarts she remembered being simply enthralled by the size of the library - it was massive. Filled with all sorts of books she could not wait to pour over, reading to her hearts content.

She never once thought that she could have trouble reading, like the concentration lapses was having at the current. Every word seemed to bring her back to her wonderful night at the ball and how all the magic had been ripped away from it after she returned facing one of the worst arguments she had ever been in. Hermione had tried hard not to let people realise how down she felt, she'd been hoping to see Viktor over the next few days, but he hadn't been in the library. Hermione wondered bitterly if he still liked her, then cursed herself for thinking it, she was not the kind of girl who would worry about whether or not someone liked her.

Then she was distracted by a small hand being placed over the text she was following, it lifted the book out of her hands cleanly.

"Hey, Ginny," said Hermione without looking up.

"Hi," replied the voice she knew as Ginny's, "how'd you know it was me?"

"The colour changing nail varnish," replied Hermione, Ginny didn't seem to notice how sullen she sounded.

"Oh, yeah," said Ginny, "so how are you?"

"What do you mean, how are you?" asked Hermione, finally looking up - was Ginny inquiring as to why she, Hermione, had been miserably reading for the last few days?

"I meant what people usually mean when they ask how someone is," said Ginny smartly, a look of triumph in her eyes.

"I'm all right," lied Hermione.

"All right? No weird, technical answer that I don't understand? Come on Hermione, I can tell when you're upset," said Ginny, she placed the book Hermione was holding down on the ground and sat up straight opposite her.

"All right, I'm not all right, I just feel bad," Hermione said, she wouldn't have believed it before but the words lifted her a little, perhaps she had been denying to herself that she felt awful for so long it helped when she finally admitted she did.

"Because of my stupid brother?" asked Ginny knowledgeably.

Hermione brought her face to the smile she'd been attempting for the past few days.

"Yeah, something like that," she replied.

"I can't believe how pig-headed he's being," said Ginny, she seemed to be preparing for a long speech that would undoubtedly bash Ron, and ordinarily, Hermione would have stopped her, but this time, she didn't. "Just because he couldn't get anyone for the ball, least of all a champion - despite his best efforts, he's taking it out on you. I really can't believe him."

Hermione nodded, unsure of what to say.

"And he's so jealous, I reckon he expects you to like him rather than Viktor, can't imagine why. You're entitled to be with whoever you want, he doesn't own you."

Hermione looked at Ginny.

"Jealous?" she repeated blankly.

"Well, of course - you know what he's like when he's jealous surely," Ginny answered, taken aback.

"Yes," said Hermione, remembering the time Harry and Ron had fallen out over Ron's jealousy, she had not been happy being forced in the middle of the two feuding friends. But this was a totally different type of jealously, and for the first time since the ball itself, Hermione felt the urge to giggle.

"Ginny, that's so...silly!"

Ginny smiled.

"I've got to go," she said, "Michael's arranged to meet, it's a surprise and he says I shouldn't be late."

Hermione grinned, feeling a lot lighter hearted. Ginny had already delighted in telling her all about Michael, the wonderful Ravenclaw boy that she had met at the ball after a misunderstanding led to him asking her to dance. She had been happy to see her friend so happy and finally moving away from her long time crush on Harry.

"I saw someone looking for you in the library," she said before leaving, Ginny was still smiling as she left the common room. Hermione bent down and picked up the book that Ginny had placed there, she folded the page down that she had been reading and then put it carefully into her bag. She then threw her bag over her shoulder and followed out of the Portrait Hole, where she bumped into Harry and Ron - clearly coming back from dinner and said hello merrily, she couldn't stay mad at Ron. However annoying and silly he was. She told them that she would be in the library if anyone needed her and then took her favourite shortcut to her favourite place within the school.

And Viktor was there. His face burst into a grin when he saw her approaching and pulled out a chair for her to sit, which she did so, thanking him. Hermione pulled out her S.P.E.W notebook and a quill, placing it on the table in front of her, she turned to Viktor.

"Great afternoon, isn't it?" she said pleasantly, looking into his warm eyes. She could not describe the feeling in her stomach as the conversation ploughed forward, it seemed it was full of red hot bubbles. It was an oddly enjoyable experience like none she'd really experienced before.

"Very beautiful," replied Viktor, looking out at the snow covered outside and then focusing back on her, Hermione felt a little flushed.

"What are you here for, then?" she'd figured he might have been at the library purely to see her but she was quite keen to make conversation and show she was just as good a listener as a talker. He smiled and grabbed a bag under the desk, he opened it slightly so Hermione could just peer in and see the glimmer of something golden.

She bit her lip worriedly, she had meant what she'd said at the ball about never wanting to help Viktor with the clues. She thoroughly supported Harry, and if he asked her she'd have to say so. But Viktor had noticed her expression and hastily spoke.

"It's all right, I've figured it out - I vas just checking over something," he waved his hand over the selection of books before him, they seemed mainly about transfiguration and Hermione made a mental note to inform Harry as soon as she saw him.

Viktor leaned over, "I vanted to try this one by myself, but Karkaroff is always intervening."

Hermione nodded thoughtfully.

"He seems to like you," she said, remembering in the ship before the ball began.

"Vell, he just vants Durmstrang to vin, I suppose," said Viktor, throwing the comment aside. "Vat are you here for, Hermy-Own-Ninny?"

Hermione smiled at this alternative to her name, it was definitely already her favourite mispronunciation. She pointed down at the notebook but Viktor looked rather blank, then she realised it wasn't open and laughing, flicked the page.

"S.P.E.W," he read aloud, over her shoulder. He looked at Hermione's words thoughtfully for a moment, then just as Hermione thought she would have to explain he said, "so am I right in thinking that you like charity work?"

"Well, yes," replied Hermione, "it's short for Society for the Protection of Elvish Welfare, and I recently started it up. I just believe that House Elves get a really raw deal, being enslaved without even the freedom of speech against their masters."

Viktor nodded understandingly, Hermione didn't know if she should continue or not. Then, after a few moments he cleared his throat and said, "my mother freed our house elf a few years back, she misses him, I think, but said it vas for the best."

Hermione was pleasantly surprised, fewer people than she'd expected had been interested in what she had had to say about the enslavement of House Elves but she was delighted to finally know someone whose Mother, at least, agreed with her. She didn't hesitate on going forward and telling Viktor her full views on the matter, hoping at the same time he wouldn't find her slightly insane. But he didn't, or acted as if he didn't, and instead put his arm around her as he gave her his viewpoint, giving Hermione valuable outsider information on what the public thought. She couldn't believe after all this time threatening people to join upor else, Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Superstar was on her side.

Things were looking up.

I guess that here's your proof that if you keep reviewing, I'm eventually going to HAVE to write a new chapter. :P I have an uncontrollable need to please people. ;) I hope everybody enjoyed the Goblet Of Fire Movie (I've seen it twice and am going again next Saturday). I was worried they'd make the Hermione/Viktor relationship out to be less than it was in the books, but I did like the way they did it. It was out of the way and in the background, though you sense a lot did happen between them. I just loved it when Viktor told Hermione to write at the end. If anyone's interested, there's this lovely promotional picture of Hermione and Viktor standing together on Mugglenet. :P I will promise to write soon, reviews are always encouraging.