I'm sooo happy that some of you mentioned Krum, as I was just busy with editing this chapter when you guys asked. Also, I got my braces off after two years! And I got news that my wisdom teeth are impacted and require extracting. Soon. Oh well. If you know where South Africa is, you'll know that our single power supplier is pathetic, and our electricity is often off for 6-8 Hours at a time, and this often makes my writing schedule unpredictable. Very sorry! Enjoy my dears. xxxx

Chapter 15: Crumbling... With a K.

Draco was coping well with the Durmstrang workload, and thus decided to give their quidditch team a try. He offered to play as secondary seeker – in case of emergencies only, he really didn't feel very loyal to anybody there. That being decided. The first practice session, Draco was there. He found a rather old looking man, staring at the pitch and goal posts. When the man turned... It was Krum! Viktor Krum. Draco used to admire him when he was younger, but after the game in his fourth year, he got told that wasting time with an activity like quidditch is a selfish act, as it only indulges you – you do not earn enough money to make a decent living, and Lucius did not consider it a proper job. Krum going with a mudblood – as he thought of Hermione at the time – was more than enough to permanently ban him and his skills from Draco's mind. Still, he had not been expecting him here.

"Viktor Krum. What are you doing here? I would've thought by now you are quite the star!" Draco laughed, joking.

"I have come to teach. I suffered severely injury to leg after game. I am a flying instructor now." He grunted.

Draco noticed that his accent improved, but his grammar often made him sound... Rude.

"Well that's great then! I need some advice with my-"

"I have not realised you transferred to Durmstrang."

"No, I didn't actually! Hermione and I got invited-"

"Herm-own-ninny is here? I have to speak with her!"

"Krum, wait the flying lesson? Remember?"

"Very well. I will speak with her after you leave."

And so Krum proceeded to teach Draco his famous dive.

Hermione was in the library, as usual, doing some light reading on runes, when he appeared.

"Herm-own-ninny. You look... Very good. Nice."

"Viktor!", Hermione exclaimed, jumping up.

They had been owling each other about once a month before the war, but they lost contact during their search for Horcruxes. Hermione never fancied him – she felt flattered during their fourth year, but never saw him as more than a friend. He, on the other hand, had trouble grasping that concept. He was arrogant, and assumed that he could get any girl he wanted, because of his status.

"I didn't know you were at Durmstrang again! Are you simply visiting the school, or what?"

"I teach the flying. Herm-own-ninny, I have wanted to speak since the war, but I did not want to make you unsafe. Have you been working? Why are you here?"

"I.. Draco and I got invited to finish a part of our last year here. We've been taking some of the subjects you have here, in fact, Draco would be very eager to meet you and get some hints! He said he wanted to join your flying... Squad, I believe you call it here?"

"I met him. Today. He spoke highly of you. Are you together?"

"Oh... No.. We hardly speak as it is! We used to be enemies."

"What is this enemies?"

"It means we fought and we.. Almost hated each other."

"That is very good then. Herm-own-ninny, I want to go on a date. Tomorrow."

"That's great! With who?"

"You of course. I like you a lot Herm-own-ninny_"

"Viktor, no, I'm sorry but I will not go on a date with you. Please leave! I can't believe you would even say that! GO! OUT!"

Viktor left, grumbling something about ungrateful mudbloods to himself, whilst Hermione fled to the cabin with her bleeding arm... To realise she's not alone.

"Draco, please leave, just leave me alone, please, I just want some space, please..."

"'Mione what happened? Are you alright? Bloody hell, you're practically a ghost, that's how pale you are! Can I get you some water?"

"Oh, you can ignore me for days, almost a week! And now you want to help? I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself, thank you very much! Krum asked me on a date, and I'm just... Suprised? Shocked?"

She started looking in her bag for her potion and salve to clean her wound. When she was done, she looked up to see Draco staring at her.

"You almost kiss me, then you avoid me, naturally I think I've done something wrong, and I'm giving you space, and now I get told you're going on a date with a blubbering idiot like him!" He practically spat the words from his mouth like vitriol.

"I liked you for weeks, and I thought, he really has changed, maybe there's a chance! Then that semi-kiss happened, and I thought you obviously regretted it! But I'm not going with Krum, not that it's anything of your business, mind you! I thought.. Maybe he never changed, maybe he's pretending to like me as some sort of joke! Even if I went with Krum, why would it bother you?" Hermione had tears of anger glistening in her eyes.

"You don't get it, do you? I like you. I still do! I think you're brilliant and strong, beautiful and brainy! But I know I don't deserve you, not after all my deeds after all the years! I hoped that we'd remain friends, and one day... Maybe one day you'd allow me to take you on a date, not Krum! I thought I'd have some time, to figure things out... But now I've gone and messed it all up, haven't I? Our friendship's been crumbling for weeks, and I didn't know how to fix it, especially after that day in Vanev's office... I thought if I left it, things would return to normal, but they didn't... And I don't want to fight Hermione. I hope you feel better tomorrow – I'm going to bed."

"Goodnight, Draco. But for the record... I like you too."