"Alright, flowers didn't work. What about chocolates?"
Draco fixes Ginny with a glare.
"Are you absolutely sure that Granger is not A) allergic to chocolates," Draco ticks off on his hand, "or B) even like chocolates?"
Ginny thinks for a moment and taps her fingers on her knee.
"I do remember that she loves a special kind of chocolate that Victor had sent her from Bulgaria. Garash cake, I think it was called? Anyway, she loves that kind."
Draco sighs, hoping that this time Ginny did not just help him inadvertently poison her best friend and the object of his affections.
After searching Diagon Alley's bakery and various Muggle London bakeries for Garash cake, Draco comes to the conclusion that he's going to have to go to Bulgaria.
Close to lunch Draco makes an excuse to Hermione stating that he has to run a quick errand for his mother and dashes down to the International Portkey office for his scheduled trip.
One badly dent portkey later, he's standing in the middle of Bulgaria's wizarding market, staring blearily at a bakery. Stepping inside, Draco is greeted with the sweet aroma of cakes and other deserts that filled his nose as he perused the glass enclosed display. He spys the cake sitting at the bottom of the display, two pieces already missing, and he gestures the clerk over.
Stumbling over his Bulgarian, the clerk helpfully switches to heavily accented English and Draco buys two pieces of the cake to send back to England. Delicately wrapped and cushioned to prevent damage from the portkey, Draco lands gracefully- as gracefully as one can land on portkey- back in the portkey office.
Draco is positive that this is a excellent idea and was thinking of all the ways he could present it to Hermione and ask her out on a date when the scene in front of him stops him in his tracks.
In the doorway of their office is Hermione hugging a man.
And not just any man.
It was Victor Bloody Krum.
Draco's green eyed monster woke with a vengeance, clawing around his chest and rattling it's cage at the sight of them wrapped together.
That's MY girl!
Hermione pulls back from Victor's amorous embrace- honestly is this man part octopus? It would explain somethings - and smiles brightly at him.
"Victor! It's been so long!"
"Ja, Herminny. I 'ave brought you something from home."
Victor holds up the same pastry box that is behind Draco's back and Hermione gives a small woop when she sees the cake enclosed inside.
"Garash cake! Oh my goodness, it's been ages since I've had this!"
"Maybe ve can go to, how you say, obyad, lunch? Together?"
Hermione looks as if too hug Victor again, when Draco clears his throat. Hermione bestows a brilliant smile at Draco and gestures to Victor.
"Oh, Draco, you remember Victor?"
"Yes, I remember. Nice to see you again, Krum," Draco smiles- more like snarls- through gritted teeth.
Victor returns the smile with a decidedly smug one and Draco's eyes become slits.
"You as vell, Drago."
Draco shifts the box to one hand and reaches his other hand out to Victor who grasps it tightly. Draco narrows his eyes at Victor and grasps his hand tightly in return. Krum slight wince at Draco's tight grasp turned Draco's snarl into a wicked smirk of victory. Hands locked tightly together, they are in a tense standoff, with an oblivious Hermione smiling beside them. She gestures towards the door.
"We are about to head to lunch would you like to come?"
Draco looks at Hermione's open expression and while he would love nothing more than to go with her he didn't want to be a third wheel. Despite the green eyed monster clawing at his insides wanting to wring Krums stupid neck and claim Hermione in front of everyone. She would not like that. So Draco stepped back.
"No, that's ok. Since I left early I am going to catch up on some paperwork."
Hermione's expression dropped a little and Draco thinks that he chose wrong but she smiles again softer than before. "I'll bring you back something then," she promises, grabbing his hand she gives a squeeze and walks out of the office, Victor in tow.
Draco sighs heavily running his hand down his face. Setting the box down on his desk he walks over to the floo to make a call.
Hermione hums happily as she takes a bite of the chocolate cake in front of her. Victor looks on in amusement before shaking his head and taking a bite of his own piece.
"So, what did you think?" Hermione asked from behind her hand she was covering her mouth with as she finished chewing. Taking a sip of the water in front of him, Victor thoughtfully contemplates the cake in front of him.
"I think that you 'ave chosen vell, Herminny," Victor says as he nods, "Not many a wizard vould be able to control na zvyar, the beast, ja?"
"I know. Don't think I didn't notice your exchange though," she smirks at Victor who looks sheepish.
She pats his hand, "It's ok, Victor. But do it again your wife will be hearing about this."
She points a finger at his face and Victor throws back his head and laughs.
"Oo-er! This cake is bloody fantastic!"
Ginny scarfs the cake with gusto and Draco is vividly reminded that she is related to Weasley.
"Thank you for reminding that you were related to the Weasel," Draco drawls sarcastically and places his plate down on his desk.
Ginny blushes a bit, her cheeks full of cake and she slows down her eating.
"So, Victor Krum, eh?"
Draco closes his eyes and nods.
"Yeah, Victor Bloody 'I'm a international Quidditch star' Krum was in this office with his mammoth-," Draco gestures with his hands, "Ham hands! All over Hermione."
"Ham hands?"
Draco scowls at her, "Is that all you got from this?"
Ginny laughs, "No, but it is pretty funny seeing a flustered Draco."
She eyes Draco's untouched cake piece and taps her fork on her plate.
"Are you going to eat that?"
Draco picks up his fork and stabs the cake.
"I'll take that as a yes, then."
