Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Veronica Mars
"Hermione, you look great. I thought you were just going out as friends anyway," Harry said. She was standing nervously in front of the mirror in Harry's dorm. The no-boy-allowed wards on the girl's dormitory forbid Harry from helping her in her own room. She figured her already tarnished reputation would suffer little from her being in the boys' room. It had a large mirror and there was little chance of running into Ron since he spent most of his time in the dungeons.
"We are just going out as friends, Harry, but that doesn't mean I need to look like a complete slag," Hermione said. "We're going to be in public, after all."
"Hermione, you have never, contrary to Slytherin belief, looked like a 'slag' in your entire life. If you want to dress up for your date with Krum, by all means dress up. It's not a crime to have a date once a year."
"It's not a date! And who are you kidding, Harry James Potter? When's the last time you enjoyed the company of a lady?"
"Eww, Hermione, that sounded like you want me to buy a hooker," Harry laughed. "I'm not quite at that stage yet. I didn't say I had any dates lined up, just that you should enjoy yours."
"Okay, shut up," Hermione said. "You're making me nervous. I really just want to meet as friends with Krum. I don't want to give him the wrong idea."
"Hermione, it's fine," Harry said. "Go to Hogsmeade with Krum. Renew your friendship. He's going to be here for awhile. He's a nice guy, and frankly, it's not a bad idea to have a spy in the dungeons."
"Harry!" Hermione protested. "That's not my intention!"
"I know, I'm kidding," said Harry. "Go, have fun. I'll talk to you when you get back."
Harry led Hermione out of his dorm and flopped down on his bed. It certainly had been awhile since he'd had a date, he admitted to himself. There was a dance coming up soon, too. Next order of business, find himself a date. He smiled as he thought of Hermione and Krum. He wasn't expecting Hermione to have one date and be cured, but it was a step in the right direction. The armor she'd been wearing had chipped, just a little, when she and Harry started hanging out again. This would help.
Hermione was meeting Viktor in the Great Hall. She was very nervous; all jokes aside, this was the first date she'd had since Ron broke up with her. While she was not looking to renew their romance, there had been a time when his friendship was important to her, and she was looking forward to rekindling that. She might not be planning on using him to infiltrate the Slytherins, but he was tight with them. She hoped Draco and Co. had not been filling his head with too many ugly rumours about her. Chances were good that he would not even show.
As she waited, Hermione's mind drifted back to the previous night. Last night had been the one year anniversary of Ginny's death. The official ceremony and unveiling of the Ginerva Weasley Memorial Fountain would not be held until the following weekend, but the real date, the one seared in Hermione's brain forever, was last night. She had avoided everyone, including Harry. She went to bed early, pulling the curtains closed around her four-poster and crying herself to sleep. Her dreams were more intense than usual, and she had felt like a previously missing piece to that puzzle had been revealed. When the morning came, however, her mind was blank once more.
It was difficult to get into date mode after this, but Harry had been so excited to see her go out. Harry and Hermione had slipped effortlessly back into their friendship, as if the horrible last year had never happened. It meant everything to her, and she knew Harry felt the same. She also knew he was putting on a brave face for her. Last night could not have been easy for him, either. She refused to think of Ron, the missing third of their trio. Or Draco.
"Herm-own-ninny," Viktor greeted her, disrupting her reverie. He was wearing muggle clothes, something Hermione had never seen him do. The effect was nice - he looked more easy-going than usual, a look aided by the welcoming grin on his face. Viktor rarely smiled and she had to admit, it added a lot to his appeal. His looks had matured in the last two years, and he had filled out, too. He was now broad as well as tall, and not quite as unsure of himself on solid ground. She might be in trouble.
Hermione had forgotten how easy Viktor was to talk to. Although hardly gregarious, he did open up to her. Quidditch was naturally a topic of conversation, but it did not dominate their talk. His work with the Department of Magical Games and Sports was far more interesting than Hermione would have guessed. She used to be bored silly whenever Ron, Harry or Draco would wax poetic about Quidditch. Ginny had been almost as bad. It wasn't that Hermione didn't like Quidditch; she just didn't care about it all that much. Viktor's work, however, allowed him to travel through manycountries and visit all the Wizarding schools, something she herself would much enjoy. More than his looks had grown since they were last in contact - he was freer and friendlier than ever.
Hermione did not protest when he led her to Madame Puddifoot's, despite its reputation of catering to couples. She was having a good time, much better than anticipated.
"I am glad you came today," Viktor said, smiling at her over two steaming mugs of tea. "I haf missed our correspondence."
"So have I," she said truthfully. "I'm glad to see you, too."
"We can meet tomorrow? I can take you flying, perhaps."
"I'm not wild about flying, Viktor," Hermione said.
"You haf not had the right teacher." Hermione blushed and agreed to meet him for a late-day flight Sunday. The rest of the afternoon flew by. It was nearly dusk when Hermione and Viktor started back towards the castle. Viktor held her hand on the way home. Once inside, Hermione turned to Viktor and gave his hand a squeeze.
"I had a good time today, Viktor," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Viktor nodded and leaned in towards Hermione. Suddenly, the wonderful feeling she'd had all day flew away and she panicked. She backed away from his kiss, dropping his hand. Viktor looked surprised, then embarrassed.
"Viktor, I'm sorry, I-" she started.
"It's okay, Herm-own-ninny," he said, recovering. "I'll see you tomorrow." He took back her hand and brought it to his lips, giving her a chaste kiss. Hermione watched as he walked towards the dungeons. Once he was out of sight, she sighed loudly and smacked her forehead.
"Smooth, Granger. Real nice job there." She headed for Gryffindor tower, knowing she could not sleep for at least another hour; Harry would be waiting for all of the details.
Hermione met Viktor on the Quidditch pitch the next night at seven o'clock. The evening was cool and the moon was bright - it was ideal flying weather, she knew. Her heart thudded in her chest. She was still embarrassed by her reaction to his kiss yesterday. The truth was, she did like him. She was surprised to realize she wouldn't mind kissing him, either. What am I waiting for? Ron's as dead to me as Ginny is.
Two hours later, Hermione was still flying with Viktor. She was having great time - normally, flying scared her to death, but Viktor was very patient with her. He had a calming effect on her. However, even his presence couldn't keep her from tensing up when she saw who was now milling around on the ground below them. Ron, Draco, Zabini, and Vincent Crabbe. Wonderful.
Hermione knew Draco well enough to know that while he wouldn't keep his mouth shut, neither would he go over the top in front of Viktor. Draco liked and respected Viktor too much to completely alienate him. He was still impressed by the Quidditch star, if not his taste in girls. She could tell by Draco's manner that he wasn't fixing for another fight. Zabini and Crabbe would follow Draco's lead - they always did. It was Ron's presence that caused her the most concern. Her feelings were too jumbled to be at ease with both boys at once.
"Hey, Krum," Draco called as Viktor and Hermione lowered his broom to the ground. "I hope you're charging Granger for those flying lessons. I think it's usually the other way around, so I'm sure she can afford it."
"Hilarious as always, Malfoy," Hermione said. "Don't worry, he's being well compensated." Hermione turned to Viktor and kissed him, startling them both. She didn't know what she was trying to prove. Pulling back, she grinned sheepishly at him. "I owed you one," she said, amid the Slytherin hoots and hollers. Way to feed their slut assumption, Granger, she thought to herself.
"I'm not complaining," he smiled back. "If you gentlemen will excuse us?"
"By all means," Draco said. "You two enjoy."
Viktor started to lead Hermione back to the castle, but a loud crash interrupted them. Ron, who had climbed onto his broomstick during their conversation, had just landed in a heap next to his friends. It was unclear what stunt he had been trying to pull, but it had obviously backfired.
"Ron!" Hermione cried, forgetting herself and running to his side. "Are you okay?" His head was bleeding and his eyes looked out of focus. He tried to sit up but slumped back onto the ground.
"Brilliant, mate," Draco said, laughing. "Next time see if you can get even higher before you jump off. You weren't attempting the Wronski Feint by any chance, were you? You should have waited until Krum could teach you. I know he's busy and all, but surely he'd fit you into his schedule."
"I didn't jump," Ron moaned. "Stupid broomstick dropped me."
"Of course," said Draco.
"Hilarious and helpful, Malfoy," Hermione snapped. "I hope I never fall out of the sky and land at your feet, if this is the concern you show your actual friends. I'm taking Ron to Madam Pomfrey. No arguments. Viktor, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure," he said, trying not to sound disappointed. It would be fruitless to offer his assistance, he knew. Better to let her encounter Ron's cold shoulder on her own. He watched her as she led an unresisting Ron back to the castle.
Silence stretched between them again as she walked Ron up to the hospital wing. Damn him for still having this hold over her! It wasn't just that he was her ex-boyfriend - he used to be her best friend. He had once fought a troll for her, for Merlin's sake, and now the indifference that radiated from him burned her more than anything else.
"Do you ever think about how it used to be? Before everything got so confused?" he asked suddenly, startling her. Ron was looking at her the way he used to, smiling a little. Her heart leapt, but then crashed with a thud. She wouldn't let him do this. Not now.
"No, not really," she said, more harshly than she had intended. She stopped outside the hospital wing. "I'm not going in with you. I'll send Draco to check on you later."
"Thanks," he said. She turned and walked away. She didn't turn back when she heard his whispered "Thank you, Hermione."
"Have you still been taking your Dreamless Sleep Draught?" Madam Pomfrey asked him some minutes later. His head was now pain-free. He could not say the same for his mind.
"I stopped taking it," he muttered. He hated the way the potion made him feel - disconnected, numb, his head muddled and heavy. Unfortunately, the reason he started using it had begun to creep back.
"You'll want to be careful stopping something like that cold turkey," she told him. "It's here if you need it."
He nodded and left the hospital. He couldn't stand to be in Gryffindor Tower for any length of time, but it was late. He needed to sleep. The closer he got to the Tower, though, the shorter his breath got. He felt Ginny everywhere. He hated to see Harry and Hermione there, too. It was one thing to see his old friend in their shared classes, but in the common room it was too intimate, too familiar. Sometimes the dungeons suffocated him, but anywhere was better than Gryffindor house. He squared his shoulders, managed the password and practically sprinted to his bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.
"C'mon, Ronniekins," Ginny giggled. "Are you in there?"
"Ginny?" She was there. She looked beautiful. She looked alive. He knew he was dreaming, but it was so good to see her.
"In the flesh, brother dear," she confirmed. "Well, figuratively speaking. Gotta say, bro, you're looking a bit peaked."
"I miss you."
"I know," Ginny said, smiling at him. "I was pretty awesome."
"You were. Annoying as hell, but awesome. What happened to you?" he asked, not for the first time. He'd had this dream before. Too many times.
"I wish I could tell you," she sighed. "I think you already know, though. You need to think about it. You need to remember."
"I wasn't there," he protested.
"Weren't you?" she asked. He looked at her, horror-struck, as she started to fade. She blinked back in for a moment, prone on the floor, staring and seeing nothing. He sobbed and cried her name as she disappeared again.
Ron awoke, his eyes damp. He would get more potion in the morning.
Hermione woke early Monday morning as well. The weekend had been… interesting. She certainly looked forward to seeing Viktor again, but her bravado from yesterday was gone. She wasn't sure if the kiss had been the best idea, especially in front of Ron and Draco. She didn't know who she was showing off for; them or herself. It would help to have another girl's perspective. She longed for Ginny.
"God, Hermione, I don't know why you tie yourself down sometimes," Ginny's voice echoed in her ears. "I know he's my brother, but honestly, you could do better."
"Ginny!" Hermione cried, shocked but laughing. "I love Ron!"
"I love, Draco, too," said Ginny. "But we're only young once! We need to see what else is out there! While keeping our current boyfriends as well, of course."
The irony wasn't lost on Hermione. Ginny would be young forever.
Her day passed in a blur of lessons, homework and Harry. She had been too tired to talk to him about her flying lessons with Viktor last night, and he was eager hear about it. He raised his eyebrows when she told him about Ron, but wisely said nothing.
She saw Ron walking with Draco towards the Great Hall before dinner. Remembering his almost friendly attitude yesterday, she took a deep breath and approached them.
"Hey," she smiled softly at him. "How's your head?"
"Better," he said, barely looking at her. Draco smirked and walked on with Ron. Stung, but not surprised, Hermione went in behind them. Viktor was waiting for her at the Gryffindor table.
"Hey, you," she said, grinning. It was time to move on.
A/N I know this fic is missing a Keith stand-in, but I just couldn't figure out a way to work him in. Maybe Harry will pick up some of the slack, and in the meantime, we'll just be grateful that Veronica has her pops.