My lovely readers,

Here is the next chapter like you've been asking for. I currently have up to chapter 10 planned out and am in the process of writing… in order to get them out quicker I need lots of reviews! Just send me a little note about the story (like it, hate it, need to fix something, suggestions… whatever) after you're done and I'll be super inspired!

Happy ficcing!

He walked over to the familiar table—familiar from a distance anyway. She had her head buried in a large leather-bound book just as always and she was alone. The library was unusually empty, but it was nearly ten at night and most students had given up on homework by now. The giggling girls had left and now it was just those who actually desired to study remaining in the cavernous room.

"Excuse me," he said in a library voice. She looked up at him, confused and he went through the words he had planned beforehand, "Do you mind if I sit here?"

She looked around at all of the empty tables and then looked behind her to see if he had actually been addressing her. Seeing no one she replied, "Sure, if you want to."

"Thanks." He took the chair opposite her and sat down. He pulled out a notebook and his school books, preparing to work. Oops—no quill. He leaned across the table and whispered, "Vould you happen to have a qvill I could borrow?"

"Oh, yes. Take this one." She handed him the quill beside her book and rummaged through her bag for another. He began to write and she looked at his notes. Fascinated by the Cyrillic text, she eyed him with great interest. "That's incredible. I've never seen Bulgarian cursive. You have very nice handwriting."

He looked up. "Do I? I've alvays thought it vas qvite messy."

"Well, I suppose I wouldn't know, but it looks very pretty," she noted as she picked her book back up.

He chuckled and leaned forward. "Do you mind if I ask your name?"

"Hermione," she replied, offering him a hand in greeting. "Hermione Granger."

"Ooh, that is qvite a mouthful. I am Viktor Krum." He took her hand and kissed it lightly. She blushed.

"I know who you are." She smiled. "I saw you at the Quidditch World Cup. I know even less about Quidditch than I do about Slavic languages, but I was impressed by your flying. I can't fly three feet off the ground and you flew all over that stadium…"

He gave a small laugh. She was so much different than any other girl he had ever met.

The summer weather was just beginning to subside into autumn, yet it was plenty warm enough to go without jackets or sweaters. He stuffed his large hands into the pockets of his navy robes, and watched Hermione fold her arms as they walked.

"What brings you back to the Isles, Viktor?" Hermione asked as she looked into the window display at Zonko's.

"Qvidditch, of course," he answered. "Speaking for a group of aspiring seekers. It's great fun, as I haff no children of my own."

"Hugo would love to meet you," Hermione noted, returning her attention to her old friend. "He loves Quidditch. He's more of the Beater kind, though, like his uncles. He had his tryout yesterday."

"That's vonderful. I loff hearing of children with a passion for something." He smiled down at her. "Whether it's Qvidditch or government, or just knowledge in general…"

He trailed off and she returned his smile most warmly. "I'll never forget when we met, Viktor."

"Me neither, Hermione."

"Say it again…"

"Me neither, Hermione?"

"I like hearing the way you say my name. You must have really practiced," she giggled, not knowing how true that assumption was. "Anyway, I was so surprised that you wanted to sit with me. I couldn't stop thinking about it all night."

"Vell, it's not often I can meet a girl… a voman who doesn't just recognize me for my talent," he said candidly. "I can do other things too, surprisingly."

She looked ahead; silent, yet still smiling. His stomach grumbled and he realized he hadn't gotten what he had gone to the Three Broomsticks for. "Vould you like to get something to eat? I forgot that's what I went back to the inn for."

"Oh, of course," Hermione nodded. "Madame Puddifoot's is a pretty nice place just as long as it's not Valentines Day."

They sat and had lunch in the small café, chatting all the while. If he had thought being away from her was painful before, being with her and hearing the slight and not-so-slight references to her late husband and how she loved him had intensified the pain. She had been so happy and even now she was living. He had felt hollow for so long after the confirmation in the paper. She was able to pick herself up after losing her husband of twenty years.

"We had discussed the risks before he had even begun his career." Hermione sighed, setting down her spoon. "We knew something terrible could happen, and he told me very clearly that I needed to keep myself together for the kids. He wanted me to keep on living, even to remarry one day."

Viktor's attention was fixed intently on her words. She took a drink of her wine and continued, "But right now I could never see that happening. Not yet, anyway."

"Of course," he reassured her. "My father never found another after my mother died. He was a vone-voman sort of man."

She smiled sadly. "I wish you had found someone, Viktor. You would be such an amazing father."

"I thought I did vonce." He stirred his soup pensively. "She vas too good for me. She moved on after ve parted, but perhaps it vas for the better. I never stopped loving her."

"That's too bad." She had no idea he was staring at this woman at that very moment.

They walked around for the remainder of the afternoon until evening fell. She hugged him goodbye at long last and he held on to her as long as he possibly could.

"I would like to write you again, Viktor," she said as he finally released her. "I seem to have forgotten just how much I've missed you."

"I vould like that very much, Hermione," he said and she smiled as he said her name once again.

"If you're ever in the area again... remember I'll be here." She started to walk away. He stayed with his hand on the door of the Three Broomsticks.

"And if you are ever in Bulgaria you haff a place to stay." he waved as she apparated home and back out of his reach again.

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