Chapter 9: Vicky Krum

Capitulo IX : Vicky Krum

After what happened when she found Malfoy and Parkinson kissing, Hermione felt more depressed than ever. As much as she tried to convince herself that she didn't care, on the inside, she knew it wasn't like that. It had been very hard for her to recognize that little by little, and apparently with no reason, she had fall in love with Draco Malfoy. She didn't know since when, but sometimes she asked herself if she had been in love with him secretly since the first time she saw him. That would explain why his comments had always hurt her and even she "hated" him, she gave importance to everything he said. What she didn't understand was what he saw in him. She couldn't deny he was quite handsome and that he had something, maybe in his gaze, that would've made anyone loose her mind, but Hermione wasn't one of those. She didn't let herself blind for beauty, and before knowing Malfoy, she would put her hand on fire that she never will felt attracted to someone like him. That's why she asked herself, again and again, what that had happened to her.

It was true that he had saved her in the lake but after that, he had taken care in make her believe that there was nothing good in him. Hermione didn't know yet why he had helped her, but the motive, wasn't kind. Maybe, he thought that if she died he wouldn't have anyone to disturb and make their life impossible.

Maybe dying should have been a good and simple way to escape from him.

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Hermione opened her eyes and sigh angrily, it was useless. She wasn't capable of sleep since the moment she realized her feelings. Tired of rolling in the bed, she decided to get up and use her time wisely. She put her red dressing gown and taking her Runes book, she went silently out of her room to not wake her roommates. She tiptoed into the Common Room and sat in a couch in front of the chimney. She opened the book and went to the chapter of Archaic Symbols and tried to concentrate on the reading. She read a couple of paragraphs, but in the third line of the fifth, she saw the image of Malfoy kissing Pansy on her mind. Sighing, she closed the book.

It had been a long time since she was able to concentrate. She had had to repeat an essay for Snape like five times because she lost in her thoughts and forget what she was writing and didn't know how to continue. In Potions, she had had worse results than when Malfoy had ruined her potion, because her mind was somewhere else and she mixed ingredients. And you could say that it was the same in the other subjects. She wasn't able to concentrate with her friends, because even though she tried to pay attention to the conversations, soon she was deep in her thoughts and one of them pinched her or gave her a nudge, along with a "Hermione are you listening?", that brought her back to reality.

Also her appetite had been affected by the Slytherin. Even though she went to the Great Hall with hunger, when she sat on the table and ate two bites, her stomach closed completely. She suspected it was because some tables far away, Malfoy was whispering things in Parkinson's ear.

All of it went wrong not only in her academic results, but in her physic too. In the last couple of weeks she had lost some weight and had big permanent circles under her eyes. Harry and Ron had asked her a hundred times if it was something wrong with her, but the girl had answered with evasives because she never considered telling them that she had fall in love with Malfoy. Luna Lovegood by the other side thought that Hermione had swollen a black zarabrand.

- So you are here again – said a female voice that startled her. Hermione raise her face and found Ginny's in front of her, rubbing her eyes.

- What are you doing awake? – asked Hermione.

- I woke up to go to the bathroom and saw you going down the stairs – explained the girl yawning deeply while she seated in the couch in front of Hermione – and I want to talk with you.

- About what? – inquired Hermione pressing the Runes book nervously in her hands.

- Well I think you already know – replied Ginny with a suspicious look – Harry asked me to talk to you, he is worried, as all of us are. I know something is wrong Hermione, but I also know there is something that you don't want to talk with Harry or Ron. I think neither with me and I won't insist for you to do so. But I'll just suggest you, that whatever it is or happens, talk with somebody.

Hermione went silent. Maybe Ginny was right.

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Hermione entered the owlery with a thick parchment in her right hand. She passed one hand on her tired and dry eyes, she had passed the whole night crying and now they sting. Her hand pressed softly the parchment while she seek Hedwig. Harry had lend it to her to send a letter. When she found it, Hermione stroked its feathers and it ululated making the girl show a sad smile. After that, she watched the parchment still doubting if she should send it. That night, after talking with Ginny, she decided to write a letter to Viktor because that month she had been late. She started as always telling him about the classes and she ended, in tears, confessing to him everything she hide to everyone else. She knew he probably wasn't the best person to trust everything but she couldn't talk about it with anyone else… no one would understand her because neither did she, and they'll judge her, think she was crazy and a traitor… no, definitely she had enough problems no seek for one more… and Viktor was also his friend, he was discreet and lack the prejudices which fill everyone else.

- Granger, were do you left Potty and Weasel?

The girl recognized that voice and as a spring, she hide the parchment behind her back, why the hell she had to find just him?

Malfoy entered the owlery and approach the girl with a calculating look, he noticed that she was hiding something that she didn't want him to see…

- What do you want? – she asked backing nervously.

- To be a bookworm you're quite stupid Granger. What do you think I'm doing in the owlery?

- I guess that send a message but, were is what you are going to send? – she asked bitingly looking Malfoy's empty hands.

- And what is that you are hiding? – he inquired in the same tone.

- On the contrary, Malfoy, I do have something to send – answered Hermione showing him the parchment but taking care not to show the addressee.

The Slytherin observed the parchment that the girl was pressing, he could just see the rolled extremes but the way she hold it and the fact that she had hide it from him made him thought that there was something on it that she didn't want him to see. Smirking, Malfoy took out the wand and quickly said: "Accio Parchment".

The parchment flew from the girl's hands to the one the Slytherin had in the air and closed around it. Hermione just let out a moan while she saw the paper in which she had written all her feelings for Malfoy, ended precisely in his hands.

- Give it back! – she begged with a high pitch voice full of anguish.

Maldoy grimaced maliciously and observed the name written meticulously in blue ink: Viktor Krum. In that moment, he felt the rage extend threw his body and looked the girl with fury.

- You still write with that one? – he asked with ferocity. Draco saw how the Gryffindor looked at him with surprise and he understood that he had shown a bit too much of his emotions, something that a Malfoy shouldn't do.

- That one? – she inquired – you didn't call him like that when he was at Hogwarts and said he was your friend.

- You are right, then I use to call him Vicky – he replied with mockery.

- Here you are very brave but I bet you are not able to tell him that to his face – answered the girl angrily. Malfoy made up an indifferent smile but the truth was that it infuriated him that she defend Krum like that, was there something between them?

- Is he your boyfriend? I knew he was a jerk but I never thought he would degrade to the point of getting involved with a filthy mudblood… - said the boy looking at her with disgust or at least he hoped she would see it like that. She just lowed her head to avoid his gaze and Malfoy had the impression that she was getting smaller in front of him.

- If he is or not – she answered in a weak voice – is none of your business and now give the parchment back, Malfoy.

- And what about that stupid of Dewey? You've already forgot about him? I don't think he will like to know that you are writing with Krum… are you with both? – he smiled maliciously – well, well Granger, I recognize I didn't expect that from you…

- Give it back – she repeated ignoring his comment.

He just look at her coldly, measuring her. He knew there was something in that parchment that she didn't want him to see, her trembling lips, scares gaze and the tension in her body betrayed her… beyond the fact that she had hid it from him. He wanted to read it and found out what she was keeping from him. A malicious shine fill his icy eyes and Hermione perceived it getting even more scares… her heart beat faster and her eyes were full of tears… he couldn't see it… he couldn't find out… this couldn't be happening to her… she need to get it back…

- Malfoy… - she begged – give it back…

- Those are not the magic words Granger… - he said pointing her with the parchment – how do you ask it? – he asked with a soft voice, as if he was talking to a child.

Hermione sob and tightened her fists trying to calm down, to scared to be furious.

- Ple… please… - she mumbled with faltering voice.

- What? – asked the boy in a very loud voice – I didn't heard you Granger, do you say something?

- I said… - she said with secure voice and starting to get angry – please…

- Please what? That I read it? – he inquired looking at her maliciously.

- Malfoy… - grumbled her tired and irritated.

The boy smirked before breaking the seal of the parchment and unrolling it. A tight and perfect calligraphy occupied the almost one and a half meter of the parchment. Throwing a last glance to the terrorized girl he had in front, he started reading aloud:

"Dear Viktor,

I'm sorry I'm late in the answer to your letter, but I've been quite busy in classes. This year I have less subjects but my free hours I used them to do homework. Professor McGonagall… - Draco jumped the part were she talked about the classes and more, until he found some words that call his attention - … I'm glad of the offer the Portsmouth Wiz made you to play in England, is a very important decision you must think well. I don't want you to rush in your acceptance… you must think the pros and cons of living here… and I don't want to influence your decision Viktor…- Malfoy raised his eyes from the parchment to fix them in Granger, pursing his lips in a grimace of aversion and indignation –" I don't want to influence your decision Vicky?" That idiot wants to come to England only because of you? – Hermione blushed completely and twisted her hands, nervous and ashamed – please… - he spit disgusted, but in the inside he felt furious, more than he expected – is clear that he has no brain… the only thing he knows is to play quidditch… he's not even handsome… and… - he shut up when he saw the dumbfounded expression of the girl, again he had spoken to much – I'll continue reading but I fill like I'm going to threw up – he added trying to show disdain and coldness, when the only thing he wanted is to finish reading.

- Then give me back the parchment – she said hopefully extending her hand to him. Maybe in other moment, Draco would've tear up the letter, throw it to the window or at her, and leave. That letter wouldn't have interest him just to mortified her and bothered her for a while, then he would have lost any interest… but now… it was different. He wanted to read the whole letter, to know what she said to that stupid Bulgarian and find out if she was hiding it from him because she feared he would find it silly or because something more.

- I don't see what I win with that – he answered with sufficiency, he had her in his hands and he knew it.

- Free yourself from my presence – she replied seriously, as if she spoke of a cruel reality she had already accepted. Draco observed her for a few seconds, her brown eyes watch him intense and hardly, not showing any feeling more than a mix of disdain and indifference. And he didn't know why he had to break the contact of that gaze. What was he doing? He was giving up in front of a mudblood? He look at her with rage by making him feel like that, weak, vulnerable, changeable… and he wanted to hurt her.

- It sounds tempting Granger – recognized the boy with cold voice – but I think I prefer to continue reading…

- Please Malfoy… - she begged approaching to him, tearful.

- Don't be pathetic – he said roughly to return his eyes to the parchment and started to read aloud again – There is something I want to tell you… there is no one I can trust, no one would understand me if I decided to talk and at least I know you won't judge me. I think I might explode if I not tell someone, is something really big to keep it inside… I think I'm in love with…

But Draco couldn't continue reading, he barely had time to blink when the girl snatched the parchment from his hands. He looked furiously at her but before he could do or say anything he felt the girl's hand slapping his cheek too strongly that his face turned and his hair covered his eyes. He reach his cheek to surprised that he only looked at her and what he saw hurt him more than the slap. Hermione looked at him or he think so, cause her eyes were full of tears and he doubted she could distinguish him, some of which fall from her eyelashes falling threw her cheeks and ended in her lips, from which escaped sobs and labored breaths, as if there wasn't enough air to fill her lungs, as if she felt too much pain to breath.

- Why? – she mumbled with a voice full of anguish and desperation – why have you done it? Why do you hate me so much than you can't waste an opportunity to make me suffer? Why do you pick it on me? Why does it seem that you wake up every morning just to look for a way to make me feel the most unlucky and painful creature in the world? Because if that is your purpose, congratulations Malfoy… you've achieved again and again… you get that every time I see you… I wish to die…

She looked at him for a while, as if she waited for him too say something, but Malfoy was just too impressed to talk, and as a Stone statue he stood there watching the girl run from the owlery in sobs and tears.

Hey!

Again por Hermione have ended crying, she is such a crybaby XD hahaha but is not for less. First she discovers that she is in love with someone she must hate, and then she can't tell anyone and when she tries, he almost catch her… almost… XD

I hope you like it and just say to you that now is Hermione the one that suffers, but maybe soon roles could change…

By the way, the next chapter is one of my favorites and I have the feeling you are going to like it

Thank you very much for the reviews,

Really thank you,

Kisses!

Hey! As you see this weekend I uploaded 3 chapters! That's a record for me XD lol cause I don't have enough time to translate. I'll try to update soon! Kisses! And thank you for the reviews! Lola.