Hermione woke up early and used the conditioner Pansy had tossed at her yesterday and told her she needed to keep using to keep her hair from embarrassing witches everywhere. The bag had also contained the leave in spray and sleakease and Hermione found her hair was soft and manageable from them.

She ran her fingers through the waves so it fell to her shoulders in loose waves, not a frizz in sight. She chose a simple cream sweater dress and caramel boots with hoop earrings. Ginny hugged her in pride when she came to the common room.

"Ron's date went well. Harry told me." Ginny told her as they walked down together.

"Good." Hermione sighed, "I was getting a little worried. I know it's only two weeks but I feel like time is so short."

"It is." Ginny sighed. "He really seemed to like her though and I might suggest he ask out Susan." She shared a secret smile with Hermione and then hugged her as they sat to eat their breakfast before Hermione was to meet the others to leave.

"Harry tell you her name?"

"Arianna. Ron told him she was beautiful and she loved to cook and to fly, she didn't play Quidditch but loved to watch."

"Good for him." Hermione smiled, "I hope he starts to meet a few he might like."

"Do you think you'll see Erik today?"

Hermione shrugged, "My morning is with Kiril and I guess I just have to see."

"How are you getting there?"

"McGonagall never said, just that we needed to meet out front at… oh!" Hermione jumped, "In five minutes. I had better go." She hugged her friend, "Bye Gin."

"Have fun!" Ginny called after her.

Hermione met Astoria in the Great Hall.

"You look beautiful Hermione." Astoria told her with a hug.

"So do you Story."

Astoria blushed, "You think so? Do you think it's ok I'm bringing Dane this plant? I think he'll really like it. I had mum send it yesterday from my garden, well a house elf, mum would never harvest it herself," Astoria giggled, "It a cross breed I created myself and it has wonderful properties for healing and its wonderful tasting in salads as well, giving you just a little boost if you're feeling a little down."

"I think he'll appreciate that." Hermione told her warmly as they waited for everyone to arrive.

"Alright students." Lara winked at them making all the girls giggle, "It's time to go."

"How do we get there? It should be impressive like the boat."

"Shouldn't we do something impressive like the flirty bow the Beauxbaton girls do?"

Lara laughed and waved her wand. "We need no sighing theatrics ladies. We are going by portkey. Four to be exact."

Professor Sprout waved her wand and four objects appeared, beautiful statues of a lion, a snake, a badger and a bird.

"Now remember these are not typical portkeys." Lara told them with a wink. "We do need a volunteer to touch the first.

"I will." Sophia volunteered stepping towards the bird.

"Touch the bird then please."

Sophie touched it and disappeared. The girls gasped is shock. Lara laughed. "Inside each is a room much like your common rooms. We will then join all four and from the center Pomona, Professor Sprout and I will be wrapped in a bubble which will pop upon our arrival at Durmstang. Once there the portkeys will release you, with some small theatric but with the dignity of our great school." She nodded to the girls who all stepped forward and touched their house statue.

Hermione settled by the fire and was surprised when a moment later a wall on either side vanished, she could see around as the fireplace became more of a fire pit, the four rooms a circle with four pieces, one for each house. The girls laughed and moved together until twenty minutes later they heard a noise and the images of their houses appeared. Hermione laughed as the lion swirled around her, each girl wrapped in the magic of their house as the room faded.

All the boys watched as the beautiful circle of magic seemed to pop like a bubble revealing two teachers holding something. With a wand they separated it into four pieces, statues and a moment later out swirled a mist and from it a lion, a bird, a snake and a badger appeared each bowing low and disappearing in a gust of wind, leaving behind the witches. Each witch wore a beautiful dress in red, green, yellow or blue with a long cloak of white, the hoods and edged trimmed in gold for the red dress, silver for the green, bronze for the blue or black with the yellow. As one, like by a silent sign all the girls lifted their hoods.

It was a moment of stunned silence before the headmaster stepped forward and bowed. All the men clicking their boots and following suit.

"Welcome to Durmstang Ladies." The headmaster welcomed them.

"Thank you Headmaster." Lara smiled at him. "We are very pleased to be here."

"It is already cold here, let us show you inside to the Great Hall."

The boys parted from their line to create a path to the main door and the girls followed their teachers and the Durmstang Headmaster inside. Hermione sent Erik a warm smile as she past him but otherwise maintained the calm, serene expression all of them had seemed to settle into, as if by practice. Though she nearly gave a startled gasp when she saw Viktor waiting in the door to the Great Hall and couldn't help but send him a smile and wink as he stepped forward.

"May I?" He asked, stopping her as she passed, his hands on her shoulders to remove her cloak. Hermione gave a light nod, her expression again serene with a gentle almost secret smile.

Viktor slipped the cloak from her shoulders and held in a gasp as it disappeared in his hands.

"Please." He motioned her inside and again Hermione and the other girls moved forward into the warm room, each girl now in only the startlingly beautiful dresses. They were simple, silk and fitted in the front falling gracefully to the floor. The backs were nearly bare but for the halter which clasped at their neck. The dress clung to their sides and wrapped to a point at the base of their spine where a two inch pendant of either a gold lion, a silver snake, a black badger or a small bronze bird collected the material before it fell gracefully to a the ground. They were led past students to the dais where the Headmaster turned to face the boys all who stood, instead of sat at the tables.

"Gentlemen, the ladies of Hogwarts." All the boys clicked their heals and bowed as the girls turned to face them. "Please make them feel welcome as long as they remain with us. I believe many of you have classes now, so please." He motioned to the doors and most of the boys gave another bow and left. The girls turned back to face the Headmaster. "I have several surprises for you ladies and I hope you are all pleased with them or at least not terribly upset I've gone behind your backs some." They looked from one another with slight frowns until he continued. "First, by special permission of your Headmistress we are abducting you for the weekend rather than only having a few hours." He smiled warmly. "I know several of you have other commitments at home this weekend, other men hoping to find themselves a place in your hearts but your Headmistress has agreed that they have much more time than we. You will thus be returned Sunday instead of this evening. Your schoolmates are being informed and any letters that you feel must be written, we are happy to send. I do hope none of you will begrudge us the chance to know you better." He smiled at them again as they all looked to their teachers for confirmation before smiling and nodding to him. "As you can see there are many more boys present than there are visitors, this is the second surprise as some of our boys have previously left us to the world but have been invited back for the weekend and the chance to meet you all. While we wish our students the best possible chance to find himself a match, we wish the same of our former students and we also wish that you ladies have the chance to meet many whom you might not otherwise and perhaps have a better chance to find your own match. This morning you will all be met with the dates chosen, and they will show you around our school. As you can see there are many more boys here than you so we would like it if you'd join all of us for a special lunch and then the afternoon shall be yours to explore or spend time with whom you choose. Please make this castle your home while you are here and anything you need we are most happy to do our best to accommodate."

"Thank you Headmaster Cassus. We are honored at the invitation."

"Thank you." The girls murmured together all still surprised.

"I am sure we are overwhelming all of you, perhaps before your dates show you around you would all like to return to your quarters for breakfast?" Again he smiled kindly at them.

"Thank you." Lara smiled at him and stepped forward with Professor Sprout, walking back through the Great Hall. The girls followed gracefully, the same serene smile had never left them though their minds were all running with the information.

The Professors stopped at the entrance and Professor Sprout snapped her fingers. Instantly the girls were again wrapped in the warm winter cloaks.

Outside they watched as the professors waved their wands at the four small statues which grew to the size of a large door and positioned themselves with backs together, a fifth one appeared like the point of some Hogwarts star, this one looked like a beautiful archway made of marble and the professors walked through it as though it weren't solid. All the girls followed and again found themselves in a mixed house common room.

"Is it true we're here all weekend?" Holly asked her expression finally mirroring her shock.

"It is." Lara nodded with a smile, she frowned as she saw the girls faces, "It was supposed to be a happy surprise."

"I have two dates this weekend." Sophia sighed.

"I'm supposed to play in the Quidditch game tomorrow."

"I was looking forward to the fair."

Lara smiled at them, "Your dates can be changed as the date of the Quidditch game has been moved to Monday and the fair had to be moved to next weekend due to permits or some such."

"I didn't bring cloths!" Pansy suddenly panicked.

"None of us did." Astoria sighed.

Lara grinned, "No but you didn't bring the dresses you are wearing either did you, which by the way are all yours now as well."

"So beautiful." Hermione sighed running her hand over the velvet soft cloak.

"Everything has or will be provided." Professor Sprout called, "Now as with the other night," She winked, "In these, quarters Lara and I have decided we all ought to be friends so I'm to be Pamona or Mona. You should know that all of the engaged couples back home are being sent on their own special weekend and the remaining of age students were given two options, a weekend at home or in Paris with the Beauxbaton girls, they'll have left shortly after us. We've done this for all of you as a special surprise and we do hope you'll find it a good one."

The girls started chatting to themselves until Lara called their attention again. "For now," She snapped her fingers and each girl found herself dressed as she'd left Hogwarts, "I believe this might be more comfortable though the dresses will be worn again to tonight's feast, planned special for you all. The cloaks are special and will keep you warm here in this cold. They will appear whenever you leave through the door or you call it to you with a snap of your fingers and the word, pallium.

"Pallium." They all repeated with a snap. The cloaks all appeared.

"When you remove them they will automatically vanish, returning to their hanger in your wardrobe." The girls all shrugged off the cloaks, which immediately vanished which made them laugh.

"Are you all ready for your mornings now?"

The girls all nodded, "Wait." Astoria stopped them, "What was with the mysterious smiles we all had?"

Lara laughed, "Magic from this place, to make an entrance and make you all look so calm and mysterious, even as you were hit with several surprises."

The girls began to chat again and they were led back outside their cloaks instantly appearing again to warm them as they walked back to the Great Hall.

Inside they were met with a much smaller number of boys.

"Ladies, welcome." The headmaster smiled at them. "Please, allow my boys your introductions."

"Sophia Clearwright."

"Hannah Abbot."

"Hermione Granger."

Each girl called out her own name and was soon faced with a wizard who bowed and followed her name with his own.

Hermione of course found herself faced with Kiril.

"I am please to properly meet vith you." Kiril offered his arm.

"Its good to meet you too." Kiril sent her a smile.

"I valk you around school?"

Hermione smiled and nodded, "I'd love to see the castle. I haven't even found books on it so I only know what little Viktor told me."

"I haf Histories of Durmstang if you like to look tonight. It's not English though there is good translation spell I know of."

"Oh that would be wonderful." Hermione grinned at him.

"I borrow Viktor's Howarts: A History you gif him. Was very good. I like enchanted ceiling in Great Hall."

"It's my favorite book." Hermione grinned at him.

"Mine is Oliver Twist."

"The muggle book?" Hermoine gasped surprised.

Kiril nodded, "I luf to read when trafel, is relax. I vind book vhen stuck in American train station two summers ago. I think I read it seven times now."

"Why were you stuck in an American muggle train station?"

"I visit vith father, he take me to see many different people and cultures, is job, to study how different people living. He tell me must learn English but I learn very little, vas already learning other two then."

"How many languages do you speak?"

Kiril seemed to think a while, "Human is seven now, also speak some elvish, only two of their tongues though."

"Which ones?"

"Soka and Ancient Moorne Elvish."

Hermione grinned, "Which human ones I mean."

"Ah, now I am speaking English, of course Bulgarian, then Swedish, German, French, Celtic, Italian and try to learn Latin now, more than spell. These are only ones I speak ok, can understand or speak some of others as well, some of the dialects are different. I spend entire summer with tribe of wizards speaking a mix of celtic and german they call Thorian, am not fluent but can get by."

"I was always abysmal at languages, that and flying seem impossible for me."

"You no fly well?"

"No." Hermione shook her head laughing. "I don't like it, it feels, out of control."

"I feel opposite, total control on broom."

"Really?"

"Yes." He nods, "Is all about me and broom, broom is like wand, part of me."

"No ones ever explained it like that." Hermione smiled at him.

"I surprised, Viktor feel same, he more easy on broom than legs."

"Are you two friends?"

"He is older three years, but is mentor when I first come to school. He is very taken vith vitch vhen he return from competition."

"He's asked to court me." Hermione confided.

"I know, he tell me when come here, also that you no reply."

Hermione blushed, "I feel like I should be sure before I do, I don't want to lead him on, he's such a good friend. I feel bad leading on all of the boys who seem to like me."

"Vhy? Haf your heart already chosen?"

"No." Hermione sighed, "That's just it, the more I get to know the wizards I'm set up with the more I'm unsure. I only ever went to the Yule ball with Viktor and dated Ron, I had no idea so many wizards thought of me as more than the little know-it-all I was teased for being, when I heard about the law I was scared I wouldn't find anyone to consider me."

"Vhy? You is beautiful vitch? Brilliant and brave. Vizard lucky to haf you on arm for date, luckiest vizard vill make you wife, haf partner and not vhat is saying? Ball and chain, holding back instead of supporting, vaiting home instead of at side vorking together. Vife should be partner, raise children and vork together, not divided and distant, doing own thing all time, is not luf."

"Is that what you want in a wife? A partner?"

Kiril nodded, "I vant vitch passionate about life and people, all people, to see beauty in difference, to vant to change the vorld yes but to also vant to try to understand it, ve are not all same, not supposed to be, make better but not try to make same. I vant a partner to share my life, to come vith on adventure."

"What would you do? After school I mean."

"My vork? I study to be like father. Alvays learning new things, bring people and cultures together but celebrate in difference. I vant to trafel world and make better relations vith each other and share to vorld my knowledge. Father vrite six books of knowledge and I vriting articles for magazine already and father ask if I vill join him on international council, is great honor, I vant vife to join too, like mother. Vhat do you vant after study?"

"I don't know." Hermione sighed with a little blush, "To make a difference somehow, make things better for people somehow."

"Is very good. Ve make very good match, I strong vhere you veak in language and you strong vhere I veak."

"Where is that?"

Kiril turned to her with a smile, "I know you brilliant vitch, Erik tell me how your mind catch and challenge his, to challenge him is very hard. You better at very many things than me I think but is good. I vant strong minded vife. Is ok if ve don't agree, sometimes better, vhen ve try to understand somethings is better for different perspectives, then ve challenge each other, alvays learning." Hermione grinned at him and nodded in agreement, "Vhat you vant in husband Hermione?"

Hermione blushed, "How come you can say my name so well? It took Viktor a very long time."

"I good vith language, still haf strong accent but not so hard for me now and your name spoken a lot, you are sayfior but you avoid question, vhy?"

Hermione blushed again. "I don't really know. I mean, avoided the question because I don't know. I tried to make a list but its so broad."

"Please, tell me cannot be more broad than I vant partner."

Hermione laughed and shook her head, "No but that does tell me a few telling things about you at least." She sent him a warm smile and then laughed, "Ok, I want a partner too, someone who will understand my drive to learn and not nag me about always studying, I want someone who supports me, who wants more than a woman to raise babies and cook meals, not that there is anything wrong with that for some, I'd never look down if it's a woman's choice and makes her happy but I want something else. I want a husband who is compassionate and kind but who I can argue with too, someone who challenges me, who is my friend and makes me laugh. I want passion and romance too though." She told him with a blush.

"I vant these things too." Kiril smiled. "Here, I bring you to place in school I think you like best." He stopped them at a door and motioned to it.

"I barely even looked at anything." Hermione gasped as she looked back down the stone hall.

"Is not much to see in halls, here you vill like though." He told her again motioning to the door.

Hermione moved to go inside and laughed. He'd brought her to the library. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the large room with hungry eyes. Kiril led her through the stacks stopping once in a while to pull out a book to show her and whisper something about it. All of the books were about places or various magical beings. She learned a lot about him as they whispered about the places he'd been and wanted to go, telling her about different practices and beliefs, legends and histories. They even debated house elves and Hermione left the conversation with huge respect for the wizard and a mind buzzing with his words.

"You think of them in terms of you, your life and experience, you need to think of them not like this but in terms of their needs, wants, desires, their species. They are intelligent and haf magic like us but are not human, if to compare they are more like familiars, like animals, we luf and care for but that luf and care for us too, often with devotion we do not alvays show to them." He went on to talk about their history and what their ideas behind serving were and she almost grudgingly agreed… almost. It was definitely an angle she needed to look at things from.

When the lunch bell rang she was sorry it was time to say goodbye.

"I valk you to lunch but Headmaster vill seat you. I hope it is at table vith me, if not I hope you vill allow me time vith you again during stay."

Hermione nodded and then stopped in the hall a few steps later. They were alone in the corridor, there were not even any portraits, which seemed sparce here the few paintings she'd seen were of nature. He turned to her with a questioning look.

"Kiril?" She hesitated with a blush.

"Vhat is it Hermione? Please, ve haf been so honest, is important vhen haf so little time to know each other, you need not to ever feel shy to speak."

Hermione shot him a smile and then looked away with a blush, "Will you kiss me?" Kiril looked surprised at her request. "It's a theory." She mumbled looking at her feet.

"I vish to kiss you vhen you reading book on Berlin and lip pouting." He told her, "More vhen you debate vith me about house elves." Hermione looked up at him again in surprise. "I happy to haf you ask but please to tell me theory?"

Hermione blushed again, "Remember I said I made a list about things I thought I might want?" At his nod she continued, "It didn't make it much easier and then I thought maybe I'd know better whom I was compatible with if I ever kissed any of you."

Kiril smiled at her and stepped closer, "This I like about you Hermione, not just book research but to learn ve must try things, experiment and theorize."

Hermione blushed as his left arm came around her and his right tilted her chin up, then he leaned down and touched his lips to hers. The pressure was gentle as their lips met, but his arm tightened around her back, pulling her closer to him as his mouth pressed more firmly to hers and his head adjusted just a little. Hermione gasped when he nibbled her bottom lip and his tongue followed pressing forward into her mouth to dance with hers. He didn't try to choke her with it as Ron had on occation he just gently explored her mouth making her sigh and relax into his body. After a few moments he pulled back and then pressed another gentle kiss to her lips before stepping away from her, his eyes had gone a shade darker and Hermione felt flushed.

"I think you are very compatible to me Hermione." He whispered.

She nodded licking her lips, the taste of him still distracting her.

"Ve shall go to lunch or ve vill be missed." He held out his arm to her and she shakily took it. They walked in quiet to the Great Hall and he bowed to her and kissed her hand once they'd reached the other girls, "I happy to help proof theory anytime again." His told her lowly making her blush.