Viktor and Jamous walked together from the great hall to the testing area down in dungeon hall. He wanted to see Hermione at breakfast wanted to catch her calm eyes and even if it was for a second give her a kiss. Maybe even thank her for the quill she had given him, but none of this was possible because she had not been there.

"Fitting don't you think?"

"What?" he asked Jamous.

"That our final round of OWLS are in dungeon hall…" he looked to him. "You know because these things are bloody torture."

"Since when do you say bloody?" Viktor asked with a smile.

"My Padma she's rubbing off on me. Her parents are allowing her to come to Bulgaria with me for a week… We are both excited. Is Hermione coming to your house this summer?"

"I'm not sure yet. I hope so." He said.

"What is in box?" he asked.

"Hermione gave me a quill and ink well to use." He said with a smile.

"Good voman you got there."

"I know…" he was about to head into the testing room when Jamous stopped with a smile.

"Viktor we have guests…" he looked to where Jamous was gazing to see Padma and Hermione hiding behind a pillar. The two boys looked both ways before rushing over to them.

"We had to say good luck." Padma said. "I wasn't going to get a chance when Hermione grabbed me this morning and we snuck down here."

"Good woman." Jamous said again. Viktor smiled as he took Hermione in his arms.

"I know…" he answered once more.

"Did you get the quill?" Hermione asked as she pulled back.

"Yes it was very considerate."

"I've used that one on every single huge test I've ever taken its brought me a lot of luck… I hope it does the same for you."

"Luff you don't need luck you're crazy smart."

"Not when it comes to divination."

"It's true she's not very good." Padma said and Hermione shot the girl a glare. "Not your fault of course…" she said quickly.

"The ink well is special though it's the smoothest ink you'll ever use so you shouldn't have any scratch marks on your test." Hermione stated as the bell rang. "You two have to go. The test is starting soon."

"Good luck Honey." Padma hugged Jamous and kissed his cheek before running off.

"No need for luck when I haf girl like that looking out for me." He patted Viktor on the back before heading into the test room.

"You remember your magical theory and laws?" Hermione inquired.

"All of them." He said.

"Goblin wars?"

"I'm good on those too."

"Standard magical laws?"

"That as vell." He smiled. "You prepared me vell."

"Good… Okay… Well good luck okay?" Viktor cupped her cheek and kissed her.

"I luff you Mina."

"I love you too…" he smiled as he backed away before heading into the room not before giving Hermione a nervous look. The door slowly closed and Hermione looked at it with a small smile.

The man will fly at ridiculous speeds at ridiculous heights with no fear but he gets nervous over a test… At least he's been through the OWLS once before… Thank god Brittan only makes you do one round of them… One thing I'll say about Bulgaria's educational system… They're down right brutal.

Viktor slowly sat down. The room was intimidating, the air was thick, and the lighting was harsh. He could tell this first round of the written was going to be a tough one. His eyes settled on Dumbledore who was sitting in a chair at the head of the room. The man's kind look instantly put him at ease and suddenly things seemed a little bit more fair and a lot less daunting.

"Set up your quills if you brought them…" Dumbledore said standing up. To Viktor's surprise every single one of his classmates took one out. A few had sets like he did with their own ink wells as well. He smiled as set his up then tucking the box under the chair. Slowly the headmaster of Hogwarts made his way around the room making sure there was nothing extra or unusual on the students desks. He stopped at Viktor. "I know that Quill…" he said with twinkling eyes.

"Yes it's my girlfriends, Hermione Grangers. She gave it to me for good luck."

"They say quills hold knowledge of those who have wielded them. I imagine this Quill being Miss Grangers holds more knowledge then even my quill does…" Viktor smiled seeing the man's eyes sparkle behind his moon shaped spectacles.

"I think she would disagree with you on that one headmaster…" Dumbledore smiled.

"Yes she would. She's a very humble person… In my opinion that's what makes her so very wise for her age… I doubt you'll need luck on this test wielding her Quill… Even so good luck Mr. Krum."

"Thank you sir…" the older wiser wizard nodded before going on to check the rest of the desks. He smiled as he gazed down at Hermione's quill. He put it to his nose and smiled as her scent filled his senses. Instantly it calmed him and quelled his fears.

-o-

Hermione slowly paced dungeon hall. It was long after her classes had ended and nearing dinner. One by one students had begun to file out some looking proud others looking like death. Still there was no sight of Viktor. She had prepared him, he had prepared himself. Why he wasn't out already was worrying her. She smiled seeing Jamous who instantly walked to her.

"Is Padma with you again?"

"She was sent to detention…"

"What Why?"

"She got caught sneaking here for your test break… Is Viktor done? Did I miss him?"

"No he's still in there." He said. "He seems to be doing quite vell…"

"Good Good…" Hermione said.

"You should head to dinner he might be a while longer."

"No I think I'll stay you should go get in trouble and join Padma."

"I knew they called you wise for a reason." He said before running off. Hermione slowly continued to pace.

What could be taking him so long, not that I'm not glad he's taking his time… I hope he's not re reading all his answers. I told him not to do that… he'll second guess himself… she leaned against a pillar her hands behind her back. Come on Viktor… she waited in that same spot for another two hours in that time only one other student had come out and he had informed her that Viktor was the only one left inside testing. The door opened and Hermione stood straight seeing Viktor come out his eyes on the floor the quill box in hand.

"Hey?" he looked up slowly looking like hell. "Oh no… Oh Viktor I'm sor-."

"I think I did wonderful!" he picked her up in his arms and spun her around.

"Really?" she asked with a smile as he set her down. "Viktor you scared me did you stay in there that long to make me nervous?"

"No was re writing my essay didn't like the first or second draft so I did a third…"

"There was an essay?" she asked as they began to walk.

"Dah, on what we want for a future."

"Interesting question."

"I thought so as vell…"

"I was so worried when everyone was coming out and you weren't…" she said as they headed up the stairs.

"I just wanted to get my essay done right…" he said with a smile. "You think they are still serving dinner?"

"No but I thought ahead… Meet me in an hour in front of your cabin?"

"What haf you planned?"

"Just something… Don't be late." She smiled at him before heading off.

-o-

Hermione slowly walked towards the cabin. She smiled when she saw Viktor already waiting for her. He was wearing a red button down shirt black vest and nice fitting jeans. He looked nice, she hope she did too.

"You beat me out here." She said and Viktor slowly turned and smiled.

"Wow…" he said.

"Good wow or bad wow?" he took her hands looking her over. She was wearing a white sun dress that had a squared off low neck line. He twirled her in a circle and smiled at the corset detail in the back. She was to his height now thanks to the five inch red suede wedges she was wearing.

"Good wow… Always good wow." She smiled.

"Ready for a date night?" she asked.

"This is a date night?" he asked.

"Yes."

"The man usually makes the date."

"Maybe in Bulgaria but I am an English flower as you have said many times and as an English flower I occasionally set up dates."

"Dah I understand. So where are we heading?"

"It's a surprise." She took his hand and started to walk him along the shore of the lake. "So was this round of OWLS different then your first round?"

"Yes there weren't any interviews it was all written." He said.

"Interviews?" she asked.

"I don't know about here but in Bulgaria we haf interviews with heads of state on what we want to do and what we're capable off."

"I think we have that here." She said.

"You vill be taking OWLS next year won't you?"

"Oh I guess I will…"

"Nervous?"

"A little but I've been studying for them since my second year so I'm somewhat confidant… I have a feeling next year though that I will be studying like a mad woman." He smiled.

"I could see that. So Padma and Jamous seem to be doing vell."

"They do don't they?"

"You don't seem to get along with Padma very vell…"

"That's because I don't. In all honesty I'm not a big fan of hers but if she's with Jamous then I have to be."

"Why haf?"

"Because Jamous is your best friend."

"You're good voman Mina." He said.

"I try." She said with a smile. Viktor walked to see they were heading into the forbidden forest.

"Where are we going luff?"

"Somewhere very special." She said. They began moving through the dark forest each staying very quiet as to not rouse any sleeping creatures, dark and light alike. After a while they got to a large tree that had a large dip in the bark that looked like a dark cave. "Okay it's very dark so hold onto my hand. We can't use magic inside."

"Inside the tree?" he asked.

"Yeah ready?" she asked with an excited look.

"Of course." He said. She led him into the small cave and instantly they were shrouded in darkness.

"Feel the walls for turns…" Hermione said. He could tell from the angle they were going that they were moving in a spiral circle downwards into the ground. After a while Hermione stopped making him do the same. "Close your eyes…"

"But I can't see anything any-." His felt Hermione's mouth move against his before pulling away.

"Close your eyes…" she said as her lips brushed against his with every word. He smiled as he let his eyes drift closed. He heard something slide and then felt Hermione pull him into a damp slightly cold room. "Don't open yet…"

"Okay." He said with a laugh. He heard something slide again and then Hermione walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Okay… Open…" Viktor did as she said. He stared out at a vast cavern that had a light blue hue to it. His eyes went to the right to see a large pool of crystal clear water that had fog rising up from it. In front of them was a table set up with some food. Viktor turned and looked to her.

"From that expression you've missed one great detail…" she said her eyes dancing with mischief.

"What am I missing?" he asked. "Not that this isn't great I like the prifacy…" she smiled brightly.

"Viktor… Look up…" he slowly did as she said and instantly smiled.

"Wow…" he breathed. The ceiling of the cavern was high but it wasn't rock like the walls it was instead filled with millions of glowing gold opaque swirls. Some were thick others were thin. The gold seemed to drip and then disappear before they could even reach half way.

"It's the root system of the Miriscortes tree group above us… in Latin the term for this is nitentis aurum radix, loosely translated to Glistening Gold Root… This is a rare sight…" he looked to her to see she had a smile on her face as she looked to it. "We are two out of only six people to ever see this in the world…"

"It's amazing…" he said still looking to her. She smiled as she glanced to him. "How did you find this place?"

"I kind of fell into it…" she said. "It's a long story."

"Tell me over dinner…" he said pulling her to the table that she had set up.

"I only did desserts it was the only thing left over from dinner and I didn't want the house elves to over work…"

"It reminds me of first date." He said with a smile.

"You really don't mind?"

"Not at all." He said with a smile as they sat down with each other. "So tell me of story."

"It's not that exciting." She said with a shrug.

"Oh come on I want to hear." He said.

"Okay well it was after a small fiasco I had last year with Harry."
"What fiasco?" he asked. "I know you did somfing it's all around Hogwarts but no one knows what exactly…" she looked at him.

"Oh uhm… Right no one knows… Well… We-." She stopped un sure of how to go on.

That involves Sirius… I can't tell him about Sirius all the knowledge he has is that he's a murderous death eater… if I tell him the truth he's not going to believe me he'll just think I helped out a mass murder- No… No he won't think that… she smiled softly. He won't because he loves me…

"Luff your mind has run away from us again…" she looked to him for a long moment.

"Viktor how well can you keep a secret?" she asked him.

"I pride myself in confidant skills."

"What I'm about to tell you can't leave this cavern… Understand?" she said with a serious expression that made him want to listen intently.

"Dah." He said with a stern nod.

"I mean that Viktor. If it got out I could be sent away to Azkaban do you understand?" He took on a serious expression of his own. "The only reason I'm telling you is because I can't stand lying to you… Can you keep this a secret? For my sake…"

"I vill not tell soul I promise." He said.

"Alright let me start off by asking, do you know who Sirius Black is."

"Dah Luff everyone does… He is mass murder here in UK… He was also here last year from reports… He avoided capture… He is guilty man on run…"

"No…" she shook her head with a passionate look. "No he's an innocent man on the run…" he looked at her for a long moment.

"This is going to be quite a tale isn't it?"

"Yeah so… Strap in." she smiled softly pouring Viktor a glass of butter beer as she began her tale of dementors, time traveling, ministry deceit, and of course one fantastic hippogriff.

As she talked and told him everything that had happened last year he nodded and listened intently the whole time. He never spoke, never made an expression but the pensive one she had when she had begun her story. After forty five minutes of the tale and three whole desserts shared between them Hermione took a small breath.

"So he flew off on buck beak and Poor Harry hasn't seen him since… Anyways after all of that I realized I had lost my mom's prized charm bracelet that she had worn through all her years of school… I came back looking for it found it in front of the tree and I fell into the crevice and tumbled down here… Which is how I discovered it." He didn't say anything for a long moment. "Viktor?"

"So Sirius Black is Innocent?" he asked mulling it over.

"Very…" she said. He took a small breath before looking to her.

"You live complicated life luff…" he said after as he took a sip of butter beer.

"I do I really do. I wanted to tell you sooner but, you can imagine why I waited. I mean to you Sirius Black is a monster. A man who has killed tons of muggles, wizards, and witches alike and I had set him free causing the ministry to lose track of him… But to me he's Harry's only family, he's an innocent man, and I set him free because it was the right thing to do and because the ministry wouldn't listen to the truth…" he looked at her for a long moment. "He's a good man Viktor."

"I know Luff." He said taking her hand. "You did right thing…"

"So you believe me?" she asked instantly relieved.

"Of course, you are my Luff you wouldn't lie… Besides it wouldn't be the first time ministry refused to listen to truth but instead listened to lies… It's easier for them too." She smiled as she looked to him.

"If I had told anyone else what I did they would have reported me to the ministry for treason…"

"I can't report you, you are luff beside I haf much planned for the summer and you being in Azkaban would put damp clouds on plans I haf." She laughed softly.

"Damper…" she said with a small smile. "So I'm guessing after the amazing summer you have planned you'll be calling ministry."

"Dah." He said making her laugh.

"Well we best enjoy the time we have with me as a free woman." He laughed as he took her hand. "Thanks for understanding that story though… Really thank you…" he smiled.

"You were very worried about telling me weren't you?" he asked. "You were scared I would turn you in?"

"No I wasn't scared you would turn me in, I was scared your view of me might change. It's actually one of the only things I'm truly scared off…" he looked at her for a long moment before he cupped her cheek.

"My view of you could never change… You are still the strong fierce voman who saved me from death eaters the night of the world cup…"

"You still think of me that way?"

"Of course I do…" he said. "Why would I think… What is word Luff…" he searched for it. "Think… Think…"

"Otherwise?"

"Dah this is it. Why would I think otherwise?"

"Well because of the numerous attacks where I got seriously hurt especially the last one in the library with crawl… I was completely weak…"

"Weak?" he asked. "No…Hurt Luff… Never weak… The fact you survived what you did just means you're even stronger then I first thought. No one else could haf been through that and then the next day carry on as if it never happened…" Hermione smiled brightly before moving forward and wrapping her arms around his neck. Viktor held onto her tightly. "You are very intelligent voman my Mina but sometimes you think a little backwards…" she laughed.

"Guess I do don't I?" she asked pulling back.

"If I ever get to meet Sirius I'll have to thank him… If it hadn't been for that fiasco you would have never found this place." He said looking up.

"I know I've been wanting to thank him as well… Only Harry knows how to get a hold of him." She said with a smile.

"Luff what is the gold stuff that drips and then disappears.

"Ignis sucus aka Fire sap…" she said with a smile before reaching into his coat and pulling out his pocket watch. She smiled when she flipped it open to see a picture of her and Viktor dancing around a room.

"The photo Mother snapped when you were in Bulgaria…" he said.

"I like that photo I have a copy in my room she sent me…" she smiled softly. "Okay it's almost time…" she said tucking his watch back into his coat.

"Time for what?" he asked watching her take off her shoes.

"The best part about this cavern." She said turning. "Un do the corset for me?"

"We are… Getting naked?"

"Not completely…" she said feeling him undo the bow at the bottom and pull it loose. Viktor smiled as the dress fell from her body revealing a white lace bra with pink bows and matching boy shorts. She turned and pushed off his coat and then un did his shirt he instantly felt cold air rush against him.

"Oh luff its cold." He said with a laugh.

"We just have to endure it for a few moments." She said as he unbuckled his pants and let them fall to the ground. He had already kicked off his shoes when she had.

"It is very cold."

"I know." She said with a laugh her bottom lip trembling as she took his hand. "Come on." She pulled him to the large body of water.

"If the room is cold then this is cold too." He said.

"Yes it is… But we only have to swim in it for maybe a minute." She let go of his hand and jumped in. she resurfaced a moment later and gasped. "Yes very cold." She said her teeth chattering. "Okay jump in."

"No." he said with a laugh.

"It's worth it jump in!"

"Do you know what is like for man to jump in to freezing pool? I haf parts that are sensitive."

"So do I now jump in!"

"Not same parts!"

"Viktor get in the water." she said.

"No!"

"Viktor I'm in here so you have to be as well."

"I didn't make you get in freezing water."

"Are you a man or a mouse?"

"I'm a man who hates cold water!"

"Get in the bloody pool!" he suddenly jumped in closing his eyes as he braced for the cold. He fell into the water and sunk in a good ten feet before rising up. He took a breath as he broke the surface before he looked to Hermione who was smiling at him.

"This isn't cold." He said.

"I know." She said giggling. "Glad to know you trust me." He smiled as he pulled her into his arms.

"Why is cavern so cold but this water is hot?"

"There's a crystal system below us the natural energy of which heats this pool of water." She said. Viktor moved forward and kissed her instantly.

"I luff it when you talk magic…" he said.

"I could tell you all about the 500 different types of magical crystals that are known about…" she said with a smile.

"Oh yes… Talk crystals its sexy." She laughed her head throwing back as she did. He moved forward and kissed her neck. Hermione bit her bottom lip as her eyes drifted closed. His mouth went to her jaw line before his hands went into her now damp hair and brought her head forward to capture her lips with his once more. After a long minute he pulled away and Hermione smiled.

"You know when I rescued you so valiantly like the warrior woman I am from those death eaters and we were hiding in that cave…" she said making him laugh.

"Yes?"

"Well I never thought in a million years that I would be snogging you a few months later…"

"Really because I knew." She laughed while he smiled. "I knew that we were going to be here in this place snogging actually."

"Did you really?" she asked.

"Yes yes I did." He said with a cheeky smile. "No okay I didn't…" she laughed again.

"Can I ask you a deeply personal question Viktor?" She asked.

"Always luff…"

"When did you fall in love with me?" he smiled as he pushed a strand of wet hair away from her face.

"It was luff at first sight…" he said quietly.

"No it wasn't…" she said with a smile.

"You're right…" He said in Bulgarian. "I didn't love you the moment I saw you…" he looked at her for a long moment. "I think I loved you before that…"

"That's impossible…" she said softly. "You didn't know me…"

"My heart knew you…" he said returning to English.

"How?" she asked softly.

"Because…" he kissed her his hand covering her heart. "It was made for yours…" Her eyes filled with emotion as he cupped her cheek and kissed her again. He pulled away but only an inch. "I love you my mina…" he whispered before capturing her lips once more in a heated kiss.