Word Count: 4,812

A/N: Okay, a few things. THANK YOU ALL for the support on this story so far! Over 50 reviews, 11,000 views, and over 150 alerts! I never thought I'd have a story this active and popular for my FF account. I appreciate y'all hanging around through the inactive period and I'd give you all a cake for that if I could! You all give me the passion to write what I like!

I've been dealing with some irl situations including stalking and dealing with that has taken my time for writing up until the last few days. I am only now getting back into my routine and appreciate understanding for no updates on that regard!

PaC Anon, DO US BOTH A FAVOR and stop reading my story. I really wanted to follow what you were saying but your reviews aren't making much sense and they are hindering my drive to write, so it'd be much appreciative if you either tried to be more constructive(and appropriate) with the criticism or stopped writing the reviews period. Thanks very much!

You guys enjoy this chapter as though it's short, there is quite a bit that happens!

Chapter viiii – Entropy

when you sweat and bleed and cry for one person, one thing, one instance…that is that unpredictability of the human condition

Lunch was currently being held in the great hall. It bustled like usual with chatter and noise from many students of the school and of those who visited. Ginny and Ron, who had only sat down moments ago, were left confused upon seeing Hermione's look of anger that grew by the minute. Hermione was seated to herself with Harry, Neville, and now Ron who chose to sat across from the familiar friend. Ginny had plopped herself quite eagerly into the open space next to Hermione with more than just a questioning stare.

"Care to explain?" The sole Weasley daughter looked expectantly at both Harry and Neville, her eyes flicked up and down as if to tell them they better fess up. Harry merely shrugged with an oversized bite of toast in his mouth while Neville frowned and shook his head. Neither knew a thing…as usual. Hermione had not seemed to appear to have heard Ginny's question but unknowingly chose to start on a rampage about the subject of her rage filled, enthralled look of the paper she had just read.

"I absolutely cannot believe they would spout such…such lies! As If I'd ever be capable of such, that Rita Skeeter is trying to paint me as some heathen." Hermione's emotion of anger, while still notably apparent, had melted into that of a frown and an off-beat sigh.

"What'd that woman say now?" Ron, earnestly interested, in what that snoop of a witch could have made up at this point. He knew she often wrote vicious lies and expected this to be no different of a situation.

The Gryffindor's thoughts were unexpectedly interrupted by a slightly-familiar Bulgarian who had chosen to nonchalantly take the unfilled seat right on the other side of Hermione. This action practically caused him to have bug eyes when Hermione did not even appear to have batted an eye at the somewhat personal action. Hermione handed over the paper to Harry and Neville since she had been long done with it and Ginny had skimmed enough through the main article for her liking.

"It's just that her article, frankly, seems to revolve too much around myself, Viktor, and Harry." Hermione started with a soft sigh while she glanced to the right of her where Viktor had taken a seat. Though she did not verbally acknowledge him, their eye contact was more than enough for the time being in this case. Ginnny caught on to this behavior rather quickly and did not press the issue but that did not mean she would not question any of it later to her friend.

"She's gushing about a love triangle revolving around the three of us…which is funny considering I never knew I was 'heartlessly toying with their hearts' as she so kindly put it! I don't even know where she's getting half this information considering the only truth in it took place while it was just Viktor and I."

There was a loud cough that came from Ron to which he received a rather odd set of looks that quickly took attention elsewhere.

"Just you and Viktor? Mind being a bit more specific 'Mione?" Ron edged in his question rather perturbed, suddenly he did not think he was going to like where the conversation was headed.

"Oh it was after the second task. We were just talking about a few things…just read the damned article if you want to know so bad!" Being that it was quite easy to tell Hermione was on edge, Viktor let his hand rest on her shoulder.

"Yeah just us, and t'at stupid bug that wouldn't go 'way. Is fine Hermyknee, we know truth." Viktor's joke and broken dialect, albeit being better than it was when they first met, mildly comforted Hermione and she seemed at peace for the moment until it was evident that the cogs in her brain had turned. The look of realization on her face hit almost instantly and she rose from her seat almost as quickly.

"Viktor, you're an absolute genius!" Just like that Hermione was off in her own thoughts, though they were evidently more important than any of them truly realized for now. Hermione fled the scene after placing an uncharacteristically quick peck on Viktor's cheek before she practically flew down and out the hall leaving the entire group bewildered. Her questionable action towards the seeker was not entirely unnoticed at this point either. All Viktor was left with to cover the situation was a cheek that tingled, four pairs of eyes dead set on his face, and Hermione's forgotten half-eaten sandwich at this point.

Neither Hermione nor Viktor had really understood the true nature of where their relationship lied. How both very personal and detailed it was at this point. True they were technically a couple at this point but how would anyone have found that out in two days' time, especially when neither had informed anyone of this turn of events.

Both Harry and Ron, though the latter even more, are a bit slack jawed and Ginny is merely shaking her head in disappointment. Luckily Neville was too bashful to make words out of what he witness and no one else from outside their minor group had noticed the encounter between the two students from different schools.

"Will see you all later, yes?" Viktor let out a rough cough and did his best to casually slide out of the conversation that Hermione had now thrown him into but it was more awkward than he would have liked. He would definitely have to talk with Hermione on what their etiquette was when in public.

Did they want to be a known couple? Or did they want to keep it secret?

Hours later and Viktor had returned to the Durmstrang ship when his presence was called to Karkaroff's personal cabin. The high hopes and spirit that had lingered around Viktor had come to a slow stop then died almost instantly when he heard his headmaster's name. Nothing good would come from this meeting if certain words were said. Deep down Viktor knew that his school's leader had slowly become unraveled, slowly become paranoid, and slowly become someone that was not fit for his position. The other students would no doubt notice soon if they had not already begun to.

But why? That was the question that Viktor had internalized for many weeks now with answer that forever seemed to elude his mind's grasp. Perhaps soon he would be able to reach a conscious decision of the true reason behind Karkaroff's façade of control and decency. For now he had to maintain his focus on the tournament, his sanity, and Hermione. Within a matter of moments and several steps across creaking wood planks he entered into his headmaster's office. True to his foreboding thoughts the look on Karkaroff's face was not that of a kind one.

"You." Karkaroff began with one simple word, though it was obvious their conversation would not be in English. There was an edge in his voice as Viktor neared.

"You called for me headmaster?" Viktor's tone was nothing short of a polite and thin tone. No emotion, it was how the elder man preferred his students to respond. Karkaroff almost had a snide look in his face, as if he wanted to enact some sort of punishment but did not.

"I'm disappointed with you. I think you know why, you should." Karkaroff folded his arms together as his eyebrows creased downwards, which also produced heavier wrinkles on the older man's forehead. Viktor felt as if he should not respond and merely shook his head in response, this action retaining no retaliation at first.

"You...You don't!? Are you playing dumb with me boy? Do you think this is a game to our school? To me!?" More anger, more wrinkles, more agitation between both parties began as Viktor finally chose what he felt was an appropriate response in the midst of his disgust.

"I think it's very serious to me but I have absolutely no clue what I have done to be a disappointment." Viktors hands remained clasped behind his back, this was the appropriate behavior when being addressed by their headmaster and so far he was doing a fair job at having his posture kept corrected.

"Do you not think it inappropriate to be fraternizing with that Hogwarts student? You growing affection for this…muggle is ridiculous, so much that it's affected your participation in the tournament. You played second, second not first in the second task. Now you know I don't care if you need lay or an outlet but you're letting yourself become enthralled by other pursuits." Karkaroff exhaled when he finished speaking, the deafened silence in the room made him think his point had be solidified against the other. Viktor would not have been so agreeable to this point had he known it was what the headmaster thought at the moment.

"My relations with any student have not hindered or helped my progress in any way. It is on myself on how I do in my tasks, you know this was my goal from the start, to prove that I could complete the tournament with as little help as possible. How could you dare say she would hinder my abilities? How dare you bring her into this!" Viktor's jaw was clenched at this point and his arms were at his side accompanied with balled up fists. His anger was far too visible but once he started to lose it he was on the lesser side of having cared.

"How dare you argue back with your superior? I could end your little visits with her, could halt your contact to anyone outside of this ship. I could have your every move watched that you'd never know when you were truly alone. I could end your pathetic excuse for career before it would ever start again." Karkaroff countered angrily, his attempts to rope in Viktor had become more and more outrageous. His student was quiet at this point, eyes cast down to the wooden floor. He had no doubt the much younger wizard would rather trace the swirl outlines cast into the oak than be talked to in such a manner that Karkaroff had chosen to produce.

When Viktor's head rose with eerie ease which allowed him to maintain eye contact with the other, almost too calm for comfort that Karkaroff almost appeared thrown off from the situation. Viktor had already begun retreating from the enclosed room but the words he spoke were as clear and loud as needed, no hint of weakness was ever shown.

"Don't do something stupid Headmaster."

In the dead of night three days later when the halls of Hogwarts were silent and at peace Hermione sat upwards in her bed in a heave that left her breathless and in a cold sweat. To proclaim this was the first night she experienced the night terror it would be a bold faced lie. The incident in question had started the same night as the second task but every night there was the same dream, the same disaster that happened as each night before.

The first night in occurrence caused her to wake up in a start, her eyes wide with doubt that the reality she was now in was true to be. This night was no different as she was whisked away into thoughts about her nightmare from before.

In the back of her mind she was still within the realm of her nightmare, still within the realm of water and merfolk and darkness. The moments following she was met with worry by Ginny who was simply laid a comforting hand on her back and followed suit by soothing her with back rub.

The circular motions did little for Hermione at first. She simply sat there with her hands gripping the upper sides of her arms, mouth mute and eyes shut tightly. When the fourth year finally did come into a sense of calmness and realism, she looked at her roommate with a frown for moment before her eyes shied away in a way that replicated something akin to being ashamed.

"Do you want to talk about it Hermione?" Ginny's voice was soft and at peace unlike the voices of those in Hermione's nightmare. They were garbled and scratchy accompanied by a devilish hiss with each word spoken. Their voices were anything but kind or caring.

"I dreamed about the lake," While true Hermione's voice lingered lighter the further her sentence went on, "And it was during the second task. Viktor never made it in time. He…never made it at all."

Ginny's frown deepened as she sat on Hermione's bed, the sheets wrinkled as she leaned into her leg. Hermione had talked briefly on what had happened to her in the second task, how she had been coherent to an extent while underwater and how her anxiety level had skyrocketed for the duration of her experience. It seemed now that there was still an aftermath for Hermione even after everything was said and done. Ginny wondered just how far it had affected Hermione.

"I dreamt that I drowned."

The first dream Hermione had went exactly like her time in the Black Lake excluding the part where Viktor showed and she reached the surface. This time seemed to prove otherwise as Hermione recalled that Viktor did show up, without his shark head, he was unable to secure her freedom and instead had to watch her death.

Shaken up particularly as she recalled quite clearly but uneasily the sensation of staring into his darkly lit eyes as she gasped for a breath and then a second until she was choking on what felt like imaginary water. The sensation had started as a faint, unaware tickle in the back of her throat that slowly crept up behind her until she gasped with hands that clawed at her throat. She could feel the lack of air that slowly overcame her, a thick ache deep in her chest that grew by the moment until she could no longer handle it.

The final moments in Hermione's dream were clear in her memories but hazy in the nightmare. An out of body experience it felt like as Hermione viewed her own body floating in the water. The red lines etched on her neck by hands that had now floated aimlessly around her body. Lifeless eyes that stared straight back at her and then she was back.

Back to the real world.

Having sat in recollection for the past few minutes, Hermione only then took a moment to look around the room. Ginny was still tucked under her covers soundly asleep with no idea of what had just happened. Hermione made sure she would never at this point per the silencing charm she had placed that very night before she fell asleep.

Hermione's hands grasped at the dark maroon covers for a moment before she reluctantly laid back, the back of her head pressed against the pillow. When morning came she could only hope to remember a spell to rid herself of the dark circles that were beginning to present themselves under her eyes and be thankful there was no class on Sundays.

Only a week has passed and the invasion against Hermione's sleep had yet to stop itself. The young Griffyndor had resorted to research better magic on covering up areas. She had not told another soul aside from Ginny about what was happening and even then had not revealed to the only Weasley girl their extent on which it affected her. Sooner or later the stress would get to her.

Being prone to a snappy attitude as well did not help her case as she had already let loose on Harry and once and Ron twice for, in her mind, the silliest of things. Add up the guilt she faced from such atrocious actions, the weight of the dreams, and her unwillingness to spare anyone any details Hermione felt it would not be soon before she fully lost it.

Viktor had not been blind to the change in Hermione's personality and way she carried herself. He watched as each day she became just a little bit more tired, a little bit more spaced out, a little bit more not herself. The transition had unnerved him and any time he would prod or question her she would shrug him off with the smallest of smiles.

Things had finally set themselves in motion when he found himself on a walk along the beach by himself. It was Sunday and though the students had no classes, the majority of the students did not quite feel like the weather was worth going out yet. Viktor, however, had no qualms and enjoyed the solitude for the time being. Until Ron showed up. With an attitude.

"Oi, Krum." The owner of the voice caught Viktor off guard and when he turned around he could see said person had almost reached him. There was a peculiar look on his face that caught him off guard.

"Weasley. You need something?" The Bulgarian was quite unsure of Ron's purpose as they had not shared many words since the Yule Ball, which even then were few and far in between. Truth be told, Viktor had a particularly off taste in his mouth when thought of Hermione friend. He had been present on more than one occasion of them arguing and he did not like it a single bit. So why would the Weasley seek out Viktor himself?

"Yeah." While the response was somewhat expected, it was too short and caught off. A resounding thud rung into the air and Viktor's feel scraped against the dirt too quickly which caused him to fall to the ground. Ron recoiled with a sharp hiss, cradling a balled fist in his other hand which barely began to take on a red tint around his knuckles. Still he progressed forward as if to take advantage of the situation with Viktor taken off guard.

"What is problem!?" Viktor was able to dodge the blow of a second punch to the face when he grabbed Ron's fist this time. With Ron's rashness, he once again yelped in pain. He had not expected Viktor's face to be as muscled as his arms and therefore the outside of his hand stung when grabbed. Regardless he tried to grab at Viktor with his free hand and when Viktor would not cooperate he fell in to the position of straddling him. Uncovered dirt flew around their faces making Viktor squint for a moment.

"You're my problem! You've done something to Hermione and I demand to know what!" While Viktor had been agitated, borderline angry from the unplanned hit his grip had gone slack at the accusation. His mind whirled a mile a minute at each though for what could have cause this sort of attention and in the end it chose to be centered on Hermione.

This gap in physical response left Ron a chance to land another hit on his already bruising cheek. The stinging pain and loud smack knocked him from his thoughts. In return he used his greater strength to gain the upper hand and pin Ron under him instead. He was going to control the situation no matter what it took.

"I hav' done no such t'ing Weasley! Explain self now." Viktor's grip on Ron's wrist did not lessen at this point.

"Let go of me Krum!" Ron still struggled furiously, unwilling to commit to further conversation just yet. Viktor was getting even more annoyed by the minute and he felt it a reflex when he smacked Ron's face abruptly. Almost instantly he recoiled after the action took place. The slight hint of guilt deepened when Ron did not respond. Though in the back of his mind a lingering thought continued to stay; why should he feel bad for having slapped the boy when he had punched him not once but twice.

Ron's breath was hard and ragged from the scuffle. It was easy to see on his face that a multitude of emotions were processing and that the fact that Ron let them get the better of him and stick him in such a situation was beginning to set in. Slowly he sat up with his less injured hand wiping under his nose as he inhaled. Viktor was close by in front of im but on his knees, shoes only slightly propping himself up from the grass and dirt below, which both were covered in at this point.

"I..I don't even know what got into me.." Ron backpedaled himself from the situation, unsure of what Viktor would do to him at this point. His hand was positioned over his forehead, face cast downward in shame. Viktor could clearly see the regret in his eyes.

"Just…explain…okay? What you refer to wit'…Hermyknee?" Viktor's own method to gather enough breath was slow to work as he sluggishly put out his request verbally. Ron looked upwards, the reality that Viktor had not even known what was going on with Hermione had finally set in.

"You don't even know what I'm talking about do you? How could I be so stupid." Ron sighed, his head shook disappointedly. This caused Viktor to crawl towards him with a deep frown.

"No, No. Somet'ing up with Hermyknee, yes? She acting different now, I can see very much so." Ron's eyes widened as Viktor spoke. So he too had noticed the change within their mutual friend. Ron was so sure it had been Viktor to cause the trouble within Hermione's self, after all nothing had changed until their experience with the second task.

"Well its just…I…I thought you had done something to her! She hadn't even started acting weird until the second task and when I read in Skeeter's article about you asking her to Bulgaria and it being true I thought it had to have involved you somehow. I didn't think it through enough did I…I just feel like Hermiones been distancing herself from me…and Harry even since she found you." Once Ron was able to find his words it was like a waterfall of words had come through and his entire set of troubles laid itself out in the open for Viktor to dissect.

"I just thought that Hermione and I were finally on good terms since my stupid mouth at the ball but now she's all mixed up again." Viktor mulled over the words Ron spoke with great interest. A lot of the Weasley's actions made sense now. He had been insecure and jealous about his own spot to Hermione. Suddenly he had felt a little bit of sadness rising within him as he had been part of the problem between the two. However, Viktor did not feel it appropriately to place the sole blame on himself as it was ultimately up to the two of them to fix their problems with each other.

"Am sorry for lot of trouble caused but I cannot help arguments between two of you. T'at for you to figure out, yes? But to tell truth, you must tell truth. I hav' learned talking is only way, ot'erwise t'ings go very, very bad." Viktor frowned, hoping that there was some solution to this whole mess of a situation. In some ways he felt like the friction between him and Ron had dissolved but an entirely different situation with Hermione had arisen, one that involved more than just him.

"I see. Can I tell you something? I had always admired you as a quidditch player, probably a little more than I should've," Ron paused to chuckle because now was more than right time to be truthful, "And then you come in and practically steal Hermione right from under Harry and I…and I was a total idiot. I could've avoided all of this by just not over reacting. You're pretty cool for a famous person."

"Am not that famous, but will take compliment happily, my friend." Viktor could not help but chuckled, even despite the worsening ache in the right side of his face. It was like that for some people though, they could have all the issues in the world with one another but once a common ground was found it was much easier to devolve the situation into that of a non-dramatic one. Just like that they both felt it much easier to breathe, a weight lifted from their shoulders that they had not known was there.

"Ron? Viktor!" Two sets of eyes darted in shock towards the voice's direction and immediately they felt far worse than before. There was Hermione looking particularly upset as she ran towards them. When she had stopped right before them where they lay with rosy faces and messy clothes she could easily put two and two together.

"You two…fought? You two fought didn't you! I cannot believe you'd act so stupidly, both of you!" Hermione argued forth towards them with little hesitation, her hands clenched at her side in despair. Viktor started to get up with Ron who followed suit a moment late, a frown on both their faces.

"Hermyknee wa-" Viktor attempted to apologize and nullify what Hermione thoughts of what had possibly happened. His attempt to reach for her was rejected harshly as she flinched away.

"No. No…I don't want to hear it. Of all things that could have happened, you hit one another? You two are not enemies so why do you act like it?" Hermione's voice cracked as she talked. The last thing she expected was for either of them to act on impulse and have a physical confrontation. Everything so far had been through verbal altercations and while she knew that was not acceptable either she never believed it would escalate this far. With her thoughts jumbled beyond repair, Hermione turned to leave the area with a shocked Ginny having just entered the scene.

"Hermione wait." Ron spoke loudly, certainly loud enough for his best friend to hear. In spite of everything she stopped, despite the obvious hesitation to, she stopped. When Hermione turned around, a sliver of a tear caught in her eye ready to fall, her lips being bit while everything happened so fast.

"It's my fault, okay? I was the one to act like an idiot, I was the one to say such stupid things, and I was the one to hit Krum first. And you know what? It did feel good, because I thought I was doing the right thing. And we talked, and I learned a lot. I need to apologize to you Hermione." Ron walked closer to Hermione, Viktor stepped aside to allow him an easier path towards the saddened witch.

"Ron..?" There was a short, barely audible laugh from Hermione when Ron was close enough, "What on Earth has gotten into you to say something so smart?"

Both of the boys were able to crack a smile at that, the tension in the situation was at least being diffused a little bit. While they still had a long way to go with alleviating the situation this was a grand start.

"I'm sorry Hermione for acting like an idiot to you and to Viktor. Please forgive me for now?" Ron was shocked when Hermione had decided to hug him out of the blue. He could feel nod against his chest. Quickly though she had stood back.

"I suppose I can, we've got a lot to talk about though.. Let's go inside for now? Please?"

"We do, don't we? Let's go, last one there is a salted newt!" Ron jogged forward with Ginny trailing behind, Hermione and Viktor barely a step behind as well. When the slowed Ron shoved his hands in his pocket. Viktor had dared to take Hermione's hand in his and surprisingly she had accepted, the long walk back to the school's building began to seem all the better.

"Oh and please don't fight anymore?" Hermione half-joked towards them but they all knew deep down the other half was dead serious.

"Of course Hermyknee, but only if promise to let me make up t'is to you, yes?" Viktor had a bare smile on his face to accompany a nose more crooked than ever. Hermione had not said a word but she had nodded positively towards him.

For now they had partially resolved one issue but deep down in the pits of Viktor's mind he still needed to know what had happened to Hermione. Why she was the way she was. It had become so obvious to him now, in the way she did not put up as much of an argument and the wat her walk was the slightest bit slower. It was imperative that he figure the problem out and solve it.

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