Friday, December 18, 1998
While leaning back against the stone wall of the girls' lavatory, she read through the letter once again. She had received it that morning and had read it repeatedly throughout the day.
'I miss you more than you know, and I hope to see you soon.'
"How soon?" She muttered bitterly to herself.
"Who's that from?" She heard from her left and looked over to see the person she had been waiting for walking over to the sinks to wash their hands.
Hermione Granger sighed as she refolded the letter, sliding it back into its envelope. "Viktor." She mumbled in response as she stuffed the envelope into her satchel.
Ginny Weasley's eyes lit up with intrigue, "Really? How long have the two of you been dating now?"
The brunette let out a sour huff, "Dating? That's an interesting term to use for this…this thing we have going on."
Tilting her head as she dried her hands, the younger witch asked, "What's going on, Mione?"
The 8th year student sighed and shook her head, "I'm just a bit…over this."
"Over what?" The redhead asked.
"I'm over being in a so-called 'relationship' with someone that I never see." She replied quietly as the Patil twins entered the lavatory. "You know, Ginny, the last time I saw him was in August. He didn't even come to the platform to see me off to school on September 1st."
"Well…he was in training for the Quidditch season." Ginny said hesitantly but honestly.
"I understand that. I also understand that none of this is his fault. I know that it's simply our circumstances."
The redhead nodded slowly, "But?"
Hermione exhaled heavily and pulled Ginny out of the lavatory and down the corridor to an alcove so that the Patil sisters wouldn't hear the rest of their conversation.
"But…I'm tired of our circumstances and…and yet…" She sighed, running her hand through her curls, feeling that she was going to sound like a dreadfully horrible person. "I do have strong feelings for Viktor, but they're not strong enough for me to want to alter my circumstances in order to fix the situation, despite how much I can't stand it."
"So then…you want to break up with him?" Ginny said as if it were obvious.
Hermione bit her bottom lip as she thought over it all.
"Hermione, it's okay." The younger witch said quietly, "You just need to be honest with Krum."
"I should do it in person though, shouldn't I?" She asked. "I mean, isn't it just dreadfully rude to break up with someone through a letter?"
With a slight shrug, Ginny answered, "It is better in person, but it would make complete sense. I mean, that is the reason you're ending the relationship…because you two never see each other in person."
The brunette sighed and nodded, "Yeah." She breathed, thinking it over.
Ginny looked at her with an expression of pity, "Mione, are you certain that you don't want to come to The Burrow for the holidays? I know Harry and Ron miss you and would like to see you. Those bloody plonkers should have just returned for their final year, but don't even get me started on that. Plus it might make this entire situation easier to deal with."
Nodding, Hermione answered, "I'm certain. I just…I want to stay here for the holidays."
After losing her parents during the war, Hermione had distanced herself from the warmth of the Weasley family gatherings.
Ginny nodded, "Okay. If you're sure..." She said, "Well, let's go to The Great Hall and eat dinner. Then I need to get back to my dorm and pack. The Hogwarts Express is leaving at 11 tomorrow morning, and I've only just begun packing my bag."
Hermione nodded and the pair of them made their way to The Great Hall for dinner.
That evening, after dinner, Hermione went back to her dorm, but put off writing the letter to Krum. She'd wait until she was completely alone to write it. Perhaps then the proper words would come to mind.