Some of the dialogue, especially Ron's s direct thoughts, are taken from my fic Twelve Kisses. His direct thought will be in italics.

Chapter 102: Fuck You, Viktor Krum

All eyes seemed locked on Hermione now. Parvati was gazing at Hermione in unflattering disbelief, Krum's fan club from the library stalked past, throwing Hermione looks of deepest loathing, Pansy gaped at her as she walked by with Malfoy, and even he didn't seem to be able to find an insult to throw at her. I however, walked right past her with Parma, having absolutely nothing to say, wondering if my face showed the disgust I was feeling.

Viktor Krum? Of all the sods walking around this school, she had chosen to go with fucking Viktor Krum? What the bloody hell was going through her mind when she said yes to that dimwitted twat?! The only thing he was good for was catching a fucking snitch!

The walls of the Hall had all been covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The House tables had vanished; instead, there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people.

I watched Harry and Parvati dance. He looked completely nervous, while Parvati was thriving off the attention. And the my eyes locked on Hermione. And it made my blood boil that she looked so happy with him.

'How dare he stroll his cocky ass in here with Hermione!' I ranted in my head. 'Who the hell does he think he is? Hermione is my best friend, not bloody Krum's. She hardly knows this old ass man and she's fawning all over him.'

'So that's why she didn't want to tell me who her date was. She knew I would have forbidden her to go with him. Not that I can control Hermione or anything. I wouldn't want to do that. Maybe forbidden is too harsh a word…"

'Look at them. He can't even bloody dance. The great prat. He barely picked Hermione up in that last turn. Are those muscles just for show, old man? Hermione is as light as a bloody pigmy puff, how the fuck can you not lift her?'

I looked over at the table that the champions were now sitting at. Harry and Parvati ended up sitting next to Percy, who I didn't even know was coming. Hermione and Krum was sitting a few people down, in deep conversation from the looks of it. I felt like I was on fire. How the bloody hell could she be having such a good time with him? She had just said only a couple weeks ago how his presence in the library annoyed her.

"Do you want to dance?" I heard Padma say behind me.

"No thanks. Not too fond of this song." I lied.

It was actually one if the Weird Sisters biggest hits and I really liked it. But I didn't want to dance with her. I didn't want to be near her. The only person I wanted to be near was stuck up a grown man's ass!

Soon, Harry and Parvati made their way to the table that Padma and I were sitting at.

"How's it going?" Harry asked me, sitting down and opening a bottle of butterbeer.

I didn't answer. My focus was on Hermione and Krum, who were dancing nearby. Soon, some boy came and asked for Parvati's hand.

"You don't mind, do you, Harry?" Parvati said.

"What?" said Harry, eyes locked on Cho and Cedric.

"Oh never mind," snapped Parvati, and she went off with the boy from. When the song ended, she did not return.

'I know she isn't bringing that huge git over here.' I thought as I watched Hermione and Krum leave the dance floor. 'Annnnnd she is. Dammit. I have to play nice. Wait, no I don't. Fuck that.'

Hermione came over and sat down in Parvati's empty chair, fanning herself.

"Hi," said Harry. I on the other hand, didn't say a word.

"It's hot, isn't it?" said Hermione, continuing to fan herself with her hand. "Viktor's just gone to get some drinks."

"Viktor?" I said, sneering at her. "Hasn't he asked you to call him Vicky yet?"

Hermione looked at me in surprise. "What's up with you?" she said.

"If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you."

Hermione stared at me, then at Harry, who shrugged.

"Ron, what -?"

"He's from Durmstrang!" I said without thinking, trying to give some kind of logical reason on why this bothered me. "He's competing against Harry! Against Hogwarts! You - you're...fraternizing with the enemy, that's what you're doing!"

Hermione's mouth fell open.

"Don't be so stupid!" she said after a moment. "The enemy! Honestly - who was the one who was all excited when they saw him arrive? Who was the one who wanted his autograph? Who's got a model of him up in their dormitory?"

I ignored her truth and made a mental note to destroy that thing later. "I suppose he asked you to come with him while you were both in the library?"

"Yes, he did," said Hermione, getting huffy. "So what?"

"What happened? Trying to get him to join spew, were you?"

It seemed as if my mouth simply wouldn't stop running.

"No, I wasn't! If you really want to know, he...he said he'd been coming up to the library every day to try and talk to me, but he hadn't been able to pluck up the courage!"

Hermione said this very quickly, and blushed so deeply that if her skin wasn't so brown, she would be the same color as Parvati's robes.

"Yeah, well...that's his story," I said nastily.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Obvious, isn't it? He's Karkaroff's student, isn't he? He knows who you hang around with. He's just trying to get closer to Harry ! Get inside information on him, or get near enough to jinx him!"

'Ron, shut the fuck up' I told myself.

Hermione looked as though I had slapped her. When she spoke, her voice quivered.

"For your information, he hasn't asked me one single thing about Harry, not one -"

"Then he's hoping you'll help him find out what his egg means! I suppose you've been putting your heads together during those cozy little library sessions..."

"I'd never help him work out that egg!" said Hermione, looking outraged. "Never. How could you say something like that?! I want Harry to win the tournament. Harry knows that, don't you, Harry?"

"You've got a funny way of showing it," I grumbled.

"This whole tournament's supposed to be about getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them!" said Hermione hotly.

"No it isn't!" I shouted. "It's about winning!"

People were starting to stare at us, but I didn't care. I should have, but j was in too deep to.

"Ron," said Harry quietly, "I haven't got a problem with Hermione coming with Krum."

I ignored him.

"Why don't you go and find Vicky, he'll be wondering where you are." I snapped.

"Don't call him Vicky!" Hermione yelled.

Hermione jumped to her feet and stormed off across the dance floor, disappearing into the crowd. I watched her go, feeling nothing but anger.

"Are you going to ask me to dance at all?" Padma asked me.

"No," I said, still glaring after Hermione.

"Fine," snapped Padma, and she got up and went to join Parvati and the Beauxbatons boy, who conjured up one of his friends to join them so fast that I could have sworn he had zoomed him there by a Summoning Charm.

"Vare is Herm-own-ninny?" said a voice.

Krum, the fucking tosser, had just arrived at our table clutching two butterbeers.

How the fuck did he get her name wrong?! How hard was it to say Her-My-Oh-Knee?!

"No idea," I sneered, looking up at him. "Lost her, have you?"

Krum looked down at me as if he were put off by my words.

Good. Fucking toshpot.

"Veil, if you see her, tell her I haff drinks," he said, and he slouched off.

"Made friends with Viktor Krum, have you, Ron?" I heard Percy say as he sat down beside me. "Excellent! That's the whole point, you know - international magical cooperation!"

I didn't want to hear a word that my pompous brother had to say. Matter of fact, I didn't want to hear anything.

When the next song was over, I saw Ludo Bagman kiss Professor McGonagall's hand and make his way back through the crowds, at which point Fred and George ambushed him to talk.

"What do they think they're doing, annoying senior Ministry members?" Percy hissed, watching Fred and George suspiciously. "No respect..."

Harry and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes.

Ludo Bagman shook off Fred and George fairly quickly, however, and, spotting Harry, waved and came over to their table.

"I hope my brothers weren't bothering you, Mr. Bagman?" said Percy at once.

"What? Oh not at all, not at all!" said Bagman. "No, they were just telling me a bit more about those fake wands of theirs. Wondering if I could advise them on the marketing. I've promised to put them in touch with a couple of contacts of mine at Zonko's Joke Shop."

Percy didn't look happy about this at all, and I just knew he was going to snitch to Mum when he got home. Apparently Fred and George's plans had grown even more ambitious lately, if they were hoping to sell to the public. Bagman opened his mouth to ask Harry something, but Percy diverted him.

"How do you feel the tournament's going, Mr. Bagman? Our department's quite satisfied - the hitch with the Goblet of Fire" - he glanced at Harry - "was a little unfortunate, of course, but it seems to have gone very smoothly since, don't you think?"

"Oh yes," Bagman said cheerfully, "it's all been enormous fun. How's old Barty doing? Shame he couldn't come."

"Oh I'm sure Mr. Crouch will be up and about in no time," said Percy importantly, "but in the meantime, I'm more than willing to take up the slack. Of course, it's not all attending balls" - he laughed airily - "oh no, I've had to deal with all sorts of things that have cropped up in his absence - you heard Ali Bashir was caught smuggling a consignment of flying carpets into the country? And then we've been trying to persuade the Transylvanians to sign the International Ban on Dueling. I've got a meeting with their Head of Magical Cooperation in the new year -"

"Let's go for a walk," I muttered to Harry, "get away from Percy..."

Pretending we wanted more drinks. Harry and I left the table, edged around the dance floor, and slipped out into the entrance hall. The front doors stood open, and the fluttering fairy lights in the rose garden winked and twinkled as we went down the front steps, where we found themselves surrounded by bushes; winding, ornamental paths; and large stone statues. All too fucking romantic for my blood at the moment.

As we walked, I thought about Hermione. I really didn't mean to snap at her like that, but I just let my temper get the best of me. I just couldn't understand why the hell she chose him. Of all people, why him? She didn't need to be on a date with a grown man. He was 18! She was only 15, and barely that. Grown men loved to take advantage of young girls, I had heard Mum day so many times while lecturing my brothers

Well, all I knew is that he had better not had laid a hand on Hermione. I would have stuck my foot so far up his-

"...don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor." I heard someone say. Harry and I froze.

"Severus, you cannot pretend this isn't happening!" Karkaroff's voice sounded anxious and hushed, as though keen not to be overheard. "It's been getting clearer and clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned, I can't deny it -"

"Then flee," said Snape's voice. "Flee - I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts."

Snape and Karkaroff came around the corner. Snape had his wand out and was blasting rosebushes apart, his expression most ill-natured. Squeals issued from many of the bushes, and dark shapes emerged from them.

"Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett!" Snape snarled as a girl ran past him. "And ten points from Hufflepuff too, Stebbins!" as a boy went rushing after her. "And what are you two doing?" he added, catching sight of Harry and I on the path ahead. Karkaroff looked like the last thing he wanted to see was us.

"We're walking," I told Snape shortly. "Not against the law, is it?"

"Keep walking, then!" Snape snarled, and he brushed past them, his long black cloak billowing out behind him. Karkaroff hurried away after Snape. Harry and I continued down the path.

"What's got Karkaroff all worried?" I muttered.

"And since when have he and Snape been on first-name terms?"said Harry slowly.

We had reached a large stone reindeer now, over which we could see the sparkling jets of a tall fountain. The shadowy outlines of two enormous people were visible on a stone bench, watching the water in the moonlight. And then I heard Hagrid speak.

"Momen' I saw yeh, I knew," he was saying, in an oddly husky voice.

Harry and I froze. This didn't sound like the sort of scene we should have walked in on. Harry tapped me on the shoulder and jerked his head toward Fleur and Davies, meaning that we could easily sneak off that way without being noticed.

"What did you know, 'Agrid?" said Madame Maxime, a purr in her low voice.

This was getting very uncomfortable.

"I jus' knew...knew you were like me...Was it yer mother or yer father?"

"I - I don't know what you mean, 'Agrid..."

"It was my mother," said Hagrid quietly. "She was one o' the las' ones in Britain. 'Course, I can' remember her too well...she left, see. When I was abou' three. She wasn' really the maternal sort. Well...it's not in their natures, is it? Dunno what happened to her...might be dead fer all I know..."

Madame Maxime didn't say anything. Despite wanting to get away, Harry and I continued to listen.

"Me dad was broken-hearted when she wen'. Tiny little bloke, my dad was. By the time I was six I could lift him up an' put him on top o' the dresser if he annoyed me. Used ter make him laugh..."Hagrid's deep voice broke. Madame Maxime was listening, motionless, apparently staring at the silvery fountain. "Dad raised me...but he died, o' course, jus' after I started school. Sorta had ter make me own way after that. Dumbledore was a real help, mind. Very kind ter me, he was..."

Hagrid pulled out a large spotted silk handkerchief and blew his nose heavily.

"So...anyway...enough abou' me. What about you? Which side you got it on?"

But Madame Maxime had suddenly got to her feet.

"It is chilly," she said - but whatever the weather was doing, it was nowhere near as cold as her voice. "I think I will go in now."

"Eh?" said Hagrid blankly. "No, don go! I've - I've never met another one before!"

"Anuzzer what, precisely?" said Madame Maxime, her tone icy.

"Another half-giant, o' course!" said Hagrid.

"'Ow dare you!" shrieked Madame Maxime. Her voice exploded through the peaceful night air like those Muggle foghorns. "I 'ave nevair been more insulted in my life! 'Alf-giant? Moi? I 'ave - I 'ave big bones!"

She stormed away, angrily pushing aside bushes. Hagrid was still sitting on the bench, staring after her. It was much too dark to make out his expression. Then, after about a minute, he stood up and strode away, not back to the castle, but off out into the dark grounds in the direction of his cabin.

"C'mon," Harry said, very quietly to me. "Let's go..."

But I didn't move. I was still trying to register what I had heard.

"What's up?" said Harry, looking at me.

"Did you know?" I whispered. "About Hagrid being half-giant?"

"No," Harry said, shrugging. "So what?"

"I'll explain inside," I said quietly, "c'mon..."

Harry and I returned to the Great Hall. Parvati and Padma were now sitting at a distant table with a whole crowd of Beauxbatons boys, and Hermione was once more dancing with Krum. Harry and I sat down at a table far removed from the dance floor.

"So?" Harry prompted. "What's the problem with giants?"

"Well, they're...they're..." I struggled for words. "...not very nice." I finished lamely.

"Who cares?" Harry said. "There's nothing wrong with Hagrid!"

"I know there isn't, but...blimey, no wonder he keeps it quiet," I said, shaking his head. "I always thought he'd got in the way of a bad Engorgement Charm when he was a kid or something. Didn't like to mention it."

"But what's it matter if his mother was a giantess?" said Harry.

"Well, no one who knows him will care, 'cos they'll know he's not dangerous, but...Harry, they're just vicious, giants. It's like Hagrid said, it's in their natures, they're like trolls...they just like killing, everyone knows that. There aren't any left in Britain now, though."

"What happened to them?"

"Well, they were dying out anyway, and then loads got themselves killed by Aurors. There are supposed to be giants abroad, though. They hide out in mountains mostly."

"I don't know who Maxime thinks she's kidding," Harry said, as we watched the great woman sitting alone at the judges' table, looking very somber. "If Hagrid's half-giant, she definitely is. Big bones...the only thing that's got bigger bones than her is a dinosaur."

When the Weird Sisters finished playing at midnight, everyone gave them a last, loud round of applause and started to wend their way into the entrance hall. Many people were expressing the wish that the ball could have gone on longer, but I for one was perfectly happy to be going to bed. The evening sucked.

Out in the entrance hall, I saw Hermione saying goodnight to Krum before he went back to the Durmstrang ship. She gave me a very cold look and swept past me up the marble staircase without speaking.

'Oh I know she isn't gonna walk past me without speaking!' I thought as I hurried behind her.

"And where do you think you're bloody going?" I said, grabbing her hand.

Hermione yanked it furiously away. "To bed, where else? Or are you gonna try to ruin my sleep too?"

I ignored her stupid remark and followed after her, yelling like an idiot.

"Did you have fun with your bon bon Vicky?"

Hermione turned to face me and rolled her eyes. "Ron, stop calling him that! Why are you acting like such a jerk?"

She continued up the stairs and into the portrait hole. I followed behind her, taking off my jacket.

"I'm acting like a jerk?! What the hell! I'm not the one dancing and cavorting with my best mate's bloody competition. And what's worse, he's ancient!"

"He's 18 Ronald..."said Hermione in an annoyed voice.

"And you're barely 15!"

"Wow! Three measly years Ron!"

"Doesn't matter! He's way too old for you. He's just using you!"

Hermione glared daggers at me. "Using me?! Is that what you think?"

"Yeah! That's exactly what I think and I don't like it one bloody bit." I yelled, just noticing that we had somewhat of an audience, including Harry who had just walked in.

"Well, if you don't like it, you know what the solution is, don't you?" yelled Hermione; her hair was coming down out of its elegant bun now, and her face was screwed up in anger.

"Oh yeah?" I yelled back. "What's that?"

"Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!"

"Well," I sputtered, looking thunderstruck, looking over at Harry. "well - that just proves - completely missed the point!"

Harry shook his head and continued to the dorm.

"I didn't miss any point! You're the one who isn't getting it!" yelled Hermione.

"Whatever. Enjoy snogging the enemy." I scoffed.

People had lost interest and were going to their respectable dorms.

"I did not snog him!" shrieked Hermione, stomping her foot. I couldn't even help it. She looked positively dangerous and sexy while she was getting pissed.

"But you kissed him, didn't you?!" I yelled.

"And if I did?! What's it to you? It wasn't even that serious!"

"Oh really?"

Hermione grabbed my face and before I knew it, planted a five second peck on my lips. And in those five seconds, it seemed as if sparks were going from her lips to mine, electrifying mine, to where I thought my hair was standing on end.

"That's all it was in case you were wondering! A meaningless peck!" yelled Hermione, looking like she was somewhat stunned by her own actions.

I stared at her, wide eyed. Did Hermione really just kiss me? Hell, did she even realize what she had done? Did she feel what I had felt?

I decided that maybe the situation needed to be de-escalated.

"Look, can we stop shouting at each other? I don't want to argue with you. Sorry for yelling. If that's all it was, then I'm sorry for saying otherwise. It's just that you're my best friend, and I would hate for some cheeky grown man to take advantage of you. That's all." said Ron, trying to calm both myself as well as her down.

Hermione's expression softened. "I actually appreciate that. Sorry for yelling too. Can we just forget this ever happened?"

'No' I thought.

"Sure Mione, let's just drop it."

Hermione gave me a small smile.

"Oh, and sorry for just kissing you like that. That wasn't right." said Hermione blushing.

I felt my cheeks and ears blushing as well. "It's okay. Could have been worse. My first kiss could have been wasted on someone who kissed like the giant squid."

We both laughed at the thought. Then, she looked nervous.

"Well, I guess I'll go to bed then." she said, quickly.

"Okay." I mumbled.

Then, I found myself reaching for her hand, turning her back around.

"Yes?" she whispered.

"Ummm..." I hesitated, letting go of her hand. "Well...I just wanted to tell you that...that.."

What did I want to tell her? My mind was drawing a blank.

'Just do it!' my mind screamed.

"You looked really beautiful tonight." I said, smiling.

Hermione blinked quickly and blushed. "You're only saying that, Ron." she mumbled.

"No, I'm not." I said truthfully, as I touched the sleeve of her dress. "You really looked...well look...beautiful."

"Thank you." she said breathlessly.

Then she looked me up and down, I guess to try to return the compliment.

"You hair looks very very nice." she said, giggling a little.

I chuckled. "Thanks, I worked on it all night. I did."

"Goodnight." she said, and I let her walk off to her dorm.

It was then that realization finally hit me. I wasn't mad that she had went with Krum. Well, fuck him, yes I was, I was plenty mad that it was Krum. But that wasn't the entire reason.

The real reason was that she went with somebody else. Somebody that wasn't me.

I went up to my dorm and fell asleep. My dreams even more solidified my thoughts.

I was at the Yule Ball. I was dancing, actually having a great time. Hermione was on my arm. I was twirling her around, making her laugh.

And the tiny peck she gave me actually meant something and lasted longer.

My eyes popped open. The moon was still out, signalling that it was the middle of the night.

"Oh shit." I whispered, looking at the ceiling of my four-poster bed. "I think I might fancy my best mate."