2002-09-01 10:16:00,
To thine ownself be true..

<I>Written in Bulgarian:</i>

That is what a Muggle playright wrote once. But I have not been that as of late. Not for some time it seems.

I told Hermione in an owl that I had been ill, that I was sleeping off a virus I had caught. That was a lie. I was laying here quite well in body, but sick at heart.

Marta stayed with me for two of those days, using me for stud service, and fawning company before at last returning to her home. This will have accomplished several things.

I will be given a good report to my Benefactors that I am "behaving" and "doing my duty" and that will keep my income arriving here with regularity.

Marta will be sated for a time again, and in that being true, so will her husband, and all are happy again. Except for me of course, but who gives a Holy Damn about the Pawns?

But, then, this is why I am HERE, to learn, to get a job, and support myself. To return my destiny to MY hands.

I wonder if Hermione will agree to meet with me today? It would be nice, but I am not counting on it happening.

Faithfully, <b>Viktor</b></i>"

2002-09-01 14:09:00,"
Another flying lesson, another Victory for Bulgaria

It was a beautiful day at Hogwarts; the sun was shining down upon the grounds, there were getle breezes cooling the summer heat, and there had yet to be any major disasters. All in all, a good day. Hermione shut her journal and set it down on the stands next to her. She leaned back until her head was resting against the seat in front of her, and closed her eyes. A breeze ruffled her curls, and she felt herself drifting off.

Viktor looked up at the sky as he walked along the path from Hogsmeade toward Hogwarts. Once he was inside the grounds, he mounted his broom, and rose into the sky, sailing above the ground, and flying in the direction of the Quidditch Pitch. He did a few slow laps around the field, then spotted Hermione, and smiled. He turned to fly near to her, and called out, "Hallo there Herm own ninny..."

She snapped awake, startled. When she spotted Viktor's amused grin floating above the pitch, she smiled as well. "Hello there, Viktor!" she called, stretching. She tucked her journal back into her knapsack and grabbed Seamus's broom, which she had lain across one of the spectator's benches. The brunette quickly pulled her curls back away from her face with an elastic, and made her way down to the wet grass of the field.

Viktor landed his broom with the grace of a dancer, and trotted happily over to Hermione. His face wore a relieved, if happy grin as he walked up close to her and stopped. He shook his hair out of his eyes, and laughed softly, blushing a bit. "How are you today Herm own ninny? Ready to fly I see.."

She laughed, glancing down at her attire. Harry had let her borrow a pair of Quidditch trousers, a shimmer gold colour. She had grabbed a black shirt from her trunk this morning, and had a black cloak on over it. It was perfect for flying. "I'm fine," she replied, smiling at him. "You look well... I'm glad you're feeling better."

Viktor smiled shyly and stroked his hand up and down the handle of his broom nervously. "Jah... I am feeling better now." he said looking over at her. "I am still nervous about the Sorting tomorrow..." he droned. "I think that I vill be getting over the flu in time to get ill from nerves from just that..." he mused.

Ah, you'll be fine," Hermione assured him, straightening an errant twig in the broom she was holding. It was a Nimbus 2002, a later model than the Nimbus 2001, but not so advanced as the Firebolt model. This Hermione had learned at breakfast, listening to the boys chat animatedly about tryouts and broom models. "Which house do you think you'll be in?" she inquired.

Viktor couldn't stop that automatic sulky sigh of his as he rolled his eyes, and looked skyward, "I told you... they vill stick me in Slytherin because of me being from Durmstrang..." he groaned. "I just don't...." he stopped, and shook his head, then forced a smile for her. "But in any case.... I vill still be near to you..." he said with a lopsided grin and a bit of a blush across his ruddy complexion.

Hermione blushed as well, looking down at her broom to hide it, pretending she was examining the tail again. Once she felt the heat recede from her face she lifted her head and scanned the grounds. She noted a few figures sitting near the lake, and there was a group of people joking around near the castle. Other than that, the pair was alone outside the school. Hermione let go of the broom, which righted itself immediately and hovered next to her waist. "Shall we fly?"

Viktor seemed to notice the tenseness in the air, but when Hermione suggested flying, he nodded eagerly. "Jah!" he smiled and mounted his broom. "Let me see vhat you have learned since I last saw you fly..." he grinned, then kicked off, and rocketed nearly straight up into the clear blue sky overhead.

Hermione watched him go, then slipped a leg over Seamus's broom and kicked off from the ground. Immediately she felt exhilaratd, the wind whipping her cloak out behind her. She leaned forward while pulling back slightly on the broom, and it sped upwards. She looped around one of the goal posts, and slowed when she caught up to Viktor in the air.

Viktor pulled out his wand, then aimed it at a small ball he had pulled out of his pocket. "Engorgio!" he said to it, and the small ball became a full sized Quaffle. He put his wand away, then looked over at Hermione, "Ready to play catch?" he grinned, the gently breeze blowing back his hair.

"If you are," she replied, floating back a few feet until she was at a good distance. She tentatively let go of the broom handle, keeping one hand near it in case she needed to correct her flight at one point. She had done this with Harry, and done alright, but letting go of the broom made her nervous. She gave him a grin when she was ready, and he tossed the Quaffle to his right. She instinctively dove left, and caught it a few feet down. She tossed it back to Viktor.

Viktor caught the ball with gracefull ease, then laughing wickedly, rocketed forward on his broom, and then tossed the ball backwards over is head toward Hermione. "Catch it, then toss it back to me..." he called out to her as he sped around the pitch.

She had to dive again to catch it, but did it easily. She saw a blur out of the corner of her eye, and spun sideways. With a quick tug, she was directly to the side of Viktor, moving quickly towards the far end of the pitch. She tossed the ball back to him, and dove. A few feet above the ground, she reversed her direction.

Viktor did a 360 degree roll and caught the ball upside down, one-handed while handing from his broom, then righted himself and sped off again. He looped around the posts, then threw the ball back to Hermione again. "Try to score..." he yelled as he hung about in front of the goals.

She looked incredulously at the ball in her hands, and then at the goal, which the Bulgarian Seeker was weaving around. With a determined thought, she shot towards that end of the pitch, keeping her eyes on Viktor. He saw which direction she was aiming at and dipped low in front of her. She pulled up sharply, half expecting him to block her again, so she spun right when she pulled up, and dodged him. She narrowly missed hitting the goal herself, but tossed the Quaffle through as she brushed by. She stopped next to the goal to catch her breath.

Viktor made a desperate grab for the Quaffle, but Hermione successfully faked him out and scored. When he got overe the shock, and brief blush of embarrassement, he pulled his broom to a stop and applauded her. "You HAFF been practicing..." he chuckled. "That vas very very good"! he cheered.

She blushed as well. "Ron and Harry showed me a few tricks they had seen," she admitted modestly. "It's not a big deal. Plus, I can never do that again, since you'd be expecting it." She laughed as a stray hair fell out of the ponytail and into her face, causing her to cross her eyes for a moment. She pulled the ponytail down and let her hair swirl around her face.

Viktor grinned at her, and surprisingly, blew her a kiss, then said, "I like clever women..." the swooped suddenly down and recovered the ball, then back up to face her again. "OK, catch is over vith... Now we play Keep avay..." he grinned. "Try to take it from me, and don't play like a little girl..." he taunted, then rocketed off across the pitch, laughing the entire way.

Hermione watched him go for a moment, surprised. Then she laughed as well, and shot after him. He knew that his challenge would make her play harder, just like she knew that she would try her hardest to get the Quaffle now. No one could call her a little girl anymore, she wouldn't let them. So she sped towards Viktor at a frightening pace. He sensed her nearby and dove. She followed him down, but had to pull up before he did, his feet brushing the grass. She wasn't anywhere near that level of flying.

Viktor laughed aloud, playfully, but he wasn't going to just hand it off to her. He took off again, not going full speed, but instead darting about, weaving left to right, and up and down like a flying version of a Rollercoaster ride. "Catch me Herm own ninny..." he called out in a taunt. "Come catch me little girl...."

She lost her smile, and gained speed. She pulled up until she was directly above him, and waited, the pair moving down the pitch at a high speed, Viktor darting around. When he pulled to his left, she loosened her hold on the broom, leaning back, and it dropped. Viktor hadn't expected her to just drop that way, and so when she snatched the ball out of his hands, it came loose quickly. The broom kept falling, and Hermione felt her heart jump into her throat. Willing it down, she tucked the Quaffle under her arm and grabbed the broom with her other hand. It righted itself immediately, only five feet up from the ground. She laughed in relief, gliding the final feet, and hovering on the the broomstick a few feet above the ground.

Viktor whirled around, grabbing too late at the stolen Quaffle and for a moment was gobsmacked at her talent. Then he snarled, and launched himself at her. He let the intense expression on his face show her he was taking this to the next level, and coming up alongside of her, gave her the equivilant off a hard hip check, and tried to elbow the ball from her grasp.

Hermione dropped the ball, as was Viktor's intention, and he snatched it from the air below them. He sped off toward the other end of the feild, and Hermione shot after him. He flew down near the audience stands, close enough that she knew she would be incredibly nervous were she down there; he looked as comfortable as a duck in water. With a grin back at her, he made a midair turn and went towards her. Instinctively she lay flat on the broom, so that when he passed, he simply brushed her. She spun before he got to far away, and was flying at his side within seconds, streaking towards the other end of the field.

Viktor gave her another bump, this one harder, and wicked mischief showed in his dark eyes as he did so. He then ducked to the side, underneath her, and pinched one of her calves, hard, with his fingers as he whipped by, and zoomed off to the other end of the field, laughing like a madman.

Hermione yelped and rubbed her calf where he had piched. She had the feeling that that was going to leave a bruise. Though their game had turned rough, Hermione wasn't fazed. She had seen worse at Hogwarts games, and she still refused to give in. She flew after him, and kept her broom below him and to the left. When he tried to duck down and cut her off, she pulled right, and bumped his arm none-too-gently with her elbow. The Quaffle popped loose, and she grabbed it and shot off.

Viktor cursed, something profane in Bulgarian, and then turned sharply, so sharply in fact he almost stalled at that speed. He then leaned forward, urging the broom to top speed, and headed straight for her as she made for the goals. He gained a bit of altitude, and as he blew by her, above her, he reached down and gave her ponytail a sharp tug. He then dove straight down in front of her, heading for the ground, in effect, cutting her off.

Ronald Weasley mentally went over Quidditch strategies on his way down to the pitch. He carried one of his brothers' broomsticks slung over his shoulder, a promise from his parents that he would get one of his own should he make the House team. He really should have asked Harry to come along, he supposed. He wanted to try out for the Keeper position, since it was the one he did best, but he still felt he needed practise.

Hermione pulled right quickly, and cringed as she narrowly missed him. She still had the Quaffle, though, which was what she wanted. She looped almost completely over, and shot away from Viktor.

Viktor laughed. She was good, she was very good, so he tried again to steal the Quaffle from her. He raced along until he was right next to her again, then swoops swerved right into her with a full body block. As he did so, he reached for the Quaffle, stole it, then dove downward again.

Ron stopped at the edge of the pitch, eyes wide as he watched the spectacle taking place above him.

Hermione slipped then, her cloak catching on the tail of Viktor's broom. It pulled itself free, but left the Gryffindor completely off balance. Because both hands had been off the broom in an attempt to protect the ball, she wasn't holding on correctly, and she felt herself slipping. She cried out as she went over, hands grasping in the air. Luckily one grabbed the broomstick, and she was dangling almost forty feet off of the ground.

Viktor laughed at his latest manuever, then when he glanced back, she noticed Hermione was far too off balance. Her broom was wobbling dangerously, and then she fell off, but managed to grab with one hand and hang there screaming. Viktor's heart went into his throat, and tossing the Quaffle aside, he turned almost on a knut and speed back towards her. He was traveling low, only about 15 feet off of the ground so in case she fell, he would have time to try and catch her. "Herm own ninny!" he called out, his voice sounding harsh with the fright he was feeling as he raced toward her.

Ron felt his heart jump into his throat as well when he saw Hermione fall, and his wand was out of his pocket in a second. When the Bulgarian Seeker turned and streaked back in her direction, he aimed. "STUPEFY!" He yelled as the black blur shot by him, and he was rewarded with the sight of his rival falling the last ten or so feet, completely unconscious. He looked back to Hermione, and was relieved to see that her broom was slowly descending.

When her feet touched the ground, Hermione let go of the broom and ran towards Ron and Viktor. She gasped when she saw the unconscious body of one of her friends, and the worried face of another friend looking curiously at her. She looked around frantically for another person, anyone else who could have done it, but there was only Ron. She dropped to her knees next to Viktor, looking up at Ron with glassy eyes. "What did you do?"

Viktor only had one thought in his mind, to get to Hermione, and save her from falling, he was so focused on her that he didn't see the red-headed Weasley standing on the field watching him then taking aim with a wand, and uttering a spell. Suddenly, as he blurred along, he felt... so relaxed, then his eyes closed as he slumped forward on his broom, and dove into the turf of the field, tearing up a long plowed row as his broom hit, impaled itself, then threw Viktor fifty feet forward where he hit the ground like a rag doll and rolled for several rounds before landing on his back, out cold.

Ron looked surprised, as if he had expected her to be pleased somehow. Hadn't he just saved her from Krum? "He was going to knock you off completely!" he protested, running a hand nervously through his hair. The look Hermione gave him made him take a step back.

"He was trying to help me!" she cried angrily. She looked down at Viktor, and ran her hands over his arms and legs, checking for bumps. "I don't think anything is broken..." she muttered to herself. She noted a cut on his forehead, which was spilling blood out onto the grass in what seemed like great quantities. She pulled out her wand and ran the tip along the wound. With an incantation she had looked up in case she ever needed to do this for Harry, the cut sealed itself. It looked as though he would be sore for a few days, to make an understatement.

She couldn't leave him here, and she didn't know how to get Madam Pomfrey as she didn't trust Ron alone with him, so she did what she could. "Ennervate," she whispered.

Viktor first let out a groan, then his eye fluttered and slowly opened. He looked like he was trying to get them to focus. "Va...Vhat happened?" he asked slowly, then as he recalled what he had been doing, he sat up straight, "HERMIONE!" he yelled, then let out a sharp cry of pain, clutched his lower back as he grimaced and fell back down onto the grass with a moan. "Mein Gott!" he yelled in Bulgarian (or in this case, Germain)

Hermione leaned over Viktor, and a tear slid down her cheek. She wiped it away angrily, and muttered a numbing spell on the Bulgarian. All the pain left his body immediately, promising to return later. She looked over her shoulder at Ron, his wand still out. "You could have killed him!" she snapped, feeling another tear slide out.

Viktor's body relaxed, he wasn't sure why, but suddenly he wasn't in so much pain. "Herm own ninny?" he asked softly. "Vhat happened to me? How did I crash?" he asked looking around, then he spotted Ron, with wand drawn, and his dark eyes clouded, eyelids narrowing to scowl at the perpetrator. "You!! You did this to me...." he growled, and tried to sit up again. He was to put it bluntly, pissed.

The redhead scowled. "You knocked her off her broom, and you would have bloody well done it again if I hadn't stopped it!" he accused the Bulgarian. Part of him was guilty for the boy having been so hurt, he hadn't really intended for him to fly so far... Most of him, however, was simply angry. "Get away from him, 'Mione," he said softly, the wand not wavering.

Hermione stayed kneeling in the grass next to Viktor, her eyes wide. "Ron, put your wand up now," she ordered, looking warily at him. She knew how bad the Weasley temper could be, and couple it with a hurt and very pissed of older boy, and you had bloodshed.

Viktor continued to glare at Ron, not backing down a bit, but he did not go for his wand. "I vas trying to save her you idiot!" he yelled. "But you attacked me like a coward und nearly killed me!" he yelled, still trying to get up, then a sudden dizzyness washed over him and he reached out to grip Hermione's shoulder for support. "Aggh...." he moaned, closing his eyes. "I think I haff a concuzzion..." he moaned, letting his head lean forward to rest on Hermione's arm.

Hermione started to cry in full now, and she reached her arm behind Viktor, cradling him against her in a sort of hug. She looked up at Ron, her face so furious, that he lowered his wand, though he refused to put it away. "You really think he would do that?" she asked softly, looking down at the grass.

Ron's anger didn't subside at all, but he lowered his wand. He didn't want to hurt Hermione, and she looked so hurt... why couldn't she see this person for what Ron knew he was? He scowled at the pair, and shook his head in response to her question. Hermione looked slightly better, but he couldn't leave it there. "I don't think he would just do that," he said scornfully. "I think he would do worse, Hermione."

Viktor could hear the jealousy in the other boy's voice, and while his head was tilted down, shielded from view by his longish hair, he grinned. Perfect. He WAS hurt, but this took a great deal of the sting out, and reasurred him that Hermione DID care for him. He decided to play this hand for all it was worth, and slowly draped his arms around Hermione's shoulders. "I don't feel vell.... I feel sick...." he moaned, which was true, but not as bad as he made it sound.

She shifted so that he was halfway in her lap, pressed completely against her, his head against her shoulder. She looked back at Ron, her tears being replaced by anger again. "Then you don't know him at all, Ron," she spat.

"Bloody hell, Hermione, are you blind?!? Krum's got 'bad news' written all over him! And you're just chummy chummy! Have you completely forgotten the tournement?" She flinched, and glared at him. He glared right back, and she saw his wand arm twitch a bit, like he really wanted to be hexing someone right now. Like he wanted that someone to be the person in her lap.

Viktor continued to smile, then forced away and let another groan slip past his lips, then said weakly, "I think I should go back to my room Herm own ninny..." he said "I need to lay down..." he said, then made motions to try and stand up again, a grimace of pain plastered across his face as he tossed his hair back from his face with a jerk of his head, and he regarded Ron with a neutral expression. Let him dig his own hole, he would play the victim as long as it suited him.

She gave him a sympathetic look, reaching an arm behind his back and trying to help him up. She lacked the strength, though, so she turned back to Ron. "Help us, will you? It's your fault," she growled.

He moved to argue, but stopped. He knew he was in deep with Hermione as it was, better not make it worse. But he had to make her see somehow that Krum could only hurt her. Any idiot could see that! Even though Harry didn't agree, and neither did any of the Gryffindor girls... Ron just knew that he was right. He switched hands with his wand, and tentatively ambled over to the pair. He leaned down and moved to grab one of Krum's arms.

Viktor let himself be helped up by the pair, then he looked to the side. "My broom! How iz my broom?" he asked in a worried tone as he leaned more heavily on Ron than Hermione.

Hermione grimaced when she saw the broomstick poking out of the ground at a haphazard angle. It didn't appear to be broken, but who knew what kind of damage was caused from the collision? She looked over at Ron, biting her lip. The redhead looked over his shoulder back at the broom, and his jaw dropped. "Doesn't look too good, I'm afraid," he practically crowed, highly amused.

Viktor gave a shudder, and let out a wounded, defeated sound. "They are going to kill me if anything has happened to that broom..." he said, "It belongs to the Bulgarian National team. Do you know how much it vill cost to replace it?" he wailed. He let out another sad sound, then turned to look at Ron directly, "But of course... you are responsible for it's damage Mr Weezlee, and will pay to have it replaced..." he said with a cold grin.

Ron blanched, and shut up immediately. He glared at the boy, and looked as if he wanted to just let Viktor trip and fall. The two exchanged darker and darker looks, their faces growing more menacing, until Hermione poked them both with her free hand and griped, "Enough! There are more important things to think about right now!"

They both looked at her in surprise, and she sighed. "Viktor, I don't think we can get you all the way back to Hogsmeade today," she said, looking over her shoulder in the direction of the castle thoughtfully.

Viktor stubbornly stopped walking, and looked over at Hermione with a look of utmost pain, "We can't LEAVE it out here!" he protested, "At least bring it in..." then he heard her say how they would not be able to get him back to Hogsmeade. This was no surprise, he knew that all along. "Then... then where shall I go?" he said in a soft, worried tone. He played the wounded victim, but not obviously so.

Hermione looked worried. "The infirmary's closed today... they have to redo the charms and restock the cabinets for the group tomorrow," she thought aloud, glancing back again. The broom was just sticking there, and she looked over at Ron. Icily she said, "Ron, get that out please. And be careful." He frowned, but turned and went back, making sure to let go of his side of Viktor quickly so that the boy stumbled into Hermione, almost knocking her over.

Viktor shot a glare at Ron, but did not let the satisfactory grin show when he was forced to lean on Hermione more. When Ron returned with the broom, he grabbed it from Ron's hands and quickly looked it over. "Oh mein Gott...." he swore looking over the glossy stick and checking the twigs in the tail. "I don't know... I just don't know..." he moaned sulkily, then held out his arm and let it hover next to him. It looked for all intents and purposes to be fine. He turned to Hermione. "I don't want to do to the castle yet. Not like this..." he said with a sad look in his eyes, "I vill got back to Hogsmeade. It vill make it that far and I can get cared for in the village." he said with a weak smile for Hermione's benefit.

She looked even more worried. "You're sure?" she asked, biting her lip. Ron made a choked noise and stomped past them, stopping on the edge of the pitch and looking back at them. Viktor nodded to Hermione, and she frowned. "I don't want you to go alone," she said, glancing over at Ron, who immediately shook his head.

Viktor didn't acknowledge Ron once he left them alone, and placing his hands on Hermione's shoulders, he gave her a weak smile. "I... vill... be... fine." he said slowly, for emphasis. "I vill go back to the village, and get looked at, I promise." he said taking one hand, and making an X over his heart. "Then I vill see you tomomorrow night for my sorting." he smiled. He then leaned forward, and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you for a vonderful day Herm own ninny..." he sighed. "I look forvard to seeing you tomorrow."

Ron turned a rather mottled shade of purple, and stomped off back towards the castle. Hermione watched him go, a look of confusion on her face. "What is his problem?" she asked herself aloud. She looked up at Viktor's amused expression, and smiled. "Alright, I'll see you tomorrow, then. But be very careful!" She hugged him quickly, and stepped back.

Viktor smiled as he hugged Hermione back, then carefully, and a bit shakily, mounted his broom, and rose into the sky. "Good bye Herm own ninny... I shall see you tomorrow for the carriage ride into Hogvarts...." he called back to her as he rose, then flew low, over the trees and back to the village.

Hermione watched until he disappeared from sight, then shakily picked up her own broom as well as the one that Ron had dropped when he arrived. With a sigh and one last look in the direction of Hogsmeade, she walked back to the castle.

2002-09-01 21:44:00,
Recovery

<i>Written in Bulgarian:</i>

Well, it has proved to be an interesting day, to say the least. As I lie here on my bed listening to the warm summer night of the village below, I sip my Vodka, and reflect on the day.

It started well enough. I met with Hermione, and we engaged in a playful round of Quidditch, just for two. She is a natural at the game. She picks it up so easily. I hope she makes the House team. I wonder what will happen when I am sorted? What if I am put into Gryffindor? Will I try out against Harry for Seeker on the House team? Probably not.

I am still feeling a bit nauseous from the crash today. That little rat Weezlee. Not saying I don't blame him, much. He obviously likes Hermione, but hasn't had the fortitude to tell her. Well, it shall be his loss, again. Just like last year. I will not seek to steal another's love, but if he is not even <i>trying</i>...

Hermione likes me. I can tell, and I like her too. If anything happens with us, I am sure it will have to be the most chaste of relationships. And you know... I don't think I would mind that at all...

Well, I am off to bed now, important day tomorrow, and I am tired.

Faithfully, <B> Viktor</b>"

2002-09-02 13:46:00,
White takes Pawn.

<I>Written in Bulgarian:

</i>Well, the first round in this glorius phenomenon called <i>The Mating Game</i> is over. Ron lost, and thoroughly by his own doing. He continued to be the antagonist toward me, and I merely rebuffed him calmly with the most basic of psychology. I remained calm, collected, and once again, he came out looking the ass.

Hermione however was almost immediatly incensed by the confrontation and stormed off. This did make me angry, but I did not let it show. Calm and slow.

I know she likes me. I like her as well. Ron like her, but is too mule-headed to tell her, and that does nothing but benefit me, and my quest to win her heart.

Tonight is the sorting at the castle. I am so nervous, I have skipped dinner. I can't contemplate eating. I am filled with a sense of dread. I just know I shall be put into Slytherin. Fate is Fate.

Well, I shall close for now, and write more tonight once the Sorting is done.

Faithfully, <b>Viktor</b></i>"

2002-09-02 10:44:00,
Sorting Day...

An IC RP with Viktor, Hermione, NPC Ron, and Harry.

Hermione looked at the wizard behind the counter blankly. "He's not... here?" she asked, frowning. The wizard yawned and nodded, adding, "Yeah, 'e checked out 'round eight. Dunno where 'e went." She thanked him and went out into the morning air of Hogsmeade. It was a nice morning, cool and clear, and the streets of Hogsmeade were filled with summer session students. Hermione had left the castle right before ten, having waited for Ron to leave the common room since she didn't want to talk to him at all.

Viktor sat under a brilliant green umbrella at Honeyduke's, and was enjoying a light bit of ice cream and sugar wafers for breakfast. He had woken up with a sweet tooth, and diet be damned, he was going to have a sundae for breakfast. His school gear was all packed, shrunk and resting in the pockets of his robe, and he was thumbing through his new book of poetry as he ate leisurely.

Hermione scanned the storefronts, keeping an eye out for two people: Viktor and Ron. The first, she hoped to bump into. The second, she really wanted to avoid. She walked along a path in front of a number of cafes, hands in her pockets, glancing out at the crowds. She caught a glimpse of red hair and freckles, and turned the other direction, into Honeydukes' back patio. She knew it was completely childish to avoid Ron this way, but she knew that if she had to see him, she would get angry again and most likely yell a few things she would regret later.

Viktor finished his sundae and after scraping the glass to get every last bit of the hot fudge out, he pushed it aside and then sipped at his Fizzing Whizbee Soda, and glanced in the direction of the main part of the Store when someone came out onto the patio. He smiled, his heart doing a happy skip. It was Hermione. Viktor sat up straight, then thought better of it, and slouched back down, adopting a less than vivacious posture. "Hallo Herm own ninny...." he called out with a smile.

Her face burst into a smile when she spotted him, sitting at one of the tables. "Viktor!" she said in way of hello. She made her way over to his table and stood, as there were no other chairs around. "How are you feeling?" she asked, concerned. She couldn't see any bruises, and he didn't look like he was in a lot of pain, but she knew he was good at covering that up.

Viktor stood up, and leaned over to give Hermione a hug in a way of greeting. He then offered her his chair with a wave of his hand. "Please, haff a seat. I haff been sitting all morning here." he said quietly. "I haff been haffing ice cream for breakfast, " he said with a shy grin. "I plan to have roast beef for dinner. I am hungry for that..."

She laughed. "There should be plenty of it tonight. The welcoming feasts at Hogwarts are always amazing," she said. She looked at the offered chair and shook her head. "I sat up in my dormitory for a long time waiting for everyone else to leave," she explained, "I need to walk a bit." She looked at him curiously, noting that he hadn't told her how he felt. She remembered a bruise she had seen blossoming on his cheek the night before, and remembered the spell Jack Grim had done to remove her bruises. "Wish I had known how to heal that a few weeks ago," she thought, not realising she had spoken aloud.

Viktor was dropping coins on the table to cover his tab, and offered Hermione his arm. "I recall the feasts at Hogvarts very well. They are vonderful indeed. Vould you like to go walking around?" he asked, then smiled shyly, "Ve could go look at books again... or do vatever you vould like to do?" He said with a lift of a single eyebrow.

Later that day....

"He actually went down into the mud for it? Wow..." Hermione said, grinning from Viktor's recount of a rather messy Quidditch match. They had walked around most of Hogsmeade, stopping at a few places when they felt like it. They were in front of the Shrieking Shack now, and Hermione stopped walking to look up at the borded-up building. She thought about Remus Lupin, and of Harry's Godfather, Sirius Black, and wondered where both of them were at the moment.

Harry and Ron were also walking around, but not quite aimlessly. Harry was trying to keep Ron from seeing Krum. That was rather hard to do, he noted, as he and Hermione had just stopped in front of the shack. They were the only two people there.Harry smoothly steped in front of Ron, efectivly deturing him....he thought. "Ron, want to go the Three Broomsticks? I need to get something to drink."

Ron shook his head, "Can we go after? You're the one who wanted to see if the passage was still open." He stepped past Harry, and stopped. A look of revulsion crept over his face as he spotted Krum and Hermione. "What is he doing here? And with her!" he choked, his face heating up. He let out a few choice words that would have made his twin brothers applaud.

Viktor nodded to Hermione as he walked along the street discussing Quidditch. "Jah... I have seen quite some wild catches in the games I haff played. I heard that once Harry Potter caught the Snitch in his mouth." he paused and laughed heartily. "I vould have loved to haff seen dat one. I vill have to keep that in mind if I ever am playing with no hands." he said, then laughed again.

Hermione grinned. "That was something to see," she laughed, "He looked like he was going to be ill, and then, pop, he spits out the Snitch! Ron and I were laughing so hard after that..." she trailed off, looking down at her feet.

Harry ran after Ron as the other stormed up the hill. "Ron..Come back here! You're only going to make things worse for her!" Harry shouted, but Ron was having none of it. In Fact he sped up. Rolling his eyes, Harry continued to follow.

Ron stopped next to Hermione, and turned to glare at Krum. "I see you're feeling much better," he said, falsely polite. He stepped closer to Hermione, putting himself slightly between them.

Viktor nodded to Harry, then to Ron, and kept his face neutral. "Goot morning to both of you." he said politely. "Yes, I do seem to be feeling better this morning after my.... uh... accident." he said shooting a stern glance at Ron, then looked back at Harry. "Have you been helping Hermione practice flying Mr. Potter? I haff really noticed the increase in her skills." he smiled softly.

Hermione stepped away from Ron, giving him an icy look. "What are you doing here, anyways?" she asked him, but he ignored her, glaring at Viktor, his dislike all over his face. She rolled her eyes at his immaturity, and stuck her hands in her pockets. She felt to make sure her wand was there, in case this chat turned into a cursing fest. She knew that Viktor wouldn't start it, it would be Ron, but she knew that Viktor could probably defend himself a lot better than Ron could. She didn't want to see either of them hurt.

Harry smiled a bit. "I have a little, but 'Mione picks up very fast." he watched as Ron stared openly at Viktor. Why did he have to have such a short fuse? Harry would bet that if Ron would just tell Hermione how he felt, most of these things could have been avoided.

Ron clenched his jaw. "I'm not so sure she's ready for your style of Quidditch though," he snarked. He glanced at Hermione, who was back to pointedly ignoring him. She looked alright, he didn't see any bruises ro cuts. Then again those robes covered a lot of skin.

Viktor nodded to Harry, smiling, then looked over at Ron at his remark. "Hermione is qvuite up to playing PROFESSIONAL level Quidditch, but I am sure that the same could not be said for all here..." he said in a calm, but condescending tone of voice that he managed quite well. "Perhaps your fear of her failure is projected from yourself..." he said cooly, then looked over at Hermione. "Did you vant to do more shopping?"

She looked from the redhead, who was silently fuming, to the boy beside her, who was calm, and shook her head. "I think I'm done for the day," she said quietly, stepping back from both Ron and Viktor. She shook her head again, this time more in frustration. "Will you both just figure this out, and soon please? If Viktor is going to be at Hogwarts this year, I don't think I could handle you two fighting constantly." She sighed, and turned towards the main square. "I need to be alone for a few hours," she said, "I'll meet you by the carriages, Viktor." She walked off, head down.

Viktor started to say something, and took a step to follow Hermione, but experience taught him this would not be beneficial to him or his situation with her. He turned his glance back to Ron, and with a curt nod he said, "Haff a good afternoon Mr. Weezlee, Mr. Potter..." he said with a nod to Harry, then walked off down the street in the general direction Hermione had gone.

Harry watched as Hermione walked off, then as Viktor walked off. "Well Ron, what are you going to now?"

2002-09-02 18:00:00,
The Sorting Ceremony...

An IC RP with Krum, Hermione, Jack, and NPC Albus and Ron.

The doors to the Great Hall opened, and Prof McG led in the group of first years, as always, looking timid and afraid. The difference this year, was there was a much taller figure following behind them. Viktor Krum. He looked sullen as usual, and barely looked around the huge room until they stopped in front of the Teacher's Table, and Albus rose to make an announcement.

"Good evening everyone, and welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A pleasure to see all of you returning, and a delight to see so many new faces entering the fold!" The old wizard claped his hands, beaming broadly and looking to catch all the eyes of those first years assembled before him, before looking back at the rest of the room. "I would like to remind all students that the Forbidden Forest is still off limits, unless you enjoy watching your feet walk about without you whilst your head is up a tree." He continued smoothly, eyes laughing, "I regret to announce that our Defence Against The Dark Arts Teacher has not yet arrived, and so the lessons will be taken by available substitutes. Oh, and we welcome Jack Grim to the fifth year, in Slytherin House, and Viktor Krum, late of Durmstrang, will enter in the 7th year. Now, without further ado..." he waved to the old hat sitting on the chair.

Jack sat at the Slytherin table, his head resting lazily in his hands watching the goings on with mild interest. He was sitting next to Draco, but still not much had been said between the two of them. This bothered him a bit, but perhaps it was for the best. He sighed, and waited, castinga quick glance over at Draco.

Professor McG unrolled the scroll in her hands, and read the first name on the list: "Gretta Grimes..." And so it went until, only Viktor was left.

Just like when Harry was sorted, the entire hall went silent as his name was called, and he walked toward the stool. "Viktor Krum...." she called out, and Viktor sat down on the stool looking sulky as usual. The Sorting Hat moved around, obviously talking to Viktor, and Viktor seemed to be mentally replying. At last the Hat stood up straight, and announced at the top of it's voice, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Viktor smiled in a way that could only be described as smarmy, and slowly rose nobley from the stool and walked toward the Gryffindor table amongst nearly unamimous applause from there, and dejected sounds from Slytherin House...

Most of the table stood to welcome their newest member, only those with red hair were sitting, though many were clapping. Ron sat there sulkily, refusing to applaud, and his siblings sat only to be fair to him. Hermione smiled widely and cheered with the rest, as Viktor took his seat between her and Seamus at the table.

Viktor smiled at everyone at the table, including Ron, and shook hands, making nice with all then turned to Hermione, simply beaming, which on Viktor was odd, if not a bit unnerving to see. "I haff made it..." he smiled.

"You never belonged in Slytherin," she replied, beaming as well, "That isn't who you are." She gave him a hug then, completely overjoyed at his placement, and pulled back only when Ron started to cough loudly.

Viktor seemd to have gone deaf to anything Ron was doing or saying, for he didn't react or even look in his direction. He would let him play the part of the ass. He would be the calm quiet one. He knew well how to do that, and how far it could get you. "I am relieved. " he said to Hermione. "You were right all along..." he said draping an arm around her shoulder, then pulling her over to place a kiss on her hair, then removed his hand to grip his flatware, and begin eating the feast that had just appeared on the table.

After the feast, the new first-year Gryffindors were led ahead of the rest towards the Gryffindor common room. Viktor and Hermione walked at the back of the group in silence, ignoring the redhead who watched the pair like a hawk."

2002-09-02 22:47:00,
Night Chat

An IC RP with Viktor and Hermione.

Viktor turned the page on the book he had been reading most lately, "Sonnets for the Sorcerer." He was curled up in one of the larger overstuffed chairs in the Gryffindor common room. It was getting late, and most of the more avid admirers had finally let him be. He had showed infinite patience during the autograph requests, and now, at last he was relaxing and enjoying the peace and quiet. He was easily able to ignore the tittering thrid years watching him from across the room.

Hermione slammed the door to the fifth-year girls dormitory behind her in a huff, ignoring Lavender's calls. Lavender and Parvati had bothered her constantly about her friendship with Viktor, about her intentions and (to quote Parvati) how many "Snitches had been caught" between them. She calmed herself in the hallway, and walked down the long flight of stairs, a copy of 'Three's the Charm: Mystical Secrets' tucked under her arm. She had tried to read in the dorm, but the incessant chatter of the two girls had driven her almost insane.

Viktor looked from his book, to the small journal where he was keeping notes of phrases for later use in his project. He paused to bite into a red apple he had saved from supper, and looked over toward the staircase wearlily when he heard footsteps approaching. He was certain it would be another interruption, but to his pleasant surprise, it was Hermione. He didn't call out to her and instead just let a wide smile cross his face, and waited for her to notice him sitting there.

She already had the book open by the time she had reached the bottom stair. She turned a page as she walked, stepping carefully over a first-year's cat, and made her way to the circle of furniture by the now-empty fireplace. Without glancing up from her book, she settled onto a fluffy maroon couch, tucking her legs under her. There was a fresh wave of whispers from the third years when she sat, and she looked up, half expecting Parvati and Lavender to have snuck down and to be continuing their interrogation. The third years shut up as soon as she glared at them, a few looking at the air near her. She turned to look, and smiled.

"Hello," Viktor mouthed to her without saying a word, then closed his book and folded his hands on it, still giving her a soft smile. "Very interestink day it haff been, no?" he said with a slight cant of his head to the side, his eyes never leaving hers.

She closed her book as well, careful to lay it face-down so that the title was not visible to Viktor. "It has," she agreed. A giggle sounded from the entrance to the girls' staircase, and she groaned. "Parvati, go away," she called, and got a louder giggle as a reply. Hermione shook her head and pulled out her wand. "She'll hate me tomorrow," she said to Viktor, an amused glint in her eye. "But she's definately earned this. Spherus Boca." A moment later she heard Lavender laughing hysterically, and watched as a few bubbles drifted into the room.

Viktor knitted his eyebrows, and sat up straight to look over Hermione's chair for a better look. He saw the retreating girls and the trail of bubbles that were drifting along down the corridor behind them. Viktor started to laugh, then quickly brought his hand to his mouth to stiffle the mirth, then forced himself to go back to a werius face as he looked over at Hermione again. "It seems you haff your adoring public az vell..." he said with a wink at her.

She blushed, and wished she still had the book open to hide her face behind. "I have a figurine shaped like me as well," she deadpanned, then started laughing at the thought, and the memory of the tiny Krum figure that Ron had had last year. The third years got up from their corner and headed up their respective staircases, whispering again and looking back at the two people seated across from each other. Hermione watched them go, and smiled at the obvious relief on Viktor's face once they were gone. It must be a chore, dealing with that day in and day out, she thought.

Viktor watched them go with a flicker of his dark eyes, then looked back at Hermione. "I am so sorry about today..." he said in a low voice, leaning closer to her. "I did not mean to upset you when I vas.... Ven I was being rude to Ron in Hogsmeade." He said, lowering his eyes slightly. "I upset you, and it vas immature of me, the vay I acted."

She sighed apologetically. "You handled it fine," she said, "It's Ron who upsets me. He seems to think that I need to be protected from you, and that is positively ridiculous." She met his eyes and tilted her head, as if studying him. What was it that made Ron think he was a threat? What was she missing?

Viktor frowned until he noticed he was doing so, then looked down at his book cover, and traced his fingertip over the elaborate lettering. "I mean you no harm Herm own ninny...." he said in a sullen, sulky tone. "But if you vant me to... distance myself from you und your friends... I shall..." he said without looking up. "I knew they would not accept me, not even if I was put into Gryffindor."

Hermione shook her head quickly, before she realised that he was looking down at his book and therefore did not see her. "I don't want you to distance yourself, Viktor," she said softly, all joy disappearing from her face. "Ron is just being incredibly stubborn, as he always is, and Harry doesn't want to make either of us angry by agreeing or disagreeing with him." She tucked a stray curl behind her ear.

Viktor looked up at her, and he sighed, "I am coming between you, and friends you haff had for many years. This cannot be good." he said in a sad voice. "I....." he paused, inwardly wrenching with his conscience, then before he knew it, he was speaking again, "Ron likes you Hermione." he said flatly. The taking another breath and looking away again, "He does not know how to express it perhaps, but even I can see it, if neither of you can..." he said solemnly, then inwardly swore at himself for being so stupid.

Hermione's jaw dropped, and she looked at Viktor curiously. "He... what?" she whispered, frowning. She looked down at the ground, and felt her head almost overflow with thoughts. He liked her. It explained so many things, the way he seemed to be more on edge around her lately, the way he looked at her oddly sometimes, as if he was wrestling with some deeper thoughts, and the way he was jealous of Viktor. Viktor... she looked up, but he wasn't meeting her eyes. "How do you- how do you know this?" she asked.

Viktor gave Hermione a weak smile, and knew he had lost even before the battle had begun. "I can tell." he said with a heavy sigh. "The vay he looks at you. The vay he cares about you, and seeks to protect you from everything, from me...." he said glancing around the empty room, completely uneasy now. "He is confused about how he feels about you, and thus he acts the vay he does. He is not aware of his feelings, or vat they mean..."

She closed her eyes and leaned back on the couch, thinking. This was an incredible revelation for her, she hadn't even considered the possibility. She and Ron had been friends for over four years, and she had never thought that either of them would want to take it to the next level. She certainly didn't, that much she knew. There had been a point last year, before the Yule Ball, when she would have, but this year... she wasn't so sure. She and Viktor were getting closer, and even she (oblivious though she may be to certain areas of relationships) could see the direction they were going, though she didn't want to admit it. She sat in silence, eyes closed, considering all of this.

Viktor saw Hermione close her eyes to process all of this, and moving silently, he picked up his book and notes, and moved to leave the room on silent, soft booted feet. She needed to sort this out for herself, and if he had any hope of still winning her, she would have to do it without his influence or petulant behavior.

A few minutes later, she spoke. "I don't-" she started, opening her eyes. But he was gone, and she was alone with her thoughts.

2002-09-02 23:05:00,
Fugue

<I>Written in Bulgarian:</i>

Well, that was brilliant. Incredible. Utterly stupid and self defeating. I, in a moment of mental fugue, told Hermione what she could not see or deduce on her own. That the simpleton Ron Weezlee adores her.

I told her all his boorish, protective and petulant bbehavior was not done out of immaturity, well, partial immaturity, but mainly out of his attraction to her. I have left myself wide open for defeat now. Left the King unprotected, and slain my Queen.

My Queen. Hermione would be my Queen, but now now I fear. I have given her to Ron on a silver platter, and now all she needs do is talk to him. Something neither has managed to do until the damned stupid Bulgarian came along.

I do not look forward to tomorrow like I once did. Well, it does no good to cry over spilled vodka. It only wets the face, and lets the mess go longer without being cleaned.

Dammit.

2002-09-03 19:21:00,
The first day...

<I>Written in Bulgarian:</i>

Well, it went about as I suspected it would. I was sought out for signatures from my admirers, glared at by their jealous beaus. Championed through the halls by the Gryffindors like a trophy, and hissed at by the jealous lot of Slytherin.

Harry Potter was friendly enough when we met in the Hallways and Great hall. Ron glared at me, not saying anything and Hermione....

She was illusive as a hare today. She moved from the House to classes with her head looking down, and her face behind books all day. This saddens me. I thought I was doing the right thing by telling her of Ron's feelings. Apparently not.

She was not at dinner, and since the crowd in the common room now is too much for me, I shall be ging to the library to study, and think. Maybe I shall see her there. Just like last year.

Faithfully. Viktor

2002-09-03 23:01:00,
Fireside Chat

An IC RP with Hermione and Viktor

Hermione watched absently as Dean and Seamus pushed a few animated figures on broomsticks around on a table in the Gryffindor Common room. The pair was trying to "prepare her" for tryouts on Saturday, by boring her to death with odd Quidditch strategies. "Look, the Keeper has to move, like this," here Dean prodded a figure in maroon, "If the opposing Chaser tries to come up like this," he poked a figurine dressed in green, which poked him back with a tiny wand and scowled as it moved forward. Hermione covered her yawn, but Seamus noticed and grinned. "Might as well give ya time to think about all this, Hermione," he laughed, and gathered the figures up. She thanked them, and they ran up to the boy's dorm to show Neville their ideas.

The Door to the Common Room from the outer hallways darkened for just a second, then the tall, brooding figure of Viktor Krum emerged. He was carrying books under one arm and a partially eaten apple in the other. As soon as he entered the Common room and was noticed, a group of fourth and fifth year girls swarmed around him, besieging him with tittering laughter and questions. "I haff to study now... Can ve chat later?" he said to them drolly, then walked over to sit down in a chair by the fire, and set his books down. He set about reading from them without looking around the room. No eye contact was the best way to avoid the fannish type. He sighed, and flipped through the pages until he found the chapter on the Potions ingredients needed for a Wolfsbane Potion and began to take notes. DADA was going to be an interesting class this year.

Hermione glanced up when she heard a wave of fresh chatter spread through the room, but could not see anything through the swarm of teenage girls. She sighed and pulled her bag next to her chair, reaching inside for her Potions text. She may do well in that class, but that didn't mean she didn't have to study a lot for it. Snape had a tendency to give her and the rest of the Gryffindors detention on the slightest provacation, and something so small as a ruined potion would bring his wrath down. She flipped to the section on Mobiliarbus Drought, which rendered the victim immobile, but conscious. She let the noise around her die out, and let herself slip into the reading. Gradually, the other people in the room left in groups or on their own, as the long hand made it's way across the clock. After an hour or so, the only people left in the room were Viktor, Hermione, and a few fourth year girls who were still giggling.

Viktor never looked up from his books, it was if he was the only one there and there was no need for talking. At once point, he paused, and leaned back in the chair to stretch out, and picked up his apple, crunching on it until it was nothing but a core. He set it on the table, and almost immediatly a whisper could be heard from the other side of the Common Room, "Accio Apple", The apple core twitched, and then zoomed across the room into the hands of one of the Fifth Years. Viktor glanced up from under his long fringe as the girls all dissolved into hysteria and rushed from the room. Viktor sighed aloud and after folding his arms on the book, rest his head down on it and muttered to himself in Bulgarian.

Hermione's head jerked up from her textbook, and her eyes widened. How had she not noticed everyone leaving, and only Viktor remaining? She looked down at her textbook, slightly bewildered. She had somehow read through two chapters, enough reading to last her the next two weeks. She sighed, and closed the book with a loud 'snap'. She had been pushing herself into her work all day, to avoid having to deal with what was really bothering her, and she was reaching the point of frustration. Might as well deal with it now, she thought, and let the emotions she had kept bottled all day rush over her. Confusion and frustration hit her in waves.

Viktor was still resting his head on his arms, then after a while, when it was silent again, she slowly lifted his head up and looked around the the room. It was empty. Terrific. Wait. As his eyes roamed over the room, he spotted Hermione. His sour expression did not improve. He gave her a courteous nod of his head in acknowledgement, then gathered up his books and notes, and rose from the table.

"Viktor..." she said softly, hoping that he would stay. She had been avoiding Ron all day, and hadn't realised that she had been avoiding Viktor as well. She stood and walked to the taller Gryffindor, who had stopped a few steps away from the couch. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Instead, she sat on the couch he had just vacated, pulling her legs to her chest and resting her chin on her knees.

Viktor of course stoipped when she called his name, and he looked over at her. Expression was more blank now, if a bit sad. "Yes, Herm own ninny?" he asked, then watched her curl up onto the couch. "Ist dere somethink the matter?"

She laughed bitterly, and looked up at him. His calmness frightened her a bit. "I- I'm sorry," she said, and she saw him tense almost imperceptively, as if waiting for a blow. "I'm sorry I avoided you today," she continued, Ronald Weezlee yet?" he asked with a bit of tenseness, nervousness in his voice.

She kept looking at her knees. "No... I don't think I could take that right now," she said, and she met his eyes, frowning. "What would I say to him? 'Guess what Ron, you're a blind git who didn't see this last year'?" She looked like she was going to cry again.

Viktor looked just as uncomfortable as Hermione, if not more so. He wanted to pull her close, but knew this would be the WRONG place and time to do so. "I understand... Vell... I vill not interfere vith, vith vhatever you decide to do regarding.... this." he said softly. "I vish you vell Hermione." he added, and managed a weak smile in her direction.

"That's just it," she said, returning the small smile. "I've made up my mind. I just.... I just don't know what to do about it." Hermione untucked her legs and leaned back against the arm of the couch. A small thread poked out of the side, and she pulled at it absently, twirling it around her finger. Her mind whirled with a million different things, and try as she might she couldn't focus on one thought.

Viktor nodded, expecting the worst, and why shouldn't he? If she had chosen him, would she be acting like this? Of course not. He leaned forward, and gave her a soft hug, then stood up again, and turned to go up to the steps toward the Boys Dorms. "Don't stay up too late. Quidditch players need their rest..." he droned as he walked.

"Viktor, please..." she called to him. "You're the one being ridiculous now. Will you please just... just hear me out?" she asked, feeling the tears well up again.

Viktor blinked and stopped at the foot of the stairs. Slowly he turned around and looked over at her. "I am... being ridiculous?" he asked, pointing a finger at his chest, and then walking toward her. No humor was showing on his face as he spoke. He crossed the room and stood next to the couch, looking down at her.

She nodded slowly. "You keep walking away from this, just like Ron keeps pushing his way in," she said. She stopped him before he could reply. "Please.... just let me explain all of this. I need to say it, to someone, and I would most like to say it to you," she said quietly.

Viktor nodded, and then sighing, sat back down on the couch next to her. "All vight, I am listening to you." he said softly, and then set his books down and draped one arm on the back of the couch.

She took a deep breath and started. "At the start of our fourth year, I thought that Ron and I would be perfect. It made sense then, we had been friends for years, and we were closer than we had ever been." She paused as if trying to form the right words. "I don't think I realised what I felt then, about him. I... I didn't think he felt that way about me, at all. When you came here for the tournement, I saw that I didn't have to pretend around you, like I did around Ron. I always had to pretend that he was my friend, that there was nothing more that I wanted." She took a breath. "Then the Yule Ball came up, and I hoped that Ron would ask me, that he would notice, but he didn't. He saw me still as that friend, that little girl who was clever with books, and not good for anything more. And it hurt..." She felt a tear trickle down and wiped it away.

Viktor looked at her from behind his dark lashes. "And now, vhat does he feel about you?" he asked.

"He hasn't told me, and that's the problem," she replied, looking at her hands, which had been fiddling with the edge of her robes. She steadied them, and looked back at Viktor's face. "I gave up on Ron last year, and I'm not going to start it again," she said resolutely. "He can't just... just start feeling this way, and then think that I would just..." she trailed off.

Viktor was biting on his lip, listening to her speak, and feeling his heart sink lower and lower into his belly. "So, you haffent spoken to him yet..." he said with a slow blink of his dark eyes. "You haff to... " he paused, shaking his head, "You should.... give him a chance. Tell him vhat you know... and then let him say vhat he feels..."

She nodded. "And I will," she said, "When he realises it. I can't just confront him, that wouldn't go well at all," she added with a weak smile. It disappeared a moment later, and her face was positively sad, the corners of her lips curving into a frown. "What if he never realises it?" she asked, suddenly worried.

Viktor thought about that, but bit back the reply he wanted to make, about him being a clueless git who didn't deserve to have Hermione this upset over him. But, instead, he nodded and said "Then he never realizes it...." he said quietly, and then you haff waited for him."

"No. No waiting," she replied as quietly as he had spoken, her words carrying an undercurrent of determination. "If he ever does realise it, I'll deal with it then. But I'm not going to wait around for him again." She got even quieter at this point, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't." She felt slightly better for that thought, that she had somehow pulled herself away from the frustration she had felt the year before. She looked back at Viktor, who could make her want to laugh and cry at the same time.

Viktor simply stared back at her, he nodded, just listening to what she said, what she needed to say, more for her benefit than his. This was odd for him, being a confident for another. He wasn't used to sharing his emotions with anyone, much less sharing his own, which he truly had yet to do.

They sat in silence for a few more moments, each occupied with their own thoughts. Suddenly, Hermione leaned forward and hugged Viktor, pressing her face into his neck.

Viktor was shocked by Hermione's move to embrace him, and he froze, sitting stock still there for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her, and hugged her back, tightly. "It vill be..... OK... OK...." he purred into her ear as he hugged her and gently stroked her back with his hand. He closed his eyes, and allowed himself a smile.

She calmed herself as best she could, but didn't pull away. It was... comfortable there, his hand moving slowly over her back, his soothing words in her ear. Impulse, really, had caused her to hug him, more than anything else. She felt warm, and felt the weight lift from her shoulders, the worries about Ron float away for just a moment.

This was nice, really nice, Viktor thought to himself, and he continued to hold Hermione and pet her back for as long as she would allow it. He went quiet for a while, lost in his own thoughts. He was still not sure what had happened. What was happening, but he knew one thing. He was here holding Hermione, and Ron was not.

After what felt like an incredibly short time, Hermione reluctantly pulled away. She wiped her face and glanced at Viktor, giving him a small smile. "Thankyou," she said. "For listening to me, and for being so calm about this... I can't seem to look at it calmly," she added somberly. She felt a thousand times better, having been able to voice her feelings to someone who she knew would not condemn her for them. Harry, much as she loved him, would resent her for putting him between them. And she wasn't as close with anyone else outside.

Viktor smiled at her, nodding. "I am glad I could be of help to you Hermione. I am.... I am glad that you..." he paused, then his smiled widened. "I am glad that you chose me, as a friend to be the von to listen to you." he said, then placed his hand over his heart, and bowed to her slightly. "I am very honored...." he said grinning, and looking up at her from under his long bangs, and grinned.

She smiled then, a genuine smile which lifted her spirits immensely, and caused her face to light up. She looked around the common room as if realising that they weren't in an entirely different place, and her eyes alighted on the clock. "Oh, wow," she breathed, surprised. "I didn't realize it was this late." She met Viktor's eyes again and grinned, as staying up this late was an odd occurrence for her, even during the last few weeks of each semester, when she would always study extra-hard for their exams.

Viktor nodded, and stood up from the couch, and offered her his hand, grabbing his books with the other. "Now... ve must go to bed...." he smiled, and shook his hair out of his eyes while smiling softly at her. "Any time you vant to talk. I vill listen to everything you haff to say Herm own ninny...." he said quietly, then leaned forward, and placed a kiss on her cheek.

She blushed, and stammered another "thank you", tucking her book under her arm. "Goodnight, Viktor," she said, stopping at the foot of the stairs.

Viktor waved "Goodnight" to her, then smiling, he blew her a kiss before turning and going down the hallway to the boys dorm. Viktor smiled wide as he walked. Things were going well, very well indeed.<

2002-09-04 00:29:00,
Check mate?

<I>Written in Bulgarian:</i>

Have I won? I truly cannot say. I feel as if I have, but I fear that Ronald Weezlee still looms like a spectre over my shoulder.

I shall continue as before, calm, quiet, and listening. So simple is that. She just wanted someone to talk to, someone that would listen to what she had to say, and how she felt.

It seems that as good and close as she is with her peers, they do not truly see her for the wise, clever and intellegent young woman she is. I suppose that is why she is fond of me and confides in me.

I see her for what she is to the world, and not just to me, or what she may be able to do for me.

Faithfully."

2002-09-04 17:04:00,
HOUSE ELF NOTE TO HERMIONE

<i>Hello Hermione,

I hope yoru day went well. Mine was quite busy indeed. Will you be at dinner tonight? I am hoping you are.

Take care, and be well to yourself.

Faithfully, <b>Viktor</b></i>"

2002-09-06 16:24:00,
Talking by the lake

(An IC RP with Hermione and Viktor)

Viktor looked around, sighing in a happy way as he finished his last class of the afternoon, and decided to go for a walk on the grounds. The warm sun was something that was quite rare in his homeland, even in the summer, so he took every chance he could get to be in it. He wasn't the only one on the grounds that Friday afternoon, and he waved and smiled at those that did the same to him as he headed down for the shores of the lake. As he drew nearer, he spotted a familiar face sitting under one of the Non-attacking Willow Trees. Hermione.

She had her cloak spread out under her like a blanket on the ground, and she had her face buried in a book. It was a rather pleasant day, not too warm as to be unbearable, so she had decided to do her studying outside. Harry and Ron were on the pitch again, but she had declined to go with them. Tryouts for the teams were tomorrow, but Hermione didn't feel like flying. The week had been rather hectic, and all she wanted at that moment was to relax and enjoy the peaceful breeze and the sunny day.

Viktor could see she was engrossed in her work, and not wanting to startle her, he cleared his throat when he had closed the distance between them, and now stood under the shade of the large tree. When she looked up, he smiled at her. "Good afternoon Herm own ninny..." he said with a smile.

She smiled as well, and shut her book. "Good afternoon, Viktor," she said. She scooted back a bit on the cloak so that there was room, and motioned to it. "Would you like to sit?"

Viktor smiled wider as he nodded, and sat down near her on the cloak, but not TOO close as to crowd her space, or appear he was looking for something else. "It is a nice day outside today..." he said looking around at the trees, and lake. "I love being able to be outside in such nice weather."

"It's wonderful," Hermione agreed, slipping the book back into her bag. It wasn't too odd for her to be carrying around a copy of "Moste Potente Potions", but it was somewhat peculiar. She had looked almost everywhere else for an answer to her sequence quandery, but had come up blank. When she had tried the silver book, no one had been there. With the first stage to be started on Sunday... she chose not to think about it for the moment. She could just focus on Viktor and relax. She leaned back on her palms. "How was your day?" she adked cordially.

Viktor looked back over at, distracted from looking at the local fauna. "It vas quite busy." he said. "But I like that. Keeps me from thinking too much..." he said with a soft smile. "How have you been doing? How are you and your friends getting along?" he asked with a lift of a dark eyebrow.

Hermione glanced at her bag, and her notes, which were still spread out on her side of the cloak. "We're alright, I suppose," she answered, sitting up straight to gather them. "Harry wanted me to go flying with him and Ron, which is Harry's way of trying to get us to make up," she added with a small smile.

Viktor nodded, understanding. "Are you still going to try out for the House team?" he asked with a widening grin. "I am...."

Hermione nodded, raising her eyebrows. "Really? For what?" she inquired.

Viktor smirked. "Vhat ever position they have open..." he replied with a twinkle in his dark eyes. "I don't vant to challenge Harry Potter of course. I vould be happy as a Chaser..." he said, "I still get to chase a ball like a hound."

She grinned, and leaned back again on the cloak, resting her head on her arms and looking up at the sky. A few clouds drifted about, and she amused herself by mentally characterising them into animal groups. She laughed at the sight of one of them, which greatly resembled a cow, or (if she let her imagination take over completely) Madam Pomfrey bending over. The latter caused her chuckling. She glanced over at Viktor, who was looking at her bemusedly, and pointed. "What do you think that cloud looks like?"

Viktor turned his head slightly to the side, then decided he would need the same vantage point as Hermione, so he laid down on his back as well, the top of his head near hers, and he squinted up at the clouds drifting by. "Hm.... not verry good at this game..." he grumbled, then watched the cloud as it drifted by.

"The one on the far left looks a bit like a Snitch, with those parts sticking out, don't you think?" she pointed to the cloud in question, a fluffy one that looked as though it was made of cotton. She glanced over at the lake as she heard a few distant splashes, and was amused to see a few first years skipping stones. Hagrid was shuffling towards them to alert them to the fact that the giant squid did not appreciate stones being tossed in on his head. The first years scattered, laughing.

Viktor nodded, "Jah... I zuppose.... They are all reminding me ov food... I must be hungry again..." he laughed. "They look like powder bisquits, and dumplings, and that one... there!" he pointed. "Looks like a full side of beef roast...."

Hermione laughed, leaning her head sideways to look at him. "I used to love to do this," she said, remembering being sprawled out on the concrete when she was younger. She thought of her friend Margaret, and felt the instant pang that usually accompanied the memory. It reminded her of why she tried to avoid prejudice. She crossed her feet at the ankles and relaxed into the soft fabric.

Viktor laid there for some time, than yawning, he sat back up. "Oh... I could drop right to sleep here..." he smiled, looking around again. He glanced around at her and then at her bookbag. "Vhat vere you working on?" he asked with a lift of his chin in that direction.

"Potions," she said honestly, though she hadn't meant the class. Parts of her wanted to just tell him everything that had been going on, from Jack and Draco's threats to Voldemort, and then to the potion. The rest of her, though, wanted to keep him seperate from the stress and the worry of that. She knew that he would probably be angry, were he to realise that she was keeping such important things from him. But she just couldn't drag him into it.

"Ugh...." Viktor sighed. "He is qvite a piece ov vork..." he said shaking his head. "But then you have been here four years already. I am not telling you anythink new...." he sighed. "He glares at me, but so far, he haz not punished me or done things vith points. He seems to hate Gryffindor House..."

She snorted. "He seems to hate every House, even members of his own," Hermione told him. "He just hates Gryffindor the most, though why I have no idea. He's always picked on Harry, and he never gives any of us points for our extra work." She sighed as well.

"Unfair. Plays favorites. Just like Karkaroff...." he sneered. "They could be bruzzers..." he said, then reached into his bookbag and pulled out two red apples, he shined them on his robe, then offered one to Hermione. "Here, a snack," he smiled shyly.

She took it with a smile. "Thanks, Viktor," she said. She took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. "Is Karkaroff really that bad?" she asked, once she had swallowed. Her parents had taught her nothing if not good manners, though she tended to waive the 'no books at the table' rule.

Viktor nodded, "Jah... like Snape, but vorse. He uses the cane on disobedient students too." he turned and looked directly at her as he took a bite of his apple with a 'crunch', then swallowed it. "Do they use the cane here?" he asked.

She blinked, surprised. "No, not at all!" she exclaimed, frowning. "We get detention, and usually just have to do some inane task, but I don't think they've ever actually hurt us," she said. She nibbled on the edge of her apple, a little less hungry than she had been before.

Viktor nodded, "That is refreshing..." he said sounding releived. "I only got it .... maybe three times..." he said narrowing his eyes as he thought. "Vhen I vas in my first years.... before I vas a star you know..." he said dryly. "Never again after those first few times..." he said casually, then glanced back over t Hermione.

She was still frowning a bit. She'd heard that some of the other wizarding school had different... methods for dealing with students, but she'd never thought that caning would be one of them. Hermione took a large bite of apple so that she wouldn't say how horrible she thought that was, and the pair lay in silence for a few moments, eating. Hermione set her core down once she was finished, and just stared up at the sky.

Viktor finished his apple in several large bites, and then got to his feet, and with a might toss, threw the core into the lake with a soft "splash". He laughed as the giant squid gripped it with a tenticle, and pulled it underneath the water. "No fan souvenir that von!" he chuckled, then turned to look down at Hermione, offering her a hand up. "Shall ve go inside and get ready for supper?" he asked with a winning smile.

"We shall," Hermione joked, taking his hand and letting him help her up. He helped her shake a few stray peices of grass out of her cloak, and she shrunk it with a spell and put it in her knapsack. Then, with matching grins, the pair started for the castle."

2002-09-07 09:13:00,
High Hopes

<i>Written in Bulgarian</I>

Yes, things ae definitly looking upward for me, and Hermione, on a friendly level of course. We talked after classes on Friday, and again sat together for supper, and chatted about various things. Quidditch, assignments, Arithmancy, Potions. Not once did we discussRon. Well, he was sitting nearby, keeping a Hawk;s Watch over me and Hermione, but did not speak to me at all.

Today are the Quidditch House Team Tryouts, and am I concerned? Of course not. This is school level Quidditch, and with the exception of Harry Potter and myself, this is far from the World Cup.

I am quite sure I could take the position of Seeker from him, but I see no reason to do so. He is quite skilled, nearly professional level I would dare say, and this would only feed my overgrown ego, and cause friction between myself and Hermione and her friends.

A Chaser I can be. I am of moderate size for a Professional chaser, but here I am larger than all but a few students. Those twin Golems in Slytherin come to mind but they are far from standard Quidditch Material.

They would be easy targets on brooms at 50 feet in the air. As the Americans are wont to say, "Bring it on."

Well, it is almost time for the tryouts. I shall collect my Firebolt and excort Hermione to the Pitch. More later.

Faithfully, Viktor

2002-09-07 22:38:00,
The Results are in...

Written in Bulgarian:</i>

Am I surprised? Of course not. Am I pleased? Partially. Hermione and I are Chasers together... along with Ronald Weasley. (It seems I have been misspelling his name all along) Does this make things more difficult for me? Not that I can see.

Faithfully, Viktor

2002-09-08 13:05:00,
A Kiss by any other name...

An IC RP with Hermione and Viktor

Viktor held the front door of the Castle open for Hermione as she stepped outside into the bright late morning sun. It was a fantastic day, and they had decided to go for a walk around the grounds. Viktor was still getting used to the warmer climate, and was wearing the lightest of a shirt, no robes, and some black dungarees and his dragon hide boots. His hair, getting longer was hanging a bit down over his eyes, and the back was nearly long enough for a short ponytail. "Looks like a vonderful afternoon." he mused as he followed her outside.

She sheilded her eyes from the sun and nodded her agreement. "We still have to stop by the pitch and get our Quidditch robes today," she reminded him, scanning the grounds for other people. A few groups of students were gathered at various points in the grass, having picnics, chatting, or (in the case of a group of Ravenclaws) studying together. It was shortly after lunch, where Viktor and Hermione had set next to each other and talked, and Ron had sat across from them, talking to Harry but keeping one eye on them.

Viktor nodded and looked over at Hermione as he reached down and caught her hand in his. He gave it a squeeze as he smiled at her, then walked across the grass. "Shall ve go there first, or later?" he asked as he strode along,glancing from side to side, but not taking much notice of the people around, but more the scenery.

"Might as well go now, get it over with," she decided, steering them in the direction of the Quidditch pitch. They chatted as they walked, and were into a rather interesting conversation concerning the differences in Algebraic Charms and Geometric summonings from their Advanced Arithmancy course when they reached the changing rooms. Madam Hooch was standing outside them, boxes spread on the ground around her, and an exasperated look on her face. Millicent Bulstrode was scowling, a set of green and silver robes in her arms; Crabbe and Goyle were standing around

stupidly. Crabbe was examining a kneepad when they approached. Millicent looked up when Madam Hooch smiled in their direction, and the Slytherin sneered. "Well, well, look who's here. The Star and the Mud-" she cut off when Madam Hooch shot her a look.

Viktor followed Hermione to the Quidditch Shed, and frowned as he heard voices there. He sighed, he hated crowds. No matter how small. When he entered with her, he gave a smile and nod to Madame Hooch, then as Millicent was halted in mid insult, he shot her a dangerous glare, then repeated the same look to Crabbe and Goyle, shutting them silent before they dare to open their stupid mouths. Viktor then sighed, and in the simplest of Bulgarian, said out out of the corner of his mouth to Hermione, "Well, we are seeing history being made. Pigs are flying."

Hermione laughed, and covered her mouth to stop it. Goyle blinked owlishly at them, as if trying to discern whether or not that was a foreign language he had heard, and Millicent just raised an eyebrow. Madam Hooch turned and knelt by a few scarlet colored boxes, digging through them. Hermione was rather proud that she had understood Viktor, she had been studying a bit over the last three weeks, and he had been helping her. The Slytherins somehow knew that they had been insulted, though, because once Madam hooch's back was turned, Millicent made a rude gesture to Hermione.

Viktor saw this and with a soft mutter, uttered a curse that required no wand play, and almost instantly the effects could be seen, or rather heard. *Phooot!* came the foul sound from Millicent's backside, and soon another followed. Viktor looked shocked and disgusted by this, putting a hand over his face, and remained solemn as a Vicar as Millicent went red, and farted again. Louder.

Madam Hooch glanced up from the box and raised an eyebrow at Millicent. "Miss Bulstrode, do you need to see Madam Pomfrey?" she asked. Millicent went an even deeper shade of red, and stormed off in the direction of the castle. Crabbe and Goyle shot Hermione and Viktor one last glare, the latter mouthing "Mudblood", and then they followed. Hermione stopped laughing at Goyle's comment, and frowned. Madam Hooch stood up then, two sets of robes in her hands. She handed Hermione the smaller set, and motioned to the girls' changing rooms. "You'll need to try these on," she said.

Viktor continued to watch the Slytherin's slide away as he waved his hand before his nose, looking disgusted. "Vat horrible manners they haff.." he sneered, then glanced back to Madame Hooch as she handed him robes to try on. He was directed to the Boys Changing room, and after smiling at Madame Hooch in a winning way, went to go change.

Five minutes later, Hermione emerged from the girls' side and stopped in front of Madam Hooch. The uniforms were not very elaborate, but they looked quite nice. Scarlet pants came to mid calf, and were covered by black shin-protectors that attached to black shoes A gold stripe ran down the side of the pants, which matched the black top. A golden lion shimmered on the shirt, and a cape the colour of blood hung down the back. Hermione held the pair of black arm-protectors in her hand rather than attempt to lace them on herself. Madam Hooch started to say something, when Viktor emerged from the oppostie side.

Perfect. Albus had seen fit to send Snape on some 'errand', (only he hadn't called it that, obviously, and he hadn't so much asked or demanded or anything) and Snape had to go outside. He couldn't really have refused, but he made his displeasure evident before storming off out of the Office and out into the castle's grounds.

Viktor emerged from the Boys Locker Room, and was wearing the same garb as Hermione, but had managed to lace up his arm guards himself. Whether he did it manually, or with a spell, was yet to be known. He smiled as he looked over a

at Hermione in hers, "You look nice..." he said quietly as he leaned against the wall in his usual slouch and waited.

She smiled. "You as well," she replied. The looked at each other for a long moment, until Madam Hooch cleared her throat. Hermione looked to her, slightly embarassed, but the silver-haired woman just smiled. "You both look fine," she said curtly, making a note on a scroll. "Now change back into your regular robes and give those to me. I'll have them sent up to your dormitories."

Viktor nodded, slouching as he returned to the locker room, "Jah.... jah..." he mumbled. Bored? you bet. He changed quickly and was waiting outside the shed for Hermione in the shade of a nearby tree. He was gazing up into it,lost in thought it seemed.

She came up behind him, making sure to crunch a few fallen leaves so as not to startle him. "Where to now?" she asked quietly.

Viktor turned and looked down at Hermione and smiled, "I vas just thinking about you...." he said with a wink, then extended his hand to her. "I do that a lot...." he said, then looked away, perhaps to hide a blush as he started to walk along the tree line on the edge of the Pitch.

She smiled at him as they walked, hand in hand. "I think about you a lot, as well," she admitted. "Mostly in History of Magic," she grinned, and noted that a small smile appeared on his face. She glanced over her shoulder as most of the Hufflepuff team arrived, in an uncharacteristically somber mood. She supposed that the memory of Cedric Diggory would ruin any joy they had towards Quidditch.

Viktor looked over at her, confusion causing him to frown slightly, slightly more than normal anyway, "In History of Magic?" he asked. "But vhy in there?" he asked.

"Most of the students sleep in there," she said, laughing a bit. "I just let my mind wander to wherever it wants to go, and you're where it usually ends up." She blushed again, looking down at the ground. They passed the goals at the end of the pitch, and were near a stretch of grounds that was dappled with trees and bushes. It was, oddly enough, empty today. There were usually a few students in the area, playing games and such.

Snape passed through the doors, and out into the sun, scowling at the world in general, and the students unlucky enough to be nearby. He pulled his cloak up over his chest with one hand, covering it, as though he didn't want the world to see him. His other hand hung by his side, fingers curled over the cuff of his sleeve.

Viktor turned and looked down at Hermione, his face relaxed and an amused smile on his lips. "Your mind vanders to thoughts of me?" he repeated, then smiled wider. "I am glad to hear that." he said reaching over to take both of her hands in his as he stood there facing her in the shade of the trees. "I think of you too Herm own ninny... Qvite a lot actually..." he said softly as he leaned down, and touched his forehead to hers.

She blushed, and a small smile appeared on her lips. Her eyes met his, and she felt a flutter in her chest. The sounds outside of her drained away, until there was nothing but their gentle breathing.

Viktor smiled a bit wider, and closed his eyes, just enjoying the quiet, the solitude, and the time alone with Hermione. It was at these times he felt, almost normal. "I think of different things... things I vould like to say, things I vould like to do..." he said voice trailing off as he canted his head to the side, and softly touched his lips to Hermione's.

Immediately Hermione felt another jolt in her chest. She leaned forward a bit, molding her lips against his gently. Her mind raced but she quieted it, focusing on the sensation of Viktor's lips on her own.

Snape rounded a corner, still fuming, and with the detention count up to a record high so far this term. Amazing what a bit of sun did, really. If he could have banned it, he would have. His eyes lit on two of his favourite students, Gryffindors, and stopped dead, glaring thoroughly, and barked out; "If you enjoy canoodling so much, perhaps you should see Professor Sprout. I hear there are some rustis acerbis in need of care and attention."

Viktor blinked, and pulled back from his kissing Hermione, and turned his head over to glare at the invading party. "Vhat did you say...." he said in a low tone, then added for decorum, "Professor." as he eyed the man carefully,wondering why he was out here, and not hanging upside down in a dungeon somewhere.

"I'm sorry, would you prefer I told you in Bulgarian, or is it just your hearing that's the problem, Mr Krum? And don't pretend your English is poor-- well, more so than the average student." His hands moved to rest on his hips, and he looked disinterested, and more than a little disgusted.

Hermione felt another rush of embarrassment as she looked from Viktor to her Potions professor. She noted that she and Viktor were still standing rather close to each other, so she took a small step back, notletting go of his hand. Immediately she wanted to take another step towards him, to be closer again.

Viktor narrowed his glare at Snape, and took a long breath in before speaking. "I have no trouble understanding proper English Sir," he said as he stood his ground, "However, Anytime you would like to attempt to impress me with your skills in Bulgarian, I would relish the opportunity to discuss whatever topic you should like in my native tongue." he said in Bulgarian at the end, and awaited Snape's reply.

Snape narrowed his eyes, having known a few Bulgarians from Durmstrang in his time, and picking up a little as a result. He wasn't fluent, to be sure, and only picked up a little, but wasn't about to show the extent of his knowledge, or lack thereof, right now. "I suggest you both report to her afterwards. She will be more than happy to see you." He turned, and spat out over his shoulder, in heavily accented Bulgarian, "Later."

Once he was out of sight, Hermione muttered a string of curse words in French that would have made Ron gasp. She let go of Viktor's hand and leaned against a nearby tree, looking up into the leaves.

Viktor watched Snape depart, and swore a blue streak himself in Bulgarian, then turned his attention back to Hermione. "I am... very sorry.. I should not haff done... that..." he said softly, looking down at the grass as he kickedat the turf with the toe of his boot.

"No!" she answered quickly, blushing for the umpteenth time that day. "That was... nice..." she trailed off, looking down at the grass and silently cursing Professor Snape.

Viktor looked up at her from under his fringe, and looked quite sad. "I do not... like that man. Not at all..." he said in a low tone. Then slowly, he smiled back at her. "I liked.... kissing you..." he said shyly. "It vas the nicest I haff ever had."

"It was the only I have ever had," she admitted, still looking at the grass. She thought about how amusing it was that her first kiss had been interrupted by a teacher, but she didn't really feel like laughing at that point.

Viktor moved a hand to alongside Hermione's face, an slowly tipped it up to look him in the eye again. He ran his tongue across his lips, then leaned forward, closing the gap between them, "Then let me give you another..." he whispered, and again pressed his lips to hers while he held her face in his hands.

She closed her eyes, sighing against his lips. Almost of their own choice, her hands slipped around his waist. Hermione felt that her heart might burst from her chest at that point, and she willed it to be quiet as she relaxed into the kiss.

Viktor felt her arms wrap aaround him, and he took a step closer toward her, until there was no space between them. His hands held her face gently as his lips covered hers, and sucked softly. He traced the tip of his tongue across

her lips ever so gently, then slowly, pulled back and looked down at her, his eyes half closed. "That is the kiss I vanted to give to you, the night of the Yule Ball...." he smiled.

Hermione opened her eyes slowly, and she felt rather dazed. Her mind took an extra second to process his words, and she paused. The Yule Ball, almost nine months before, seemed a very long time for someone to have to wait to kiss somebody. She met his eyes, her own a slightly clouded, and all she could manage was, "Wow." She thought back to the Yule Ball, and her brow furrowed. The Yule Ball made her think of Ron, and he was the last person she wanted in her mind at that moment.

Viktor smiled at her, and taking her hand tightly in his, started walking again, "Now.... vere did the old bat say we had to go?" he laughed. "I haff half a mind to not do anything he said. Ve vere not out of bounds..." he sulked

Hermione knew they were, and was secretly happy that they hadn't been given detentions for it. "We may as well," she said, heading in the direction of the greenhouses, "Or else we may end up with something worse to do."

Viktor frowned, "I Von't!" he said, stopping in mid step. "I am not some child he can command at his vill!" he said pointing to himself with his free hand. "Ve haff done nothing wrong Herm own ninny... Nothing." he said with a stubborn tone to his voice.

"I don't like it anymore than you do," she said, resigned. "But I know him better than you do, and I know how bad he can get. I don't want to make him angry," she sighed.

Viktor stood there for a long moment. Defiant. He looked down at her a for a long time, he seemed to be considering a great deal in his own mind. At last he spoke to her. "I vill follow your wishes on this Hermione." he said in a controlled tone of voice. "I still say he has no right...."

She nodded, glancing at the row of glass contraptions they were approacing. Professor Sprout was chatting animatedly with Neville Longbottom, who waved as they approached. Hermione smiled and waved in return. The Herbology professor raised an eyebrow at them and looked pointedly at their hands. They reluctantly let go, ignoring Neville's titter of amusement. The boy muttered a goodbye and bounded off towards the castle with a grin. Sprout looked at them with a slight frown to Hermione. "Ms. Granger and Mr. Krum," she said, a disappointed lilt to Hermione's name. "Professor Snape has informed me of your transgression, and I have decided a proper punishment. The two of you will be pruning the Vilocio Vine in Greenhouse four, and I expect you will be done by dinnertime." Hermione winced at this, but nodded.

Viktor was scowling, and did not offer a verbal answer. He nodded in acknowledgement to Professor Sprout, and then followed Hermione into the mentioned greenhouse. "Things like this never happened at Durmstrang..." he muttered.

Hermione decided not to mention the caning he had told her about, and instead turned to look at the vine they were to prune. It was a rather large one, a single vine with multiple flowering offshoots. The flowers were not normal flowers, however, they had a tendency to snap at their tenders, and they contained a poison which could kill small animals. She bit her lip and looked around, her eyes settling on a table nearby, where two sets of dragonhide gloves lay, along with two sets of pruning shears. This was sixth year work, but Hermione had already heard a bit about this particular plant in her readings.

Viktor was still silently brooding, and went over to pick up the gloves and shears. "I shall do it... I don't vant you to get bit..." he said in a soft tone, softer than his current mood detailed. Without a look up at her, he set about his work of trimming the plants.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, and pulled on the second pair of gloves. She grabbed the other pair of shears and knelt down in the dirt next to him, a small smile on her face. "I'll be fine," she assured him, and set to work on a lower section of vine.

Viktor nodded, still not saying anything. As the afternoon wore on, he kept to himself, acting much like he had last year. Withdrawn, sulky, sullen. He at last finished the rest of the pruning, and with only one slight nip from a plant. He had beheaded the blossom that had bit him, and after that point, they stopped trying to attack. When he was at last done, he took off the gloves and dropped them on the bench next to the shears. "There. Done..." he growled.

Hermione wiped the small bit of sweat from her brow, as it was getting rather warm in the greenhouse, and snipped a small shoot. "Me, too," she said, pulling her gloves off and tossing them next to his. She was smiling at him when the greenhouse door banged open and Professor Sprout came in. "All done, I see," she chirped, once again satisfied with the students. "Off to the castle with you, then. It's nearly dinnertime, and I daresay you would want to wash up beforehand." She shooed them out of the greenhouse, and off to the castle.

2002-09-08 21:12:00,
Paradise but briefly

<I>Written in Bulgarian:</i>

Was it a good day today? I would say so. The weather here was spectacular, Hermione and I went for a walk, collected our Quidditch Robes for the House Team, and then... shared a kiss under the shade of a tree.

It was quiet, soft, and romantically perfect until Snape interrupted us. The man is an abomination. No wonder he was friends with Karkaroff. The way he reacted, you would think that I had been ravishing Hermione and the rest of the Gryffindor girls instead of a simple kiss being given.

It's not hard to imagine that he is bitter over such things because surely NOTHING alive would want to kiss, or be kissed by him.

In any case. It was quite nice, and once he was gone, having dispensed Detention in the green houses for us. I kissed Hermione again.

I shall sleep well tonight, dreaming of that.

Faithfully, Viktor

2002-09-12 10:36:00,
Break

<i>Written in Bulgarian:</i>

Just a quick note between classes, which have been going well. Some of the teachers in fact have been calling upon me to help with the lessons. I am not teaching them to be sure, but helping with assignments, demonstrations and the like.

I am pleased with this show of acceptance and confidence in me. I am still a celebrity to many here, but just as many are seeming to accept me for just a person, and I am enjoying this.

Snape is the singular exception. He is however, known to be foul to everyone. Some just more than others.

Hermione and I have chatted a few times since "The Kiss". She seems to be more at ease around me. We walk to and from classes when we can. We do not hold hands, that would only make the rumors and attention grow. Neither of us want that going on.

Quidditch practice is quite fun. The Weasley Twins, Fred and George seem QUITE intent on roughing me up as much as possible in my Training as a Chaser. I wonder if this is because they are on Ron's side for his ownerhip of Hermione's affections?

This could be the case, but then again, it could just be normal hazing of the new guy. That would be fine with me, and sort of endearing. Well, time for classes again, then lunch with Hermione and the House.

Faithfully, Viktor

2002-09-12 21:55:00,
Practicing Quidditch and much more...

An IC RP with Viktor and Hermione.

Viktor landed on the ground, the practice was finally over and smiling grimly, he rubbed at the sore spots on his arms from where the Weasley's had collided with him repeatedly. He set his broom down, and reached for a goblet of iced water and drank it down in large gulps.

Hermione stayed hovering on her broom next to the floating tray on which the ice water was. She sipped water, her stomach hurting a bit from where a Bludger had smashed into her earlier, and managed a small smile to the rest of the team. Seamus was grinning, having hardly been roughed up, and Ron was nursing a blossoming bruise on his arm.

Viktor finished off two glasses of the iced water before he took a breather, and wiped himself down with a towel. The warm weather was taking a toll on him, and he sat down on a bench with a loud sigh, and leaned forward after draping an ice water soaked towel over his head.

The twins left with Seamus, the three animatedly chatting about a move they wanted to use. Harry mentioned he had homework to do, and looked to Ron expectantly. The redhead shot one last glare in Viktor's direction, and reluctantly left with Harry. Hermione tentatively dismounted the broom, wincing at the sudden strain it put on her stomach muscles, and sat on the bench next to Viktor, a goblet of ice water in her hand.

Viktor sat there for several moments, then when it was all quiet around him, he sat up, and pulled the towel off of his head and mussed his hair up quite a bit in the process. He blinked in the bright sun, then looked around and spotted Hermione sitting next to him. He smiled, and fingered comed his hair back into place. "Haff they all gone?" he asked.

She nodded, and swallowed another sip of ice water. "Do you think the twins even bruise?" she asked jokingly, swirling the water around in the glass. "They don't seem to mind being hit so often." She smiled, and leaned back until her head was resting against the seats behind her.

Viktor laughed softly, then got up from the bench, and after standing up, bent over at the waist, and touched his nose to his knees, and gripped his calves with his hands, stretching out his legs and back. He groaned softly as he held the position for a 10 count, then stood up, and gripped his hips with his hands and twisted around, cracking his back. "Ah.... that is much better..." he sighed.

Hermione just sipped her water and watched, slightly amused. She decided not to attempt any stretching at this point, as her stomach would most likely mutiny against her. Instead she pulled the broom the school had loaned her (a Cleansweep Eight) until she got her own onto her lap, examining the tail twigs absently. The sun was just dipping behind the stands, and the shadows spread slowly across the grass.

Viktor shook out his arms, letting them hang limply at his sides, then collected his broom and towel, and looked down at Hermione. "Ready to go back? Ve have time for a shower before dinner I think." he said in a voice that showed obvious fatigue.

She smiled up at him from her seat. "I'm not really hungry," she said, setting the goblet down on the bench to her left. "I think I'll just sit out here for a bit."

Viktor gave Hermione an odd look. He sighed and sat back down on the bench beside her. He wanted nothing more than a hot shower, and some food and some wine, but she... wanted to sit. So he sat.

She looked at him curiously in return. Sometimes she felt he didn't think she could be anywhere alone, and this was one of those times. She shrugged it off, though, because she knew that that was just how he was. She moved her goblet back onto the floating tray, which began to float back towards the castle the second the glass touched it. "You don't have to stay with me, you know," she said to Viktor, giving him a half-smile.

Viktor slowly looked over at her, sulky and tired looking. "I am not guarding you Herm own ninny..." he droned. "I am here because I vant to be with you..." he said, then brushed his damp hair back into place again.

She refrained from raising an eyebrow at his droll tone, and simply sat back up again. She yelped as her stomach rebelled, and tendrils of pain shot up her sides.

Viktor flinched when she yelped, then turned to look out over the field. "Cramps.... from sitting and drinking cold vater... You need to stretch out..." he said softly, then looked back over at her. "The longer you vait, the vorse it vill get..." he droned.

Hermione stood, a bit shakily. She stretched her arms up above her head, and turned slighty sideways, biting her lip at the pain. Sure enough, though, it faded, and she was left with a dull throb. She found she could reach her toes quite easily, a result of her parents insisting she try basic dance in grade school. The brunette straightened and sighed. "That's a little better," she acknowledged, sitting down on the grass. Her robes were already rather dirty, from landing on the grass (softly though) twice in practise, as well as the dusty bludgers hitting her, so she didn't care if they got any worse.

Viktor stood up, and smiling and crooked his finger at her. "Stand up..." he said to her. Once she had,

he went and moved to stand behind Hermione and rested his hands on her hips gently. "Let me spot you..." he whispered near her ear as he briefly rested his chin on her shoulder, and tightened his grip on

her hips as he guided her to bend to the sides four times each, then he leaned forward, bending her over at the waist, his body tightly spooned up behind her as he shadowed her movements. "How is dat?" he asked in her ear again as his body snugged up closed behind hers.

She felt her stomach relax, and opened her mouth to voice an approval. She closed it again when she felt a pressure at her back. Immediately her face coloured, and she froze. He didn't seem to notice her sudden discomfort. She slowly straightened again, and he pulled back with her. Unconsciously almost, she took a step away from him.

Viktor let his hands fall from her hips, then repeated the set of stretches again himself. He looked over at her, and raised an eyebrow. "Vy are you stopping? You should do at least three sets if you don't vant to cramp up the first time you sit down again." he said, and kept repeating the exercises. "You haff to do it until you feel varm and loose." he said with a completely straight face.

Hermione's face turned an interesting shade of scarlet, and she remained with her back to him, not sure she wanted him to see her embarrassment. She knew well enough what she

prefectgranger: had felt, of course her parents had had a rather uncomfortable chat (or four) with her about it. She just had never known what it felt like itself. And the fact that her lower stomach appeared to be tingling was somewhat disconcerting. "I, uh, I... I think I'll be okay," she stammered unconvincingly.

Viktor made what sounded like a snorting sound and continued to finish his routine, and then picked up his broom again. "I vill see you at Dinner, yes?" he asked as he turned to walk back toward the castle. "Don't stay out here too long, the chill air will make you cramp up again..." he said in a soft tone.

Hermione nodded, only realising that he couldn't see her nod a second later. "I won't," she assured him, grabbing her broom and nervously fiddling with the twigs. He nodded, and strode off

towards the castle. She waited a few minutes and then followed, still slightly perplexed.

******

Hermione muttered the latest password ("Rufusia") to the Fat Lady and stepped carefully through the opened portrait-hole. The common room was moderately full, a change from the usual packed, and the almost complete emptyness of the library she had just vacated. She scanned the room, and almost dropped her books when she saw the circle of couches near the fire.

Viktor was sprawled, there was no other word for it, on one of the couches near the fire. The black silk button up shirt he was waering was NOT buttoned, exposing a chisled and tanned chest and belly, and the black jeans he wore were almost a second skin they were so tight. He was leaning on one elbow, a large book lay open before him on the couch. His longish hair was spilled over his shoulders and partially over his eyes, he seemed oblivious of anyone else in the room as he read.

Hermione snapped to her senses when she heard giggling from her right. She looked over her shoulder, and rolled her eyes. An assortment of girls from each year (and was that Parvati was gathered in one of the corners, whispering and practically drooling over Viktor. Two of them were whispering fiercely and tugging on a camera. When Hermione had entered the room, eleven pairs of jealous eyes had swiveled toward her, and now they were giggling again. She rolled her eyes again, and frowned. A group of third year boys was gathered in the path to the girl's stairs, and the only way up there would be to walk directly past Viktor.

Viktor reached out to a side table without looking up from his book and took a long drink of the pumpkin juice, then replaced the goblet down and turned a page. He did a quick flicker of his eyes upward, and saw Hermione walking towards him, "Hallo Hermione," he said with a dangerous smile. How are you feeling now?" he asked softly, then turned another page in the book before him.

Hermione felt her cheeks colour slightly, and she stopped walking, shifting her books to her other arm. "I'm a little sore," she admitted, and her stomach agreed, "But I'm okay. And you?" she asked congenially. "How are you feeling?"

Viktor gave her a grin, and the effects of it could be heard across the room in multiples sighs, and giggles. "Never better..." he smiled pleasantly. "Did you do more exercises after your bath?" he asked.

"A few," she said with a small smile. "I might have spent forever in the bath, though. Have you seen the prefect's bathroom?" she asked, remembering the gorgeous, grand tub with it's multiple faucets. True to Ron's prediction, she had been announced a prefect a few days before.

Hermione's eyes widened at a sudden thought that entered her head, and she felt her face would heat up again. Luckily (well, depending on one's perspective), a crash from the far corner of the room caused her to turn quickly to look. Ten girls were glaring at the eleventh, who was sheepishly looking down at a broken camera. The film spilled out on the ground like shiny blood, and a fresh wave of whispers broke out. Hermione raised an eyebrow at one of them, who was so immature as to stick her tongue out at her. She then realised that she was still standing, and, feeling rather awkward, sat on the floor with her back against the front of Viktor's couch. "No pictures for them tonight," she noted with a small smile, aware that she was rather close to Viktor where she was sitting.

Viktor hovered his face near the side of her face, and inhaled deeply. Deep enough for her to hear, then he let out a sigh, "You smell so very nice...." he said, then leaned back and resumed reading.

Hermione felt a small smile creep over her face, and she felt her stomach do flips, a contrast to the soreness of that afternoon. She contented herself with looking around the room at the people gathered. Many of them were leaving to go to bed, and Hermione glanced at the clock. It was already going on ten-thirty, to her surprise. The girl in the corner who had broken the camera was being berated by an older girl, and the rest were looking from Hermione to Viktor warily. She glared at them, and a few of them slinked off to bed.

Viktor continued to read, and sip from his wine until the clock on the fireplace mantle chimed eleven, he looked up then and closed his book, then looked down at Hermione, still sitting near him. "I am going to go to bed now..."

She murmured something, and sighed. Hermione had fallen asleep that way, a combination of the warm room and the stillness as it emptied. her chest rose and fell in a rythym, and her breathing was steady.

Viktor smiled, and looking around the room, he saw that they were at last alone. He carefully got up from the couch, tucked the book under his arm, and then crouched down in front of Hermione. Leaning forward, he softly kissed her on the lips. He covered hers with his, and made a soft sucking motion.

Hermione came to slowly, coming from a most wonderful dream. In it, Viktor was kissing her, and it was all wamth. It took a moment for her mind to register that she wasn't dreaming at all, and her eyes fluttered open and met Viktor's. She gasped and pulled back, unable to keep from smiling.

Viktor grinned at her, then rose to his feet, turned and walked up the stairs to the Boys Dorms. "I von't insult you by asking if you vant an escort," he called back in a playful tone as he ascended the stairs.

"Viktor, wait," Hermione called, climbing to her feet carefully. He halted on the fifth step, and turned back to her. With a small smile she crossed to him, ascending the steps until she was level with him, albeit a little shorter than he was. She tentatively closed the distance between them, lifting her head slightly and pressing her lips to his.

Viktor blinked in surprise, but that element of surprise only lasted a moment. He draped his arms around her shoulders, and pulled her tightly against him. His lips sucked at hers, then his tongue pressed forward, stroking along her lips, tasting them. His tongue tasted of mulled wine.

Hermione slipped her arms around his waist instictively, marveing in the moment. She parted her lips a bit, allowing for his tongue to enter, and sighed.

Viktor made a low purring sound in his throat, and pressed his tongue into Hermione's mouth, and devoured the taste of her. He held her tightly to him, one hand on her back stroking softly, the other slid downward, and rested just above the swell of her backside. He pressed her tighter to him, groin to groin, and continued to kiss her.

Hermione pulled back a few moments later, breathing heavily, as she had not quite mastered how to breathe while being kissed, and her head was starting to feel rather dizzy. She didn't pull away from Viktor, though, the pair remained flush against each other. Her eyes were slightly dazed, and she looked surprised, as if she hadn't really expected to initiate the kiss any more than Viktor had.

Viktor reached a hand up to brush her hair back from her face, and he smiled at her, then leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight Hermione," he whispered, then after giving her another hug, he took a step back, then turned to go up the stairs.

Hermione's hand ran across her lips, and she could still faintly taste the wine. She leaned against the wall of the staircase, gathering her thoughts; then, with a small smile, she went the opposite direction, and to bed.</lj-cut>"

2002-09-12 23:34:00,Kissing an Angel,"<i>Written in Bulgarian:</i>

And so... again we kissed, and it was a wonderful thing. She is losing her fear of me I think. I hope.

Ahh... the feel of her in my arms, her scent in my nose, and her lips on mine. It was bliss. I am still feeling the tingle in my body from her touch. I must keep in mind however, who she is. How young she is.

Patience. Patience.

2002-09-15 21:35:00,
Visiting a friend...

An IC RP with Viktor and Hermione

The hospital wing was quiet in the afternoon, as the Gryffindor Quidditch practise had been cancelled, and there were no team members needing bruises healed. No other accidents had caused anyone to have to visit Madam Pomfrey's domain; a small potions spill in the morning had been quickly fixed by the professor, and oddly enough no one had been injured that day. There was only one occupant of the room, an unconscious brunette in the bed farthest from the door. She looked as if she were sleeping, Madam Pomfrey had healed the surface injuries, and only a smudge of blood on her cheek (which had refused to come off with anything short of a spell), revealed that she had been attacked.

Viktor had arrived at the Hospital Wing as soon as he had been given the news by a reluctant Harry. It had taken him some time to convince Mdm Pomfrey to allow him to sit by her bed. But he had been kindly persuasive, and now, for the third hour, he sat by her bed, looking down at her and holding her hand in his. His outward demeanor was calm, but in wardly, he was beyond enraged. Harry had only given him the minor details, and would not tell him WHO was responsible for her being in this state, only that a Spell had gone wrong.

Madam Pomfrey gave the boy a sympathetic look as she passed, asking him to lock the door behind him when he left. She stopped in the doorway and glanced back at him, sighing, then she left for her own chambers, and a few hours sleep before the rush of students in the morning. In the silence that followed, nothing could be heard save their quiet breathing, until.... there was a small gasp, a short intake of breath out of rythym, and the sleeping girl stirred slightly.

Viktor had been staring off into the distance, at the far wall of the Hospital Wing and the people moving about in the portraits, then, Hermione stirred. He quickly looked toward her, and clutched her hand tighter. "Are you avake? Hermione?" he asked softly as he rose stiffly to his feet, then leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

Hermione's eyelids fluttered, and she squeezed the hand holding hers. Another deep breath, and her eyes opened, brown orbs not focusing at first. She looked around wildly for a moment, as if she was still being attacked. When her eyes finally focused on the face leaning over her, she managed a weak smile. "Viktor," she whispered, "Where.... where am I?"

Viktor leaned down and nuzzled his face alongside of hers, squeezing her hand again. "You are in the Hospital Ving..." he said softly near her ear. "You vere hurt ven a spell vent wrong.... Harry Potter told me..." he said, then kissed her cheek. "How do you feel?"

Hermione tried to sit up, letting out a cry of pain. She could feel where a rib had been broken and mended, it was still sore. In fact, all of her was sore. "Terrible, but I'm still alive, so it can't be that bad," she replied, forcing another small smile for his benefit. She was struggling in her mind, to get details... everything was so blurry to her. She remembered Harry and Cho leaving, and then Draco was there... but all she could remember was pain, and then waking up here... When she realised that she couldn't remember a thing from it, a look of intense alarm crossed her face.

Viktor winced himself when she moved, and he placed a hand on her shoulder, "Don't try to move." he said, then watched her expression, "Vhat. Vhat is wrong? Do you remember who did this to you?" he asked with a creasing of his brow and a scowl on his face.

She met his eyes, completely bewildered and frightened at the same time. "I don't... I don't remember anything," she said softly, "I remember... Cho and Harry left, and then Draco was there... I suppose he left as well, but I don't...." she trailed off, and her eyes filled with tears. She looked down at the blanket, not wanting Viktor to see her cry again.

Viktor narrowed his dark eyes, and hissed, "Draco....." He squeezed her hand again, and stood there seething with rage. "If he hurt you.... I shall make him know the meaning of pain." he growled, "I know vays of hurting him he could not possibly imagine, and I DON'T need to use the Unforgiveable...."

"No!" she cried, meeting his eyes quickly, not caring if he saw the unshed tears at that point. "We were helping him... Why would he do that? Some one must have come after.... " she closed her eyes, her mind going over every detail of her memory, but still nothing came, except that flash of remembered pain, a wand running across her cheek... she brought her hand up to her face, but she couldn't feel anything. Of course there would be no wound left after Madam Pomfrey. She just wanted proof that the one thing she could remember had happened.

Viktor continued to look smoulderingly angry. He watchd Hermione, and tried to rein in his anger, for now. "Vhat vere you all trying to do, vehn this happened?" he asked evenly, taking care to control his tone of voice.

Hermione glanced at his face, then looked away. Admittedly, she hadn't really lied to him, but she had kept this from him. "We were trying to cast a sort of protection Charm on Draco," she explained quietly, knowing that she had to be completely honest, it was only fair to Viktor then. "His father... his father is with Voldemort, and he wants Draco to be as well." She fiddled with the edge of the blanket nervously.

Viktor looked away, staring at some point on the other side of the room. "That is vell known, even vhere I live on the other side of the vorld..." he said softly. "Draco is the most promising young vone for the next generation of Death Eaters." he said as casually as if they were discussing the weather. "Karkaroff told me that. Since he had no sons...." he paused, shrugged, then continued. "He had hopes of me following in his previous path I think." he said, then went silent for a moment. "But, I vill never go that vay. Ever."

Hermione was surprised, and it showed. There was a moment of silence between them, each of them thinking and avoiding looking at the other. Hermione spoke up first. "Draco... he confuses me, and scares me sometimes," she admitted, debating whether to tell him about the squirrel incident or not. She knew Viktor wasn't thrilled (an understatement) that she had kept all of that from him, she might as well go the extra step. "I don't think... I don't think he did this..." she said carefully, "But he... he threatened me once."

Viktor flickered his gaze to her, still looking stern, then looked away again. "I see." was all he said, in a measured tone. He was quiet for a long time, then let out a long sigh. "I vant to protect you, and defend you Hermione, but you get angry when I try to do... the honorable thing." he said, explaining himself. "I vould like you to tell me vhat you vant me to do... in this case." he said, then looked over at her again with a stoney expression.

Hermione sighed, closing her eyes again to form the words she most wanted to say in her mind. "I don't like feeling helpless," she said, vaguely feeling another jolt of pain from her chest, "And things like this... they don't really help me feel any better. I don't want to feel protected, though I suppose I need it," she admitted. She opened her eyes and met his, no smile on her face this time. "I suppose if I were to let anyone protect me, it would be you," she thought aloud. "Just do what you feel you need to do."

If that made Vikor happy, or feel better, he didn't outwardly show it. He simply nodded. "I vill not guard you if you do not vant me to shelter you Hermione." he said softly, stroking the back of the hand he held with his thumb. "I vill only do vhat I am asked to do." he said, then looked at her again, "You are a very capable vitch Hermione, but you are no match for one like Draco, or his family, or anyone that is not afraid to use curses, even the Unforgiveable ones to achieve their goals. You need to arm yourself differently..." he said, voice trailing off.

Hermione gave his hand a small squeeze, a way to say 'thankyou' without speaking. She was already thinking of the night before, again. "Who could have done this?" she voiced, going over the (very short) list of people who would want her hurt, or worse.

Viktor looked her directly in the eyes again, "If you say that Draco was the last one you recall seeing before awaking, it vould be my guess, it vas him..." he said quietly. "There are vays of having you recall what you have forgotten, or been MADE forget..." he said somberly.

Hermione frowned, looking up at Viktor from the bed. As much as she didn't want to think it was possible for Draco to have done it... "It's possible it was him," she admitted, thinking of the anger she had seen in the Slytherin's eyes the night he had threatened her. "I can't remember any of it, it's as if someone just erased it completely, and... and it scares me." she almost whispered the last part. "I've heard that there are ways to remember, but I'm not sure what they are."

"Memory Charm." he said softly. "They can be broken by a powerful enough wizard. Or torture." he said softly, then looked over at her. "If Draco put a Memory Charm on you. I am sure I could break it." he said, then added, "Without torture." he sighed, "He is not nearly as powerful in the Dark Magic as he would like to think, and I am far more advanced than I let on...." he said in a very soft voice.

"Not tonight," she said, trying to sit up and again wincing. She sighed and settled back against the pillows once again. "I don't think I could deal with the memory tonight." Hermione went over his words again. "And we don't know for sure that it's Draco," she added, not wanting Viktor to do anything rash to him, especially if he was innocent of this in the first place. There was another moment of slence, and Hermione looked around the room for the first time. A stack of get-well cards was on the small table beside the bed, as well as some candy and a box of sweets with a note written in George Weasley's untidy scrawl. Hermione resolved not to touch those. She could see Harry's handwriting on a blue card attached to a large bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, and Dumbledore had left a pouch of what looked like lemon drops for her.

Viktor saw her looking at the presents, and nodded in the direction of a vase of flowers nearby on the nightstand next to her bed. "I brought you flowers... I figured since you girls alvays vorry about your figures.... You vouldn't vant candy...." he said in a complete deadpan, then slowly grinned at her.

Hermione grinned as well, as she had never worried about her figure, and really didn't need to. She glanced to the other side, and was relieved to see a glass of water on the other nightstand. With her free hand she brought it to her lips, and drank until her throat felt less sore. She set the glass down and looked back at the gifts. "Has anyone else gotten in to see me?" she asked Viktor.

Viktor shook his head slowly. "No. I vas the only one she vould let in. Madame Pomfrey." he said looking at the flowers he had brought. "I should go, and let Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley know that you are avake. I promised them I vould let them know when you voke up." he said, then was caught off guard by a yawn. He covered his mouth with his hand, and looked over at Hermione. "Are you hungry at all? Do you vant anything?"

Hermione shook her head and smiled. "I think I have enough candy to last me until next month," she joked, when really she didn't think she could eat anything without being ill, she hurt too much. She yawned then, a small sigh coming from her, and she blinked sleepily up at him. "I think Madam Pomfrey put something in the water," she said, glancing at it. Another yawn came, and she smiled. "Thankyou, Viktor," she said.

Viktor nodded, then leaned over and kissed her lips softly. "You should rest. I vill go for now, and tell the others you are awake. I vill return in the morning, after breakfast." he promised her, then stood there looking deeply into her eyes. "I vill do vhat ever you ask of me, and that which you cannot..."

Hermione smiled, and squeezed his hand one more time before the sleeping potion kicked in, and drowsiness took her over. She felt herself slip away, but this time it wasn't because of a lack of air; this time it was a comfortable decent into sleep and slience.

Viktor watched Hermione drift off to sleep, and with a sullen and determined look on his face, he turned and left the Hospital Wing and returned to Gryffindor House. He would be seeking MORE answers from Harry Potter.

2002-09-15 21:45:00,
Questions

<i>Written in Bulgarian:</i>

Well, Hermione is at last awake, and she has been hurt bad. I can tell. She has been healed of course by the Nurse Witch, but the wounds go soul deep.

Something went wrong with a spell I was told. Draco Malfoy, and Harry Potter were involved in something with Hermione, and it went wrong, or she was betrayed.

I of course suspect Draco Malfoy. Harry is so close and caring for Hermione, I know he did not do it. I will talk with him soon, and find out just WHAT did happen to her.

As for if it IS Malfoy... I will handle him well enough...

He, nor they will ever know if I do."

2002-09-18 12:49:00,
Mysteries and returns

<I>Written in Bulgarian</i>

Well, some good news to report. Hermione is to soon be released from the Hospital Wing. I have gone to see her every chance I have over the last few days, and tried to get her to allow me to try the Memory Charm on her.

I know I can do it, without harming her. I am wanting to know fully what happened to her, and WHO did it.

My talk with Harry was less than productive for clues. He told me of a spell they were attempting to protect Draco from Voldemort, and that Hermione was apparently attacked after the casting of the spell.

Many opportunities, many suspects. Draco is still at the top of my list. I watch him quite carefully now, his every move when I have the chance. I at first thought him a poor Candidate for Evil, but perhaps that is his best defense, and disguise. Perhaps he doth protest too much against the path he is supposedly on, of following his Father's path into Voldemort's Control.

One thing that IS certain. When Hermione is released from the Hospital Wing, I shall convince her that it is in her best interested to have me perform the Charm on her, and solve this once and for all.

Faithfully, Viktor

2002-09-18 22:45:00,
Another visit to Hermione,

An IC RP with Viktor and Hermione:

Viktor was waiting outside of the Hospital Wing, hidden under the Invisibility Cloak he had brought with him from Durmstrang, and kept hidden and unused until now. He knocked softly on the door, once, twice, and waited. Hermione had sent him a note via houseelf, and this was the appointed time, and place.

The door opened slowly, and Hermione's face appeared through the crack. "Viktor?" she whispered tentatively. A movement of air near her face caused her to open the door completely, and step out of the way. Madam Pomfrey had long gone to bed, convinced that golden-girl Hermione would stay in bed as she ought. In reality, Hermione was feeling much better, though she still winced a bit with too much movement.

"Hallo Hermione," came a whisper from the disembodied voice, then a kiss on her cheek followed before Viktor dropped down the hood of the cloak, and smiled at her. "How are you feeling?" he asked, and once he had flipped the cloak back onto his shoulders, and reached out to hug her warmly.

"Much better," she admitted, hugging him gently so as not to jar anything. They pulled apart a few moments later, and Hermione stepped back and sat on the end of the bed, looking up at him a bit worredly. "You're sure you can do this?" she asked.

Viktor looked around the room, his stock surly expression in place. "Yes," he droned softly, then satified they were alone, looked back to her. "But not yet. Not here." he said moving to sit next to her on the bed, and drape an arm around her shoulder. "Ve shall vait until you are well."

prefectgranger: She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed. "it's killing me, knowing that I may be able to remember it," Hermione said, closing her eyes and relaxing a bit. "I can wait, if you think that's safer," she said finally, glancing up at him.

Viktor looked down at her, his expression was unreadable, then slowly he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her softly. He sucked at her lips with his for a moment, then pulled back and looked at her, deep into her eyes. "If you do not vant me to do it, I vill not...." he said quietly.

Hermione looked at his face, and felt her stomach do tiny flips; She tentatively leaned closer to him, shifting slightly so that they were more face-to-face, and less side by side. With a small smile, she closed the inches between their faces and pressed her lips to his, bringing her arm up to rest lightly against his chest.

Viktor nuzzled his cheek against Hermione's and blew softly in her ear, laughing softly as he hugged her close, but gently. "Tell me vhat you vant me to do. If you do not want this... I vill not force you into it."

Hermione laughed softly at the tickling sensation in her ear, and pulled back to search his face. His expression was completely illegible, as usual. Sometimes there were moments when she could see exactly what he was thinking, and she knew that few people ever could. She paused in her thinking, and pulled herself back to the situation at hand. What was she asking for here? She felt herself almost blushing, and gave Viktor another small smile. "I'll tell you when to stop," she whispered.

Viktor nodded, then looked at her directly again, and cupping her face in the palm of his large hand, he kissed her again, this time slipping his tongue past her lips to stroke against hers briefly, then he pulled back again. "It vill be that vay vith vhat ever ve do.... I promise you..." he said looking so deep into her eyes, he could see her soul. "I vill never force... anything, or myself on you..." he whispered, then moved to kiss her again.

Hermione felt a deep satisfaction at his statement, having had far too many people pushing things onto her lately, and she needed that feeling of safety. She slipped her hand into his hair, her fingers playing with the strands. She sucked his lower lip gently, and sighed.

Viktor closed his eyes and made a deep, purring sound in his throat as she stroked his hair. "I like it vhen you touch me Ninny..." he whispered. "It is unlike vhen any other voman does. You do it vith softness...." he said, then sighed happily.

Hermione paused for a moment, but didn't ask, or even let herself think about his statement. She knew he had been with women before, and she also had resolved that it didn't matter. Because he was kissing her, not another woman, and she knew that he wouldn't go back to them. She reached her other arm around and clasped her hands behind his neck, pulling back to place a kiss on his cheek. His move.

Viktor hugged her again leaving his arm around her waist now, and leaned his forehead against hers. "I feel so vonderful around you Ninny.... I can relax, and be.... just be myself...." he said, sounding quite relieved. "I hope you feel the same around me..."

"Always," she answered, a smile spreading across her face like a flower opening. "I don't have to worry around you," she confessed, "I can trust you and not worry about you getting hurt, about me hurting you..." she trailed off, thinking about Harry and all she worried about his safety.

Viktor smiled at her again, and moved down to kiss her again. He moved a hand to behind her head, pulling her to him, and making that deep rumble purr in his throat again.

Hermione grinned against his mouth, and slipped her fingers into his hair again, playing with it absently. She focused all of her attentions on the sensation of his lips, and his tongue gently pressing against hers, and his closeness... she had his scent memorized by now, a deep musky scent that reminded her of winters and woodfires.

Viktor turned his head to the side, making the kissing easier, and he opened his mouth wider, moving his tongue around and deeper into Hermione's mouth. He held her close, but gently, not wanting to hurt her at all. Moments passed, and slowly he leaned back onto the bed, pulling her down on top him as he continued to kiss her.

This was a bit new to Hermione, and she felt her heartbeat speed up

considerably. Their torsos were pressed together this way, and she had to shift a little on the bed to get comfortable, so that one leg was slipped between Viktor's knees (though carefully away from anything), and the other was outside. She braced a hand against the bed, but left the other in Viktor's hair.

Viktor continued to kiss her for several long moments, his hands moved from her back, down to grip her backside firmly in his strong hands. He pulled her down, tighter against himself. Groin to groin, and moaned softly into her mouth as he did so.

Hermione's breath quickened, and she sighed softly. She felt like her entire body was tingling, most particularly below her navel. It wasn't a new sensation, and she was well aware what it meant, but she had never really explored it much. She no longer needed to brace herself against the bed, and let herself relax slightly, her now-free arm coming up to rest on Viktor's chest.

Viktor continued to kiss Hermione, hungrily, eagerly. He pulled her tighter and tighter against him until, he suddenly turned his head to the side, panting slightly and moved his hands from her rump to lay idle on the bed on either side of him. "I... I think... I should go..." he said, breath definitely quickened.

Hermione pulled back as well and tried to catch her breath. She nodded, and slipped off of him to lay on the now -rumpled hospital bed next to him. Something in her chest screamed in protest at an odd twist she made, and whe winced.

Viktor remained laying there on his back, eyes closed, he seemed to be trying to compose himself, then suddnely, he rose up from the bed, and adjusted his cloak around him, shaking it back down into place, nice and loose and concealing. "I ... I should let you get some sleep," he said after setting his clothing back in place and turning around to look at her again. His face was flushed.

She sat up, scooting back on the bed until she was leaning against the pillows, and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I... I suppose," she said, feeling her face heating up already. She was just about to thank him for coming in the first place when a throat was cleared at the other end of the room, and she felt another wave of heat rise to her face.

Viktor's head quickly turned and he saw the form of Albus Dumbledore standing near the door to the Hospital Wing, his hands folded before him and an amused smile on his face. Viktor froze, not sure what to do or say, and gave a soft bow to him, "G-Good evening Headmaster Dumbledore..." he managed to get out in nearly flawless English. "I was here... visiting Hermione... I mean, Miss Granger..." he explained as he stepped away from the bed.

The smile on the Headmaster's face widened, and Hermione suddenly felt she would pay a lot just to know how long he had been standing there. "At this hour of night?" Dumbledore asked, eyes twinkling. "Surely Poppy would have let you in during the day." He wandered over to a cabinet over the bed and rummaged through the contents, pulling out a vial of blue liquid, with "Sleep" written on a small label.

Viktor took the opportunity while the Headmaster's back was turned to hide his invisibility cloak under his regular cloak, and blew a quick kiss to Hermione, and then turned to the elder Wizard. "Ah... yes... I vas quite busy with my studies for most of the evening and decided to come by and see if Miss Granger was up, yet, and here she vas!" he said in a childlike tone. "I vill be leaving now, Sir. To go back to my House for the night."

The aged wizard faced him, eyes twinkling. "I see," he said simply, glancing at the furiously blushing Hermione. "Miss Granger, given that nighttime meetings may have brought you to this ward," she bit her lip and looked anywhere but at the speaking Headmaster. "I would suggest the both of you," here he looked back to Krum, a small smile on his face, "be quite careful."

Viktor nodded, and reaching out to shake Dumbledore's hand. "Jah, I shall do that Headmaster. I shall be most careful," he said, then, waving to Hermione, crossed the Hospital Wing, and slipped out the door and down the Hall back toward Gryffindor House. He breathed a sigh of relief, and planned to head straight for a cool shower before getting to bed.

Once he had gone, the Headmaster turned to Hermione and looked at her over his spectacles. She shifted nervously, and he chuckled. "Viktor Krum... interesting," he said, turning to leave. At the door, he turned back. "And Hermione," he added, switching to her first name when alone, "I do ask that you be careful, especially around people we are not so sure of." With that he left, leaving Hermione rather confused, and still considerably flushed.

2002-09-18 23:55:00,
A touch too close

<i>Written in Bulgarian:</i>

As I sit here, considering what had just occured, I find that I am still trmbling from her touch. Not just her hands on me, her lips on mine, but her mind and soul with mine.

There is something about this girl that attracts me to her like the proverbial moth to light. Around her, I am who I am. She can be who she is. Ther is no pretense, no need to put up defensive masks or artificial moods.

This is something I have not experienced for a great many years. I can simply be.

Then there is alos the electricity when he touch. Ahh... the feeling of her light wieght, and curving form on mine. I nearly lost myself as we laid there embraced. It was the barest of self control that brought me back to my senses.

As much as I would like to, and dream of it... making love with Hermione cannot happen. Not now. Not for a long time. I will not take from her her innocence to merely cool the fire that burns in me when we are near to each other.

If she chooses to continue to let me be her beau, it will be a chaste relationship we share. Nothing more. It would be tragic and so wrong to have it any other way.

Faithfully, Viktor

2002-09-21 10:04:00,
Today is the day....

<I>Written in Bulgarian</i>:

This morning after breakfast, while most of the school will be at Hogsmeade, Hermione has asked me to perform the Memory Charm on her.

I am eager to help, but yet, still reticent on the wisdom of doing this. I am not worried about my skills in performing the breaking of the charm. I excelled at such at Durmstrang, even to the point of being skilled enough at it to be considered as an Apprentice Auror for my skill at 'extracting information' in an efficient manner...

Meaning, I was good at breaking those I was set upon to retrieve memories.

I shall not do that of course to Hermione. I will only attempt the most basic levels of interogation. I have no desire to harm her, or fall under the thrill that performing my skills at full strength gives to me. I sill recall the perverse, fatherly like gleam in Karkaroff's eyes when he saw me break my first 'victim'.

Faithfully, Viktor

2002-09-21 11:18:00,
Do you remember?

Viktor held Hermione's hand as she and Harry and himself walked along the Hallways of the Castle toward an abandoned classroom to perform the Memory Charm. They had a little bit of time before the curfew set in, and most of the students were still in the Great Hall, chatting after dinner. Footsteps echoed off the hall and though the passageways as the three made their way towards the class room, and Hary found himself thinking about what it was that brought them here. Potions and spells gone wrong. Treachory and deceit, and a memory charm. Harry tightened his grip on the banister and looked at Hermione. She was holding Victor's hand. Outwardly she looked fine, but if one know where to look, you would see that she was far from it.

Hermione was in fact incredibly nervous about the entire affair. She was scared of what she might remember, and even more scared that she wouldn't remember anything at all, and that that night would continue to be a blank spot in her memory. It seemed the walls were leering down at her, and she shivered unconsciously. She watched her feet as they walked, and only looked up when they halted in front of a classroom door in the Charms corrider.

Viktor was lost in thoughts of his own and looked over toward Hermione when she shivered and he moved to drape his arm around her shoulder. "Are you chilled Hermione?" he asked in a quiet, concerned tone, looking her over carefully.

Harry too saw the shiver, but decided that it was best to let Viktor handle that aera of comforting. He took a step foward and pushed the door open, allowing the other two to enter first. Harry watched as they setteled themselves in the room before closing the door. "Do we need to do anything special for this?"

Hermione brushed a thick layer of dust from an abandoned desk and perchednervously on the edge, crossing her feet at the ankles. She looked from Harry to Viktor, expectantly. Viktor escorted Hermione into the darkened room, and helped her to sit down on a desk before turning to look at Harry, "It is just a spell...." he started to say, "I vill be attempting to break the Memory Charm that has been placed on her. If Dra...." he paused, editing himself, "If a STUDENT performed the Memory Charm, it vill not be very powerful unless..." he paused again. "Unless it vas NOT a student who performed it..." he said casting a wary glance between the two of them.

Hermione nodded slowly, studying Viktor's face. He seemed so calm on the outside, but Hermione knew he was probably as worried as she was. She shifted on the desk and was pleased to find that her chest did not argue it, she didn't feel a bolt of pain in her side. She tentatively pushed off of the desk so that she was leaning against it rather than sitting on it. "If it was a student," she thought aloud, "then this can be taken care of quickly. We just tell Dumbledore, and they can worry about it." She sounded far more composed than she felt at that moment. "If it wasn't a student..." she trailed off, looking over at a window, through which a full moon could be seen.

Viktor fingered his wand in his hand, and was indeed deep in thought. He was walking around the room, pacing to relieve the nervousness he was feeling, much like he had prior to the Tri-Wizard challenges. "I vill be able to tell vhich cast the spell vhen I try to break it..." he said after a pause, not looking at either Hermione or Harry. "Ve vere taught how to cast and break Memory Charms at Durmstrang..." he said in a sullen tone.

Hermione nodded again, playing with a loose string on the edge of her sleeve unconsciously. "So this is easy as pie for you," she noted, pushing away from the desk and walking to the window. She could see a few studentstaking last-minute strolls by the lake, and even spied a couple getting dangerously close to kissing near a grove of trees. Professor Sprout was walking in their direction, and Hermione stifled a laugh as the students spotted her and scattered. It was a momentary relief before she turned back to Viktor and Harry.

When Hermione turned around, Viktor was looking at her, a determined look on his face, and his wand was held up, ready. "I haff had much practice, yes." he said softly, not seeming proud of that, and then pointed to a chair, "You vill sit down, Harry vill stand behind you and hold you down, by theshoulders." he instructed.

Her eyes widened imperceptibly. She needed to be held down? Hermione tucked a stray curl behind her ear and nodded, closing the distance between herself and the chair and sitting. Harry stood behind her as instructed,placing his hands gently on her shoulders and looking back to Viktor quizzically. Hermione bit her lip and willed herself calm.

Viktor did a slow walk around the both of them, inspecting the set up, then placed his hand ontop of Harry's, and pressed them down harder. "Firmly. You must hold her firmly, but do not hurt her." he said in a stern tone, then removing his hand from Harry's, he walked around to crouch in front of Hermione, and took her hands in his. He looked deeply into her eyes. "You vill be fine. I promise..." he said, then gave her a warm smile before leaning forward to kiss her softly.

Hermione felt Harry stiffen a bit in surprise, but ignored it. She returned Viktor's kiss with equal gentleness, and gave him a small smile as they seperated. "I'm as ready as I can be," she said, and waited.

Viktor stepped back a few paces, and pushed up the sleeves on his robes on both arms before beginning. Whether this was part of the spell, or just a nervous affection, it was hard to tell. He seemed to be steeling himself for what was to come, and when he was ready, he said, "Close your eyes Hermione, and I vant you to relax, and try to clear your mind..."

Hermione met his eyes one more time before doing as he asked. She tried to think of something relaxing, empty thoughts that would clear her mind. Though the questions and worries tumbled through her head, she was able to focus on one image; a memory of her family in Paris a few summers before, in a carefree moment. With the image, all other thoughts drifted away until she sat silently, calm.

Viktor waited for a visible sign that Hermione was relaxing, then raised his wand, and spoke the spell, "Memnisse!" he said in a voice low, dark, and full of power. It was as if an invisible shock emitted from the wand, and struck Hermione's form, causing her to shudder. Once that had happend, Viktor spoke again, his voice still deep, commanding. "Tell me who attacked you Hermione. NOW!" he boomed, then waited, his wand still pointed at her.

Hermione's eyes opened, and she felt the great emptyness in her mind disappear suddenly, and the space became filled with images. Image upon timage layered itself in her mind, creating a cacophany of sound and motion. She cried out, not sure herself whether it was in her mind or out loud. Flashes of memory assaulted her, and pain shot through her like a bolt of lightning. There, a small cut; here a hard blow, and all pain, blinding pain. And a face... a face stood out for one second, and she gasped through the pain in her shock. The grey eyes, the white-blonde hair... Hermione was vaguely aware that she was crying, and shaking. She shut her eyes tightly at a sudden phrase, "You failed, Granger, oh how you failed", and cried out, "Oh God! Draco..."

Harry stiffened as Viktor shouted. That voice was..scary. Hermione started to lash out and curl into herself from the sheer terror that was no doubt crashing upon her like so many waves of pain. Harry strained to keep her seated and still, lest she do something to hurt herself farther. Tears were streaming down her face, and she was wimpering. Suddenly she screwed her eyes shut and yelled out that name. The name of the person who had done this. That was it. Suspicions were confermed.

Viktor lowered his wand hand, and made a growling sound in his throat. His expression was murderous, dark, and his free hand, shaking, clenched into a fist. "So... it VAS him...." he hissed, and slowly he turned, and headed out of the door of the classroom.

2002-09-21 21:24:00,
Plotting....

<I>Written in Bulgarian</i>:

He is a tricky prey, but I will find him. He, being Draco Malfoy. It only took one mild casting of the Memory Retrieval Charm to bring to the surface what he had tried to erase from Hermione's mind.

He, was the one who brutalized her. I shall be the one that exacts retribution. I left Hermione in the care of Harry Potter, after discovering the identity of her attacker, I was not fit to be around her. Not like I was feeling then. Am feeling now. The Dark Energy that was channeled so well in my youth for... many things is back now, charging through my veins like a venom.

Will I kill him? Of course not. Will I engage the use of the Unformgiveables? Again, not needed. Due to the curriculum taught to me at Durmstrang, a program I excelled in, I have all the weapons I need for Vengence. None of which will leave a mark...

I have been looking for him for hours now. He is either hiding in a rat hole, or not on the grounds. It is no matter, I can be quite patient, and I know he will reappear soon. When he does, I will be waiting.

Faithfully, Viktor

2002-09-22 09:26:00,"
Vengeance is mine, sayeth Viktor Krum...

An IC RP with Viktor Krum and Draco.

The weekend had been something like a daze, but everything within his mind was nearly clear. Not to mention relaxation was something he was finally able to take on when it showed itself, something he hadn't been able to manage for quite sometime now. He figured that his actions wouldn't stay a secret much longer, but because of outside help..it wasn't his biggest worry. Between class and sleep, he was a hard one to find simply because he wasn't within the school. Perhaps on the pitch, after all, even with his changed style of life, he wouludn't completely ignore Quidditch and his team. Currently, that was one thing on his mind, regaining some much needed practice that he had lost from his varied absenses.

Viktor had come to breakfast with the rest of the Gryffindors, and was keeping his hawk-like eyes open for any signs of Malfoy. Hermione seemed to be recovering better, he has been nearly always at her side since the spell and the initial hunt for Draco. But then, at last, he spotted him eating at the Slytherin Table. He made a hissing sound that caused Hermione, Ron and Harry to look around. They followed his gaze, and saw Malfoy. "Viktor...." Hermione started to say, placing a hand on his arm to try to stop what may happen next. "Excuse me..." Viktor said curtly and got up from the table, and made a slow pace walk along the edge of the Great Hall, slowly walking to the other side in the wings. Ron looked over at Harry and the grin on his face was huge. "Guess I am rooting for Krum again!" he smirked. Harry gave him a dark look, quelling his enthusiasm a bit. Hermione stifled a sob, and put her head down on her folded arms on the table.

Talking about certain Quidditch strategies almost made everything seem to go back to normal. That was until he saw the burly figure sneak along the edge of the Great Hall. Eyes flicking over to those of Hermione, it didn't take long to figure out that his little secret was finally known, and it seemed that they were avid in righting it themselves. While staying seated at the table would be considered smart, seeing as somebody would have to be mad to pick a fight in the middle of breakfast, Draco wasn't all that sure if Krum would see that little danger, his stare told Draco at least that much.

Krum was indeed watching Draco with a look of barely surpressed hatred, and he let him see that look during his entire walk around the Great Hall. He stopped just behind the Slytherin table and levelled a stare at Draco, but said nothing. He then opened the side access door there, and slipped outside without saying a word.

Jack looked up from his shoveling of food into his mouth, trying to ignore the prattle and gossip of the Slytherin Girls, and was in time to see Krum's glare at Draco and silent exit. He swallowed the massive bite in his mouth, then looked over at Draco. He didn't say anything to his friend. Draco had not been very communicative or present lately, and so he chose not to concern himself with whatever skism was going on unless asked. There was french toast and bacon to be devoured after all!

As that glare was hidden by the other leaving the hallway, Draco finally pulled his own gaze away from the other..and towards the Slytherin's that were looking intently at him for answers..or questions..or anything for that matter. Fingers tapped silently upon the table in thought before catching Jack's gaze. He'd have to deal with Jack later..maybe say more then two words to him, or better yet, anything at all. But for now..he obviously had..something to take care of. Better get it done now, instead of waiting later..when it could even be worse. Draco exused himself from the table, taking his leave from the Great Hall.

The Hallway which Draco entered was nearly empty save for the few students who had left after eating and were heading outside to relax, or back to their Common Rooms.

Draco let the door close behind him as he looked about the hallway, slightly puzzled as to where Krum headed off to, partly because he was sure that was the reason he was here. But currently, he was basicly alone. Draco frowned some as eyes looked about, trying to look for the other, but coming up empty handed. He took a couple steps to his right..as it would be pointless to go back into the Great Hall now.

Draco continued on along the hallway, having no where to go except towards the Dungeons, however, expecting the other to randomly show up behind a statue..or a corner..or something of the like, but it hadn't happened yet..and he was wondering if it would. Passing by darkened alcoves and endless hallways was always something he hated when heading towards the dungeons, but it was also expected being as far down as they were.

When Draco reached the lonliest of the Hogwarts hallways, the ones leading to the Dungeons, Viktor made his presense known at last. He had been following Draco the entire way, casting repelling charms all the way behind the two of them. He shrugged off the cloak he was wearing, and removed it silently, draping it over his arm, then cleared his throat to announce his "sudden" appearance, not three feet behind Draco.

Draco's steps stammered as he noticed the other behind him. Coming to a stop, he turned on hell only to come face to face with the other. Draco gave him a wary gaze..and a simple smirk. "I almost thought you wouldn't show up, but leave it to an empty hallway to coax you to take from the shadows." Draco knew this wouldn't turn out good, in anyway you looked at it..and he mentally noted where to reach for his wand for such a situation.

Viktor's expression was stone cold, and his dark eyes narrowed to black slits of supressed fury. "You thought wrong..." he said in a controlled voice, and then lifting his arm, pointed to a tapestry on the other side of the hallway. "Go there, behind that tapestry is a door." he said in nearly flawless English. The accent was there, but the speech was completely precise. As if to prevent more sneak attacks from the younger boy, he drew his wand and aimed it directly between his eyes. "Not until we are in the room..." he said evenly. "You draw your wand, you will regret it more than vhat lies ahead..." he said in a voice that showed no false bluster, but dread seriousness.

For a moment, he looked over towards the tapestry Krum pointed out, upon looking back towards the other, Draco found himself looking squarely against Krum's wand. Stopping himself from pulling his own wand out, and pushing him towards the tapestry. Even with the bit of confidence he gained over the last few days, he didn't even dare put that above the other's dark gaze and tone of voice. He wasn't one to walk head long into the Lion's den unless under forced circumstances..and this counted as one. Just as the other said, there was a door behind the tapestry and with subtle movements, was opened with a small protest from the door itself.

Viktor followed Draco into the room, and didn't need to turn around to lock it behind him, and place the sound and locking wards in place with a few low mutters of spell. The room was dusty, mostly deserted save for desks and chairs that had been shoved to the walls, leaving the middle floor bare except for a clean swept circle that seemed to be lit from an unseen light source. Once the door was locked and warded, Viktor escorted Draco to the center of the room, then came around to face the shorter, younger boy. His expression had not changed, but he lowered his wand, letting it remain ready to draw at his side. He considered Draco for a moment before speaking. "Tell me vhy you did, vhat you did to Hermione...." he said in a low growl.

Draco took in the room as he made his way inside and eventually to the very center. Eyes had to adjust a little bit more for even with the light that filled the center of the room, it was still much darker then the hallway. Perhaps because there were no windows, let alone anything else to let sunlight through. He looked back towards the other, arms crossing slowly over his chest and he heaved a sigh. "Why does an animal strike out in fear?" Pausing for a moment to consider his words carefully under that growl. "I could be just a reflex..or of having nothing else to do.."

The answer given was not appropriate in Viktor's eyes, and with a snarl, up came his wand, "Coward!" he bellowed, the immediately followed that with another word and an aim of his wand at Draco's chest, "Flagellare!" he commanded, and the sensation of being struck with a whip burned across Draco's chest. The pain was sharp, burning, but... left no mark or rending of his clothes. Only the pain was tangible. "Flagellare!" he repeated again, and again, four times in all before he paused.

Eyes widen at the sudden unslaught before quickly closing against the pressing pain. Draco doubled over some as the hex was finished. He looked towards the floor for a moment as he took in a deep breath, at least to the best of his ability. Head lifted moments later and eyes glared towards the other, behind the grimance there was a small, but visible smirk. "I thought you had turned a new leaf, but you are sinking back down, towards my level...what would you house think of that?"

Viktor made a hissing sound at the retort by Draco. He has come here hoping to find him scared, repentative, apologetic, but such was not the case. Such would be Draco's downfall. "I do not attack FRIENDS..." he growled as he began to circle Draco like a stalking predator, looking at it's next meal. "I defend them..." he added, then spoke the Whipping spell four more times, this time aiming it for Draco's back, where the nerves were nearer to the surface. "Don't you DARE to compare me to you, milkwhelp!" he spat. "I care not what anyone but one thinks of me, so your taunts are as impotent as your skills are." he continued, and then added four more invisible lashes to Draco's back.

Draco faltered some as those lashes were released on his back, making him wince some, but he took the pain better then anticipated. Giving a stuttered laugh, he hissed some under the batch of pain. "Friends? Who ever said they were my friends.." Growling softly as eyes continued their glare against the floor. "And do you honestly think that hurting me on the same level I hurt Granger makes you more noble? Or are you making yourself believe this will somehow make everything for Granger and yourself better?" Scoffing some as his voice never left the height of a whisper.

Viktor laughed, and if Voldemort had a cold, mirthless laugh to chill the soul, this was that sort of laugh. Not mad, but cold, calculating. "No... I do not think this will make things better for me and Hermione, but it VILL make me feel better, and you suffer..." he said, then called the spell five more times until Draco collapsed on the floor.

Hands clenched into fists against the floor as he tried to pull past that licking pain, touching along his mind with little to no mercy. Eyes were closed tightly, platinum blonde hair falling over his visage like a type of mask. The next words were stretched apart, stuttered softly and not as strong as they once where. "Then you are no better then me..especially if you're doing this..on almost..the same reasons..I performed such on Granger.." Parts of the sentance were barely audible and some sounding like a whimper.

Viktor paused in the magickal beating, and snarled. "You attacked someone whom tried to help you. I am punishing your for your lack of honor and respect. There is nothing common between us Malfoy. You are the lowest of the low. You are without honor or even the stomach to cross to the Dark Side. You are a pathetic pretender!" he said in a voice that for th first time told of his rage. "I shall continue until you break Malfoy. I have all the time in the world..." he said then after three more calls of the Whipping spell, a new series of words was added, "Fractura Spina!" he chanted, and touched the tip of his wand to Draco's right upper arm, a loud "SNAP!" could be heard, and laughing, he turned and walked around Draco slowly.

Draco felt his right arm buckle underneath him, feeling the bone splinter under the touch of the other's wand. Barely stiffling that cry of pain, he sunk lower towards the ground, right shoulder resting against the blank barren stone, forehead coming to follow. Draco gasped for breath under the slicing pain of that now broken arm. He was silent for a good while, provided by the pain. "I'm..afraid to inform you, that not all of your statement..is exactly true..." Voice hoarse and drawn, and every word triggered another bout of pain.

Viktor snorted, he was beyong caring for anything Draco had to say at this point, he didn't answer correctly to begin with, so anything said now was just academic chatter. "I am quite sure I do not care Malfoy. YOu are a Seeker are you not?" he asked with a hint of amusement in his voice, then touched the tip of his wand to Draco's right wrist, "Fractura Spina..." he whispered in Draco's ear as he briefly leaned down to utter the spell, shattering his wrist, rendering it useless. "I don't think you will be catching the Snitch for a while now...." he said, then laughed darkly again.

He felt his whole right arm became completely useless, the only thing he felt was the pain that run up and down the length of his arm. No longer even able to move fingers without suffering some type of hellish bolt. It hurt even to try and nurse the battered arm, daring not to breath much for it moved that arm however soft he took in air. Vision blurred vaguely as he felt his mind wanting to collapse under the pressure. The silence progressed..and had yet to be peirced by words. The only other sounds were groans of that overpowering shock.

Viktor paused again, watching Malfoy's form on the floor, and as he walked past him this time, he spit a gob onto his face, and with a soft kick of his booted foot, sent him sprawling onto his back. "I vonder when you will ask for forgiveness Malfoy, first from me, then Hermione..." he asked softly, then taking aim with his wand at Malfoy's groin, "Flagellare!"

Draco flinched away as he was spit upon, but didn't have much time to recover before being kicked only to lay flat upon his back. Making him wince, the cry came upon that additional lash, in a worse place then that of his back and chest. Curling some, he hissed softly despite. "I don't what either your, or Granger's forgiveness..not then..and even not now.." Eyes glazed under that pain as he glared half heartedly towards the towering figure.

Viktor shrugged, and waved the wand again, whipping him three times, two to groin one to his face. "I vill settle for you pissing yourself from the pain..." he said idly.

Breathing was becoming a chore, more then a chore, a matter of subtle pain and insane pain, even against his own pleas, tears streaked against his cheek and he shuttered involuntary as every inch failed him when it came to baring with the pain. And while he wished to curl up and instead enjoy a quick death, that wasn't even close to being granted. A pathetic display of course, but not avoidable either. The lash that was sent across his face made things even more indistinguishable, and blackness was seeming to sweep the already horridly dark room, a plea or two to stop were mouthed, but not so much heard.

"Mobilius Corpus." Viktor spoke and Draco's limp form was lifted from the floor, and then hovered mid air in front of Viktor. Viktor looked at him with a cold neutral expression and let his wand arm fall to his side. His own hair was damp and clinging to the sides of his face from the exertion the torture was taking out of him. "Now... we shall move onto step two...." he said shaking his hair back out of his eyes. "A memory... one to live with you forever... I vonder what you have forgotten, or been MADE to forget...." he grinned, then took aim again, and spoke, "Memnisse!" The spell wound it's own path of pain through Draco's mind, searching for what had been purposely buried, or forgotten.

As if memories that weren't fully repressed weren't enough, having a couple horrid ones brought up were even worse. The ones that he didn't dare remember, or another didn't want him to remember. Most particularly his father. While he had finally figured out it was best to go with his wishes, that wasn't always so..and even more so when it cames to school, quidditch, or otherwise. When he failed a spell, curse, or potion that Lucius claimed was so bloody easy when it was perhaps rather complicated for his status. On these occasions, or on his father's simple vindictive attitude, Draco was usually the one Lucius turned to for a type of outlet. Including one night that had been particularly brutal when Draco had botched a dangerous spell. Once that Lucius thought he needed to know immediately..and something he didn't accept failure in. Taking his sadistic and sick anger out on him, placing him in bed for nearly a week..maybe more.

Viktor watched as Draco cried out, his eyes rolling back up into his head and shuddering at the memories came rushing back. They wer as brilliant and vivid at the day they had occured. Every detail was there, every sound, touch, and smell. The corner of Viktor's mouth curled up into the cruelest of smiles as he heard Draco plead for mercy from his father. He repeated the spell again, this time adding a word at the end, "Memnisse Iterare!" he commanded, and the memory replayed in Draco's mind over and over, like and endless loop of video tape.

It was deja vu, but with more of a solid feeling. It felt real, the abrasive beating that littered every inch of his body seemed to be alive once more. The scars that had been formed from the event seemed to split open anew..and when he tried to shield his face with both arms, he mistook the pain from his right arm as pain from a particularly nasty blow delivered from his father. He couldn't move away, being dangled there in mid air..and he could do nothing to protect himself from the rushing memory of one he was glad had been repressed by his father. The roundabout memories made him sick, on many different levels..and when he wasn't able to take the onslaught of different memories, both present and past, he simply shut down then and there, but even on that unconscious level, they didn't stop.

Viktor saw the pain flicker across Draco's face as the memory of whatever personal pain it was play across his mind over and over, then he raised his wand, a petulant pout on his lips. "Bored now..." he said in a dull tone, then when he dropped the point of his wand, Draco's form fell to the floor in a limp heap. "Maybe later, ve vill play again..." he said then turning, he unbound the wards, and left the room, quietly closing the door behind him.</lj-cut>"

2002-09-22 21:28:00,"Happy Birthday Hermione, if a bit late.","An IC RP with Hermione, and Viktor.

<lj-cut text="Everything was going to be perfect...">

Hermione tossed the book she had been attempting to read to the side with a sigh. She couldn't focus on much, and she hadn't been able to find Harry anywhere. Ron had been sitting with her for almost an hour, but Professor McGonagall had come in and pulled him aside fifteen minutes before, and dragged him off to give him another chance at an abysmal Transfiguration test, which he had failed on Friday. So Hermione was alone, even surrounded by the other Gryffindors. They were in the common room in full force that evening, and most of them had been smart enough to not bother Hermione.

Viktor came slowly down the stairs from the hall leading to the Prefect's Dorm, and struck an homme fatale pose in the doorway, and levelled a sultry stare at Hermione. He was dressed in his leather trousers, Black silk poet's blouse, and dragon hide boots. The shirt was unbuttoned to his waist, showing off his smooth, tanned chest, and he held a single white rose in his teeth. He stood there, ignoring the gasp and squeels of the other girls, waiting for Hermione to look up.

She had her eyes on her knees currently, which were drawn up to her chest as she sat in the scarlet chair. With a sigh, she uncurled herself and started to get up, glancing forward as she did. She promptly sat back down, her eyes wide. "Viktor?" she asked incredulously, taking in the entire image. Her eyes lingered for a bit on the pants, and she heard a catcall from her left. Hermione stood and walked over to him, still looking at him oddly.

Viktor looked down at her with sultry eyes, and removed the rose from his teeth, then handed it to her. "Follow me..." he said in a low deep voice, then offered her his left arm.

Hermione slipped her arm through his, still completely confused as to what was going on. A few girls hissed from the common room, and the guys were whispering to each other. She was used to them at this point, and ignored them, looking down at the rose in her left hand. It was perfectly formed, thorns and all, and somehow Hermione felt glad that he had left the thorns on. It felt... truer, somehow. She glanced at his face, and they ascended the staircase.

Viktor led her to the top of the stairs, then down the hallway to where the Prefects Dorms were. He lead her to the door for the Boys Prefects slept, him and one other boy, and opened the door, and bowed as he indicated she enter. The room beyond was glowing with dozens of white candles of all shaped and sizes, and in the center of the room was a small table set for two, with a cake residing in the center.

Hermione gasped, and smiled her first real smile in almost a week as she surveyed the room. It was perfectly romantic, and so very wonderful. She met Viktor's eyes, but found she had no words. Instead she took a few paces into the room and looked around in wonderment; the candles flickered from almost every open surface.

Viktor left the door to the room open, for both of their protection, but placed wards on it to keep sounds from coming out or inward. He walked past the large wrapped gift on the end of his Burgundy and black draped bed to pull out a chair at the table for her. "If you vill sit My Lady..." he purred deeply.

She smiled again, and feigned a curtesy. "If you insist, my lord," she joked, and slipped into the waiting chair. He pushed it in for her, and she looked at the cake. It was rather simple, but very beautiful, and it looked as though he had decorated it himself. In blue lettering in the center were the words, "Happy Birthday Hermione." Hermione thought she might cry out of sheer happiness. He had remembered!

Viktor moved gracefully to sit across from her at the table, and reached for a bottle resting in a bucket of ice. He smiled, showing her the label as he removed it from the silver bucket. "Sparkling Cider.... For the Lady." he smiled, then opened the bottle, and poured her glass first, then his. He lifted his up to clink with hers. "To Hermione. The Lady of the Lake, of Hogvarts. Happy Birthday."

"I can't believe you remembered," she said, taking a sip and grinning at the way the bubbles tickled her nose. Wizard cider was enchanted to stay bubbly no matter what, a small perk. Hermione set her glass down after another sip. "I didn't even remember," she said, shaking her head at the thoughts which flooded it. She pushed them away, and focused on the face in front of her, which looked even more handsome in the candlelight.

Viktor continued to give her a sultry look from over the rim of his glass as she spoke to him. "I remembered, but thought it best... to vait for a few days... For you to relax..." he smiled. "Vould you like some cake?" he said, indicating the cake. "Angelfood vith raspberry filling. I hope you vill like it."

Hermione nodded, and he cut her a slice, placing the plate in front of her. She picked up the fork tentatively and took a bite. "Oh, it's wonderful," she exclaimed. She hadn't eaten much in the last two days, and the cake tasted like heaven in her mouth. She ate it slowly, savoring it, and noting that Viktor was just watching her. She set her fork down after a few more bites and wiped her mouth with a nearby napkin. "Thankyou," she said, and meaning it more than Viktor could imagine. She had needed this, needed someone who cared about her enough to do this. The tears threatened to overwhelm her again, and she shut her eyes for a moment to hold them back.

As if knowing the time was right, he got up from the table, and retrieved a large wrapped box from the end of his bed, and presented it to her. It was wrapped in silver paper with moving white swans sailing all over it. "For you... for me... for .... later..." he smiled, then placing his hands on her shoulders, and leaning over to kiss her cheek. Then Viktor returned to his seat, and sipped at his cider.

Hermione looked at the box in surprise, and ran her hand over the paper. A few of the animated swans floated away from her hand, and she smiled. She unwrapped the edge carefully, and slipped the paper off of the box in one piece. With a quick glance at Viktor, she lifted the lid, and gasped. Gorgeous scarlet fabric shined back at her, and she lifted the top of it. It was a dress, a gown to be exact, the exact shade of the Gryffindor crest with golden stitching. She stared at it for a moment, then met Viktor's eyes again. "It's..." she looked at it again. "It's incredible. Viktor, you really didn't have to..."

Viktor leaned his chin in his hand and lifted his glass to her in toast again. "For you.... because I .... care so very very much... for you." he smiled. He was so happy to see her so happy, and he revelled in just watching her.

"Oh, Viktor," Hermione whispered, setting the box carefully on the ground next to her chair. She slid the chair back and stood, crossing to him, flung her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Thank you," she said again, burying her face in his neck and feeling completely elated.

Viktor leaned forward and kissed her deeply. He immediatly slipped his tongue past her lips, claiming that mouth as his, and no others. In that same instant, he pledged himself to no other. He kissed her for several long moments, then pulled back to look into her eyes again. "Thank you." he whispered.

Hermione looked up at him, half dazed, and cautiously closed the distance between them again, slipping her arms around his shoulders and half-purring against his mouth. She pulled back and smiled.</lj-cut>"

2002-09-22 13:31:00,Requiem for my soul....,"<I>Written in Bulgarian, the hand writing is not as precise as in previous entries.</i>

I have found the darkest part of this castle I have access too, and yet, it is brilliant in it's light as compared to the blackness I feel in my soul, and my heart. The rush has passed. The adrenaline that pumped through my veins has waned, leaving behind the fatigue of the exertion endured. I broke him. I knew I would. I had to. He had to know fear, pain, what it means to be....

Justice, that is why I did it. Not vengeance, not revenge, but justice served. An eye for an eye, a spell for a spell. This is what my story will be should this become a known event and I am questioned. If Malfoy proves to be the coward I know him to be; a woman beater, a betrayer of sacred trusts, he will tell.

But will I tell? Will I tell Hermione about this? Of course not. Will I tell if she asks me? Of course. I could not lie to the woman I love. Tomorrow is a special day for her, but she doesn't know about that yet. I need to calm down before I see her again today. I need to show no different face than before.

Such as I am now, would terrify her. I terrify myself.

2002-09-22 22:59:00,
How well it went..

<I>Written in Bulgarian</I>:

And well it did. Hermione, my sweet light, was so surprised and pleased with the birthday surprise I had laid out for her. It was the perfect mix of romance, pampering and surprise.

She loved the cake, the candles, the cider and of course the dress best. She accepted my ring, and now there is a pledge between us. A promise of more and deeper things to come.

Faithfully, Viktor

2002-09-23 17:50:00,
Something you should know..

An IC RP with Viktor, Harry and NPC Ron

Viktor was sitting in the common room, waiting for someone. It wasn't the someone you would think either. He was waiting for Harry and Ron to appear. He knew that Hermione and Harry were having a bit of friction of their own, so this would work to his advantage to get the boys alone. His intentions were both noble and self serving. When he hard footsteps descending down the boys starecase, his dark eyes looked up in that direction and spied Harry, followed by Ron. Smiling wanly, he stood.

Harry laughed lamely at one of Rons jokes as they decended the stairs. Things just wern't as funny as they once were. They rounded the corner and saw Viktor as he smiled and stood to greet them. Inwardly Harry wanted to run but decided against it. "Hullo Viktor"

Viktor nodded to the both of them, then shot a cautious glance up the stairs, looking for Hermione. When he saw no one else approaching he addressed the both of them. "I need to talk to you about Hermione." he said softly, and then waved them over to a window on the far side of the common room, farthest from the Dorm stairs.

Harry quelled a sudden surge of guilt and fear when he mentioned Hermoine. He heaved a great sigh and walked over to the window and sat down on the cushion. There was a lone owl circling the spire of the nearest tower. Did Viktor know about the dream? Was he going to day something? He was getting a little nervous now.

Viktor waited until Harry and Ron had joined him in a tight little circle before talking. He ignored Ron's arms crossed defiantly over his chest, and his petulant scowl. He was sure that would be gone soon enough. Turning to Harry, he said, "Last veek vas Hermione's Birthday." he said in a soft tone. "You both seem to have forgotten it." he said, using 'you' and not 'we'. He was not in the shamed group. "That is all I haff to say," he said with a final looked at the crestfallen expressions of both. When his back was turned, he grinned wide, and headed for the exit from Gryffindor House. His work here was done."

2002-09-28 18:45:00,
Sunset and straying touches..

An RP with Hermione and Viktor Krum.

Hermione smiled as the last traces of sun disappeared below the horizon, and shadows lengthened across the grass. She glanced at Viktor, walking silently beside her, and observed the scene before her. The lake darkened with the skies, and only small splashes of the giant squid altered its tranquility. She waved at a pair of Ravenclaws near the edge of the lake, and she and Viktor continued walking around the edge.

Viktor looked over at Hermione as they walked along. He wanted to ask how she was, and what she was thinking, but he knew she would tell him if she wanted him to know. He chose a neutral topic instead. "Who do you think vill vin in the match? SLytherin or Ravenclaw?"

She furrowed her brows and thought for a moment. "Slytherin has always been good," she conceded, "but I think Ravenclaw might win this one. I've heard they're better this year," she said, thinking about each player on each team, and what she knew from her observances in the past. She had never bothered so much with the specifics of Quidditch before, but since she had joined the team, she had tried. And she was always a quick study. "Fawcett and Davies are supposed to have gotten better, and I can't see how Slytherin could do well, with their Seeker..." she trailed off a bit, bting her lip. She was thinking aloud again, without meaning to.

Viktor flickered a glance over at Hermione. "With their Seeker disabled?" he asked quietly. "Jah... a pity that... Plus, the rumor going around is that Jack Grim is loaning a Firebolt to the Raven claw Seeker, Cho Chang." he said casually as he walked along with her, gazing at the dying light on the foliage around them.

Hermione looked in the opposite direction, at the castle across the grounds. "So I heard," she said, "Funny thing, I didn't think you just loaned those out." She saw a spot of white in the grass near them, and knelt to look closer. It was a tiny flower, perfectly formed and oddly out of place on the usually bare grounds. She looked at it for a moment, lost in thought, before noticing that Viktor had stopped walking as well and was looking at her.

Viktor was silent for a moment, watching Hermione, then looked away, sighing softly. "Jah, there is a lot that is funny that goes on in this place." he mused, but didn't comment further. He would not volunteer the information of what had transpired with Draco. He had the feeling she suspected, and wanted neither confirmation, or denial from him, only blissful ignorance. That was fine with him. He could keep the secret.

Hermione stood, brushing her robes off. Parts of her wanted to press the issue with Draco, other parts of her did not. The idea of ignorance appealed to her, even though it was something she rarely found in herself. She cursed inwardly at her constant curiousity, the urge to know all things, and faced Viktor again. "What..." she began, tryng to choose her words carefully. "What happened to Draco, do you know?" she asked, careful to not implicate him in any way.

Viktor slowly stopped walking, and turned to look down at Hermione, his expression was coldly neutral. He sniffed, shrugged, and said simply. "He vas punished I beleive, for not offering an apology to you..." he said, then ever so slowly lifted a single eyebrow, and then offered her his hand. "Vhat happened to Draco, vas his fault alone. Bad judgement, and bad manners." he said, then tugged on her hand, steering her back toward the castle. "Come, before it gets too cold for you." he said, managing a soft smile.

Hermione pulled her arm free and searched his face, trying to see what she could read. She saw nothing, and that only made her worry. "Sunday night," she said, thinking back to dinner six days before, "You left... did you talk to him?" she asked, almost dropping all pretense.

Viktor gave her the smallest look of disappointment when she pulled her hand free, then quickly resumed a more unreadable expression. He turned to look at her, and blinked slowly. "Yes. I did talk to him." he said simply, not offering more as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Did you... did you do it?" she asked slowly, not sure she would like the response. If he told her yes, he had, would she care at all? It felt like more curiousity, rather than emotion, was pressing her to ask, and that in itself worried her. Draco had certainly deserved what he had got, no doubt about it.

Viktor looked down at her for a long time before answering, then at last, he nodded slowly, not vocalizing an answer. Having done that, he turned, and resumed walking toward the castle again, letting Hermione decide whether she wanted to stay, follow, or go back another way.

Hermione chose the first, and caught up to him quickly. He stopped, and she looked up at his face for a moment before leaning forward to place a small kiss on his cheek. "Thank you," she said quietly, not sure herself why she was grateful, only that she felt somewhat avenged, in a way.

Viktor looked at Hermione. Pleasantly surprised was the expression he wore. "I did it for you." he said simply. "I asked him vhy, and to apologise first. When he did nothing but sass me back..." VIktor let his voice trail off, and he shrugged. "I could have done much vorse. But I knew that vould not please you." he explained, then leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips.

Hermione kissed him back softly, relaxing for a moment. When they pulled back, she looked momentarily confused. "I- I don't feel bad about him," she said quietly, as if she had assumed she would. She met his eyes. "Is that a good thing?" she asked, brows furrowed.

Viktor nodded slowly, "It means you haff a sense of vhat is right and wrong." he said taking her hands in his again, and glancing down at the silver ring she wore. "It means you are no longer going to accept less than respectful treatment ov yourself, and your feelings." he said softly.

Hermione nodded, glancing down at the ring as well. She felt a deep sense of satisfaction at what Viktor had done, much as she disliked violence. She met his face again and gave him a small smile, taking a step closer to him and leaning forward to press her mouth to his again.

Viktor turned his head slightly as Hermione's face joined with his, and he slipped his lips over hers, sucking them gentlyas he moved his tongue past, and into her mouth. His hands draped around her shoulders, and pulled her closer to him as the kiss went on. He felt very releived. The most important thing of all was that she was not mad at him for avenging her.

When they pulled apart, Hermione was panting slightly from the lack of air. She noted that the two of them seemed to be alone, and the sun was already so far gone below the horizon that the only real light came from the castle and the stars. Slipping her hands around his waist, she tilted her head up for another kiss, this one not so soft as the ones before it.

Viktor smiled and oblidged her wilingly with a decidedly more passionate kiss. He framed her face his his hands and stepped closer to her until his body pressed against hers. Hungrily, he sucked on her lips, her tongue, nipping at both with his front teeth as he made soft little growls in his throat. This continued on for several moments until he suddenly pulled back, and stepped a few paces away from her. He brushed his hair back out of his eyes, and looked up at the sky. He seemed to be perspiring slightly and his breathing was a bit quick. "Ve.... ve should go back now..." he said simply, keeping his profile to her.

The lack of space between the pair had alerted Hermione to his... discomfort, and she wasn't so sure what to do about it. She was growing frustrated, as much as she could imagine that he was, but she didn't want to fall into anything too extreme. She bit her lip in thought, looking down at the grass at her feet and sighing. With a thought, she took a few steps until she was standing in front of Viktor, looking up at him with a curious expression, as though she were studying some fantastic animal she didn't fully understand. "It's not so late," she said, and tentatively pressed her lips to his again.

Viktor accepted the kiss, and with a soft sigh, pulled her close to him again. He kissed her hungrily, eagerly. He wanted so much to be with her, but part of him knew that could not happen, not yet. But... He growled softly, puling her tighter to him, shoulder to hip, and slid a hand onto her backside again. Grip, squeeze, and push, to be tighter against him.

Hermione let herself slip into the kiss, and the simple sensations of cloth against cloth. She slipped a hand into his hair, absently playing with the strands as they kissed; her other hand slipped around his shouders to hold her near him. She gasped softly as she was pulled closer, but relaxed a moment later, allowing him to lead.

Again he canted his head to the side, deepening the kiss, and drawing her tighter and tighter to him. Scenes of wild lovemaking in the very grass they stood upon filled his head, and his blood surged in his veins, pounded in his ears.

When they broke the kiss, both were breathing heavily. Hermione rested her head on his chest a moment to catch her breath, aware that they were still pressed against one another, though she made no move to pull away. Impulsively she laid a gentle kiss on his jaw, then on his neck.

Viktor lifted his chin up, allowing her more access to him, and let out a slow moan. A hand slid across her belly and up to cover and squeeze at a soft breast as she nuzzled his neck. "Her.... Hermione..." he moaned, closing his eyes.

Hermione paused for a moment and opened her eyes, not sure where to go from here. She felt herself reacting, and couldn't describe the feeling. He seemed to like what she had done, so she shyly placed another kiss on his neck, and then another a bit higher up, until she had reached his jaw again. She kissed it lightly, then moved upward to kiss his lips again.

Viktor shuddered with each kiss, and licked his lips which felt so dry right now. He squeezed her breast tighter, and then when her lips touched his again, he put a hand behind her head, cradling it, and pulled her into a firey, bruising kiss. He growled. He nipped at her lips and tongue like a starving animal, and bending his knees, pulled her down into the grass with him, easing her down onto her back again without even breaking the kiss.

Hermione vaguely felt the droplets of slightly-damp grass sinking through the back of her robes, but her attention was elsewhere. She didn't notice the stone pressing into her lower back, nor did she hear the splash of a tentacle as it flopped in the lake. She had her eyes closed, and all of her senses were tuned to his lips, and his hands, and every tiny noise he made.

Viktor was laying partially on top of Hermione, and while one hand continued the cradle the side of her jaw tenderly, the other, the one that had been cupping her breast, now slid underneath her robe, and the blouse she wore underneath. His warm hand slid across the flat of her belly, then nudged under her bra, and over the soft mound of flesh held there. His fingers stroked over her nipple, stroking it with the ball of his thumb slowly. He moaned again, and turned to lay more on his side, pressing his groin against her hip.

Hermione felt the headrush slip away when she felt his hand travel up her body. She froze, and her senses came crashing back into her like waves to the shore. Her eyes opened, and she gasped, scooting back on her hands a bit and sitting up, slightly bewildered. She ran a hand through her hair absently, looking down at the grass, the lake, across toward the castle... anywhere but at the Bulgarian in front of her. "Viktor... I- I'm sorry," she said quietly, trying to slow her breathing.

Viktor flinched as she pulled away, almost as if he had been expecting it, but hoping it wouldn't happen. He made a strange choked sound in his throat, and backpeddled to stand up, his back to her as he took a few steps and leaned his forehead against a tree while he slowly pounded the trunk with his right fist. "I.. I am the vone that should be sorry Hermione.... I am not... acting the part of a gentleman..." he said in a soft tone, voice strained. "I am sorry. I forget myself. I forget my place..." he said, still looking away from her, his breath coming in uneven pants.

Hermione got to her feet quickly, but remained standing where she was. She didn't really trust herself to get close to him again. "Viktor..." she looked down at her feet and felt herself start to blush as the realisation of where his hands had been kicked in. The fact that she had enjoyed it immensely made the blush spread. "I pushed it," she said, trying in vain to smooth her rumpled robes, "I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have done that..." she trailed off, wrapping her arms around herself reflexively.

Viktor, with his back still to her, held up a hand as if to silence her, "No... I am ze adult.... I should haff known better. Vhen to .... stop." he said, sounding as if he was chastising himself. He paused, and sighed deeply, perhaps a calming breath, then slowly, he turned to look over his shoulder at her. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly. His eyes showed such pain and torment, even if his face was calm.

Hermione met his eyes, but couldn't hold them for very long. She felt guilty all of a sudden, that she had helped to push him so far. "I'm fine," she said quietly, blinking back tears as she looked over at the lake again. She knew, she knew where he had been, and she knew that she shouldn't let it go so far. Eventually, perhaps, but never so soon, never so quickly. "Are you? Alright, I mean." she glanced at him.

VIktor turned away from her, nodding. "Yes, I am fine Hermione, und I vould like to return to the castle now." he said in almost a petulant tone. "I am going now. Join me if you like..." he said in a more cordial tone, but had started walking, albeit a bit stiffly at first.

Hermione stayed where she was, and watched him go. Once he was out of sight, she walked towards the foot of Gryffindor tower on the far side of the castle, where she had left her satchel. She needed to think, and to try and understand what had happened.

2002-09-28 20:07:00,
Returning to a softer state

<I>Written in Bulgarian</I>:

Sitting here, alone, having taken the long way back to Griffindor Tower, then after THAT didn't quell the desire stirred in me by Hernione, by our embraces... I did other things...

I cannot face her again tonight. I shall not go to supper, or the Common Room, but remain in my room, secluded for now. She apologised, and so did I. I should have stopped. I TRIED, but she persisted.

She has no idea how close we were, how <i>I</I> was to .... crossing that line. God knows I wanted to. But I can't. I won't. I am here to learn, not to bed young girls just starting to feel the pull of sexual desire.

If she will not limit her compulsions toward me, I suppose I shall have to control the contact from now on. I cannot stand much more like that without.... release.

Faithfully, Viktor