'Are your classmates staring at us?'
'I think that everyvone is staring at us.'
'This is really weird.'
'This is very boring.'
'Any chance of escape?'
'If you think you can fight off your Head of House, yes.'
Hermione sighed and clutched Viktor's arm a little harder. He tried to walk smoothly, concentrating on not falling over as they walked towards the Great Hall, heads held high and hearts thumping. Viktor scowled at the looming crowd, muttering very fiercely as he tried to stare down any boy who appeared to get a little too interested in Hermione. For her part, she was simply trying to stamp down the urge to turn and run like hell. She toyed with a little piece of paper.
‘Vot is that for, Hermy-own?’
Hermione looked startled. ‘What? Oh, the paper? It’s in case I have an idea. I keep a pen with me too, in case I need to write anything down.’
The silence reigned.
'Haff I told you that you are looking very nice tonight, Hermy-own?'
'Hermione,' she said absent-mindedly, patting his hand. 'And yes, thank you, but feel free to say it more than once.'
They moved quickly and in silence. Hermione finally seemed to gain her bearings and walked with pride, twining her arm firmly with Viktor's. Her smile was still nervous, but Viktor could feel Hermione steel herself.
'Don't vorry about vot they say,' he whispered from the side of his mouth, his gentle tone contradicting his surly look. 'Oh look,' he continued, 'there is your friend, Harry Potter.' He motioned with his elbow.
Hermione turned her head and raised her hand as they came to a stop. 'Hi, Harry! Hi, Parvati!' She didn't appear to notice that Harry's jaw was hanging and his date Parvati was staring. Viktor smirked as the annoying blonde boy walked by and was rendered speechless. His date, the girl with the snout, gaped.
'Vot a hideous dress,' Viktor commented, glancing over at Pansy's frilly pink dress.
'She looks like she dumped glue all over herself and went wild in a room full of pink tissue paper,' said Hermione, wrinkling her nose.
'Haff I also mentioned that I am very happy that you did not vear anything pink or frilly?' Hermione stared straight ahead as they started forward, but Viktor noted the small smile on her face.
'Oh, isn't that your friend too?' asked Viktor as a tall red-haired boy walked by.
'Yes,' said Hermione, raising an eyebrow as Ron marched by, apparently not noticing Hermione. Viktor didn't know how it was possible- how could you not notice how pretty Hermione looked?
Hermione's Head of House called for the Champions to get in line. Viktor clutched at Hermione's hand, making sure she was really there with him. She smiled reassuringly at him, and they moved to the head of the line.
Do not do anything stupid, Viktor.
Right. Easier said than done.
Do not do anything to embarrass Hermione. Like pronounce her name wrong.
Viktor sighed.
'Hogvarts food is very good,' said Viktor as he began to eat. Hermione nodded vaguely, staring at her plate. 'Are you okay?'
'Just kind of nervous,' whispered Hermione. 'Everyone's looking at me.'
'As vell they should,' said Viktor, wiping his mouth. 'You are looking beautiful.'
Hermione blushed.
'So,' said Viktor as the silence got uncomfortable. 'Haff you read the notes I wrote for you?'
'Oh, yes!' said Hermione excitedly, and Viktor was slightly taken aback at how fast she began to chatter.
'Hermy-own,' he said, breaking into her train of thought involving dragon's blood and boot-cleaners, 'I am very sorry, but I am not being able to keep up vith you vhen you talk this fast.'
'Oh, sorry Viktor,' she said, flushing. 'It's just that your translation was perfect! Thank you so much, by the way, I really appreciate it, and...'
Viktor smiled slightly and shook his head, leaning his head on his hand and listening to her talk animatedly. After a while, the conversation turned. Viktor purposefully kept his back to Karkaroff, who was attempting the world's first Silenco via pure telepathy.
'What's Durmstrang like, Viktor?' asked Hermione, turning to face him fully. 'I've never even seen real pictures, I'm sure it's loads more interesting than Hogwarts.'
'I don't know about that,' said Viktor thoughtfully. 'Hogvarts, I think, is very nice. It's a big castle. Vell, ve haff a castle also, not as big as this, I am thinking. Ve just haff four floors, and the fire are lit only for magical purposes. But ve haff grounds larger than these-- though in vinter, ve haff very little daylight, so ve are not enjoying them. But in summer ve are flying everyday, over the lakes and mountains--'
'Now, now, Viktor!'
Viktor rolled his eyes into the back of his head. Hermione ducked her head and giggled as Viktor's face got darker, looking positively mutinous as Karkaroff tried to steer their conversation off-course.
'I vould rather she be there than you, old man,' muttered Viktor. Hermione choked on a sip of juice. They both stared at their laps, willing themselves NOT to burst into laughter as Dumbledore began to talk merrily of magically-appearing chamber pots.
'Hermy-own-'
'Viktor,' she said patiently, putting her hand on his. 'It's Hermione.'
'Hermy-own.'
'Her-my-oh-nee,' she said slowly. Viktor took a deep breath.
'Herm-own-ninny...'
Hermione grinned, looking over Viktor's head at her friend, Harry.
'Oh, no,' murmured Hermione. 'It's not too late to make a break for it, is it?'
'I am thinking the Beauxbatons voman vould run us over if ve tried,' said Viktor, standing up and offering Hermione his hand. 'Just von dance or two, and then ve can get out of here.' He stopped and looked at Hermione questioningly when she gripped his hand tightly.
'I- I'm scared, Viktor,' she said under her breath. 'I really don't know how to dance, and I know I'm going to make a fool out of myself in front of all these people, and then I'll have to leave school, and you'll have to smuggle me into Durmstrang or something, and I'll fail, and never have a real job, and-'
'Herm-own-ninny,' said Viktor, breaking into her tirade. 'I am not looking good vhen I dance, either, more like a flobbervorm on firevhiskey and less like human, but ve haff to. And, vhile I vould very much like to be bringing you back to Durmstrang vith me, I am thinking you underestimate yourself. You haff been very graceful all night. Haff some faith in yourself, Herm-own-ninny.'
Hermione stared at him for a moment blankly. Slowly, but surely, her grip on his hand relaxed until they were barely touching. She allowed herself to be half-steered, half-dragged towards the center of the room. He rushed her past Harry and positioned her, showing her where to put her hands.
'Viktor,' she said softly as the group began to ready themselves.
'Herm-own-ninny,' he answered. He lifted a hand and brushed a curl off her face. 'Remember, there is first time for everything. This is first time for both of us, to be dancing together. First time. Like- like-'
'Magic,' she finished breathily, looking up at him from beneath a fringe of lashes. 'Or flying.'
'Yes,' he said quietly. 'And, I am thinking ve haff done very well in both.'
The music began. Hermione took a deep breath.
Years afterwards. Viktor still couldn't quite remember what had happened during that first dance. All he remembered was the feeling of floating.
‘Did I step on your foots, Herm-own-ninny?’
‘Feet,’ she automatically corrected, ‘and no. I’m just tired.’
‘I vos going too fast?’ he asked anxiously. Hermione laughed and tucked her hand into the crook of his arm.
‘Not at all, Viktor, that was a lot of fun. I’m just thirsty.’ She fanned her face and smiled up at him. ‘D’you mind if I go sit with my friends for a minute?’
‘Not a problem,’ said Viktor, smiling broadly. ‘I vill go fetch us drinks, okay?’
‘Sounds good,’ she said, hurrying off to join her friends. Viktor shuffled his way towards the punch bowl, elbowing a particularly annoying Beauxbatons boy in the nose as he poured his and Hermione’s drinks.
When he went back to find her, she was gone, and her red-haired friend was not very helpful at all.
Viktor stomped all over the castle, looking for Hermione. Not wanting to call out to her, he settled for making his way through the lower floor, managing to get lost twice and lock himself into a room with a highly annoying poltergeist at least three times.
‘Vare is she?’ he muttered to himself. A sharp hiccup caught his attention, and he turned around to see his date sitting with a chubby boy with blonde hair in her House and year.
‘Why is he being such a jerk, Neville?’ sniffled Hermione, snuffling into a large white kerchief.
‘I dunno, Hermione, you know him better than I do.’ Viktor paled. What had he done to offend Hermione? He slid down against the wall, keeping himself in the shadows as he eaves-dropped.
‘You’re a boy,’ hiccoughed Hermione, looking at the boy, Neville. ‘What did I do wrong?’
Wrong?
‘Maybe Ron’s just having a mood,’ said Neville uncertainly. Viktor exhaled sharply; Hermione wasn’t talking about him.
‘He’s being so mean to because I went to the dance with Viktor and not him,’ hissed Hermione. ‘Serves him right for not asking me until so late.’
Viktor’s heart did a sort of wormy crawl down his spine. Is that why she had gone with him?
‘Is that why you went with Viktor? Just because he asked? Or to make Ron mad?’
‘Yes,’ said Hermione bitterly, and Viktor felt his heart slowly break apart. ‘Well, no. Yes and no?’ Viktor looked at his feet, forcing himself to look at his feet.
‘I knew it would make Ron mad,’ she said, staring at the ceiling. ‘But that’s not why I went with Viktor. I like Viktor. He’s really nice to me. He translated these really difficult books for me, Neville! He talks to me like I’m his equal. I love talking to him. He makes me feel special. And Ron has no reason to be mean to him because Viktor worked up the guts to ask me! It’s not my fault Ron didn’t notice I’m not a girl! And it’s not my fault I like Viktor! I mean, well, maybe it is, but whatever. I went with Viktor, and he’s been nice, and I’m glad I went with him. I don’t have to make excuses for being attracted to someone.’
Hermione got to her feet, kerchief forgotten. ‘I have to go find Viktor,’ she said resolutely. ‘I feel like dancing again. Ron can go sulk by himself.’
Hermione strode towards the doors to the Great Hall. Viktor waited a few moments before scuttling in after her. Without a word, he offered his arm, and they swept onto the dance floor.
‘I had very good time, Herm-own-ninny,’ said Viktor, escorting her out of the Great Hall.
‘I did too, Viktor,’ she said, sighing. She leaned her head against his shoulder, and Viktor tried to quell the iron butterflies in his stomach. ‘You’re a really good dancer, you know that?’
‘Only because I haff such a good partner,’ said Viktor, looking down at Hermione and smiling. She grinned back at him, and they walked the corridors for a while, just enjoying themselves as they trailed across the school.
‘I have to leave soon,’ she said after a while, looking sadly at Viktor’s watch.
‘I should be going too,’ Viktor said reluctantly. ‘Karkaroff, he vill vant my head for talking about Durmstrang.’
‘He’s a little high-strung, isn’t he?’ she asked rhetorically. They chuckled, and then she sighed again. ‘I wish the night was a bit longer. This was so much fun.’
Viktor looked at his free hand, watching it flex as he tried to work up the nerve to tell her what he had been thinking all night.
‘Vell,’ he said slowly, ‘maybe there can be other times?’
‘Hmmm?’ she said, looking up at him. ‘Other times?’
‘I am meaning,’ he said carefully, ‘that maybe ve can go out other times? If you like, I mean. To- vot did you call it?- Hogsmeade? Or maybe over summer. My home is very nice, I think maybe you will like it.’ Viktor stared at his shoes. ‘I vould very much like to be going out vith you again.’
Hermione was very quiet for a long time, and soon only the steady clip-clop of their shoes and the whisk of Hermione’s robes filled the gap between them. Understanding, Viktor began to steer her back towards the Gryffindor Tower, leading her up the stairs to the Common Room.
They reached the top, and stood there for a while, neither moving first.
‘Well,’ said Hermione.
‘Vell,’ said Viktor.
‘Oh, aren’t you two so cute?’ chirruped a syrupy voice, and Viktor turned to scowl at a portrait of a very fat woman who was incredibly drunk.
‘Way to ruin the mood,’ muttered Hermione. She looked up at Viktor, then down at his feet, and to his surprise, slid her hands into his.
‘Thank you, Viktor,’ she said softly. ‘Everything was perfect tonight.’ She smiled beatifically, and Viktor’s lungs suddenly began to pump faster. Hermione’s face was coming much closer, and suddenly, their noses bumped, and their lips touched.
Oddly enough, Viktor could never remember much about their first kiss, either. Although apparently, he did it right, because she came back for a second, third, and fourth kiss.
Hermione brushed one last kiss on his cheek. ‘You’d better go,’ she said, ‘before Karkaroff completely loses it.’
‘Yes,’ agreed Viktor. He took her hand and held it to his lips. Hermione beamed. Just then, the portrait door opened, and a very tall, very angry, and very freckled boy stood before them. He opened his mouth, presumably to yell at them both. Hermione grabbed Viktor’s hand and began ushering him towards the staircase, patting her dress.
‘Go!’ she hissed. She fiddled behind her dress for a moment, then clasped his hand with both of hers. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’
Viktor tottered down the stairs, torn between happiness and irritation. Who did the red-haired boy think he was? Viktor ran his hand through his hair, only to be surprised by something dry and wrinkled in his hand. He brought it to his face.
Hermione had been writing a note behind her back.
Viktor- Hogsmeade weekend soon. Meet me in the teahouse? Hermione.
And suddenly, Viktor knew everything was going to be okay.
Fin.
Some text taken from GOF, US Edition.