A Year Abroad (Hermione/Viktor)

Anxiety

Viktor paced in his room one afternoon. It had been weeks since his Mother had agreed to house Hermione and still Viktor had not asked her if she would come. He had tried, truly he had, but every time they were sat eating, or when they walked together, the question became caught in his throat and he simply could not do it.

Hermione began to feel the winter's cold. The snow had begun to fall and the air was crisp and sharp. She often felt the chill in her lungs and it would take her several minutes to become warm again. She would never admit it to anyone, but she feared being at Durmstrang alone. Neville was incredibly excited to see his Aunt and Seamus was as excited as Seamus ever became about going home to his family.

However, despite her worries, snow now fell at Durmstrang and this meant that a whole host of new spells were open to Hermione. She had shielded the quidditch players and defrosted the lake many times, but there were more delicate spells that she hoped that she could master soon enough.

In these times, the boys played less quidditch and practiced their martial arts more. In this time, Hermione would secretly watch Viktor. There was a room that looked down onto the hall where they trained and this was where Hermione would retreat to write her letters and update her diary. She had remained anxious after Viktor had recovered. She did not regret what she had done but she did regret doing it in such a cowardly manner. As she watched him now, bare chested and sweaty, she felt a flush come over her that she had only ever read about and she wished that she had simply plucked up the courage to kiss him or at least confess her feelings to him when she knew he would remember. But this was exactly the problem, she did not know of her feelings. She could not manifest her thoughts into words and this frustrated her massively.

Viktor sat with Hermione after lunch. He watched as she opened a letter from the groundskeeper from Hogwarts. The joy she appeared to feel from receiving this man's letters made Viktor jealous, a jealousy that he was ashamed of. However, only seconds after witnessing her joy, Hermione's face became forlorn and her eyes began to fill with tears. He did not ask, but she answered his unspoken question.
"I am alright. It is just Hagrid, he is worried about me, all alone here at Christmas." She chuckled through the tears and attempted to smile.
"He is such a sweet soul." She smiled, looking down at the letter.
"Come and stay vith me at Christmas." And just like that, the cat was out of the bag. He had not asked in a polite manner, he had not so much asked at all. He had simply demanded she come and stay with him, causing a look of confusion to show on Hermione's face.
"My Mother does not like the thought of you being here on your own. She has invited you for Christmas." Viktor explained himself and Hermione was astonished. Viktor had told his Mother about her, he wanted her to stay with him and meet his family. She was lost for words.
"I would like that." She blurted out after a long while and Viktor felt such a weight lift from his shoulders, knowing that she would not be lonely in the castle on her own.

Hermione did not sleep that night. She tossed and turned, then laid still as a board, staring at the wall. What had she agreed to? She had done so so quickly, without thought. She and Viktor were friends, and he had offered her companionship in her time of need and she was grateful. But was she prepared to spend time with him alone, in his home, with his family? She was unsure. However, as much as this prospect scared her, the idea that she might not be alone at christmas was a welcome one.

Viktor paced around his room that night. He had been wanting to ask Hermione for weeks and he had fantasized about her accepting his offer thousands of times. But now that she had, the anxiety set in. She was going to be with his family, in his home. His parents did not speak English and he was sure that their ways would appear foreign and strange to her. However, he would not have her staying alone in this cold lonely place, so he would have to deal with the obstacles as they came.

Christmas was still in the distant future and Hermione had decided that any anxieties she had about a Krum Christmas would be locked away in the guarded part of her mind and saved until they were necessary. However, she allowed herself to basque in the relief that she felt, knowing that she would not be spending the holidays alone. The past year had been the most difficult in her life and the thought of being able to truly relax came like music to her ears.

Viktor's Mother was delighted that Hermione had accepted the invitation. Viktor insisted that everything was arranged for her, that Hermione would not have any unnecessary stress. Ada took this task on gladly, for there was nothing that she loved more than having guests.

Studying had begun at Durmstrang, as examinations took place just before the Christmas break. Hermione fell back into a familiar pattern of reading and revising, losing herself in the knowledge that had been set before her. She did not take part in the more physical tests, such as flying and quidditch. This pleased her very much, as she would much rather be spending her time in the Library, fully equipped with a fireplace and warming enchantment, then being outside in the cold.

It was outside in the cold that Viktor now spent the majority of his time. He had put the thought of Christmas to the back of his mind and focused exclusively on his studies, both physical and educational. His results this year would determine whether he would continue with his Triwizard Tournament training. To Viktor, this training was essential to his success as a champion, if he was chosen. He had dreamt since he was a young boy about the Triwizard Cup. And now that he was fitter, stronger and faster than ever, he was not going to let a little cold get in his way.

Hermione would often see him training, from the window in the library. Even she could appreciate his skills, as one not at all interested in sport. She wondered if he thought about her the way she thought about him. She knew that he probably did not and that his affections were probably reserved for someone far prettier with far fewer issues. But, her mind would not dwell on such things for too long, her attention soon being caught by her studies.