A Year Abroad (Hermione/Viktor)

En España

The next morning, Hermione awoke to grey skies. The reality of what had happened the day before began to set in. She was going to undertake three trying tasks this year, her hardest challenge since the end of the war.

The men of Durmstrang were given translating devices and assigned classes. Many of the girls, and some of the boys paid far less attention in those classes than they had the year previous. It was hard for Hermione, being surrounded by her previous peers. She would work alone on group projects, or with Seamus, when they were in the same class. Every waking hour spent outside of class was spent training, eating or blowing glass. Chigvintsev needed her in her finest form. This unfortunately meant that Hermione hadn't exactly kept her promise with Viktor. She had not gone to see him. But that was not because she did not want to, she just didn't have the time.

Viktor knew that he had promised to let her come and see him, but he thought perhaps a polite nudge wouldn't hurt. He thought maybe she was unsure how to approach him, or what they should do. So, he sent her a letter, with two tickets to his next game in hopes that she would come.

Hermione was shocked when she received a personal letter. Most of her mail was just glass blowing business. She sat in her cabin, ready for bed, and opened the envelope.

Hermione,

Two weeks have passed since I last saw you. I know that you said that you would come and see me, but I thought I would invite you to my next game, against Spain.

I have included two tickets, in the VIP box. I hope you can come. If you do not, I shall take it as a sign of you not wanting to see me and I shall leave you alone.

Best wishes,

Viktor.

Hermione looked down at the tickets. The game was the upcoming weekend and she desperately wanted to go. She needed a break after all of the extensive training and working.

Chigvintsev looked down at the tickets. He supposed that it was a good idea for Hermione to go to the game.
"I really need a break, and I thought this would be a good opportunity." She smiled up at him and he could not say no to her.

"One condition: take someone from Hogvarts vith you." Chigvintsev thought it was a good idea for Hermione to offer some generosity to her old students. Perhaps then public opinion would improve. He was unsure how he felt about Viktor being back in Hermione's life. But he supposed if she was upset, he would know about it. And it was her choice, after all.

Harry was shocked when Hermione approached him.
"I have two tickets and I am asking if you would go with me." She held out the tickets and looked down at her feet.
"Jeez, Hermione, I'm not sure." He padded on the spot.
"Listen, I know things will never go back to the way they used to be, but I want us to be friends. I am sorry for what I did, but I don't believe that I deserve to be hated by you forever for doing it." She huffed, closing her eyes to calm herself down.
"I appreciate that, I really do. But I think it would be better if you took someone like Neville or Draco, they much prefer Quidditch." Harry turned and walked away, leaving Hermione with two tickets in her hand and a dark cloud of embarrassment floating above her head.

It turned out Neville was very glad to be asked to go with Hermione. She knew that he did not enjoy Quidditch as much as Draco or Harry, and that Harry had just said that to get away from her, but Neville was friends with Viktor now and he thought it fitting that they would go and watch him together.

Viktor had received no reply from Hermione. There were two ways that he could interpret this: either she did not want to see him. Or she was so busy that she hadn't found time to reply. He hoped it was the latter. He had been so encouraged when he had seen her those weeks ago, but something inside of him knew that she wasn't going to come.