Catching Her Heart Pt. 2

Chapter 83

"So, vot are you vorking on?" Viktor asked, bringing Hermione out of her thoughts. "You go ask for books, you come back visout. You need books, I go get if librarian busy."

Hermione smiled. She liked Viktor's accent, and his English wasn't nearly as bad as he thought.

"I was trying to find out if there were any books on House Elves," she said. "I only know of eight, and have already read them. I was looking for more, but no one seems to know of any others."

"Is for extra school vork?" Viktor asked.

"No," Hermione said. "It's for a personal project I was working on. I stayed with Oliver Wood and his family after the Quidditch World Cup, and they encouraged me to work on it."

"You know Oliver Vood?" Viktor asked curiously and Hermione nodded. "He is boy vho left Hogvorts recently, yes?"

"Yes, that's right," Hermione said and swallowed the lump that formed in her throat at the mention of his absence.

"I met him," Viktor said. "Before match. He is good friend."

Hermione looked at him in confusion.

"Vot?" Viktor asked.

"That's strange," Hermione said. "He never mentioned it before."

Viktor gave her a slight smile. "He has great respect for private life," he explained.

Hermione nodded.

"So, vhat is this vork you vant to do?" Viktor asked. "Vhere are sese books?"

Hermione directed him to the section the books were in and soon the eight books were stacked on the table for her. She also had some parchment and a quill and bottle of ink borrowed from Madam Pince. When she had asked in amazement how he had gotten the librarian to lend them the writing utensils, he had given a slight smile and explained that he had told her that since classes weren't starting till Monday morning according to his Highmaster, he had left his supplies on board the ship when they came in for breakfast, and that it would be a waste of time if he had to go out to the ship to retrieve them and come all the way back to do some studying. Hermione just laughed and shook her head in amusement.

"You are interested in House Elf?" Viktor asked.

"More like I'm interested in how poorly many are treated, and want to change that," Hermione explained.

Viktor nodded. "I understand," he said. "You vant more informasion zan is in sese books, but zere are none?" he asked and Hermione nodded. "Zen vhy not use vot you know?"

Hermione pondered that for a moment and then grabbed a book from the stack. Viktor's lips twitched in a slight smile watching her flip through one of the books and begin writing madly, taking detailed notes from the book, and they sat for hours in companionable silence.

She had gone through two of the eight and had a small stack of dried parchment papers by the time lunch roll around. She closed the book with a sigh, and thanked Viktor when he stood and collected the books, quill and ink bottle, returning the books to their place on the shelves and the quill and ink to Madam Pince. Joining her again, he assisted Hermione in standing, noting that her ankle was stiff, he offered to assist her down the stairs toward the great hall. She politely declined when he opened the door and she saw how many students were heading to lunch.

"I know it seems odd," she said. "But I really don't want the Slytherins to shun you. I - I saw you talking with Draco Malfoy last night. He can cause you no end to problems if he sees us together."

Viktor thought about this for a moment and then nodded, allowing the library door to shut halfway, then took her hand and kissed her knuckles once more, causing her to blush again. "Zen I will meet you here anozer time," he said, and she nodded before following him out of the library when he pushed the door open wide, allowing her to pass without trouble, and she slowed, allowing the distance between them to grow until he was lost in the crowd heading toward the great hall.