(A/N: As usual, I'd like to thank my dear readers, who are still following this story with great enjoyment: TheDivineMsD, HeidiHo, Pottergirlajg, Destroyerdt, Jan KenLee and the new readers Misadies1, Justin_1402 and Godsowndevil. I wish to thank my wonderful BETA readers IronChefOr and SarahLupin for editing this fan fiction so well. I'm sure you'll find next chapter really interesting… Good reading!)
Chapter 10. DATING OR MEETING?
...
It can be that
I don't know what I am saying
Choosing you
-a woman - as best friend.
But my job is living life
Either of everyday or unknown;
I love you, strong, weak mate
Who sometimes learns and sometimes teaches.
...
"A woman as a friend" by Lucio Battisti
The following day was a Saturday, and all of the students were getting ready to go to Hogsmeade.
When Harry and Ron went down to the common room, they found Hermione waiting for them.
"Good morning guys. It's about time you came down!"
"Once in a while you could greet us without criticizing something about us, Hermione!" Ron answered back, jumping from the last stair, followed by Harry who immediately noticed her good mood.
"Why are you so happy today?"
"Last night Viktor and I talked a lot. He told me everything about what he's been doing the last few months," replied Hermione as she exited the common room and walked along the corridor followed by Harry and Ron, who were listening carefully. Then Hermione spoke again.
"He told me that now he's playing in one of the best Quidditch teams in the world. What was its name? Ah, yes... the Frasta or Brasta... something like that."
"The Vratsa Vultures, you mean? The most famous Bulgarian Quidditch team?" Ron corrected her, horrified by her ignorance of Quidditch.
"Yes, that's the one! He's now living alone in a large house in Bulgaria. He bought his house with part of his salary... and he said that now he earns a lot! Anyway, he hasn't got much free time, because he's practically always at work."
"Did he tell you the real reason for being here?" Harry asked the question he felt most important.
"No, not yet... but he said he'd like to talk to me about that this afternoon in Hogsmeade. He has something really important to tell me." Then Hermione stopped and lowered her voice.
"Something about Voldemort!"
The three of them looked into each other's eyes. Harry had a bad feeling and he told them about his doubts.
"But what is Viktor Krum supposed to know about Voldemort? And why does he want to talk to you about that?"
"Well, my theory is this: since Viktor was one of Karkaroff's students and since Karkaroff used to be a Death Eater, maybe he now knows some very important information about Voldemort. Maybe he's here to tell Dumbledore, and since he's a friend of mine, he'd like to tell me also. Afterwards, I can tell you everything, Harry!"
"You mean we're not invited?" asked Ron, surprised.
"No... He just told me that he wanted to talk to me, alone."
"No way Hermione! I really don't like this at all. I don't trust that guy." Ron expressed his doubts, which were the same as Harry's. Couldn't Viktor tell what he knew directly to him? Why did he want to meet her alone?
They were now walking across the grounds, heading to the main gate. The day was very cold, even though the sky was clear and the sun was shining.
"Come on Ron! Don't be so suspicious! Viktor is on our side. You should know that by now! He wants to talk to me in private, because... well, with me, he has more confidence."
"What do you mean by CONFIDENCE?"
"Ron, stop it, please!"
Harry rolled his eyes and jumped between them, trying to stop their bickering.
"All right, now stop it. Ron, it's useless to argue with her. Hermione has already made her decision."
Then he turned to Hermione.
"And you... please try to be really careful, because I don't trust Viktor Krum either. At the feast yesterday, he was talking with Malfoy as though they were very good friends. By the way, have you got your wand?"
"Yes, it's in my handbag, but I won't need it, I assure you!"
"Great! Now, let's go, or we're going to be late," Harry cut her off. He was starting to get nervous about the whole thing. He was really looking forward to going back to the castle that evening with both of his best friends, alive and safe.
When they arrived in Hogsmeade it was already lunchtime. They decided to stop at the Three Broomsticks to have something to eat. The place was crowded, and they chose a table in the back of the room.
"Where're you going to meet him?"
"I thought that Madam Puddifoot's teashop would be a good place to talk quietly."
Harry nearly choked on his last bit of sandwich. He remembered that place very well; he went there the previous year with Cho on Valentine's Day. The entire time, Cho kept talking about poor Cedric Diggory and had compared their date with the one she had with Cedric earlier.
Harry shuddered, remembering how Cho had rushed out of the place, leaving him there alone like an idiot because of something he had told her. The date had been a total fiasco.
"Why did you choose that place? Only couples go there, to be alone and... you know... not be disturbed...."
Ron was slightly disappointed, and in Harry's opinion, more like a jealous boyfriend than a best friend.
"I've chosen that place, and that's that! I don't think I owe you any explanations, Ron Weasley!"
Ron didn't answer back, but he looked deeply offended, even though Hermione didn't seem to be too worried about it.
"Well... it's almost time to go..." said Hermione, looking at her watch. But when she got up, Harry grabbed her arm.
"Wait... we're coming with you. Let's go Ron!"
Hermione was a bit surprised, but she didn't object. The three of them exited the pub and headed towards Madam Puddifoot's, which was situated up a side road at the end of the main street.
They stopped a short ways away, and then Hermione faced them to say goodbye.
"It's two o'clock now and I should be finished by three. You can wait for me at The Three Broomsticks. I'll meet you there."
Hermione then realized that her friends were staring at her worriedly, so she tried to reassure them.
"Come on, I'm not going to war! And it isn't even a date! I'm just going to find out what Viktor has to tell me, and then I'll immediately come back."
"We're going to wait here."
"No way, Ron! Viktor is coming and I don't want him to see you. He might think that you're tailing us! Everything'll be fine... trust me."
Suddenly, she moved closer to Ron and hugged him, then she turned to Harry and did the same. This time, however, she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. Then she turned, ran to the teashop, opened the door, and bid them farewell a last time with a small wave before disappearing inside.
"Why did she kiss YOU?" asked Ron with a slight hint of envy in his voice, but Harry didn't notice; he felt that he was going to blush. For a short moment, he wanted to follow Hermione inside the teashop.
"Come on, Ron... it's better if Krum doesn't find us here."
Finally, both of them headed back to the pub.
When they entered, they saw that a few of their friends were sitting at a distant table: Dean Thomas and Ginny, who were very close to each other, Neville Longbottom, and finally Luna Lovegood, dressed in her usual eccentric way.
Ron frowned at them for a moment; he didn't yet accept that his sister was dating Dean Thomas. Harry signaled to him to sit at a smaller table close to the entrance, but Ginny had already gotten up to greet them.
"Hey, Ron, Harry! Why don't you come over here?"
Almost sadly, Ron headed to their friends' table with Harry and took a seat.
"What're you doing here?" asked Neville curiously.
"The same thing you are!" replied Ron, slightly annoyed.
"Where's Hermione?" asked Ginny.
"Hermione had to go... OWWWW!" exclaimed Ron, after Harry kicked his right leg hard; Harry hurriedly finished his sentence for him.
"She had to go to the library! Right... she had a very difficult essay to finish!"
"Yeah, an essay!" confirmed Ron, massaging his leg and frowning at Harry, who was forcibly trying not to look in his best friend's direction.
"Hey, guys... have you seen Fleur Delacour? She's even more beautiful, don't you think?" commented Seamus, extremely delighted.
"Yeah, she's really gorgeous." added Dean, making Ginny jealous; she gave him a hard nudge in his side.
"But, what did I say?" asked Dean, massaging his side, as Ginny rolled her eyes.
"I know what Fleur and Viktor are at Hogwarts for," stated Luna simply, as though she had just commented on the weather.
"You know about that? Who told you? Dumbledore maybe?" asked Ron quizzically.
"No, but I heard Fleur talking about it to Cho Chang and Heather McRow."
Everybody was now staring at her, waiting for the rest of the story, but Luna kept sipping her tea, quietly. Then Ron broke the silence.
"So? Are you going to tell us the reason why Dumbledore invited those two to Hogwarts, or not?"
"I suggest you buy the next edition of The Quibbler. In it, my father published everything you want to know! Anyway, I expect that it is going to be something really, really big."
"Come on, Luna, can't you tell us something more?" pleaded Ginny.
"If you really want to know, I can tell you that this story is just confirming my father's theory... he always knew that Cornelius Fudge had his own Heliopath Army!"
"Beg your pardon?" said Ron aghast, so Luna hurriedly explained her theory.
"Fleur and Viktor have useful information about Fudge's Army. The Heliopaths are now on YOU-KNOW-WHO's side, and if the new Minister of Magic doesn't do something soon, the giants will change to his side as well, just as the dementors already have!"
Everybody was in reverent silence; it seemed as if Luna knew a lot about this subject. Harry thought over it for a moment, and he realized that, after everything else, the whole thing could have just been true.
***O***
Harry was nervously looking at his watch, which was telling him that it was two-thirty. Then it showed a quarter to
three, then three, and finally three-thirty, but Hermione wasn't there yet.
Ron was nervous as well, and was repeatedly turning to Harry, who finally nodded.
"Ahem... we have to go now!" Ron said goodbye to his friends, and then rushed out of the pub, followed by a really worried Harry. They ran like mad to the teashop.
"Hermione is late! But when I find her, she'll see..."
Ron seemed furious, but Harry had the feeling that it was just his way to disguise his worry.
They entered the teashop in a fury; it was nearly empty, with the exception of two couples sitting at the far end of the room. They went over to the owner, Madam Puddifoot, a short and fat lady dressed in a long pink robe, who was cleaning one of the tables close to the entrance.
"Excuse me, Madam.... we're looking for a girl," started Harry nervously.
"A girl, dear?"
"Yes, a student... she had to meet a guy here."
Madam Puddifoot raised her eyes and stared at Harry curiously. In that moment, he realized that he wasn't being very specific, since it was a place where only couples were meeting.
Ron did his best to mix up the situation even more.
"We're looking for a 'know-it-all' student with brown and bushy hair..."
Madam Puddifoot was now staring at them in a really surprised way.
"Well, why don't you tell me the name of this girl, then?"
"Yes, of course... her name is Hermione, and the guy's name is Viktor Krum... and he is shorter than us, with black hair and a beard."
Madam Puddifoot gave a bright smile; she suddenly understood.
"Yes, yes, yes... they were seated at that table over there!"
"And when did they leave? Could you tell us? Please?" asked Harry even more worriedly, trying to speak politely.
"They left almost immediately... they didn't even finish their coffee!"
Harry and Ron stared at each other in shock. Then Madam Puddifoot spoke again, staring off into space.
"They were a really strange couple! Especially him, because he seemed to be in a great rush..."
"Could you maybe tell us where they went? I mean... in which direction?"
Again Madam Puddifoot was staring at Harry in great surprise, so he tried to add an explanation for his question.
"We must talk to Hermione... we must tell her something really important!"
"I see... well, unfortunately I don't know where they went. But I did see them heading toward the Forbidden Forest, and I was really surprised about that. Hey, where are you running off to?"
Harry and Ron cut her off and rushed outside, heading towards the Forbidden Forest. The sun was going down, making it really hard to see the way.
They were leaving Hogsmeade now, following the path along the Forest.
Harry stopped abruptly, panting heavily from running; Ron did the same. Both were now turning in every direction, looking for Hermione or, at least, some trace of her passage, but there was nothing there.
"I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT! I told her again and again, but she kept saying 'Don't worry Ron, I trust Viktor.' Quite to the contrary... there was NOTHING to trust about him!"
Ron was shouting to himself, while Harry was turning around, desperately looking for any clue that might help him understand what had happened.
Then, finally he saw it: a small light, shining from the depths of the forest. Without thinking about it, he rushed into the trees, trying to reach the source of that light.
"Hey, Harry! Where in the bloody hell..." Ron didn't see the light, but he followed Harry anyway.
The Forest was becoming thicker; little twigs were sticking out from the ancient trees, poking them in the face and arms. The further in they walked, the more the darkness was covering the Forest.
"LUMOS!" shouted Harry, lighting his wand. He continued to walk toward the small light, which was becoming bigger. Finally he reached the source; it was at the bottom of a large rock.
Harry crouched on the ground and then, with Ron looking on in shock, realized where the light was coming from.
Harry slowly got up, horrified, and showed the object to his friend, who opened his mouth in surprise.
"It's Hermione's wand, I recognize it! Harry, what do you think happened?"
"I don't know, Ron! Maybe Viktor brought her here, into the Forest, and then he attacked her... maybe she lost her wand while she was trying to defend herself... and then.... I really don't know what's happened."
"Do you think... he... KILLED Hermione?"
Ron was completely shocked, and Harry shuddered at the thought. It couldn't be true... Hermione couldn't be dead... she couldn't be....
"I don't believe so. Maybe Viktor has kidnapped her..."
"Do you think he's working for YOU-KNOW-WHO?"
"Of course!" whispered Harry and then added determinedly, "There's only one thing to do... we must go to Dumbledore!"
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