When they left for Hogwarts, Nikolina stayed near Viktor.

Everyone at Hogwarts was already gathered on the grounds after having seen Beauxbatons arrive in their carriage. No one noticed them until most of their mast had emerged from the water.

As the Durmstrang students walked through the assembled Hogwarts students, many of them were amazed.

"It's Viktor Krum!"

Nikolina reached over and gave his hand a light squeeze, causing him to look over and see her smile. He returned it before getting his grim set back on his face once again.

They sat at the Slytherin table due to the similar mindset of the students of that house and of Durmstrang, and Nikolina was surprised as who she saw.

"Viktor, that vas the boy from the Vorld Cup," she told him, pointing at Draco Malfoy.

"Very vell, I vill just haff to avoid him."

The next day, Karkaroff came to his students about putting their names in. Viktor was the only one he required to do it in public.

"I vill do it vith him," Nikolina told her headmaster. Viktor smiled as he set a hand on hers.

Viktor and Nikolina walked into the Great Hall, arms linked and their slips of paper in their free hands.

The chaos of the Weasley twins' latest stunt fell silent as even the bearded pranksters stopped to stare at the Bulgarians.

"Bloody hell, Krum has a girlfriend?" Several people whispered.

When they stepped inside Dumbledore's age line, they joined the hands of the arms that had formerly been linked and dropped their names in at the same time. After raising their joined hands, they waited for their classmates to slam their staffs against the ground before exiting the Hall the way they entered.

When they returned to their ship, Viktor wrapped his arms around her and spun her around.

"This vill be great for both of us my Lina!"

"Yes, it vill," she giggled.

The Durmstrang students spent the rest of the afternoon having a... party of sorts. They had music and all made vows to support whoever was selected, no matter the cost.

It was an hour before dinner and by then Nikolina had been asked to dance by every boy but Viktor, who was not fond of dancing.

She finally just grabbed his arm and attempted to drag him.

"Vot are you trying to do, my Lina?" He chuckled.

"I vish for you to dance vith me but ven I asked before, you vould not. But now you vill," she replied, a shy smile on her face as she took his hands in hers and stepped closer to him.

"But vy vould I do that?" He asked before pressing his lips to her forehead.

"You vill dance vith me because you are my friend," she told him, squeezing his hands.

"Very vell," he chuckled, conceding to her wishes.

Nikolina wished to live in the next hour for ever. After dancing for nearly ten minutes, Viktor insisted on taking a walk on Hogwarts grounds. They ended up finding a place to sit near the black lake, each with an arm around the other and her head resting on his chest as he leaned against a rock formation.

"Viktor?"

"Yes my Lina?"

"Vot happens if one of us is selected and... and ve do not survive?"

"If it is me, I vill do my best to live for you. And I hope you vill do the same for me."

"I vill."

After several moments she had another question.

"Vot has our friendship become Viktor?"

"I do not know but I do not vish to ruin it."

He had said what she was thinking, and in the silence that followed the brief conversation, he reached for her free hand and brought it to his lips.

"Nikolina, Viktor, it is time to discover who our champion is!" Karkaroff yelled to them from the ship.

Merely ten minutes later, everyone was assembled in the Great Hall, anxiously awaiting the announcement of the champions.

Professor Dumbledore stepped up as the flames of the Goblet increased. He caught the piece of paper that shot out of it with apparent ease.

"The champion for Durmstrang shall be...
Viktor Krum!"

The Durmstrang students erupted into cheers and Nikolina embraced her friend who took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before proceeding to the front of the Great Hall. As her friend disappeared into a side room, Nikolina listened for the other champions' announcements.

"For Beauxbatons, the champion will be...
Fleur Delecour!"

"And the Hogwarts champion will be...
Cedric Diggory!"

To Nikolina's confusion, the goblet's flames flared up once again, spitting out a smoldering piece of parchment. Dumbledore caught it with the same apparent ease,  despite the surprise of it.

"Harry Potter!"

Karkaroff appeared behind Nikolina,  startling her.

"Do not worry Miss Tedora," he said. "If they will have two champions, you and Viktor both will represent our school."

Once her headmaster left her side, she dismissed herself to the restroom. She was developing a sick feeling at the thought of both her and her closest friend risking their lives for what was essentially a game.

When she returned to the ship, Viktor was waiting for her.

"Vhere vere you at my Lina?" He asked,  linking arms with her as they walked.

"I vas clearing my head," she replied with a smile. She laid her head on his shoulder and they took their places among their assembled peers.

"Krum! Krum! Krum!" Was the chant ringing through the ship.

"You vill be careful,  von't you?" Nikolina asked the champion.

"Of course I vill, I said vould,  didn't I?"