requested by lovinthelights

The world would surely be a beautiful place if people talked less, thinks Viktor as Professor Igor Karkaroff continues to fuss over him on their way to the Hogwarts Castle. He listens respectfully, although his mind isn't in the conversation. His eyes drift around the Hogwarts grounds, where people are scattered around randomly, some studying, some spending their idle times with friends.

In many ways, he thinks, Hogwarts is a better place than Durmstrang. If given the choice, he would happily switch places with someone in this school, although he knows he is most likely biased against his own school due to his reputation. Being a world class Quidditch player, Igor Karkaroff provides him with showers of affection and attention, the former of which is most likely a show put up to gain his trust. It would be, however, a lie to say that Viktor doesn't enjoy the attention he gets. He does, but he would much rather prefer it coming from girls than from his Headmaster.

The girls at Durmstrang are used to his presence, meaning they do not bat an eye when he walks by them. This is one of the reasons Viktor is rather enjoying his stay at Hogwarts – the attention he gets from the girls. But he knows the attention is short lived and temporary, just like the supposed love his Headmaster shows him. But at least it's better than the resent and envy he gets from his classmates for the unending favouritism he gets from Igor.

"You are not getting enough food," says Igor as they take their usual spots at the Slytherin house table. "I should have brought food from home, this rubbish Dumbledore is feeding you is surely going to make you weak. You need energy and stamina to survive the tasks, who knows –"

"I'm fine, Professor," Viktor cuts him off, careful to not show any irritation in his voice. "The food is delicious. I like it."

"Taste is not important. You need nutrients …"

As usual, Igor pays no mind to what he says and drones on in his monotonous voice, several times mentioning how the Hogwarts food is going to be the death of his beloved champion. Viktor notices how he selectively chooses foods from the table, completely avoiding the native ones. With a sigh, he tunes out his Headmaster and dives into his food.

✓

Viktor has discovered the large and spacious library on his tour around the castle. And that is where he now sits with a book open in front of him. It is an old and tattered Charms book, and he lazily skims over the pages, internally laughing at the thought of how the Hogwarts students might react if they happened to see the books at the Durmstrang library. He doesn't doubt that many would piss their pants should they see the sheer Dark magic described in the books.

Surreptitiously, he looks over at one table on the other side of the library. It has four chairs around it, only one of which is occupied. The girl who sits there has her nose buried in her book, with her dense bushy hair caging her face. She doesn't seem to notice much of her surroundings.

Viktor would be lying if he claims that he comes to the library to read. The first time, maybe, though only partly. He has simply wanted to escape Igor. But then he had noticed the girl sitting alone on one of the tables, so immersed in her book that she did not even notice Viktor Krum staring at her. It would be a blatant lie to say that it did not hurt his ego.

The second time he has been to the library, she did notice him. But she did not blush like he had expected her to, neither did she smile at him. She simply frowned and went back to her book.

The third time – well, now he is here to find out.

Viktor has a slight fear that he may end up scaring her off, that she might think that he is a creep. But he has no malicious intentions. He is simply intrigued by her. He wishes to know why she isn't showing any interest in him, why she doesn't seem at all affected by the fact that a world renown Quidditch player is walking the same grounds as her. He wants to know more about her.

When the girl doesn't look up from her book at all, Viktor turns to his own. He is flipping through the pages of the children's book when something moves in front of his eyes and a voice speaks.

"May I sit here?"

It's the girl he has been watching. Viktor is so stunned that he is unable to speak for a moment. He blinks a few times in order to figure out if she really has asked to sit beside him, then blushes. He averts his eyes. "Yes. Of course."

She drops the huge pile of books on the table and sits down across from him. "Hermione Granger," she introduces herself.

He nods, staring at his book. "Hello."

"And, you are…?"

"You … don't know my name?" he asks, puzzled.

She smiles this time. "No, I know your name. Ron never stops talking about you. But it doesn't hurt to introduce yourself, does it?"

Viktor was bewildered. Was she teaching him manners?

"Viktor Krum," he says and Hermione smiles.

"Nice to meet you." She turns back to her book once again, leaving Viktor to stare at the table in front of him, wandering what the hell has just happened.

✓

Viktor isn't sure what made him do it, but he has asked Hermione out.

She is young, perhaps only about fourteen or fifteen, but her maturity conceals her true age. Maybe it is because of all the books she reads, but when she began talking the other day about muggle politics, Viktor found himself entranced by her words. Her fast words made it difficult for him to understand what she was saying most of the time, but he has listened nevertheless, realising that this was the first time in a long time that he was actually paying attention to what someone was saying to him.

He realises that not being the topic of conversations actually feels good.

"What is the Gryffindor common room like?" he asks as they walk side by side across the Black Lake. Truth be told, he isn't really interested in the Gryffindor common room, or any common room, for that matter. He is just looking for ways to get her to talk so that he can listen to her voice. He remembers how he used to hate people talking too much, and laughs internally as he listens to Hermione talking about the sofas in her common room.

"Hermione, why is this called the Black Lake?" he asks when she is done describing the environment in the Gryffindor castle.

He hears her laugh beside him, bringing him to look at her in confusion.

"What is so funny?"

"It's Hermione," she says, enunciating her name slowly.

"Isn't that what I said?"

"No, you didn't. Say it with me. Her – my – oh – knee. Go on."

He listens attentively, then attempts to recreate her pronounciation. "Herm – own – ninny."

Hermione bursts into laughter. He stops walking and crosses his arms, bringing an annoyed look on his face and hiding the smile that is forming. She stops laughing after a while. "Okay, we will try again later. What were you asking?"

They return to the castle an hour later. Hermione heads to upstairs to go to her common room whilst Viktor ventures into the Great Hall. As usual, he finds Igor at the Slytherin table, irritably tapping the tabletop.

"Where have you been, Viktor?" He asks in a mildly irritated voice.

"Just … taking a walk."

"Sit down. I bet you are hungry."

Viktor obeys. He piles his plate with food and begins to eat. Igor continues his rant about the food of Hogwarts, but Viktor doesn't let it get to him. He is smiling to himself, and when Hermione smiles at him over from the Gryffindor table, his smile broadens.

He finds himself gladly looking forward to the First Task.

✓

this is so terrible i'm sorry, idk what i wanted to write