Past Present

"How's this going to work? You doing Potions, I mean," Hermione asked as they settled at their table in the cafe, Viktor propping his foot on one of the empty chairs.

"Same way it always works. You are Miss Granger, and you do not get caught helping Longbottom for fear of losing points, and we will all try to make sure the Potions classroom does not get blown sky high. Madame Pomfrey might like to keep busy, but let's not bring her an entire class at once. I just haff to figure out how to be Mr. Krum for a period without treading on too many toes. Just treat Mr. Krum like you would Professor Snape," he added, picking up the menu.

"I don't think I could work up that much animosity toward you," she said sourly, doing the same.

"Not me. Mr. Krum, evil Potions Master substitute, remember?"

"Are you implying Mr. Krum's evil or you're just substituting for the evil Snape? Never mind. I don't want to know. How's the essay coming?"

"Finished revising the research for History of Magic. Added a bit, threw in some of the things we talked about. It could probably do with another set of eyes looking at it, if you haff trouble sleeping some night. Not the most exciting thing in the world, talking about groups that sometimes do not even exist any more. A little sad, really, when you think about all that could haff been passed down that was not."

"What was Harry looking all goggle-eyed at before we got into the carriages?" Hermione asked.

"Ever think about what makes the carriages go?" Viktor said without looking up.

"Magic, obviously, I mean, they're not being pulled by anything," Hermione responded, running a finger down the menu.

"Stop looking at the price column, just get what you want. This is supposed to be for your birthday. You always trust your eyes?" Viktor asked.

"When it comes to the prices?" Hermione asked, puzzled.

"When it comes to explaining things. Like how carriages go," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well... there's nothing there... is there? I mean, you don't see anything..." she began uncertainly.

"Some of us do. Harry does now. Hagrid must see them, or he could not take care of them."

"What could some people see and others... oh... thestrals? You mean, thestrals pull the carriages?"

Viktor nodded, then went back to studying his menu.

"Are you going to tell him why you can see them?"

"The pork chops sound good," he mused.

"And what is Dumbledore researching so long? Hermione added.

"What are you thinking of getting?"

"Trying to change the subject?"

"Trying, but you are not cooperating," he said, pursing his lips.

"Point taken. I'll keep my nose over here for the rest of the day. You and that knee going to be ready to play by the time Vratsa is?"

"If I get off my backside and get out as much as possible, probably. If it makes you feel any better, I am not completely sure what he is trying to find out, myself. I could guess, but it would be that, a guess. Knowing Dumbledore, he wants to be sure of what he is doing before he tries something with me. Can we leave it at that?" Viktor looked over the top of the menu at her.

"That's more than I knew a few minutes ago, so I guess so. He's no more talkative with you than he is with us, then, I guess. You know, I've been thinking..." Hermione began, but they were interrupted by the waitress, coming to take their orders.

"You were saying?" Viktor asked, after she had taken their menus and gone.

"I was going to say, I know the perfect place to practice. Boggarts anyway. The Shrieking Shack. No one goes there still. No one would pay any attention if we went there to practice. We could even go late this afternoon. Sneak in the door. Hardly anyone walks by."

"You sure you want to know?" Viktor asked gently. "It is not going to be a professor telling me I did not pass... Wait a minute, where did you get a boggart, anyway?"

"McGonagall. She thinks I'm practicing for my O.W.L.s," Hermione responded, patting her bag on the other empty chair.

"Time turners, boggarts, what else would she get for you?" Viktor asked in a wondering voice.

"I'm afraid to ask. So... did you have anything planned for this afternoon, or ..." Hermione trailed off, playing with her napkin.

"Nothing specific. Nice birthday, huh? Lunch, about a month late, and later, homework. In an abandoned, supposedly haunted shack," Viktor chuckled low, shaking his head. Soon their food arrived, and they ate in a comfortable silence for a while. Then the conversation came back in trickles, about Hogwarts, some of the other students, home, family, the upcoming Halloween feast.

"I owe you a present," Viktor said finally, as they finished up dessert. "I hope... you do not think it is presumptuous...or pushy of me. It is just a small promise, but maybe someday in the not too distant future, you will let me give you one with a bigger promise attached," he said, setting a small wrapped box in the middle of the table. Wordlessly she picked it up and unwrapped it. Within the velvet box inside, lay a simple pearl ring, set in a slender gold band.

"Viktor...it...it's beautiful...but you sh..."

"If you tell me I should not haff bought and given you something I want you to haff, I will scream," he muttered.

"Alright then. It's beautiful. Thank you. I'll leave it at that. Thank you," she added, a little breathless. "I love it."

"You love it?" he asked with a raised brow. He seemed a tad relieved.

"I do. I would have loved it if it had been out of a bubble gum machine. Because I love the person who gave it to me," she said in a low voice, leaning across the table.

"Love it enough to let me put it on you?" he asked in the same tone, also leaning across the table.

"Sure," she said, offering him the box. He picked the ring out and slid it over the ring finger of her offered left hand.

"I just haff one question," Viktor said, still cradling her fingers in his own right hand. "What is a bubble gum machine and why would there be a ring in it?"

"Is it the English or the Muggleness of it all that's confusing?" Hermione laughed.

"Both, I think. Explain it to me while we try to find Harry and Ron, then," Viktor replied, swinging his leg off the chair and standing.