Past Present

"I believe someone owes me a walk," Viktor whispered in Hermione's ear when the Halloween feast was drawing to a close.

"Where are Ivan and Natasha?" she asked, gathering her cloak.

"Out already. I set them outside before I came down. Come on, we will go find them," he whispered again.

"Going for a walk. See you back in the common room later," Hermione called to Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Fred and George. Or anyone else within earshot, she thought to herself happily. The whole Great Hall could hear, for all she cared. At least her roommates had stopped asking if Viktor had broken up with her after that first Hogsmeade weekend.

"Had ole Silent Vik for Potions the other day. He wasn't half bad. Loads better than the Greasy Git, not nearly so much glaring and sourpuss behavior, even if he did charm our names onto our foreheads," George said cheerfully.

"Well, it was all your fault. He did warn you to stop answering for me and for us to stop switching seats. And I rather like that he made me wear my cauldron on my head rather than bawling me out for not paying attention. Snapey-kins would have taken fifty points from Gryffindor for catching me chucking that toad spleen at Peterson and given a ten minute speech besides. Too bad Viktor spots flying toad spleens the same way he spots the snitch," Fred observed.

"And he inquired about what happened to our lovely beards from last year. He's no laugh riot, but he sure is a lot more entertaining than points and detentions and essays," George added. "What about you, Gin? How did you like Mr. Krum in Potions?"

"He was okay. He still kind of intimidates me. He's so serious and...tall. We probably didn't learn much. Most of the boys goggled at him and asked him about Quidditch every three minutes, and most of the girls were busy preening and primping in their mirrors and giggling. He had to stop one of the girls from dropping her whole vial of bubotuber pus into her cauldron and eating the bottom out. A lot of them hung around for autographs afterwards," Ginny said, picking at the remains of dinner on her plate.

"Must be nice to have to beat the birds off with a stick. Or in his case, a broom," Fred grinned, waggling his eyebrows.

"Maybe less pleasant than you think. Besides, he's only got eyes for one. Hermione," Ron interjected.

"What, he's not the enemy anymore, little brother?" George teased.

"Oh, stuff it, George," Ron grumbled.

"She spends a lot of time with him. Did he get her that ring?" Ginny asked.

"Ring? Oooh, call Rita Skeeter! We got ourselves an engagement!" Fred snickered.

"Promise ring," Harry said wearily. "Just a promise ring."

"Well, it's very pretty. I'm going upstairs now," Ginny said, rising and setting out across the Great Hall.

"Uh oh. Methinks I see some hints of the green-eyed monster in yet another fourth year Weasley," George laughed.

"What on earth are you on about, George?" Ron asked.

"Ginny's jealous. Just as jealous as you were last year," George replied.

"You don't mean you think she's got a crush on Viktor?" Ron gasped.

"Not really. I dunno. Maybe she does. Sort of. Wouldn't be the only one. Some of the girls in our class were all moony over him. But you know, Hermione used to spend most of her time away from you two with Ginny. Now she spends it with Mr. International Quidditch star," Fred pointed out. "Bet she's gone upstairs to pout or sulk or watch out the window," he added.

"Viktor seems nice enough, if a little broody-like. You think Hermione would get us tickets when they get married?" George remarked, shoveling another forkful of dessert in.

"George!" Ron scolded.

"All right. All right. If they get married then. Man's already gotten her a ring. Least he could do is get her favorite set of twins some decent tickets. We're practically family," Fred grinned.

"To quote Hermione, 'Fred, you insensitive wart'." Ron said.

"What? I wish them every happiness. Hope they're so happy they don't mind getting us into a few Quidditch matches every once in a while is all. They can have a whole mess of bookwormy kids who are hell on broomsticks and send them to Hogwarts. Just make sure they get put in Gryffindor," Fred protested. "And maybe Hermione having a boyfriend will make her less of a prefect. Get her off our backs. We could engineer that."

"No hope of that," Ron lamented. "Still into rules. Hate to tell you, but Viktor is too."

"Darn! No catching them out after curfew and blackmailing her, then?" George wailed.

"Nope. The man made you wear a cauldron on your head. He's creative with his punishments, not completely insane. He isn't going to get tossed off campus for stepping out of line. His ring's still here," Ron snickered.

"Ron, you insensitive wart," Harry laughed.