There All Along

Bulgarian Quidditch star turned professor, Viktor Krum scanned the room with his dark eyes until they fell on a glowing Hermione. His slow smile widened on his sallow face, and he winked. Their eyes locked for a few seconds, before he turned to glare non-threateningly at his other students.

"Vell, hullo to you all," he said in a deep, accented voice.

There was a collective sigh from numerous girls and gasps of disbelief from almost every guy. Ron's insides twisted sickeningly, and he could feel Hermione shiver slightly beside him as the professor glanced at her every so often. Ron glared at him, putting his neck forward obviously. His jaw clenched as he thought to himself, "Perfect. Just perfect! This is just what I need!"

Much to the ire of Ron, Hermione did not take her eyes off of Krum the whole period as he introduced himself and went over his plan for the year. He made an effort to look at the whole class, but unfortunately for Ron, the romantic tension between Krum and Hermione built. It only heightened each time they gazed into each other's eyes. Whenever he paused to give her a smile, she blushed and glanced down at her desk. Once, she even turned to Ron with a radiant smile and mouthed something to him: "Oh my gosh! Can you believe this?"

Ron folded his arms and sank down in his desk, painstakingly thrust into a foul mood. Relief washed over him when the bell rang, and it died just as quickly and thoroughly when Hermione and Harry stayed behind. They wanted to talk to him. When a swooning Parvati Patil left the room with Lavender and a giggling group of girls, Hermione let out a squeal and ran into his open arms.

Hermione clung to him happily. She had missed him so much and writing had not been enough. His strong arms held her gently, and he murmured softly into her ear. It sent shivers of pleasure through her. She looked into his curious black eyes and smiled. Remembering herself, she unwillingly pulled away, blushing madly. She hit him playfully on the arm, but kept it there.

"Viktor! I can't believe it! You're my...teacher! I can't believe you're here. I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too, my little Hermyown," he almost purred, rubbing his thumb up and down her cheek.

The pair laughed and hugged. Harry leaned forward to exchange a friendly and firm handshake. They had been Triwizard Champions together and respected each other. Other than being an unknown rival with Ron, Harry had no reason to be unfriendly to him. When Krum stepped forward to offer the same greeting to Ron, however, the redhead gave him a curt, stiff nod. Krum hesitantly dropped his outstretched arm and put it around Hermione instead. Ron could have kicked himself. He should have thought it through. He'd have rather been crushing Krum's hand himself than have it running up and down Hermione's back.

Ron watched through narrowed eyes as he and Hermione continued to catch up and flirt. Harry fidgeted and Krum eyed him, both sensing Ron's bad mood. Hermione, however, only had eyes for the Bulgarian superstar. She scanned his moving lips, his shining eyes, and took in his masculine scent. He was the same as she remembered.

Then, he did something that took her by surprise. He leaned down and gave her a passionate kiss. She felt her knees weaken as his lips gently caressed hers, and she felt safe. A contented sigh escaped her as she put her arms around his neck, stabbing Ron's heart and making Harry exceedingly uncomfortable.

"We'll just...leave you alone, then," Harry said, fidgeting.

Hermione did not respond as she continued to stare at Krum so Harry grabbed a very red Ron by the elbow and led him out of the room.

"I can't believe you're here," Hermione moaned, holding him tighter. "I've missed you so much."

"Me too," he murmured, stroking her hair. "I haff meessed you desperately. You are pleased, yes?"

She stood on her tip toes and pressed her lips to his. A laugh echoed low in his throat, and he held her close. He got his answer.
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For the next two months, Ron had a constant, unyielding nausea whenever he looked at Hermione. She glowed with happiness but because of another man. Worse, he couldn't concentrate during Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. They were utterly unbearable. He used to find Hermione's success endearing, though admittedly a little annoying. But now he dreaded her right answers because Krum would make her go red and beam adorably with praise. Ron's grades and mind were clouded with the thick desire to punch Krum's face in when he made her involuntarily tremble. He expressed his anger to Harry one night in the dormitory.

"Hermione hasn't shut up for TWO MONTHS!" he snarled, his head popping out of his T-shirt. "What does she see in that git anyway? Okay, so he's older and rich and famous, but she even said he was not much to look at. And she doesn't even know him! They spent a few months together two years ago!"

Harry pulled his own shirt over his head and climbed in his bed into the warmth of his sheets.

"This is going to be a bloody mess," he declared, scratching his extremely messy black hair. "Maybe she knows him more than you think. She has been writing to him for over a year. And she may even have visited like he wanted."

"Thanks, Harry," Ron growled sarcastically. "Thanks for putting the image of her and him on a beach somewhere snogging in my mind. That makes me feel a whole lot better." He angrily threw his robes at a hooting Pig. "Shut up Pig!" He kicked at the bird and sat down on his bed. "Did it ever occur to you or to her that he could have lied in his letters? How would she know? Who knows what lies he could have told her? I just want to...I mean to think of her..." He trailed off, moaning miserably.

"Then again," Harry suggested. "Maybe she is going after his fame and fortune after all. You never know."

Ron shot him a withering glance.

"She's not like that, and you know it! Remember fourth year when I said that Eloise Midgen's nose was off center? She nearly took my head off. She's not superficial." He became silent for a few moments, his eyes flickering with different theories. He snapped his fingers. "Maybe he's bewitching her or using her." He squinted, his eyes dangerous slits. "If he hurts her, I'll kill him with my bare hands!"

Harry shrugged and turned off the light.

"Do you think she knew?" Ron asked in the dark. "You know, about him becoming our teacher?"

Harry shook his head. "No, she nearly broke my wrist when he walked in first day. Besides, it's kind of sweet that he surprised her."

Ron stood up, his feet pounding on the floor.

"Hey, whose side are you on anyway?"

Harry's eyes went wide.

"Sorry, mate."

It was silent for a moment.

Then Ron asked, "Why does she all of the sudden start wearing makeup and doing her hair and wearing clothes that actually fit her now?"

"You know," Harry pondered, "I think it was for us."

"Huh?"

Harry turned on his side to look at Ron in the blue moonlight.

"I think she thinks that we never saw her as a girl."

"Huh?" Ron asked again, not seeing this logic. "Why would you think that?"

"Do you ever pay attention?" Harry teased. Ron stuck his tongue out. Harry laughed. "What I mean is we always kind of treated her like one of the guys. We never talked about girly things or emotions or feelings." He looked relieved. "I guess it started to sink in when we needed dates to the Yule Ball, and Krum came and asked her to the dance. I mean you were shocked when she told you she already had a date."

Ron's confusion turned to horror, his eyes wide.

"Oh no," he groaned. "She thinks I think she's ugly! I didn't mean that. I just meant that she never seemed interested in anyone before."

"Well, when Hermione explained all the things Cho was feeling last year, I knew she really was a girl. No guy could ever know all that. Besides, I think it makes her feel good and feminine. Girls apparently go through a makeup stage. I just think she wanted us to see her differently is all."

"I always thought she was pretty," Ron admitted blushing. "Even when I first met her, and we fought all the time."

Harry snorted. "You still fight all the time."

"The point is," Ron pressed on. "She always was nice looking...beautiful. The makeup and stuff seem to make that stand out. I mean now she's beautiful on the inside and outside. Don't get me wrong. She's still a little mental, but beautiful."

"Don't worry," Harry told him moving onto his back. "If it's meant to be, it'll happen. If not, then just be her friend like you always have been."

"Fine!" Ron sulked, climbing back into his bed. He shoved the covers to his chin. "'Night," he muttered.

"'Night."

The boys fell into a troubled sleep, not knowing at that particular moment Hermione had snuck into the girls' dormitory after a private date with their new professor.