Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of his friends. I just like to have a little fun with them from time to time.
It was nearly 6:30 on a Friday evening. Only one student could be counted on to be in the library at this time of night.
Actually, Hermione felt that she had to be here. She hadn't been able to get nearly the amount of studying done that she normally would have, and all thanks to giggling girls stalking Viktor Bloody Krum.
Well, that wasn't entirely fair. It wasn't just Krum. There was also the Cedric Diggory fan club. They were almost as bad as the 'Krummies', Ginny's little pet name for them. Diggory's pack of hyenas was affectionately dubbed 'Diggers'.
A little smile tugged at her lips as she recalled the names.
However, it was 6:30 on a Friday evening and the library was blissfully quiet. Hermione was happy to sit at the table, hogging as much of the space as she liked while she studied. Too bad she couldn't make it Friday evening every night of the week. It would make studying so much easier.
The doors to the library opened and she glanced up out of reflex. Krum entered and she sighed. No doubt the Krummies would soon follow and that would be the end of her peaceful retreat. She watched as he scowled, looking around the library before spotting her. To her surprise he started moving her way.
The door opened again and Krum paused looking behind him. Instead of Krummies, however, came Cedric Diggory and Justin Finch-Fletchley of Hufflepuff, Terry Boot of Ravenclaw, Blaise Zabini of Slytherin and Matthew MacGregor, a seventh year Gryffindor.
Boot pointed out her table with a nod to the others. "Told you she'd be here." The boys started her way, Cedric giving a polite 'excuse us' to Krum as they passed by him.
Hermione frowned and sat up in her chair. The five boys helped themselves to seats at her table, pulling up extras from nearby if need be. Cedric was directly to her right, reclining in his chair and stretching his legs out. "Do you ever go back to your dorms, Miss Granger?"
"Of course I do." She looked at the boys in turn. "What's going on?"
Boot grinned. "We were just wondering if you've got a date to the ball, yet."
She blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
Diggory shrugged. "Actually, we were discussing the fact that all of us wanted to ask you to the ball, which turned into an argument about who got to ask you to the ball and rather than all of us get thrown into detention for dueling in the hallways we decided it would be more prudent to first find out if you have been asked, yet."
She closed her eyes and shook her head to clear it. That was completely mental. "No, I haven't been asked, yet."
MacGregor beamed and leaned back in his chair. "Excellent! Pick one, then."
"What?"
"You've got four of the most sought after young wizards to choose from. We tried to tell Zabini that you'd never go for a Slytherin but he insisted on being allowed to put his hat into the ring." The Slytherin in question scowled at her fellow Gryffindor. "All you have to do is pick which one of us you would care to grace with your presence and our little squabble is solved."
She was quite certain that they had lost what was left of their minds. Her eyes took in each one in turn, and then looked over at the still standing, still scowling Krum. He was standing close enough to hear, watching them intently.
Hermione turned her attention back to the boys at the table. "Have you lot been drinking?"
Finch-Fletchley shook his head. "Not a drop, Hermione. We just thought that, being the sensible girl that you are, you would rather we bring this matter to you directly than do something so cliché as to fight duels over you."
"That would be rather cliché." She scowled. "I can't just pick one of you."
Diggory grinned. "Well, I suppose the six of us could all show up together, but I'm afraid that would start some rather vicious rumors not even that Skeeter cow could come up. Not to mention we'd likely end up brawling on the dance floor over who got the next waltz."
Boot nodded. "So just pick which one of us you like best and the others will bow out gracefully."
What was she supposed to do? "Why is this even coming up? I mean, Cedric, we rarely even speak. Same goes for you, Matthew. And the whole of Slytherin house would descend on us both, Blaise."
Boot beamed. "Guess that puts the three of you out of the running." He shot a challenging look towards Finch-Fletchley.
"Oh, stop it! Even if I believed you lot, which I don't, I'd never feel comfortable just picking one of you. It wouldn't be fair."
Cedric tilted his head curiously. "What do you suggest, then?"
"I have an idea." Everyone looked to Zabini as tapped his wand against Hermione's ink well. It transfigured into a jet bowl. "We'll each write our name down on a piece of parchment and let Hermione draw one. Whatever name she pulls is the bloke who gets to take her."
Hermione gaped. "What?"
"That's barmy!" MacGregor scowled at the Slytherin, but Blaise was unrepentant.
"It's likely the only fair way for all of us. I would like a chance in spite of how my housemates act towards her." He was already putting his name down on a spare bit of parchment. Boot gave a shrug before doing the same.
"It does seem like that would be the fairest choice. Not to mention it takes the pressure off you, Hermione." Cedric winked at her before following suit. MacGregor and Finch-Fletchley dropped their names in as well.
Zabini nodded and stood up, about to shake the bowl when a large hand came out and dropped another piece of parchment inside. Everyone at the table looked up to stare in askance at Viktor Krum. The Durmstrang champion kept his eyes on Hermione. Her face flushed red at all the attention.
The moment of awkwardness past, Zabini started shaking the bowl again. He seemed to carry on with it a bit longer than the others liked, causing Boot to snap "Get on with it, you prat!" Blaise shot his rival a look and held the bowl towards Hermione.
The madness in the room seemed to grow to a stifling amount. She looked at the bowl and then at her five, no six, potential escorts. "I can't believe this is happening."
Diggory gave her a grin. "Go on and pick one. We're not getting out of your hair until you."
That was the motivation she needed. The sooner she got rid of this gaggle of idiots, the sooner she could get back to her studies. With a sigh Hermione pushed up from her chair and reached into the bowl. Plucking out a piece of parchment she sat back down and unfolded it. "Viktor Krum."
Viktor the victor snapped his heels together sharply while the other five made a chorus of groans mixed with the occasional 'bloody hell' and 'lucky git'. Hermione looked up to find the surly Bulgarian looking back with what appeared to be a rather pleased smirk.
Cedric sighed. "Well, that's disappointing, but we did say that we'd bow out gracefully." Blaise glowered as he restored her ink well, muttering 'I didn't say that'. "Come on, lads. Let's leave our lady to her books."
Five bodies lumbered out of their chairs. None of them looked very pleased with the outcome, but they all gave her a polite bow before shooting Viktor a disgruntled glare. Diggory waved them off. "Come on, come on. It's not like it's permanent. The bloke has to go back to where he came from eventually."
The group of boys made their way out of the library, most of them muttering sullenly to themselves. Now, mostly alone, Hermione looked back up to Krum.
"I don't know what put that nutter of an idea into their brains. Blaise hasn't even said three words to me since I started here. You really don't have to go through with this, you know."
Krum arched one brow slightly, looking vaguely amused before he inclined his head towards her. "I vill meet you in front of the school before the dance, yes?"
She blinked, not certain how to wrap her brain around this. "Oh… all right."
His smirk turned into a smile as he snapped his heels together again and gave her a deep bow. As he did so, he took the hand still holding his name into both of his and pressed a kiss to it. As he released her and turned to go she thought she saw a rather smug smile on his face. She stared, dumbstruck, until he too had exited the library.
What had just happened?
Hermione Granger, best friend of The-Boy-Who-Lived and all around bookworm was again alone in the library, looking all the world as though she'd been smacked in the back of the head with a bludger. No matter how long she puzzled on it, she just couldn't understand them.
"Boys!"