It was a gorgeous day. The streets of Diagon Alley were filled to the brim of passerby's and familiar faces. Hermione quickened her pace, taking note of her red cheeks and nose in the window of her favorite book shop. She quickly stomped her boots to rid them of their gathering snow and hurried inside the store to warm her bones.

Hermione inhaled deeply, filling her lungs to their capacity. She absolutely loved the smell of Flourish and Blotts. And to fuel her obsession, the owner added a small café on the top floor creating fabulous aromas in the air. She would have to remember to grab a chocolate croissant on the way out. She was full at the moment and would definitely eat it later.

She had just come back from a rather large lunch with Ron and his girlfriend…oops, I mean his fiancé. What in blazes was that girls name again? Ava? Ella? Emma? Emma! That was it. She thought, snapping her finger. She would have to keep telling herself that Ron was getting married soon. It felt strange to say.

Hermione didn't want to like Emma. Getting the invite for lunch felt like a stab to the heart. It seems like only yesterday that her and Ron were young and in love. Okay! Yes, yes, they haven't been together for quite some time now, two years to be exact. But Hermione still felt that twinge of jealousy when she saw the pair together.

What only made it harder was the fact Hermione thoroughly enjoyed Emma's company. Hermione came to lunch with little, to no expectations of this girl but was extremely surprised by how brilliant and funny and how compatible the two were.

Hermione sighed feeling happy for her best friends. Harry and Ginny were expecting baby number two in a few weeks; Ron had met his perfect match. Hermione let out another sigh, taking note that she was once again in one of her favorite places but was utterly alone.

"Screw it" She said to herself. Taking two steps at a time, she hurried upstairs to the café and ordered a large hot tea and an equally large chocolate croissant to go with it.

Thankfully there was no long wait for her food to appear in front of her as she sat down in a big, squishy arm chair. She breathed in the smell of warm bread and the sweetness of the chocolate filling inside. She took a rather large bite.

"Hermione?"

Not wanting to beat around the bush, Hermione had went straight for the middle of the croissant, leaving smears and a small dollop of chocolate in the two corners of her mouth. Hermione froze and looked in the direction that her name was being called.

Oh shit.

"Viktor." She replied, mouth full.

Placing her pastry down, Hermione swallowed her food, and scrambled for a napkin to clean her face.

Viktor lightly chuckled, smiled and handed her a napkin he had wrapped around his coffee cup.

"Thank you." She replied, feeling self-conscious.

"You're welcome." He replied. Hermione realized how different his voice sounded. Deeper and his vocabulary better pronounced.

Hell, he even said my name right this time. She said, as an afterthought.

"Wow, it's so great to see you." Said Viktor. His smile appeared genuine, warm and infectious. Hermione enjoyed looking at his mouth.

"Yes" Hermione cleared her throat and sipped a drink of her tea. "You as well." She replied, smiling back. "What brings you to London?"

"Ah, just a bit of Christmas shopping." He replied holding up a pink gift bag Hermione hadn't noticed he was holding.

"Ah, your girlfriend will love it I'm sure." Hermione, as well as everyone in the wizarding community knew the ins and outs of star quidditch player, Viktor Krum's love life.

Viktor nervously rubbed the back of his neck for a second. "Well actually, Isabel and I ended things a few weeks ago."

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry. I didn't know…" Hermione fumbled her words, feeling idiotic for bringing it up. She silently cursed herself for not taking Ginny up on reading her Wizard gossip magazines she always had lying on her end table.

"Quite alright. It's in the past. She made it very easy to move on." Viktor replied waving off her attempts at an apology. "And this gift is for my niece. She's turning nine this weekend."

Hermione stopped talking, for both their sakes and instantly remembered why girls fancied him so much during their fourth year. He was charming, handsome and very kind.

"Listen, Hermione," He started with a slight cough. "I'm only in town this week. I have practice tomorrow evening as well as my niece's party this weekend. But a few of my friends and I are heading out to the new pub tonight. You know, the one that just opened up down the way? You're more than welcome to come."

This took Hermione by surprise. Thinking back, she never understood why he ever fancied her when they were in school. And now, with chocolate face and managing to say the wrong things, she still didn't quite get it. He could literally have any woman in the world, and he continued to express his want to be around her.

Hermione looked down at her hands nervously.

"Uh, you know…I would have to check and make sure…I have some, um, some work to finish up at home...and I…"

Viktor called bullshit and gave her a knowing look. He didn't voice it, only smiled shyly and stepped closer to her, taking her hand in his.

Producing a pen from his coat pocket he began writing the name of the pub on the palm of her hand. From this close of a proximity she took a subtle whiff inward and nearly melted into a puddle right before him. He smelled amazing. She also took notice of a light scruff he had on his face. Hermione was a sucker for beards. She asked Ron to grow his out on numerous occasions but he could never get passed the itchiness.

"That's the name of the place and time I'll be there." He said, taking a step back. "I mean really, you can come any time after five…"

He suddenly stopped and looked at her. Hermione gazed back, taken by his demeanor. "I really hope to see you tonight, Hermione." He replied. Taking her hand once more, he leaned forward slightly and gently kissed her knuckles.

"See you." Was all she could say in return.

Releasing her hand, he smiled, turned and walked out of Flourish and Blotts.

Hermione examined the back of her hand as if it were somehow different now.

"Wow…"she breathed out. Her mind was running a mile a minute, unsure of how to proceed with her invitation. She needed advice from a close friend. Well, a close friend who wasn't Ron Weasley. She went to the next person on her mental checklist.

"Harry."

Taking one last gulp of her now luke warm tea, she made her way down stairs and out into the traffic that was Diagon Alley, her chocolate croissant long forgotten.