Team: Holyhead Harpies

Position: Chaser 2 (School: Durmstrang)

Prompts:

QL Round 2: 3. (Song) I Believe In a Thing Called Love -The Darkness, 14. (Word) Contagious 11. (Style) LetterFic

June Monthly One-Shot Exchange: (Genre) Romance, (Color) Cyan, (Word) Unity

Pairing: Viktor/Hermione

Word Count: 3,000

Side Note- The Bulgarian characters are speaking Bulgarian, but I do not speak that language, so this is just a translation of what they are saying. The mistakes in the first letter are deliberate, just to show that Viktor struggles with writing in English, since it is not his first language. Slightly AU, because I set this during the canon time of the Triwizard Tournament, but in my story, it's not happening.

Special thanks to all of my teammates for being really amazing betas! Give them a round of (digital) applause!

For Eye Greater Than Three- I hope you enjoy it!

Round 2: know me (then love me)

...

"Today, I will be giving you a special assignment for extra credit," Professor Ruskov announced crisply.

Many students perked up upon hearing the words "extra credit." Extra credit opportunities were scarcely available, so anytime extra credit was offered, they took it, especially if their grades were subpar.

"Hogwarts has agreed to collaborate with our school for this project."

Everybody looked at one another. What was she saying?

"If you are in need of extra points or are interested, you will sign up with your real name and a pen name. I will then assign you a partner, who has also chosen an anonymous name. It is a letter exchange between pen-pals. I expect you to be courteous and respectful, therefore nothing inappropriate. You cannot disclose your actual name, otherwise the anonymity will be ruined. Any questions?"

Maria Andriev's hand shot into the air, and there were obnoxious snickers heard from the back of the classroom where Viktor Krum and his friends sat.

"Yes, Maria?"

"How long will this last?" Maria asked, pursing her lips and ignoring the sniggering, "My family is withdrawing me from this school in a few weeks."

Ruskov threw a warning look at the boys in the back.

"Not long. This is a project meant to establish unity between the two schools, and you and your pen-pal, so I trust that you will not disrupt it. Sign-ups open in two days."

Sebastian, a transfer student from Beauxbatons, raised his hand.

"Boys, settle down. Yes, Sebastian?"

"How will our real names be revealed? I mean, they have to find out at some point."

"You will be permitted to look at the sheet with the pairings on it when the Hogwarts headmaster and I decide that it is time. You will then be able to meet your partner in person."

There was a momentary silence.

"How?" A sole voice brought the question that everyone was thinking to light.

"We will be traveling to their school, and that is where you will come face to face with your pen-pal."

The bell rang, concluding the professor's statement. The students filed out in groups, discussing their new task. Viktor and his friends shoved their way through the crowd while shouting in each other's ears.

"Are you going to do it?" Ivan called.

"Yes, I suppose!" Viktor was scornful.

He really did need the extra credit. Despite his celebrity status, he wasn't outstanding in academics. Mostly because his life revolved around his Quidditch career. But he also disliked studying and often attempted to rebel against his teachers. He hoped this would be easier than it sounded.

…

"Bookworm, eh?" Ivan peered over Viktor's shoulder, "Do you think it's a boy or a girl?"

"I don't know," he snapped. He was feeling rather possessive about his person, but he wasn't sure why.

He crumpled the slip into a minuscule ball in his fist and stuffed it into his pocket.

"Who'd you get?" Viktor asked.

"Someone called Bolt. Definitely a boy."

Viktor moodily stabbed his chicken with his fork.

"Who'd you get, Daniela?" Ivan asked, unaware of the sudden change in Viktor's behavior.

"You won't believe this, but this person calls himself Silk." Daniela snorted.

Ivan rolled his eyes. "What kind of a person selects the name Silk?"

"A very arrogant person, apparently." Viktor didn't look up from his plate.

…

After dinner, Viktor sat on his bed and attempted to write a letter to his pen-pal, an English dictionary at his side.

January 16, 1995

Dear Bookworm,

Forgive me for my poor attempt at English, for it is not my first language. I had to write this letter with an English dictionary guiding me.

Let me began with a simple question. Are you a masculine or a feminine? I apologize for my brazenness, but it is important that I have to know.

I will go ahead and state that I am a masculine, just to clear some things up. I have two good friends. They are also participating in this letter exchange. One of my friends received someone called Bolt, while my other friend got a person with the name Silk. Rather silly, if you ask me. You may know these people, and I advise you say to this Silk person to pick another name, preferably less conceiting.

I am rather confused at how your system of schooling functions. Our professor (the one who assigned us this project) tells us that the students are divided into four "houses," and the schooling is seven years. I would like it if you would enlighten me on how your school manages to keep track of all of its students, since I hear it is a very popular school due to the current headmaster. Also, I would like to know more about you. I cannot gather much from your anonymous name, except that you like to read.

Sincerely,

Dexterous

…

January 18, 1995

Dear Dexterous,

Your letter contains only a few grammatical errors, compared to some of the other letters I've read. It almost seems that you did not use a dictionary. I suggest that you check your tenses, because you mostly made those kind of errors. Try asking someone who speaks an adequate amount of English.

To answer your initial question, I am female. Thank you for confirming your gender, so now we have one thing clear.

Speaking of friends, I also have two. I also find the Silk pen-name hilarious, because I am aware of who it is referring to. He's extremely arrogant; I'm surprised he chose a name like that. Bolt, on the other hand, is one of my closest friends. I cannot reveal his name, otherwise it will break the anonymity.

To clarify another question, our school has four houses. Every year, a new batch of students are sorted into a house based on their traits. It can also happen that you are put into a house because you desired to. The houses are called Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Gryffindors are usually considered brave, strong, and sometimes obnoxious. Ravenclaw students are known for being brainiacs, so I was almost sorted into that house. Hufflepuffs value kindness and loyalty, while Slytherins are crafty and resourceful. Some of these traits intermix between the houses. For example, Gryffindors also contain a strong sense of loyalty, and they tend to be generally kind, but they just have different ways of expressing it. Our headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, maintains the school magnificently. He's quite odd, though, but he defeated Grindelwald in a duel, so the school is safe under his watch.

I would like to know more about you too, but let's begin with me. You just need to know the basics. I'm fifteen, my favorite color is red, and my house is Gryffindor. I do love to read, but my lazy friends take advantage of that and skive off their homework.

I wish they would actually do their homework without assistance. It really irritates me sometimes. Otherwise, we are the best of friends, and I know they will always have my back regardless of trivial matters such as copying essays.

I know I have already written this once, but I repeat, please tell me more about yourself. You were kind of vague in your previous letter.

Sincerely,

Bookworm

Viktor studied the girl's response, debating on what to write back. He didn't want to make a fool out of himself again, but his English truly wasn't that good.

He scanned through the first paragraph and a lightbulb turned on somewhere in his brain. Maybe she did have a valid recommendation. He just needed someone qualified to review his letter before he sent it.

January 21, 1995

Dear Bookworm,

You sound very intelligent, judging by your perfect English and the fact your friends want to copy your assignments. Don't take that the wrong way; I merely wanted to compliment you. How do your friends get away with it?

You are right; I have not been very open with you. I shall change that now.

My favorite color is cyan, because it symbolizes carefreeness and serenity, which is something I long to have sometimes, as my life is quite hectic. I love to play Quidditch; it is my life and encompasses my mind. As I mentioned in my first letter, I have two friends, just like you, who also occasionally bother me but I love them dearly. One of my friends is a girl, and she's the smartest in our age group, perhaps even the whole school. She behaves the opposite, however, so you have to delve deep into her mind in order to discover the brilliance. She's quite sarcastic and witty too, so I'm sure you will get along with her. I shamefully admit that my other friend and I copy her work, too, but I will refrain from doing that in the future.

My other friend, a boy, is the most irritating person I've met, yet we're best friends. You probably won't like him as much, but you have similar friends, so who knows, maybe you'll learn to deal with him eventually.

My ambition is to travel the world, but not by aeroplane. I want to explore the world as a part of a Quidditch team. I want to see the various playing styles of the other teams and how their culture affects it. It may not sound very interesting, but that is what intrigues me.

Now, it is your turn. Tell me things about yourself that you don't mind disclosing.

Sincerely,

Dexterous

P.S. You may notice that my English is a little more proficient now. I took your advice and had one of my professors read over my rough draft and make corrections. I proceeded to rewrite my letter, adding this part in.

January 23, 1995

Dear Dexterous,

You copy off of your friend's work too? Looks like it's contagious.

I think we've swapped enough general information for now. I want to confide in you about something, and it's not a topic to take lightly. I'm only telling you because you're almost like a friend to me. Don't start questioning my other friends, I know they support me, but this is an issue concerning one of them.

I secretly fancy one of my best friends. He's nothing like me. He's clueless, idiotic, and sometimes rude, but he's so stupidly hilarious and I can't stop thinking about him. Even though he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer, I still fancy him.

I would tell him how I feel, but I don't want to demolish any bonds that have formed between us over the years. I'm not quite in love with him, either.

I know you're not an expert on girls, but you're the only outlet I have at the moment. My other friend, he's quite occupied with his infatuation for a girl who's unsure about her feelings towards him. I told him that there is a possibility that she may reciprocate his feelings, but don't count on her requiting the same feelings. He's gone to test that out.

I hope you have some words of advice to offer me, even though you don't know what it feels like from a girl's perspective.

Sincerely,

Bookworm

She was right. He had absolutely no experience in dealing with girl problems. Apart from Daniela, he had no girls in his life at all. His mother was in rehabilitation, ever since her drinking problems had caused her to nearly kill herself a few years ago, and leaving his father heartbroken. The event was tragic, and many of his classmates expressed sorrow, but he didn't want their sympathies. His father's broken heart was part of the reason he didn't associate with girls too much, because he didn't want anything like that to happen to him. He wanted his heart to remain pure.

And something was changing inside him. Hearing about his pen-pal's internal troubles were triggering an almost envious feeling, but not quite. He didn't have an active love life. Sure, girls sucked up to him, but not one of them caught his eye, due to the fact that they all contained the same characteristics. His pen-pal, on the other hand, was very… he didn't have a word for it. Fascinating? Interesting? Whatever the case, there was something unusual about her that captivated him.

January 27th, 1995

Dear Bookworm,

You're correct. Matters like that do not concern me at all. But since you specifically asked me, I will answer to the best of my ability. My girl-friend helped me out in this area, since she has dealt with a similar predicament.

We believe that the consequences of informing him about your romantic feelings are clouding up your mind. You're not thinking about the possibility that he could feel the same. Look out for signs that indicate he reciprocates your feelings. Think of what traits or interests you share with him, and try to observe his better qualities. Not all men are perfect.

You probably are not in love with him. It's most likely a passing fancy, I assume. Of course, it could transform into love, but I believe it will just vanish.

I hope this response was sufficient enough. Again, I am not very good with handling problems, since I am a male, but I hope my friend's advice was good enough.

Yours,

Dexterous

…

A week or so flew by as Viktor and his unknown pen-pal sent letters back and forth.

Viktor was typically a very private person, not giving out personal information so willingly. But as he read his pen-pal's letters, his respect for her blossomed, as well as his trust. She was not like any other girl. She was intellectual and unique, not like those brainless, dim-witted girls he had swarming around him in clusters.

And then, Daniela asked the question that altered the way he felt about his pen-pal forever.

She tactfully did not dive straightaway into the topic, instead opting to be subtle.

She asked over breakfast, when the three friends were gulping down steaming porridge and hot cocoa.

"Viktor, what happened with your pen-pal and her fancy? Did she write anything about how their relationship is progressing?"

Viktor almost choked on his porridge. "No," he answered aggressively, "Why does it matter? That boy sounds like a zadnik if you ask me."

Ivan glanced between Viktor and Daniela curiously, trying to pinpoint exactly what was going on. "Who's a zadnik?"

"Nothing," Viktor said brusquely, glaring at Daniela. "None of your business."
"Why so defensive?" questioned Daniela innocently, "Testy much?"

"I'm not being defensive." Viktor pointedly turned his back on them, acutely aware that Ivan and Daniela were conferring behind him. "I know you're talking about me, and I don't care what you say." He wheeled around and caught them separating.

Daniela was quick to say, "Oh, don't worry, we're not just talking about you," and gave Ivan an inconspicuous wink when Viktor was not looking.

…

Viktor penned the next letter to Bookworm, his mind still analyzing the conversation during breakfast and the events taking place during the day. His two friends were abnormally secretive, sending each other covert looks whenever they thought Viktor wasn't watching. They'd barely spoken to him and evaded his questions. Something was amiss.

Was—was it possible that Daniela and Ivan were dating? The signs were obvious. The looks, the hurried conversations, the secrecy—

Yes, it was possible, but Viktor couldn't completely rule out all the other prospects. He recalled what Daniela had said during breakfast.

"Oh, don't worry, we're not just talking about you."

So there was someone else involved. One of his professors, perhaps?

No. His friends hadn't mentioned that. The only person they had discussed was—

Bookworm. Oh no.

They were conversing about her.

Viktor stopped writing and threw down his quill with tremendous force. It bent, but he didn't care.

No one talked about her. She was off-limits.

…

"Now, I expect all of you to behave. We are not here for a party, but merely to meet your partners. Once you familiarize yourself with them, you may explore the castle. There will be no horseplaying. Understand?" Ruskov glanced purposely at the boys lingering at the back.

There was a collective murmur of assent from the students, who were crammed into the tiny entrance hall.

"Line up, and I will give you the name of the person you are supposed to find."

There was much jostling as everyone formed a single file line to receive the name of their partners. Viktor was close to the front, Ivan in front of him and Daniela behind him.

Soon, it was Ivan's turn.

"Harry Potter?!" he said disbelievingly, "The Boy-Who-Lived?"

Daniela sniffed disdainfully. "Of course, he gets a famous person."

"Move along," Ruskov chided them, "Now let's see, Viktor. You're paired with Hermione Granger."

He echoed the name with some difficulty, with Daniela correcting him.

"Move," Ruskov repeated briskly, and Viktor shuffled into the majestic hall in front of them.

The hall was teeming with Hogwarts students, some tall, some short. Viktor searched among the crowd, looking for the girl that he had been writing to for the past few weeks.

He approached a pretty girl with red hair. "Excuse me, but do you know a Herm-own-ninny?" he asked.

"Hermione?" the girl asked, surprised, "Yes, she's my friend. Are you her pen-pal?"

Viktor nodded.

"She's right there." She pointed to a girl was speaking to a bespectacled boy with black hair.

Viktor headed to the area she was talking about.

He tapped Hermione on the shoulder. Hermione whipped around, startled, and blushed, and Viktor's jaw dropped.

She was stunning.

While he was ogling Hermione, the boy with glasses had somehow slipped away into the throng.

…

"He so fancies her. You have competition, mate," Harry informed his best friend as he arrived at his side.

Ron scowled at the Durmstrang boy who was staring intently at Hermione and vice versa.

"I know." He cracked his knuckles. That boy didn't know what he was up against.