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Being from a family of elite – and very popular – quidditch personnel who were also renowned elite members of the wizarding European community made for very awkward interactions at press conferences and VIP events. And of course, the quidditch world cup was one such example of an awkward VIP event, as the middle child, I was sat between my two siblings, my younger brother and older sister, while our parents were stood a little way away in the VIP box mingling, no doubt strengthening their connections and discussing their expectations for the end of the professional quidditch season.
Although the matches wouldn’t start for another few days, it was customary for the VIP members to take a look around the VIP box ahead of time, and sit and mingle over expensive dinners and false over done smiles. Ezra, my younger brother by a year was sat staring off into space, his messy wavy brown hair tied back in a man bun that showed off his symmetrical face and well-defined jaw, he was catnip to the ladies as our grandmother liked to say – or better phrased, anyone with eyes, he was a good looking guy and I could admit that as his older (and protective) sister.
My older sister on the other hand was engaged with conversation with one of the other family’s children sat opposite us, unlike me and Ezra, Belle was a social butterfly, and at three years older than me she was the shining symbol of our family’s children. Her shoulder length red hair was naturally straight – unlike Ezra and I who both had naturally wavy hair – and always fell at just the right angle to have everyone and anyone fawning for her attention; though I rarely saw her give anyone attention.
Several minutes (or hours) later, our parents – a senior ministry official and well respected lawyer – walked over to us, our mum was the shining ministry official, who had lasted for years as one of the most respected and liked ministry officials in office, she had out ran many of her competition, and maintained an accomplished career alongside having three children. Quite how she had quite literally had and done it all, was and likely would always be a mystery to me. “come and meet the Lawrences,” our dad stated once Belle had finished up her conversation, I followed behind my siblings and parents to the family in question and smiled politely.
As usual Belle led the conversation with my parents, while Ezra and I stood behind smiling politely and making polite conversation as and when needed. As it appeared the evening was wrapping up, the Bulgarian national team entered the room, as most of the families in the room were of high society, there wasn’t an extreme reaction to the team, just polite hellos and how are yous, combined with more conversation. I sighed internally, I really didn’t do well with keeping up polite conversation for extended periods of time, my father’s loud voice broke through my thoughts as he shook hands enthusiastically with Viktor Krum.
“it’s good to see you Viktor, and how are you doing today?” Viktor smiled politely, “well, thank you, and how is the family?” he asked gesturing towards the rest of us. I glanced to Ezra who was smiling for the first time that we had been at the entire event, at least one person was now enjoying the event, “they are well, I don’t believe you’ve met my youngest two before, my youngest is Ezra, and the middle child you see is y/n,” I offered a small wave and half smile as I met Viktor’s eye.
Don’t get me wrong I was not one of the many fangirls of Viktor Krum but I also wasn’t blind, merlin, he was one heck of a good looking man. “very nice to meet you both,” we both smiled back to him, at which point, smiling done, I tuned out of the conversation and watched the rain droplets trickle down the VIP box’s glass window. Belle nudged me gently and I turned to her to look at her, “Viktor hasn’t stopped staring at you,” she murmured quietly,
I glanced to meet Viktor’s eyes who offered me one of his dashing and charming smiles that I had seen on multiple wizarding newspaper and magazine covers. Eligible bachelor for sure. “Viktor, I hear you are hoping to take part in the Triwizard Tournament,” our dad began talking to Viktor once more, but Viktor’s eyes didn’t move from mine despite the fact he was still talking to my father. I smiled to him, noticing the way his eyes scanned over me numerous times as though he was trying to work something out.
“our daughter, y/n, is also at the age to do the Triwizard Tournament,” Viktor looked at me once more and smiled slowly, “do you plan to enter the tournament?” he asked, his thick accent washing over the room, which had emptied out since the team had arrived. “nope, I quite like being alive,” I replied with a small smile, I could already see my dad wincing from the corner of my eye, but Viktor chuckled, “that’s fair, completely understandable at Durmstrang its considered an expectation,”
he smiled back at me, as my parents began talking to my siblings, leaving me alone to talk with Viktor. “so are you at Hogwarts?” Viktor asked, “yes I am, and you’re at Durmstrang,” I replied with a small knowing smile, “I don’t think there’s anyone who doesn’t know that, that journalist Skeeter has made sure to tell everyone everything about me.” I smiled politely, “she has a habit of doing that,” he nodded with a roll of his eyes, after more polite conversation, with the rest of the national team having disappeared first, Viktor was still chatting to me.
why I wasn’t quite sure. At which point my family returned, “Viktor have you met my eldest daughter, Belle?” my dad asked, Viktor glanced to my sister, and back to me, “I have met her before,” he replied, though I was almost certain he hadn’t. “well then maybe you’d like to get to know her better,” ah yes, and therein was my father’s crowning personality trait, trying to find partners for all of his children. He always wanted to get a boyfriend for Belle, which was apparently what his goal for the night was.
“that’s ok thank you sir, I’m rather,” he glanced towards me with a small smile, “preoccupied,” my eyebrow rose at him as my father wisely took the hint, though I suspected he was internally spluttering. “we will let you get back to your training,” our mum said with one of her soft gentle smiles, shooting me a curious look at Viktor turning down my sister – no one ever turned down my sister.
Ever.
“thank you, it was lovely meeting all of you, I hope to see you at the final match,” my parents replied with polite smiles and finally we said goodbye, Belle and mum both glanced to me curiously as we left the VIP room and walked away from Viktor. “have you ever met Viktor before today?” mum asked, “no,” I replied flatly with a blank shrug, “I'm not sure what just happened to tell you the truth.” I muttered flipping my waist length hair over my shoulder, the ponytail swinging as we left the stadium and walked through the field where all the family and visitor tents were set up.
I trailed behind my family, mentally trying to make sense out of what had just happened. I had never met Viktor Krum before and yet the way he had acted was so confusing to me, it was as if we had met before, that or something about me was incredibly intriguing to him. And the fact he had turned down my dad’s offer to spend time with my sister? Arguably one of the most beautiful students to ever graduate Hogwarts. That was all kinds of weird.
“what was all that about? Viktor seemed transfixed by you,” Bella commented as we made it into our tent, I shrugged, walking over to my bed and flopping onto it, “first time I’ve ever had that effect on anyone,” I stated with a nonchalant sigh, I had no idea what had happened. Though I suspected my sister was questioning why Viktor had turned her down, and why had he? I had no idea. At least she didn’t sound jealous. No one would ever want to deal with a jealous older sibling given have a choice in the matter.
Several days later and we were walking back to the VIP box, my parents ahead of us, while me and my siblings followed behind them, I was walking in between the two of them, walking past various other visitors and special guests – including multiple ministers that my mum had told us were somehow managing to get the day off to sit and watch a quidditch match, instead of doing work. I had suggested this was nothing new when you thought of Fudge – he had a great way of appearing very busy while doing bugger all.
Half the time he didn’t even bother to try and appear busy. I doubted he would be in office too much longer – or at least I hoped he wouldn’t be. The softly carpeted corridor of the main corridor to the VIP room, had my heels sinking into it, as we walked into the VIP room, my outfit was not designed for a night at a quidditch match, but here we were anyway, with me in a knitted black and white matching jacket and skirt with a simple white blouse under the jacket.
It was a cute outfit, and formal enough for the VIP box, just not what I usually wore to a quidditch match. I was much more of a hoodie and joggers kind of person, especially when matches overran. My hair was tied back in a long ponytail and as I took my seat between my two siblings, I thought to myself about how I had seen Viktor several times since the very awkward interaction with my parents, and was praying that the time after the match would not be another reoccurrence of it.
Though I didn’t want to get ahead of myself, I knew what my luck was like. By the time the match kicked off, having settled comfortably – or uncomfortably considering how short my skirt was – I stared off into the stadium, watching the Irish team enter the air first and then the Bulgarians – a loud cheer rumbling through the stadium when Krum arrived on the pitch. Belle sat beside me watching the pitch intently, while I stared off into space.
I had a very good habit of daydreaming and losing track of what I was supposed to be focused on, whoops. Belle nudged me multiple times throughout the match – not that it helped me paying attention until the final ten minutes, at which point Krum won the match for Bulgaria, and I was quite happy to finally be able to stand up.
So, while the rest of the VIP box stood up for more overenthusiastic and entirely annoying polite conversation, I slipped out of the room and down the corridor for a quick walk to clear my head. It was unfortunately while on this walk that I came across a certain nosy journalist who looked beyond delighted to have caught me up on my own. I sighed internally, this likely wouldn’t end well for me, I could already imagine the covers of every newspaper willing to pay her for one of her shitty articles ‘y/l/n middle heiress caught for a catch up,’ or ‘the heiress to an empire tells all’
I continued walking, picking up my place slightly, head up shoulders back, I would not be intimidated by someone who genuinely thought snake skin – real or fake – was a good look and good choice for an entire outfit. A snake skin handbag would have been bad enough, but the more she added the worse it looked. “well well well, it’s very nice to see you Miss y/l/n, a pleasure to see you at such a prestigious event, I hope your family are doing well,”
fake smile in place I greeted Rita Skeeter with all the politeness, charisma and charm my small body could muster for such a pretentious and dislikeable woman. She might have been a nicer person if half her articles weren’t a load of utter garbage she made up on the spot. “they are well thank you,” I replied curtly, careful to keep my perfected smile on my face, I knew from other peoples’ experiences how easily she would twist even the smallest of facial changes. “of course, and how are you doing? A quick break from your sixth year at Hogwarts, and of course a lot of family expectation, it can’t be easy being the middle child, middle children never are either parents’ favourite after all.”
I bit on the inside of my mouth to stop the rush of words that were threatening to burst out at her, but I knew it wouldn’t do any good, so kept biting down, “what’s going on here?” Viktor’s thick accent filled my ears and I swung round to face him in surprise, “nothing, Miss Rita Skeeter here had some questions for me,” I replied, my fake smile dropping when I looked at him. He immediately caught on, having been caught by her a few times – or at least, so I had heard – he didn’t bother with a fake smile of his own as he stepped closer to be stood beside me, inserting himself into the painful conversation.
“Miss Skeeter, I would thank you not to question visitors to the event in corridors when they are going about their business,” Viktor stated smoothly, his calm tone washing over myself and Rita as he fixed her with a level look. “Miss y/l/n did not appear very busy when I stopped her, but if you have some business with her that is more important I will of course not stop you from going elsewhere with her,” my eyes roamed Skeeter’s person spying her quill and notepad poised for whatever juicy gossip she thought she was about receive.
Too bad there wasn’t any.
“yes I do have some business with her, Miss y/l/n, please come with me,” Viktor gave Skeeter one final look that was far sharper than before, before he spun on his heel and beckoned for me to follow. I fell into step beside him, leaving Skeeter behind us, “you’re going to regret saying that, it’ll be all over tomorrow’s papers,” I murmured as we entered one of the many offices that lined the main corridor of the stadium.
“well it got you out of her line of fire, so I think it’s worth it, besides, let the papers say what they want, your family will no doubt have come to their own conclusions by now anyway.” I stared at Viktor in shock as he stood in front of the wall of glass that overlooked the stadium pitch, he clicked his fingers summoning a bottle of water from a trolley of drinks I hadn’t seen. I slowly leant against the oak desk that framed the centre of the room,
“but it’s your image on the line, I'm the middle child no one cares about me, your reputation is far more important,” he held up his hand before slowly turning to face me, “I care about you, and that is enough for me to risk my image.” He replied simply, he offered me one small smile before exiting the office, leaving me completely baffled, staring around the office in silence, questioning what had just happened in the past hour. How the heck did he care about me when he’d only spoken to me for all of five minutes on a couple of random occasions?
…
As predicted, the following day, Skeeter had published a garbage article on the possible relationship between Viktor and myself. My family had had very little to say on the matter, and I had ignored and avoided any and all questioning from strangers on the topic. I also hadn’t seen Viktor since and soon enough the whole thing faded into nothing more than a memory that I didn’t care for. Term time had resumed, and I had returned to Hogwarts, which had been interesting due to the interest in Viktor’s attention towards me.
I had ignored all of the student body’s questions too, and done my best to settle back into normal school life, and only just succeeded with several weeks before the beginning of the Triwizard Tournament. Dumbledore had announced the tournament one morning over breakfast, I had continued eating throughout the announcement, particularly unbothered by it – it wasn’t like I was going to take part, nor was I particularly interested in cheering on a tournament that was known for killing off participants.
Hard pass. But clearly I was the only person who felt this sentiment as the rest of the student body cheered and began talking in loud excited tones that filtered into every classroom and dorm over the course of the day. My dormmates sat chatting about the tournament, I continued eating. No stupid tournament was going to distract me from enjoying breakfast. Not long after breakfast was finished, my closest friend Lucy grabbed my hand and began walking us towards the library at rapid speed,
“Durmstrang students, coming here, it’s like a dream come true!” I glanced at her in utter confusion, “how is that a dream come true?” she rolled her eyes at me flatly, “girl please, Viktor attention for you, literally any Durmstrang student to take me to the ball, this is going to be perfect!” I had almost forgotten how attractive Lucy found all the Durmstrang boys, at least she would get some eye candy for the next few weeks, even if the tournament was a terrible and literal death trap, it did wonders for building cross school friendships (and connections). At least that was a silver lining.
Once we had settled in the library – with the fierce librarian’s glare silencing any conversation we could’ve planned to have, I watched water droplets trickle down the window as I sat writing yet another essay for Snape, as he had proceeded to mark down almost all of my previous essays, which was just soooo great. If people thought Snape hate Gryffindor’s the most, then his dislike for Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs was a secondary hobby, and he certainly liked reminding all of us in the house of Hufflepuff that he didn’t care for our existence. Our bad for not being Slytherin.
The essay took longer than expected. Like days longer.
And by the time it was finally submitted, it was the day of the arrival for Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, Lucy and the rest of the student body – were all going into overdrive, meanwhile I was trying to get my way through the letters from my family, Belle and my dad front and centre asking what plans I had while Viktor – absolutely none. I supposed they wanted to see me become good friends with him, and maybe that would be nice, but only time would tell.
It was while at dinner in the Great Hall that the other school students arrived, the Beauxbaton students arrived first, their gorgeous silky blue dresses filling the hall with a breath of fresh air – they were beautiful. And that was the only way to phrase it. They were simply beautiful. You could already see all the students melting for them – and I couldn’t blame them. When Durmstrang arrived however, the melting turned to straight up drooling, especially when Viktor Krum walked in with the headmaster of the school.
Lucy nudged me under the table suggestively which I chose to ignore, as my eyes followed him through the hall from the door to the end of the tables where each set of the other school students were being seated. Viktor’s eye met mine across the hall and a small smile reached the edge of his lips, I returned the small smile with a shy one of my own, before turning back to face where Dumbledore was explaining how the tournament selection of champions would work.
When the time came for the champions to be selected, the whole room was on the edge of their seats, except me naturally, the Beauxbatons’ champion was beyond gorgeous, perfectly symmetrical features, beautiful figure, and even her name conveyed to everyone how beautiful she was. I could practically see three student bodies simultaneously falling for her. On the plus side Valentines day was only a few months away for those truly infatuated with her.
The Hogwarts champion was not at all surprising to me, Cedric Diggory was the perfect fit for the role, confident, charismatic, charming, brave, the perfect Hogwarts champion through and through. And even better, he wasn’t a Slytherin. Win win. It was also unsurprising when the Durmstrang champion was announced, Lucy shot me a knowing look as Viktor strode down the gap between the tables towards the backroom where the other champions were waiting for the first challenge.
I politely applauded, he had done what he was expected to, and I was happy for him in doing that. I just hoped fulfilling expectations wouldn’t lead to something bad happening to him as a direct result, and maybe that was pessimistic, or maybe I wanted to know something more about him, either way I hoped he would be ok. Lucy gently nudged me, “you’re lost in thought,” she murmured gently, I nodded slowly, pulling myself back into the room just in time to see what could only be a malfunction.
Another champion. Impossible. Lucy gripped my arm in alarm, the whole room was in silence as Dumbledore read out the name of the malfunction champion. Who was even surprised when the name was Harry Potter. Shortly after Potter went into the back room with the rest of the champions, hot on his heels were the rest of the professors, and the rest of us were dismissed. The hall broke out into chatter as students poured towards either the new students or the main doors to head back to their dorms, “what is going on with this tournament?” Lucy mumbled to me, “I have no idea, but this is only the beginning,” I murmured back as we politely smiled to the Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students who were also exiting the hall.
And to think this was only the beginning.
That really didn’t bode well for the coming weeks.
…
Not long after the announcement of the first challenge, Skeeter’s presence around Hogwarts became highly noticeable, and I for one was not enjoying knowing she could be lurking around any and all corridor corners. She had taken it upon herself to speculate which champion would take who to the Yule Ball, and she had particularly enjoyed reporting on Viktor’s interest in Hermione Granger, even going as far to predict a love triangle which somehow roped me into it.
I had entirely given up, and had received more letters from my family asking what the heck Skeeter was writing, and I’d told them each time, she was writing garbage. Garbage which I had said nothing in response or conjunction to. It was when I was walking down to the black lake and had settled against a tree in the shade from the late winter sun, that I finally allowed myself five minutes to question what my life was becoming. I didn’t know enough about or indeed knew Viktor to feel jealous of the attention Granger was receiving, but I would have appreciated it if Skeeter would’ve laid off dramatizing my life for five seconds.
It was real life after all and I had to live every single moment of it, without having it all reported on. I hadn’t asked to be born into an elite family who was so interesting to everyone, but I had tried to stay out of the limelight. Why was that so hard to understand and respect? Boundaries were a thing, a right to privacy was a thing that apparently no one cared for. “hello there,” Viktor’s shadow loomed over me as he strode towards where I was sat,
“mind if I join you?” I budged up to allow him to settle under the tree in the shade beside me, “how are you finding the tournament so far?” I asked quietly, fiddling with the daisy pendant on my necklace, “it is what I expected, difficult, dangerous, uh interesting.” He replied, the description ‘interesting’ seemed fitting from what I had seen from where I had been stood, “glad you’re enjoying it,” I stated with a wry smile which made him chuckle.
“yes, enjoying,” he mumbled quietly, I patted his shoulder gently, “it’s okie you know, just enjoy it, you got in, expectations met, do what you wanna do, it’s your life.” His eyebrow rose slowly as he turned to me, “are you doing what you wanna do? Turning up to quidditch matches for your family to introduce you to people you don’t want to meet,” I shrugged, “we don’t always get to do what we want, my family want the best for me, it just so happens that it’s low key painful sometimes,” he smiled to me softly, about to say something. And then of course, Skeeter arrived. Way to ruin the conversation and what could have been a moment. That woman knew nothing about timing.
“sneaking off for some alone time, perfect, how about a joint interview?” my eyes immediately met Viktor’s “unfortunately I have to go and study…” I began already rising to my feet, preparing to run in the opposite direction from Skeeter as fast as possible, “yes me too,” Viktor added also standing up. Before Skeeter had a chance to utter anything else, the two of us bolted in opposite directions, Viktor back to Durmstrang’s boat and me in the direction of the library or common room or wherever Lucy was so we could analyse everything that had just happened.
Merlin I needed a break.
I was growing exhausted of everything I did being monitored, it was like having my family constantly stood behind me looking over my shoulder but on top of that was the interest of half the student body and half the wizarding world as to my private life. So much for private lives. The Yule Ball’s date had been set and the whole student body had gone mad for finding a partner, Lucy had very happily – more than happily – claimed a Durmstrang partner for the night.
I had claimed no one, and boy did everyone know about it. Skeeter had made sure to let everyone know that I was still available and that Viktor likely wasn’t an option for me as well. There was no level this woman wouldn’t sink to. I found Lucy lounging on one of the sofas near to the log fire in the common room, a copy of Witch Weekly in hand, “what are you reading?” I asked flopping down tiredly on the sofa, “dresses for the ball, for you,” she added, my eyebrow rose wearily as I looked at he from the corner of my eye,
“just because you haven’t got yourself a date yet doesn’t mean you can leave a dress to last minute too,” I shrugged, “I'm fine with not going,” the copy of Witch Weekly was tossed down at the speed of light as Lucy rounded on me, “you are absolutely going,” I shrugged, “if I don’t go, Skeeter can’t write more of her shit about me and Viktor,” she shook her head with a sigh, “fck Skeeter, and I mean that, you should go, please go,” I knew Lucy a little too well from our years of friendship and also knew she wouldn’t stop asking till I agreed, so to save myself the earache later, I agreed. But I also knew that whether I did or didn’t attend, Skeeter would write something about me. I really couldn’t win.
…
The night of the Yule Ball saw me arguing with a pair of pearl studded heels that boosted me up all of three inches, not putting me above 5’5, being short was my lifestyle. My honey sunshine yellow dress flowed around me, and pooled at my feet, because even in heels, the dress was still longer than I could ever hope to be. Lucy was in a simplistic cream satin dress that hugged her body perfectly, she truly looked a vision, while I had opted for something that hugged the top but had a less tight skirt, which flowed while walking – that was assuming I would be able to walk in the heels.
I wasn’t fancying my chances. The fact I even managed to make it to the great hall, albeit clinging onto Lucy whenever there was the prospect of stairs, was in itself an achievement. Whoever’s idea moving staircases were, was a terrible person who did not care for the struggle of high heels. Though I had made it to the great hall, the dull ache that had begun in the back of my legs and feet was not boding well for the rest of the night.
Lucy’s partner for the night arrived and I said a polite hello to the partner whose name I hadn’t bothered to learn and would likely forget. “Miss y/l/n,” I turned just in time to meet the smile of my partner for the night, a guy called Alexei who was over six foot (who wasn’t at Durmstrang?) and had a dashing smile that was not nauseating – always a good start. He had asked me as one of the last males to ask me once Skeeter had (once again) publicised that I hadn’t chosen anyone to go with to the ball,
“hello Alexei, please call me y/n,” I offered a genuine smile for the first time since the first challenge had taken place, I held onto Alexei’s arm while we mingled with the rest of the student body – it was purely to keep me standing upright but I doubted he cared either way and I wasn’t going to bother telling him either. After several sets of painful mingling, and a polite meal that required more false (and overly practiced) smiles and small talk,
Dumbledore announced the beginning of the dance as led by the various champions. My eyes met Viktor’s as he walked with Hermione to the centre of the floor, I smiled to him, I wasn’t bitter that he hadn’t taken me to the ball, I had chatted with him before and he had become a good friend, contrary to popular belief, I didn’t want to leap his bones. Friendship was enough for me. And even more of an unpopular opinion – people of the opposite sex could be friends without wanting to hop on each other. Shock horror.
It was clear from the second the dance begun that Potter was not a natural dancer, though as I tottered around in heels, I supposed I wasn’t in much of a position to talk. On the plus side I had Alexei to keep me upright when the rest of the student body were invited to join the dancefloor, and join in with the unfortunate slow dance. I left the ball early, mainly on the account of the pain in my feet, Alexei stayed but I didn’t particularly care either way, my feet were too numb for me to care whether he stayed at the ball or left.
I had gone with him as someone to go with who wouldn’t expect anything, and that was enough to gloss through the night with some ease. The second I was out of the great hall and far enough from the doors to not be seen, I stopped in the middle of the corridor and began attempting to unfasten my heels, the pearl clasp becoming more awkward the more I tried to undo it. “merlin’s sake,” I groaned irritably as I finally got the left heel off, and sighed, one down one to go,
“need a hand?” I spun – ok, hopped – round to see Viktor stood behind me further down the corridor. His red cloak had been done away with and instead his crisp white dress shirt was on show for all to see, “it’s ok, I’ve got this,” I replied, offering a fleeting smile as I hopped around attempting to get the heel off again, and failed again, knocking the first shoe over in the process. “let me help you,” Viktor murmured with a small smile, walking towards me before crouching in front of me and gently unclasped the heel before resting my hand on his shoulder as he slid the shoe from my foot and placed it beside my other shoe that had already been kicked off, which he stood up.
“thank you, I couldn’t walk back to my common room in those heels,” I gratefully explained as Viktor stood back up, “no problem, though if you’d asked I would have carried you back to your dorm,” the cheeky smile on his face had butterflies springing into my stomach but I tried to ignore them as I scooped up my heels in my hands. “I’ll keep that in mind, I hope you have a nice evening,”
I turned to begin walking towards the Hufflepuff common room but was stopped by Viktor jogging to catch up with me and then stopping ahead of me. “goodnight,” he murmured, slowly wrapping me into his arms for a quick hug, before he leant back and smiled at me and allowed me to walk past in the direction of my dorm, I smiled to him once more before beginning to walk down the corridor barefoot. Silently hoping the floor wasn’t too dirty…
If I had thought that wearing heels for a ball I didn’t have care for was bad, then finding myself under the black lake’s surface, guarded by horrible creatures, barely able to move, was far far worse. And just why was I under the black lake? I had absolutely no idea, I just wanted to get out of there. I struggled in vain against my constraints for a while, before giving up entirely and taking time to glance around me instead, Fleur’s little sister was under the lake with me, Ron and Cho too, which meant I was there for Viktor? Why me. Why not Hermione.
What the actual heck in the name of merlin was going on. The others seemed barely conscious, certainly less conscious than me, which made me even more anxious. Whose sick idea was this. At some point after a few minutes of panic, I caught sight of Viktor who made quick work of my restraints and soon we had surfaced and were finally not in the lake anymore. Relief flooded over me as oxygen re-entered my lungs, and the horrible under the lake sea creatures were still down there, far away from me thankfully.
Viktor handed me to someone waiting on the platform near to the lake before he clambered out, I shivered as the cold air hit me and my eyes spun round on the mass group of people watching. “what just happened?” I mumbled in confusion as I had a towel wrapped around me, “what the champion would hate to lose the most,” someone answered me as Viktor and I were
ushered to sit somewhere else so that the next champion and their person could surface properly. “me?” I questioned Viktor quietly, “you,” he replied with a shrug and a small smile. Well shit. He gently placed his hand over mine as we waited for the other contestants, my shivering had settled down with a warming charm and a towel but I doubted I would get the memory of being under the lake, out of my head any time soon.
“you know it would never work right?” I murmured, “let’s make it work, we can do that, we just keep it private,” he murmured in response, his hand rubbing small circles into mine, “if you don’t believe me, we could do a trial run, if it doesn’t work after that then I back off, if it does work, we stay,” I thought over it slowly, my grasp on his hand tightening a little, “ok, let’s do this, but don’t you dare die in this tournament, you can’t be a ghost for our deal,” he chuckled quietly, “I promise.”
The happy ending 😊