NUMB WITHOUT YOU | Draco Malfoy

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The handkerchief sat on the table between Draco and I as we stood in the dining room. We still hadn't opened it to see what was inside. I am not sure what either of us expected to see once we used the portkey, and we weren't exactly jumping at the opportunity to find out. I could honestly say that I was nervous. I hadn't seen Viktor in quite some time. Draco and I were both friendly with him when Durmstrang came to Hogwarts for the Tri-Wizard Cup, but that was so long ago now. An entire war had happened since then, and we had grown up from kids into young adults. Things were different.

"You do it, Aurora." Draco shifted on his feet next to me and nudged me forward.

"No, you do it, Draco." I frowned and nudged him back. We were acting like such children, even I had to admit. Silence fell between us again as we reached an impasse. We were getting nowhere fast just standing here like this with no real inclination to move forward.

I sighed in resignation and took it upon myself to look at the portkey. I knew how stubborn Draco could be because I was the exact same way. At this rate we would be standing here staring at each other until everyone else had gotten back from their own assignments that they had left for days ago.

Our task was quite simple really. We just needed to have a meeting face to face with Viktor Krum. We would know our answer to if he would help us out pretty immediately, and then be on our way back here. I don't know why we were having such a hard time procrastinating on this other than the fact that Viktor Krum was rather intimidating.

I reached my hand forward and unfurled the coverings of the handkerchief. Viktor's face stared back at me on the card that had been covered up before he disappeared in a flash.

"A Chocolate Frog card?" Draco screwed up his face into a frown. "Seriously?"

"Considering that this portkey was made for Hermione it makes sense to me. He's trying to impress her." I shrugged.

I wasn't really one to judge. I'd have a massive ego if I were on a Chocolate Frog card as well. Draco would probably never admit it, but I knew for certain that at one point he had dreamed of being a good enough Quidditch player to have his own card as well.

"I've seen worse portkeys." I told him, "It's a lot better than a smelly old shoe or something."

"Well I've seen better." Draco muttered.

"Of course you have. Ready to go?" I asked as I held out my hand for Draco to take.

Draco gave me a skeptical glance before intertwining our fingers. We both reached forward with our unclasped hands and touched the card together. The pulling feeling in my stomach was almost immediate. We were both jerked forward into a howling wind of color and sound. I didn't even have time to scream before we were already in our destination. After a few seconds we landed on the ground of what looked like a rather extensive library.

"A library." I huffed as Draco helped me to my feet. I looked around at all of the old books that looked nearly untouched, "That's very fitting for Hermione I suppose."

"This can't be Krum's house." Draco snorted, "There's absolutely no way he reads this much."

"Hermanoy?" A deep voice called out. We must have tripped some sort of silent alarm or charm that Viktor had put in place to know of Hermione's arrival.

Draco and I both tensed as we waited for the broad shouldered Quidditch legend to saunter into the room. He looked very similar to the way he did during the tournament, but more rugged with age and even more muscular if that were at all possible.

Viktor looked at us suspiciously and reached for his wand, pointing it at us. "You are not Herminnie. Vhat are you doing using her portkey?"