A Bit Early

The End: Alternate

2) "It is nice to meet Her-my-any's friends," said Viktor politely."If you will excuse me, I need to speak with her a moment." He took my arm, trying to be gentle, but it hurt.

"Viktor, please," I pleaded a bit frightened. He finally stopped when we reached the garden the Beauxbaton girls had placed only a few days ago.

"I am sorry Her-my-any. I would just like to be alone," he said as we sat on a bench. "Why are you unhappy?" I stared at him, trying to come up with a convincing lie, but know there weren't any.

"Ron," I sighed, "You know we were together, and I thought we were going to last. But I guess we're not." I leaned my head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm protectively around me.

"I will keep you safe, Her-my-any. Nothing shall hurt you," he declared. Suddenly, he wrapped me in a tight hug.

"Viktor, I...can't...breathe," I panted. He quickly released, but rubbed slow circles on my back. He started rubbing lower and lower.

"I'm sorry. I am so possessive of you," he said soothingly. He turned me to face him. "I am not like Ronald. He has done you wrong, and he is gone now. It is just us." He moved closer to me his lips drawing nearer with every word. One of his hands was on my low-very low-back, while the other was on my thigh slowly working its way up.

"N-no Viktor. I can't. It isn't right," I gasped. "I can't do this."

"Why not?" he continued to soothe. "Ronald is not here. It is Viktor. Your Viktor. Her-my-any." No! This is wrong, wrong, WRONG. But he wasn't stopping.

"Hey!" someone called out to us. I pushed Viktor away hoping that whichever teacher it was would go easy on me. It was much worse than that. "What the bloody 'ell are you doing with 'er?" asked Ron indignantly. "Hermione, go back inside before you get caught." I quickly dashed back to the doors, and realized they weren't following me.

I crept back over to Ron who was speaking to Viktor. I caught a few words of their conversation and groaned.

"I don't care if you bloody saved 'er life. Hermione is my girlfriend, even if we are fighting. I could have saved 'er myself if-" Ron yelled before Viktor cut him off.

"If you were not frozen underwater with no powers? I see you would have been clearly capable of that," said Krum sarcastically. He laughed arrogantly. "You have had your chance, and you have blown it. Try Lavender Brown. She stares at you enough."

"Viktor! How dare you speak to my boyfriend like that! You have no right!" I snapped at him.

He grabbed my waste forcefully, and pulled me in. His eyes bore into mine with fierce intensity. What did I ever see in him? I asked myself.

"He has blown chance with you. It is my turn! I won it!" he spat at me. I slapped him with as much force as my anger body could muster.

"I am not a prize. Just because you may with the Tri-Wizard Tournament, does not mean you can win me!" I snarled. I grabbed Ron's hand, and we made a mad dash to the Great Hall. Breathing heavily, we closed and locked the door. I collapsed into a fit of laughter in his arms.

The Weird Sisters began playing their version of a ballad, and Ron turned to me.

"May I have this dance?" he asked sweetly. I grinned and nodded as we made our way to the floor.

Cho and Cedric were dancing in their happy little bubble. Both Padma and Parvati were being flocked by Durmstrang admirers. They smiled at me, and went back to choosing their partners. Neville and Ginny continued to dance, both with two left feet, and laughing all the while. I looked around for Luna, and finally found her in Harry's arms. As I walked past, she smiled serenely at me before continuing her conversation about saving The Quibbler.

"Do you get the feeling this is happening a bit early?" Ron asked. I smiled.