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Love Is No Big Truth	By : honeybee Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 10389 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
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6. Stranger
in a Strange Land

The bride
was radiant; the groom was fidgeting; the bride�s mother shed a lake full of
tears, and the happy couple�s kiss produced a satisfying amount of catcalls and
whistles. Overall, Hermione decided that it was a model wedding. She quietly
sipped on her champagne and watched as Harry and Ginny danced their first dance
as a married couple. The sight painfully reminded her of Bill and Fleur�s nuptials�the last moment of happiness before
everything fell apart. This wedding was
much more subdued, the Burrow wasn�t bursting at the seams. Still it felt
right, like a statement saying that even after the war, life went on.

Somebody
touched her shoulder and she turned around to meet Viktor�s amused eyes.

�It seems
that we are destined to attend all Weasley weddings.� She snorted in response.

�There are
four more Weasleys available for marriage, so watch out. There would have been
five, but��

Viktor
shushed her. �No sad thoughts today, Hermione. It is your friends� big day;
don�t ruin it with tears, unless they are from happiness.�

Hermione
nodded in agreement and walked into the already crowded dance floor to
congratulate the happy couple. Harry was currently dancing with Professor
McGonagall, who gladly allowed her to cut in. Hermione smiled secretly; dancing
would never be his strength. She took his hand and let him lead,
inconspicuously minding her feet.

�So, Harry, have you heard that the wedding bands
are the first two links of the chains of matrimony?�

He grinned
and produced a roll of parchment from his pocket.

�Yes, I
have. My dear friends provided me with a list of horrendous quotes about
marriage. However, they were stupid enough to sign it, so anytime I need a
favour, I can just threaten to show it to Ginny and sic her on them.�

Hermione
laughed and shook her head.

�Sometimes
I forget that the Sorting Hat wanted to put you in Slytherin.�

Harry�s
look became serious.

�So, you
are leaving tomorrow, huh? Are you sure about it?�

�I am
certain. I will miss you all, but we can still owl each other. Conversations
through the Floo at such long distances tend to come out garbled, but if I miss
you too much, I could call just to hear your voices.�

�No need,�
smiled Harry, �I hooked up the telephone yesterday. You can always find a phone
booth to call.�

Hermione
laughed cheerfully and hugged Harry tightly.

�Thank you, you are truly the best friend a girl can have.�

�Hey, paws
off my husband!� Ginny�s voice floated through the crowd, �Besides, I thought I
was your best friend.�

Hermione
extended her arm and included her into the hug.

�I hope the
two of you will be very happy. I will call you as soon as I am settled there to
tell you all about it. I think I should go to bed, though. I still tire easily.
I�ll see you tomorrow before I leave.�

She walked
around the garden, saying her goodbyes to people and finally went to bed in
Ginny�s old bedroom. Both she and Ron were staying at the Burrow to let the
newlyweds spend their wedding night at Grimmauld Place undisturbed.

Hermione was
the first to wake up the next morning. Apparently, the party had continued well
into the late hours, because even Molly and Arthur were not up yet. Hermione
fixed herself a plate of leftover chicken and cheese, and sat on the table with
a cup of tea. After a while, the Floo turned green and Viktor�s head appeared.

�Umm�Mrs Weasley? Is there anyone awake yet?�

Hermione
walked over to the fireplace.

�It�s only
me, Viktor; everyone is still sleeping. Come through, I�ll get you some
breakfast.�

He arrived
in a whirl of brown robes. While he was dusting off the soot, Hermione noticed
the decidedly red tinge on his cheeks.

�Hey, is
everything okay? You look flushed.�

Viktor
looked even more embarrassed.

�I was very
sleepy when I woke up, so I forgot that everyone is here�and I Flooed at
Grimmauld Place first.�

Hermione
got an idea of the reason for his problem, but her evil streak urged her on.

�So, I take
it that you saw something interesting?�

�I will
only say that they were up having breakfast� I am sure they didn�t see me, so I
am the only one that is mortified. I never thought strawberry jam could have
such interesting uses.�

It was
Hermione�s turn to blush. She stuck her fingers in her ears and shook her head
violently.

�Now that
was way too much information.�

�You asked,
I answered. Now did you say something about breakfast? But please, no
strawberry jam.�

They were
well into their second cup of tea before people started to come downstairs,
groaning, holding onto their heads, and demanding a Hangover Potion. Fleur was
the only person who looked stunning and radiant, as ever. Ron looked at her
with bloodshot eyes and asked with a raspy voice.

�How come
you don�t feel sick?�

Fleur
wrinkled her nose and answered haughtily, �Because I never drink, petit frère. It is bad for ze

skin.�

Ron glared
accusingly at the couple and asked, �So why did you come down so late?�

�We were
occupied, Ronald. Do you need details?� Ron blushed furiously. Fleur only
smiled and patted him on the arm.

�Now go get
an �angover potion from ze
cabinet like a good boy.�

Ron
accepted defeat and retreated in search of the much-needed potion under the
mirthful gaze of his brothers. Meanwhile, Mrs Weasley arrived in the kitchen, looking pale and tired.

�Your
father has been very ill throughout the night. I told him that he is too old to
drink like a schoolboy, but does he listen to me? Ron, give me one of those
bottles.� She disappeared up the stairs and soon returned, supporting a very
ashamed looking Mr Weasley.

Half an
hour later, the Floo turned green again. This time Harry and Ginny stepped
through, greeted by catcalls and ambiguous jokes. Only Viktor and Hermione
turned beet red and kept quiet. After Molly had restored order, the whole
family finally gathered around the table. Hermione stood up.

�I am very
happy to be here with you, but our Portkey leaves in an hour and I have to get
ready. So I want to say goodbye to everyone.�

She was promptly
engulfed by a sea of red hair as everyone wished her farewell. Molly cried a
little and made her promise to write often. She proceeded to hug Viktor, who
looked a little startled, but returned the hug awkwardly. Harry kissed her on
the cheek and patted Viktor on the back. Ginny squeezed her hands and
whispered �Good luck!�

Finally,
they Apparated to her room in Grimmauld Place. The bookshelves were bare; all
of her belongings were packed in two large trunks. Hermione looked around and
asked, �Do you think I forgot to pack something?�

Viktor
sighed wearily.

�Yes, the
bed and maybe the room itself. Come on, Hermione, you never forget things!�

�Yeah,� she
muttered, �except my application letters. Is it time yet?�

Viktor
looked at his watch, and quickly shrank and pocketed her trunks.

�Almost�five
more minutes. Here, touch this.� He produced a coin from his pocket. Taking in
her anxious expression, he held it out and said, �I am sure you will do fine.
So far you have gone through much worse things and I believe you can handle
anything the fates throw at you.�

Hermione
smiled thankfully. She really needed the reassurance. Taking in a deep breath,
she touched the coin. Moments later, it glowed and they were gone.

***

Hermione
appeared on a green lawn, still holding the coin together with Viktor. She
shook her head a little to regain orientation and looked around. They were
standing in front of a small white house with a porch and a huge garden. A
large, grey-haired man looked up from the tulip bed he was currently tending
and broke into a huge grin. He yelled something in Bulgarian towards the house
and stood up to greet them.

�This is my
father,� whispered Viktor in her ear.

�I can see
that.� It was true, the man looked exactly like Viktor
with broad shoulders, tanned skin, and a hooked nose. He approached them and
patted his son on the back. Then he turned to Hermione.

�You must
be Miss Granger. My name is Ivan Krum. Welcome to our humble abode.�

�I am
pleased to meet you, Mr Krum.�

Meanwhile,
a short slim woman appeared on the porch and ran towards them, enveloping
Viktor in a tight hug. He looked mortified, especially when she dragged his
face down and kissed him. Finally, she let him go and looked at Hermione.
Apparently pleased with what she saw, she turned to her husband and said
something in Bulgarian. Viktor�s father smiled and explained.

�This is
Ana, my wife. She does not speak English at all. She said that she is happy to
meet you and it is a pity that you and Viktor are only friends. She thinks you
are a very pretty young lady.�

Hermione
and Viktor both blushed and he said, �You can assure Mother that we are indeed
only friends. She can stop the matchmaking.�

Ivan
guffawed and rolled his eyes. �When Hell freezes over, my boy. Now come inside
and to rest and have lunch. Later, you can take Hermione to see the University
and to meet George.�

Hermione
raised her eyebrows in question towards Viktor. He shuffled his feet and
grinned.

�Did I fail
to mention that Master Borisov is an old family friend?� Hermione glared at
him.

�Yes, you
did! Any other important facts I should know about?�

�Yes. My
dad grows the best tomatoes ever and I am starved. So, stop frowning and come
inside to eat.

***

After a
pleasant lunch with the Krums, Viktor took Hermione�s
hand and Apparated them to a large lobby.

�This is
the Apparition point for downtown Sofia. It is in our Ministry building.�
Another witch popped in and quickly left via a large glass door. They followed
and walked out onto a small street with cars parked everywhere along the sidewalk.
Hermione turned around to look at the building and saw only a grubby-looking
antique shop.

�This is
like the Leaky Cauldron, only wizards and witches can see it. As you see, we
are hiding in plain sight. Our magical community is very small and we mostly
live among the Muggles. That is why robes are not very convenient to wear,
unless you are proficient in glamour charms. We could Apparate to the
university, but the weather is nice and I suggest a walk.�

He led her
through the streets, pointing out street names and shops, until Hermione�s head
was swimming full of information. It was hot, noisy, and crowded, but she still
liked it. After about twenty minutes, they reached a huge white building with
large domes and the statues of two men seated at the facade.

�This is
the Muggle Sofia University. These are the statues of two of the founders. The
entrance to the Wizarding University is through here.� Viktor led her through a
small side entrance and they arrived at a large courtyard, full of young
people. They were sitting on benches, playing games, or just reading.

�Most of
them are Muggle students. The Wizarding Department is relatively small and some
of the students don�t feel comfortable mingling with Muggles. Come, I will show
you the entrance.�

They
approached an empty alleyway and as soon as they turned the corner, a large
wooden door appeared out of nowhere. Viktor pushed it and they entered.
Hermione looked around; they were in a small room, which contained two chairs
and a large wooden desk. The witch behind the desk had small beady eyes and a
huge crown of flaming orange hair. Her face was pinched as if she had a lemon
permanently lodged in her mouth.

The witched
looked up from the paper she was scribbling on and glared at them.

�Well? What
do you want, I don�t have all day?�

Hermione
cringed away from the hag, but Viktor just scowled and walked over to the desk.

�I am
Viktor Krum and this is Hermione Granger. We are to be first-year apprentices;
we need to have our wands adjusted to allow entrance.�

�I will need
to check the registry, if you don�t mind.� The woman produced a huge scroll and
scanned it carefully.

�Everything
seems in order. Press your wands to the circle next to your name, please.�

Hermione
looked at the list. Next to her name was a small black circle. When she pressed
her wand, it glowed and changed colour to gold. Upon closer inspection, her
wand had acquired a small golden circle near the handle as well. Viktor spoke
behind her.

�This works
as a pass to the university facilities�the building, the library, the canteen.
There are hidden classrooms in the Muggle building as well. This way the wards
will recognize you.� He followed suit and acquired his own golden circle.

The woman
rolled up the list and glared at them.

�Go on, do
whatever you came here for, or leave. I have work to
do.�

Viktor
pointed to a door, which had appeared on the left wall.

�Through
here are the staff offices. Let�s go in, I think Uncle George will be in at
this time.� They walked through the door and into a circular tower. A staircase
winded along the wall. Viktor led her towards the first step and clearly said,
�Master George Borisov�s office.� The staircase
suddenly moved and slid along the wall until it almost reached the top of the
tower. They stood in front of a large oak door, which had words written in
Cyrillic. When Hermione looked at it closely, the letters morphed into English:
�George Borisov, Potions Master.� Hermione looked at Viktor, surprised and he
explained.

�This is an
international university, Hermione, and most of the students come from
neighbouring countries. All signs are charmed to change into the adequate
language. Most students know English to some extent, but it�s not a
requirement. This makes things easier for everyone.�

He knocked
on the door and yelled, �Uncle George, are you there?�

Heavy
footsteps sounded behind the door and it promptly opened, revealing a large,
white-bearded man. His face was kind and he wore glasses, but that was where
the resemblance to Headmaster Dumbledore ended. This man was large, both tall
and broad. She immediately understood why Viktor had called him �the old bear.�
His robes were in standard academic black, but Hermione�s wand-hand itched to
change them to red, only to see a living incarnation of Father Christmas. The
man looked her up and down and extended his hand.

�You must
be Miss Granger, young lady. I am very pleased to finally meet you, George
Borisov, at your service.� He turned to Viktor and patted him on the shoulder.
�Good to see you again, Viktor. I am glad that you will be joining the ranks of
academics. I have always said that it is criminal to let that mind go to waste.
I hope those Bludgers didn�t do too much damage. Please, come in.�

They walked
into the man�s office and settled on the two available armchairs. Master
Borisov sat behind his desk and smiled benevolently.

�Miss
Granger, I am sure that you will find the apprenticeship here a bit different
from the experience of western universities. I don�t stick to the usual
practices that pass as unwritten laws in the guild. For one, you will have a
set number of attendance hours per day, which may vary of course, but you will
not be at my beck and call. As your studies progress, the time I spend
lecturing and setting assignments will lessen, and you will have more time to
do private research. I will be available for help and a professional opinion,
but otherwise it will be your own decision what to work on. The other thing is
that you are also a student at the Magical University of Sofia, and you can
enrol in various courses, if you wish to do so. I would recommend Advanced
Arithmancy, as well as Theory of Curses. Many potions are curse antidotes, and
it helps if you understand the dynamics of this particular area of magic.
Classes will start on the first of October. Any questions?� he asked and leaned
on his desk.

Hermione
just shook her head, overwhelmed.

�Good!� he
exclaimed, �now that we are done with the official business, we can have some
refreshments and talk about more pleasant topics.� He lifted his wand and asked
Hermione, �Would you like tea? If you feel adventurous, I could surprise you
with something local.�

She
couldn�t keep from smiling, the man�s easy-going manner appealed to her.

�Thank you,
Master Borisov, surprise me.�

He summoned
a large pitcher of white fluid with ice cubes floating in, and three glasses.
The pitcher floated around the desk and poured the mysterious beverage.
Hermione sniffed hers and took a tentative sip. It was slightly sour, cold, and surprisingly refreshing. She nodded her
approval to both of them and they smiled.

�This is
yoghurt mixed with water, Hermione,� explained Viktor. �There is nothing better
to quench your thirst on a hot day.�

Master
Borisov nudged the pitcher to pour him another glass and relaxed back into his
chair.

�Now, Miss
Granger, may I ask why you chose Potions as your field? It is a very
time-consuming profession, it requires spending hours in gloomy labs and it�s
bad for the complexion�a strange choice for a beautiful young lady such as
yourself. Not that I mind, I am proud to have you as my student. I am just
wondering.�

Hermione
smirked and asked, �I understand that Professor Snape was your apprentice and
you are well acquainted with him, right?� The man nodded. �Are you familiar
with the speech he gives to the first years at their first Potions lesson?�
Master Borisov shook his head slowly, his eyes glinting with interest. Hermione
took a deep breath and recited from memory:

�You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of
potion making. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the
softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of
liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the
senses ... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death,�
she paused for dramatic effect and then continued with a grin, �if you aren't
as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.�

Master Borisov just stared at her, and then burst out in
laughter, so loud that the windowpanes rattled. It took him several minutes to
compose himself. Finally, he managed to suppress his sniggers and took in a
deep breath.

�Merlin�s pants, I could almost hear him saying that. The
boy has a taste for drama, this cannot be denied. At least he got rid of those
long billowing robes when he came to Greece; he looks more human now.�

Hermione snapped to attention immediately.

�You�ve seen Professor Snape?�

�Yes, he visited a few days ago. He needed an opinion on his
current research. And no, I cannot tell you what it is about.�

Hermione couldn�t hide her disappointed look. She was sure
that whatever Snape was researching would have been interesting.

Master Borisov looked at his watch and stood up.

�I will be going to a staff meeting, so regretfully, this is
goodbye for now. Viktor, please send your parents my deepest regards. Hermione,
I look forward to seeing you in class.� He ushered them out of his office and
they left via the moving staircase.

Hermione squinted at the bright sunshine. She felt
overwhelmed with impressions, but overall, she thought she had made the right
decision. Viktor interrupted her train of thought.

�Hermione, have you decided where you want to live?�

Her brow furrowed. She hadn�t really thought of that before.

�What are my options?�

�The university has accommodations for students, but the
rooms are shared and not very spacious. Your book collection alone would fill one
of them. You could find your own place, or you could stay with me.� He looked
at her hopefully. �I bought a flat nearby; it has two bedrooms and a living
room, plus a small kitchen. I would really like it if you moved in with me.�

Hermione weighed the options. She didn�t want to be cramped
in a small room with a total stranger, but she didn�t want to live all alone in
a new place, either. Viktor�s offer seemed the only reasonable thing to do. She
sighed and waved him on.

�All right, show me your humble dwelling, Mr Krum. Later, we can get my stuff from your parents�
house and check if your father has more of those tomatoes.�

***

Severus
awoke with a start, grasping his wand. A melodious, but somewhat irritated
voice chided him.

�Stop
pointing that stupid piece of wood at me, Severus Snape. Get up and meet me
outside.� A soft rustle of feet announced his visitor�s departure.

Severus
fell back and groaned into his pillow. Vesna could be infuriating
sometimes.

Ten minutes
later, he walked out of his cottage and found her sitting on his makeshift
table, eating a peach. He scowled at her.

�I see you
have found my peach tree.�

�Yes, you
do grow the most delightful peaches. I helped myself to your fireplace and your
coffee. Do you want some?� she smiled serenely.

Severus
gritted his teeth, but decided that she could be forgiven in exchange for hot
coffee. He poured himself some from the small coffeepot and asked, �What brings
you here at this obscene hour?�

She glanced
at the sky and remarked, �I don�t see anything obscene, after all the sun is
already up.�

Severus
squeezed his mug with a death grip and ground out, �Vesna, it is barely past
five in the morning. Not that I don�t enjoy your company, but I suppose there
is some purpose to your visit?�

She sighed
and placed her mug on the table.

�Have you
found the girl yet? I felt her again about a ten days
ago.�

He looked
up, interested.

�You felt
her? Where?�

�In Australia. I found it strange, since you said she was in England.�

�Her parents
live there,� he muttered. �Anyway, I don�t need to look for her. She is coming
to Bulgaria to apprentice with George.�

Vesna
clapped her hands in delight.

�This is
just wonderful, Severus. So you have decided to teach her?�

He scowled
and raised his hand.

�I will
talk to her, Vesna, and I will explain what it is all about. If she has a
desire to learn, then I will teach her.�

�Good. Now,
how is your research coming along?�

He sighed
deeply and his shoulders slumped.

�I have not
made much progress since the last time we spoke. I have some theories, but they
still need a lot of work.�

�Do not
despair. If anyone could undo the evil that was done, it would be you. Maybe
the girl could help you?�

He huffed
and stood up.

�Go away,
Vesna. You woke me anyway, so I might as well tend to my herbs.�

She smiled
at him and stood up.

�Do call me
when you bring her here, Severus. I will be delighted to meet such an
extraordinary young woman,� and with a shimmer, she was gone.

�Extraordinary
indeed,� muttered Severus and went to retrieve his gardening shears. He fully
intended to visit George one of these days and to find out exactly when Miss
Granger was due to arrive. He wondered whether she followed his advice about
her depression. Well, he would find out soon enough.

***

Hermione
was delighted with Viktor�s flat. It was concealed at the top floor of an old
building very close to the university. Her bedroom was large enough to house
all her precious books without becoming cramped. When they went to his parents
to retrieve her things, his mother started grumbling; apparently, she thought
it was inappropriate for them to live together unsupervised.
Mr Krum only smiled at them and assured the worried Hermione that his wife
would come around soon.

The next
week Viktor dragged her around the city to show her some of the Wizarding shops
and soon she felt comfortable going out alone without fear of getting lost. She
had forgone her robes entirely and felt very happy to wear her Muggle clothes
all the time. So, when she walked out of university after enrolling for
elective courses, she was indistinguishable from all the Muggle students
walking the streets of Sofia. Then, as she walked past her favourite cafe and
paused, considering an espresso before she went home, she glanced at one of the
tables and had the surprise of her life. The most unlikely person to sit and
bask in the mellow sunshine was currently looking at her above his newspaper,
smirking in his own, unmistakeable way.

A/N: Thanks to Gryffindor_Slytherin for beta-reading. This chapter's title belongs to U2. Reviews are greatly appreciated.
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Love Is No Big Truth