Disclaimer: The infamous JKR created Potterverse and all the characters we love (and hate). But if you look closely, you can see where I've started making a hole in her wards. A century or two from now, they'll be mine, all mine! Now I just need to make a horcrux so I'll still be around when they finally fall...

"You are very good at zat," the words came from behind and above him, and Harry nearly fell off his broom in surprise.

"Don't do that," he snapped without thinking, turning in a tight half circle and angling a little up so he could see who had spoken.

His companion grinned. Oh.

"Er," Harry started, trying to figure out how to apologizing without actually, well, apologizing, but Krum just grinned.

"I should haff known better. After all, someone is tryink to kill you. My apologizes for not takink it into account," Krum said, waving absently.

"What?" Harry said, blankly. "You believe me?"

"I see the way that you wince when that woman," the last word is said nastily, a sneer twisting Krum's lips, "interviewed you. Not actions of…attention seeking?"

"Attention seeker," Harry corrected without thinking, and Krum nodded in thanks.

"Not actions of attention seeker. Since you did not enter, why else but in attempt to kill you would you be entered?"

"Thanks," Harry said, cautiously. "I appreciate the vote of confidence, Krum."

"Call me Viktor," Krum – Viktor requested.

"Viktor then," Harry said, drifting lazily up so they hovered evenly, only a few feet between them.

"The Potter line is well known for the skill of brooms. Flight," he corrected himself.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked curiously, having never thought about his talent on a broom much at all. It was just something he did.

"It is talent. In the blood," Viktor explained.

"Like parseltongue?" Harry asked without thinking, his ability to talk to snakes the only blood based talent he knew of. He winced as soon as the words left his mouth, anticipating and hating the reaction the mention of it always garnered.

"Da," Viktor said in agreement, and Harry smiled warmly at him without thinking about it. Viktor grinning back at him, and it lit something warm in Harry's chest.

"So what are you doing out here anyway? Not that I think you were following me or anything, or that you can't use the Pitch whenever," Harry babbled, wincing internally. He always made a mess of things.

"I vas following you," Viktor said easily, and Harry drifted closer without meaning to. He looked down in embarrassment and because of that missed the pleased look on Viktor's face.

"Uh, ok. Um," Harry chanced a glance up to see Viktor still smiling at him, "why?"

"I vanted to ask you to the Yule Ball," Viktor said, smiling wider when Harry's head shot up in surprise.

"People will talk," was the first thing that Harry could think to say. He realized, belatedly, that it was a yes without him even to think about it.

"I vill tell dem I like the way you handle your broom," Viktor said with a wry grin, and Harry grinned back. "Dey will spend the entire time trying to figure out what I mean by it and gossiping about corruption and me takink advantage of you."

Harry thought about it and an expression that would have terrified even Rita graced his face. Maybe this tournament wasn't such a bad thing after all. After all, thanks to Viktor, it was now a perfect opportunity to get some of his own back.