Okay but imagine Fleur and Viktor becoming friends
Imagine Fleur and Viktor becoming unlikely friends over the course of the triwizard tournament.
Imagine Fleur and Viktor having far more in common than anyone ever expected.
Imagine them bonding through the experience of being representatives of their schools while also being overwhelmed 17 year olds far from home, strangers in a strange land.
Imagine the both of them chafing under the pressure of being unintended representatives of their country as well as their school; “At least you have only your country. Most of these english haf no idea vhere I am from, or vhat Bulgaria is: to them, I think, I am representing all off Eastern Europe.”
Imagine the two of them speaking far more English with one another than anyone else–unable to slip into their native languages, like they do with their schoolmates, and unburdened by the pervasive shame that comes in talking to native speakers.
Imagine them lightheartedly mocking Hogwarts and it’s shortcomings in a way they wouldn’t dare with anyone else -
“Vot is that? haff you frowned? Evil! Slytherin!”
“Non, Monsieur Krum! What is zat? ‘Ave you looked at a book? Ravenclaw, of course!”
Imagine them both receiving more envy from their classmates than support. “"Really Viktor? It vos not enough to be pro Quidditch player? You vant more attention?”“ "Zey act as 'zo I 'ad seduced ze cup into choosing me!”
Imagine them sharing their discomfort at they way they are objectified; Viktor, unable to swim or exercise without an ogling audience and Fleur, who elicits hungry leering from the majority of post-pubescent males on campus.
Imagine them lamenting the disdain they both seem to elicit from their preferred sex; Fleur receiving mindless envy and jealousy because of her looks and Viktor being dismissed by many as “just a quidditch player”.
Imagine the two of them sharing a crush on Hermione Granger that they are far too proud to admit to anyone but each other.
Imagine them struggling with their prejudices in light of this (a muggleborn? A girl?) and discussing them with one another.
Imagine them both joining S.P.E.W. in secret, without really knowing what exactly the club is about. Imagine them both becoming relatively dedicated members nonetheless.
Imagine Fleur disastrously attempting to cook latkes and sufganiyot in the kitchen of the Beauxbatons carriage, before giving up and enchanting gelt coins to turn into chocolate.
Imagine Viktor and Fleur attending a Yule Ball after party, where the Weasley twins have managed to smuggle copious amounts of firewhiskey. Imagine Viktor walking in on Fleur and Roger Davies in a passage between the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor towers. Imagine Viktor walking in to see Fleur, hopelessly wasted, giggling unknowingly as Roger starts to remove her blouse with measured, steady hands and a predatory glint in his eyes.
Imagine Roger Davies waking up the next morning with hooves in place of hands and feet, and a pair of horns that grow painfully whenever he comes within a yard of a girl. Imagine him avoiding Madame Pomfrey and struggling through double transfiguration, trying to avoid the loud bleating that emerges whenever he tries to speak to or near a woman.
Imagine Viktor attempting to help Fleur overcome her fear of water and swimming after her encounter with grindylows.
Imagine Fleur writing her family to request a special piece of jewelry. Imagine her painstakingly studying runes and struggling through her grandmother’s explanations of veela magic and alchemy. Imagine the final product: a replacement of the Star of David necklace Viktor lost in the second task, crafted from secretive veela-made silver, forged so that it will always return to its owner if they are separated.
Imagine them laughing over butter beers as Viktor tells the old wives tales he’d been told about vila.
Imagine them supporting each other not through words or public announcements. but through small yet meaningful actions.
Imagine Fleur and Viktor, both outsiders and foreigners and teenagers under pressure, being friends.