The Prophecy

Chapter 6 - The Krum Charm

After breakfast, Viktor's great grandmother went about her chores, ostensibly because she had fallen behind over the last few days, but mostly to give them some privacy. Viktor spent most of the day showing Hermione the house and the surrounding forest, explaining much about the history and legends of Sokrovishte. Hermione was fascinated by his tales, and noticed that he was as excited as ever to tell her all about his family and heritage.

It was a pleasant day for both of them, but it was interrupted all too soon by his great grandmother. They were walking back the house after a pleasant walk through the forest when Ada appeared suddenly in the doorway, calling to Viktor in Bulgarian. Viktor let go of Hermione's hand and ran to her. Hermione followed a few paces behind, her heart in her throat with fear.

"Is it my parents? What happened?" She looked from one face to the other frantically. Ada was explaining something to Viktor, and he was watching her intently, hanging on to every word. Hermione would have read every book ever written in the Bulgarian language just to understand immediately what was being said, and not have to wait for Viktor's translation.

Unaware of the tears now rolling down her cheeks, Hermione sat down heavily on the small bench beside the entryway, afraid that she might faint if the news wasn't good. It seemed like a long time before Viktor and Ada concluded their conversation, though in actuality only a few moments had passed. Viktor finally turned and spoke to Hermione.

"I am sorry, Hermione..." Her eyes widened, and her stomach contracted violently. She stared at his lips, anticipating his next words even as her head began to fill with a dull roar.

"Ve missed Dumbledore by a few minutes," he finished quickly, seeing the terror in her eyes.

"He told my great grandmother that he vill try again this evening. The ministry has vord on a possible location, but they do not vont to tell you before they are more certain. He also said that the entire Order is making sure that all is being done to find your parents," he finished with a long sigh.

Hermione let out the breath that she wasn't aware she had been holding. It was news, but not much. She didn't know yet if her parents were truly all right. Were they hurt? Were they under any spells? They were muggles, and thus had no means to protect themselves from the perils of the wizarding world. She felt guilty that her identity as a witch had brought this upon them.

Viktor sat by her side on the small bench. Hermione was once again frightened and upset, and Viktor was once again unable to find something to say that would make her feel better. How he wished he could just take her pain away! He would gladly suffer through it himself if it meant that she would be happy and well. They sat in strained silence.

Ada spoke softly to Viktor and Hermione.

"I will be serving dinner in about an hour, if you two want to wash up and get ready. Viktor, your parents and grandparents are coming over tonight, as well."

She smiled and winked at him, then disappeared silently into the house. Shock replaced the haunted expression on Hermione's face. Viktor silently thanked his great grandmother for her ability to diffuse this potentially volatile situation.

"I'm going to meet your parents and your grandparents? Oh Viktor, I don't know if I'm up to such introductions! What will they think of me?" she said, flustered.

"Do not vorry. If Ada likes you, they vill loff you. She is the tough von to please," he said matter-of-factly.

Hermione didn't know whether she should laugh at that or not.

***

An hour later, Hermione was still in her room, trying to figure out which robes she should wear. She felt silly for being worried about being judged by her clothing, but was nonetheless searching desperately for something passable. She finally decided on a simple button down blouse and pleated skirt. She tried unsuccessfully to make her hair more manageable, but the curls were not giving in. She briefly thought of using potions, but realized with a nervous glance at the clock that she was out of time. She smoothed them down a bit and decided to leave them as they were. Viktor liked her hair, and he'd seen it on its best and worst days.

There was a soft knock on the door, and the object of her thoughts walked in looking almost as good as he had at the Yule Ball. A fitted wool tunic in deepest brown was layered over black pants, which were tucked neatly into black calfskin boots. Hermione looked down at her own outfit, which was actually comprised of pieces of her school uniform, and felt severely underdressed.

"I don't think that I'm dressed properly compared to you, Mr. Krum. I feel like Cinderella before the ball."

"You are beautiful, Hermione. You haff nothing to vorry about, and you do not need to be fancy for me or my family." He leaned down and kissed her cheek lightly.

She relaxed a little at the unprompted display of affection. She enjoyed his spontaneous kisses. With anyone else might have wanted to keep interactions more formal, but Viktor did everything in such a sweet and endearing manner that she wished he would do it all the time.

"Are they here yet?" she asked, taking one last look at her hair in the mirror and frowning at the outcome.

"Yes, they are vaiting in the dining room; anxiously, I might say. They all vont to meet you." That did not make her feel any better at all.

She was so nervous that she nearly tripped on the stairs. Viktor walked with his usual easy stride a step in front of her, holding her hand and guiding her to the dining room, where she heard voices and laughter in a language that she didn't understand.

"Viktor!" someone shouted as they walked through the entryway, and everyone turned and stared in their direction.

Hermione felt morbidly self-conscious, almost to the extent that she had at the Yule ball. She didn't know which was worse, this night or the other.

Viktor did not relinquish his grip on Hermione's hand, as she presumed he would. Rather, he pulled her closer to him as he stood proudly before his family.

When he spoke, she was surprised to hear him do so in English. "Mother, Grandmother, Father, Grandfather, this is Hermione Granger. Hermione, these are my parents Katarina and Pavel, and my grandparents Natalia and Petar."

Hermione watched the tall, slender woman that Viktor had introduced as his mother approach them. She had jet-black hair, which was neatly tied in a low ponytail. Hermione thought that it was quite a modern hairstyle; her clothing seemed very fashionable, as well. A sea-green shawl draped elegantly over her shoulders perfectly complemented her simple black dress. Hermione extended her hand politely, but to her surprise, the older woman brushed it aside and hugged her warmly instead. Hermione couldn't help but notice that her eyes resembled the ones that she so adored; she wondered what other traits Viktor may have inherited from her.

Next to greet her was Viktor's father, who bowed low as he kissed her hand. Viktor had definitely gotten his stiff posture, broad shoulders, and large hands from Pavel. He, like Katarina, was also quite tall. His stern look reminded Hermione of Viktor's the first time she had seen him walking through the doors of Great Hall. Having seen the same expression on his son's face countless times, though, she did not find it at all intimidating; his scowl was part of his character, as Viktor's was.

His grandparents were the last to greet her. They resembled what Hermione would consider stereotypical grandparent figures. Viktor's grandmother reminded her of Professor Sprout: plump figure, rounded face, and a dark complexion, but with Viktor and Katarina's piercing brown eyes. His grandfather seemed the most warm and friendly. He had a wide smile, and his gray hair stuck out in all directions, rather like a tattered lily. The velvet petty-coat he wore was deep purple in color with yellow polka dots. Hermione thought that he resembled a quirky inventor of some sort. He also bowed and kissed her hand in greeting, though age did not permit him to stoop nearly as low as his son or his grandson. She decided that Viktor must have gotten his warm, caring nature from his grandfather. Looking at the three generations of Krum men before her, she also knew where he got his charm.

She had expected to spend the evening asking Viktor to translate for her. She was once again pleasantly surprised; the entire family spoke English all night. She was inordinately grateful, even though she realized that it must have been difficult for them to converse for such a long time in a language not their own.

The evening progressed at an easy, comfortable pace. Hermione and Viktor took turns sharing stories about Hogwarts and the Burrow; they talked about Harry and Ron and others, and about the Triwizard Tournament. However, they avoided mention of the third task.

Hermione also noticed that Viktor's family was very careful in the questions they asked her about her life. They purposefully avoided asking directly about her parents, as if by skirting the issue they could prevent her from worrying about it.

During a lull in the conversation, Ada finally did bring up the topic.

"Hermione, we know that this is a painful subject for you, but your friends in England are not the only ones wanting to help. If there is anything that we can do, we will. I assure you that we have the resources. We'll be here if you or any of your friends need us," she said sincerely. The rest of the family nodded in agreement, and she could only mutter a quiet "Thank you" in response.

"Though you already haff our most valuable resource at your side," Natalia said, smiling at the man seated next to her.

Hermione glanced at Viktor, suppressing a smile as a blush crept over his cheeks. He gave her a lopsided grin as he squeezed her hand gently under the table.

After dinner they all sat around the big stone fireplace in the next room. The living room resembled a miniature Great Hall, without the long tables and the ghosts. There were comfortable couches and chairs instead, as well as several large cushions scattered on the floor.

Hermione and Viktor opted to sit on the floor. Hermione was touched at how comfortable Viktor was around her and his family. His usual reticence was completely forgotten. He sat beside her, and wrapped his arm around her protectively as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"So, what do you think?" Viktor whispered quietly.

His grandfather, who had been indulging in a little too much of Ada's special brandy, was deeply engrossed in conversation with a side table that he kept referring to as "Emiliya." His grasp of English seemed to be rapidly deteriorating, and the family was laughing uproariously at his antics. This allowed them a few moments of private conversation.

"About what?" she whispered back.

"My family. They obviously adore you. That is not a surprise, of course. I knew that if they loved you half as much as I did..." He stopped short, another blush coloring his cheeks. She smiled, giving his hand a squeeze. He smiled a shy, grateful smile in return.

"I really cannot believe how welcoming they've been. And to speak in English all night...I cannot tell you how much I appreciated that. I wouldn't have wanted you to have to translate."

"They know enough English to get by. They haff traveled many places in their lifetimes."

Hermione relaxed again on his shoulder, listening to the fire crackling behind them.

"Pardon my interruption. Good evening all," spoke a familiar voice.

"Professor Dumbledore!" She had completely forgotten that Dumbledore was supposed to contact her again, so when she turned around and saw his face in the fire, she was more than a little startled. "Do you have any news?"

"I'm afraid that I do not have any more information than I did this afternoon, Ms. Granger. This is merely a social call. I see that you are passing your confinement in high style; I am pleased that things are going well here. I thank you all for welcoming Ms. Granger to your home under such unfortunate circumstances," he added, nodding graciously at the assembled group.

The reminder was like a bucket of ice water, instantly dispelling the easy warmth of the evening. She was not here on a social visit. She looked at the warm, caring faces around her, and knew that this was only a temporary reprieve. She tried to extract her hand from Viktor's, fully intending to go back to her room and cry, but she found her attempts thwarted. He tightened his grip, interlacing his fingers with hers in a manner that made escape impossible. He looked at her fiercely, shaking his head in what she knew was a warning fashion. She knew that no pleading expression would make him budge, and she subsided.

Mr. Krum was the first to speak. "It is our honor to haff her. Hermione is velcome to stay for as long as is necessary." He smiled at her warmly. "It is an equally great pleasure to see you again, Albus. Next time you must apparate so that ve can share that brandy I promised you. That is, if it is not all gone by your next visit," he said, indicating with a nod his father's recent departure from consciousness. They both chuckled.

"Excellent well. Viktor, I need your help here at the Order, but not until tomorrow morning. If you could be here for the meeting at nine o'clock..." he stopped and looked at Hermione, who was obviously ready to interject.

"Ms. Granger, I know that you would like to attend, but it is too dangerous for you to be traveling at this point in time. Viktor will tell you all that you need to know when he returns," he said in a tone that brokered no argument.

"Professor, can you at least tell me if you have any possible leads? I just want to know that..."

"Hermione, I would be glad to answer all of your questions, if I had the answers to them," he interrupted, his voice stern. "I will not keep you in the dark, and you must content yourself with that for the time being." She glared at him resentfully, but decided that risking his displeasure was not the best idea. He kindly ignored her sullen expression. "I apologize for the disturbance. Mr. and Mrs. Krum, Ada, Hermione...I wish you all a pleasant evening. Viktor, I will see you promptly at nine tomorrow. You remember the location, I presume?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

"Yes." Viktor answered, lowered his eyes to the ground. Dumbledore's head disappeared with a pop.

Hermione stared at the fireplace for a long time. Everyone quietly sipped their tea, each lost in his or her own thoughts. For the first time that night, there was an awkward silence.

"Viktor, maybe you should show Hermione your telescope in the attic." Mrs. Krum finally said. She looked at Hermione with a fond expression.

"He used to sit there half the night when he was younger, and would say that he wished he could fly as high as to touch the stars," she giggled.

Viktor nodded vigorously. "That sounds like a good idea. Come." His seeker reflexes came into play as he jumped up and grabbed Hermione's hand, practically dragging her out of the room.

Hermione quickly turned around and called out, "Thank you for the lovely dinner. It was wonderful to meet you all!" The thick walls muffled any response that she may have gotten, and she resolved to give Viktor a good scolding for making her appear so rude.

They were half way up the stairs when Viktor halted suddenly. Hermione, not anticipating the change in momentum, bumped into him so hard that she nearly fell back down the stairs. Had it not been for his steadying hand, she probably would have gone careening right back into the dining room. She opened her mouth, a barrage of questions and reproofs for his strange behavior set to tumble forth, when he did something even more unexpected: he reached up and cupped her face between his rough hands. She gasped at the startling rush of sensation that his actions produced in her, as much as the abruptness and incongruity of the gesture.

"Viktor, what's wrong?" she whispered. She felt a stab of unease when he didn't respond. Perhaps she had committed a disastrous faux pas, had embarrassed him in front of his family so horribly that he was now obligated to sever ties with her forever. Is that why they had dismissed her so quickly, because they could not stand to be in the same room with her any longer? Her stomach churned with fearful anticipation, but even with the possibility of her imminent dismissal hanging over her, she couldn't help but notice how wonderful it felt to have his hands on her in such an intimate way. The feeling of skin on skin, the heat of his body pressed against hers, was a heady sensation. She couldn't help but feel a bit weak in the knees as she leaned against the wall behind them.

He continued to stare; she felt his gaze on her. Viktor, not moving his hands or his eyes, spoke softly.

"I cannot believe how at ease you vere with my family, like you haff met them a thousand times. It is true that I haff never brought a girl home to meet them before. But I know that ven Alexei was here they did not velcome him as they did you, and he has been my friend for a long time. I am most pleased, Hermione."

And with that satisfied pronouncement, he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. She was so shocked that she didn't respond for a moment, but quickly came to her senses and began to return the gesture in kind. Encouraged by her enthusiasm, he deepened the kiss, and it grew steadily in passion. His hands drifted from her face, down her shoulders, and finally settling on her lower back. She let out a shy moan, gently twining her arms around his waist and pulling herself deeper into his embrace.

It was he who finally broke contact, looking at once dazed and amazingly pleased with himself. Feeling embarrassed at her reaction, she tried to regain some semblance of composure, to no avail. The sight of his flushed cheeks, the sound of their mingled pants, set her mind on fire. They both stared at each other for a moment, almost in disbelief of what they had just done. It was her fear of being caught in that state that finally propelled her into action, and she pulled gently on his hand.

"I thought that you had something to show me," she prompted, still a little out of breath. Perhaps it was the rush of hormones muddling his brain, but he could only interpret that comment one way, and it certainly wasn't the one that she had intended. He shot her a rather surprised look. She rolled her eyes when she caught on to what he was thinking. "The telescope," she gently prodded. He nodded in response, and they continued their trek.

"My great grandfather bought it during his travels, and it has been in my family ever since. I am thinking that it is not muggle artifact, though. It has magic to it, as you vill soon see," he grinned.

The attic, though dark and a bit dusty, was as comfortable as the best of the house; it had a certain warmth to it. A love seat and a large telescope sat in the middle of the room, the latter pointing upwards through a huge skylight. Dusk was just passing into darkness, and only the brightest stars were yet visible.

Viktor murmured a spell that lit all the candles in the attic, and he walked Hermione over to the sofa.

"Sit, and I vill turn on the stars for you."

She laughed. "And how are you going to do that with magic?"

"Vait and see. Close your eyes," he said.

She complied. She heard a bit of shuffling around, but trusted him enough not to peek.

"Now open your eyes."

Hermione did so slowly, not knowing what to expect. She was therefore more than pleasantly surprised to find that the entire attic was flooded with light. The sources of the sudden illumination were hundreds of tiny fairies that danced around them.

"How did you do that? Where did you get them?" she asked. She stood up and spun in a circle, utterly transfixed.

"Vell, it vos as close as I could get you to the stars. I thought you vould enjoy them. I know that stars up in the sky are not big fairies, but that is how I thought of them ven I was a small boy."

She did not know what to say to adequately thank him for sharing such a beautiful experience with her. She gently took his hand, and together they watched the dazzling display, until the fairies slowly extinguished themselves and disappeared back to wherever they had emerged from. The sky was now completely black, and the stars sparkled more clearly and brightly than Hermione had ever seen them.

"If you vont to look at the real thing now, I haff adjusted the telescope," he said.

They spent over an hour up at the attic, looking at the stars. Viktor was extremely knowledgeable in astronomy. He would adjust the telescope at regular intervals, then describe the constellations and planets in detail. Each new sighting was accompanied by a soft touch to her arm, her back, her waist. Hermione enjoyed the lesson a lot more than she ever had at Hogwarts.

By the time they had found and discussed Andromeda in detail, Hermione was beginning to tire. "It's getting late, Viktor, and you have to leave early tomorrow. As much as I don't want this evening to end, I think that we both need to get some sleep," Hermione commented, not bothering to stifle her yawn.

Viktor acquiesced, though he would have stayed there all night if she had asked it of him. It was wonderful to see Hermione relaxed and smiling, if only for a little while.

"If that is vot you vish. Ve shall go downstairs so that I can say goodnight to you properly," he replied.