Past Present

He awoke to Alexei's voice at the door, "Viktor! Are you in there?" and the bright light of full morning. He was half tempted to pull the pillow over his ears and ignore it, to try to go back to sleep, but it might be important. Besides, any more sleep would probably be too much, and leave him more tired in the end. Anything that got Alexei up before noon on a Saturday had to be important, he thought as he smiled to himself and headed for the door. He didn't bother with his dressing gown. Alexei wouldn't holler like that in front of anyone. He pulled the door open and caught Alexei in mid-rap, about to strike the door. He looked slightly taken aback.

"What?"

"Still... asleep?" Alexei asked, sounding surprised. He ducked his head to the side and surveyed the room behind Viktor curiously, as though looking for something.

"I was."

"I'll come in then. Cannot haff you out in the hall like that, there vill be a riot. If you do not haff company, that is. Vhat haff you been up to?" he asked, scrutinizing Viktor.

"Company?"

"She is not still here?"

"What?"

"Vell, you come to the door dressed, or should I say, undressed like that, hours past your usual rising time, vith bed head and a grin on your face like Wronski himself just complimented you on your feint, and a big pile of robes strewn all over the floor. Now, either you got up to some gymnastics last night that tired you out or you vere having something besides vhat they are serving downstairs for breakfast?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

"Do you ever get your mind out of the gutter? Does it keep a summer home there or haff you moved it there permanently?" Viktor sighed and crossed his arms, exasperated. "I did nothing of the sort. Nothing like what you are implying. Want to check under my bed?"

"If you say so, Viktor. Nothing? I admire your restraint. You must be superhuman. The girl you talked about all this time is just down the hall and you did not even steal a kiss?"

"I prefer not to be a thief."

"Gah! Viktor, if you vere as self-righteous as you are virtuous, I vould get sick from standing next to you, much less listening to you. The purity fairly radiates off of you. I do not understand you. All those girls chase you all these years, and you do not so much as look their vay. Beautiful girls. Villing girls. You go off half a vorld avay and pine after some girl vith her nose always in a book, who does not know Wronski from a drunken leprechaun, pretty enough, I grant you, but nothing spectacular. This girl, who is three years younger, naive, probably, whose name you can barely say. You get her here, three doors down, private room, you know you can get avay vith anything, and you do not even attempt to -"

Viktor held up a silencing hand and broke in, "Do not say it. Do not dare imply that I would take advantage of someone. You would not understand if I explained it. Not yet. You will someday. When you wise up about Elena, figure out why the two of you keep getting back together, when you stop being such a fool about girls."

"Viktor Krum take advantage? Heavens, no. He vill not even accept vhat is offered. I loff girls. All kinds of girls, vhat can I say?" Alexei said with an exaggerated shrug.

"No. You love a girl. You like the idea of Alexei Poliakoff being a ladies man, chasing lots of girls. There is a difference. If you could get that ridiculous playboy fantasy out of your head, you would be much better off. Would you just admit you love Elena? No one here is trying to separate you two anymore. Igor's gone. Potenko would be thrilled if during his term as headmaster, he does not haff to catch you in a close vith a different girl every week."

"Viktor, you bloody mind reader. Is it that obvious?"

"How obvious is it with me, Alexei?"

"Oh, so I might as vell be vearing a sign?"

"Blinking lights and ten foot letters. I haff seen billboards that are more subtle."

"You guarded her door, that is why you sleep so late, is it not?"

"Yes."

"You know that vas not necessary."

"But I did it anyway."

"Viktor," Alexei sighed, shaking his head, "I came in here to get you for breakfast, but I suppose ve haff missed that now. All this talk. How about ve take the girls on a picnic instead? Harry and Ron too. None of us haff eaten. I haff not seen her. The boys just got up. They vere tired from the trip, I guess. I suppose you vill insist on chaperones anyvay, being the decent and upstanding young man you are. I could trust my sister vith you."

"If you had one."

"If I had one. Come on, ve vill hit the kitchen like old times, go out to the garden," Alexei enthused.

"May I dress first or is that not on your schedule?" Viktor asked dryly.

"Might make for a more interesting picnic if you go that way. I vonder if Miss Granger is as trustworthy as you or as predatory as you seem to think I am? She vould haff to fight off a dozen other girls, but I bet she could take them. She might jump your bones over the orange juice if you go in your sleeping costume. Or out of it... Viktor, you need not glare at me like that. Okay. It was out of line. I apologize. I vas only joking. Viktor? I vill be in the hall... I vill knock on her door, come out vhen you finish dressing... Touchy about your lady, are you not? Loff does that to a man..."