Rating:
PG-13
House:
Astronomy Tower
Characters:
Hermione Granger Viktor Krum
Genres:
General Romance
Era:
Multiple Eras
Stats:
Published: 06/09/2003
Updated: 11/20/2003
Words: 224,686
Chapters: 100
Hits: 71,003

Past Present

Miss Yetigoosecreature

Story Summary:
Hermione, Harry, and Ron visit Viktor Krum in Bulgaria and discover there's a lot more to Viktor's past than they could have imagined.

Chapter 53

Chapter Summary:
Crookshanks gets acquainted with Ivan and Natasha, and Viktor and Hermione engage in a meandering conversation that takes in pets, essay, Quidditch, and when to stop apologizing.
Posted:
07/30/2003
Hits:
670
Author's Note:
I apologize for my absolute lack of originality when it comes to naming spells. Hence the descriptive, but unspectacular Replicatum. Oh, and the line "If I am not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?" is blatantly stolen from the Daniel Bedingfield song If You're Not The One, because I like the song, I like the line, and darn it, I felt like working it in somewhere. So... have at it.

"Just a moment," Viktor called, then muttered, "you could get off my feet," at Ivan, curled under the desk, nudging him gently with a toe. Ivan just yawned and stretched in response. "Hermione, get in here," he said, when he got the door open. He gave the ginger cat that trailed in behind her a quick scratch on the ears.

"Brought Crookshanks. Thought maybe it was time they got acquainted," she said, bending to pat Natasha, who had bounded over from in front of the fire. Natasha and Crookshanks regarded one another warily, and Natasha gave the cat a curious sniff, then trotted off nonchalantly, back to the drowsing Ivan. Crookshanks went over and gave Ivan a similarly curious sniff, and he barely twitched in response, rousing a little, then dropping back down, muzzle on paws. Crookshanks curled in the corner nearby, settling in for his own nap.

"See? Thoroughly unimpressed, the lot of them," Viktor observed.

"Well, I'm impressed. Neville and Malfoy. And even Seamus Finnigan. The lot of them all in one class period," she said, settling into one of the armchairs in front of the hearth.

"Longbottom was easy. He is fine as long as no one tries to scare him witless, literally. Finnigan too, if he is not busy playing with one of the Weasley Wizard Wheezes line during class. Fred and George still testing their...whatever they were that makes you sick?" Viktor said, taking the other chair.

"Yes. Skiving Snackboxes. But only on themselves now. I threatened to write Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said smugly.

"My word, you do play dirty then," Viktor laughed.

"Malfoy... I wish I had a picture of his face when you threatened to put him in a cauldron. He's used to being king of the Potions class. Do you really not know where Snape is?" Hermione asked, though she already knew it had been no lie when Viktor had replied to Malfoy earlier.

"Ask me no questions, I tell you no lies. Away on an important mission. That is all I know. Here's the book back. Nothing in there either, and I do not know about you, but I am getting sick of reading about the Greeks. I know more about them than I ever wanted to. I swear we haff to be missing something," Viktor said, rubbing a hand over his forehead.

"This is worse than first year, when Harry and Ron and I couldn't figure out where we had heard the name 'Nicholas Flamel' and we practically lived in the library trying to find out who he was. Maybe I can get permission to go to the restricted section again," Hermione griped, taking the book. "Got your essay done?" she asked, looking at the long parchment on the desk.

"Done. Again. I think," Viktor replied, nodding. "Two scrolls, even. Another for references. Tons of things I memorized so I can back it up. If you look at it and deem it okay, I will probably just go ahead and tell them to get it over with. Test me, and then that leaves just one."

"Trust me to take it and read it and not lose it?" Hermione said.

"You can haff a copy," he said, walking over to the table, laying out the scrolls beside two blank ones, then waving his wand and reciting "Replicatum!" He rolled up the newly created extra copies and handed them to her.

"Well, that's handy. I need to learn how to do that," Hermione said, turning them over in her hand. "Halloween tomorrow night," she said idly.

"Halloween. It has been a year. Seems like forever and yesterday, both at the same time," Viktor said, settling back into the chair.

"Ever regret it?" she asked, not looking up.

"Regret what? Coming? Being picked? Asking you? Not getting my nose fixed? Be more specific, please," Viktor asked with a small smile.

"Any of it. Coming. Being picked. Asking me. Coming back. Being here now. Leave your nose out of it. You know what I mean by that," Hermione said venturing an upward glance.

"Not if it was the only way I could end up with you. And seeing as this is the only reality we haff, I guess it is. So... no," he said in a soft voice.

"You sound so sure. How can you be so sure?"

"If I am not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?"

"Well, I can't argue with logic like that, now can I? You could have stayed at Durmstrang, graduated, gone and had a nice, relatively safe Quidditch career, written me..." she said, trailing off.

"Yes. I could haff. But I made this choice. Felt right. Still feels right. Besides, what good would regret do me?" Viktor asked, leaning forward in his chair.

"Good point. Still..."

"Good and bad aplenty over the last year. Mostly good for me, if you must know, in my opinion. Because of you. I haff had worse years," he said, shrugging.

"I nearly got you killed," she whispered.

"Did not. I nearly got myself killed. Or how about we place the blame squarely where it belongs and just say that Karkaroff nearly killed me?"

"I'm still responsible for the boggart...in the shack."

"I could haff refused. Avoided it altogether. And then, probably, they would haff a boggart for sure and I would fail. Ironic, but not too laughable from my point of view. It is not so bad. First time I managed to do anything other than just stand there. I just wish you had not seen... her," Viktor said, running a finger over the chair arm.

"Why didn't you tell me you looked? I would never have..."

"And how do you work that into a conversation exactly? 'Lovely weather today. Did I mention I was a stupid kid and lifted the coffin lid before we buried my baby sister? Might not want to put a boggart near me, if you haff one lying around, it usually ends up turning into her. Eventually. Wonder what is on the menu for dinner?' I never even told my parents. They still do not know I did it," he answered in a low voice.

"Still, I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing."

"Sorry."

"Are you still apologizing, or are you apologizing for apologizing? Either way, stop it. I cannot keep up."

"Sor... okay, I mean."

"Game in about a week," Viktor said, leaning back in his seat.

"Knee ready?" Hermione asked.

"Need to fly some to find out. Making a deal with Harry. Wronski Feint for a corporeal Patronus. Even trade."

"He'll be a terror if he learns it. He'll try to faceplant Malfoy first game," Hermione laughed.

"I will do it even if he does not help me practice then. I will even throw in a sloth grip roll."

She pointed at him in mock accusation. "Mr. Krum, I do believe your prejudice is showing. You do realize that sloth whatever might as well be Bulgarian?"

"We haff got to get you a copy of Quidditch Through The Ages," Viktor said with a subtle smile.

"No, you can teach me. I'm finding it's sometimes more fun not to learn things out of books. Busy tomorrow night?"

"Only the Halloween Feast and then walking with the dogs."

"How about I go along?" she asked casually.

"That would make for a more interesting walk. You are going to be out of bounds if you do not go. Soon." He stood again.

"Do I get a kiss goodnight first?" she asked, rising as well. His only answer was to slide his arms around her waist, pull her close and press his lips over hers for a long moment. "Goodnight," she murmured, picking up the scrolls and the book and walking toward the door. She opened it and stood in the doorway, reluctant to leave.

"Forgetting something?" he called when she had reached the door. She turned to see him smiling, suppressing a laugh.

"I've got both of them. I'll check your reference scroll later. And the book," she said, waving them in the air with a questioning look. He stood there, arms folded, same bemused expression on his face.

"Something furrier. Not that I do not like him, but I haff enough fur in here already."

"Oh! Come on, Crookshanks. Crookshanks! Sorry," she added sheepishly, as Crookshanks woke and stalked over to her. Viktor followed and put a hand on the doorknob.

"Stop apologizing! Goodnight. I will get the door, go on, you haff your hands full," he chided.

"Do I ever," she laughed to herself as she walked down the hall, hearing the door click softly behind her.