Past Present

"Funny way for us to spend dates," Hermione mused as the two of them sat down under the tree and Viktor draped her cloak back around her. The sun was going down and the air was cooler now.

"What? You never grew up dreaming about learning how to lead a man just where you want him?" Viktor laughed.

"Doesn't your arm feel like it's about to come out of the socket by now?"

"Not really. You learn how to take a fall. How not to let someone pull your arm right out. Besides, you can twist my arm anytime," he said, draping the arm in question across her shoulders.

"I wish I could keep you from just tossing me right on over though. I mean, I finesse you down so nicely and then all you do is just grab my arm and flop me right over and I'm on the ground before I know it," she laughed.

"Sadly, brute strength still counts for something, despite your finesse. My best advice is, if you ever haff to do that to someone for real, when you get him on the ground, immediately plant your heel where it really hurts. Hard. As many times as you can. Fight dirty. No way we are practicing that, though, so you can just forget it," he added.

"And what exactly do I do if it's not a 'him'?" Hermione asked lightly, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Kick her in the head, I suppose. With big steel toe boots, preferably. Or stomp her in the face, step on her throat, whatever you can get at," he replied in all seriousness.

"That sounds pretty vicious, did they teach that in class?" Hermione asked.

"Pretty much. The instructor pointed out that if someone is trying to kill you in a real fight, the last thing you need to worry about is fighting fair or being polite. You try to find what hurts the most and do it. As many times as possible. Someone worried about getting their next breath or how much pain they are in is a lot less dangerous. Hard to think up a hex even when you hurt. And that is enough preaching about defense, for one night. You haff me sounding like Moody and his constant vigilance, or so I hear," Viktor said quietly, propping his chin on the top of her head. They studied the sunset for some time, in total silence.

"I've got another OWL to study for, you know," Hermione said, breaking the silence at last.

"Does that mean we haff to go in? Not enough light out here to see your books, is there?" Viktor sounded reluctant to get up.

"No. I think you'll like this one. Astronomy. Let's just sit here a while and watch the stars a while. It's still too nice out to go inside."

"Oh, I can handle that, then. You know, I never had it. I could not help you much there. Astronomy," Viktor murmured.

"Astronomy? You mean they didn't offer it?" Hermione asked, a little surprised.

"No, they offered it. I just had no reason to take it," he replied with a shrug.

"Why not?"

"Enough on my plate already, thank you very much. I was not much interested anyway."

"Why not?"

"Is there an echo out here? To tell the truth, maybe because I had no reason to want to look at the stars."

"Oh."

"Yes. Oh," he repeated softly, picking up her left hand in his and cradling it there, laying his own on his thigh. After some minutes, she spoke again. The sun had gone down completely, and the moon was up, with few clouds in the sky, and the lawn was brightly lit. Across the lake, another couple was going for an evening stroll, but they could only make out their silhouettes.

"Aren't you in the least bit cold?" she inquired.

"Now, do you not know better than to ask that?" Viktor scolded gently. "No, I am not. Feels fairly pleasant to me."

"I suppose not, then. Dare I ask how the suggestion of more Occlumency lessons went over?"

"Like a lead balloon, but he accepted. He even showed up about five times over the last couple of weeks. No set time or anything, just whenever he gets a free hour. I think he figured it would be less trouble in the long run to do so and get a couple of people off his back. He is improving," Viktor added.

"Who? Off his back?"

"Us. You will be proud to hear that it is official. I haff been told that between the two of us we could nag an Erumpent to death," Viktor said, chuckling softly.

"Nag!? Did Harry say that?" Hermione said indignantly.

"No comment, then. If it makes you feel any better, I was called worse than you, so there. And besides, it is true. I had too much practice. And speaking of official and where I got my practice nagging people, guess who wrote me a letter today?"

"Alexei?"

"Remember what I told you in the fall about him and Elena? Technically, I was right. I think. Although, I guess the jury is still out."

"Right about what?"

"Well, they haff not killed one another. We haff been invited, but they need to stop arguing over the where and the when and the how of the ceremony before I can tell you anything else much. True to form, they agree on absolutely nothing so far, except who the bride and groom should be. And a few of the wedding party."

"They're getting married, you mean?" she asked, leaning into him a little closer.

"Soon as they can stop fighting over the details. He asked two nights ago, and she accepted. Funny, Alexei wants a big wedding, Elena would just about as soon elope if it were not for her parents."

"And who do they agree on in the wedding party?"

"Me and you, strangely enough. Elena really liked you, you know. She gives me the tenth degree about what you are doing every time she writes. I told her if she wanted to know so badly, she should just write to you too. She says you can be a bridal attendant as long as you promise not to squeal too much over things like flowers and dresses and all that other rot and I get in provided I promise not to go out with Alexei the night before and get too drunk to get him to wherever they decide to have the darned thing on time. Oh, and Poppett. I think Elena wants her to be maid of honor. I think I can write her back and tell her there is not too much danger of any of those other things happening, right?"

"He wants you to be best man, doesn't he?" she asked, shifting her head from beneath his chin and trying to look up at him. By now it was dark enough that the shadow of the tree obscured most of his face.

"Now, how did you know? I did not say that," he replied flatly. But she was almost positive, even though she could not see it, that he was smiling.

"I'd pick you as best man."

"Flatterer," he said, kissing her temple.