Forever

One-shot

"There is a body," Hermione stated softly into the phone, "8 Crescent Drive, come posthaste." She told the medic across the line before hanging up and dropping the phone with a clank! against the wooden floor.

Her hands and stomach of her shirt were soaked in blood, but it was not her own. It was her husbands blood, it was Ron's blood. And from where she stood now she could see his blue eyes staring up at her, the sick murderous gleam shown brightly in his lifeless body, as he lie bleeding along their kitchen floor. The knife that had ended his abusive and dominate existent still pierced through his gut, gushing out new blood as the seconds passed by.

Hermione had to get out of there, and quickly. For if the medics came while she was still present she would surly be accused of this crime, this murder. But it wasn't really a murder at all, it was an accident. But if that accident had not occurred, a murder would have. And it wouldn't be Ron's body lying lifeless on the ground, but her own. Because it was he who had come at her, in a fitted rage of hate and anger as he swung the knife towards her carelessly, seeking her blood. Seeking her life.

But as Hermione lie on the floor screaming, begging for her life, he had tripped over his own two feet and ended up falling onto her. The knife that he held nearly welded between his fingers and palm had spun around in his struggles, and ended up shoving itself firmly into his own stomach, not hers. It took him a moment to really die, though. He cried out in pain and grunted with agonizing disbelief at his horrible, misfortunate and deadly mistake as Hermione screamed out in horror with her eyes firmly closed shut.

She had been trembling by this point, just past the point of sobbing. But it was not from experiencing the events play out that ended her husband's life, but from the thrill, shock and luck of still being alive. Having survived the past three and a half years of forced marriage with this monster was miracle enough, but having survived a planned assassination from this beast and having it turn backwards on her… having him die, and not her… it was a work of God and the angel's themselves.

Hermione quickly rinsed her hands sheepishly in the sink before rushing over to the coat rack to wrap herself tightly in her knee-length leather jacket. She then did a quick once over in the mirror to check that all signs of blood were hidden. And when she decided she looked presentable enough for public eyes, she ran up the stairs with shaking shoulders and a trembling heart.

Quickly passing the open doors to the bedroom that she had spent the pass three and half years in getting violently ravished by her dead husband, she rushed her way to the library and firmly closed the doors behind her. Making herself jump to the startling thud! that sounded as the wood slammed harshly against the fitted doorframe.

She rushed past the rows and rows of filled bookcases and headed straight towards the wide and grand fireplace. Where on the mantle stood a peaceful and fragile urn which held the ashes of her dear departed grandfather. But that is not why she had come here. It was what was hidden beneath the urn that she had come here for. A secret compartment containing a near-decade old letter and a small vial containing a handful of very unique and precious powder was what she had come for.

She quickly unfolded the letter and read it once as she clutched the vial softly in her shaking palm:

I will wait for you.

-Viktor

Hermione swallowed a thick lump in her throat and prayed that even though nearly seven years had gone by he would still hold true to his promise, that he would wait for her. And so she folded the letter back up and quickly shoved it into her coat pocket while stepping daintily into the granite fireplace. She took one last look around her library before twisting off the pale pink cap to the vial Viktor had sent her all those years ago, and she poured the precious floo powder slowly into the palm of her hand.

She closed her eyes and said softly yet firmly, "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" And she poofed away in a green smoke which carried her away from the muggle world… forever.

Hermione landed firmly on the front steps of Hogwarts with a whoosh! of wind. It was twilight and the sky shown a beautiful blue with hues of purple and green as she looked out onto the horizon.

She took in a deep breath and thought back to her own days at this magical school, thinking how it was not only magic because of the charms and spells, but because of the people she had met here and the memories she had made with them.

Hermione pushed back those thoughts and brought her mind back to only the present, she was here for a reason. She was in trouble, big trouble, and she needed help. If any news from the muggle world traveled here about Ron's fateful death she would surly be hunted down for life and taken back there to await trials.

But that couldn't happen because she was innocent… innocent people don't run… she thought to herself. But she had to, Ron was rich and powerful and had made friends through his riches that would remain faithful to him even in death.

Friends that were as evil as he was, as cruel and as hateful as he was. They would throw parties and all get drunk, where they would each take turns having fun with Hermione. They would rape her and molest her… and they would take turns doing it. They would get off from watching each other violate her, abuse and hurt her. Her cries were like a drug to them, a drug that they just couldn't get enough of. One that they just had to keep coming back for more of.

She balled her fists tightly at her sides as she fought back the burning sensation tickling the back of her throat to cry… thinking about those things was painful but unstoppable. Just remembering their faces so close to hers and their bodies ramming against hers… it made her sick. It made her ill and faint. But that was all over now. Ron was gone, the muggle world behind her, so she could go on with her life how she had always wanted to. Happy.

She slowed her pace as she made her way down the long hill ending just before the dark forest, where at the bottom sat a shabby yet so-inviting old hut that had once belonged to her dear friend and teacher, Hagrid. But Hagrid hadn't lived there for years, it now belonged to the new teacher for Care of Magical Creatures. The ex-super famous Bulgarian Quidditch player… Viktor Krum.

Hermione felt herself begin to tremble again as she made her way closer and closer to the softly illuminated hut before her. It looked quiet and peaceful inside, but she could see clearly how candles were lit through the windows, and so she knew it was not vacant, but quietly occupied.

Viktor was in there, she thought, probably resting his eyes or reading something light. Just enjoying the silence which came at the end of each day, as he always had when they were younger.

Hermione tightly wrapped her arms around herself as she closed in on the hut. She could feel herself trembling but by this point it really didn't matter, she looked a wreck no matter what she did. And if there was anyone who could see past her mask of what society wanted her to be, versus the real her, it was him. Or, at least it used to be.

She slowly brought her hand up to the thick wooden door and knocked softly three times, "Just a moment." She heard Viktor call from behind the wood.

Hermione stepped back a foot as she wound her arms back around herself, and she waited patiently, looking down at the steps beneath her as gentle footsteps sounded closer and closer towards the door. She inhaled a deep breath and readied herself for the moment that was about to happen.

"Ye-" He cut himself short as he looked onto the woman before him; trembling and near tears as she looked up at him with a quivering lip.

"I know its been a long time." Hermione stated hoarsely as she looked back down at the ground, "But I…" She didn't have time to find her words as Viktor wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly against his chest.

"I missed you." He told her softly as he slowly rocked them back and forth, "So... so much."

And that alone was enough.

Hermione wound her arms tightly around him and burst out in tears, being no longer able to control her strains to keep them back. She cried and cried and she cried hard, her shoulders bobbing up and down with each sob and her chest vibrating more and more fiercely with each fresh tear.

She loved Viktor, she always had. He was the one she had wanted to marry, not Ron. But due to circumstances, money, power and threats, it had been the redhead she married. Not the striking, tender, loving Bulgarian that now held her comfortingly in his arms.

"I missed you too Viktor," She wept against him, "I missed you so much."

After Viktor had calmed Hermione down enough to where she was able to walk, they made their way into Viktor's hut, and Hermione had cleaned herself off and changed into a set of his clothes. And they then sat across from each other, looking deeply into each other's eyes as Hermione told him of the exact reason why she had come back.

"And so here I am." She told him weakly, "I've nowhere to go. I haven't spoken to Harry or Neville or anyone for years, I tried but… he would always… I couldn't even talk to my own parents, so what would make me think I could speak to my friends?" She asked as she pulled her knees up tightly against her chest, "And then when I got your letter, all those years ago… I wanted so badly to write back. But I couldn't, I knew if I tried he'd find out. And he already hated you enough from taking me to the Yule Ball, so I knew telling him it was just fan mail was out of the question."

Hermione had told him about his friends too, about what they had done to her. Done to her over and over and over again. She spared no details with Viktor, as much as it hurt her and raged him, it didn't matter. He needed to know. He deserved to know.

"I vish… I could have been there for you." He told her simply, "To take you avay vith me and keep you safe. You shouldn't have gone through any of that, Hermione. Ron vas evil and sick, I never liked him from the first time I saw him." He whispered as he reached out to cup his hand around hers, "But know this, now that I have you, I am not going to let you go… I never should have in the first place." He said with guilt and regret clear in his voice.

"Viktor," She whispered softly, "It wasn't your fault." She told him.

"No?" He asked, "I should have married you, Hermione. I should have married you and taken you avay vith me. I should have protected you and loved you to the ends of the vorld." He told her, "But I didn't."

"Yeah," She agreed as she noticed the thick silver piece of jewelry on his left ring ringer, "I guess I was too late."

"Vhat?" He asked her as he looked up from the floor.

"You're wife. I'm sure she wouldn't approve of us being together." Hermione laughed softly, more through pain than anything.

Viktor, suddenly realizing what had caught Hermione's attention, looked down at his hand and slid off the ring and handed it to her, "I'm not married." He told her as set the ring in the palm of her small and fragile hand.

Hermione brought her eyebrows together as she looked down at the shiny ring before her: Forever Hermione's she read on the inside of the band.

"I made a promise to alvays love a girl a long time ago," He said softly as Hermione handed his ring back to him, "And a promise to alvays vait for her." He added as he slid the ring back onto his finger, "I love you, Hermione, I never stopped loving you. And I never stopped vaiting."

"Viktor," Hermione whispered through tears as she released her knees from her chest, "I love you, too!" She cried as Viktor pulled her into his chest, "I love you so much!" She told him as she wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

Hermione cried with small sobs as Viktor brought his head down to hers, "I love you," He said again before kissing her softly, she moaned into his mouth from sheer happiness and bliss as he kissed her again.

"I love you, Viktor," She told him between sweet tender kisses, "Only you," She told him, "Only ever you!" She cried as she wrapped her hands lovingly around his head as he tightened his arms protectively around her waist. He then pulled her up onto his lap and hugged her tight against his chest as their kiss deepened.

And they would stay like that: in love, happy, perfect and together… forever.

THE END