A/N: This is for the Professor Flitwick's Prompt of the Day Challenge. The prompt is "prize". For those familiar with my work, you may recognize the OC character. For nairiefairie. ~Rita
The Prize
Viktor Krum was in love. One couldn't tell by looking at him because he wore the same sour (some would call "brooding") expression, but when he looked at her, his breath actually caught in his lungs and he had to concentrate to breathe in and breathe out.
She would never know, he vowed, because she was unattainable. She was, dammit all, a happily married woman and, worse, she lived in America.
He'd met her for the first time when he went to Austin, Texas to visit his uncle, Dmitri Popov, who was head coach of the USA Quidditch League's Flying American Red Dragons, the only American Quidditch team ever to win the World Quidditch Cup. He remembered the day, hour, and second she introduced herself and her husband. Her name was Joanna Morgan-Kingsley. He didn't remember her husband, but he would never forget her.
She had a bit of a cross accent; American and something else. He found out later, she was Scottish/English and had attended Hogwarts. She'd played for the Irish National Quidditch Team after completing her education and was traded to the "All-Americans", a team that later became the Reds. She was feisty and swore like a sea hag, but there was more fire and spirit in her than any other woman he'd ever met.
Joanna no longer played for the Reds. After the birth of her second child, she took a coaching job with the reserve team. She joined Coach Popov, along with several coaches and executives representing the USA Quidditch League, on a mission to talk to Viktor into leaving Bulgaria and joining the USA Quidditch League.
League President, Gordon Tellez, was prepared to offer superstar Krum anything he wanted to come to America. He could play for any team or he could coach. It didn't matter, and Tellez was ready to throw a boat load of gold at him to entice him. What they didn't know, thought Viktor, as he smiled to himself.
They were all having a quiet dinner. Viktor sat next to his uncle, who wore the same "brooding" expression that he did. Popov probably spoke fewer than ten words the whole evening, but he was very perceptive. He could see what the others never would have guessed in a million years.
Coach Popov turned to Joanna, who was sitting beside him. Joanna was totally focused on getting the last bite of the delicious Bulgarian Rice Pudding that was being served for dessert.
"Joanna," Coach Popov said, pleasantly, causing her to jump in her seat. Popov was rarely in a talkative mood and was almost never pleasant. She respected and admired Popov and he was the real reason she wanted to coach. She spilled a bit of the rice pudding in her lap.
"Shit," she said under her breath, swiping her napkin on the glob of rice on her skirt. "Yes, sir?"
The corner of Viktor's mouth turned up slightly as he watched her tongue dart out discreetly to the side of her mouth capturing one of the small rose petal garnishes that missed her mouth when his uncle spoke to her.
"Trade seats with me so that you can convince my young nephew to come to America." Popov stood up and waited for Joanna. She was still wiping the spot on her skirt when she stood up and slipped in the seat next to Viktor.
"Hi," she said. "Sorry about the mess. Wow, this is a thrill for me." She blushed when he just stared at her, not speaking. She coughed. "Okay." She puffed out her cheeks and blew out a breath noisily. "So…"
Dmitri said something to Viktor in Bulgarian and Viktor reddened slightly.
"My apologies," he said finally. "My uncle tells me I'm being rude." He took her hand and, praying that he wouldn't start shaking and give himself away, kissed it formally. It took all his strength to release her hand.
"Oh, no," she said. "You're not being rude at all." She smiled at him. "I'm just trying to think of something I could do to talk you into joining the USA Quidditch League."
Viktor gave her a mysterious smile. "What you could do?" he asked. "Hmm, let me think." He pretended to think about it for a minute. "You could offer me some sort of prize, I suppose" he said teasingly.
Joanna snorted as she laughed loudly. She socked him on the shoulder playfully. "How about me? I'm a freakin' prize aren't I? She laughed again. Viktor ducked his head. She suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Not that I'm a prize or anything." Joanna was stuttering and her face was growing redder. "Prize cow, maybe." She tried to laugh, but it sounded hollow and unnatural.
This certainly didn't sound like the Joanna Viktor knew. She sounded unsure of herself. He looked at her and would have sworn she was about to burst into tears. He had to say something to her; reassure her someway that she might have been joking, but if Gordon Tellez had offered Joanna as part of a deal, he would be on his way to America before the sun rose.
She looked uncomfortable, and seemed to be relieved when Gordon walked up behind her.
"Well, Joanna, have you convinced Viktor here to sign with the League?" He stretched out his hand for him to shake.
Viktor reached for his hand. "Very close, Mr. Tellez, we were just discussing some of the perks. She's a smooth negotiator. She's made me an offer I find almost impossible to resist," he said, smiling at Joanna.
Joanna smiled back at him. Her eyes were sparkling with laughter; just like he remembered.
Gordon's eyes lit up hopefully. Joanna laughed. "Don't get excited, Gordon, but I think we're this close," she said pushing two fingers together close. "Just working out the details."
Gordon realized at that point that there really wasn't a deal going on and he felt a little foolish over his enthusiasm. If he could snare Viktor Krum, arguably the best Quidditch on the entire planet, the USA Quidditch League would be a global force to be reckoned with. The League already had the only USA team to win the World Quidditch Cup, and with Krum on board, they would be unstoppable.
"You know, Viktor," Gordon began. "We're prepared to offer you a lucrative deal as a player, of course, since you are the greatest seeker in the game, or if you decided to retire from playing, we would be honored for you to coach one of our teams."
Dmitri raised an eyebrow and grumbled in Bulgarian, "Not for the Reds, little nephew, unless you want to be assistant coach. And I have a seeker."
Viktor grinned broadly and nodded. "Yes, Uncle, you have a brilliant seeker and you are the best head coach in the world."
"Let's not forget that," he said gruffly, wagging his finger.
Gordon was smiling, but had no idea what Viktor and Dmitri were talking about. "So, we're good? Is there anything we can do for you this evening?"
Viktor slid a glance to Joanna, blushed a bit, but shook his head. "Not tonight, Mr. Tellez, but tomorrow, we talk; l take you all to meet my mother."
He did not want the evening to end. She was sitting next to him and trying to engage him in conversation, but there was that brooding stare of his. He wanted her to stay, but he refused to give his heart away.
"You don't talk much do you?" she asked finally after what seemed like her tenth attempt to start a conversation.
He smiled and shook his head.
"My husband says I talk too much," she said. Viktor frowned. He didn't want her talking about her husband.
"He's right, of course," she continued. " I grew up in a very loud household and if you didn't speak up, you didn't get heard. I've never been accused of hiding my light under a, uh, whatever you hide light under." She was turning red again; he utterly frustrated her. He stared at her like she was some kind of alien species he couldn't decide if he wanted to kill or run away from.
He leaned in very close to her. His expression didn't change. "I think you are hiding something."
Joanna leaned away from him, horrified. She was about to say something when they were interrupted by a melody coming from her pocket. Her expression went blank as she dug a small hand-held device out of her pocket. "Excuse me," she whispered, standing up and putting the thing to her ear. She walked away from the table talking to herself.
Viktor looked at his uncle questioningly. Dmitri laughed. "It is a muggle thing. It's called a cellular phone. People talk each other with it."
Viktor stared at him blankly.
"Most American wizards interact more with muggles than they do here. Oh, we keep the secret, but we're very adaptable. Muggle ingenuity is quite handy."
He looked at his uncle skeptically. He stayed away from all things muggle. That was one world he didn't feel he belonged.
Joanna returned about five minutes later. Her face was flush and she looked like she was about to cry. "Sorry about that," she said.
"Everything all right?" Dmitri asked. He obviously knew what was going on with her, which frustrated Viktor.
She shook her head. "Same old shit. Justine, my nanny; she's upset. Oh, it doesn't matter," Joanna said. She picked up her wine glass and took a long drink.
"Your children are all right?" Viktor asked.
"Yes, they're fine. I wish I had brought them, but I thought Jordan needed some bonding time. Maybe remind him…sorry."
He refused to acknowledge her husband. As far as his fantasies were concerned; there was no husband.
"Coach," Joanna said sadly, "why did you hire that bitch?"
Dmitri's expression did not change. "It was your recommendation, Joanna. Don't blame me."
"Thanks for reminding me."
Viktor looked confused. What were they talking about? Joanna looked at his expression and shook her head. "I'm having a little husband trouble," she said honestly. She blushed again. "You don't need to be bothered by my personal problems. I'm sorry."
Before he could stop himself, Viktor blew out a loud breath. "Your husband is an idiot."
Joanna gave a startled laugh. "True."
Joanna got real quiet after that and Viktor, having no idea what to say, picked up his wine glass and drank its contents in one gulp. He slammed the glass on the table harder than he wanted to, but the glass did not shatter. He motioned Gordon over and stood up as the man approached.
"The prospects are looking brighter and brighter for a move to America," he said. "What do you have available?"
Dmitri's eyebrows shot up and he gave his nephew an amused look. Gordon had the goofiest look on his face, and Joanna smiled broadly.
"Wonderful!" Gordon gushed. "Oscar Bland, owner of the California Spinners is looking for a new head coach. Ernie Lebowitz is going to retire."
Viktor nodded and thought about it for a moment. "California."
"Don't forget Florida," Malcolm Bryant of the Florida Wizard Co-op, one of the owners of the Florida Everglades said quickly. "We desperately need a seeker."
"But," Oscar Bland interjected, "I thought Mr. Krum was looking to coach, not play."
Viktor turned to Joanna and grinned. "Look," he said. "I'm becoming very popular."
"You always were; that's why we're here," she answered.
"And, Joanna, what would you have me do? Where shall I go?"
She was playing along now and she had no idea why the idea of Viktor Krum coming to America gave her such a thrill. He was a superstar, even bigger than her best friend, Charlie Weasley, and of course she'd be happy if the USA League signed him, but there was something else there; something she just couldn't quite put her finger on.
"What about it, Uncle?" He asked quickly, pulling his gaze from Joanna.
Popov looked like he was rolling several ideas around in his head. "You should retire from playing and you should coach. I'd recommend the reserves for a few years, then maybe when you're ready, go to the Bigs."
Viktor laughed. "You just don't want to play against me," he said. "But, you have a point."
"I know," his uncle said.
"Okay," he said.
"I'm afraid, nephew, you're not going to get the prize you want," Dmitri said in Bulgarian.
He shrugged. "Maybe not now, but I'm patient man. I can wait."
Dmitri slapped his nephew on the back and winked at Joanna. "You are a good negotiator," he said to her.
Joanna looked confused. "I didn't do anything," she insisted.
"You'd be surprised," he said. "Now let's go celebrate."