Hermione hadn't seen Viktor in weeks because of his Quidditch commitments, and this agitated her every now and then, because it made her wonder if he still loved her. But then again, it wasn't entirely his fault since she also spent most of her time working at the British Ministry of Magic doing paperwork and investigations. And now he was finally sitting in front of her, looking mysteriously into her light brown eyes with his dark chocolate ones. It was Valentine's day.
"Hi, Viktor..." she breathed out, suddenly blushing by just saying his name.
She broke eye contact for a moment to look down at her lap, wondering why on earth she had gotten Viktor a present. After all, she wasn't one of those 'romantic' types that did all sorts of things for her lover. She had gotten Viktor a Breitling Navitimer to keep track of the time... and the amount of time they spent apart... It was funny in a sense but she really did want him to know, because she hurt a lot when they were apart.
She looked back at Viktor and smiled as he continued to look at her quietly- which was very typical and usual for him.
"It's for you..." Hermione mumbled, picking up the box on her lap. She placed it in front of him slowly... carefully... "Happy Valentine's day."
He smiled at her. A small smile. "Thank you."
Hermione blushed, waiting for him to reciprocate the exchange. But he didn't. Instead, he opened her gift box and looked inside with a smiled.
"It's a vatch."
She nodded.
"Thank you. I haff been thinking of getting one."
"Yeah?"
"Yes."
He then leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I haff got to go now. To vork. See you tonight."
And then he was gone.
A sudden emptiness filled Hermione up as she looked at the empty seat in front of her. It was Valentine's day today but... it felt like the worst day of her life. Did Viktor even care about her?
...
She sighed as she stared at her clock. It was thirty minutes to twelve. Valentine's day was almost over. A small tear fell down her damp cheek, and she brushed it off with the back of her wet hand, wondering if she was going to have any tears left to cry. She had been crying periodically the whole day and had been crying straight through the past hour.
Was Viktor going to get her a present at all? She thought. Wasn't he going to do anything for her? Ever since they got back together again after the war, he had done 'some things' for her, like getting her a rose or a box of chocolate. Even the smallest of things would do, she thought. Did you not care about her anymore? He was ignoring her lately...
There was a sudden 'crack', causing her to bolt into a straight sitting position on the sofa she was on. Her eyes widened as she saw a dark figure in front of her and she pulled the blanket that she had wrapped around her closer to her.
"Vho turned the lights off?" Viktor mumbled quietly. "Hermione? Are you still avake?"
"I'm here." Hermione sniffled, regretting admitting she was.
"Lumos."
She saw a glow in front of her, emanating from Viktor's wand. She saw the small smile on his face turn upside down as he caught sight of her.
"Your dinner's on the table. " Hermione muttered. "It's cold."
"Hermione? Vhat's the matter? Vhy are you crying? You look avful."
She shook her head. "It's nothing. And thanks for the honesty."
He frowned as he sat next to her, pulling her onto his lap. He stroke her cheek and placed a kiss on her forehead.
They sat silently for a while, and Hermione wondered if this was all he was going to do for her. Cuddle through the last twenty-five minutes of Valentine's day. Romantic in a sense with the small light from his wand, but it just wasn't enough for Hermione. After all, she had already felt really bad the whole day.
"This is for you." he suddenly said, placing a photo album on her lap. "You thought that I vasn't going to do anything for you, right?" He paused for a moment. "Effen if I am not too romantic, I am not that cruel. A pretty young voman like you should be pampered and spoiled vith gifts! I'm sorry I couldn't do too much for you."
She smiled softly as she heard his words, a joyful tear sliding down her cheek.
"Go on, open it." he said, excitedly. "Let's look through it together."
With Viktor's wand as a source of light, Hermione flipped to the first page and saw a moving photo of Viktor running laps around a Quidditch pitch. 'Day 1. Training for a big game! I'm already fit and everything, but my coach says I have to run to keep my image. I miss you already!' was written just below the photograph. Looking at the date, it was the first day since they parted a couple of weeks back when he had left to take part in some big European Quidditch tournament.
She flipped the page and saw a photo of Viktor drinking at a pub with his Quidditch team. 'Day 2. I only drank six! I promise! No more as I promised you. And there are no women allowed in here. I told the coach so.'
As she flipped on and on, she realised that it was a 'photographic diary' of Viktor's days without her, showing all the things he had done. She began to feel warm inside and laughed as she saw a photo of Viktor sticking the middle finger at his teammate who had probably taken the photo for waking him up so early in the morning. 'Day 35. Time for press conference and photo shoot and interview and promotion and many other things... I'm so tired!'
"That vas me not shoving any manners..." Viktor chuckled. "I think ve should scrap this bit."
Hermione slapped his hand. "No! Keep it in here. You look adorable- for some strange reason. You're hair is all disheveled and you haven't got a shirt on... yum. Very sexy, Viktor."
Viktor chuckled. "I know right?"
She rolled her eyes at his rare shows of vanity and giggled slightly when he placed a kiss on her neck.
She gasped when she got to the last page. It showed a photo of Viktor holding a diamond ring in his hand. He was wearing the watch she had given him. It must have been taken today, she thought.
'Day 46. Hermione, I have been in love with you ever since I first saw you at the World Cup, and ever since we went to the Yule Ball together, I felt that maybe you are the one. And I realise that you are. I want to have a family with you and be the one to make you happy and pick you up when you are down. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And even if time breaks or vanishes, I swear you are the only one for me. Hermione, will you marry?'
Hermione turned to face Viktor and gasped once more when she saw the same ring in between his fingers. The glow of the light from his wand made the diamond emanate a silvery white colour.
"Hermione, I'm sorry I upset you spending almost all my time vith Quidditch. But I am villing to drop it for you. I'll do anything to make you happy. I don't vant to sound desperate or anything but don't you agree six years is long enough? Vill you marry me?"
She was speechless for a moment as a thought came to her. She had been wrong about the fact that he didn't love her at all... he had spent everyday thinking about her just as she had during their time apart. And now the ring in front of her? She shut her mouth as she realised the way it was open made her look like a fish.
"Yes! Viktor! Yes!"
She jumped on top of him and smiled as she found herself lying on his body. She held her breath as he placed the ring in between her fingers and felt a sudden emotion come into her as she realised seriously what the ring meant.
"I can't believe we're engaged." she suddenly muttered. "Did you get permission from my parents?"
"You don't need to ask. Mr. Sexy's got his permission. Vhat kind of gentleman am I if I haffen't?"
She chuckled. "And your parents, Mr. Sexy?"
He raised an eyebrow. "They knew I vas and am head offer heels offer you effer since the Yule Ball. They gave me their permission all the vay back then. They knew I couldn't live vithout you."
"And the two years we spent apart? You know we weren't exactly 'together' back in my fourth year."
"You mean vhen you vere vith that Veasley?" he asked, crinkling his nose as if he had smelt something bad.
She nodded.
"Vell... let's just say that vas the vorst two years of my life. It showed in my game performances. I had to take a year and a half off from Quidditch."
She sighed as she pressed her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. It was beating rather rapidly.
"My heart still beats like that vheneffer I'm vith you." Viktor muttered. "I honestly don't think I'm effer going to get used to it. It's like falling in loff vith you all offer again vhen I'm vith you."
"Same here." She said.
"I just vant you to know that I loff you."
"Me too."
"Hermione, vill you marry me?"
"I already told you! Yes!"
"I vas just checking."
A/N Happy Valentine's day everyone! Hope you liked this!