Viktor never thought he would be back to the Pirin Mountains; they had been a youthful dare when he was younger and his friends challenged him to climb to the top. Back then, they couldn't reach it because Master Karkaroff stopped them before they could cross the invisible line between hiking and climbing.
"I don't know how you can do this," Charlie said from behind him, panting with the effort of the climb. "I'm getting dizzy, Viktor"
Viktor turned with a smile in time to see Charlie sitting down on a rock after melting away the snow on it. He looked sick, with a green face and blue lips. Viktor's sarcastic response died on his lips and he went to Charlie's side, kneeling over the snow.
"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly. "You have khipotermiya. Didn't you cast the spells I taught you?"
As he asked, he waved his wand around Charlie until the spells were done. Charlie immediately got a red color to his cheeks, and Viktor felt relieved at that: it meant he was exhausted but not dying of cold.
"I cast them! I swear," Charlie told him. "I even charmed my canteen to keep the water nicely cool and not freezing."
Viktor nodded. "You're not used to this kind of magic," he told Charlie and kissed his forehead. "Maybe we should go down."
"No!" Charlie exclaimed. "I want to see the top."
Charlie grinned as he said those words, and Viktor loved how his own smile grew when he looked at him. He held Charlie's face close to his own and brought his lips to his. Charlie was warm now, and his lips were sweet.
"We are at the top, Charlie."
His eyes lit up and he laughed. "Who would say I'd get sick in this height after flying on brooms or dragons all my life!"
Viktor was amazed at Charlie and how he stood up, his face still somewhat green, to see the world from the top of Kutelo. Charlie's eyes were wide with awe, and Viktor loved him a little more for being so clearly in love with a place so significant for him.
"We should get a house here, Viktor" Charlie suggested, looking around to see if there was a suitable area. "Can you imagine us flying around here every day? I could even raise an ice dragon here!"