A/N: This is a very very very belated birthday gift for Clover Bay. I hope you'll like this, lady, because Viktor inspires me, too *wink*
Huge thank you to AllShadesOfGrey and MrsFredWeasley21xx for being awesome betas for a non-native like me.
The usual: I can only dream about owning anything HP. They all belong to JKR.
The sound of the Floo activating in the kitchen made Hermione puff out a breath of relief. Now she would have a backup.
"Hermione? I'm home!" Her husband's voice sounded urgent and worried.
It wasn't any wonder; she must have worried him with her Patronus-sent-message. Besides, she very rarely left work early, and today was extra early, so she was forced to sign it as a sick-day. Boy, was she sick with worry when an owl swooped into her office and brought her a request to come to the kindergarten and pick up her daughter early.
Upon arriving, out of her skull with worry, she was met with her daughter's scowling face, an irritated and frazzled looking Miss Morton and a wailing Scorpius Malfoy. Teacher didn't know what happened, Rose wouldn't tell, and Scorpius claimed she attacked him for no reason, or that was the only thing discernible between his wails. Hermione cringed again at the thought of Astoria's reaction when she came to pick up her son. As luck would have it, she managed to avoid either Malfoy parent today, but she wouldn't be surprised to have a Floo call later, at the very least.
"In the living room!" she answered. Their five year old was still scowling, refusing to talk and refusing to even look at her mother.
"What happened?" Viktor entered and his brow furrowed when he took in his daughter's posture and Hermione's 'I'm at my wit's end' face.
"I don't know!" she threw her hands in the air. "I was called urgently from work by Miss Morton, and what I saw in kindergarten does not make any sense! Their teacher doesn't know how it started or why, but she was forced to physically remove our daughter from a beaten up and wailing Scorpius Malfoy! And she was the one beating three types of wind out of him!"
Viktor's jaw dropped and he looked incredulously at his wife. "What?"
"Is that the best you can do? A "what"? Your darling princess has beaten a boy at the day care! And she won't even tell me why! She won't talk to me at all!" Unexpectedly, tears stung in the corners of her eyes. What was happening with her baby girl? She was always so sweet a child, evenly tempered like her father, her curiousity tempered by her shyness.
A hand lay at her shoulder and she looked away from her daughter's red face into her husband's dark eyes. "Why don't you go and make us all some hot chocolate, with lots of cream and maybe even add some sprinkles?"
Hermione thought of telling him off for dismissing her but desisted, knowing what he was doing was right. Their daughter loved her, but absolutely adored her father. If she refused to talk to her mother, maybe her beloved Bashta would have more luck. Nodding, she turned around and as she was leaving the room, she saw Viktor crouching before Rose and asking "Will you talk to me, Printsesa?"
"Oh, Bashta!" their little girl cried, throwing herself in his arms. Hermione sighed, relieved. It would be alright. She left them to their talk, moving to the kitchen, busying herself with preparing hot chocolate the old fashioned way, knowing that in the end her husband would tell her what was it was all about and decide with her about the punishment. Well, Rose had to be punished, right? It's not like her little one ever behaved badly and thus earning more than an occasional time-out in the corner for causing mischief, but this was different. Her lips quirked up despite her worry, remembering herself when she was much older than Rose, slapping the exact same looking blond boy for offence. Her hand paused mid-air in reaching for the whipped cream in the cooler. Could it be that it was something youngest Malfoy caused? Rose was not the type to be selfish about her toys, and she adored Scorpius. What could it be? She was truly, honest to goodness, baffled.
"Mummy?" Little voice sounded behind her back and she turned around to see the bush of black locks on Viktor's shoulder. Easy, now, mama, she told herself. "Yes, sweetheart?"
Little Rose raised her head and Hermione felt pang for noticing the tear tracks down her little chubby cheeks. "I am sorry for being a bad girl and not telling you what happened, but I cant not."
"Couldn't." Hermione absentmindedly corrected her.
"Yes, that."
"And are you sorry for what you did to Scorpius?"
The answer stunned her, in both the answer itself and the vehement manner it was made in. "No. He deserved it."
Irritation sparked in her. "Rose…"
"Hermione." Her husband interrupted. "You are both right, vŭzlyubena. Rose was right to stand up to Scorpius, but she agrees she shouldn't have used her fists for it. Isn't it right, Printsesa?"
Small head reluctantly nodded. "I am sorry, Mama."
"Alright, that will do for now. Why don't you go upstairs with your Daddy for a chocolate and a nap?" Rose nodded, burrowing her head back in her father's neck, sniffling softly.
Be right back, her husband mouthed. She nodded and watched them go. She busied herself puttering around the kitchen, not really knowing whether to start something for lunch or rather to put a tea kettle on, when Viktor came down, looking haggard. "She's asleep. All this exhausted her."
Sitting down the table, Hermione finally voiced her question. "Viktor, what exactly happened there?" Her husband's face suddenly looked like a storm cloud.
"Do you remember our summer dinner with my whole family clan last year in Sofia?"
She nodded, grimacing. "Yes, well, it is quite unforgettable event."
"Do you remember what we had to explain the meaning of to Rose?"
Her jaw unhinged. "But … but… But why…"
Viktor nodded grimly. "Exactly. Rose was incensed at the insult of it, whether it was aimed at you or not. And I'd wager Scorpius didn't even realize the meaning of it, he quite innocently asked Rose why was her mommy dirty. When asked what does he mean, he said he heard her mommy was a Lady Mudblood."
Her head dropped in her hands. "And Rose, now fully knowing just how bad that word is, jumped at him."
"That about sums it up, yes."
"I thought Draco has changed." Suddenly, she was miserable. For Rose, for Scorpius, for their friendship with the Malfoys.
"So did I, love." They sat in silence for a while, when the fireplace roared green and Draco Malfoy's tired and grim face showed in the flames. "Hermione? Vik? Are you home?"
"What do you want, Mr Malfoy?" Hermione's words were clipped. She couldn't quite control herself, mostly because this offence hurt so much more with being on friendly terms with Draco and Astoria to date. Ever since the Battle of Hogwarts, and Draco's sincere apology, followed by his more than improved behaviour, Krums thought they really had friends in the younger Malfoys. Even Ron admitted Draco was a decent human being since the trial.
"Merlin, Hermione, it's not me you want to bash his head into the table."
That stopped her. "What do you mean?" she asked carefully.
"May we all come through?" Astoria's tired voice sounded somewhere behind Draco. Sharing a look with Viktor, Hermione called "You may. Vŭvedete."
Her eyebrows rose to her hairline when small blond head barreled into her lap, followed by a tearful child voice. " I am sorry, Aunt 'Mione! I am so sorry! I didn't know it was a bad word! Papa told me it was a bad word, but I didn't know when I told Rosie! A big man said that you are Lady Krum and Granfa said no, you are lady Mudblood! I asked Rosie why are you called that and not Krum, like she and Unca Vic are, and …" tears were already slipping down his cheeks, earnest grey eyes pleading with her. Her heart trembled for the little guy.
"Shh, Scorpius, it's alright."
"I am very very very very sorry!" the child cried.
She hoisted him onto her lap, waving to Viktor to take care of Draco and Astoria. "Hush now, it's alright. It was not your fault."
"Mama said I must say I am sorry to you and to Rosie and to uncle Vik. Are you still mad at me?"
"No," she whispered, now already fighting her own tears at his anguish and hugging him tightly. "No, little Prince, I am not mad at you, I was never mad at you. Rosie was, but she will understand when you say you're sorry, it was not your fault. She's asleep now, but you'll tell her you're sorry later, and everything will be alright, I promise." The child beamed through his tears at her and then sagged in her arms, exhaustedly murmuring "Okay" and was asleep in seconds. Looking up, she smiled hesitantly at Draco, who tentatively returned the smile.
"I'm sorry…"
"No, Hermione, we are sorry. If..." he gulped but braved on "if you wish to press charges against Lucius, we will support you. He has gone too far."
Stroking blond head on her shoulder, Hermione shook her head. "No, I won't do it, but only because Scorpius would miss him. But you may tell him that the MLE will make the word Taboo."
Astoria contemplated this. "Will you?"
Hermione shook her head. "Not yet, but we were seriously discussing it with Kingsley. In case we do, a punishment will be a fine of so much money that it will make even his head spin. But he doesn't need to know it. Tell him a word will be a Taboo, and it will be placed on both spoken and written word, and punishment will be Azkaban."
Draco wore a frightening grin. "Deal. He caused my boy so much anguish, not to mention bruises, that I'm already delighting in watching him squirm."
Viktor cleared his throat while pouring them all Earl Grey. "About the bruises, Rosie is sorry, you know."
Astoria waved it away. "It is alright. Scorpius didn't know the meaning of the word, but I'm guessing Rose did." Both of them nodded. "In that case, I'm glad it was just fists. Imagine if Rose had an angry magical outburst."
Draco nodded. "There is that. In any case, it will never happen again and I'm glad we have this sorted out."
Astoria smiled. "Glad to have this all settled. I think it's time to go. We'll have tea some other time, when the children are rested. " Standing up, she reached to pick up her sleeping son from Hermione's arms when a tiny voice stopped them.
"I'm sorry, too." Looking around four adults saw that Rose was standing in the doorway, her chin trembling a little. Hermione fought between irritation at Rose for sneaking down and apparently listening to their conversation and relief that her girl first handedly witnessed how distressed Scorpius was. Hearing proof that he really didn't know and couldn't mean anything bad by repeating what he heard from his elders seemed to mellow Rose's ire . "I didn't know Scorpius didn't know it was a bad word. May I tell him I am sorry, too?"
Astoria nodded. "Of course, sweetheart."
Rose approached her mother and gently shook her playmate awake. "Scorpie?"
The child opened slowly his puffy eyes and smiled, still half asleep. "Hi, Rosie." Then he seemed to register where he is and his eyes widened.
"I'm sorry!" both children cried at the same time.
"I didn't know…"
"I didn't know you didn't know…"
They tried to talk at the same time while the adults watched, amused. At the end, Scorpius clambered down from Hermione's lap and threw his arms around Rose. "Sorry, Rosie."
She sniffled. "I'm sorry, too. Friends?"
The boy beamed. "Bestest!"
The adults laughed at that and the Malfoys prepared to leave. Hermione heard Viktor murmur to Draco. "I'm sorry for thinking it was you who he had learned it from."
Draco's lips turned into a wry smile. "Well, he did learn it in our home, so you weren't that far off the mark. But please, little more of the benefit of the doubt for whatever happens next and causes us all anguish?"
Viktor nodded and clapped the younger man on a shoulder. "So, the Tornadoes – Canons match next Friday?"
Before the women reacted, the kids groaned in unison, in perfect imitation of their mothers: "Qudditich!" and then promptly burst into giggles.
After seeing the Malfoys out and putting Rose in the bed for her afternoon nap, Krums lounged on the sofa in their sitting room.
"Viktor?"
"Yes, vŭzlyubena?"
"Thank you for backing me up."
Her husband hugged her more firmly. "Well, it's what parents do, isn't it? Keeping each other's backs, is that the expression?"
Hermione smiled into his shoulder. "Yes, it is. But I meant more than just today. For that dinner in Sofia, as well."
Strong fingers lifted her chin and she was looking into black eyes full of love. "I could never do any less. You and Rose are the most important things in my life. My clan could go hang, for all I care if they don't accept you."
She bit her lip. "Is there place in your heart for one more person?" She watched him furrow his brows in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I was thinking… Rose is such a perfect blend of us both, isn't she?" Her eyes twinkled.
"Da, i?"
"I want a brother for Rose."
His eyes lit up. "Do you mean it, love?"
She nodded, smiling. He returned the smile, leaning in to kiss her. "Well, then, we'd better get started, before Rose gets up, don't we?"
As she kissed her husband, her last coherent thought was that life wasn't perfect, but it sure is good to live it.
Bulgarian to English:
Vŭzlyubena – beloved
Bashta – Daddy
Printsesa – Princess
vŭvedete – enter
da – yes
I - and