Hermione watched as Viktor came back to the table with two dessert plates. She wasn't surprised to find him great company, just that he could be, given his circumstances. His last letter had talked about his last girlfriend breaking up with him. She had been seeing someone else and was pregnant. She broke things off with Viktor to be with the other guy. She watched him sit down and start in on his dessert.

"I wish there was something I could do. I feel so bad for you," she said having a bite of her baked pear.

"Just having your company helps. I don't feel so lonely. How are your friends enjoying their holiday?"

"You ask me that every day. I suppose they're fine."

"You have not posted them since arriving?"

"I posted Harry when I arrived."

"And the other one, your boyfriend?"

"Ron is NOT my boyfriend. We're friends just like you and I are."

"I don't think he thinks so."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked feigning interest.

"He doesn't like me, at all. The only reason two men cannot get along is because of a woman."

"Ron," she began, "has a great heart and believes that because you were competing against Harry he shouldn't like you." She looked intently at her dessert as she spoke.

"You can lie to yourself but not to me. We are friends and I know he means more to you than I do."

"We've been friends longer, been through more. That's all it is."

"Because you want it that way," Viktor said looking at her as she stared into her dessert.

"Because that's the way it is," Hermione said quietly. She looked down at her empty plate. She had kissed Ron during the Battle. He had kissed her back. The way he held her had felt real. She thought something was going to come of it but it didn't. She had thought…

"Hermione, tell him how you feel!"

"I did already," she said a few tears threatening to fall, "I did. I kissed him and he kissed me but since then he hasn't said a word or done anything to make me think that things have changed between us."

"Have you had time to talk?" Viktor leaned back in his chair waiting for her answer.

"Well, I guess not. There was always someone around then I came here…"

"You haven't been alone with him in over 9 months?"

"There was post war stuff and my parents have been really crazy about me spending more time at home and I…I'm scared to go back to the Burrow. With Fred gone and everything else…"

"You cannot hide from him forever, Hermione. If he is really your friend you need to do something before you have another situation like before."

"Before?" Hermione asked confused.

"The girl with the flower name that you wrote me about that he was dating. You were upset then about him being with someone else. Now that he is famous war hero…"

"Lavendar."

"Yes. I remember when reading your letters then that you had stronger feelings for him than you would admit."

"I told you, he's not interested."

"And as a man, I'm telling you he is. He was ready to kill me when he saw you slip me the piece of paper with your address. The fact that I kissed you made his whole face turn red and he looked mad enough to kill."

"He's just being Ron."

"To you, he is 'just Ron' but to other women he is famous warrior."

"What if he doesn't like me? What if…" Viktor cut her off.

"What if you just talked to him and get all this out in the open?"

"I can't."

"The Hermione that I have become friends with is fearless. She faced down Death Eaters and came as close to a fight with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as the famous Harry Potter. As the American's say, you the shit, girl."

Hermione laughed at his statement. Her father had said as much to her before begging her to spend a little more time at home while she still could. He wanted to get to know this 'amazing woman' that his daughter had grown up to be. She couldn't say no to her father. The look in his eyes said it all.

"Well it would appear that since the defeat of old Voldy, she been on extended vacation."

"She's right here in front of me. Hermione, you are my friend and I want you to be happy. I know that he would make you happy if you would just let him."

"I'm happy here, visiting with you."

"Yes, but I see you when you think I am not paying you attention. You're eyes are sad and I hate that look in your eyes."

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine but I'm tired of arguing with you tonight. You make me weary worrying for you. I will miss you when you leave tomorrow. You will still write me, yes?"

"As long as you want me to."

"We will go for breakfast before you leave. Good night, then," Viktor said standing from the table and retiring to the room he had slept in since Hermione arrived.

Hermione stood picking up both plates and walking to the sink filled with dishes. She pointed her wand "Eleo". She left the dishes to wash as she moved through the kitchen to his living room where she sat.

She was so surprised when she received Viktor's letter asking her to come for a short visit. She was even more surprised when they spent her first night just talking the night away. She listened to him telling her what had transpired between him and his ex and was surprised at how okay he was with everything. He had just wanted to see a friendly face and have some company when he invited her to visit and she was happy to oblige. Truthfully, after everything that had happened she rarely liked to be left alone anymore. It gave her too much time to think, like now.

Hermione wasn't sure what to make of things between her and Ron or of anything else for that matter. It wasn't until Viktor brought it up that she had realized that since returning home from the war, she and Ron had yet to spend a moment alone. Perhaps she wasn't really in the dark about things between them. Still, she desperately loved him. She knew it to the depths of her soul. There were too many moments to count where she was terrified of losing him, beginning first year on that damn chessboard. She was utterly terrified that he may not feel the same way. It was starting to be more than she thought she could handle.

Then there was the knowing of they would never be a set again. That was always what she thought of Fred and George, a matching set. Not just because they looked alike but because they were the true definition of yin and yang. Though they both loved playing practical jokes and often at poor Ron's expense, George was the more serious of the two and Fred the complete jokester. Who would make her laugh now? Who would match George's set? She remembered more than a few times thinking that Angelina had been bucking for the job since Fred's death. Though she liked her former schoolmate, she was a little thrown by it all. Hermione fell asleep on the couch with thoughts of everyone, including Ginny and Harry running through her mind.

She was awakened the next morning by Viktor as he huffed his way through the apartment looking for his equipment for practice. When she popped her head up from the couch, Viktor stopped shocked.

"I did not realize you were awake or on the couch."

"I wasn't," she said groggily. She rubbed her eyes then reached her hand up to her head, "Holy Christmas! My head must be frightening."

"You are still pretty, Hermione," Viktor said heading back to the guest room.

She smiled at Viktor's comment then a laugh erupted from her. She could hear Ron telling her how ridiculous she was being worrying about her hair when it was always frizzy and out of place. Though she had learned a few charms from Parvati to keep it a bit tamer, he always seemed to have one complaint or another. She did miss him horribly and decided that she would be brave Hermione and go directly to the Burrow before going home. She wanted this, whatever it was between them, settled once and for all.

She walked into Viktor's room packing her things but leaving out all she needed to get dressed. When she heard Viktor's labored steps retreating from the bathroom she gathered what she had left out. Within forty-five minutes they were both ready to leave for breakfast. Hermione had her bag, Viktor his equipment. They apparated to the center of town where Viktor led her to a cozy bed and breakfast.

"Viktor!" The woman greeted him by enveloping in the greatest hug Hermione had ever seen while kissing him on his cheeks.

"Hermione," he said backing out of her embrace, "this is my mother, Alina."

Hermione smiled at her and protruded a hand in a friendly gesture. She was greatly surprised when she found herself being embraced in warm, welcoming arms. The feel of it was unbelievable. For the first time in her life, Hermione was homesick, just not for her own home.