Chapter 2: What eyes can't see

-Good morning, Mrs. Krum – the butler said, making a bow. She smiled at the small man, who looked at her suspiciously. It was the first night since she married Viktor that she didn't spent with him, under the same roof. Anyways, she preferred the Squib's reproaching look rather than a houselve at the house.

She walked through the large door inside the big mansion, hoping it was big enough to hide her fear.

-Good morning, Mrs. Krum- this time was the maid who greeted her, taking her cloak and extending her arms, looking at the kid in her arms lovingly- Do I take Artie to his room?

Hermione shook her head and stared at the maid, who looked back at her, a bit confused.

-Are you alright, Mrs. Krum?

-I'm everything but alright, Berta –She finally said as she stared at her son, who was playing with the hem of her blouse. He had been quiet the whole time since they walked out of The Burrow, just as he knew that something bad was going on. How could she ever think of the possibility of telling the truth? They both had their lives now, and things were better that way.- Is the Mister at home?

-He hasn't left the living room since you left, mistress – there was certain undertone of concerning in the maid that alarmed Hermione.

-Thanks Berta. I'm taking Artie to his room by my own, so you can go now- she told the maid as she walked towards the living room, afraid of she was about to find.

There was he, looking clumsier than ever, walking around the living room with his eyes on the floor. He had a snitch in his right hand and played with it, running the small golden ball through his fingers. Hermione sighed in relief as she saw him, and a small smile appeared across her face. Viktor, paler than ever looked from the floor to her and Artie, and every sign of fear disappeared of his face. Artie looked at him as Hermione put him on the floor, with a big smile.

-Viktor! – The boy screamed as he ran towards him, giggling. The big man took him in his arms and stared at him, still not believing what he was seeing.

-I couldn't Viktor. I swear I tried, but I just…-She looked at her husband, who had his eyes on the little boy that now played with the snitch, happiness all over their faces – He showed up there. And when I saw him, all that determination I had disappeared.

-Nitch!- Artie yelled as he dropped the winged ball on the floor. Viktor put him on the floor again and looked as the kid played with the snitch. Then he looked at Hermione with kindness in his eyes.

-I vas so afraid Hermione- Though his english had improved a lot, she still could hear that foreign accent sometimes– I thought you vouldn't come back. I thought he vouldn't come back – He looked at Artie that now followed the snitch all over the place.

-I told you I was coming back, no matter what- she sighed as the flashes of her visit to The Burrow popped into her head –I just…needed some time. So I spent the night with my parents.

He took a seat and looked around. The walls of the fancy living room were full of pictures of Artie in different stages of his short life, moving, wheeping, smiling or kissing Hermione's cheek.

-So you couldn't tell them- He said calmly, thinking about the past three months- We moved to London, I haff to leave my old work and get a nev one here…and you didn't tell them – He laughed, shaking his head –You're unbelievable sometimes, Hermione.

Hermione took a seat in front of him and stayed silent for a while.

-I'm telling them Viktor, they deserve to know.

-How could they possibly not knov?- He asked her, looking as Artie walked towards his mother, tired of following the snitch – They did see him, didn't they?

Hermione thought for a moment, the look lost in her child. His cheeks were pink and his forehead was sweated, things that made him look even more like his father.

-Sometimes we just see what we want to see- she responded, caressing her kid's cheek and finally taking the blue cap out of his head, releasing his red curls from its prison. He smiled at her and looked around with his big blue eyes, looking for the snitch again.

-Mom! Nitch! – He said excitedly, pointing at the snitch that fluttered over their heads.

They both looked as Artie jumped all over the room, and for a moment his giggles were the only thing that filled the deathly silence.

-I know I was the one who didn't do the right thing, but I'm afraid-Hermione confessed, looking at Viktor -There's still that part of me that doesn't want to tell them.

He realized that she held her son's cap with apprehension and immediately understood what she meant.

-They von't take him away from you, if it's that vhat scares you- Viktor sounded secure of himself, like he would die before Artie was taken away from them-I won't let that happen.

She simply shook her head. Artie had left the persecution of the snitch and now tried to reach for the sneakoscope that laid on the table.

-I know Viktor, but you didn't see their faces. They were so happy to see me. How do you think they will react if I tell them that I've been hiding Artie all this time?

-So you're scared of them hating you- He reasoned, finally understanding his wife – well, if they don't want you, I'm still here. I've been here the whole time.

Hermione smiled at him, remembering the moment when she appeared at his house three years ago, asking him for a place to spend the summer.

-I don't know what I would have done without you, Viktor- she said honestly, taking his hands in hers.

-Hey, vhat are friends for?- he said happily, smiling at her as he squeezed her hand. Hermione was sure that no one had ever seen him smile like she had every day since Artie was born.

She laughed. The sound of something heavy hitting the floor made them look at Artie that now watched as the sneakoscope rolled, giggling and mumbling intelligible words

-Surely they're not for pretending they're your kid's fathers – She said smiling as she walked towards his son and took him in her arms. Viktor took his wand and put the sneakoscope over the table again.

-I am his father, Hermione. You knov that I can't live without him- he was honest and she knew it. The boy she was holding in her arms meant the whole world for both of them.

-And you know he loves you- She stared at him, trying to find the right words - I'm so sorry Viktor, but I have to do this. I don't want him to hate me because I didn't tell him the truth. I don't want my son to become in something he's not because of me. He has to know that his family loves him, and that it was my fault they couldn't show him their love before.

-Stop blaming yourself, Herms. We both knov that he has the fault too. What he did to you is just…

-Ron didn't do anything to me- she interrupted him abruptly, looking away from him- He just didn't love me. I couldn't force him to do it.

-But he made you believe he did. That makes him responsible for vhat happened too.

She simply shook her head.

-I shouldn't have left to Bulgaria, though I didn't know I was pregnant by then- she shuddered at the memory of the moment she found out she was pregnant, but immediately came back to reality -I should have stayed and face the truth.

Viktor didn't say anything. He just kept looking as Artie escaped from his mother's arms and ran towards the table where the sneakoscope was. He barely knew Ron Weasley, but it was undeniable that he and Artie were very alike. The kid's curls moved up and down in every direction as he tried to take the sneakoscope again.

-How do you think he vill react? – Viktor suddenly asked, feeling for the first time that he wasn't Artie's father.

Hermione looked at him puzzled. He cleared his throat.

-Ronald Weasley- Viktor said clearly, but avoided her eyes – How do you think he'll react when he knows he's Artie's father?

Hermione couldn't help but blush. She didn't hear someone saying that name since Artie was born. Trying to sound calm, she looked at him kindly.

-I don't want to think about it now, Viktor. For now, I just want to…

-Mrs. Krum, the owl brought this for you- The maid interrupted them as she aparated at the room, next to Viktor. They were so used to the way their workers aparated that didn't surprised them.

The young, raven woman extended the envelopment to Hermione. Seeing both Hermione and Viktor expressions, she immediately added

– I know it's not the time for mail, but the envelopment says it's urgent.

Hermione looked at the yellow envelopment and recognized Harry's handwriting.

Dear Hermione:

Why did you left yesterday? I know you never liked Lavender but she's a little less disturbing than three years ago, you should give yourself the chance to know her (joking!). I wrote you this letter to officially invite you to dinner with us tomorrow night, here at The Burrow. Everyone is coming and I bet they will be as happy to see you as we were. Mrs. Weasley said she'll hex you if you don't come, and she was serious. Of course you can bring Viktor and Artie if you want.

I hope everything is fine.

Love,

Harry.

She sighed and put the letter back in the envelopment. Viktor looked at her, waiting for her to talk.

-They're inviting us to dinner. Tomorrow night- she informed her husband, just as she felt that punch in the stomach again.

Viktor waited until the maid left the room to speak again.

-Hermione, I knov you think that if you don't tell them the truth… – He never liked to say it out loud, afraid of who may listen to him, so he took a deep breath and continued – Tell them than Artie is a Weasley won't make them love him automatically. Not as I do.

She thought for a moment, looking as her son took the sneakoscope and looked at the fug inside, totally amazed.

-Voldemort was the darkest wizard in all history…- Hermione started, but Viktor interrupted her. He knew where this was going.

-But that has nothing to do vith Artie. He has people who love him- he felt they've had that conversation so many times in the past three months-He's not going to become a dark vizard because his father doesn't love him.

-His father doesn't know him- Hermione corrected him – I want to give him that chance. I'm doing this for Artie, Viktor, not for Ron.

-So we're going to this meeting and you vill tell the truth to everybody there.

Hermione simply nodded as she yawned, though Viktor's explanation sounded too good to be real.

-You didn't sleep last night, did you? – he asked with the warmth tone he only used with her and Artie. He looked into her eyes and smiled - Go to bed. I'll take care of Artie. I bought him a nev broom a few days ago and I vant him to try it out.

Hermione rolled her eyes as she stood up and walked towards her son.

-Seriously, you buy him another broom and we'll have more than "Quality Quidditch Supplies".

She kissed the kid's head and stopped for a moment. The smell of his hair was too familiar for her.

-Go to bed, you need it

Viktor words woke her out of her trance, but the smell of her son's hair, that happened to be the same she smelled in the amortentia potion that Professor Slughorn showed her five years ago, stayed wit her the whole day.

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I know it's too confusing and there're a lot of things i haven't explained but you'll know everything in further chapters ;D