Hermione slowly stepped out of the chimney into a familiar drawing room. The last time she had been with in the posh room was when she was saying good bye to Viktor after Christmas break. Dumbledore had told her that someone would be waiting for her in Bulgaria when she arrived but she saw no one. She pulled out her pocket watch and checked the time to make sure she hadn't arrived way too early or way too late.

I'm right on time…

"Uhm… Hello?" she called out in Bulgarian.

"Hermione?" she turned and smiled seeing Sophia at the door way that led to the dining room.

"Sophia…" she said with a smile.

"I'm sorry I just stepped out for a moment… I was setting up some things for dinner tonight…" the woman walked over and embraced her closely. "How are you my child?" she asked setting a hand on her cheek. "You seem tired."

"I am just a bit… I didn't sleep as well as I should have last night… Too worried about Viktor and his journey."

"Yes I don't trust that magical ship they use, not one bit." She said with a soft expression. "Are you hungry?"

"Very much so."

"Perfect, I have lunch prepared for us in the garden..."

"Sounds lovely…" as they walked Sophia kept looking to the girl with a side glance. She didn't look well. Not at all. She was paler then she normally was. Her eyes were a bit sunken in with dark circles evident beneath them.

A days lack of sleep wouldn't cause such a look… She is not well. I can see that clearly… Poor child must miss her mother terribly.

"Where's Stony?" Hermione asked as they headed outside.

"With his father, they are buying Viktor some coming home gifts along with his brothers."

"I see… Oh look how lovely it is out here…" Hermione smiled. Last time she had been outside of the Krum manor the scenery had been covered with snow. Now there were rolling hills of green. The pond shined and shimmered in the distance, and the vast garden of roses were full of multi colored blooms.

"Much different from the last time you came hmm?"

"Just a little bit." Hermione said as they walked over to a white cast iron table and took their seats. "I can't get over how green it is out here."

"I will be honest in saying I enjoy my home much more in the summer then I do in the winter. I do get tired of the snow after a while."

"I can understand." Hermione answered as she looked over the table full of goodies. "This is quite a spread Sophia."

"Only the best for you love…" Sophia said with a motherly look as she poured Hermione some tea and then placed some biscuits and jam on her plate.

"Thank you…"

"Mhm…" Hermione took a sip of her tea. She was finding it hard to put on a brave face around the ever kind Sophia.

"It's really lovely out here…" she commented and Sophia nodded. "The tea is perfect as well not to hot not to cold just perfect." Sophia smiled as she looked at the girl who sat across from her.

"In the time I have known you Hermione, small talk has never been a liking of yours…" Hermione looked to Sophia who had a knowing look. "Something is desperately wrong I can see that plainly…"

"I just miss Viktor is all…" She said quietly.

"That's part of it but it's only a small part…"

"I don't want to burden you…" Hermione said.

"Child it's not a burden!" Sophia said with a laugh. "No I want you to come to me with these things… Please tell me what's wrong so I can make it better."

"You can't make it better that's just it… No one can… Harry Ron and I have to make it better…"

"This is about you know who…" Sophia said catching on.

"Partly… Then there's also the lack of my family… The lack of my mother more… I can't tell you though how thankful I am to you and your family for taking me in. I'm pretty sure Asen wasn't pleased when he heard, so I know my presence here has caused a lot of problems…"

"Leave Ace to Ivan and myself…" she said with a wink.

"I feel guilty though for being such a burden."

"Hermione once again it is not a burden having you here… I quite enjoy your company not to mention I always wanted to have a daughter around to dote upon and now I have one in you! I couldn't be more happy!"

"Well if at any time those feelings go away and you realize just how insufferable I can be, please let me know." Sophia laughed. "Remember I have that house my grandfather left me-."

"Hermione this is your home now, or until your father stops being a dodo head and allows you to come back and even then this will still be your home… Anyways please don't think of yourself as a guest think of yourself as what you are, family." Hermione smiled softly to herself as she and Sophia clinked their tea cups together.

"I kinda love you Sophia." She said making the older woman laugh.

"Kind of love you too kiddo."

-o-

Viktor slowly rolled in bed. It had been a day sense he left Hogwarts, and the same amount of time sense he had seen Hermione. He had to admit completely that he was missing her to the point it was unbearable. He had tried for hours to get some rest, but none had come. He slowly sat up and brought his feet over the side of the bed. His body told him it was time to get up though he knew it was only the wee wee wee wee hours of the morning. As he walked from his private cabin he pulled on a red hoodie to shield himself from the cold that seeped in from the surrounding water around the ship. When he got to the Galley and opened the door he stopped in his tracks.

"What's all this?" he asked seeing a group of guys sitting around a table which was filled with half drank bottles of vodka and dripping shot glasses.

"Viktor!" his friend Micah stood. "Welcome to Heart break club comrade." He hiccupped.

"Heart break club?" Viktor asked as he slowly walked in. The smell of alcohol instantly hitting him.

"We are not ashamed to say we all miss our English ladies…" A young man named Gustaf stated.

"I miss my English rose…" Viktor said his hands slipping deep into his pockets.

"Then join us Viktor!" Gustaf said.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes, come Comrade there's plenty of room." Micah said with a smile. Viktor walked over and sat in a rickety old chair his hands resting on the old grain of the drift wood table as a fellow comrade poured him a shot.

"Tell us of your English Lady." A boy by the name of Okrin said.

"You all know of Hermione…" Viktor said thumbing the shot.

"Yes, but we're all reminiscing here, feeding off each others misery to make us all feel better." Gustaf stated with a good hearted look.

"Tell us of English rose." Micah said.

"Well… She's… Hermione…" he smiled as he looked at his full shot glass. "She's My Mina…"

"You call her Mina?" Micah asked. "I didn't know that."

"Well I had such a horrible time saying her name that I came up with a nickname… It grew on her… She signs all the letters she sends me Mina…" he sighed. "I miss her…"

"Take a shot…" Gustaf said.

"Good plan…" he threw back the shot and smiled at the friendly sting that met his throat. "Oddly comforting…" Micah smiled as he poured him another one. "You know what I miss most about my Mina?"

"What?" Okrin asked throwing back his own shot.

"The fire…" he said.

"I miss making love with my Rose as well…" Gustaf said with a nod.

"No… Hermione and I we haven't had sex… No what I mean is just the passion she holds for every little thing she does…"

"You and Hermyknee haven't had sex?" Micah asked. "But you spent so many nights away from your cabin, or she spent nights with you there…"

"You two never in all that time?" Okrin asked.

"No… Came close but… I have worries." He threw back another shot.

"Like?" Gustaf inquired.

"It's personal Comrades." Viktor said with a smile.

"Nothing is too personal for the heart break club." Okrin said.

"She would not like me speaking of this to other people…" Viktor said shaking his head. "Still… I do miss the feel of her body against mine… The warmth that comes with that head of vanilla curls spilling out across my chest…" everyone gave a collected sigh as they thought about their own women before they all threw back their shots in unison and once more gave collected sighs.

"I never got to have my woman lay her head on my chest…" Micah said.

"You never had her at all." Gustaf muttered.

"Why does he get to sit with us again?" Okrin asked.

"Because he was very clearly in love with her." Gustaf said.

"Micah who was your English flower?" Viktor inquired.

"Ginny… Ginny Weasley…" he said as he took a shot. "The night of the first task we danced all night at the party held in your honor. Then she acted as if I no longer existed going to ball with some boy named longbottom… How did I lose to a boy with that kind of name?" he inquired.

"Because the girl wasn't really in love with this boy… She's in love with Harry Potter." Viktor said as he poured him a shot.

"How do you know?"

"Mina is best friends with her… I've seen the way Ginny looks at Harry… I see the way he's started looking at her."

"Famous wizards always get the best girls…" Micah sighed before throwing back a shot.

"I'll tell you what I'll miss most about my Charlotte…" Okrin stated.

"What's that?" Viktor inquired.

"Whenever she would walk by my side her hand held in mine she'd lean against me ever so slightly." Everyone sighed.

"Yeah they do that don't they?" Micah asked remembering the way Ginny had done the same thing.

"I think it's their way of saying they needs us without admitting it…" Viktor said thinking of all the times Hermione had leaned into him as they walked.

"Sometimes it wouldn't just be a lean. Sometimes Rose, she would lay her head on my shoulder…" They all sighed again with depressed looks as they threw back their shots in unison. "Oh Rose why did I leave you!?"

"Here comrade…" Viktor said pouring him another shot.

-o-

Five hours later…..

-o-

"Farewell and ado to you fine English ladies!" the boys sang in drunken slurs "Farewell and ado to you ladies of Wales for we've received orders to sail back to Bulgaria!" They clinked their bottles of vodka together. "We hope in a short time to see you again!" Micah fell back in his chair laughing in hysterics.

"Any other songs?" He asked with a hiccup.

"Uh…." Viktor looked up in thought. "I got nothing." He took a swig of vodka. He was drunk he knew it, but at that moment he didn't care. It was the happiest he had been sense leaving Hogwarts and his Hermione behind.

"I got one I goton!" Orkin stood before falling back in his chair. "I still got it!" The men laughed. "This goes to our fearless leader Viktor…" he cleared his throat before taking a swig from his vodka bottle. "Safe and.." he looked up in thought. "I got it… Safe and sound at home again let the waters roar Viktor…" they all howled in laughter. "Safe and sound at home again let the waters roar Viktor!" they all joined in except for the man in question who smiled as he watched the men cling together their separate bottles of vodka in hand. "Long we've tossed on the rolling main now we're safe ashore Viktor! Don't forget your old ship mate Orkin Micah and Guuuuuuuustaffff!" they laughed before collapsing back in their chairs.

"If Rose finds out I got this drunk sheeesgunna killme…" Gustaf said his words starting to run together.

"I don't know what mmina would do if she found me out…" Viktor slurred.

"Charlotte being Irish would join me with Whiskey I imagine." Orkin said laughing loudly with the rest of them.

"Well I think I will head to bed to wallow in romantic…" Viktor hiccupped searching for a word that escaped him. "I will just head to bed…" he saluted them with his bottle of vodka they all did the same.

"Night Viktor!" they all chimed.

"Goonight Corades!" he called back with a laugh as he stumbled down the hallway. When he got to his room he slowly shut the door and made his way to his bed. He fell backwards as he took a swig of vodka. When he landed back on the soft bed he gave a small hiccup and held the bottle high. "To you Luff, hope you never learn of me in state as this…" he said in English as he took another swig.

-o-

Hermione slowly got out of bed. She hadn't slept a bit that night at all. Not a wink. She had been waiting the whole time for Hedwig to fly through her window with news from Harry that he was safe and sound. Not to mention thoughts Viktor on the baring sea had been haunting her all night. She rubbed her neck as she walked to her bathroom and stared at her reflection.

I look so tired… Then again I am… Still Viktor isn't going to want to come home to a face like this… she shook her head as she splashed some water on her face. She looked back up at her reflection with a small smile. You look a little more refreshed… That's it. I'm not going to Dwell with what's going on I'm going to be easy going and perfectly great… Yes… Now how I do that is the question. I bet Sophia could help… First a warm refreshing rejuvenating shower… she nodded at her reflection before slipping out of her clothes and turning the shower to hot.

-o-

Viktor slowly rolled out of bed and slammed into the cold cabin floor below. He hissed in pain his hand groggily going to his aching head. Slowly he forced his eyes to open to meet the scene of a few empty bottles of vodka. His stomach gave a lurch and he rushed for his private bathroom. After a few minutes of heaving himself empty he used his counter to stand and stare at his reflection.

Ahk… No good… Look at this. Hermione isn't going to want to see me like this… I arrive in Bulgaria late tonight I better be over this hangover by then. I shall make sure not to return to the heartbreak club tonight. As fun as it was I look like the back end of hippogriff. I have to get myself together. Less than one day away from her and I nearly destroy my liver… I need to get cleaned up before I face karkaroff and the others… his stomach gave a lurch again and he rushed to the toilette.

"I will never drink again!" he shouted into it before heaving. His body fell back against the wall as he wiped his mouth. "I Miss my Mina…"

-o-

"Morning!" Stony chimed from the table the fake wand Hermione had given him for Christmas in hand.

"Hey Stony, how are you?" she asked. She hadn't gotten to see him or the rest of the family the night before. She had been so tired that she had instantly slunk away to her room for much needed rest. At least that's what she would tell the others. She had really dwelled on what was to come and had looked at tons of photos of her and Viktor.

"I'm good!" he said with a happy expression. Hermione sat across from him and smiled. The young boy had really changed. She had only somewhat noticed it at the last task but now she could really see it. His jaw had already started to square out and his eyes had started to become less childlike. Sophia strolled in her long cotton lavender skirt dragging behind her as she moved. She spotted Hermione and smiled brightly.

"Good your up I was afraid you would sleep the day away." Sophia said with a smile as she sat down next to Hermione.

"Yes I'm very sorry for missing out dinner last night, I'm feeling much more rested now."

She's putting on such a brave face for me… the poor child…

"I was thinking we might get your mind off everything that's happened and go out for a girls day what do you say?"

"It sounds lovely… I actually need to do some clothes shopping, I've started to grow out of most my outfits."

"Excellent we can leave after you put something in your stomach how does this sound?" Sophia asked with a bright eyed look. She nodded as Sophia handed her a blueberry muffin.

"Thank you… Ooh blueberry." Sophia couldn't help but smile.

I'm glad to see she can still find joy in the small things…

-o-

Viktor slowly walked into the eating hall and smiled when he saw the heart break club at the table they were last night all staring blankly into their plates of corn beef. He was about to laugh when the smell hit him and his stomach gave a violent lurch. He shook it off and made it to the table where Jamous had saved him a seat.

"Hello Comrade how are you this morning?" he asked with a knowing look. He had caught the drinking show last night but had decided not to join for the better of his own health.

"Like death." Viktor said making his friend laugh.

"Here have some good grub." Jamous pushed the plate of corn beef towards him and laughed when Viktor pushed it back.

"You are cruel cruel man." He said as his friend slapped him on the back.

"Come now you must get something your stomach. We're going up for some air very soon and everyone wants to play quidditch they're already fighting over who will get you as seeker…"

"Wonderful…" he muttered as he took a sip of coffee. "Ah… That that's nice…"

"What else is nice is we'll be receiving mail while we're up in the sky I bet Hermione has written to you…"

"We can hope…" he said with a smile.

-o-

"Do you need a gown for something?" Hermione asked as she and Sophia entered a store of fine dresses and dress robes for witches and wizards.

"I'm afraid we both do, you see there's a wedding we must all attend in a month…" she said.

"Oh how wonderful. Who's getting married?"

"A distant cousin of mine…"

"I see."

"Hermione I have to ask… Have you gone through a growth spurt yet?" She asked as she thumbed a silk and organza pink gown.

"Two… I have one left in me I think…"

"Ah… So this is to say you have not…" Sophia looked both ways. "Cycled yet?" she whispered.

"Oh no I have…" she said with a smile. "I just have one more left in me I think… well I hope."

"Do not hope this, I wish very much I was your height then I could wear higher heels." She said with a smile. "It's great to be a woman whose petite… Besides with those long legs you have you don't look short."

"That's what my mother says. By the way Sophia you're not that tall."

"I am five seven I will have you know." She said. "And it's terrible… Luckily I am willowy enough that I don't seem like broad shouldered Bulgarian bon bon." Hermione laughed to herself.

"That's what they call Viktor in the papers."

"Is it?" Sophia asked with a laugh.

"Yeah… I wonder how he's doing… I worry about him on that ship… I wish they had just let him Floo here like I did…"

"Me too Karkaroff would not allow it…" she shook her head. "I do very much hate that man."

"I concur… Oh Sophia what about this one for you it's so Glamorous…" she pulled out a long floor length lavender gown.

"I must try it on!"

-o-

Viktor leaned against the railing of the ship breathing in the cool air of the sea. It was doing much to help his hang over. His eyes searched the sky for any owls. He saw many but none for him. He had a feeling this would happen, he hadn't told her that even though the trip was short she could still write to him if she wished.

Maybe I should write to her… I know she must have gotten to the house safe. She took the floo network it would be impossible for her to get into trouble… Still… Hermione has a knack for getting herself into trouble.

"Thinking of your great love?" he smiled at Jamous.

"Always…" He said with a smile.

"You seem worried old friend."

"I should have told her she could write to me… At least to tell me she got to Bulgaria alright…"

"She took the Floo network not a lot can go wrong when you do that…"

"Well you can't deny that trouble likes to fallow Hermione no matter what she does or where she goes or how she gets there…"

"Very true… I'm sure she's fine though. If something happened to her, you would know."

"True…" he said with a sigh. "So… Did you officially break things off with Padma?"

"I tried… Girl is a bit clingy… I just received a letter from her. She's pissed."

"Well, she's a woman whose been scorned."

"I did no scorning…" Jamous stated.

"You did some scorning…"

"No scorning!"

"A little scorning."

"Viktor you are supposed to be on my side!"

"Oh right… Well from what Hermione says it takes a while for things to get through her head… eventually she'll come to terms."

"Gods I hope so…" Jamous said as Viktor looked out to the sky with narrowed eyes.

"What is it?" Jamous asked seeing his friends expression darken.

"Do you see that?" Jamous watched as dark clouds raced across the storming sky.

"What is that?" he asked. Viktor pulled his friend away from the railing.

"Everyone back inside!" he bellowed. "Ready the ship for submersion!" everyone without hesitation listened to him.

"Viktor what's going on?"

"Death eaters…" He said before rushing into the ship to inform Karkaroff while the ship handlers began casting the protective charms to submerge. As Viktor ran down a stair well he felt the ship give a sudden dip, he fell forward his head slamming into the railing of the stairs.

"Merlin…" he muttered.

"Viktor!" Gustaf rushed over. "Are you alright?"

"Is the ship under?" he asked his hand going to his forehead where he could feel blood smearing against his fingertips.

"We just submerged." He stated helping him to his feet.

"What has happened why are we under?" Karkaroff asked.

"We were attacked." Jamous said coming down the stair well his arm cradled oddly in front of him.

"By whom?" Karkaroff asked.

"Death eaters…" Viktor said his eyes narrowing as he looked his headmaster up and down.

"Are you certain?"

"Very…" he said.

"Are we safe did we escape them?" Viktor continued to watch him. Karkaroff seemed genuinely worried.

"For now." Jamous said.

"Okay get yourselves healed I'm going to contact ministry see what we should do…"

"Fallow him." Viktor said to Gustaf as his headmaster rushed off. "Don't let him out of your sight."

"Right…" he said with a nod.

"Are you alright comrade?" Jamous asked walking to his friend.

"Dah it's a scratch I've had worse… You aren't how is it."

"Banged it against the wall when the ship submerged. Do you think we're safe?"

"Unless the Death eaters have a vessel like ours I think we are now safe."

"Good… How did you know those were death eaters from so far away?"

"Comes with being Hermione Grangers Boyfriend..."

"Ah… Gotta love her."

"Really do." Viktor said with a smile as they headed to the medical quarters.

-o-

Hermione sighed softly. She had the strangest feeling as she ran her hands down an ornate white gown. She took another deep breath trying to steady her nerves. Something was wrong she could feel that plainly. She looked over her shoulder worriedly at the front window of the store. Last time she had been in the shopping center death eaters had attacked.

"Oh my goodness look at you…" Sophia said coming out of her dressing room in a gold silk one shouldered gown. "You look so beautiful…"

"Thanks but I don't think it's appropriate for a wedding… Only the bride should wear white…"

"You do look very bridal…" Hermione saw the misty look in the older woman's eye reflected in the mirror.

"Sophia are you okay?" she asked turning to look at her directly.

"I just thought one of my sons would be married by now!" she dropped into a chair with a distressed look.

"Oh no…" Hermione rushed to her side. "Sophia…"

"Asen is nearing twenty five what's taking him so long!? Hmm?" Hermione handed her a hanky. "Thank you dear." She said.

"Maybe he hasn't found the girl yet…"

"He hasn't found a girl period!" She wasn't crying but Hermione could tell she was distressed. "I want grandchildren! I'm so desperate for a baby around I feel like asking Ivan if we could have another child. Lord knows we could afford it! Lord knows we have the space!" Hermione smiled softly.

"I know what's going on here… You're sad that Stony is heading off to school. Your baby is leaving… So you're desperate for another to take his place…"

"Maybe…" Hermione laughed.

"Not maybe that's it… Stony isn't leaving you though… He's just going away for a bit…"

"I know… But we spend all our time together… When he's gone who will I spend my afternoons with? All my sons either work or-."

"Viktor…" Hermione said. "So he'll have practice and a few games but he'll mostly spend his time at home with you…" Sophia thought about it.

"You're right…" she said. "You think he would want to spend time with his momma?"

"I know he very much would. The whole time he was at Hogwarts he talked about how much he missed you and Mr. Krum…"

"Really?"

"Yes… Of course…" Hermione laughed as she took the woman's hands. "See you were getting upset for no reason…"

"It's not just the lack of a child around though… I desperately want to see my sons married…" she said quietly. "I want them to have a companion like I have one in Ivan and he has one in Me. To go through life without knowing that type of support is awful. I'm glad my Viktor has found you… I'm glad he knows that support…" Hermione could see Sophia's eyes dancing.

"You're going to ask if I want to marry your son aren't you?" Sophia nodded with a bright eyed look making Hermione laugh softly.

"Do you want to marry Viktor? You can be honest…"

"I love Viktor… I love him more than I ever thought I could love someone… More than I thought was possible…" Sophia nodded. "But I don't wish to marry him-."

"What!? Why! Why isn't my son good enough!?" Sophia asked panicked.

"You didn't let me finish." She said with a smile.

"Oh yes right… Go ahead dear…" Sophia said with an anxious look.

"I don't think I can marry him until this whole thing with Voldemort is done and over with… Being the husband of Hermione Granger Muggleborn extraordinaire and best friend to Harry Potter may put him in the line of fire…"

"I see…" she said. "But you do want to marry him?" Hermione slowly smiled a blush creeping into her cheeks. "Yes!" Sophia reached forward and wrapped her arms around her tightly.

"You think he'd really ask me?" Hermione asked with a girlish blush.

"He'd be stupid not too!" Sophia laughed as she pulled away. She stopped smiling when she saw Hermione's look. "What is it dear?"

"I have this bad feeling I can't shake… It's been nagging at me for the past hour…"

"You're just worried about Viktor, he'll be home early tomorrow morning dear don't you worry."

"Right… It's horrible how much I miss him when he's away."

"Trust me when I say that never goes away I feel that now even though Ivan is just a few miles away at the house. Let's stop focusing on our men though how about we find you a beautiful dress for the wedding."

"Something less Bridal?"

"Something less Bridal." Sophia said with a smile. "You haven't tried on that lavender one yet have you?"

"No not yet." Hermione got up with a smile and went to walk back to her dressing room when Sophia reached out and grabbed her hand stopping her. "What is it?" she asked as she looked over her shoulder to watch her Surrogate mother slowly stand. Sophia stared at a huge three lined scar across Hermione's back.

"Child…" she said. "What happened to your back?" she asked softly.

"Oh uhm…" Hermione turned quickly to face her. "Nothing really."

"I demand to know." She said and Hermione didn't miss the motherly edge to her voice.

"It kind of comes with being Harry Potters friend… The big one the one with three lines that's from the werewolf my third year, the other ones are from countless other occasions that I really can't remember." Sophia turned and Hermione sighed. "It's not that bad…"

"Dear girl these look like they hurt."

"At the time they did but they don't now… I didn't realize this dress was backless…"

"This will not do… Why have you not had these taken care of?"

"I've tried potions and crèmes nothing works…" she said turning. "Try not to keep staring at them I already have a complex."

"Oh dear I'm not staring because they're ugly, in fact they are quite impressive and show what a strong woman and warrior you are…"

I see where Viktor gets his obligatory kindness from…

"I'm staring because they must hurt maybe not in a physical way, but they most hurt you on an emotional level." She sat her down. "Hermione you put on such a brave face, it's something I commend you for, but I can tell that you are ashamed of them, not how you got them but because they are there scarring your rather perfect skin…"

"Sometimes it's hard especially with Viktor…" her eyes snapped wide and her cheeks grew hot.

"Viktor… he's… seen…You… Uhm… Naked?"

"We haven't done anything!" Sophia laughed.

"It's fine dear… I had sex with Ivan on my sixteenth birthday we'd only been together for six months, but when you know… You know."

"I haven't… We haven't… We really haven't!"

"I can tell from the blush that you haven't…" she said patting her cheek with a motherly smile. "So what you have done he's seen the scars and it bothers you that he sees them…"

"I can't help but wonder some times when he's holding me if… sorry I shouldn't be talking about this with you… It's not proper."

"It's very proper I want you to talk to me about these things! Now go on…"

"It's just they are very deep and very raised so when he's holding me I'm worried he's feeling them through my clothing and thinking just the most terrible things about my body… Also I know one in particular bothers him… It's the one on my shoulder." She turned so she could see. "Quite raised, It looks like it's new…"

"Not very but it's finally finished scarring…" Hermione said now facing her.

"It's not that bad why do you think it bothers him?"

"Because he avoids that area like it's plague ridden…"

"Do you remember how you got it?"

"The world cup…" she said. "I was protecting Viktor when I was hit by a curse."

"Ah!" Hermione jumped. "That's why, he feels guilty about it."

"Why would he feel guilty?"

"Because he thinks it's his fault you have that scar… I know my son and that's the reason."

"Well there's nothing I can do about it. It was caused by a dark curse so it's there to stay…"

"Maybe not… I suffered a spell burn a few years back when I was with Ivan in his work room… it was pretty bad no matter what I did the scar which spread all over my back and arm would keep coming back. So I went to a dermawitch…"

"Dermawitch? You know of one?" Hermione asked.

"Yes if you'd like I could try and get you an appointment… See if we can't lighten them… Until then I'll give you a vial of what I use."

"Oh you don't have to do that."

"I don't mind." She said with a smile. "Now go try on that…." Sophia stopped and got up.

"That what?" she pulled a dress from a rack and Hermione stared at it.

"Perfect right?"

"I want it." Hermione said and Sophia laughed as she took it and ran into the dressing room.

"A woman indeed…"