Hello all and thank you for waiting, Chapter three is finally here! it feels like so long since I have updated I want to say that I appreciate all of the people who have recently started following my story and for those who have been following it since day one I appreciate you all. It feels like forever since my last update and for that i want to say i'm sorry. For those of you who want me to continue this story or are worried that I won't continue rest assured that is not the case. The reason for the long period of time before the update was to make sure that these chapters feel like real people going through this issue. Being my first fic ever, I want to make sure that it not only makes sense and is a good story to read but that the characters and their reactions feel authentic. However I can assure you that there will be more fluff to come between all characters and each character will be getting significant time alone with other characters as well as having time as a group I also don't want to just focus on what the main characters (Harry, Cedric, Viktor, and Fleur) but to also focus on minor characters and the story as a whole. That being said I hope you enjoy the chapter please leave reviews if you I haven't I love to hear feedback and any suggestions that you guys may have. For those new leaders who are just coming in please go ahead and give the story of follow if you like what you read. Also disclaimer I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters the only thing I claim ownership of is any OC'S that I create within the story. I also do not own any other fandoms that I may be using in this story being that there may be some crossovers between Lord of the Rings ( a fantastic movie which I have just had the pleasure of seeing the first two) and The Magicians ( a novel in show I strongly suggest to any of you if you haven't had the pleasure to see and or read them yet) now without further Ado please enjoy the story and I promise to be working as diligently as I can on chapter 4.
Chapter three: Getting to Know You Part 2
Viktor and Cedric stood behind after Harry and Fleur left so that Harry could get the space he seemed to need. They could only wait a few minutes before departing for the great hall, the amount of emptiness they felt from the loss of their other two bond mates being to much to bare. What was worse was they had waited in complete silence the whole time, which wouldn't have been so bad if every second didn't feel like a year passing by. The walk was shaping up to be more of the same seeing as both Viktor nor Cedric jad made the decision to speak up about anything really. Both had their own questions and wonders about what just happened but neither knew just how to get them out right. Besides it wasn't like either one would have anything other than guesses and assumptions, so they pressed on in silence. After exactly three minutes of silence Viktor decided to break the ice with some conversation.
"So the clean sweep that's on the broom wrack, is that yours?" Asked Viktor, stumbling with his steps and broken English as best he could. He was determined to get conversation at least started, if he could do that then everything would start rolling a bit smoother. However the fates were working against him it seemed, Cedric only just being snapped from his dais gave Viktor a quizzical look. Cursing under his breath Viktor asked Cedric again.
"Is that your clean sweep in the bedroom?" He tried to sound more confident than he did before with no success. If anything he sounded more nervous than he was before, and that was hard all things considered. Cedric for his part was wondering why he sounded so skittish when he spoke. This was Viktor Krum after all, he saw him live and in action in the game before the world cup. The man had beauty and grace on a broom paralleled by no one Cedric has ever seen. Then it hit him like a an unexpected swing from one of the whomping willows thick branches.
'he is like that on a broom! Not on his own two feet!' It took only a second or two for all this to flash in his head, well to him anyways to Viktor and the outside world that wasn't in Cedrics head it had taken almost a full minute. Viktor was starting to get frustrated, after all none of them had an issue with his accent before so he knew that wasn't it. Was Cedric trying to ignore him? He sure hoped not because that would be a shame. He was cute and he knew that with time he could see himself actually liking the forced situation he and the others were in. However that would only work if Cedric actually wanted to play along and to him it seemed pretty clear he didn't. Cedric seeing his frustration decided to answer quickly.
"Yeah it is, it's no firebolt by any means but it has helped me win quite a few matches here at school." He beamed, Cedric had to stop a small chuckle from escaping his lips as he found the look of relief on Viktors face funny. He always thought Viktor Krum would be as suave and graceful as he was on his broom. It was a pleasant surprise if he was being completely honest.
"You take very good care of it, what position do you play here?" Viktor asked in a more comfortable tone, you could tell that his nerves were starting to ease up greatly.
"I'm a seeker just like you, but I have to say I'm not as good as you are by a long shot." Cedric felt a tad bit self-conscious about his flying skills when compared to the "Greatest Seeker in the World." While he hadn't seen Viktors match at the world cup, but Cedric had seen a few of his games prior to the cup. The level of elegance that Viktor had on a broom was astounding to him, and that wasn't him being generous by any means. Every move he made was done with such precision and ease that it didn't seem like he was even trying half the time. He also held an intensity in his eyes when playing that had taken Cedrics breath away when he first saw it. He was in a neck-and-neck race for the snitch against one of the various teams in England. Bulgaria was up by thirty points and if he could catch the snitch he would win them the game.
Tensions were high, and you could tell everyone was giving it all they had. England had Bulgaria on defense and were gaining ground fast, and the only hope Viktors team had of winning was him catching that snitch. Moving as fast as their brooms would take them, both seekers were blurs whizzing all across the field. What was only a few moments for him must have felt like hours to Viktor. As he chased the snitch with the opposing seeker hot on his tale, he had a look of pure focus that made him look more handsome. In Cedrics opinion anyway. That day was the day Cedric knew he had an attraction to the same sex. He assumed as much before then, but he never thought anything of it really. Viktor was different though, Viktor Krum was his very first crush on a guy Cedric had ever in his life. Now he was bound to his celebrity crush for the rest of his foreseeable life.
'At least he seems to be a gentleman, for now that is. I read about his rather promiscuous dating life in the daily prophet, mainly just skeeters speculation on his love life really. Most people people in Britain have mixed opinions about her, but the woman is spot on with most of her articles. Well maybe not spot on but they get rather close to the truth, closer than most reports really. What people have the issues is the pictures she painted with her words, and how they seemed to be right but wrong at the same time. It's a terrifying thought that we might be meeting her soon.' Cedric by now had gotten lost in his thoughts, so much so that he had been unintentionally ignoring viktor there whole walk. Viktor not being one to be ignored when speaking decided to be a bit bold, and to test something that had been bothering him too. Nudging Cedrics shoulder with his, he waited till the slender blonde escaped his world of thoughts and joined him back down in reality. Once he gave the Bulgarian seeker his attention, Viktor gave him a cocky smile while he spoke.
"Well you know, it isn't how fast you can go on a broom, it's about how well you can ride it." The combination of his flirtatious tone and the stinging swat to the rear caused Cedric to invent a shade of red that most tomatoes would be jealous of. This caused a slight chuckle to escape Viktors lips, I knew it, he thought.
"I had a feeling you were attracted to men, but I wasn't sure until now." He said with his smirk never leaving his face. "It isn't something extremely uncommon now and days so why hide it? If you don't mind me asking that is." there was genuine curiosity in his voice now, as he didnt see what the big deal was with him being attracted to men. The older generation found it repulsive and a sickness, but times had changed people quite a bit. He was sure that backlash couldn't as bad as it was years ago, and as time went on people may even grow to accept them for what they are. If not at least learn to tolerate them. Cedric on the other hand became rather nervous and began to look around to be sure they were alone in the staircase. Or at the very least away from earshot from anyone in the school.
"It's not something you go around talking about openly here in Britain Viktor. Besides I can only imagine what my father would do if he found out about it," Cedric now looked more stress as he continued. " rather when he finds out. I don't think I could hide my attractions while married to two guys anyways." he said with a semi heavy sigh at the enormous amount of stress he was going to be facing in the coming months.
Viktor for his part felt sympathy for his newly minted husband, sexuality wasn't as big a deal back home. Well it was, but he realized quick that trying to get everyone to like and approve of his life was in fact, a losing battle. The older seeker wasn't a stranger to relationships with men at all, having his first boyfriend before he even entered his fourth year at Durmstrang. It was a friend he had grown up with in his hometown, he and Viktor weren't close when they were younger. It wasn't until there first year when they would finally meet and become close. He and Viktor would have still been friends had things not turned out the way they did, he showed Viktor so much love and acceptance. A wave of emotions flooded Viktor as he that about his first true love in his life. Why did you have to leave? Why did they take you from me my love? I miss you so much Amid, what I wouldn't giveā¦, he didn't get to finish that thought as Cedric pulled him back to reality with a shake of his shoulder. With a look of concern on his face, Cedric asked if he was okay.
"Yes I am just thinking about something, it's not that important though." he said trying to shake off his bad memory of the first person he ever loved. Cedric could see the pain and discomfort in his face and assumed it was because of the loss in proximity with the others. Deciding to try and pick up their pace without tripping up on any trick stairs Cedric vegan to walk faster. After a few moments of silence between the two, conversation began to take form once again. This time it was Cedric who started them up again seeing as Viktor was not making his move to start any conversation.
"So what do you think our first task will be? I hope it won't be too lethal right out the gate." He said to viktor to try and get him out of his own head. It worked as he focused on Cedric after giving his head a light shake, whatever was bothering him would have to be pushed aside for the time being.
"Whatever it is it won't be easy I am sure, these tasks killed people before. It would be foolish to think it wouldn't happen again. We should expect them to put us in life or death situations from the beginning to the end of this tournament." Viktor may have seemed calm when he said this, but inside he was a nervous wreck. The only reason Viktor had entered this tournament was because it was a choice he could make, not one that was made for him. Growing up he always did what he thought his parents would want, so much so that he began to let them make his decisions in his life. From how he dressed to how he should act it was all decided by them, going professional in quidditch was decision made for him by his parents. Then there was his manager who decided everything else he could or couldn't do for the sake of his "career".
"well let's not get too optimistic now." Cedric said with an air of sarcasm clear in his tone. Honestly he meant it to sound more like he was joking than being really irritated with Viktors pessimism, but the look Cedric got in return was clear that it didn't come across that way.
"Sorry" he quickly apologized "I was just playing around, with everything that has happened I figured some humor would be a good thing. It's been a pretty emotional day we had yesterday and I don't see it lightening up much if we continue being so serious about this." Cedric had finished explaining himself to his bond mate, hoping his point was a bit clearer now. Which was what thankfully happened seeing as Viktor adopted a face of understanding once Cedric was finished speaking. He was right after all, the past twenty four hours had been an emotional time for all of them in some way or another. So if there was anything that was needed to help ease the tension it was a laugh or two. Sighing deeply, Viktor turned his head slightly to look at his blonde husband.
"No I'm sorry, I appreciate the effort in trying to make this easier to deal with. I'm just freaking out." He said, taking a pause only to sigh and runhis right hand through his hair.
"I have been trying to keep it all together and act like none of this phases me as much. I mean in some ways this whole soul bond really isn't that bad but in other ways it's completely terrifying, and almost unfaceable." Viktor finished in a heavy tone, showing just how much this whole situation was weighing on him. He May not have been as livid as his French wife, or as scared of his personal life coming to light as the blonde bombshell he had standing next to him was. However that didn't mean he wasn't feeling any of those things right now, he felt so clueless as to where to go next. Did he try to make this work? Was this situation even something that could work? Now Viktor Krum was no stranger to having peculiar or outlandish relations, but even this he had to admit, was something he was going into blind. Sex with multiple people was one thing, being in an actual relationship with multiple people was something else entirely.
"I know what you mean exactly, on one hand it is nice to know that I have an attraction to the people I'll be spending the rest of my life with, on the other im worried that will be the only thing positive that will come out of this. We have been thrusted into a huge commitment that none of us were prepared for. I just hope it all works out for the best." Cedric said with an equally heavy tone that Viktor spoke in. Cedric really hated not having choice in his own life, but there was nothing he could really do to "fix" his current situation. He just had to swallow, smile, and bare it for now, and hopefully he would be able to make a meaningful relationship with at least one of his bonded.
"I feel the same." Was Viktors only response for the moment. After that the conversation they were having grinded to a complete halt, neither knowing what else to say to move past that unexpected turn their conversation had taken. They walked in relative silence for some time, the only words spoken where Cedrics warnings on certain steps not to take on the stair cases that never stopped moving. It was at the bottom of the last set of stairs before Viktor gathered his courage and stopped Cedric before entering the Hallways leading to the great Hall.
"Cedric, listen. I don't know how this will all workout or even if it will work at all, but i want you to know that just because we are stuck in this situation and we may not like it. Doesn't mean I wont try my best to make this all work out. While attraction is nice connection with the person, or in our case people, you are with is much better." Viktor said in a slight clumsy manner, "what I'm trying to say is I'm gonna try to make connections and get to know you all. I just hope you will do the same." He finished lamely. He hoped that would help put the mood back in a good place so they can actually start getting to know one another. Cedric was touched by Viktors declaration, and respond in kind with a bright smile.
"Me too, I don't want to be stuck living a life I not only didn't ask for but absolutely loath. So I will try as well to make this whole thing work, i mean we have no other choice right? As far as I know there isn't a way to reverse a soul bond so its either trt and make this work or be miserable for the rest of our days." This put a smile on Viktors face and he had exhaled a breath of relief, not knowing he had been holding it in to begin with. Just as he was about to ask Cedric another question about himself they had been interrupted due a crowd chanting. Since the chanting was coming from the direction of their destination they had decided to go investigate and see what the fuss was about. As they got closer the chanting sound became less muffled and and more clear. A crowd was gathered in front of the Great Hall chanting the word fight over and over.
The two boys were uninterested in it seeing as it in now way concerned them, that is until a certain French accent broke through the crowd.
"Harry!" Fleur screamed out frantically, both of them now knew this was now their issue. Making their way to the front of the crowd, the two were wondering what could have happened with Harry to cause Fleur to sound so frantic. Once in the front they saw what was causing the two to freeze in complete shock of what they saw before them. There was one Harry Potter pumbuling the lights out of a red haired Gryffindor. Only one thought crossed the two mind at that moment.
'What the fuck happened here?'
