The moment he had seen Helena Potter on the top of that staircase in all her glory was perhaps the moment he knew what he wanted from life.

She looked a vision, draped in the red of his school, team and country, his perfect match. In his mind as he waited for her decent, all he could see were visions of a future with her on his arm, dressed like that as they took on whatever interview of social occasion together, the makeup he saw as she drew closer only enhancing his fantasies as it gave a preview of what she would become as her features matured.

"You look lovely mila" the endearment slipped out before he could censor it, although she did not press the issue which he considered a small blessing at the moment before he was reminded of just how endearing he found her.

"T-Thanks, you to!" his English wasn't the greatest but even he knew that 'lovely' wasn't a term for males, not that he particularly minded after she flushed so prettily in embarrassment, her arms flailing around as she tried to find a physical recourse for her hasty words.

Adorable

He couldn't help but laugh (a surprise even to him) as he hurried to reassure her of his acceptance and usher her to their places where they would open up the dance. Around them he could hear the general population of student reacting… with jealousy, contempt, and distain, not that he expected much else.

The other champions had been rather disinterested in their surprise as they focused more on their dates, although Fleur had been quite supportive in her immediate acceptance, far more than he had expected of the French champion.

Helena had always surprised him, so, he should not have been as astonished by the hasty confession moments before the beginning of the dance that, she didn't know how.

Idly, he wondered how high the standards of Hogwarts could be if they failed to teach one of their champions more than the cursory 1-2-3-4.

But when he asked if she trusted him, it had been an unequivocal 'I do'.

Viktor was not known for his grace on the ground, indeed most found his gait rather awkward, a side effect of spending so much time up on a broom. But those two words had lit a new fire in him, and as soon as the first cords of the song sounded he felt as if the floor had given way to the empty sky, and he focused on making sure Helena had a true dance among the clouds. Heavily leading her this and that way, his vindication came in her elated smiles and laughs as the dreaded 'first dance' became just a dance between Viktor and Helena.

It proved to be one of the higher points of the night unfortunately.

Throughout the dinner he was constantly deflecting barbs from Karkaroff and any of his ilk disgruntled with his choice of date or trying to support Helena when she was questioned by the plethora of 'concerned friends' who spoke far too fast or technically for him to follow, reducing him to only a strong and silent presence to support her words as she defended herself and him.

It was only after a short reprieve of dancing to more upbeat songs and him leaving her with her friend Hermione (whose name he never would be able to say correctly) to go get drinks that it truly spelled the end of what could have been a blissful night.

Getting back with the butterbeer they had requested he saw a disgruntled girl being led off by fellow classmate Lazar and a red headed boy confronting both Helena and her friend.

"Consorting with the enemy s'what! And why'd you have to go on with Neville huh? Where's he now?"

At his side he felt the presence of a boy looking angrily at the scene with a plate of pastries he had most likely gone to get for the girls, even he could tell this was the 'Neville" being spoken of.

Before intervention on either part was possible the other girl had started to run out the door.

"Hermione, wait!" the boy, definitely this Neville character called after her, shoving theb plate into his hands as he ran after her. Helena looked up from her confrontation to see him waiting a few meters away from them before he walked up to the table and dumped the drinks and food, both long forgotten in light of this new development.

"Vat is happen here mila?" the endearment still feeling as natural as the first time he had said it earlier. His intervention was rewarded by the beaming smile she graced him with as the fool red boy started to puff up at being ignored.

"You think you can just steal her away huh?" the boy blustered at him as he put an arm around Helena's shoulders facing him unimpressed, he'd faced far worse opponents in his tenure as a professional player.

"I think I ask beautiful vitch to dance, not like you." He ended the argument before it escalated then by sweeping Helena away into the crowd to try and enjoy the one or two popular danced left before the night became too late.

As the night petered out he knew it had never really recovered from the earlier interruptions, but still, he felt completely content with just being with her as she led him towards her dormitory after he insisted on walking her back… that was until he seized the opportunity of an empty classroom on the way to pull her into, unwilling to share his thoughts in front of a public passageway.

"I-" he started before noticing her intense blush… and then blushing himself, perhaps he should have thought of the implications of pulling a young witch into an empty classroom, but he soldered on.

"I vant to thank you, for good night." He stated bashfully must to his consternation, an arm came up to scratch at the back of his head as she just looked at him, "I… I have good time vit you." He tried to explain as she grew more comfortable as he awkwardly rambled on,

"you look best, I… I lucky and honored." His embarrassment at this point making it impossible to form a decent sentence, it was like she tongue tied him by merely existing.

"I… I had fun too." She offered him a smile with an outstretched palm which he gratefully took "You, you made me feel like I was flying." She offered shyly eyes peaking up from long lashes as she shuffled, uncomfortable with admitting it to him no doubt, a far cry from the lioness she had been a week or two ago, but far more poignant.

"It is not so hard." He reached up to stroke a soft cheek "vhen you are my sky." He admitted finally to her, feeling lighter than he ever had on his Firebolt.

"I'd like to be your sky." She admitted timidly, reaching up to capture his hand and keep it cupping her face "as long as you're all the stars that fill it." She smiled softly at him as he felt an upwelling of affection to this incredible witch he had found. Reaching up to cup her face in his hands he rested their foreheads together.

"Alvays" he promised, not even able to comprehend not having her in his life now that she was a part of it "My Sky."

"My Stars." She responded before moving up to kiss him. Although they had shared in numerous cheek and forehead kissed there had been few times their lips had actually touched.

The first time when he could help but kiss this intriguing and delightful witch.

The second when she had introduced him to the more carnal pleasures to be experienced with her.

And this time…

This time they took their time, exploring each other, encouraging every soft gasp and moan as they learned each other in a moment that seemed to stretch for lifetimes.

Parting, they simply looked at each other, he desperately trying to remember her in this moment for the inevitable lonely nights when they would part, he for a career, and her for her schooling.

"I don't want to say goodbye." She finally broke the silence with that admittance, bringing his heart into a whole new realm of joy.

"Is not goodbye." He managed to counter "I see you tomorrow. No Karkaroff stop me." Tomorrow, the start of the winter holidays where he, as an adult, could stay at Hogwarts in a guest dorm instead of being ferried back to school and then home like most of the Durmstrang support that had come with the contingent.

"That's right! Winter break!" she exclaimed, her enthusiasm a balm to his lingering insecurities.

"Da, I see you soon" he finished with a wink as he found himself suddenly in front of a portrait of a... fat lady? As Helena whispered something into his ear before turning to face the portrait.

"Password dear?" it enquired as Helena said something completely out of his realm of comprehension and vanished inside with a shy wave.

"You better hang onto her boy." The portrait startled him as he had turned to head back to the ship.

"Vat?" he asked startled to be addressed by a portrait for anything serious.

"You both have the exact same looks I remember My William and I having." The lady sighed "it's one of the most romantic things I've seen in decades!"

Viktor ducked his head in sudden embarrassment as the portrait pontificated further on the fate of his and Helena's relationship and instead dwelt on what Ms. Potter had whispered in his ear,

"Obicham te"his heart had stuttered and he was at a loss for one of the first times in his life.

The girl he had envisioned forever with had just given him the ultimate reassurance that his dreams and fantasies hadn't been for naught, instead, he felt a fire ignite within him.

He'd woo Helena Potter to the end of days, just to hear those words again.