It goes that way for the next couple of weeks, Hermione cuts back on studying and spends her free time with Viktor. Viktor just waits for Hermione to be free, sometimes he jogs around the grounds, sometimes he even finds himself practicing for the ball. By the time it rolls around he wishes he'd practiced more. He adjusts the cape over his left shoulder for the hundredth time and pushes his shoulders back, taking a look in the mirror he sighs. This is as good as it's going to get.
When a Hogwarts professor calls for the champions and their partners to line up for the procession Viktor panics. She wouldn't stand him up would she? Was she coming? Was she hurt? Viktor's pulse was throbbing, he could feel it in his ears. And then he saw her.
She was, in a word, breath taking but that didn't quite do her justice. On some level he noticed she was wearing a charcoal silver colour, a pretty thing with thin straps and a floaty skirt but it was her that lit up the room. He watched her descend the staircase in awe, she was mesmerising. When she reached the bottom of the staircase he wished they were alone, it was all he could do to stop himself from kissing her neck, bare, sparing a few curls of hair. Like a proper gentleman he offered her his arm and couldn't help but grin at the jealous stares he was receiving from his fellow Durmstrang students. Even the boy Malfoy, who had spoken so cruelly of her couldn't hide his appreciation
"You are the most beautiful thing in this vorld, or any other" Viktor whispers, she blushes but doesn't believe him until she sees how proud he is to have her on his arm
"You look very handsome Viktor" she tells him truthfully, appreciating the way his dress uniform fits him. She can feel the stares but had been expecting it, being Viktor's date for the ball. She'd also expected the whispers, being plain old Hermione Granger. But she can honestly say she doesn't give a damn when Viktor takes her hand in his and pulls her closer by her waist
"Please forgive me if I step on your feet" he murmurs as the music begins
"It wouldn't be the first time you left me with a broken toe" she teases, referring to the first time they spoke in the library
"Hey, I said I vas sovvy for that"
"And I forgave you immediately" she smiles
"It's because I'm so cute" he teases as he spins her
"I suppose you are … under all that scowling. Admittedly I don't see it as much anymore"
"I vunder vhy that is" he murmurs near her ear, planting a quick kiss below it before lifting her high above his head.
They sway back and forth slowly now that the music has slowed and he has his lips pressed to the top of her head
"Sometimes" Hermione begins quietly "I think you might be too good to be true" she admits
"I can assure you Моят скъпоценни красота, I'm quite veal and I'm not going anyvhere"
"The second task is likely to be more dangerous than the last. I mean what's more dangerous than dragons?"
"Me, vhen idiots like Malfoy insult my pvincessa"
"I just don't want you to get hurt"
"Vould I do that? Knowing how angvy you'd be?"
"Promise me you'll be careful"
"Of course Hermione, of course I vill be careful. Vould you like a drink скъпоценен моята красота?"
"Yes I'd love one, I'll come with you" taking his offered hand Hermione follows him from the hall, to the quieter corridor outside
"Are you having fun?" he asks, stroking her back while they wait for drinks
"Yes" she tells him breathlessly "are you?"
"I'm having a vonderful time vith you. You have done the impossible, you have made me enjoy danzing"
"I can't imagine I would've enjoyed tonight at all if it weren't for you, so thank you" he lowers his lips to hers and gently, surprisingly so, pries her mouth open. It's his turn to be surprised when Hermione is the one to swipe her tongue across his bottom lip. Viktor groans in reply and pulls her closer by her waist. For a moment they forget where they are and it's all hands and lips, trying desperately to get closer to one another
"I think, perhaps, ve should stop" Hermione agrees of course but that doesn't mean she's not disappointed "or" Viktor adds carefully "ve could go somevhere more private?" he's about to apologise when she nods.
-x-
The ship is deserted, everyone is still at the ball but Hermione is quiet as they cross the deck. She has an idea of what could happen tonight and she's nervous, who isn't? But she's not scared, she wants this, she wouldn't have come here if she didn't. Her train of thought is interrupted when Viktor pulls her in to his arms
"Dance vith me скъпоценен моята красота" he takes her waist and cups her hand in his and begins to sway
"We've been dancing all night" she reminds him
"I sink, I could dance vith you for an eternity and still vant more" Hermione dips her head to hide her blush
"That was very smooth"
"Yes" Viktor chuckles "I'm quite pleased vith myself"
"I bet you say that to all the girls" she's only half joking
"No" he tells her firmly "there has never been anyvone like you" he takes the hand that was holding one of hers and lifts her face by her chin "you're enchanting, so beautivul and smart, ferocious vhen you vant" he grins and her blush darkens "so very, very beautivul" this time when he kisses her there's no warm up, no easing in to it, just a hot, hard kiss that takes her breath away and leaves her wanting more
"It's quite chilly isn't it?" in truth she's toasty warm but the deck isn't the best place for what she hopes is about to happen
"My cabin … is this vay?" he holds out his arm, gesturing to a door bellow the ships helm
"After you".
There's obviously an extension charm on the ship because the cabin is far larger than the actual size of the ship would allow. It's all wooden furniture and the large bed is dressed with furs, opposite a large fire roars and is contained by another spell
"Well this is travelling in style" Hermione murmurs, tracing the ornate carvings in one of the bedposts with her finger
"It's not bad" he shrugs, leaning against the doorframe, his accent really is very attractive to her
"How long will it take you? To get home?"
"Let's not talk about that" he says, pushing off the doorframe and moving towards her "let's talk about you and us and tonight and how spectacular you look" she takes a seat on the bed next to him and fiddles with her hands. Viktor threads his fingers through hers, lifts her hand to his lips and kisses her palm "even if I do not vin the cup, even if I am hurt, I am glad I came here and met you"
"So am I" they kiss softly and his lips glide to her cheek, her jaw, below her ear, down her neck to her shoulder. When he reaches the strap of her dress he stops and meets her gaze in question, she answers by reaching behind her and unzipping the dress completely, letting it pool at her waist
"I vant you" he tells her simply "do you vant this?"
"I do" she whispers and she means it. As Hermione lays back on the bed Viktor moves to hover over her. Tentatively Hermione reaches up to his neck, tracing the outline of his collar until she reaches the first fastening of his dress jacket, once they're all loose she starts on his shirt then sits up and pushes both off his shoulders. While he straddles her on his knees she takes the opportunity to look at him, she takes in the shape of his broad shoulders, his trim waist, the definition of each and every muscle, all that training really has paid off. He's thick and strong and safe. Viktor uses the pause to reach behind her with one arm and unclasp the delicate strapless bra she's wearing. Everything in her screams for her to hide, to cover herself up but the way he looks at her stops those thoughts. It's reverent when he bends and licks one pebbled nipple, so gentle, adoring even, when he laves at it with his tongue before sucking the other nipple into his mouth. It's exquisite, though she can't work out why. He spends a long time kissing whatever he has access to and after a while she lets her eyes close and relaxes into the soft furs. He settles his hips between her legs and she startles at the hardness, she wasn't expecting it to be quite that … well, hard
"Are you alvight?" he murmurs, pulling back to gage her reaction "ve can stop"
"No" she cuts in "no I'm fine, just quite nervous"
"I do not vant you to feel pvessured"
"Viktor" she stops him sternly "I want to" they share a deep kiss and in a bold move she reaches for his belt buckle to stop any further queries. He distracts her with tingling kisses down her neck but feeling a desperate need she hadn't felt before she almost tears the thing open and pushes down both layers of clothing. Lifting some of his weight off her, Viktor takes a hold of the delicate material bunched at her waist and slides it down her legs. His sweetness frustrates her when he bends to pick up her dress and shoes, draping the dress neatly over a chair and placing her shoes beneath it "Viktor" she grits, covering herself with a the largest fur blanket. He gets the message and slides under the blanket with her, wasting no time before engaging her in a deep kiss. As his hand drops from the back of her head, to stroke soft patterns down her back, she too, lets her hands explore. She traces the hard planes of his chest and follows the defined lines of his abdomen, as his hand comes to rest on her behind, hers skims something stiff. Tentatively, she grasps him and his breath catches then his hand makes a path down her thigh then back up the other side so his finger tips are at her centre, he groans at the wetness
"Are you veady?" she tightens her grip on his manhood and thinks about it, she knows from other girls' conversations and common sense that he is bigger than most and that this experience is painful at the best of times. She meets his gaze and she nods, pain be damned. He rolls on top of her, holding his weight up on his arms and kisses her as she shifts, making herself comfortable. His hardness grazes that sensitive spot between her legs and she makes the same movement a few times until Viktor's moving with her and she's panting heavily
"I'm ready" she pants when the pleasure seems almost too much and he pulls back to position himself
"Stop me if it hurts too much" and then she can feel the intrusion, something she had wanted so badly moments ago now felt so alien she wondered if she should stop it. She knew he wasn't even half way in when she felt full and then it was painful rather than just uncomfortable. When she realised Viktor had stopped, she opened her eyes and found him watching her "you're so beautivul my Hermione" reminding herself Gryffindor's are brave, Hermione wiggles her hips slightly and winces as Viktor's full length is buried in her "breathe скъпоценен моята красота" she takes a deep breath in through her nose and releases it "again" she does as he says and this time when she breathes in, he withdraws, when she releases the breath he pushes back in. It takes a few minutes for her to get used to the sensation but when they've established a steady rhythm she begins to enjoy it. It still doesn't feel comfortable but it's good and then it's great. She pushes the soreness to the back of her mind and instead focuses on the delicious friction. His pelvis continues to rub her most sensitive part and one of his hands is paying glorious attention to her breasts.
His ministrations become less precise and his thrusts more frantic, making her head spin and she sighs his name. The sound of his name on her lips causes him to shudder, releasing unexpectedly and he wraps his arms around her to pull her body closer. Hermione realises what's happened when she feels the warmth seeping from her and she feels an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. Feeling silly she slides her hands around Viktor's waist, one coming to rest at the back of his head, the other the base of his spine. This kiss is lazy and languid causing feelings of desire to stir in her again "I'm sovvy скъпоценен моята красота" he says looking down at where they are still connected "I could not help it"
"Oh" she exclaims, catching his meaning "don't worry, us muggles have that sort of thing pretty under control"
"Did I hurt you?" she shakes her head "are you sure? I didn't get too cavvied avay?"
"I think we both did" she smiles as Viktor falls to the side. When he holds out his arm she moves closer to him and lays her head on his chest
"I think I've got this all vong vut it goes vithout saying, I care for you very much Hermione and I vould very much like you to … be mvy girlfriend"
"I think it goes without saying" Hermione grins "I would like that very much" Viktor beams at her answer and their kiss is full of excitement "better late than never" she teases him
"In an ideal vorld I vould've asked your fadders permission"
"I think he'd probably like that" she agrees
"You'd intvoduce me?"
"Well yes, I suppose. I've never really taken an International Quidditch player and Triwizard Champion home for tea before" Viktor snickers at her joke and tightens his arm around her
"I might be jealous if you had. Hey! I almvost forgot" Viktor springs from the bed, clasping a sheet around his waist as he rifles through his dress jacket "I vas meant to give it to you at the vall vut I … didn't get the chance" he says grinning, giving her a wink
"Give me what?"
"Your chvismas pvesent" he explains, pulling a thin rectangular jewellery box from a pocket in his jacket
"Oh Viktor, you shouldn't have"
"Vut I did"
"I didn't think to- I'm sorry" Hermione trails off guiltily
"There vas no need" Viktor assures her "besides this is a gift to me also, if you choose to ver it" carefully Hermione opens the box Viktor holds out to her, to find it does in fact hold jewellery. Laid on the blue velvet inside is the most delicate white gold chain she's ever seen, she's afraid to touch it lest it break. In the centre is a simple number seven, as delicate as the chain
"It's lovely" she gasps, still worried about how fragile it looks
"It is-"
"Your quidditch number" she finishes for him
"Yes, I thought it less narcissistic than my name" he chuckles
"I love it"
"Vut as it turns out I am quite possessif so my initials are engvaved on the back" he shrugs still laughing. Sure enough when she flips over the small '7' charm, the tiniest 'VK' can be made out
"I love it even more" she grins, pulling him towards her and kissing him hard on the mouth "I should go" she murmurs against his lips after a few minutes of being lost in each other
"Provably" he agrees "but you don't haf to" he grins, covering her body with his, essentially trapping her
"I really do, if someone notices I'm gone-"
"Von't you stay vith me?" he pleads, kissing her throat
"Viktor" she warns
"Fine, if you must you must" he kisses her once more before pushing off the bed and dressing in clothes like the ones he exercises in "I'll check the coast is clear" he tells her before slipping out of the room. She takes a minute to process all that has happened, to decide if she's happy with the decision she's made. She is, though she's aching and sore. Climbing from the bed, she cringes at the mess and performs quick cleaning and drying spells on herself and Viktor's bed. She redresses quickly, grudgingly puts her shoes back on and fastens Viktor's gift around her neck. She's admiring it when Viktor returns "most people are only just leaving the vall, ve should ve fine"
"What are you doing?" she questions when he retrieves his broom from the corner of the room
"Vell I'm not about to let you valk back on your own. You'll feeze for one thing"
"Flying would be even colder" Viktor smirks and walks over to the chair where his cape is hanging "I can't take that"
"You can and you vill. I von't take no for an answer" Hermione sighs, she's sore and tired and about thirty seconds from crawling back in to Viktor's bed and staying there
"Fine" she recedes, taking the offered cape and draping it over her shoulders.
He makes the trip last as long as he can, drifting through the grounds with his chin rested on her shoulder and his arms wrapped tightly around her. She much prefers flying at a normal speed. He stops on a balcony not far from the Gryffindor common room and pulls her hands away when she tries to unclasp his cape
"I vant you to have it, I can get another" when she doesn't argue he drops his hand to the necklace she now wears "goodnight скъпоценен моята красота. I thank you for the best night of my life"
"Goodnight Viktor, thank you for my gift, for everything" she blushes and he dips down for one more kiss "merry Christmas"
"The best one yet" he tells her honestly and watches her until she's on the staircase and out of sight "my love".
