Ginny's voice announced, "Hotel Cathar lobby," as she took Hermione's arm. They whirled from Floo to Floo until arriving in a huge marble fireplace in a luxury hotel. Hermione retrieved their bags from the pocket of her jacket as they made their way to the reception desk.
Hermione approached the counter and said, "Hermione Granger and Ginevra Malfoy to check in for our rooms and the conference."
The young man behind the counter smiled and handed Ginny a key, saying, "Miss Granger, your room is not quite ready yet. We have unfortunately become very crowded, what with the conference and the Quidditch teams staying here for the match. If you would like to wait for a few minutes in the lounge, I'll have someone bring you your key as soon as the room is available."
Just then, a woman across the lobby called out, "Hermione, are you here for the game? Come, we are in the lounge. Mayka and Bashta are waiting for Viktor to show up. I want you to meet Vassily."
It was Anya Krum, Viktor's sister. Hermione introduced her to Ginny and the three women went into the lounge to greet the elder Krums.
It turned out that Vassily had been one of Viktor's classmates at Durmstrang the year of the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts, so both Ginny and Hermione had met him previously.
Ginny excused herself to take her bag up to her room, secretly rejoicing that things were working out much better than expected. She ran into Fleur in the lobby, however, and they found a corner of the lobby where they could discuss the plot in private. A few minutes later, Harry and Luna entered the hotel, to be greeted with much fanfare. Harry took care of the room registration and helped Luna find a seat near Fleur and Ginny. When Ginny informed them that Hermione had been swept up with Viktor's family, both Fleur and Luna breathed a sigh of relief.
A flurry of noise and people at the doors to the hotel heralded Viktor Krum's arrival. Reporters, fans, and hotel personnel were all trying to talk to him at once.
He scanned the lobby for a bolt-hole and spied Harry standing next to the three women. Saying, "Enough, I vill do interview later. Now is time for friends and family. Go! Leaff me alone. I see old friends from Hogwarts."
He sidestepped the group and walked directly to Harry.
"So, Harry Potter, do you haff to put up vith this kind of treatment as vell? Hello, Fleur, how are you? This must be your sister-in-law, Ginny... Malfoy, isn't it? This lovely blonde must be your vife, Harry. Luna, I belief? Haff any of you seen Hermione? I vas hoping she vould be here for conference." Viktor was looking around, hopefully.
Ginny winked at her co-conspirators, which Harry saw, and said, "She is in the lounge with your family. Her room was not ready yet. Your sister wanted to introduce her to her fiance."
Viktor immediately grinned, bowed to the ladies, shook Harry's hand, and almost ran to the lounge.
Harry looked at his wife and her friends, sceptically, saying, "I know you are all up to something. I just hope it is what I think it is. If you are scheming to get those two married, you have my full support. I'll help any way I can. So will Draco and Bill, I know. We want to see her happy and Viktor was always the man for her."
Fleur spoke up at once, "That is excellent, Harry. I think you should stay vith Luna. Zhe may just have that baby while zhe is here. I'll call Bill to bring Victoire, and Ginevra can call Draco to bring Thuban. Ve'll make it a family project now."
In the lounge, Viktor saw his family surrounding his beloved Hermione and his heart beat wildly. She was laughing at something his father had said and holding his mother's hand. She belonged there. He was going to have to find the courage to finally ask her. She spied him just then, and waved. He moved into the room and greeted everyone. When his parents saw how his eyes lingered on Hermione, they made excuses to go up to the suite and wait for him.
As she and Viktor settled onto a sofa in the lounge to catch up with each other, the young man from the front desk rushed into the room.
"Miss Granger, I am so sorry. The person who was to check out of your room has not checked out yet. I have absolutely no rooms available for tonight. I do not know where I am going to put you."
Viktor took that opportunity to say, "Not to vorry. My suite has four bedrooms. Ve will simply adjust sleeping arrangements. Vould you mind sharing room vith Anya for tonight? There are two beds in each room, loff." He was holding his breath, hoping she would agree.
She looked at him and laughed, a sound he loved. "What a wonderful man you are, Viktor, always coming to my rescue. I wouldn't mind at all sharing with Anya. We can dissect your character at will."
"So, it is solfed. Please to send fruit baskets to the Potters' room and that of Madam Weasley and Madam Malfoy. Now go, do front desk things. I vant to talk to my friend." Viktor dismissed the young man with a wave of his hand.
Hermione laughed again at his antics. "Oh, Viktor, you are so used to ordering everyone around. It is so very good to see you." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
He picked up her hands and held them for a moment before turning them over and kissing the palm of each one.
"It is vonderful to see you again, loff. I haff missed you sorely. Your conference does not start until tomorrow, I know. Anya is attending as well. Vhy don't you come to practice for exhibition game this afternoon. Ve could haff dinner together afterward, catch up on vork and personal things."