Aleksander and Cordelia spent their first morning reunited in bed, talking about their summers so far. Aleksander explained that Bulgaria was undefeated, and that season had been the best he'd ever played despite having to take time off for the Tournament. Cordelia told him how she learned to produce a Patronus and cook on a muggle grill, which Aleksander had never seen before. Just before the sun set, Aleksander led Delia a few tents down to the one his family was staying in. Out in front, his little brother and sister were running around, chasing down a Golden Snitch.

"That is my little sister, Iliana, and my brother, Grigor. She is eight and he is eleven," Aleksander told Cordelia as the reached the kids. Once they noticed him walking over, the pair bombarded their older brother with hugs. Grigor looked like a mini Aleksander, but Iliana looked slightly different. Her facial features were less harsh than the boys, and her eyes a warmer hazel rather than the cool brown her brothers shared. She looked absolutely thrilled to see Delia.

"Is this her?" she asked frantically, tugging on Aleksander's sleeve. "Is this the girl you told us about?" Delia smiled warmly at the thought of Aleksander telling his family about her.

He nodded. "Guys, this is Delia. Delia, these are my little siblings."

"It's so nice to finally meet you guys, I've heard so much about you!" Delia exclaimed as Iliana hurried from Aleksander's side to hug her.

"Did you hear that I am an even better Quidditch player than Aleksander? And also much more handsome?" Grigore asked with a broad grin. Aleksander shoved him.

"You know, he didn't mention it. I think he might've been a little embarrassed to admit it," Delia teased, smiling at her boyfriend.

"Are you magic?" Iliana asked.

Delia nodded. "I met your brother when he visited my school, Hogwarts."

A voice called out from the tent in another language. Delia glanced at Aleksander. "That is my dad. He said it is dinner time."

Cordelia's heart began pounding when he led her into the tent. "Why do you look so nervous?" he asked quietly.

"What if they don't like me?" Delia worried. "What if they think I'm not good enough for you?"

"Delia, please. Relax. They will love you," he reassured her. "I have already told them so much about you. You are too good for me. Just be yourself- they are not hard people to get along with."

Aleksander was not wrong. Upon entering the tent, his mother kissed Delia on both cheeks and his father engulfed her in a bone-crushing hug. They were much warmer and friendlier than Delia had expected, only knowing the cold, serious Bulgarians that had come to Hogwarts for the Tournament. She sat down at the dinner table next to Aleksander and his father immediately started piling steaming hot food onto her plate. Her anxiety disappeared, and she felt herself flood with relief and comfort. Dinner went even better than she could have expected. Aleksander's parents asked all sorts of questions about Delia's family, Hogwarts, and her future, and told her countless embarrassing stories from Aleksander's childhood. When it was time for the kids to go to sleep, Delia almost wasn't ready to leave- almost. But, she remembered that Aleksander had mentioned buying a bottle of fancy wine as a sort of housewarming/I missed you present. So, they hugged his parents goodbye, thanked them for a beautiful evening, and happily trotted back the way to break into that bottle.

As they crossed the threshold, Shoes hurried over and circled their feet in greeting. Delia scratched his head then took a seat on the couch, conjuring up a fire. "Tonight was amazing," she said happily. Aleksander joined her on the couch, a glass of wine for each of them in hand.

"And to think, you were so worried they would not like you!" he teased. Delia laughed.

"Well, I was wrong. Your parents are lovely people and wonderful cooks." She took a sip of wine.

"Do you know what, Cordelia Podmore?" he asked.

"What?" She turned to face him.

"I am absolutely in love with you."

"Well, that's very convenient, because I, too, am absolutely in love with you," she replied, kissing him lightly.

The rest of the summer was spent travelling to large, empty fields all over the globe, packing and unpacking and packing again. Sturgis wrote to Cordelia a few times, but his letters were brief and vague. He was terrified they were being watched. Val and Catherine, on the other hand, wrote her at least once a week in great detail about their new jobs and love lives. They seemed to be having a great time, but were excited for the summer to end.

Delia grew closer to Aleksander's family than she ever thought she would. They ended up coming to most of his matches because the team was having such a good season. His parents treated her like one of their own and were thrilled to see their son so happy. After dinner one night, as Delia was helping his mother with the dishes, she looked over to make sure Aleksander was in deep conversation with his father before leaning in to whisper to Cordelia.

"You know, zat boy has never smiled as much in his whole life as he has this summer. You two have something very special," she told Delia.

"You really think so, Emiliya?" Delia asked with a grin. She had asked for Delia to call her by her first name the second time they had dinner together.

"Of course," she said. "It reminds me very much of my husband and I ven ve vere your age." That thought comforted Delia. Emiliya and her husband, Dragomir, were still very much in love and seemed to have the kind of relationship everyone yearned for. The embarrass your kids, can't keep your hands off each other, still as in love as the day we met kind of relationship.

"If we end up anything like you two, I would be the happiest girl in the world," Delia said. Emiliya pulled her in to a tight hug.

"I am so happy Aleksander found you. I am going to miss you while you are back home, but I wish you luck with your new job."

Later that night, Aleksander and Delia were lying in bed, discussing what was going to happen after the World Cup the next week.

"I'm going to go back and stay with my grandparents for a while, until I get situated at Ollivander's. Hopefully, I can get a place of my own after a bit. Or maybe Catherine will want a roommate…" Delia thought out loud.

"What if we got a place together?" Aleksander suggested. "You stay with your grandparents for a little while and I'll go out and look for something. That way, you would not have to worry about the money. I could take care of it."

"Would you really want to do that? You don't think we'd be rushing things?" she asked warily.

"Delia, we have been together for a while now. I know I am in love with you. We did a very good job living together in this tiny tent. Imagine how good we would be at living in a real home together!" he exclaimed. Aleksander looked ecstatic at the thought of this. "We could get a dog!"

Delia laughed. "Ok, ok! I'll do it. But let me help out with the money."

"We will see," he sighed, kissing her on the cheek. Her heart fluttered as she imagined having her own place with the one she loved. If only they wouldn't have to abandon it all so quickly…