Hermione and Viktor sat next to each other on the edge of the bed. Hermione waiting for Viktor to say something, anything. Viktor waiting for his voice box to start working once more. He was stricken with fear, fear for the one he called his love. Also he was hurt, there was much she had kept from him. Though he knew it wasn't because she didn't trust him but because others didn't, still he was hurt.

"Well…" He cleared his throat as Hermione jumped from the sudden break in silence. "That's well, a lot." He said.

"Yeah… Yeah, I know." She looked to him. "You seem angry."

"No Luff." he looked at her as he took her hand in his. "I could never be angry… I'm worried… This is some dangerous stuff your into luff. I mean secret societies, horcruxes, just everything…"

"I know…" Hermione said softly.

"Luff, can I ask a question?"

"Of course. Anything. You can ask me anything."

"If you knew back then what you knew now would you have promised Harry to help him through whatever came his way?"

"Yes." Viktor shook his head as he stood Hermione's eyes following his movements as he did. "What?"

"I love you Mina I really do but sometimes I think your loyalty is severely misguided."

"Misguided?" she asked standing. "Viktor he's my best friend. Hell he's more than that to me he's family." Viktor turned and looked to her.

"Luff… Him being like your family is going to either get you seriously hurt or god forbid killed."

"What?" she asked surprised at how he was acting.

"Please understand where I am coming from." He walked to her and took her hands in his. "Mina I care more for you more than anything else in my life… I love you more than anything what you're doing alongside Harry it may end up getting you killed…" She looked down at their entwined hands before shrugging.

"I know." She said quietly.

"The fact you do and it doesn't scare you worries me greatly."

"It scares me Viktor, scares me to the point I can't sleep sometimes at night but I have to do it… I promised."

"Break your promise." She smiled softly and Viktor shook his head. "Sorry luff, I'm desperate."

"It's okay." She led him over to the bed where they sat down.

"You're in so much danger."

"I've always been, and you knew that when we got together."

"I did. I did." He said with a nod. "I just didn't know how much…" he looked to her. "This thing you're up against Mina, it's a monster."

"I know." She said softly shifting uncomfortably under his worried gaze.

"I'm scared for you."

"I appreciate that, I really do. But I won't back down."

"I know… It's one of the things I hate to love about you." She smiled softly.

"Viktor I'm sorry I had to keep it from you."

"You didn't have to luff…" She looked to him. "But you did, and I understand why. All that matters is you told me now."

"I'm sorry." She said softly.

"Don't be…" he cupped her cheek. "I understand it." he could see her expression was etched in worry. "Luff what is it?" through all the thing she had told him that night he hadn't seen the expression she was now wearing once.

"I have one more thing to tell you…" She said softly and he could hear her voice break.

"Okay…" He said instantly alarmed.

"It's bad Viktor…" she said moving away from him. "It's bad and I almost have no evidence, the only thing I have is what my gut is telling me."

"What has happened?"

"It's about tonight." She said softly. Hermione felt like she couldn't breathe. What she was about to tell Viktor scared her more then everything else she had told him about before.

"Alright…"

"It's about Asen."

"I thought it was about tonight." Viktor said confused.

"It's about both…"

"You think Asen was somehow involved with the attack tonight…" He said and Hermione waited a long moment before nodding.

"I do…" Viktor looked at the ground for a long moment.

"What is your gut saying exactly luff?" He asked his fists balling atop his knees.

"I think he might be trying to join the ranks of the death eaters… I have no evidence to support this but just deep down I know… I mean in the dining room before you walked in he threw me up against the wall and I'm sure he was going to kill me… I'm so sorry to tell you this Viktor."

"Right." Viktor stood Hermione following his actions. "That bastard." He said in Bulgarian before storming out.

"Viktor, Viktor what are you doing?" She asked rushing after him down the hallway.

"That bastard."

"Yes you've said that now where are you going?"

"To call him on actions!" he bellowed.

"What's going on?" Stony asked groggily as he came out of his bedroom.

"Get your father Stony quickly." Hermione said to him. "Viktor love stop…" she said as she followed him down a flight of stairs.

"That bastard turns on his own blood who does he think he is?"

"Viktor in his mind he's trying to protect his family." Viktor wheeled around on her and she took a huge step back. He had the same look in his eyes as he had that night in the maze.

"Protect his family? Tonight he had death eaters beating down on his family! Don't tell me he thinks he's protecting us!" He rushed down the stairs and Hermione followed once more.

"I'm just playing devil's advocate here…"

"He is devil."

"Viktor please, he's your brother." She said quickly.

"Not any more the second he sent death eaters on us he became less than that!"

"Viktor please please just calm down."

"I cannot he tried to have us all killed!" He bellowed.

"Maybe that wasn't his intention! Maybe, maybe he was just after me?"

"That doesn't help his case!" Viktor slammed through two double doors and rushed into a bedroom. "Come out coward!" Asen slowly walked out of his bathroom.

"Run now." Hermione said.

"What?" Asen inquired with a raised eyebrow. "What is this mudblood doing in my living space Viktor?"

"You bastard!" Viktor grabbed a hold of his brother.

"What is it?" Asen asked as his little brother threw him up against the wall.

"You brought death eaters here to our home!"

"What!?" Asen roared with a horrified expression.

"Do not lie to me!" Hermione gave a small yelp as Viktor punched a hole in the wall beside his brothers head.

"This is going too far." Hermione rushed forward and pulled at her boyfriend.

"She is right for once! You haf gone too far!" Asen pushed Viktor so hard he fell back against the ground; Hermione instantly helped him to his feet. "How dare you accuse me of such things?"

"Viktor this isn't the way come on…" Hermione said.

"Admit what you haf done!" Viktor yelled.

"I will not because I didn't do a god damn thing!" Hermione turned to Ivan, Dag, and Nick who had rushed into the room.

"Admit you set those death eaters upon us!" Viktor bellowed before his father had the chance to ask him what was going on.

"Not upon us upon her!" Asen yelled pointing at Hermione and instantly the room grew extremely quiet. "They were just supposed to kill her!" Viktor took a stance in front of Hermione out of instinct.

"How could you?" Ivan asked making his presence known.

"I was protecting this family!" Asen yelled feeling at that moment like a trapped animal.

"You endangered this family!" Ivan bellowed as he grabbed his son by the collar. Hermione rushed around Viktor and to Ivan's side.

"Mr. Krum please maybe you should hear his side." Ivan looked to her as she rested calm hands on his shoulder. "Please Mr. Krum…"

"Hermione he had men come here to kill you…" Ivan said.

"I know but I believe him when he says he was trying to protect the family…" Asen stared at her. "Was the family threatened because of me?" She asked looking to him.

"Yes." He said struggling against his father's grasp.

"Liar." Ivan said with narrowed eyes and gritted teeth.

"Mr. Krum I wouldn't be surprised if he was telling the truth." Hermione said hating seeing a father shake his son the way Ivan was in that moment.

"She is most famous mud blood now…" Asen said looking up at his brother. "To bring her head on a silver platter to the dark lord would have insured our safety and our wealth for generations."

"As much as I hate the fact you are my son… You are. Which means I know when you are lying so you will tell me the truth… Was this family threatened because of Hermione?" Ivan asked and his son looked at him for a long moment before sighing.

"No."

"So why? Why did you bring those men to our home?" Ivan asked.

"Because she's ruined this home!" Asen pushed his father away. "I was once your most precious son and now you treat me as second class citizen in the way you should be treating her!" He lunged at Hermione only to have his father push him back before pulling Hermione behind him in a protective matter. "Don't you see what she has done? Don't you see how far this family has fallen because of her presence here?" she looked at all the men in the family.

"This family is better for her presence…" everyone turned to see Sophia walking in an heir of respect and precedence following her every step.

"Mother please…" Asen pleaded and Hermione looked away from the expression. She couldn't stand the pain his eyes.

"How dare you?" Sophia asked. "How dare you bring disgrace upon this home by involving yourself with those death eaters?"

"I had to find a new family when I lost mine." Asen muttered.

"You never lost us son…" Ivan said.

"I did when she first sat down at out dining room table." He pointed at Hermione. "You've taken everything away from me mudblood! My home, My family, my honor-."

"You lost those things yourself." Dag said.

"What makes her less than any of us? Can you even come up with an answer?" Nick inquired.

"Her blood!" he bellowed so loudly that the veins in his neck stood out red and angry. "It's dirty can't you see that!?"

"I do not know where you picked up these ridiculous views but I swear if you do not apologize to Hermione now and renounce the beliefs that has brought such disgrace and evil upon this home then you will be written off… Erased from the great tree of Krum." Ivan said.

"Make your decision your hate or your family…" Sophia said softly fearing his answer with every bit of her soul.

"Asen I will leave." Hermione said surprising the others. "I will leave now and you will never set eyes upon me again-."

"It's too late." Asen said through clenched teeth.

"You don't want to abandon your family trust me when I say a decision like that it changes you." Hermione said and Viktor looked to her with wide eyes. "I will leave, and you will never set eyes upon me again, all I ask is that in return you tell me something…"

"You'll leave for good?"

"Yes."

"Hermione…" Viktor said.

"I won't even step foot back in Bulgaria…"

"What of my brother? Would you leave him?" she looked at Asen for a long moment her jaw clenching. "No… No you wouldn't… It doesn't matter anyways because it's too late."

"No it isn't." she said.

"Yes it is…" he pulled his sleeve to reveal the dark mark twisting across his skin.

"No…" Sophia said her breath hitching in her throat.

"See what I've become because of you!" Asen shouted at Hermione.

"You have no idea what you've done…" Hermione said quietly her eyes wide and brimming with tears. "You have no idea what that has done!" She yelled pointing surprising the others.

"I have made a choice the right one!" he yelled.

"Oh my child…" Sophia whispered as she covered her mouth in sheer horror.

"This is good Momma! Our family is protected because of my allegiance to the dark lord!" Asen said with a laugh.

"The dark lord doesn't care about allegiance all he cares about power and as soon as he realizes you are useless to him you will be dead Asen!" Hermione said and it surprised the others to see she was genuinely concerned for his safety.

"He wouldn't do that…" he said.

"Mark my words you've signed your death warrant with that mark." Hermione said softly her eyes wide.

"Not if I hand to him on a silver platter the head of the most famous mud blood of all time…" he raised his wand and Hermione pulled hers.

"Asen listen to me…" she said.

"I'm done hearing you talk!"

"Asen the dark lord will kill you!" She bellowed. "Once he finds out the Krum family has written you off he will kill you!"

"No he won't no he wouldn't!"

"Voldemort is not an upstanding guy he's an evil evil man with his own bloody agenda think of what you are doing to your family!"

"I can't go back now you forced me into this!"

"I can give you sanctuary Asen!" Hermione said.

"You say that with your wand raised…" she looked at him for a long moment.

"Asen…" she slowly lowered her wand.

"Hermione don't do that." Ivan said reaching for his own.

"He's dangerous…" Sophia said softly the words paining her more than a knife to her heart.

"I can give you sanctuary; I can keep you safe…" Hermione said ignoring them.

"If I turn over everything I've learned of Voldemort over to your mudblood loving friends." He spat.

"Do not let your hatred for me end your life Asen!"

"He won't kill me." He said.

"Yes he will… I guarantee you he will…" she said softly before she dropped her wand completely. "Let me help you Asen…" he looked at her for a long moment. "Your life doesn't have to end…"

"It won't…" he said. "Not when I bring your head on a platter!" he raised his wand while Hermione threw out her hand having her wand fly back into her grasp she stepped forward and whipped her wand. "Avada-." He stumbled forward his hand going to clutch his chest. He slowly fell forward to the ground his wand dropping from his hand as he did. Hermione rushed forward and turned him onto his back as she pulled his head into her lap and rested her hand on his chest.

"Breathe Asen… Breathe…" he took a shaking breath that rattled in his chest. "There you are keep breathing…" Hermione coached.

"What spell did you use?" Ivan asked coming to his son side.

"A deep sleep spell, sometimes when you put someone under it they can slip into momentary shock… He's breathing so he should avoid the shock…" she looked to Ivan who was kneeling beside her. "You have a choice…" she said making him look to her. "I can leave him under this and have the order take him to a safe location where he will be kept under until the end of the war… Or I can take the sleep spell off him and he'll run to Voldemort who will kill him, because of his failure tonight to have me killed… What do you want me to do?"

"Send him to the order…" Sophia said softly as she watched her eldest sons eyes slowly close.

"I can't guarantee when you will see your son again…" Hermione said softly.

"This is better… This is what is best for him." Ivan said. "Have the order take him… Please… Have them keep him safe." She slowly nodded.

"Dobby…" the elf appeared.

"Is it time?" he asked.

"Yes, will you take him to the others?" Hermione asked.

"Yes… I will take care of him miss…" He said looking to Sophia. "Don't you worry."

"Thank you Dobby." Sophia said as she watched the Elf take her eldest son by the hand. With a loud deafening pop the Elf and Asen were gone and a dead silence filled the room.

"I can't believe he made that plunge." Dag said sitting down in a chair.

"He thought becoming a death eater was what was best for your family, don't be cross with him." Hermione said softly.

"You approve of his choice?" Ivan asked.

"No but I approve of the reasoning behind it…"

"He would have killed you tonight." Viktor said his fists clenched at his side.

"He may try to kill me when he wakes up, but he'll try because he thinks it's what he needs to do…" Hermione slowly walked to Sophia. "Can I get you something?"

"No… No thank you dear…" she said her hand resting on her cheek. "Thank you for everything…" Hermione slowly nodded before walking away.

"She could have killed him if she wanted…" Nick said when she was out of ear shot. "Why didn't she?"

"That's the difference between the Allies of Harry Potter and the Allies of Voldemort…" Ivan said. "The allies of Potter are good people who make rational and moral decisions."

-o-

Hermione sat on the edge of her bed watching Viktor pace the room. He was livid and she understood why. Still she was scared. Unsure if he was angry with her or angry with his death eater brother. She crossed her arms over her chest as she slowly stood. She was careful as she approached her fuming boyfriend.

"Viktor…" she rested a light hand on his rigid shoulder. He stopped his pacing before slowly looking to her. "I'm sorry…" he turned and took her in his arms, his head bowing to her shoulder. "I'm so sorry Love…" she whispered as they slowly sunk to the ground.

"I'm so sad for my brother…" he said softly. "I'm so sad for him but I hate him still…"

"He thought he was doing what was best for the family."

"How was becoming a death eater what was best?"

"Because for a short time it would have protected you all from death eater attacks… Then I came along." He shook his head as he pulled away.

"This was not your doing… It was his hates doing… I do not want you to blame yourself." She slowly nodded.

"I'm sad for your family Viktor…"

"I know Luff…" He took her in his arms before slowly pulling away.

"I'm going to go check in with Dobby he should be back by now I want to make sure the transfer was completed. You should go check in on Stony…"

"Right…" Viktor said. Hermione walked out of the room and down the hallways. Her feet weren't taking her to Dobby's room which was situated by Stony's instead they were taking her upstairs and down a long hallway. As she neared a large room she could hear the sound of sobbing. She slowly peeked into the room and spotted Sophia clutching a large book to her chest, crying hysterically as she did. Hermione bowed her head and went to walk away but froze as she came face to face with Ivan.

"What are you doing down here Hermione?" He asked with a kind expression.

"I don't know…" She said truthfully. "I was kind of compelled down here… Sophia's in there you should see to her…"

"I've tried." He said before she could walk away. "Maybe you could."

"I would think I would be the last person she'd want to see…" Hermione said softly.

"I think you'll be surprised at how much she wants to see you… Please Hermione check on her for me?"

"Alright…" she said not finding herself unable to say no to him. She slowly walked into the room and closed the door for privacy. When the door clicked closed Sophia looked to her.

"Hermione?"

"Uhm… I was compelled to come here… I didn't mean to interrupt anything…"

"Come sit child…" she said patting the bed. Hermione slowly nodded and walked over sitting down next to her. "I was looking at old photos of my boys…" she placed the large book on her lap to reveal it was a huge photo album. "Would… Would you like to see?"

"Sure…" Hermione said with a kind expression.

"It has all my boys in it…" she opened it up to reveal a bunch of baby photos. "In line of when they were born… Do you know of my true eldest son did Viktor tell you? I can't remember."

"Yes he did… He was a time traveler…"

"It was a terrible accident…" Sophia said softly. "Terrible things happen to this family… Happen to me… I had three miscarriages before I finally conceived my first son… All three were girls I carried them that long that I knew their gender…" Hermione looked to see the sadness in her face. "I thought I had lost so many children that none that made it would ever be taken away but then the accident with the first happened and now Asen is gone."

"Not forever…" Hermione said softly making the older woman look to her. "You will see him again."

"I don't know if I want to… What he's become…"

"It seems bad now but by the end of this war what happened we'll… laugh about it." Sophia looked to her. "Okay maybe not laugh… Maybe… chuckle? Or… Or not…" Sophia smiled her hand resting on Hermione's cheek.

"You are trying so hard to comfort me… I'm thankful for it."

"I'm not so good at the comforting… I'm sorry…" Hermione said and Sophia wrapped an arm around her. "I mean it Sophia… I'm so sorry for everything." She looked to Hermione. "I didn't mean to bring this down on your family… I knew there was a chance something bad would happen I just didn't think your family would be torn apart… I should have left the moment I knew Asen had issues with me…"

"Hermione you couldn't have known he would turn to the dark arts."

"I should have seen it coming… I should have seen all of this coming…" Hermione looked to her with wide eyes which brimmed with tears. "I'm sorry that Asen was taken away from you. I'm sorry that I couldn't keep your family together… Most of all I'm sorry I've made you so sad Sophia…"

"Oh child…" She wiped a tear as it fell down Hermione's cheek. "You did not make me sad He did… As much as you wish me not to blame him it is his fault what happened and what would make me sadder than anything is if you felt any guilt for this…" Hermione slowly nodded as Sophia wrapped her arms around her. "I'm so glad you're here… Don't ever think different." Hermione hugged her back tightly. "Are you alright Love?" she asked pulling away the bruise from an unknown attack still evident around her throat. "Are you alright from what happened tonight?" She didn't want to focus on herself she wanted to focus on her children and that included Hermione.

"Don't worry about me… I'm always okay…" Hermione said with a soft smile.

"You are a very very brave young woman…" Sophia said.

"I learn from the best…" Hermione said taking the older woman's hand.

"You're very sweet…" Hermione stood and walked over to her vanity taking a handkerchief and walking back over. "Now you're very gracious… How retched do I look?"

"You could never look retched." Hermione said. "In fact it's really un fair that you're a pretty crier on top of everything else." Sophia laughed and Hermione smiled as she sat down next to her. "You know when my mom or I used to get upset we would go for a girls day. Shopping primping and Pastry-ing…"

"That would lift my spirits… It's morning… You want to today?"

"Yeah." Hermione smiled brightly as she nodded excitedly.

"Go get ready… It's morning anyways." Sophia said with an excited look. "We'll meet in the drawing room."

"Okay." Hermione laughed as she rushed out of the room as Ivan walked in.

"You're going out shopping after the attack we just went through?" He asked. "Sophia that isn't safe... Especially with Hermione…" Hermione froze. She was heading back to the room to ask Sophia what she should wear but froze when she had heard Ivan.

"Hermione?" Viktor asked walking up behind her. "Luff?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" He heard his mother ask.

"What I mean is that… She's Hermione Granger Best friend to Harry potter… Death eaters like she has said will gun for her just like our son did tonight. She'll attract trouble."

"Now wait a minute." Viktor said rushing into the room not noticing that Hermione was running off. "How can you say that with all the good she's done?"

"Viktor…" Ivan said a little surprised.

"Apologize." Viktor said.

"To who?" Ivan asked.

"Hermione she's right here." He turned to look at her and froze seeing she was gone.

"Did she hear?" Sophia asked wide eyed.

"Yes she heard..." Viktor said running from the room.

"If she leaves because of you…. I will never forgive you." Sophia said with a stern point at her husband as she rushed off after her son.

"What have I done?" Ivan asked himself as he followed close behind.

"Why'd you have to come here?!" they froze as they broke onto the floor Hermione's room was situated on to see Stony and Hermione standing staring at each other.

"Stony…" Hermione reached for him.

"No!" He slapped her hands away.

"Stonvic!" Sophia and Ivan yelled at the same time.

"This is all your fault you should have just stayed away! It's your fault Asen is gone!"

"Stony I'm… I'm sorry…" Hermione said softly.

"Sorry doesn't bring him back! I'll never get to see him now!" His family rushed up to them. "I wish you had never met Viktor I wish I had never met you I hate you Hermione!"

"Stony!" They all gasped.

"I hate you!" He rushed into his room and slammed the door. Hermione stared at it for a long moment before looking to the others making sure her eyes never rested on theirs.

"Uhm… I'm kind of tired from the fight with… The death eaters… I'm… I'm going to go… Do something…" she shook her head before turning and quickly jogging to her room.

"Luff wait!" Viktor rushed to the room but the door closed before he could make it inside.

"You speak to your son and then you and I will have words Ivan." Sophia said with a stern point.

Hermione walked into her room her eyes shut tightly as she heard Stony scream that he hated her over and over again. She shook her head as she sat down on the edge of her bed her fists balled at her knees.

"Luff let me in…" Viktor said. "You shouldn't be alone…" she looked to the door and went to beckon him in but the pain her chest and throat was too intense to form any words.

"Bloody hell…" she muttered as a tear roamed down her cheek. She felt like the world was crumbling in on her. She felt immense guilt and it was just bringing up other emotions she had buried for years.

Viktor looked up and down the hallway not sure of what he should do. Then his hand rested on her door handle and he slowly opened it to see Hermione looking at him with wide tear filled eyes. He closed the door and slowly crossed the room to her. The second he wrapped his arms around she let out a heart wrenching sob. It pained him to hear such a noise coming from the woman he loved.

"Shh Luff…"

"Everything is so messed up…" she said softly her voice strained and full of pain. He knew this just wasn't about what his father and his brother had said. But this was everything that had accumulated over the past few years of her life that she had buried and hoped to never feel. "I just want to go home…"

"I know luff…" he said as he picked her up in his arms before lying back on the bed with her. Hermione's body pressed against his.

"I never meant for this to happen… I never meant for any of it to happen…" She sobbed as her body shook. "I'm so sorry…"

"There's nothing to be sorry about. You didn't do anything."

"It's all my fault… All of it…" Viktor was at a loss for words he knew nothing he could say would console her at that moment. She had buried so many things he couldn't address all the emotions even though he wanted so badly to. "I do my best and it's not good enough…"

"It's good enough… It is…"

"I hate feeling like this I just want it to stop can't I just make it stop?"

"You've tried that before and now we're here… You have to feel what you've been putting off Luff." She cried harder and he took a deep breath as he ran his fingers through her hair soothingly over and over again. It was all he could do for her and he was happy to do it. Happy that she was even letting him do it. There was a time when she would have pushed him away or hide it from view. He was glad that she had grown to trust him enough to be there to comfort her when she needed it. " It's alright luff you'll get through it… You just… Have to feel what your feeling and sort through it…" She sobbed harder.

"I can't do this alone.."

"You're not alone… I'm here luff… I'll always be here.."