Chapter 34: Summer Interlude II
Hermione woke groggily, feeling entirely too comfortable to attempt moving anywhere fast. Her tail always seemed to wake up first, flicking up and back regardless of her awareness level. She realized as she lay there in her comfy spot that Viktor was still with her, warming her back with his own perceptible body heat, and waking up as a gryphon in the morning on a comfy bed was cathartic. Privately, she wished she could wake up like this back at Hogwarts, but she had a feeling Ginny would probably not respond well to waking up with an overgrown gryphon sprawled out on her best friend's bed. She could use the privacy curtains, she supposed, but Ginny would be the first one to think it was perfectly ok to jump onto her mattress to wake her up. Pouncing on a sleeping gryphon was probably not the wisest idea.
She tried to recall the last time she felt so relaxed when she woke up and realized that the only other times she had was when waking up in her Master's quarters after his scent and familiar surroundings had lulled her into a relaxed state. Well, that and the few times she woke up having fallen asleep on Severus in pure exhaustion, ending up half drooling down his teaching robes like a rampaging St. Bernard. That never ceased to be embarrassing. To his credit, at the very least, he never faulted her for it, woke her up screaming, or made her feel worse. Oh, if Harry even suspected that she'd done that at any time in her life… she was pretty sure it would break his mind.
Hermione yawned beakily, making an eagle squeak mixed with a purr. The movement dislodged the "sleeping" hippogriff that had been nestled in between her head and Viktor's. Vik twittered at her sleepily and flew wobbly into her neck feathers, burying himself in them.
In her half asleep state, a part of her wondered if she could accidentally shift in her sleep and inadvertently give herself away to Ginny. That would be horrible.
Viktor let out a huge canine yawn and began to groom whatever was nearest to him, starting with her face and working down her neck and back.
Hermione purred louder and leaned closer, not really caring where he was he grooming as long as he kept at it.
Strangely enough, he seemed perfectly inclined to do so, taking it upon himself to set her feathers and fur into order as if preparing her for some exotic magical animal show.
Finally somewhat coherent, Hermione rolled, pinned Viktor down with her heavy front talons, and began to preen him in return, setting all his vanes smooth upon his feather shafts and making sure to oil them properly.
Viktor, equally enjoying the attention, twitched his front leg involuntarily, giving away his pleasure.
Hermione squeaked when Viktor rolled her onto her back and groomed the soft area around her neck with an equally soft rumbling growl. He yawned widely as he withdrew from her, returning to his human form.
Hermione shifted as well, yawning. "I could go back to sleep and sleep the rest of the day away," she confessed.
Viktor smiled at her. "Am glad you feel safe enough," he said softly. He looked out over the room, not really focusing on one thing. "Sleep better, when you near," he confessed as well.
Hermione learned into his shoulder wordlessly.
"Should go down for breakfast, though," Viktor said after a moment, "before mother come in with giant bucket of vater."
Hermione blushed a very convincing Gryffindor scarlet causing Viktor to chuckle. He placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up, very gently pressing his lips to hers. "Good morning," he said softly as he withdrew.
Hermione mumbled something that might have been "good morning" in Yiddish, staring at Viktor with a tender look.
He smiled at her warmly, tracing his fingers along her jaw. "Is not good morning?" he teased.
She thwapped him with her hand to his chest. "It's a perfectly good morning, you prat," she said with absolutely no venom.
He rewarded with another warm smile, standing from the bed and extending her his hand which she took, allowing him to pull her to her feet. He turned and guided her out of the room towards breakfast.
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Breakfast, much like the light meal she had experienced before bed, was delicious to Hermione, and she had no problem at all scarfing it down as fast as politely possible.
Her fast favorite was something Viktor called "banista" which was some sort of filled dough that had equally tasty fillings made of mixed cheeses, rice, meat, and spinach. There were small fritters that Titania had laid out a wide variety of fruit preserves and jam for her to sample with them.
"Your brothers sent word this morning," Tihomir rumbled over what seemed to be the Bulgarian equivalent to the Daily Prophet. Crazily aligned words spread over the paper's surface like they had been pasted randomly by a five-year-old, much like the Prophet. "Deed to property official. They are starting to move in living items first. They request you ship vhat you vant so it can be there when you arrive."
"Brothers alvays in rush," Viktor said with a shake of his head. "Barely graduated. Already moving into new place like only place to live."
Viktor's mother laughed. "They are inspired, my son. It is good to see them properly inspired for once, instead of just chasing wild boars across the forests and trying to drag you with them."
Viktor sputtered. "They did not just drag me off to hunt boar, mother," he argued.
"No," she answered. "They did try to drag you off to go caving that one summer."
Viktor was blushing. Apparently whatever had happened on the caving trip had not gone to plan, judging by the color of his face. Hermione stifled a giggle.
Viktor's father was snickering from behind his paper, obviously not so inclined to censor his laughter. He grunted after a while, slapping a part of the paper with a shake of his head. "Is your Ministry always so stubborn in the face of danger?" He pointed to an article under a picture of the Dark Mark hanging in the sky.
Hermione couldn't read the paper, but she knew exactly what he was asking about. "Our Ministry… would rather not promote panic than admit the danger, I think."
"A little panic might help people be more inspired to be prepared in the future," Tihomir scoffed.
Hermione shook her head. "I do not claim to understand them. Lately… more so."
Suddenly a soot covered owl came diving in to the room through the fireplace, swooping in and landing next to a startled Hermione. "Hedwig!"
The not so white owl hooted softly, extending her leg to her. Hermione untied the message from her leg and patted her pants for the tin of habitually carried owl treats. She handed Hedwig a treat and soothed her breast feathers before reading the note.
"My friend Harry says hello," Hermione said with a smile. "He wants a postcard."
Hedwig nipped at her fingers.
"Ow!" Hermione said, glaring at Hedwig. "He can't be that impatient for news! What am I going to tell him? All the news is in Bulgarian!"
"Tell you what," Titania said as she cleared the table with a wave of her hand. "While my son packs his things to send to his impatient brothers, I can take you to see one of the archeological museums. You can get postcards for your friends and keep your fingers safe."
Hermione grinned. "Thank you, that would be wonderful."
Viktor chuckled, but seemed reluctant to let Hermione out of his sight or perhaps reluctant to let Hermione out alone with his mother. Each seemed equally likely.
Titania straightened her posture and glared down at her son with the air of authority. "You will have plenty of time to bond with her later, my son. It is my time to get to know her."
Viktor hung his head and seemed resigned that he wasn't going to win any argument with his mother. "Da, maĭka."
"That's a good son," she said, running her hand across the top of his shortly cut hair, reminding Hermione of how Severus would pat either her or Draco's head. "I will bring her home unharmed."
Hermione found herself being shuffled away from the breakfast table and out the door before she could realize what was going on.
Hedwig shuffled her feet on the chair she was perched on and hooted her commentary.
"Velcome to Bulgaria," Tihomir said, passing the owl a frog leg he had pulled out from somewhere. He went back to reading his paper casually as if nothing abnormal was going on in his house.
Hedwig hooted, fluffing her feathers.
Viktor stood and began to exit.
"Do not worry, my son," Tihomir said in Bulgarian as he read the paper. "Your mother will not tell her too embarrassing stories."
"They will be embarrassing none the less," Viktor replied.
"That's what parents do, my son," his father replied. "We live to embarrass our progeny in front of their cherished ones."
Viktor pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "This is what I am afraid of."
"Look at it this way, my son," he mused. "If she does not leave you after hearing the stories of your childhood, she is definitely worth keeping." The sound of his father's laughter rang through the house as Viktor begrudingly trudged off to pack his things to be sent off to join his brothers.
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When Hermione returned hours later, she was shuffled in front of Titania with an utterly flabbergasted look upon her face.
Titania, however, looked absolutely triumphant.
When Viktor came around the corner dragging yet another trunk to add to the collection of trunks gathered by the stairs, his eyes grew wide as saucers. "Her-my-own," he whispered. "You… wear dress."
Hermione dropped the bags she was carrying as Viktor twirled her around, spinning her multiple times before allowing her feet to touch the ground once more.
He ran his hand down the back vest that was covering her white blouse. Floral embroidery covered every inch of the vest and led down to a skirt that matched. The black floral apron covered a dark crimson apron underneath. Her hair was covered in silken headscarf that was long enough to weave multiple times around her tresses and hang down the sides of her head.
"Mmm," Titania purred. "She looks good dressed traditional, no?"
Viktor made no sound as he touched Hermione's jaw and the fabric of her dress. He stared at her as if seeing her for the first time. With a soft growl, he pulled her to him, tucking her under his chin and pinning her to his chest. "You are beautiful," he whispered.
Hermione meeped, sinking into him with a soft sound of protest, but there was no heart in it. She rubbed into his scent, which had somehow grown stronger in a matter of seconds.
Viktor's mother gave off a smug aura. "Get ready for dinner, children," she purred. "We have guests coming for dinner."
Viktor froze, his arm pinning Hermione to him with the power of his surprise. "Guests?"
"Mmm," Titania said vaguely. "I do hope you didn't pack your good clothes." His mother drifting up the staircase and disappeared like a wisp over the water.
Hermione looked at Viktor with wide eyes.
"I do not know vho she invited, Her-my-own," Viktor confessed. "Afraid to ask. Afraid to not ask."
"Is this normal?" Hermione asked meekly.
Viktor pulled her with him down the hall towards his room. "Vhen dealing vith my mother," he said. "Best to listen and obey. To do otherwise… not prudent."
"She seems so… caring," Hermione protested.
"Make no mistake," Viktor said as he pulled her into his room to begin digging around for something to wear that might match her outfit. "She is mother bear. Strong. Powerful. Protect her family to death…but has no problem cuffing errant cub upside head for being impertinent. Never in life… doubt her love for family. Even when she dragging me out of mud hole by my collar after getting in fight vith fellow student as child."
"You… got into a fist fight as a child?" Hermione blinked at him.
"I…" Viktor smiled awkwardly. "I was… angry child. Not always. Just sometimes… rise up like storm on high seas. Sudden and uncontrollable. He insult mother. I punch his face."
Hermione widened her eyes. "I'll admit, you don't seem the uncontrolled anger type, Viktor."
Viktor laughed. "Thankfully grew out of it. Once magic became regular and controlled, so did temper. Suddenly, I could see straight again."
Hermione chuckled. "So, you're saying you didn't have any drama during puberty?"
Viktor looked down at the floor and took a deep breath. "Not perfect record as young teenager, vill admit," he said. "Durmstrang at least, provide discipline and focus. Quidditch, actually, help vith both."
"Sounds like Ron could use a little more Quidditch in his life," Hermione chuckled.
Viktor grinned as he pulled on his dress slacks and tucked in his dress shirt. "Not bad idea, after seeing him at his vorst." He smiled at her as he pulled on an overcoat and shrugged. "Alvays feel like peacock dressed like dis."
Hermione giggled. "Technically… you are part peacock…"
Viktor shot her a glance and a low growl. "Show you peacock," he rumbled, pouncing on her, shifting in a blur of movement.
Hermione gave an eagle squeak as she shifted with him and they tumbled across the hardwood floor in a flurry of fur, feathers, talons, and paws. Viktor play gnawed on her wing. Hermione chewed on his peacock tail. They tumbled into a pile over a lone rug and panted, then resumed tumbling across the floor.
There was a knock at the door and the both of them froze in the mid-tumble, craning their necks to look towards the door.
Titania poked her head in. "Guests are here, children, try not to come to the dinner table with feathers in your hair." She disappeared, not phased in the slightest.
The simurgh and the gryphon exchanged glances as they shifted back into human forms.
"Your mother knew…?" Hermione began.
"She does now," Viktor said matter-of-factly.
"And… she…" Hermione stumbled over what to say.
"Now she know you just like me and brothers," Viktor said sheepishly. "Mother never was one for… blind hysterics."
"She's utterly unflappable," Hermione said with awe.
"She Bulgarian vitch and matriarch of family," Viktor said as he combed her hair into place with his hand. "Come vith territory."
"I guess now we get to make our appearance," Hermione said with a sigh.
Viktor straightened his collar and extended his arm to her.
Hermione placed her arm in his and allowed him to guide her to the dining room.
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"Mum!" Hermione exclaimed. "Dad!"
Hermione rushed over to embrace her parents as they stood from the table to return her hug.
"Hermione, dear," Mrs. Granger said with a laugh. "You look positively gorgeous this evening. Wherever did you get that outfit?"
"I believe I am to blame," Titania admitted from across the table. "Please do not think she mismanaged her summer spending money."
Mr. Granger gave Titania a small bow. "That was very generous of you, Lady Krum."
"Now, now," Titania waved her hand. "Let there be no titles here between our families. I am happy you were able to accept our invitation."
"I'll admit," Mr. Granger said. "I've never been yanked across the continent by touching something before. It is definitely something I'll remember forever."
"I hear you are doctors in the world without magic," Tihomir said as he cut the roast and began to pass the plates around.
"Dentists, actually," Mrs. Granger clarified. "We specialize in teeth."
"Teeth!" Tihomir exclaimed. "How wonderful. I happen to like having teeth!"
Dinner lasted through many courses with Tihomir serving the food. Talk was cheerful and casual, and Hermione squeezed Viktor's hand under the table in relief that her parents were getting along so well with Viktor's parents.
Viktor smiled at her as if he had never had any doubts, and if he had, in fact, thought otherwise, he did not give it away.
By the time dinner was over, dessert had passed, and after dinner coffee was drank, it seemed that the Grangers and the Krums were perfectly happy in each other's company, and both Titania and Tihomir had made appointments to have their teeth cleaned at a future date.
The Grangers hugged their daughter with smiles before saying their goodbyes for the evening, pausing only to gain the promise from the Krums to take good care of their daughter.
As Hermione watched her parents get pulled away by the portkey with Tihomir and Titania as escorts, she let out a large sigh of relief. "I'm so glad went well."
Viktor smiled at her, rubbing her shoulder with his hand. "Ve should sleep. Big day tomorrow."
Hermione nodded. "Sleep sounds really good right now."
"I put extra towels and soap in guest bathroom for you," said Viktor. "Byal vasn't sure vhat you like, so I pick."
"You are wonderful," Hermione said, giving him a hug.
"Am… eternal… servant," Viktor said with a smile, bowing to kiss the top of her hand.
As Viktor pulled away Hermione's face was filled with emotion, and she tackled him with a lung crushing hug. He staggered, wrapping his arms around her as he pressed his face into the junction of her neck and shoulder, his lips parted as he tasted her scent as it rolled into the back of his mouth. His eyes closed as his hand closed around her head and pressed it against himself tighter.
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Harry woke groggily from his bed when Hedwig landed on his bed linens and sank into his duvet cover with a rush of white feathers, making her look like she'd just landed in the cloth equivalent of quicksand. Her head bobbed slightly as she scolded him for being asleep when she had dutifully brought the mail he had been waiting for.
He patted around blindly on his bedside table, hoping to find his glasses. After a few minutes of finding everything but his glasses, he finally managed to find them and put them on his face where they belonged. Realizing he was indeed blind without his glasses, after finding out he'd been fumbling around trying to untie Hedwig's leg when she was holding a postcard in her beak, he sighed an apology to the poor owl as he took the postcard.
Hedwig hooted at him like an unhappy mother that seemed akin to Molly Weasley's area of skill. Harry quickly found an owl treat in the drawer next to the bed and offered it up as a peace offering to the disgruntled owl before reading the postcard.
Dear Harry,
Bulgaria is so much more vast and exciting than one postcard picture can tell, but I thought you'd like to see this mountain portal they call a "wonderful bridge." Long ago, it used to be part of a cave, but now, it's like a giant window into the forest beyond. There are many of these, but this one was one of the best. The surrounding area is treacherous, but they built one small footpath to get to it.
Viktor's family has been very kind to me and impeccable hosts. My parents came to visit as well, and I can tell they feel much better about their daughter being off visiting Bulgaria. They even convinced Viktor's parents to come and get their teeth cleaned! Can you believe it?
I hope you are having a wonderful summer with Sirius. Please tell him I said hello.
Running out of room on this postcard.
Love,
Hermione
P.s. The next time you send Hedwig with orders to peck me until I send back news, make sure to add that I have enough news to send back with her first or something, or next time I'm going to bury you in Bulgarian newspapers and Tasmanian Chomping Chests!
Harry gulped and eyed Hedwig regretfully. He could just see his friend strapping a parcel of hundreds of compressed Bulgarian newspapers stuffed into a Tasmanian Chomping Chest that would literally spit them them all out on him and the proceed to bite him on the arse and chase him around the room. He made a mental note to be more specific about the conditions of having Hedwig nip Hermione for news during future endeavors.
Putting the postcard on his bed stand, he smiled before he took off his glasses again. Setting his head down on the pillow once more, he was asleep within seconds.
Hedwig turned her head to look at the sleeping lump in his bed and whistled softly, seeming to sigh before she closed her eyes and went to sleep as well.
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Hermione yawned beakily as she stretched out over the stone outcrop overlooking the sea. Viktor had brought her to one of his favorite places on the Black Sea Coast— a place that had strangely remained mostly untouched by the feet of human travelers. Perhaps it was the jutting cliffs protected by swelling seas, or perhaps it was simply how unstable the rock was to the pattering of human feet… it was hard to say, but there was no path to get to where they were. They had flown there under the cover of night and set up a tent in a cave that was even by itself, beautiful to behold.
Viktor had taught her how to charm the area and set up wards to make sure they were not noticed by curious and random Muggles, which she absorbed with great enthusiasm. She could not, unfortunately, cast them under-aged without setting off her trace, but she glad to learn them for the future.
Viktor's mother had packed her a "saddle bag" of important items for their trip that included not only a multiple room tent complete with amenities, but plenty of preserved food in case they found themselves in a place where hunting would bring too much attention to themselves, as well as an emergency port-key if they found themselves in trouble and needed to come home quickly. The woman literally thought of everything, and Hermione couldn't help but feel quite a bit of admiration for the Krum matriarch.
They had traveled to many places, both magical and mundane, and each place imprinted itself on Hermione's mind as significant. Every night they curled up together in a tangle of wings, feathers, and fur, enjoying each other's company.
Whenever she found a significantly memorable view or monument either natural or man-made, she would close her eyes and send the mental picture to Severus, feeling the familiar warmth of his mind as he shared her travels vicariously through his apprentice. The approval of her Master only made each place seem all the more special, but a part of her hoped that one day, he could see the places with her in person. He seemed content, however, in sharing her experiences second hand, and there was a genuine sense of warmth that came from him every time she shared a place with him along with her excitement. Sometimes they would come upon a rare ingredient, and Hermione would dutifully bottle some up for the future, knowing it would help both her Master and Viktor and his brothers in their new shop.
Hermione yawned again as Viktor padded in close to her and flopped against her, snuggling into her body as he lay his head across her neck. He yawned toothily with a soft whine and gently groomed her for a time before he settled in for sleep, wrapping his tail around Hermione's body like a quilt.
Hermione relaxed against him as Vik burrowed in between them in his accustomed "sleeping spot" between their heads, his little wings draping in a way that seemed to bridge the two of them together.
By the time the moon had reached its zenith, the pair were already fast asleep, lulled into slumber by the sounds of the surf below and all around them.
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A/N: I chuckle a little (and I mean no disrespect, truly) when people comment that they want my chapters to be longer because my beginning ones were so long. A person can only sustain that kind of writing with a lot more time than I have when I'm not in the middle of a nice break. I can only write when all the other things paying the bills and classes are done. Sorry folks. As the disclaimer said at the beginning. I'm not making any money off this. I'm happy you're enjoying the story, but I'm sadly, only human. Heh. Believe me when I tell you, the only reason I seem to be putting out lately with regularity is due to regular insomnia (which I highly do not recommend for inspiration!) I suppose I could just "save up" scenes until they add up to something with a high word count, but that really isn't my style. I do not usually post anything under a thousand words, as it is, so I'd like to think I have some standards. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the second summer interlude.