Not as many reviews as I wanted, but it's almost my birthday, so let's get this party started! I'm so excited that I'm finally at this part of the story! I've had this written for FOREVER...no lie. There are a bunch of pieces that I haven't written yet, (sob!) so please bear with me as I churn these pages out!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling probably wouldn't have made my character anyways. She's all of my own imagination!

Changing Times

Leigh Ann Nelson
January 1, 1996, 3:30 P.M.
Church of Christ
Oak Ridge, South Carolina
America

God, she looked beautiful. If I ever got married, I would want to look like Evangeline did right at that moment, where we were all standing for her, as the bridal march rang out through the cathedral, and she was marching down to meet my brother at the altar. Viktor was sitting beside me, as I wouldn't let him sit with the rest of our crazy friends and family, and he looked slightly uncomfortable in his Muggle suit. But I did have to say, he looked amazing.

My brother had tears in his eyes as he took his fiancé's hand, and I almost teared up at how beautiful they both looked. Jason had finally met the love of his life, and now they would be happily married. The idiot had a large smile on his face. I wanted to hug the idiot senseless.

The preacher cleared his throat as we all sat down, and I gripped Viktor's hand in mine as I tried to keep back the tears. He looked at me questioningly, but I just held his hand tighter. He gently rubbed his thumb against the back of my hand.

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here in the sign of God—and in the face of this company—to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly." A French priest said the words again, the same exact way, so that the family who only spoke French could understand. "Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

If anyone had stood up to ruin this beautiful moment, I would have hexed them all the way to Timbuktu. But no one did, and Evangeline smiled brightly, looking vibrant in her bright white dress with the light blue satin ribbon around her waist that matched her beautiful eyes. She was still thin enough not to be showing her baby, but the glow of it still showed. (Needless to say, Mother hadn't been very happy that Jason had gotten a woman pregnant before they were married—though the thought of a grandchild pleased her quite a bit.)

"She's so beautiful," I whispered with a sigh, leaning my head onto Viktor's shoulder as the preacher droned on and on. They must of chosen the long version so that they could look into each other's eyes longer, I thought with a small chuckle.

"So are you," he said back, his hand gently running over my dress-covered thigh. I blushed and was glad that the rest of the people in the pews were paying attention to the ceremony and not me. "You are, very mooch so."

I wanted to kiss him, but this wasn't either of our rooms back at school, nor was it my house. There were people around here who knew both of us and were a part of the school. I would have to wait until we were finally alone again.

"Do you Jason take Evangeline to be your lawfully-wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon her your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her as long as you both shall live?"

Jason smiled a watery smile, and I knew in that instant that he was in love. "I-I do."

The priest turned to Evangeline. "Do you Evangeline take Jason to be your lawfully-wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon him your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him as long as you both shall live?"

She smiled brightly, blinding all of us with her beauty, making Jason catch his breath. "Oui," she said shakily, tears falling down her face.

Little baby Nicole was then carried over to them, as she was the ring bearer, even though she wasn't a boy. On the blanket in her lap were the beautiful rings that Jason and his soon-to-be wife had picked out. Nicole was sleeping through all of this beauty.

Jason and Evangeline picked up their rings. "May these rings be blessed as the symbol of this affectionate unity. These two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever they go, may they always return to one another. May these two find in each other the love for which all men and women yearn. May they grow in understanding and in compassion. May the home which they establish together be such a place that many will find there a friend. May these rings on their fingers symbolize the touch of the spirit of love in their hearts.

"Jason, in placing this ring on Evangeline's finger, repeat after me: Evangeline, you are now consecrated to me as my wife from this day forward—"

"Evangeline, you are now consecrated to me as my wife from this day forward..." He smiled to her shakily, as now she was starting to tear up too.

"—and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity."

"...and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity."

"With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed." He then slid the beautiful diamond onto her thin, beautiful finger.

The Minister then turned towards the beautiful bride, smiling to her. "Evangeline, in placing this ring on Jason's finger, repeat after me: Jason, you are now consecrate to me as my husband from this day forward—"

"Jason, you are now consecrate to me as my husband from this day forward..."

"—and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity."

"...and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity."

"With this ring, I thee wed."

"W-with this ring, I thee wed." She was now crying, tears running down her peach-colored cheeks. I'd never seen something more beautiful as she slid the intricate gold band onto my brother's finger.

I was crying too. Viktor looked nervous and anxious, apparently trying to figure out why I was crying. I just held hand to the point that his fingers were probably broken. "You may now kiss your bride," the priest was saying, and I felt Viktor try to soothe me. Evangeline and my brother kissed very, very passionately, and I laughed past the tears flowing from my eyes. I about stood up, ready to hoot at my brother, but Viktor held me down.

He leaned over and gently kissed the corner of my lips. I looked into his brown eyes, taking a deep breath at the emotions that I saw there, and I felt that strange emotion in my heart that always happened whenever he was around, only this time it was stronger. "Leahn," he said softly in my ear, as everyone was standing up, clapping, going ecstatic as the bride and groom ran down the isle. The world stood still, our own little bubble slowing down, becoming quiet. And then he asked it. "Vill you marry me?"

January 1, 3:53 P.M.
The Nelson Family Ranch
Oak Ridge, South Carolina,
America

"Vill you marry me?"

My heart was pounding so fast that I thought it would beat out of my chest. I took his hand and instantly Apparated back to the ranch as soon as the church had been emptied. "Viktor...what?"

"Vill you marry me?" His eyes were full of vulnerability—I could easily say no, and his heart would break. He was trusting me to hold that vulnerability and make it strong—with me by his side. "You vonce told me that you loffed me-"

"That was last week, Viktor," I said softly, trying to grasp a hold of this situation. I was so happy that I could do a jig right there, but then again, I was worried. I was eighteen. I'd always been taught this line since I could speak: "High School, College, Work, Marriage, Family." I was skipping the "College" and "Work" parts and going straight to "Marriage?" No!

So, that question was what started our very first big argument.

"Viktor...there's so much, I-I mean—"

He placed a callused finger over my mouth, silencing me. "You half been hiding us vell. Boot I think that ve half been seen together. I know of no other vay to proclaim my loff and half it returned. You told me vonce, long before last veek, that you loffed me. You may not remember it, but I do. I vant to get married een Bulgaria. Ve vill live there, after you finish your schooling, and—"

"Whoa!" I exclaimed, holding my hands up in front of him. All of it was just a little too much to handle at the moment! "Married in Bulgaria? Live there? Viktor, my family is here! Slow down a little!"

He smiled softly. "I loff you, Leahn. And I half planned thees for a vhile." His hands gently cupped my face, his thumbs running over my cheekbones. "I theenk since I first met you, I half been vanting to marry you."

"I don't believe in love at first sight," I felt myself saying, and it looked like he was stung a bit by those words. "My answer, Viktor...I have conditions."

He leaned forwards and kissed my lips. "Anything, my loff."

I felt tears in my eyes, because I knew that this wouldn't be something we could just negotiate and be done with. It would take a while to convince him. "I want to be married in America, Viktor."

He instantly stiffened and stepped back. His face was hard, his eyes flashing angrily. "No."

"Damn it, Viktor!" I pounded one fist on his chest, trying to get through his hard exterior. "Please, let me be married here!"

He shook his head and clenched his jaw. I could see a vein throbbing in his neck. Apparently he wasn't going to answer me. "It is Sunday. My cloosest friend, Ivann, he is at your father's vork as ve speak. He vill ask your father for his blessing. And then your father vill ask if you vant to be married to me. Three times." His jaw was set so tight that I thought he would break a tooth, and by the creases in his forehead, he was furious.

Oh, no, I've insulted him. I stepped forwards and gently put my hand to the side of his face, dragging my thumb across his cheekbone. "You know I do. I love you, you know that."

He grabbed my wrist and sat it down by my side. "As soon as you half said yes to him three times, you and I vill be eengaged. Ivann is telling him this. A portkey has been arranged, and a few close friends of the family vill be invited over to the house for a small celebration."

I…I'm not going to get a ring? I wondered, becoming very confused. I wondered if he knew how much a ring would mean to me. I started to move away from him in shock when he started talking again.

"Boot," he said, his eyes glinting slightly black, a small frown appearing on his face, "I know your coostooms in Amereeca. Men give their women rings, da?"

"Yes," I breathed, feeling my eyes well up with tears. Happy ones, of course. Or at least that was what I told myself. This discussion isn't over, Viktor. I don't believe I've said yes yet.

Viktor bent down on one knee, reached into his pocket, and grasped my left hand in the same moment. When he slid the ring onto my finger, I never thought I would be happier. It was very simple, but it fit my finger perfectly, with its thin golden band, and the perfectly-sized diamond surrounded by two smaller amber circles on either side. "There is vone condition for this ring, Leigh Ann," he said in all seriousness, putting his lips to the small diamond.

"Anything," I breathed, wishing that he would stand up so that I could kiss the heck out of him.

"You vill finish school before I marry you."

Instantly, my blood ran cold, and all I saw was red. It felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on top of me I snatched my hand away from him, feeling it balling up, as well as its partner. "You want me to wait three years?" I asked furiously, feeling the red hot heat of fury run through me. "Three years?"

He looked confused, as if I'd said it in a foreign language. Technically I had, but he knew this language and I was so pissed. "Leahn, I—"

"Don't you dare give me those puppy dog eyes," I growled, my hands trembling. I knew that I wouldn't strike him, but it was sounding pretty damn good at the moment. "I love you, Viktor, and I want to live with you, to wake up to you every morning and eventually give you children."

He ran the back of one of his hands against my face, staring at me as if I were something to eat. "Hmm…"

He wants children, too. That thought made the butterflies in my stomach grow, but I knew that I had to tell him the reason why I couldn't wait that long. "Merlin, I love you, but I do have a promise, Viktor, and if I have to wait for three years before I can sleep with you in our marriage bed, I don't think I'll be able to do it."

"Vhat do you mean?" he asked, his teeth clenching and his eyes going the darkest black I had ever seen them. I'd never heard this tone of voice from him, the soft, menacing tone of someone put over the edge. He stood up from his kneel, and then towered over me, standing so close to me that his heat radiated against my body. "You vould sleep vith different man?"

"No!" I gasped, horrified that he would even make that assumption. "How can you even think that I would ever do that?"

"Vhat you just said told me enough," he growled, gently but firmly pushing me back up against the wall. "If vhat you vant is sex, then I vill gladly give you vhat you vant. I loff you, and I vant you to have everything you vant, and I vant you in every vay possible. But I vant you in school."

My mind instantly was fogged over. Images of his body flashed through my head, sprawled over a bed, or a couch, or the floor on a fur rug… His hips rocked against mine, and I gasped as I felt how large he was against me. He shifted slowly, back and forth, making my head fall back and a moan come from inside. He growled from deep in his chest, forcing me harder into the wall.

He leaned down and gently led light, feathered kisses along my neck and collarbone. This alone sent my heartbeat fluttering away. "You vill vait for marriage, in exchange for myself?"

"N-no. I-I will not make love with you, Viktor, not until we're married."

His teeth firmly bit down on my pulse spot, but I held back the cry I wanted to give. "And I vill not marry you until you finish school," he growled, setting his hands on my waist and pulling us together again. I felt the bulge on his woolen pants against my hipbone again, and his eyes were so dark that I knew what he wanted. It was the same as what I wanted, especially when he started sucking on my spot and massaging my lower stomach with his thumbs, making me bite my lower lip to keep from giving the moan that wanted to come out. "So it vill happen now."

"P-please, Viktor, don't make me break my promise," I whined, feeling the passion condensing in my womb as he started nibbling again, moving up to work on my ear. "I want to...I want to w...wait..."

Viktor's kisses moved up to under my jaw, slowing down. "I loff you…"

"I love you too, but I don't want to wait three years." I put my hands on his perfect chest and pushed backwards, making him step back and his nostrils flare. I had to take a few deep breaths before I could start talking. "I can't do this now, and I can't wait three years. My maximum time is a year."

"Two," he growled, grasping my upper arms with authority. "I vill not half you missing out on anything you may need to knkow. You vill learn everything you need to, to fight the Circle. Two."

I loved this side of Viktor, the one that took control and demanded things. The protective one, who wanted me to be his and no one else's, who I was sure would be a wonderful lover when the time came.

But not right now.

"One, Viktor, or I'm sorry, I can't marry you," I whispered, feeling a tear fall down at last as I looked up into his now-chocolate eyes. The black was gone and filled with horror and fright. "I won't be able to resist you for three years, which will break my promise to myself and to God. I won't be able to marry you if we wait."

"Do noot say that, loff," he begged, releasing my bruised upper arms and tenderly cupping my face. He leaned forwards and placed the most gentle, loving kiss I had ever felt on my lips. He put them on mine again, and again, and again frantically, as if I would never forgive him ever again. "Oh, no, please do not."

"Tell me you love me," I whispered, trying to get my breath back after the barrage of kisses.

"I loff you."

"You love me, but you won't let me have what I want!" I exclaimed, wrapping my arms around his waist and hugging him to me. I felt like a child, whining for what I wanted.

I was scared - scared to marry him, scared to be his wife, scared to fail him. And you know what? I was scared about making love, afraid that...that I wouldn't be good enough for him. The whole "waiting for God" thing isn't really my issue, Viktor.

He slowly wrapped his arms around my shoulders, putting his head in my hair. "You can't just change your mind and decide that you will make love to me so that I'll wait to marry you. No, we both decided that we would wait, but I never told you that I would wait that long." I looked up, my chin in his chest, to meet his eyes. "Marry me sooner."

"Vone year?"

"One more year of school, I promise." I quickly had to choke out, "I'll even let you choose the wedding sight."

His eyes widened, shining. "You…you vill leaf alone the thought of getting married in America just to marry me sooner?"

"Merlin, you're dense! I would get married in a cardboard box tomorrow at the courthouse if I could be with you forever. We'll be married either right after school gets out, or before the next new year starts." I twined my fingers with his and smiled up to his happy face. "What do you think?"

"Bulgaria is beautiful in Vinter, Leahn," he said, softly, his thumbs running across my cheeks as he smiled, showing off those beautiful straight white teeth. "Vinter?"

"But—you know I hate the cold, and—"

"Charms, my loff, charms. And ve can half the reception vherever you vant. Normally, it vould be held at my own house, but you half given up enough, da?"

"Yes!" I felt tears of happiness appearing in my eyes, and I leaned up to softly kiss him on the lips so that I could show him my gratitude. I felt my hands trailing up his shirt, to land on the strong muscles of his shoulders. His hands landed to massage my waist. He slowly parted my lips, tilting his head to the side to slow it down but make it so that my insides would never quit burning.

He slowly pushed me against the wall, pulling me against him in the same movement. God, I love you. You're going to be mine. His lips were rough in texture, but soft in movement, at the moment, needy, but he knew that he needed to take it slow. His stubble was rough like sandpaper against my skin, but it added into the pheromones that he was giving off. I could feel his love for me in every brush of his lips.

I slowly pulled away, trying to catch my breath. I'd had the possessive kisses, the ones that were so heated that I knew what was to come afterward. But this kiss, the one that we had just shared, had been so full of love that I never thought I'd want another one that wasn't like that.

"That," I whispered, reaching up to run my thumbs across his ever-thickening stubble, "is why I can't wait three years."

He gave me one more soft peck, taking a deep breath as he did so. "I know. And I hate to ruin the moment, butyour teeleephone, it is ringing."

I smiled and pulled out of his grasp, having to take a deep breath when our bodies rubbed provocatively together. Then, moving over to the side table, I took a deep breath before answering with a weak, "Hello?"

"Hello, sweetheart," came the voice of my father. I rolled my eyes and looked at Viktor pointedly.

"Who is it?" Viktor asked.

I thought, You know who it is, as I answered with, "Hi, Daddy. What's up?"

"I just wanted to hear how the wedding went. I'm sure that Evangeline was lovely." I knew that he'd been there—he just had to be hidden because he'd been deployed. He'd said that with "magic" in the family, there was no way he was missing his only son's wedding. Besides, he had to beat Jason for getting his girlfriend pregnant before they'd gotten married.

"It was beautiful, Daddy. How are you, how was your day?"

"Let's just say that I got a very interesting visitor at the office earlier today."

I raised an eyebrow at Viktor, who came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, leaning his chin on my shoulder. "Oh, really?" I asked, twirling the curly phone cord around one finger. "Who?"

"Some man named Ivann, asking about your hand in marriage for one Viktor Krum." I could hear the smugness in my father's voice. "Do you want to marry this man?"

"Of course," I said, laughing. One down. "I love him, Daddy."

"And at this wedding that you supposedly want, I get to walk you down the aisle, right?"

"Uh, you're my father. Of course you'd walk me down the aisle. And yes, I want to marry Viktor Krum!" Two down, one to go.

"Oh. Well, you know you'd have to bring him over for your grandparents to meet him, right? And then your aunts."

"Gamma and Gampa have already met him. What are you—" And then it hit me. "O-oh. You mean for Mom's parents to come and meet him."

"They're your grandparents, too, Leigh Anna Marie. Don't use that tone of voice when you talk about them."

I felt like I wanted to throw a mini tantrum, but it was too nice in Viktor's arms. I still complained to my father, though. "I haven't seen Grandmother Sandra in at least five years, or since I went away to The Academy. And Grandpa Urey hasn't contacted me since I was six! Why should they be able to give any input into my relationship?"

"Because apparently you want to marry this man, that's why. Your mother loves her mother, even if you don't enjoy seeing her very much. Even if I don't enjoy seeing her very much. It's the point."

"I don't know how many times I have to say this, Dad, but I want to marry Viktor and you trying to subtly persuade me isn't going to do anything to stop me from doing so."

"Great, so I'll see you in ten minutes."

"Ten minutes?"

"Yeah, all of the magic people are coming over."

"You mean the wizards and witches." I figured that he would have stayed for Jason's reception, (which, I thought with regret, I was interrupting with my engagement party,) but he'd gone straight back to work.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just don't make me regret giving Viktor my consent. I know he's listening."

"Do noot vorry," Viktor said, moving his mouth closer to the receiver, talking a little louder than need be, "I loff your daughter, I vill not hurt her."

"You'd better not. Just remember that I'm not afraid to go back to jail."

"He's never been to jail," I muttered to Viktor, rolling my eyes.

"That's what you think," my father said, and I only doubted him for a moment before I remembered that he was always trying to pull my tail. "Love you, Annie-bug."

"Love you too, Daddy. See you in a few minutes."

"Bye." And he hung up.

I let out a deep breath, leaning my head back against Viktor's chest. "Okay, warnings about my grandparents and my aunts. You've already met one, but hey, what can I say? My grandmother on my mom's side is pureblood, and the strictest, richest woman you've ever met. Be polite, don't put your elbows on the table, and say as little as possible and she'll like you. You've already met my mom's sisters, both of them. Ah…my dad's sister is probably not going to be here, we don't talk about her very much…"

"Vhy?"

"She…ah…well, I'll tell you later when we have more time."

"Ah. Vell, my grandmoother is almost the same as yours," Viktor said into my ear, squeezing me. "She is loffing, though strict, but she is still pureblood. She vill loff you, but she might vant you to change cloothing. For the Bulgarian releeteeves, and it vill help her to loff you more. She is also alvays early. My other grandmother, she does not know English vell."

"I can respect that," I said, nodding my head. But then, I was starting to wonder… "Have all of my magical friends been invited as well?"

"Da. Taken care of. As vell as the small girl…ah…Rebecca."

I quickly pulled away from his arms, giving him an incredulous look. "B-but Rebecca and her family don't know about magic, Viktor! We'd be breaking dozens of rules—"

"Rebecca now does know," he said with a small smile, laughing softly. "Her leetal seester goot a letter to the Academy."

"Oh, I forgot! So little Sarah is a witch and into the Academy? I hope she makes the Army." Before I knew it, I was babbling away about the Academy again, like I always did. Though now, it was different. In less than a year, I wouldn't be going anymore. I would be married, with a home to take care of and a man to cook for, to love, to hold, for richer or for poorer—

When I laughed, Viktor looked at me strangely. "Vhat?"

"Nothing," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck and looking into those eyes that I fell in love with. "Just you."

"Ees there soomething on my face?" he asked, playfully leaning forward and kissing my nose.

"No," I sighed happily, pulling him towards me and getting rid of the space between us, so that I could touch our noses together. "I was just thinking that in less than a year and a half, we're going to be married. You are going to live with me…" I leaned up and gently kissed those full, luscious lips. "You'll eat my cooking…"

He gave a lustful, "Mmm…" that sent my pulse racing when I kissed him again.

I started listing off many things that living together included, but when I said the last one, "We'll sleep in the same bed together…" he pulled me tighter against him for the next kiss and took control of my teasing. I squealed as he playfully bit my lip.

I got lost in his lips, in the way that he took my breath away, and the way that his hands made magic against my body. He picked me partially up, sitting me on the back of the couch near the table where the phone was and moving his hands up and down my waist, moving them lower so that they could subtly move my legs apart.

I could get used to this position, where we were the same height, my legs around his muscular waist, fighting for dominance with our mouths, nipping, teasing. The only thing I wished that I could do was grasp his hair and force him to do what I wanted, but his hair still wasn't long enough—I was so upset that he'd cut it again!

Suddenly a loud POP filled the air, and I gasped, falling backwards onto the couch cushions. I felt heat filling my cheeks, and I meekly looked over to see an older woman, around my grandmother's age, standing near the kitchen archway with a disapproving look on her lined face. She was tall and thin, like most women of her financial stature seemed to be, and she looked disapprovingly at us. Her hair was thick and completely white, straight down by her fur-lined sides.

Viktor said a word that must have meant "grandmother," and she looked at him with piercing chocolate eyes that were much like his. She completely ignored me and talked to Viktor, asking him a question. He responded gently, trying to calm her down, but she really didn't seem all that angry.

"Leahn," he said gently, grasping my arm. He pulled me from the couch, moving me to stand by him. He kissed my temple and held me close, gesturing to me as he said something to his grandmother.

I was so confused. "I-it's nice to meet you, ma'am," I said softly, and was startled when she spoke to me in perfect English.

"Do not stutter, girl, it isn't becoming," she sneered, and she held her gold-encrusted purse closer to her, as if I would snitch it. "I am Liliyana, mother of Viktor's father."

I held out my hand and shook her somewhat extended one, not missing the threatening squeeze that she gave me. "It's nice to meet you, ma'am," I repeated.

She looked me over with disgusted eyes, wiping her hand on her side. I had to keep my teeth clenched to keep from yelling. She turned to Viktor and asked him a question in her native tongue, raising one perfect eyebrow. Viktor flushed a deep red, his grip on me loosening. I heard him say "no" in Bulgarian, but I missed the rest.

I was getting rather annoyed that he was talking in another language and I couldn't understand him. "Viktor, could you both please talk in English?"

The woman's eyes pierced me like a knife. "If you would like to know, you nosey little cretin, I was asking him if you were pregnant."

I gasped and put a hand instantly to my stomach, glad to feel that it was still its normal pooch of fat. That was when I got angry. "That would require me to have slept with him, then, wouldn't it?" I asked, and she looked moderately surprised. But then she smiled, and I knew that she was thinking that I was stronger than I looked.

"Very good, child. You may hold up in our family after all." She then turned, sniffed the air, and snapped her fingers. A small, dirty house elf appeared in front of her. I started shaking as I watched the pillow-case-clad being bow to...to its master. I only saw red. Viktor, on the other hand, grasped me tightly and held me there, waiting until his mother directed the house elf to the kitchen and it was out of my sight. Liliyana noticed my anger. "Have something against house elves?" she asked innocently, batting her face eyelashes.

I gritted my teeth. "Not at all, madame." My mother had never condoned house elves—not since she left her mother's presence. She'd always found ways to give the beings clothing so that they could be free and live happily. Now all that I wanted to do was give that poor creature a sock or something. Or an entire wardrobe.

"Bon."

And then that was when my own grandmother Apparated into my house. She and Viktor's grandmother looked so alike that I had to rub my eye and look at her again. The only difference was the pale color of my grandmother's skin and the ice blue eyes. She was also shorter.

She looked around the room, and, when her eyes found mine, she smiled brightly and held out her arms. "Anna!" she exclaimed, picking me up and choking me in a hug. "Oh, dear Anna, it is so nice to see you."

I, for one, was shocked. "Uh...hi, Grandmother Sandra," I said, still feeling slightly out of my own skin as my grandmother pulled away. She smiled with perfect while teeth, her expensive clothes fitting her thin body perfectly. Her hair was pulled up and around her head, in a large, fancy-looking bun. "How are you?"

"I just came to see my granddaughter's engagement party. Oh, to think, a marriage, then an engagement! What a wonderful time!" she said sincerely, at least until she saw who I was getting married to. "Oh. Is this him?"

I was so full of anger from his grandmother, I didn't think that I would be able to deal with my own. "Yes, this is my fiance, Viktor." I reached behind me to grasp his hand. He squeezed it encouragingly.

He smiled to my grandmother and said hello, and she stared at him disapprovingly. She walked around him, looking him up and down, even touching his arm. "Hm. Well, at least he's pureblood. And he is rich."

"Grandmother!" I exclaimed, wondering how in the world two of the rudest people could be located in the same room. Viktor, next to me, was beet red.

"I am only saying what I mean," she said, sticking her nose in the air. Then she noticed that we weren't alone, and she looked to Liliyana with just as much disdain. "Oh, my. Lilyana Krum."

"The name 'Krum' isn't as widespread as yours is, Reynolds," Lilyana said, venom in her voice. Did she just call my grandmother a...? Ohhh, God, there was going to be an old lady fight in my house, right before my engagement party.

"Viktor," I whispered, feeling myself start to fill with anxiety. "Should we do something?" The two were standing there, vaguely insulting the other.

"No. Our grandmothers, they know each other."

"I kind of figured that," I sighed, and then I was even more dismayed when another elderly lady Apparated into the room. I felt that it was getting too small. This one was short and rather curvy, her short, grey hair pulled up and around her head in tight, white curls. She seemed much, much more friendly than the other two in the room.

Viktor moved up to the woman and hugged her, smiling. And thank goodness, the woman smiled back! Viktor moved her over to me, apparently telling her who I was. She hugged me tightly, apparently initiating me into her family. "This is my other grandmother, Stoyanka," he said softly, squeezing my hand.

"I am Stoyanka," she said in the worst English I had ever heard.

"I am Leigh Ann," I said, hugging her back. "It is nice to meet you."

But apparently that was the extent of her English. "I am Stoyanka."

And so, the engagement party began, starting off with Viktor's family, who thought that I was pregnant, and my own grandmother, who thought that I was only marrying Viktor for his money and pureblood status.

Oh, Merlin, I'm in for a long night...

Liliyana Krum
January 1, 8:59 P.M

Liliyana didn't know what to think of that girl. She was tall, with too much meat on her bones to be considered pretty, and her face was too round. The high cheekbones and dark skin didn't make up for the fact that her eyes were large and held too many secrets. She watched as Leigh Ann laughed and was suddenly pulled away by a Bulgarian woman from Viktor's town. "Tell me, vill eet be a beeg wedding?" she asked, her eyes alight with gossip.

"Of course!" Leigh Ann exclaimed, clasping her hands together.

Another woman asked Viktor the same question in Bulgarian, over on the other side of the room. "Oh, no," he said, waving his hands in front of him. "Absolutely not."

"And what about children?" the same woman asked, leaning forwards.

The kids around him crowded, and he laughed, ruffling as many heads as he could. "Perhaps one or two."

Across the room, Leigh Ann was being asked the very same question. "As many as possible!"

"Where will you live?"

"Bulgaria."

"America."

"Oh, dear," Sandra whispered, giving an anxious glance to Lilyana, who gave her the same look.

"Blue."

"Red!"

"Boy."

"Girl."

"She will let me finish Quidditch."

"He will want me to work with my team."

"She will stay at home and not get hurt."

"I'll be right by his side, fighting along with him."

"Mild."

"Spicy!"

"The same."

"Completely different!"

"No."

"Yes!"

"I don't see a match at all," Lilyana whispered, her eyes narrow with cynicism. Sandra looked about to say something, but Stoyanka interrupted her.

"I oonderstand that there may be deefereences," Stoyanka said softly, putting a hand on both of the other womenfolk's arms, "boot they loff each oother."

"She will be married in America," Sandra said with a final nod as she pulled her arm away. "With her family, love or not."

Lilyana felt a small twinge of annoyance at this older woman's command. "It is up to the children."

"Leigh Ann will want to be married in America."

"She said that she and Viktor needed to talk about it."

"I just heard her! She wants to be married near family. I am a part of that family."

"And I am Viktor's family."

The two woman stared each other down until Leigh Ann came up and smiled at each of them, her chubby cheeks jiggling in the process. Lilyana wondered what she would be have to do...

To keep that fat, mudblood toad from marrying her grandson.

WHOA! Hold up there, grandma! Don't be hatin'! Baha, anyways, here's a look at the next chapter! Lets get 45 to 50 reviews, shall we?

"Oh, no, I can't," Leigh Ann said, blushing deeply as she tried to scoot away from the large, four-poster bed. "Really."

"We are noot oonder any eempreesions that you two are noot sleeping vith each oother," Stoyanka said bitingly, making Viktor flush down to his toes.

"Grandmother," he growled, narrowing his eyes at her. "Stop it."

"I am not doing anything." He didn't know when she'd suddenly gotten the inclination to be hateful towards his fiance, but he was sure to put a stop to it.

Viktor turned a face away from his grandmother, to watch as Leigh Ann slowly moved towards the door. "I am soory, Leigh Ann. My grandmother knows that Americans are…progressive." Oh, how he wished that she was slightly more progressive.

"Well I'm not," she said, putting her hands on her hips. He knew this look. It was the same one she gave him before each lecture. "Mrs. Saroon, I apologize that you have such a bad view on my country, but some of us save ourselves for our husbands. I have saved myself for my wedding night. The ring I put on my bouquet? It was my promise ring to God."

His grandmother looked shocked, to say the least. She tried to open her mouth, but nothing came out. She tried again, but Leigh Ann beat her to it.

"I apologize that you think so lowly of me, but I was expecting much, much more from you. I am marrying your grandson, and I love him very, very much, with all of my heart and more. And if you can't understand that, well then I'm sorry."

"Veakness," the old woman scoffed, turning her head to the side. "Loff is veakness."

"To you, maybe, yes. But it strengthens me." She reached down and grasped Viktor's hand, pulling him closer. "Come on, Viktor, I promised to make your father tea." And then they were walking out of the room, their footsteps the only sound in the entire house.

"Leahn…" he whispered, sensing the tension in her back. She stopped suddenly and pushed him against the nearest wall, jumping up to wrap her arms around him and crushing her lips to his.