Chapter 17- New Beginnings
Viktor stumbled through the field by his parents Manor, he had just apparated from dinner with his team and he was mostly drunk and slightly stumbling but he was the happiest he had been in over a year. He was still worried about Hermione and everything she was going through, but he finally had peace in his heart…finally had everything he needed. Hermione, his family and flying with his team, in that order.
Viktor walked over to Hermione's favorite pink roses that grew next to the lake and grinned, he would cut her a huge vase full, so she woke up to their beauty and smell in the morning. He would look at the smile on her face and know that her smile was because of him. Plus, he knew each time she saw them, she would think of him. He was a selfish man at heart, he wanted her thoughts to be full of him and him alone. He decided to gather two bouquets, one for her nightstand and one for the library, he wanted to be on her mind as often as possible he thought with a grin.
He pulled his wand to cut the flowers at the base as he thought about dinner that night, He had planned to be home 2 hours ago, but his team kept demanding stories of Hermione. Who she was, the things she had done, why he loved her… and it was so blissfully easy to finally share this piece of himself that he kept hidden away for so long.
He told them of her bravery of facing a basilisk and werewolf before he had even met her. He told them of how they met when they were both still in school. How the only way he could spend time with her at first, was if he would sit in the library with her but his team laughed at him when he told them he was not allowed to talk while she studied.
He told them of her first visit to his house that following summer and how she spent all of her time with his brothers, helping them with their work and his parents doing things around the house. How it felt like she completed ignored him and how furious it had made him.
He told them how she hated to fly, which they all screamed and laughed at and how she didn't really care for quidditch, much to their wide-eyed horror. He told the time he saw her sitting with his mother laughing and knew she was going to be his wife.
The only thing he would not talk about was the war, those were her stories to tell or to keep to herself… instead he shared all the reasons that he loved her…. All the times she would visit, and he would take off time and not tell the team why. At first the team was upset that he had kept her hidden for so long, but after his explanation they understood. He explained that the reason he never said anything was because her visits were kept private… the less people that knew she was with them the safer she was when she was with them and the safer his family was.
It was the story of how Viktor had bought her diamond necklace for Christmas and she accidently gave it to the house elf to make her it crying that made his team start laughing and asking to meet her sooner than Wednesday. When Viktor finished the story of how he took her into town to buy her a replacement necklace the next day and instead she got new books, his team stopped asking to meet her and demanded it as they laughed, falling off of their chairs.
"We must meet her." One of his team members yelled out, "It has been a year since you have hosted Sunday team dinner!"
Viktor shook his head, "You will meet her on Wednesday at the family practice." He said holding up his hands, swaying in his chair.
"Do you mean the day we will all be practicing, Krum?" Another yelled out, "I do not care if my family meets her… I must meet her." He said slamming his hand down on the table to a chorus of "Da's."
Viktor shook his head finishing another cup before he pointed at his team, "She is still recovering…. And you are all too loud and to… just too much." He said laughing at their boo's.
"I say we vote." One of his team members yelled and the table quickly all yelled "Da…Da." Making Viktor hold up both of his hands.
"Ne… ne." Viktor said shaking his head, "She is still recovering… she needs relaxation and sleep." He said.
"I will bring Kebapche." One called out, "I will bring the Baklava." Another called out. "And I will bring the Vodka and the Rakia." His keeper called out making the table all yell Da and laughing. Viktor looked on in dismay realizing this was quickly getting out of hand.
His coach shook his head, leaning over to him, "Viktor, unless you can tell them all no…. with a reason that they will listen to….. you are hosting our last team dinner of the season." He said with a grin.
Viktor shook his head rubbing his fingers over his eyes for a moment, it would be nice for them to meet Hermione, but more than that, he wanted her to meet these men that he considered an extended part of his family…. That had held him together the last year.
Viktor looked up and tapped on the table, "OK… listen… if you come for dinner there are rules." He said making the table fall silent but grinning, knowing they were going to get what they wanted. "First…. she is weak right now and hurt… so no touching her back… in fact no touching her at all… no hugs, no taps on her shoulders and certainly no kisses." He said pointing to one of his beaters who grinned at him and wiggled his eyebrows making Viktor roll his eyes.
Viktor looked around, "She also sleeps…. A lot, so no making fun if she falls asleep at table, or in my lap. Just let her rest." He said, "Also do not bring up war… in fact no bringing up anything except what she brings up first."
His team nodded at him and he took a breath, "She is most important thing to me…. In this world, so please…..." He whispered, letting his team see his love and worry shining out of his eyes.
His coach leaned over and filled his glass again, "We will be on our best behavior…. Promise." He said looking around the table and a chorus of "promise" went around making Viktor shake his head in dismay and laugh.
"Bring your brooms and we will play game after lunch while she rests…... I am sure my brothers would love to play… my family has missed all of you too." He said shaking his head with a small smile.
Now as Viktor stood in the field collecting flowers, he realized he had to tell his parents he invited 7 more people to a lunch picnic that they were not even planning to have. With the 8 people who already lived at the house that meant they were having another huge picnic outside. Viktor shook his head knowing he would have to bribe his mother he grabbed a few extra flowers for her and walked into the back door of the Manor and into the library looking around.
His mother and father were sitting on their regular chairs reading, he walked over and handed his mother 12 of the roses and kissed her head. "Where is Mila?" He asked swaying slightly, making her smile at him.
"A little tipsy my little bug?" Ana asked sliding the flowers under her nose, "Mione went to bed right after dinner…. And what are these for?" She asked softly taking a deep breath and beaming at him.
Viktor smiled at her, swaying slightly harder when he tried to lean on the chair that was farther away then he thought, making Ana laugh up at him, "Just because I love you." He said giving up and walking over to the table, pulling his wand creating a vase by the couch and putting 12 more roses in that one.
Ana pointed at the vase he was fluffing, "And those ones?" She asked.
Viktor grinned over at his mother, "And these are for Mila to look at tomorrow when she is down here." He finished making them prefect and set them on the side table next to where Hermione usually sat, "They will make her think of me and smile… and then I will get to see her smile." He said to no one in particular as he twisted the vase back and forth trying to make it look just right for when Hermione came downstairs, and the entire room grinned at his serious expression.
After a moment Ana shook her head, "And the ones still in your hands?" she asked, pointing.
Viktor grinned, "For next to the bed." He said with a shrug. "For when she wakes up… they are not as beautiful as she is….. but they make her happy." He said stumbling back a step making his father snicker at him.
Ana looked over to Mecho who pulled his paper up more to hide, making Ginny laugh from where she was sitting by Alek and Vlad watching them play wizards chest.
Ana looked back to Viktor, "Why so many bunches?" She asked sitting back in her chair.
Viktor looked down at the flowers, "Because they make her smile." He said simply like he did not understand the question. His brother's fought not to laugh out loud at him, covering their faces with their hands.
Ana hummed, "It must be nice to get flowers for just a smile." She murmured looking at Mecho over the flowers, hiding her grin in the blooms.
Mecho set his paper down to look over at his wife, "My darling I would get you a million flowers but what is the point when you are more beautiful them all of them and smell sweeter?" He asked smiling at her making his boys laugh.
"Nice save Papa." Andrian called from the desk laughing, making Mecho look over to Viktor with narrowed eyes, "Way to make the rest of us bad, son." He said under his breath.
Viktor shrugged, still confused, his drunk mind not catching up, "I don't think about it… I just do it." He said before smirking over to his mother who laughed. "Mama, I forgot to tell you it was my turn to host Sunday team dinner… I have not held one this year." He said and when she raised her eyebrows, he shook his head, "They are all bringing dishes to share. We are just setting the table….. and playing quidditch." He said looking to the door then to Andrian. He wanted to go upstairs and see Hermione, but he also wanted to know what Andrian found out about that morning.
"What time did Mila go to bed?" Viktor asked looking around.
Alek looked up from his game of wizard chest, "Right after dinner…. I gave her another healing potion and Emma took her up." He said looking back down and yelling, "CHECKMATE." When he took over Vlad's King, making Vlad throw his hands up.
Vlad looked over at Viktor, "She finished helping me with my letters and was tired, so after we made sure she ate something, we sent her to sleep." He said before turning and pointing at Alek snarling, "Again." He pulled his wand and reset the board.
Viktor shook his head, those two had been battling this game for years, one would win and then the other, so they always needed a rematch. Since Hermione was asleep, he walked over to talk to Andrian first, his mind trying to catch up. He leaned his hip against the desk trying to get balance and look down at Andrian, "Did you tell anyone here what happened?" He asked softy.
Andrian sat back in his chair, shaking his head, "No… I did find out that Skeeter was given a private interview yesterday morning…. Which takes out everyone who was here visiting." He said rubbing his chin, "I also found out she asked for a seat at the press conference yesterday afternoon, so she had a plan when she came. But I don't know who she talked to or how she got that much information." He said a fire in his eyes.
Viktor clenched his jaw, "So we do not have much." He whispered.
Andrian shook his head, "I did get Skeeter banned from all upcoming conferences, for harassing players families…. But I am worried Viktor, I am waiting to see what she writes in the morning, but if she tells the world that Mione is here, then this place becomes less safe for her." He said softly.
Viktor rubbed a hand down his face, feeling himself start to sober up, "I know…. But we cannot change this…. And Mila was coming to family practice this week and the cup on Saturday… so people would have eventually found out." He said looking over to Mecho, "We need to talk to Papa about adding more wards."
"Now the only important part is to keep her safe." Viktor said softy, "Honestly, let the world know that she is mine…. I will gladly say yes to that… so that anyone who wants to hurt her knows they will have to go through me." He snarled.
Andrian nodded, "I agree with you… and they will also have to go through the rest of us….. but is Mione going to be ok with this?" He asked softly.
Viktor shook his head, "No but this is not the only problem, has Alek talked to you about what Ginny said this morning?" He asked
Adrian nodded, "He did and I am going to look into that Monday and see what I can find….. honestly I want to put Mione is a safe house and hide her away until … forever." He said rubbing his eyes.
Viktor snorted, shaking his head, "I know I feel the same way that you do…I do not think she will let us though… even though we keep saying that she is weak… her weak is still stronger than most of us at ok…." He paused looking down at his brother, "For so long she has been fighting… for so long she has had to be so strong, struggled so hard… to be the best and protect everyone… be at the front of the line…" Viktor pause and clenched his jaw, "Now she will have to learn to be behind us for a while." He said with a shrug. "Because I will not let her stand alone or in front of me."
"While I agree with you….. and will stand in front of her also." Andrian snickered, "I can't wait to see this battle between you and her, when you do it…. She will be so busy fighting you, she won't notice us." He looked up at Viktor and shook his head, grinning, "Go upstairs and be with your woman…. I will talk to Papa about the wards and try to get you more information."
Viktor nodded before turning back, "Will Rose be at the game this weekend." He asked.
Andrian nodded, "I am hoping that she comes to family practice also…. But she is in Spain right now for work." He said shaking his head. "I will not know until Wednesday morning."
Viktor nodded before walking over to Ana, "Thank you, Mama…. For not being upset about the team dinner." He said softly kissing the top of her head.
Ana shook her head up at him smiling, "I love those boys… it will be nice to see them again." She said, "Just let me know what time to be ready in the morning."
Viktor shook his head, "Actually Mama, since it is my team and I am doing it last minuet I will set up the tables and get stuff ready." He smiled, "You just have to show up and tell them how wonderful that I am." Viktor grinned sly looking over at his father then back to his mother, his sobering mind catching up to earlier, "And, no matter how much you outshine the flowers, I will always bring you some Mama…. You deserve thousands of them." He ran to the door as his father threw a pillow at him laughing. He paused at the doorway, "And even if you smell sweeter, I know you love to smell the fresh cut scent in the room…. Just to see you smile when you have them is worth the effort of getting them." He said smiling at her and winking over at his father when his mother laughed.
Ginny grinned at Viktor, "Just when I think he can not be more prefect I learn that he has a silver tongue….. I hope that I get a man just like that…he has set the bar high." Ginny said shaking her head, looking back to the game between Alek and Vlad. After a moment she looked up at Alek who was staring at her with a plotting gleam in his eye and smirked, "You are going to lose in a few minutes." She said before going to sit on the couch to read the book she left there earlier.
Alek looked down and narrowed his eyes at the board and sure enough, Vlad was backing him into a corner. "Well Fuck." He whispered looking over at the red head bent over a book, "She is distracting." Alek muttered making Vlad chuckle and Ana grin at him….
Yes, Alek and Ginny would make a good match, Ana thought.
Viktor made his way up the stairs thinking about what he was going to do that week, he was going to need talk to security about family practice…as well as the game. He also wanted to make sure that Skeeter was not allowed in his press conference in Italy next week. He would let the association and the Italian team know what was going on and ask them to also ban her.
He let the thoughts of climbing into his bed take over his mind. Of pulling Hermione into his arms and letting her body slide across his… of her heat brushing and engulfing him. He imagined his hands brushing over her until she made that sound that drove him out of his mind. He wanted to go climb into their bed and claim her over and over again…. But instead he was going to just pull her into his arms and sleep. Because nothing was worth Hermione being in pain or being hurt… he would wait as long as she needed…. Because even just having her in his bed was enough.
He walked into their room pausing for a moment trying to let his eyes adjust to the darkness, moving over to the bed. When he got closer, he could see the moon light across the empty still made bed and he froze.
Viktor's heart stopped as he took the bed in and the and all of the emotions from the last 9 months hit him at once. The fear of her being gone again taking his breath away, "Hermione." He called out dropping the flowers in his hands to the floor, running to the bathroom, when he flipped the light on there was nothing. He ran to the dark closet and found it empty and his heart ached, and the panic ran through his veins… where was she… did she leave to protect them… was she taken from the house by Death Eaters. He stood unable to move, unable to think, unable to comprehend her not being here like she had promised him only this morning. "Mila." He whispered, "No."
He shook his head, "No…..no… she is supposed to be here… she promised." He said into the dark room. He had to think… he had to figure out, but all his mind was doing was racing through what it was like for her to be gone again, the agony of absence.
He tried to remember what his family had just said… they said she went to bed after dinner, that was hours ago… he should have come home. … he should have been here. He took a deep breath trying to push the panic to the side, his brother said….. he said that Emma had brought Hermione to bed. He turned towards the door bellowing out Emma's name, waiting for her to appear. It felt like an eternity when she finally popped into the room, "Emma." He said falling to his knees in front of her, carefully grasping her shoulder, "Where is Lady Mione?" He asked harshly, his breath coming out in gasps like he had run the quidditch field, his eyes wild.
Emma shook her head, "I brought her up to showers." She said softly, "Then I lefts, Master Viktor."
Viktor shook his head, "She is not here Emma… did you see her leave… did she tell you she was going to leave?" He asked harshly.
Emma shook her head, "No Master Viktor… Lady Mione was very tired and hurting… she was going to shower, take her potions and go to sleeps." She said wringing her hands in front of her.
Viktor clench his jaw, "She is not here." He said frustration growing as he looked around the room again. "We have to find out when she left and who took her, if she did not leave on her own." He said standing to walk out of the rooms to get his family.
Emma ran to catch up with him in the hallway pulling on his robe, "But Master Viktor… she would not be in your room sir… all of her stuff is in her rooms… I took her to her rooms to shower." Emma said running to keep up, bumping into his legs when he abruptly stopped.
Viktor looked down at Emma who was frowning, "Her room?" He asked harshly, turing on his heel to take long strides to the purple room carefully pushing the door open to see Hermione in a white night gown, fast asleep on top of her covers, lightly snoring from laying on her side. He paused in the doorway, letting his heart settle back into place. He took her in and felt his hands start to shake harder as the adrenaline and fear slowly left his body and the tears prick the back of his eyes. He was beginning to realize how much the last year had really affected him….. now that he was not just pushing it away and ignoring it.
After another moment he felt Emma pull on his robes, looking up at him. "Is you ok nows?" She asked softly.
Viktor nodded, kneeling slowly and closing his eyes for moment, "I am sorry I yelled at you, Emma." He said softly.
Emma smiled at him and touched his cheek, "You did not means to yells…. You were just scared." She said softly, "I am sorry I thoughts she was going to go backs to your rooms after… but she told me she was ok, so I went to help in the kitchens."
Viktor shook his head at her with a small smile, "It is not your fault Emma….. can you gather all of her stuff and take it to our room?" He asked her softy. "That way we don't have the same scare."
Emma nodded quickly, "It wills only take me a few moments Master Viktor….." She said running off to the bathroom. Viktor carefully stood and slowly walked over to the side of the bed, like he was afraid if he moved to fast, she would disappear. When he finally made it over and sat down next to her, he finally felt like he could breath again. He reached out and gently pushed her hair back behind ear and watched Hermione stretch slowly.
"Mila." He whispered, "Wake up, My heart." He said brushing his fingers down her cheek.
Hermione shook her head, burying her face into the pillow under her. "NO." She mumbled. "I don't wanna."
Viktor felt his heart settle a little more at the way she rolled closer to him in her sleep, one arm reaching out to touch his thigh. Even as she refused to wake up, still mostly asleep…. she reached for him. He smiled softly down at her, his heart settling in his chest a little more….. he would never get tired of her looking for him, tired of her reaching out to him.
He slid one of his hands over her arm that was resting on his leg, the other cupping her face, "Mila… My love, I need you to wake up." He said.
"Viktor." She murmured, "You are home." Her thumb brushing his leg, grounding him even more.
Viktor smiled, "I am home…" Reaching down to kiss her head, "I came home looking for my woman." He paused, narrowing his eyes and frowning when she gave him a small giggle, "But imagine my surprise when I get home….. walk into our room ready to curl my body around hers and….. our bed is empty." He said eyebrows raised.
Hermione slid one eye open, "I am in bed." She said confused.
Viktor shook his head, "You are not in our bed… you are in your old bed." He said pointing around the room.
Hermione looked past him to the wall, "humm… I guess that I am." She said, blinking with wide confused eyes.
Viktor chuckled down at her confusion, shaking his head "Yes, you are…. Why are you sleeping in here?" He asked.
Hermione yawned, "I came in here to shower… but I took Alek's potion before I got in the shower and I got so sleepy." She murmured pushing her face forward into his thigh to nuzzle her nose against him. "I must have come out and laid down."
Viktor frowned, "You don't remember getting out of the shower?" He asked, his hand pushing into her hair. "You don't remember coming over to the bed?" His worry taking over again.
Hermione shook her head, "No…. I was so tired…. I must have just laid down." She said looking up at him.
Viktor clenched his jaw for a moment, "New rule Mila… you can not take potions without someone being with you…. And not until you are sitting or lying…ok?" He said worry clouding his voice, "You could have gotten hurt and no one would have known." He said kissing her forhead.
Hermione sighed deeply, "Ok…I can promise that…." She pulled herself even closer to lay her head on his thigh and pushing her face into his stomach, "You smell yummy… but like alcohol." She giggled softly.
Viktor shook his head, his hand brushing through her hair, "I was drunk until you scared me half out of my mind." He said chuckling, "I think when I saw our bed empty, all of the alcohol was burned from my body from fear…. And now I am sober."
Hermione looked up with a small frown, "Why were you scared?" She asked softly, her right arm wrapping around his waist, her fingers scratching his back gently, her cheek resting on his stomach.
Viktor closed his eyes, and took a deep breath "I was worried you that you were gone… you could have been hurt or taken?" He murmured.
Hermione's eyes filled delicately, "I am sorry." She whispered her arm tightening around him, her face turing in to kiss above his belly button. She pulled back and laid her head back on his thigh, to look him in the eyes, "I didn't mean to scare you…. I promise that I am not going anywhere without talking to you first…. Not ever again."
Viktor gave her a small smile, brushing her hair back, "I know Mila….. I just want to make sure that you are safe and taken care of….. preferably in my arms and in my bed but I am ok just knowing where you are…." His fingers brushed down cheek, "Thinking you were supposed to be in one place…. But you not being there and not knowing where you were… it was scary." He whispered.
Hermione nodded, "I know that feeling with Ginny and Harry…. Well knowing where they are… not necessarily in my bed." She said pausing to giggle into his stomach. After a moment she looked up again and gave him a small smile, "I am sorry." She said, "It won't happen again."
Viktor snorted, "I have a feeling that you will give me many heart attacks and panic attacks the next 100 years." He said brushing her hair again, "But it will be worth it for moments like this." He whispered smiling softly down at her closed eyes.
Hermione nodded, giving him a grin, "Probably…. Sleep now?" She turned her face and snuggled her face back into his stomach.
Viktor nodded, "Yes… sleep now." He said, brushing his hand through her hair.
Hermione curled around him, "Love you." She whispered closing her eyes, her voice trailing off.
Viktor shook his head, "Not in this bed." He said pulling her head off lap and standing up.
Hermione shook her head, eyes closed, "Not getting up." She said covering up her eyes with an arm.
Viktor chuckled, "I will carry you, My Heart." He said scooping her up gently, "I will always carry you." He murmured into her hair, carrying her down the hall and into their room. He carefully tucked her into her side of the bed, looking up to see the flower's he had dropped over all over the floor had been gathered off the floor and put on Hermione's bedside table. He would have to tell Emma thank you. He looked back down to see Hermione's eyes closed, her hands tucked under her chin, he leaned down and gently kissed her hair, "I love you." He murmured.
Hermione smiled, her eyes still closed, "I love you too." She whispered, "Now please hurry and shower the smell of alcohol off your beautiful body so we can snuggle and sleep." She murmured pulling away to push her face into the pillows.
Viktor chuckled, "Yes, My Dear." He said softly pushing her hair back once more before walking to the bathroom. After a quick shower, he climbed back to right where he wanted to be, his arms pulling Hermione back into the cocoon of his body. He felt her turn to face him pushing her face into his chest, her nose rubbing back and forth over his nipple making his body tightened and he groaned deeply, fire racing through his body.
She shifted in her sleep, so her lips grazed his nipple this time and he shifted back away from her to try and stop the heat from spreading. As he shifted back, he felt his body harden and strain to get closer to her and when Hermione shook her head sleepily and murmured, "No… Come back." He had to close his eyes and pray for control.
When she followed him across the bed, stretching to be close to him again, he knew … knew she was awake. This time it was her teeth that scrapped his nipple, her wet lips and the sting of her teeth making him arch into her. He pulled back to look down at her half-mast eyes and soft smirk, "Not nice." He said under his breath, rolling to his back almost whimpering when her hand brushed along his stomach to dip into the waist of his pajama pants.
His hand shot out to catch her fingers and gently pull them up to lay them on his chest, where she curled her fingers and scraped his nipple again. He shook his head and closed his eyes as her leg came over his, "You are trying to kill me… death by beautiful woman." He muttered before biting his lip as her knee brushed against him.
He looked down at her when she giggled up at him, "You are so tempting." She whispered, letting her tongue run along the side of his ribs making him gasp and arch up into the air, "I can't help myself." She said rubbing her lips along the path her tongue just took, gently blowing out cool air.
Viktor gave a harsh humorless laugh, pulling away from her gently, "If you don't stop, I am going to have to take you back to your room to sleep…. Because I will not be able to control myself." He whispered, his hand coming up to cup the back of her head and push her nose into his side making her giggle at him. "I mean it Mila… you are going to kill me if you don't stop." He begged her.
Hermione pulled back to look up at him, her hand propping up under her chin, "I don't want to kill you my love…." She said kissing his chest again "I do want to torment you a little….. how long do you think I could do this before you would snap." She said brushing her lips over his nipple again while her hand trailed along the waist of his pants, her fingers dipping under the band.
Viktor snorted, shaking his head, "Not long." His voice broke, "Mila…. Don't Stop….." He begged, his hips arching when her hand brushed lower and her tongue reached out to flick his nipple again. He slid one hand into her hair, his hand tightening in her curls… the other clenching tightly into the blankets next to him. When her hand dipped under the band of his pants, his neck arched back and his hips came off the bed and his breath caught in a strangled moan, "Ok….. I lied… Stop." He begged harshly. "You have to stop."
Hermione shook her head, "But Love… it has not even been a single minute." She smiled slowly sitting up to slide one of her legs over his hips. She looked down at him, "You woke me up." She said her hands sliding down his chest and pushing her hips down into his, "Now I want to love…. My Love." She said her voice heavy with want, making Viktor's eyes clench tightly closed, and his hands griping her waist almost painfully as he felt the heat rush down to his center in deep pulls.
"MILA." He almost shouted when she twisted her hips in a small circle, his breath coming out in harsh gasps. Viktor grabbed her hips and pulled her down tightly against the hardness straining towards her. "Mine." He said rolling his hips quickly before letting his head fall back, "Want you." He managed to strangle out, his hands sliding up her stomach until the they reached her sides of her breasts.
Hermione threw her head back as his thumbs brushed her nipples and she moaned deep in her throat. Her hands reached up and grabbed his wrists holding them to her tightly, "Viktor." She begged. "Please…please." She rotated her hips again, but at one twist she flinched as her back began to burn.
Viktor looked at her face and shook his head, "We can't." He muttered letting his hands fall to the bed again. He took a deep breath trying to gain control of his raging body, "Can't hurt you." He said covering his face with his hands.
Hermione shook her head, her curls falling forward when she leaned down to kiss his chest, "I won't tell Alek if you don't." She said her tongue tracing down his neck to nip at his clavicles. Her fingers dipped and followed painstakingly slow along his sides before gliding back up his stomach until they reached his face and pulled his hands away and she pulled his mouth to hers, deeply drinking in his taste.
Viktor grabbed her hip with one hand and pulled her down against him, the other hand trialing up her side to cup the back of her head and take the kiss over, his dominance making her smile into his mouth. When she bit his lip in response he grumbled deep in his throat and pulled back, "We have to stop….." He said tightly, falling back and closing his eyes, "We cannot…... I won't hurt you." He said pulling her down to lay on his chest, taking deep breaths trying himself back under control, "We have a life time My Heart….. and I will show you how much I want you over and over again… but not until you are healed… for now we will sleep." He opened his eyes to look at her face, his fingers gently trailing her cheeks, "I love you…. So much." He said kissing her nose softly.
Hermione smiled up at him, "You are such a grinch." She said licking her lips, so his eyes followed her tongue and he arched up again response, "Love me Viktor." She said leaning down to lick his chest gently making him clench his eyes closed as he took deep breaths trying to push the craving away …. The heat away…. after a moment he looked up at her with black swirling narrowed eyes.
Viktor shook his head, "No…. and what is a grinch?" He asked, taking another deep breath.
Hermione smiled, "It is from a movie….and a muggle book I loved when I was growing up…. He was a mean Who from Whoville…." She kissed his chest, "He came into Whoville and stole Christmas and took away all of the other Who's fun."
Viktor's eyes narrowed in confusion, "I understood none of what you just said." He said grinning at her, "But it sounds interesting….."
Hermione grinned at the look he was giving her and tried to move her hands down his chest, and he caught them with a small shake of his head, "I told you no, you little fiend." He said swatting the bottom of her ass with a full hand. "We will go to sleep now." He said pulling her carefully to his side and tucking her into him, "Now I will tell you about what is happening tomorrow, to distract you." He said pulling the blankets over them, "We are going to have another party… this time with a bunch of rowdy men who want to meet you ….. so be prepared." He said with a grin.
Hermione looked up at him, her chin propped on his chest, "Who?" She asked tucking into his side and trying put her leg over his again, to rub and tempt him and he shook his head down at her with a grin.
"Stop Mila…" He said with narrowed eyes, "You will not tempt me… my will is stronger than yours and so is my patience's."
Hermione rolled her eyes and smirked, moving her knee again and Viktor pulled his knee up to block her and laughed at her pout, "Nice try." He said with a smirk, tucking his other arm under his head.
Hermione huffed, "Fine…." She said in a drawn-out tone and smile. She kissed his chest gently again and set her chin on his chest giving him a grin, "So who is going to be at this party?"
Viktor leaned down and kissed her nose, "My team would not take no for an answer when I finally told them about you today." He said his hand going to brush through her curls, pausing he placed his chin on the top of her hair, "We had an issue at the press conference…. there was a reporter that knew you were here and that we were together." He murmured.
Hermione placed her hand on his chest, pushing up slightly to look down at it after a moment she asked softly, "Is that a bad thing… do you not want people to know I am here." Her voice betraying the anxiety she was feeling.
Viktor frowned and he pulled back to look her in the eyes, "Never… I will happily tell the world that you are mine. I will scream it at the European cup next week…that is not why we are worried." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "No, it was the reporter and what she knew." He kissed her forhead, grasping the hand on his chest "I am not ashamed of you." He whispered reading her thoughts, "I want the world to know… Andrian and I are just worried because before you were protected while you were here because no one knew that you were here and now …. Now the world will know…. and we just want this to be a safe place for you." He whispered.
Hermione pulled back, "I did not even think of that… if everyone knows that I am here…. that means that all of you are not safe." She said trying to sit up, worry etched in her voice.
Viktor shook his head at her and snorted, "Silly girl…..We are not worried about us, we are worried about you…. We want you safe… you have 4 men here ready to destroy anything that would come here to hurt you and if that was not enough, you have scary Mama in line…" He said snickering.
Hermione shook her head and went to speak but Viktor laid a finger over her lips, "NO… you are not leaving… so do not even say it." Reading her mind again making her smile against his finger, "Good….. now that I tell you that, I have to tell you that the reporter was Skeeter and she knew things that she should not about you and I….. she was very instant when asking questions… Andrian is digging to find out what he can, but she has a source that is telling her things... about you and me and the war." He said softly
Hermione laid back down, resting her head on his chest, "Only a few people would have that information and I trust every single one but one." She said closing her eyes against another thing she could lay at the feet of a person she once considered a friend… family. After a moment she took a deep breath and laid her cheek back on his chest, "So your team… hum?"
Viktor smiled gently down her head knowing she was pushing past the hurt she was feeling, not ready to talk about it. "Yes…. The team heard about you at press conference and then would not stop asking about you…. Then at dinner they demanded to meet the woman…what did they say, the woman who stole my heart and held it captive…. Ludmil… our keeper said that he wanted to see the face of the woman who could capture and hold onto the Bulgarian Bom Bom for so long." He snorted.
Hermione looked up at him laughing, her eyes shining with the tears from the earlier information, "Who told them that I had your heart?" She asked softly, "Who says that I have it all?"
Viktor raised his eye brows in surprise as he looked down at her, "Silly witch, you have had my heart from the first time you said that I just another wizard and not special when I walked into your school all those years ago…." He said with a small smile cupping the back of her head and kissed her deeply for moment before pulling back to look her in the eye, "And I… I told the team that you have my heart….. and I plan on telling Bulgaria at Family practice on Wednesday when the press ask about you…and I plan on telling the world when I bring you the snitch at the European cup and kiss you and claim you in front of everyone." He brushed a thumb over the back of her neck and watched her eyes fill with another set of tears…. But this time they came with a wobbly smile.
Hermione took a deep breath remembering her talk with Alek, "Alek said something to me….. I have been thinking about it a lot." She whispered, slowly sitting up on her knees to look down at him….. she gently reached out to touch his face carefully sliding her fingers over his eyebrows down his slightly hooked nose… along his sharp cheek bones her fingers digging softly into the bristle along his jaw…. When her fingers made it to his soft lips, she stroked along the smile that was facing at her…..…. he was so beautiful, hair falling across his forhead, one arm tucked under his head and the other wrapped around her hips as she kneeled next to him. His chest rippling with the hard muscles under his soft skin. How he could be so hard and yet so soft, she would never know.
Viktor waited for her to think out what she wanted to say…. He could see the wheels turning as she looked him over. She was trying to process and articulate all of the thoughts racing through her head. Her eyes were burning with questions… statements…... So he just sat and waited, his thumb brushed along her hip and he waited for her, knowing that was what she needed the most.
Hermione looked at him, at every single inch of him and realized that he was absolute perfection. The way he was laying across the bed was what dreams were made of, just looking at him made her burn and want… but that was not what made her heartbeat almost out of her chest. No, it was the look he was giving her…. the way he was looking up at her, with his heart pouring out of his eyes, a soft smile as he looked at her like she was the most important thing in the world. The soft smile that he only ever gave her, and no one else.
The fear of losing that smile forever washed over her….. that fear that Alek told her to talk about when it came … it was making her heart ache, so she closed her eyes and whispered, "I am scared of what Alek said earlier." She whispered so softly he almost didn't hear her.
"What did he say?" He asked softly, pulling his head out from under his head to cup her cheek gently, his thumb brushing her lips.
Hermione clenched her eyes tighter and pulled her lip between her teeth and away from his thumb for a moment until Viktor pulled her lip back with his fingers, "Mila." He said softly, nudging her gently until she looked down at him, "Talk to me."
Hermione took a deep breath, "He said that I don't trust you….." When his eyes narrowed, and he sat up slightly she quickly shook her head, "That we don't trust each other."
Viktor's nostrils flared at her words, his mouth twisting in anger, but she put her fingers on his lips this time, "Wait and listen before you get upset at Alek." She said waiting for him to lay back down, nodding at her softly. "He said our heads trust each other…. but our hearts are still hurting and the last year had made us scared…. Me more then you…. The war and the wound makes it worse for me….." She said looking down, "but he said that it would get better… that it was getting better." She paused looking down at his chest for moment until he reached up and tipped her chin up to meet her eyes again and she smiled at him, "But when you say things like you just said… it gets easier to trust to believe what my head is telling me." She whispered. "But then I looked down at you and my heart tells me no…. why you would choose me… when you are perfection and I am… not."
Viktor sat all the way up and cupped her face between his hands, looking into her eyes, "I will say these things to you every day… over and over again." He softly kissed her lips, "I will whisper them into your ear… tell them to the people around us and yell them to the world." He carefully kissed her again, his tongue gently flicking her lip, making her close her eyes and lean into him, "When you tell me that you doubt your worth, I will tell you over and over… I will shout it to the world….when you tell me that you think that you are not worthy, I will prove to you that you are…over and over again." His thumbs brushed along her cheek bones, "I will say it forever and always, because I will never let you go Mila…. NEVER." He growled out fiercely, "and I will tell you that I love you every day for the rest of our lives…. when we get married….. when you carry our children… when we grow old together…. Every single day, forever." He kissed her hard, "I will say that I love you so many times that you will get tiered of hearing it."
Hermione's eyes filled with tears that slid slowly down her cheeks and Viktor carefully brushed them away with his thumbs, "I love you Mila…. Always… I have from the moment you smirked up at me, reading your book while I put my name in the Goblet…... each day we sat in the library, you making me be silent so you could study…. Every time you slid your hand into mine…. The first time you placed your lips on mine…. Every visit you came here…. Every letter… every touch…. I have loved you Mila…." He paused to pull back and look into her eyes, "I have never stopped loving you… even the last year we were apart…. My heart yearned for you… my body ached for your touch… my hand looked for yours… my arms reached for you in the night." He laid his forhead on hers, "I can not live without you…. I tried for a year…. And it was endless and dark without you….. please don't leave me… just love me the way that I love you." He begged her, staring deep into her eyes.
Hermione reached up with her left hand to grasp Viktor's wrist, her right hand laying over his heart, "I want your heart to trust me again….." She said softly.
Viktor pulled her to him for a deep kiss, "I already trust you Mila." He said when he pulled back.
Hermione shook her head, looking down, "You thought I had left when I wasn't in our room." She murmured.
Viktor tilted her head back, so she was looking up at him and let his forehead fall to hers, "I thought that you were taken… that you left to protect us…. But never because you did not want to be here with me." He said. "I trust you to always protect me…. to protect us, but my greatest fear is that you will be hurt because of protecting me."
Hermione closed her eyes, "I will always protect you….. I love you too much to ever let you get hurt." She whispered, "If something happened to me… it is ok... but not you… never you." She said quietly.
Viktor shook his head, eyes dark in frustration, "Mila… what do you not understand…. Without you I have no life… the last year proved that….." He put his hand over the one that she had laid over his heart. "My fear is not that you will leave me because it is your choice… but because you will be taken from me."
Hermione close her eyes, "That is my fear….. that you are going to be hurt because of me… that something is going to happen to you or our family because of me." She whispered.
She looked him in the eyes, "So what do we do?" She asked.
Viktor kissed her gently, "Be honest with one another and protect one another… and when the doubt creeps in our minds…. When the fear creeps into our minds…. Reach out for each other until it passes… like you just did" He said quietly, "Swear to me that you will never leave without talking to me, even to protect me. …. swear that when you have fear or doubt you tell me so I can tell you all the reasons why I love you again…." He paused looking deep into her eyes, letting her see all of the love… the want … the need in them, "Marry me so I can claim you in front of the world." He said holding his hand out for her to see the sparkling diamond in it.
Hermione gasped pulling back to look into his hand but not touching it, her eyes wide. Viktor felt his heart racing as she sat on the bed next to him silently looking at the ring. After a few moments he could not take it anymore, "Mila….. now…. now you are scaring me." He whispered, his breath catching on the last word.
Hermione looked up at him carefully slowly sitting back between her heels, "When did you get this?" She asked her voice catching, tucking her hands in her lap as the fear took over her heart again.
Viktor looked down at it, taking a deep breath, panic creeping into his stomach, "It was my Grandmothers…. I had asked Mama for it last May….. I was going to ask you to Marry me on our Birthday's last year." He whispered back up at her blank face. When she just sat there silently, he felt the panic start racing through his body, "Please Mila…. I cannot ….. I cannot be without you anymore."
Hermione closed her eyes, "Are you sure?" She whispered. "You are not just asking because you don't trust me not to leave….. Are you?"
Viktor tipped her chin up, "Why do you ask me that?" He asked frowning, his thumb brushing her lips. "Did you not just hear me tell you that I was planning this a year ago…" He gently kissed her lips, pulling back to brush his fingers over her face, "I dream every night of you being my wife… of you wearing my ring…. You growing large with our children…" He closed his eyes, "I pray every day for a life with you Mila…. I love you…...and I trust you with everything inside me…. why are you scared that I not telling the truth?" He asked her gently.
Hermione felt a tear slip down her cheek, looking down at her hands. "Because I am broken….. because I am damaged…. Because even now being around me puts you and your family in danger from Death Eaters that are still hunting me." She whispered so low he barely heard her.
His head snapped back at her words, his eyes narrowed into slits and he snarled at her, cupping her face with one hand to pull her chin up, "You are not damaged…. And you are not broken… you are fucking perfection….. everything about you was made for ME, Mila… everything." His thumb brush against her cheek, "You will NEVER say those things again." He said looking into her eyes, "You are mine and I love you exactly as you are… always…. And any… any danger that may come to us is no one's fault… anyway I am famous too… and my parents stood against Grindelwald…. you could be in danger because of me….. I did not want to tell you before because you had enough to worry about, but I don't want you to think that you are the one holding all of the danger here…." He took a deep breath to calm down and looked her face over carefully, "I LOVE you Mila… I want…no I NEED to spend the rest of my life with you…. Can you spend the rest of your life with me." He begged her softly.
Hermione looked from his face to the ring, looking at it carefully. It was beautiful… stunning platinum and shining even in the dark room, an enormous clear diamond oval surround by smaller diamonds. The band a thin master piece of cut out small feminine swirls, flecks of smaller diamonds pushed into the center of each swirl so no matter what way the ring turned it sparkled in the light. It was quiet possibly the most beautiful thing Hermione had ever seen. Unique, yet traditional with the large center sparkle, her breath caught as she looked at it.
Viktor shook his head, "If you do not like it… we can get something else… it does not matter as long as you say yes." He whispered going to close his hand.
Hermione hand shot out to cover the ring in his hand, looking back up at him, "It is prefect… almost as prefect as you." She said tears in her eyes, she looked up at him, eyes full of wonder "Yes." She murmured so low, that Viktor more saw it fall off her lips then heard the words.
He closed his eyes for moment, letting his heart burst with hope, "Say it again." He begged.
Hermione took her other hand and cupped his cheek, "Yes." She said firmly.
Viktor's eyes snapped open to look at her carefully, "Yes?" He asked.
Hermione nodded grinning, tears sliding down her face, "YES." She said firmly.
Viktor cupped the back of her head and kissed her deeply, pulling her over his lap so she straddled him. He felt her arms wrap around his neck and smiled into her lips, "Yes?" He asked again needing to be sure it was not his hope taking over.
Hermione giggled against his lips., "Yes Viktor… yes, yes, yes." She whispered.
Viktor pulled back and grabbed her right hand gently and slid the ring on her finger. Hermione watched it shimmer in the dark room, "Perfect fit." She said looking up at him eyes wide.
Viktor grinned at her, "Perfect fit for the perfect witch." He said his hand brushing her face softly. Hermione threw her head back and laughed, before she grabbed his face and pulled him in for another deep kiss her tongue brushing his firmly. After a few moments she pulled back to look him in the eyes, "I love you." She whispered over and over again as she peppered his face with kisses.
Viktor wrapped his arms around her hips and held her close, still carful of her back but wanting her close. "Now we just have to tell the family and hope they don't kill me." He murmured into her hair.
Hermione sat back, her face confused, "Will they be upset?" She asked carefully the fear creeping back for a moment.
Viktor nodded eyes closed cringing, "Ohh yes… furious….. they thought they were going to be there when I asked you…. They are going to be pissed I did it already and they missed it" He said the fear in his voice making Hermione's fear vanish as she burst out laughing, head thrown back.
Viktor looked at her in his arms, so happy, laughing so hard and smiled remembering his wish from a few days again… to be the one that made her smile and laugh so freely and murmured , "Worth it…" Before pulling her for another deep kiss.