After the events of C20 I wanted this chapter to be a bit of fun. As the book is from Harry's POV it skips straight to the reveal for the third task, but I thought the Easter Hols were a perfect opportunity for some quality V&H time. I couldn't pass up the fluff!

'Boo!'

Hermione's quill skidded on her parchment, creating an unsightly blot. Viktor's fingers blindfolded her and she felt his sharp hipbones press into her shoulder blades. He smelt of soap and was still warm from the shower.

'How many times have I told you not to do that?' She gave a long-suffering sigh and reached up to prize his fingers away. 'You're dripping water on me, Viktor.'

With an impish grin Viktor slotted into place beside her at their library desk. He was wearing his training outfit: a well-worn sweatshirt and baggy trousers. It was her favourite outfit of his because he was always so cuddly when he wore it; his moods were at their lightest after he'd exerted himself and he acted more like a a first-year than his usual seventeen-year old self. His playfulness was infectious.

'What was it today?' She asked, returning her attention to her Potions essay. Viktor dropped his bag onto the table and emptied its contents.

'Swimming,' He said with a yawn. 'My legs were very tight from run yesterday. Was hard work.'

Viktor stretched out his torso with an exaggerated groan and settled an arm over her shoulder. She loved when he was like this: care-free and at ease. She smudged her essay further and pinched her nose in frustration. Professor Snape would mark her down for sloppiness.

'You could've taken a break, you know? I don't understand why you work your body so hard.'

Viktor made a noncommittal sound and started to scratch out his to-do list on a fresh piece of parchment. She was so used to this domestic method of studying now that she found the silence of the library deafening without the sound of Viktor adjusting his weight, shuffling papers and flicking between pages.

They worked in that comfortable calm for half an hour. As Viktor methodically completed his Charms homework, he caressed the sensitive skin at the base of her neck in an absentminded pattern, chewing on his lower lip when he stumbled over a problem.

'Do you see the Merpeople in the lake?' Hermione asked conversationally. She rolled up her finished Potions essay and peered at him through the curtain of her hair.

'Sometimes, am seeing the big squid more.'

She gasped and the corner of his lips twitched. 'You're mad, you know that don't you? Completely barking mad!'

Viktor put down his eagle-feather quill and twisted his chest so that he was facing her. The fingers that had been stroking her hair made their way down her spine, tracing a gentle line that made her quiver.

'You should join me. Is for me like reading is for you. It helps me relax.' He murmured. His eyes fluttered lazily over her features and down across her chest as though he were imagining her in altogether different clothes. All of a sudden she felt self-consciously in her school uniform.

'Well now you've gone from barking mad to down right loopy, Viktor Krum.' Hermione sniggered and pushed him playfully.

'Shame, I was wanting to see you in a swimming outfit,' He sighed theatrically. 'I will now just haff to imagine it.'

Hermione coloured instantly. Viktor still had that effect on her, even now. He knew exactly which buttons to press to get a reaction out of her.

'That's naughty, Viktor.'

'I haff thought more naughty things.' His eyes flashed and Hermione's breath hitched in her throat. Was he really going to talk about that in the library? He must've been delirious with fatigue. She giggled nervously and nudged him again with her elbow.

'Right, um, will you make yourself useful instead? I need a book from the top shelf and seeing as you don't let me-'

Viktor glanced pointedly at her hands. They were still loosely bandaged from her run-in with the bubotuber pus. Viktor had been fuming when she'd told him and had threatened to get in touch with his father to trace the sender.

'You are very independent witch. I am just being gentleman like my mother says I must be,' He stood and caught her lip with the pad of his thumb. His eyes followed the movement.' Which book is it to be dušička?'

Viktor had taken to calling her that ever since he'd declared that he loved her. He'd told her it meant sweetheart in his mother-tongue, and that it felt more natural to him to refer to her like that in his own language. As she was too protective over Viktor's privacy she chose not to verify it with Valentin - no boy had ever given her a pet name before and she would keep that close to her chest, no matter if she looked the fool in the end.

Hermione pointed to the textbook she needed amid all the Arithmancy shelves; the ones that sheltered them from unwanted attention. Viktor nodded and stretched onto his tip-toes, clipping the book's spine with his fingertips. At the movement his sweatshirt rode up to reveal an expanse of inviting, unchartered skin. Hermione couldn't help but stare. His compact waist tapered into lithe hips, the powerful muscles across his lower back contracting at his effort and disappearing in a taut V formation towards the waistband of his trousers. However, as she ogled him shamelessly, Hermione noticed a raised line of scar tissue poking out from the under his sweatshirt. It was many years old by the looks of the faded, white skin, and she wondered how far up it went. She'd gotten a good look at his torso and stomach on multiple occasions, solid and defined as it was, but she'd never seen Viktor's athletic form from the back - up close at least. She'd touched him in his most intimidate places, but had never seen him naked. Every time she thought she knew him as she should do she realised how far they had to go.

Her head snapped away guiltily when he dropped the book onto the table with a triumphant smile.

She knew he wouldn't mind her of all people leering at him, but she felt invasive seeing something like that without his permission. Scars usually told a story people didn't want to advertise: Harry was a prime example.

'Hermione?'

He was looking at her expectantly.

'Sorry! I forget I am allowed to look at you,' She said quickly. 'But, I couldn't help but notice the scar on your back…'

Viktor's hand flew behind him and he tugged down the bunched material. He wasn't upset by her discovery if his smile was anything to go by.

'Do not think bad thoughts,' He came to stand behind her and rested his palms on her shoulders, kneading them with expert hands. 'Is just an old Quidditch injury.' He said, cupping her chin between his thumb and forefinger.

'Looks worse than it was,' He waved dismissively. 'But as we are on this topic, I am wanting to show you something no one but my mother and Tom have seen.'

Hermione's interest was peaked. This was what she wanted from him; to open up to her and offer parts of himself that he shared with no one else. Viktor stepped away from the table and hooked a thumb into the band of his sweatpants, catching his boxers in the same movement. Maintaining his decency with one of his large hands, Viktor pulled down his trousers at an angle, just enough to reveal a scar that twirled from his hipbone, down his thigh and presumably over some of his bum. How hadn't she noticed this before? For a fraction of a second she'd thought he was about to flash her and her heart had skipped a beat. She chastised herself internally for having considered it and, despite the circumstances, having wanted him to do so.

'That was from the worst accident I haff been in. I was focused on snitch, the keeper moved in a way I had not expected and.. the goalpost beat me.' He grinned at her, but his eyes were dulled from the memory of his agony. Going by his introduction it must have been Tom or his mother who had patched him up after his accident. She didn't want to imagine what the aftermath of that collision had been like - it was bad enough that she'd had to witness him take a bludger to the face.

'I'm going to live a life on edge with you playing professional Quidditch, aren't I?' She shook her head and muttered to herself more than Viktor.

Her eyes were drawn to the dark, coarse hair above his pubic bone. It was on view despite his best efforts. The sight muddled Hermione's thoughts and distracted her instantly from her misgivings at Viktor's chosen career. He would only have to push his trousers down another inch and…

'I shall give you a show?' Viktor teased with an alluring wiggle of his hips.

Hermione squealed in mortification and swotted him with the very book he'd just fetched for her.

'This is a library, Viktor Krum, a place of learning!'

He made himself decent right away, but, nevertheless, spent the remainder of their study session alluding to her wandering gaze whenever Hermione glanced in his direction.

…

The easter holidays blew in with even more chilly weather and blustery rain showers that drenched the students as they sprinted between the greenhouses and the entrance hall. The Durmstrang contingent marched from their private classes aboard their ship to the castle for their elective subjects unperturbed by the unpredictable Scottish climes and sheltered from the elements by their fur cloaks.

Much to Ron's horror, Hermione started to badger him about exam preparation and would huff indignantly whenever Harry, free from exams altogether, tried to distract them from their precarious study sessions. Although Viktor was in the same position as Harry, a fortunate advantage of being a triwizard champion, he approached his academic work with the same studious sincerity as ever and joined Hermione for longer stints in the library than he ever had before. He brought along mysteriously sourced snacks to tempt her with whenever she invariably skipped lunch by mistake and chided her for such neglect. When he wasn't with her in the library, he was training with increasing intensity to prepare for try outs in the summer, though he playfully refused to tell her which two clubs he had shortlisted for his next career move.

'I am wanting it to be surprise,' He said, his eyes glittering. 'I haff told only my father and Valentin.'

The niggling voice in her head planted the seed of doubt that he still didn't trust her after the Rita Skeeter incident, but he'd made it clear he just wanted to be able to surprise her at the right time. Between exams, the tournament, Rita Bloody Skeeter and her relationship, Hermione didn't have the time to worry about that… just yet.

On the first day of the holidays Celeste swooped down into the Great Hall with a bulging envelope, hooting affectionately at her owner's sibling as he slouched next to Hermione at the breakfast table. Hermione had become so accustomed to ducking whenever the post owls arrived for fear of receiving more hate mail that she shrank back out of habit, resulting in a bellicose peck from the bird and an accusatory stare when Hermione finally popped back up to greet her.

Celeste's delivery contained a booklet from an academic conference in Bucharest where, Viktor explained, Ana was going to present some of her research the following week. Inside the booklet was a brief summary for each paper that would be delivered and Ana had instructed Hermione to point out any of interest; she would then request copies for Hermione to read in her 'free time'. Viktor was totally bemused by the nature of their exchanges, but Hermione had been utterly thrilled and wasted no time in pouring over the research domains instead of her pancakes.

'Sometimes I think I am dating my sister,' He muttered under his breath and received a reproving poke from Hermione.

Now that Viktor had made such a public statement by abandoning the Slytherin table to join Hermione and her friends, things had calmed down somewhat. They still attracted inquiring looks and the occasional whisper, mostly amongst the younger students, but as Ginny had promised they would, their classmates moved on. It no longer seemed up for public debate whether Viktor Krum and Hermione Granger were dating; whenever Viktor was within the castle walls he'd hold her hand protectively and wait for her outside her last class of the day to walk to dinner with her. On more than one occasion Hermione spotted Pansy Parkinson glowering at her from across the Great Hall and she'd smugly inch closer to Viktor's side, offering her a taunting wave and a sweet smile.

The Gryffindors had grown quite used to their famous guest and saw it as their responsibility to protect him from any intruders that approached during mealtimes to try and speak to him now that he was away from the impenetrable clutches of the Slytherins. Valentin had also become a firm favourite with Hermione's housemates, both boys and girls alike, and he came alive at lunch and dinner, regaling his Hogwarts counterparts with stories about Durmstrang.

Perhaps the biggest change of all was Harry and Ron's acceptance of Viktor. Ron was still less than happy about their relationship, but he appeared to have resigned himself to the Bulgarian's recurrent presence. On the days where Hermione didn't want Viktor entirely to herself (during which he delighted in indulging her with innocent touches as they worked), Harry, Ron, Ginny and Valentin would join them in the library.

It was quite different from their normal solitude, but she couldn't pretend that she didn't enjoy their relationship being in the open and being able to spread her time equally between all her friends. To have them together in one place, getting along, lightened the load on her shoulders. One weekend in early April they set up shop at Viktor and Hermione's secluded table and made a day of it.

After a few hours of huffing and puffing over their Divination homework, Harry and Ron had grown tired of reading and had taken to playing a game of Wizard's chess under the table, with Valentin offering whispered advice to each in turn whenever he thought Hermione or Viktor weren't paying attention.

'I'm going to return these,' Hermione looked disapprovingly at her best friends and began to stack up her loaned books. 'I won't be a second.'

Viktor made to get up from his seat but she shook her head. 'It's okay, I might do a bit of browsing and I don't want to keep you from your work.'

She kissed him quickly on the hollow of his cheeks and blushed as her friends caught it. She still wasn't fully comfortable with displays of affection in front of the boys, but it had become second nature to reach out for Viktor, particularly in the safety of the library. Hw smiled and returned to the essay he was writing, the unfamiliar Cyrillic script coming from his quill now a comfortingly familiar sight to her.

Hermione made her way happily through the Transfiguration, Ancient Runes and History of Magic sections, sliding her loans back into the awaiting slots and signing and dating the slip that had been placed to mark their absence. She wondered aimlessly through the adjoining Potions aisles, stroking the spines of the oldest books and feeling the hum of their latent magic tingle over her fingertips. This was still her happy place; her escape; her sanctuary. It was strange to think back to the days where she'd done this for hours alone, seeking refuge whenever the boys weren't speaking to her or she'd been trying to find answers that would help Harry. This time she'd return to her desk and Viktor would catch her by the waist and draw her back into the security of his embrace. She was impossibly happy.

Hermione didn't mean to end up in the Muggle studies section. She hadn't intended on coming face to face with the incriminating shelf she'd plundered all those months ago in the vain hope of becoming less… virginal. It felt like a lifetime ago that she'd been that innocent, inquisitive teenager. Now she was braver (ish).

She chuckled to herself as she spotted the titles she'd read. None of them had prepared her for what it was like have Viktor touch her and the carnal desire she'd feel at touching him. Her eye travelled along the collection of educational texts and halted on one she didn't recognise. She must've missed it.

In a heartbeat she'd plucked it from the shelf and was flipping through the pages with impatient curiosity. There was more of the same - diagrams of body parts that weren't so embarrassing now, incantations for regulating monthly cycles, charms for preventing pregnancy and an extensive section on puberty and the changes one could expect. There was no mention of using a mouth to pleasure someone… maybe Viktor was pulling your leg. He'd alluded to that being a fantasy of his after their post-quidditch tryst, so she didn't think he'd joke about it. But was it really a thing? It didn't sound all that hygienic, not to mention how intimate it must be to get that close to certain parts of him.

'Hermione?' His faint call penetrated her disorderly thoughts. 'You are okay? You haff been gone almost an hour.'

She squeaked in alarm as she realised how close he actually was. His voice hadn't been far away at all; he'd been standing right behind her. Viktor swept her hair away from her neck and placed a soft kiss at the nape. The incriminating book tumbled from her hands and onto the floor with a loud thud. Of all the things he could've caught her reading.

Viktor picked it up instinctively and handed it back to her. When she refused to look at it he turned it over to read the cover before letting it fall open on the page she'd been intently examining.

'Um,' Was all that he said. Hermione blushed harder than she had in a very long time in his presence.

'I swear it's not what it looks like,' She said hurriedly. 'Do you remember I told you ages ago that I did some, er, research? Well, er, I came across this one book I didn't see last time…'

'You are interested in this stuff?' Viktor looked confused.

'No, no, well, yes,' Hermione was beginning to sweat. 'These books are rubbish, you see,' A small gasp escaped her. 'No, I don't mean that. I just, er, they don't really cover what I'm trying to find out.'

Her tirade only confused Viktor more. He peered at the page that described a contraceptive charm and then at Hermione's beetroot face.

'What are you trying to find out? I am sure perhaps that your mother… or maybe Ani could help with this.'

Sex was the last thing on earth Hermione would ask Viktor's sister about. She had such a good thing going with Ani that it would be delusional to ruin it by all but informing her that she and her brother were intimate. It would be like asking Harry or Ron about erections.

'Ever since you mentioned, y'know, using my mouth on you,' She whispered the words as though they were sinful. 'I've been thinking about it. Mum and Ani would probably have a heart attack if I asked them about that.'

To her relief Viktor laughed. He closed the book and pushed it back onto the shelf. Turning to face her, he placed his hands flat on her forearms. She was glad he wasn't hurt, or, worse, angry. They'd been over this before and there was every chance he'd be cross she hadn't come to him.

'There are some things you will not find in a book, I am thinking. It is definite that oral sex is one of them.'

He was teasing her again. Hermione blushed harder.

'Because it is, hm, how to say, one of those naughty things I spoke of,' Viktor squeezed her arms tighter. 'I haff said before that you must not worry about not knowing these things. I would like, as your boyfriend, to be able to answer your questions. I understand it might be, hm, embarrassing, but I am not expert either.'

Viktor pulled her into a reassuring hug. She felt silly - both at being caught and for not simply having asked him. However, there didn't seem to be a right time to ask him something like that, and the opportunity hadn't arisen to interrogate him about it in the "heat of the moment".

'Viktor,' She said cautiously. 'I'm not used to having someone to ask. I don't mean to be rude, but you don't know what it's like to grow up with muggle parents. For all of my magical education I've trusted my books, because they don't judge me for not knowing things you've known your whole life. So it was just normal for me to want to do the same about these… things.'

Viktor was watching her perceptively. Without a word he ducked down and brushed his lips over the pulse point on her wrist, as he had once done as a formal greeting. This time around it was compassionate, considerate.

'Then it is me who should apologise. You are right, I do not know what it is like to be raised without magic,' He paused. 'I grew up very fast. I learnt about being a man in the locker room.'

She hadn't considered what that would mean for him as a teenager. He'd attended a boarding school that admitted almost exclusively boys, and then spent his youth surrounded by men with far greater life experience. It was astonishing that he'd not developed a distant and distorted image of women and sex.

'I guess we're at a sort of stalemate then.' Hermione giggled nervously.

'Hm.'

Viktor swept her up in his arms and mumbled something unintelligible into her hair. They'd reached an unspoken understanding. There was a pregnant pause before he spoke again, brushing his lips against the shell of her ear so his breath tickled her.

'Come on, we must go back to your friends now. Or they will think we are doing more than looking at books.'

Oh. Hermione's head swam at the insinuation, but she allowed herself to be lead back to safety in numbers, her venture somewhat successful.

…

Over the following few days Hermione's obsession with exam preparation reached a troubling high. Viktor marvelled at her ability to manage such a monumental workload whilst finding time to devour the theses his sister had mailed her, all while dedicating some of her energy to researching means by which Rita Skeeter could have spied on them. Viktor had already sent Roderick to his father to warn him of the intrusion, not only to discredit the lies (in case the article made it to Bulgaria), but so that his father could put his team to work. Illian had been as furious as Viktor to learn someone had been successful in accessing the private details of his relationship with Viktor.

Although Viktor admired Hermione's pursuit of perfect scores, she was beginning to develop dark circles under her eyes and he suspected she was continuing to work after they departed the library together in the evenings. It was, in part, the reason he loved her; no one else would've truly understood his devotion to Quidditch over the years and the sacrifices he made day in day out to be the best. Nonetheless, the arrival of the holidays, and, therefore, uninterrupted study time, was making it harder than ever to find free time to be together.

It was under that premise that he invited Hermione and her friends for an afternoon by the lake on Easter Sunday. Books were banned and revision was embargoed; Hermione complied only because he all but begged her to. So, after a hearty breakfast they trudged down to the waters edge and laid out a mismatched array of blankets and old robes to sit on. Viktor positioned himself with his back against a tree trunk and tucked Hermione between his legs where she perched stiffly until her friends' easy chatter eventually settled her.

As usual it was mostly Harry and Ginny among her friends that spoke to Viktor, but on the odd occasion Ron would direct a comment or question at him and he'd do his best to respond with equal enthusiasm. Viktor was surprised to find how much he had in common with them other than their obvious shared passion for sport. It wasn't long before Valentin grew restless and began to skim rocks over the surface of the lake - Ginny joined him a moment later and it quickly became a competition.

'Do you think they'd make a good couple?' Hermione mused aloud, audible only to Viktor.

'I would not wish that upon her.' Viktor said and Hermione giggled, twisting to capture his cheek with her palm.

'Maybe you're right. He's a bit too old for her.'

'…You did not tell me that.' He replied and she put a finger to his lips, rolling her eyes with an exaggerated sigh and muttering something that sounded like idiot.

'Cool broom, by the way, Viktor.' Harry said, drawing Viktor's attention from Hermione to the broom at his side. Each Firebolt was engraved with a registration number - Viktor's had been made-to-order to match the 07 he wore on his championship robes; it was one of a kind, and Viktor was rather fond of it.

'Is the one I flew for this world cup,' Viktor explained. 'You can see here my name and the the date,' He twisted the handle to show him. 'But otherwise is same as yours. I haff been offered the prototype of its successor to trial this summer, which is promised in Seeker Weekly to be... wicked.'

And with that tidbit of information the conversation was lost once more to Quidditch. Viktor felt Hermione chest vibrate as she yawned and lay back against him.

He struggled to change the topic of conversation for the next hour. Viktor attempted to include Hermione, but she seemed content just to loll against him and listen to the waves break against the barrier of muddy rocks. There was a tranquility to the scene and not once were they bothered by the other groups of students wandering about the grounds. Although it wasn't the alone time Viktor had envisaged, it was good enough for him that Hermione was relaxed and they were together.

Long after Valentin and Ginny had grown bored of arguing over who's stone had travelled furthest, Viktor finally offered to show Harry some of the tricks he'd picked up touring the world with his team. He hesitated at leaving Hermione, but she waved him off with a lazy smile.

'Go! I'm fine here. Gin and I have to catch up,' And to gossip about me? 'Anyway, Harry hasn't stopped talking about your promise toshow him that Wonky Faint thing.'

Ah, wonky faint. Viktor snorted. Harry had turned scarlet at Hermione's announcement and was beginning to protest, but Hermione's quirked eyebrow dared him to deny it. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to get to know her best friend better.

Viktor rose to his feet and threw his Firebolt over his shoulder. It was as pristine as the day he'd been presented it by Coach Karkaroff. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ron giving him a jealous look.

'You would like to join us, Ron? You may ride my broom if you want.'

It was a white flag that took every ounce of Viktor's strength to offer, but Ron's immediate elation earned him a beaming smile from Hermione so he considered it worthwhile. They left the group lounging around in the springtime sunshine and Ginny pounced on his girlfriend the minute Harry and Ron's backs were turned.

Much to his surprise Viktor got a kick out of teaching the two younger wizards. He'd only ever played coach with Valentin - he'd never been a patient teacher when it came to flying. Harry and Ron hung on his every word as he talked them through tips for better broom posture, as well as the best methods to fluster the opposing team's seeker. He laughed a remarkable amount for the novelty of their friendship.

As they finally moved onto the more dangerous of seeker manoeuvres, Harry touched down and cleared his throat.

'So, uh, you and Hermione are really ok again?' He said awkwardly. Ron stiffened astride Viktor's broom and he glanced over with a mixture of curiosity and irritation.

'Yes…'

'Good, that's, er, good,' Harry nodded to himself and kicked off again, eager to try out the Wronski Feint under Viktor's supervision. 'And you'll look after her? Not hurt her, ever?'

Viktor smiled at the boy's brotherly attempt to defend her. Hermione might not have siblings by blood, but he was sure that this wizard and his bitter-looking shadow considered themselves as good as. All Harry had to do now was tell him he'd hunt him down if Viktor ever wronged her. His grin widened at the thought.

'Hermione is very capable witch, she does not need our protection.'

Ron made to interject, but Viktor went on.

'But my intentions are good. I am lucky to haff her. I do not mean ever to harm her.'

Harry shot Ron a look of finality and they returned to their lesson as though nothing had been mentioned. Two bruised egos later they traipsed back to the group where Hermione was trying in vain to explain muggle methods of air travel to an enraptured Valentin and Ginny. Before Viktor could make a teasing remark about Hermione's antipathy for flying, Harry caught him by the sleeve of his robes.

'Hey, Viktor, can I have a word?'

'What is the matter?' He replied politely.

'I wanted to ask you about Karkaroff.' Harry said under his breath. Viktor could feel four sets of eyes observing them curiously.

'You already know he was a Death Eater,' Viktor said. 'Is widely known in my home country.'

'And is he… still…'

'I do not think so. He often talks of his regrets, I haff always assumed he meant his allegiance to-'

'Voldemort.' Harry prompted.

'Yes, your Dark Lord,' Viktor continued. 'Professor Karkaroff wants protection of those with power, but they do not protect him anymore.'

Harry's shoulders sagged and Viktor realised exactly what he was trying to get at.

'It was not Professor Karkaroff who put your name in the Goblet, Harry. I would put my galleons on that.'

'Right,' Harry said dejectedly.

A heavy silence fell between them. It was disturbed a moment later by Ron's call.

'Hey, Harry! Quick! Pig's brought you something!'

Pig? The miniature Scops owl couldn't have looked less like a pig. Viktor squinted at the hyper creature and then at Ron who was waving frantically at them. Whatever it had delivered must've been shrunk before departure as the giant parcel Ginny was now tearing open would've overwhelmed the poor bird. With a shrug Harry raced to see what the clamour was about, leaving Viktor to follow slowly behind.

Hermione had already opened her easter egg when Viktor resumed his place behind her. In comparison to the monstrosity Ron was clutching greedily in both hands hers was pitiful: it was no larger than a snitch. She stared at it, open-mouthed and crestfallen.

'Is not what you expected?' Viktor asked kindly as he weaved his arms around her. She snuggled into him instantly and put the easter egg down with a sad sigh.

'I think Ron's Mum reads Witch Weekly.'

He didn't know what to say. If Ron's mother meant that much to her, and he had deduced Mrs Weasley was a magical surrogate in more ways than one, then Hermione was more upset than she had let on. He didn't press the matter.

Neither Ron nor Ginny commented on their mother's slight, although Ginny did pass Hermione a handful of homemade fudge accompanied by a pleading look. She offered one to Viktor too and he nibbled at it politely, though he discreetly pocketed it after the sugary texture made his eyes water. Hermione remained silent as Viktor and Valentin diverted the focus away from her by describing Easter customs back home.

A little more than twenty minutes later another feathered friend soared into view - this time it was one of his parents' owls and not the Weasley's excitable ball of fluff. Aurelius was effortlessly bearing an enormous package and his eyes were fixed beadily on Viktor.

'Oh, góvno,*' Viktor scrambled to his feet and cast a warning look at Valentin. Reacting on instinct, he extended his arm for the bird to land on and it did so with all his usual regal ease.

'Perhaps it's an easter egg of your own,' Valentin joked. 'Did Sofija send me something?'

'It is… addressed to me and Hermione.' Viktor stared at the neat script depicting their names. It had been signed by both his mother and father. Aurelius hopped onto his shoulder and nipped insistently at his earlobe.

'You would like to unwrap it?' Viktor asked Hermione, curling a stray lock of her hair around his index finger. 'Is for you, after all.'

She looked at him apprehensively but proceeded to methodically pull apart the spellotape holding together the plain brown paper. Enclosed inside was an enormous easter egg that weighed as much as a baby hippogriff. It was stuffed full of the Turkish delight he'd adored as a child. The house-elves had made it for him whenever he'd been scolded and sent to bed without dinner, to which his father, their master, had always turned a blind-eye. Probably best not to tell her that.

'I was just kidding!' Valentin said in wonderment. 'Since when did your parents endorse chocolate eggs?'

Viktor shuffled nervously against Hermione. 'Is possible I may haff mentioned their tradition.'

He unfolded the accompanying note. It was written in his father's efficient penmanship and a second, smaller piece of parchment fell out. This time his mother's swooping letters were visible and it was addressed solely to Hermione.

Upon reading her name Viktor glanced up to see the note's intended recipient staring in shock at the extravagant gift. His parents had gone above and beyond to impress and in light of the earlier incident with Ron's mother he was glad for Aurelius' impeccable timing.

'I will haff to translate this,' He mumbled. 'Is in the tongue of my village. Valentin, you might haff to help me.'

He spoke his native dialect with so few others outside his family that a translation seemed daunting. As though sensing the private nature of what he was about to read, all but Valentin and Hermione looked away and started to talk loudly.

'To Viktor and your Hermione,'

Seeing their names together in his father's handwriting cause his following words to come out thick and strangled.

'Your mother insists that we must partake in English traditions and send this egg as an expression of our good wishes to your witch. Since Nikolaj is no longer controlling your diet I had the elves make your favourite. We trust that she will enjoy our country's delicacy.'

It took Viktor a number of tries, with Valentin's patient assistance, to translate the piece into something they could all understand. Hermione listened in stunned silence at the cordiality of his parents' message, though it was Viktor who was the most taken aback by their amenable efforts.

'Am I needing to translate that too?' Viktor pointed at the second note that Hermione was clutching tightly against her chest. Hermione blinked and glanced down.

'It's in English,' Hermione said softly. 'It was lovely of her to try.'

Valentin snorted. 'Sofija is an avid reader of nineteenth century English literature. Her English is as good as your Queens.'

Viktor doubted that, but the former, at least, was true. His mother had been delighted when he revealed his girlfriend was an English witch, and a well-read one to boot. He waited with baited breath as Hermione read the note to herself, chewing on her lips as she attempted to hide her smile. He nearly snatched it from her when she eventually pushed it in his direction.

Hermione,

What a beautiful name you have, darling. I hope this little gift goes some way to showing our gratitude at your arrival into our son's life. You have become his guiding light; he has made that quite clear in his letters. I pray that he behaves like a gentleman as is the way he was raised and cherishes you as he should.

I am dearly looking forward to meeting you soon and it would be a great honour for my family to welcome you in our home this summer. My husband is keen to write to your father, so do send your postal address with Aurelius, if you please.

Our love,

Illian & Sofija Krum

'Why does he want to write to my Dad?' Hermione asked in a bemused tone.

Viktor pinched the bridge of his nose and cursed his parents internally. Them and their archaic traditions.

'It is, hm-'

'-It's befitting of a Pureblood father to engage the parents of his son's sweetheart.' Valentin said when Viktor's words failed him, the corners of his lips twitching perilously.

'Is just a formality,' Viktor said quickly to Hermione. 'You must not worry.'

'I'm not worried. It's quite sweet actually, if a little old-fashioned. I feel a bit like a princess.'

Viktor blinked at her and combed a hand through his already tousled hair. He'd been anticipating his parents first move towards Hermione with acute trepidation, but she'd reacted well to their formal ways.

'They're going to love you…' He whispered in response and her face lit up.

'How could they not?' Valentin said.

'My father is hard man to please,' Viktor said. 'But I think my mother already adores you,' He drew Hermione into a tight embrace, her friends be damned. 'Just as I do.'

'Not to mention Ani already sees you as a sister… you are practically a member of the Krum family now Hermione.' Valentin winked and raised his eyebrows suggestively at Viktor.

'There is time for that.' Viktor closed his eyes and allowed himself to get lost in the feel of her against him.

Maybe, just maybe, their future would not be so uncertain if his parents had their backs.

A/N: I had a lovely, relaxed birthday writing some of this in the garden with a glass of wine! To my reckoning we have a few chapters left on Vol II so I have started the planning stage for volume III (i.e. 'after Hogwarts), so if anyone has a requests for content or scenes do feel free to review or send me a PM, I'm happy to oblige…

P.S. Happy 100k words! How crazy is that?

* góvno = shit (I think!)