"I love you too. I am so happy to finally be with you again."
She let herself into the embrace more and ran her fingers through the hair on the back of his head. She found that they were a lot longer than when they last saw each other.
But when she thought about it, a few other things about him had changed too.
She had the feeling he had grown even bigger and when she saw him again a moment ago he looked so sad.
And it looks like he hasn't shaved in a while.
But they hadn't seen each other for a year either. People change, especially over a whole year. She too had changed. Her hair was also longer and due to the lack of maintenance over the past year, it was a little dull. Her skin was paler and more scarred. She had dark circles around her eyes because she had never slept enough and she was thinner because there was never enough to eat.
"Yes, you are back and you are staying, da?"
He leaned back a little to be able to look at her.
There were tears in his eyes and Hermione had the feeling that her heart was breaking.
She smiled up at him, now with tears in her own eyes, and put her hands on his cheeks.
"Yes, of course I'm staying here. There's nowhere I would rather be." she replied, running her thumbs gently over his cheekbones.
Relieved that she would stay, he smiled back and leaned his forehead against hers.
They stayed like that for a moment. Close together, in silence.
Time didn't matter to either of them. They weren't sure if they were standing there for seconds, minutes or even hours. They had each other and that was the only thing that mattered at that moment.
When they let go, they sat down next to each other on the bed. Holding the other's hand. Hermione leaned her head on his shoulder and Viktor leaned his head against hers.
"How could such a mistake happen?" Hermione asked in a low voice into the silence.
Viktor let out a heavy breath and gently squeezed her hand.
"I dont know. That shouldn't happen. What a mess such a thing can cause."
Hermione nodded slightly, leaned more against him and sighed. "I'm so tired and every fiber of my body hurts. I feel like a bunch of hippogriff's has run over me."
She stretched her back and a couple of her spine made a loud cracking sound.
Viktor put a hand on her back and lightly massaged the tension there.
"I didn't think about that at all. I was so lost in the joy that you were still alive that I didn't even think about that you must be hurt. When was the last time you slept?"
She yawned, closed her eyes, and shrugged.
"I'm not sure. Maybe the night before the battle. Or maybe the day before the battle."
"That was almost two days ago." he replied shocked and jumped to his feet.
Hermione looked at him with wide eyes in surprise. "Yes that could be right. There has been little time for sleep lately."
Viktor looked as if he had been hit in the stomach by a quffle. He came closer to her and picked her up, bridal style. She gasped in surprise and threw her arms around his neck.
He smiled at her and lay her down on the bed.
With one quick movement he spread the blanket over her and tucked it close to her body.
"You are safe now. There is nothing to worry about. Sleep." he said and kissed herforehead.
She smiled gently at him and then covered her yawn with one hand.
"I am sleeping. But only if you stay with me."
He circled the bed in a few steps, lifted the blanket and then lay down next to her.
She moved closer to him and rested her head on his chest. He put an arm around her to pull her a little closer to him and stroked her arm with her free hand, which she had placed over his torso.
"I'll stay with you. As long as you let me. If I have my way, forever."
Hermione, who had already closed her eyes, sighed contentedly, muttered "forever." before she fell asleep again after a long time with a smile on her face