Shipping Bingo: C3 - Mistaken for Cheating

Trope Bingo: C5 - Evil twin

Spring Bingo: C1 - Sweet

Team: Brilliant Snitch

Chimera: Love/Hate

Challenges: In a Flash; Bucket Listing (Y); Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y); Neurodivergant (Y); Rian-Russo Inversion (Y); Ethnic & Presentx3 (Yx1); Booger Breath; Ship Sails; Hold the Mayo (Y); Zed Era; Gryffindor MC; Durmstrang MCx2; Old Shoes (Y);

Primary and Secondary: Unwanted Advice; Spinning Plates; Tomorrow's Shade; Second Verse (Sneeze Weasel; Ladylike; Not a Lamp; Persistence Still); Chorus (Peddling Pots; Machismo; Rediscovery; Pocky Pockets; Pear-Shaped)

Tertiary: T3 (Terse; Toad); SN (Rail; Intercept)

Warning(s): Trickery

~o0o~

Hermione rubbed her neck and sighed wearily as she apparated in front of her house. It had been a long and difficult day at work but she had a roll of break and bake cookies in her shopping bag calling her name. She could also pen a letter to Viktor and see about another visit. It was tough having a long-distance relationship, but they made it work. She paused at the top step and saw the man himself leaning against the door. He had a new look. It was a bit more modern than he was usually comfortable with, but he made it work.

"Viktor!" she said and threw her arms around his neck. "I didn't know you were visiting. I gave you a key, you don't have to keep waiting outside for me."

"I wanted to surprise you."

"Consider me surprised," she said and kissed him lightly. "Something's different about you."

"I got a sense of style?"

"Mm… not that." She grinned and laughed. "Your face! I tease, you look very handsome. You just seem different is all. Or I'm just that tired. You wouldn't believe the day I had at work."

She unlocked the door and flicked on the lights.

"Ah-ah!" she pulled him back. "You know the rule! No shoes in the house."

Viktor gave her a funny look and sat down so he could remove his boots. Hermione ruffled his hair and went to the kitchen to get those cookies baking and the water boiling for tea. He would be just the thing to turn her day around. They'd curl up on the couch and he'd tell her funny stories to cheer her up.

Two hands rested on her shoulders.

"You are very tense," said Viktor.

"What are you—" Something in her neck popped and she could turn her head to the right for the first time in weeks. "I'll allow it."

He kissed her shoulder and there was a resounding crash. Hermione and Viktor whirled around to see… Viktor? This one's eyes were wide and the vase of flowers he had been carrying was shattered on the floor.

"Hermione?" he whispered. "What's going on here?"

"Viktor?" Hermione looked at the man who had been kissing her. "Viktor?!"

The Viktor that walked in scowled upon seeing the face of his doppleganger.

"This is a new low," he snarled. "Tricking my girlfriend?"

The Other Viktor smirked. "She's all you talk about when you're actually home, just thought I'd see what the fuss was about."

"What's going on?" Hermione whispered. "Somebody better start making sense soon, I haven't slept in two days."

Viktor sighed and rubbed his temple. "Hermione, meet my twin, Valko."

"Twin, but you… why didn't… you never said—" She stomped her foot like a child. "I told you about my twin!"

"Is she single?" Valko asked.

"Not the time," said Viktor.

The timer dinged. Hermione took the cookies out and slid them onto the cooling rack.

"Yeah, I don't… I don't have the energy to deal with this," she said. "If you're going to fight, take it outside." She smacked Valko's hand. "Those cookies are mine."

Hermione slid the cookies onto a plate and kissed her Viktor on the cheek. A small, shy grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. That's better.