Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author Note: I apologize for how long it took me to get this chapter out, life has been threatening and I had to deal with it. I also contracted a terrible case of writer's block that made me shudder whenever I though about finishing off this chapter. Anyway, this chapter is pure fluff. If you are diabetic, make sure you take a good deal of insulin before reading this. The sweet sappyness of it all might make your blood sugar soar. Anyway, the present was inspired by a picture I saw on DeviantArt earlier today and it made me get my arse in gear and finish this chapter. It's of average length and be prepared, the plot will be reemerging when I can actually get around to figuring out where this story is going to go. So, enjoy the fluff.

Breaking the Habit

Chapter Seven – Glass Wings

The rest of the night after the World Cup was one large blur, Hermione blamed it on the alcohol she could not help but consume. And so, the disorientation she felt upon waking up made sense. She buried her face deeper into her pillow, a familiar scent permeating the soft cotton. She made a soft noise in the back of her throat and went to stretch, but realized that there was a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. Her eyes snapped open in surprise and she began to jerk away when the man tightened his grip.

A soft groan came from behind her and a face buried in her hair. Muffled words in a much loved accent met her ears and she instinctively melted back into Viktor's chest. She had no idea why they were sharing a bed, but she was still clothed so she had nothing immediate to worry about. The comforting warmth coming from his body made her feel so sleepy. She rolled over in his hold to press her face into his neck, but found that the sudden nearness of her skin brought to mind a whole other arena of things she wished to do to him.

A delicate flush spread across her cheeks and neck at those indecent thoughts, though they did create a certain ache in her groin. She swallowed and lightly brushed her mouth against his skin, before rapidly pressing her lips harder against the faint fluttering of his pulse. He groaned once more at her touch and one of her hands slipped up to rest at his shoulder. She began to nip gently at his flesh, unable to help herself.

There was something amazingly addicting about the subtle taste of his skin, something that she knew one a basic level she would never grow tired of. Her other hand rested against one of the defined muscles of his chest, bare flesh against naked skin. She felt Viktor shift next to her and something decidedly hard began to press against her thigh. Hermione was not as naïve as she had been back at school and knew full well what and come to life in her boyfriend.

She froze for an instant as that thought passed across her mind. Did she honestly refer to Viktor as her boyfriend? Ron was the only one who had ever held that title, yet it did not seem fitting to call him that any longer. The way Viktor treated her whispered to her of the ways that a man was supposed to treat the woman he cared for and she found that she far preferred Viktor to Ronald. She pulled away enough to look up into her boyfriend's dark eyes, smiling shyly to him.

"Morning, Viktor." She murmured.

He ran his fingers through her tousled hair, rubbing his calloused digits against the soft strands. "Good morning, Hermione." A deep, rumbling laughter rose out of his chest as he brought his mouth down hear to her ear, close enough where his hot breath caressed the sensitive skin of her neck. "And vhat are you doing in my bed?"

She laughed quietly and snuggled up against him, their legs tangled intimately. "To be honest, I have no idea." She nuzzled up against him.

His hand tenderly tugged her head up and their lips met, a wave of warmth washing through her at the touch. It did not take long for the seemingly chaste kiss to escalate into something deeply passionate. With one hand fisted in her hair, he rolled her onto her back and drove his tongue into her mouth. Her own tongue rose up from the bottom of her mouth to twine hungrily with his and her arms rose to wind about his neck.

He gently pressed her down into the mattress using nothing but the weight of his body; their forms flush against the other. She groaned quietly into his mouth as his other hand ran up her side, slipping beneath the soft fabric of her tank top. The tips of his probing fingers felt the edge of her bra and in a fluid movement quite unlike the Hermione of Hogwarts, she pushed him away just enough for her to be able to pull the offending pajama top over her head.

She could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears and her breathing had grown shallow from the insistent kisses they had shared. Ronald never made her feel this way, never made her blood boil and loose all rational thought. She smirked at him and let out a happy cry as he bore down on her, attacking her mouth with his. Liquid heat flooded through her veins at his touch and she reared up against him, the delicate curves of her body cupping the masculine planes of his. His lips broke away from hers and he began to trail lingering kisses down across her jaw line, lightly nipping at the soft flesh he found.

She closed her eyes and angled her head away from him to allow better access. He began to suck the sensitive skin beneath her ear, his heavy breathing sending shivers through her body. She groaned quietly and pressed her hands against his shoulders, amazed at the feel of his rough hands rubbing against her back. When his fingers began to toy with the clasp to her bra, his mouth drifting down her chest, the thick haze that descended down upon her lifted for a moment. She let out a soft gasp and at that noise; Viktor drew away and gazed up at her in concern. His dark eyes were hazy with lust, his lips swollen from their earlier kissing.

"Vhat is it?" He asked quietly, anxiety written all across his attractive features.

She smiled to him tenderly and pressed her mouth gently against his cheek. "We're…We're just moving a little too fast. Too much has happened that has to do with my body in the past couple months and it is going to take me a while to become comfortable with myself again."

He rolled onto his side so he could look down at her, his head resting in his opened palm. "Take as long as you need, I vill alvays be here for you."

The passion had begun to ebb from her bloodstream and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. Could he know how much those words meant to here? She realized then she was laying next to him in nothing more than a bra and her knickers. A blush rushed across her cheeks and she pulled the sheet up around her chest, embarrassment colouring her face. He let out a rich chuckle and brushed some of her hair out of her face. He rose from the bed, wearing little more than a pair of dark burgundy pajama. He pulled on a house rob that lay against a chair, before turning and looking back at her.

"I vill leave you to get dressed. I haff something planned for today."

She nodded and waited until he had exited the room, before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. She rose to her feet and dragged her fingers through her hair, pressing them against her swollen lips. A shiver of joy ran through her as she laughed softly to herself as she poked her head out the door Viktor had recently opened, before running quickly to her room.

Hermione pushed her hands into the pockets of her jeans, her thick hair pulled out of her face with a strong barrette. She walked down into the kitchen and looked up at Viktor from beneath her lashes. He grinned to her and motioned for her to take a seat. She did so and crossed her legs, resting her clasped hands on the table. He had at some point put his clothes on, for he wore a pair of loose jeans and a snug shirt that revealed the toned muscles he rarely kept hidden.

"So…What are we doing today?" She could not help but shake a sense of foreboding, like something life threatening was about to occur.

At some point during her stay with Viktor, they had come to the unspoken decision that Hermione would not be going back to her apartment, the place that held so many horrible memories for her. There was only one place they could see her staying and that was with him, where she was safe and wanted. He smiled down to her and she rose to her feet. She took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Ve are going to go move your things from your old flat to here, not to mention get that ginger hairball you call a cat." He did not mention that he had a gift for her, for that would come later.

Her face flooded with happiness and she flung her arms around his neck, nuzzling against him. "Oh Viktor, I thought you hated cats!"

"I can make an exception for you."

"Thank you. I can't tell you how much I appreciate…"

She trailed off at the affectionate look on his face, a delicate flush spreading across her cheeks. He wrapped one of his arms around his waist, his hand resting possessively against her hip. He guided her towards the fireplace and they soon disappeared in a rush of emerald hued flames. They stepped out onto the hearth of Hermione's living room and she let out a quiet sigh as she looked about the space. A shiver gripped the base of her spine as images flooded her mind and she leaned into Viktor's embrace, drawing comfort.

"It's amazing, I'm gone for a week and already the small amount of homey feelings I could garner from this place utterly disappear. They only thing I feel is deep disgust, at myself for the most part, and this deep sadness." She let out a sigh before calling out the name of her cat, pushing those memories away.

The oversized tabby bounded into the room, not looking in the slightest bit miffed that he had been on his own for seven days. She pulled out of her boyfriend's grasp and scooped the animal up, cuddling him against her chest. She spent several minutes cooing quietly to the feline, stroking his smooshed head and transmitting her love for him physically. When he began to protest at being held, she gently set him down on his paws. She looked up at Viktor from her crouched position, resting her hands on his knees. He brushed his fingers against her cheek before helping her up, not letting go of her.

"Vhat should ve move first?"

She shrugged. "I don't want anything from here except my cat and a few pictures. Everything else we can leave, it means nothing to me."

He nodded and she quietly told him to wait in the living room, for packing what few things she would take with her would be an emotional experience for her that she did not want anyone else to witness. In a sense, she was destroying and abandoning a part of her life she wished never happened. By never returning to her filthy, decrepit apartment she felt as if Ronald's touch was erased from her, being replaced by the far better presence of Viktor Krum.

She sunk down onto her bed, resting her head in her trembling hands. The tainted horrors that clung to her bedroom began to rise up and surround her, forcing tears into the corners of her eyes. This would be harder than she had expected, she had forgotten how well she wallowed in misery and self pity. A miserable sniffle escaped from her as she wiped at her cheeks, trying to force the constant stream of burning tears off of her cheeks. Her sobs got louder than expected, for she found herself pulled against a warm chest.

Her hands tangled around his neck as she emptied her pain into the accepting form of the Bulgarian, he taking her suffering and transforming it into something different, something beautiful. After some time, she drew away and glanced at him with red rimmed eyes. He tenderly cupped her face in his palm and she leaned into the caress, knowing she would never grow tired of being treated as something precious, something to be kept safe. Another smile spread across his face as he reached his pocket for something.

"I vanted to give this to you later, but it seems like a perfect time." He set a small package down onto his lap and brought his wand out with the same hand, lightly touching the top of the paper wrapped object.

The brown covering fell open and a small figure unfolded from its prison. It rose onto its feet and stretched, tiny fingers reaching towards the heaven. Hermione let out a little gasp at the small figure that began to dance in graceful sweeping motions, lithe limbs swaying to music only the glass dancer could hear. She gingerly ran a finger down the doll's length, amazed at the cool glass. The miniature ballerina twisted herself and the peculiar shining substance on her back unfolded. That hand flew up and pressed against her mouth as the dancer morphed into a delicate angel, complete with wings. This dancing creature sparkled in the dull electric lights, shining in its fragile beauty. She let her eyes drift up to Viktor's face, wonder on her features.

"Viktor…It's so beautiful."

He tucked an unruly curl behind her ear, touching her affectionately. "She reminds me of you."

"I don't have wings."

He shook his head, insistent that he make this point. "True, but you are like her none the less. She has a sort of grace about her that I have only seen permeate one other person. You are the only creature that truly captivates, makes me feel like a good person vhen I am around you. Vithout, I am just another egotistical Quidditch star that needs to be taken down a couple notches." He leaned across the small space separating them, connecting their lips in a tender kiss.

She immediately melted against him, the glass dancer pirouetting out of the dwindling area between their bodies to elegantly twirl about on the bedspread. His hand tangled in the hair at the base of her neck as their tongues tangled, soft noises rising from her throat. As she expressed her thanks for him and he doing the same for her, she realized that she had never felt happier in her entire life. When she was with Viktor, her cares melted away and she could e true to the person she had always squelched down, killed so she could be more accepted by the people she thought she had to impress. With Viktor, she never felt like pretending. She could be herself, be her fragile, needy, expressive self that the gently swaying glass girl so easily portrayed.

Review my darlings, feed the hungry beast that is this writer!

Blessed Be

Ame