Very Accomodating
Pietra awoke early the next morning. The sun was just beginning to rise, so she was surprised to see that Todor was not in bed. She slipped on her dressing gown and went out into the shared lounge. He had both doors leading on to the deck open and had his easel set up in front of them.
"You're up early," she said.
He held a finger to his lips and pointed with this paint brush to the balcony where she could see Viktor and Hermione asleep on the sofa.
"What are they doing sleeping out there?" she whispered.
Todor shrugged. "I did not want to waste the light. A front is coming in." he whispered back. "There is coffee made."
She nodded and went to get a cup. While she was contemplating what to do for breakfast, a light rain began to fall. She saw Hermione sit up followed by Viktor. A moment later, they both came into the lounge yawning.
"I cannot believe we fell asleep out there," Viktor said.
"It was a nice night," Hermione said.
Viktor stretched and looked at Todor's painting. It was the view from the balcony of the clouds moving over the Mediterranean. "Very nice."
Hermione poured them both a cup of coffee and handed one to Viktor.
"Thank you," he said.
"The wind is kicking up." Hermione wrapped her hands around the coffee mug to warm them.
"I will close the doors in a minute," Todor said. "I am almost done."
"Good," Viktor said. "I will order breakfast."
While Viktor put in a breakfast order, Hermione asked Todor and Pietra if they had any plans for the day since it was raining.
"I would like to see the Musee de l'Annonciade," Todor said.
Hermione raised her eyebrows in surprise. "I didn't realize you were interested in Muggle art."
"I am interested in all art," Todor said. "Besides, Muggles can be quite clever in their technique since they lack Magic."
Hermione smiled. "Agreed. I'd like to go too."
"Your hair is naturally curly?" Pietra observed out of the blue.
"Yes," Hermione said. "Why?"
"It's always been straightened when I've seen it before," Pietra said.
"Viktor prefers it straight," Hermione said.
"Really?" Pietra said, staring at Viktor who was still ordering from the magical menu.
Hermione shrugged. "It's easier to manage when it's straight anyway."
"It looks nice both ways," Pietra said.
"Thanks," Hermione said.
Viktor set down the menu. "I am getting in the shower." He took Hermione's hand. "You should come too." She blushed but followed him.
When she closed the door, Viktor stepped behind her, cast Impreturb, and moved her hair, kissing the back of her neck. He reached around and tugged at the bow in the belt that closed her dressing gown.
"Viktor," she whispered.
"Shhh," he said and slipped the dressing gown from her shoulders letting it pool at her feet. He kissed across her shoulders.
It wasn't like him to stay behind her since they'd been attacked in Bulgaria. She assumed it had to do with the scar under her shoulder blade. He knew it was there even if she'd glamoured over it as she had this morning. He felt responsible no matter how many times she might say otherwise. He cupped her breasts and she pressed back against him. He surprised her by nuzzling her hair, which wasn't like him at all. "Viktor, what's—?"
"Don't talk," he said quietly and slipped a hand between her legs. She relaxed into his touch but was bothered by being shushed twice. She pressed her palms to the back of the door as he entered her. She tried to let her mind go blank to just let her body take over, but Viktor wasn't himself, and it nagged at the back of her mind. He seemed tense in a weird way that she couldn't quite place. He was more hurried than usual, less considerate, and he'd never insisted on silence before. In fact, if asked, Hermione would've said that communication was one of the best things about their relationship. Nothing about his behavior seemed right.
He finished without taking her with him and then stood there with his chest against her back and his head on her shoulder breathing hard. "I am sorry," he said quietly.
"What's going on with you?" she asked without turning around.
He shook his head. "Nothing. I just…come, we will take a shower. I will make it up to you."
She turned and picked up her dressing gown, pulling it on as she stood. "I don't think so."
"Hermione," he said, but she ignored him and went into the bathroom locking the door behind her with a charm. As she showered, she thought about what had just happened and still couldn't make sense of it. Perhaps, he was just in a weird mood. She opted not to make a big deal of it. She didn't bother straightening her hair, and instead put it in a long braid down her back.
When she stepped out of the bathroom, Viktor sat naked on the side of the bed staring at his hands. He didn't look up when she came in so she ignored him and got dressed. Without saying anything, he went into the bathroom. She sighed and went back out into the lounge. There was a knock on the door and she let in the room service waiter and chatted with him for a minute as he set the table. When he left, Hermione knocked on Todor and Pietra's door to let them know breakfast was served and then went back into her room to find Viktor already out of the shower and getting dressed.
"Breakfast is here," she said.
"I will be out in a minute," he said without looking at her.
She sighed and went back into the lounge and sat down at the table. Pietra and Todor joined her a moment later followed by Viktor.
"The museum opens at ten," Pietra was saying to Todor. "But if we go right after breakfast we can stop at that café you like and have a latte beforehand."
"That sounds good to me," Todor said.
"Fine with me," Hermione added.
"I am not going to go," Viktor said.
"No?" Todor said. "Why not?"
Viktor cleared his throat. "My back is sore from sleeping outside. I will stay here and stretch it out, maybe take a nap. I did not sleep that well."
Hermione didn't say anything but she knew he was lying. His back was fine a little while ago, and he'd slept soundly all night or he would've woken her to go back inside.
"Suit yourself," Todor said, but he gave a concerned look to Pietra who returned it with one of her own.
xXx
By the time they'd finished at the art museum, the rain had stopped and the sun was shining, so they decided to go back to the hotel and enjoy the beach. All three of them Apparated separately to the balcony and then went inside. Viktor wasn't in the lounge.
"Perhaps he went for a run," Todor said.
"I'm going to go get changed," Hermione said and went into their bedroom. Viktor was sprawled out on top of their bed. A half empty vodka bottle and a glass were on the nightstand. Hermione grabbed his foot and shook it.
He grumbled something and made a weak attempt to pull his foot away. Since he was on his back, Hermione pulled her wand and cast a spell to roll him over, so he wouldn't choke if he vomited. She changed into a swimsuit and sarong and picked up the vodka bottle and glass before going back into the lounge.
Todor was in swim trunks putting a sketchpad in a tote bag when Hermione walked in. He looked at the bottle in her hand and raised his eyebrows.
"He's passed out drunk," Hermione said.
Pietra came into the room as she said it and she and Todor exchanged looks again.
"All right, what?" Hermione said, setting the bottle and glass on the counter. When they didn't say anything, she put her hands on her hips and glared at them. "Clearly, you both know something I don't. Care to enlighten me?"
"Is bad day for Viktor," Todor ventured in English.
"That part is obvious," Hermione said with irritation. "Why is it a bad day?"
"It's the anniversary of Nikolina's death," Pietra said quietly. "I'm sorry. I assumed you knew."
Hermione frowned. "No. He didn't say anything about it."
Todor and Pietra exchanged another look and Hermione fought the urge to tell them to stop it.
"I should check on him," Todor said.
"He's fine," Hermione said sharply. "I put him on his stomach. He just needs to sleep it off."
Todor looked at Pietra again.
Hermione had had enough. "I'm going for a walk." She went out onto the balcony and promptly Disapparated.
xXx
The sun was setting by the time Hermione returned. Todor and Pietra were sitting on the balcony, so Hermione joined them and sat in one of the chairs in front of the fire pit. On impulse she waved her hand and a huge flame shot up from the grate. "Sorry," she mumbled and made a closing gesture with her thumb and index finger and the fire shrank to just a warm glow. She said something under her breath and the heat dissipated leaving only the light to enjoy in the warm night.
Todor raised his eyebrows. "You are very good with fire spells."
"Thanks," Hermione said without really caring. She snapped her fingers and a cigarette appeared. She snapped again and the end was lit.
"I almost never see you pull your wand," Todor said.
"Why bother for simple spells?" Hermione said.
"Most people don't find elementals all that simple," Todor said.
"It's not as though I'm actually doing them wandlessly. My wand is in my pocket."
"That's how everyone does wandless magic," Pietra said.
"Wait," Todor said, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "Are you saying you can cast spells without a wand at all."
Hermione shrugged. "Some spells." She took a long drag on her cigarette.
"Like what?"
"Accio, for one," she said dryly, knowing many witches and wizards could do that.
"Ah, of course," Todor said, an excited gleam appearing in his eye. "What about—?"
"Look," Hermione said crossly, "if you want a list, we'll be here all night."
Pietra put a hand on his arm. "Todor, not now."
"Oh," Todor said. "Of course. We were going to go out to dinner. Care to join us?"
"No, thanks. I'm not that hungry." She took another long drag on her cigarette.
Pietra stood and reached out a hand to Todor. "We should get dressed if we want to make our reservation."
"Right," Todor said and followed her inside.
After they'd been gone an hour, Hermione went into the kitchen and spread some brie on a slice of French bread and took some grapes from a fruit basket the hotel had provided. She poured herself a glass of white wine and got a book from the bedroom where Viktor was still passed out. She left a bottle of hangover potion on the nightstand for him and took her dinner back out on to the balcony.
There were candles on the balcony so she lit them to read by and settled in. She was on her second glass of wine and third cigarette when Viktor came outside. He sat down in one of the chairs opposite the sofa where she was sitting.
"Thank you for the potion," he said.
"You're welcome," she replied without looking up from her book.
"You are angry," he said. "I am sorry I got drunk."
"I'm not angry that you got drunk," Hermione said, closing the book. "Everyone has bad days. I'm angry that you couldn't be bothered to mention that today was a bad day for you."
"It is difficult to speak of these things," Viktor said quietly.
"We've been through a lot of things that are difficult to talk about, but we manage." She glared at him.
"We went through those things together," he said. "This was in the past. It is not like you speak of your past."
"I spent yesterday evening being very honest about my past."
"I know," he said, conceding. "I should have said something."
"That would have been helpful," Hermione said. "Is that what this morning was about?"
All the color drained from his face.
"Did you think I wouldn't notice? Did she have curly hair or something? Is that what Pietra was on about this morning? Is that why you always want mine straight? Do I look like her? Is that it?"
He looked away from her and pushed his fingers back through his hair.
"Whatever." She stood and started to go in when Viktor grabbed her hand.
"It was the reverse."
She looked down at him with undisguised irritation. "What?"
"I was initially drawn to Nikolina because she reminded me of you."
Hermione didn't say anything, but she didn't pull her hand away either.
"I saw her at a party. She was friends with Boyka, who was also friends with Pietra, and we were at a party at Boyka's flat. When I saw Nikolina she looked so much like you that I introduced myself. She turned out to be a lot like you in other ways as well. She was smart and headstrong. She fought for justice and equality. You are more serious, like me, but Nikolina had a silly side. She was quick to laugh and slow to anger. She was not as powerful as you, but she was good with magic, and she had strong convictions. Unfortunately, she did not have Harry at her side, only me. And when she really needed me, I was not there." A tear slipped down his cheek.
Hermione wiped the tear away with her thumb. "No one can save everyone. Not even Harry."
"At least we would have died together," Viktor said.
"But then I would have died alone," Hermione said softly.
He looked up at her. "What?"
She ran her fingers through his hair and sighed. "You came back into my life with rather spectacular timing." They stared at each other for a long moment before he tugged her into his lap and hugged her tight. She hugged him back, and they held each other for a long time. When they finally parted, Viktor said, "I am very sorry about this morning."
She sighed and cupped his face in her hand. "I understand loss and longing, but don't shut me out, and don't silence me. Tell me what you need. I can help if I know what's going on."
He shook his head. "I will not do that again. It was stupid and desperate and unfair to you."
She kissed him gently on the lips. "You still want to make it up to me?"
He gave her a slow smile and slipped his arms under her and stood. "Yes," he said and carried her inside.
xXx
The next morning when Viktor woke, Hermione wasn't in the room. He got up and found Pietra in the kitchen pouring a cup of coffee. "Have you seen Hermione?" he asked.
"She and Todor are on the balcony talking about magic."
Viktor smiled. "Not interested?"
Pietra rolled her eyes. "In magical theory? No. Practical magic is fantastic. Magical theory is very boring."
Viktor laughed.
"To be honest, I'm surprised it took him this long to engage her on the matter. He's usually so quick to talk about magic with people he knows are powerful."
Viktor shrugged. "She can be difficult to approach."
"You think?" Pietra said. "She seems pleasant enough to me."
"She never turned you into a mouse."
Pietra laughed. "True. But I have enough sense not to provoke people, so things like that don't happen to me."
Viktor shook his head. "What is wrong with him?"
"I don't know. I used to blame it on the drugs, but he's been clean for months. I think he just can't control his mouth. He has a thought, and he says it."
Viktor laughed. "It is definitely not the drugs. He has been like that since we were children."
Pietra chuckled. "I'm surprised she has so much patience with him. He keeps asking her questions. I had to have more coffee but she patiently keeps answering."
"I think she is used to being asked questions about magic."
"You want one of these?" Pietra asked holding up her coffee cup.
"Please."
"How are you feeling this morning?"
"Better," he said.
"And you two are okay?"
Viktor nodded. "Hermione is not just patient with Todor."
Pietra gave him a knowing smile.
He shook his head. "I did not anticipate being so upset yesterday."
"Why?" she asked. "It hasn't been that long."
"It has been two years. We were only together for three. I thought I would be all right."
"So, you didn't bother to mention it to Hermione."
Viktor sighed. "No, which was stupid."
Pietra took a sip of coffee. "I was shocked when I saw her with her hair down and curly yesterday. They do bear a striking resemblance to each other."
Viktor blew a cooling breath across his cup and looked at her. "Somewhat, yes."
She frowned at him.
"It is not what you think," he said. "I met Hermione first. Nikolina reminded me of her, not the other way around. Besides, it is not as if I went looking for Hermione. We ran into each other in London."
"Viktor," Pietra said, her expression softening. "Of all the teams you could have tried out for, you chose a British team."
"I needed a change," Viktor said. "I speak the language. I went to school there for a year. It was familiar."
"You're saying Hermione wasn't a factor at all?" She clearly didn't believe that.
"No. The last time I saw her was at a friend's wedding, and she was dating that ginger you met. Personally, I did not see the appeal, but I do not really know him."
"You weren't going to contact her then?"
Viktor shrugged. "I might have sent her an owl."
"Hmm," Pietra said and sipped her coffee. "And now she straightens her hair for you. Very accommodating."
He frowned at her, but only said, "Yes." Without additional comment he went out to the balcony.
Hermione was saying, "I don't know how much ability is innate and how much can be expanded through training."
"I think we become more powerful as we learn," Todor said.
"That's certainly possible. We definitely become more powerful as we mature."
Todor nodded.
"I think it's both," Viktor interjected.
"Why?" Todor said.
"Because, I think magic is like athletics. Say you take a hundred kids, same age, same size and you train them for Quidditch. They work the same number of hours and do the same drills. At the end of training, all of them will be better players, but some will be better than others and perhaps just one will be good enough to become a professional. Some spells can be learned by anyone, but not just anyone can perform them. When I was at Hogwarts, there were a lot of students in Ravenclaw that had grades as good as Hermione's, but I doubt any of them could do double-side along apparition when they graduated.
Todor looked at Hermione. "You can do that?"
"Yes," Hermione said.
Todor shook his head and smiled in disbelief. "No, you cannot."
Pietra was standing in the doorway watching the exchange with a curious expression.
Hermione stood and held out her arm. "Care to try me?"
"No," Todor said. "Definitely not."
"Suit yourself," Hermione said and sat back down.
"What else can you do?" Todor asked.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "What do you want? A list?"
"One time when she Apparated us, I was holding a cup of hot chocolate, and she did not even spill it," Viktor said.
"No," Todor said. "I do not believe that."
Viktor looked at Hermione. "Care to demonstrate?" She stood again and he took her arm. He showed the contents of his mostly full coffee cup to Todor and then they Disapparated. They reappeared in a secluded spot on the beach. Viktor leaned over and kissed her. "You are so sexy when you do that."
Hermione smiled. "How sexy?"
"Very. I would have you right here, but we are in the middle of a demonstration."
Hermione chuckled. "Oh, that's right. Too bad." She took his arm and they reappeared on the balcony. Viktor showed Todor the cup again.
"That is amazing," Todor said. "How do you do that?"
Hermione shrugged. "It's not something anyone showed me how to do. Actually, no one showed me how to do double-side along either. We were attacked and we had to get out of there. Ron and I were together, but the moment we reached Harry, I took us all to Muggle London."
"Did you tell them first?" Pietra asked.
"Actually, no." Hermione said, grimacing. "It was a bit of shock for all of us."
"But you didn't Splinch anyone?" Todor said.
"No."
Todor sat back in his chair, stunned.
"That is the point I was trying to make," Viktor said. "We all learned how to Apparate, but she seems to have an innate sense of Apparition, that I don't think I will ever have, no matter how many times I do it."
"I can't imagine doing a single side-along, much less a double," Pietra said.
"Why Muggle London?" Todor asked.
"What?" Hermione said.
"You said you Disapparated to Muggle London, why?"
"Well, it wasn't safe to take Harry to Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade."
"You seem to know a lot about Muggle cities," Todor said. "You Apparated to Cannes too."
"I'm Muggleborn. I traveled a lot with my parents." Todor's mouth dropped open and he and Pietra both looked at Viktor. Hermione frowned. A cold feeling came over her. "Is that a problem?"
"Of course not," Pietra was quick to say.
"It is surprising though," Todor said.
"Why is that?" Hermione asked, trying to keep her voice neutral and her temper in check.
"In school we were always taught that—" Todor started.
"We were taught a lot of rubbish in school," Viktor said. "I've told you that."
"I cannot believe Karkaroff let you date her," Todor said.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's not like he was happy about it."
"I am my own man," Viktor said. "I date who I please."
"Of course," Todor acquiesced. "But surely, you were surprised when you found out her blood status."
"A little," Viktor admitted. "But she is extraordinary and was at fifteen."
"She was fifteen when you dated her before?" Pietra said, far more scandalized by that than Hermione's blood status.
Viktor blushed red. "She was very mature for her age, besides it is only three years difference."
"Which would have been fine if say she was eighteen and you were twenty-one, but the three years between fifteen and eighteen are big years Viktor," Pietra argued.
Hermione put a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud at Viktor's obvious discomfort.
"How long did you date?" Pietra asked.
"Well…" Viktor sputtered.
"Six months," Hermione said.
Pietra's mouth dropped open. "Viktor you did not!"
"I was a perfect gentleman!" he protested.
"He was," Hermione said, no longer trying to hide her amusement. "Mostly." Viktor's eyes went wide and he glared at her.
Pietra frowned and shook her head at Viktor.
"Traitor," he muttered to Hermione. "I am going down to the beach."
She laughed.
xXx
A little while later, Hermione put a towel on the chaise lounge next to Viktor's and took off her cover-up. He opened one eye and looked over at her. "Mostly?"
She snickered. "Yes."
He huffed and closed his eye. A waiter came over and Hermione ordered a zombie and Viktor asked for a daiquiri.
"I'm never going to get used to that." She pulled her cover-up back over her head.
"What?" Viktor said, without opening his eyes.
"Talking to a waiter when I'm topless."
"Ah. Because you are British."
"I thought I could do this sober today, but no."
"So now you have to get dressed for him to come back with our drinks."
"Yes."
He laughed. "You are very strange."
She frowned, but then cocked her head at him. "Although, you have a point."
"What?"
"Why did you ask me out?"
"Because I liked you. You were different from the other girls."
"But I was fifteen. I didn't have any experience with dating," she said slowly, puzzling it out in her mind. "Viktor, did you ask me out because I was Muggleborn?"
His eyes widened.
Her mouth dropped open. "You did, didn't you?"
He sat up, "Only partly. I liked that you did not fawn all over me like the other girls, and you were interesting to talk to."
She arched an eyebrow at him. "And it made Karkaroff crazy that we were going out."
"That was a bonus." He took her hands in his. "It does not matter why I initially asked. I kept asking because I enjoyed your company."
The waiter appeared then with their drinks. Hermione drank some of hers before saying, "Did you date anyone else at Hogwarts?"
Viktor shook his head. "No. Why?"
"Because you're obviously a very physical guy and we didn't—"
"Hermione..."
"I'm just saying a lot of girls at Hogwarts would've slept with you."
"Yes, but I had already had all that. I wanted something else."
"What do you mean you'd had all that?"
"The fawning girls. I started playing professional Quidditch with the national team when I was sixteen. The Vultures signed me to play with them when I was seventeen. By the time I got to Hogwarts, I had already had more casual sex than most men get in a lifetime. I wanted something else, something more significant. You are special. And, although it took a while, also very hot."
She threw her towel at him and he laughed.
