When they did not return for dinner that evening, Viktor's family was not worried. Harry and Luna hoped for the best. Bill and Fleur had a cosy dinner at the small café Hermione had recommended. Ginny, Draco, and Thuban were speculating over dinner in their suite.
When the Hermione's otter Patronus appeared to each group that first day, they all cheered.
'We are safe. Don't worry. We'll be back for Anya's wedding. Promise. Don't ask where we are. We won't tell. Wish us happy, please!'
They reappeared six days later at Anya's wedding, holding hands. They spoke to people and refused to tell where they had been. They left the reception early.
Nothing more was heard from them until owls started arriving with invitations for Christmas.
The Malfoys, Potters, and some of the Weasley clan were invited to Provence to spend Christmas with the Krums.
The next bit of news was that Viktor had quietly retired from Quidditch. Hermione had sent in a resignation from the Ministry back in late July.
Everyone was extremely curious about what had happened and where they had been all this time.
The invitations had been carefully written out. "You are invited to spend Christmas at the Krum home. We are attached to the International Floo system. Please RSVP by owl."
Mystified, everyone accepted the invitation, even Viktor's whole family.
When they all arrived, it became clear. Draco recognised the basic layout of the farmhouse. But there were new additions. Paintings and furniture had been updated. There was a huge Christmas tree in the library. Viktor was sitting on the sofa waiting for the arrivals. He showed everyone to a bedroom, and led the way to the nursery wing where the children would be staying. He greeted them cordially, but did not answer questions.
"Ve vill answer all questions later. Make yourselfs comfortable. Dinner vill be at seven. "
Bill and Fleur had brought Victoire and Fleur was pregnant with a second daughter. Ginny and Draco had brought Thuban and Ginny was pregnant with another boy. Harry and Luna had brought James and Teddy Lupin.
Viktor's parents and sister and brother-in-law were already there, it appeared. When Draco looked out the windows of their room, he was amazed, the farm was productive again.
Just then there was a knock on the door, Bill and Fleur entered when Draco opened it. Harry and Luna were right behind them. They all sat down and began to speculate on what exactly had happened after the Quidditch game that summer. The discussion went on for over an hour with nothing resolved. Finally they decided to wait as they had been instructed.
The dinner hour was fast approaching, so everyone went to change clothes. They came down the stairs as a group to find Viktor waiting for them in the library.
He courteously poured drink of varying kinds for everyone, making sure the expectant mothers had non-alcoholic beverages. A house-elf popped in to deliver trays of appetisers. In a few minutes, the door to the library opened and Hermione walked in. She walked to Viktor and took his hand. They turned to their guests and laughed.
"We invited you all here to thank you for everything you did this past summer. The afternoon of the game, Viktor brought me here to this house. I fell in love with the house and we fell more in love with each other," Hermione began.
Viktor continued, "Ve were caught in a rainstorm and I kissed her. Then I asked her to marry me. Ve decided not to vait, Hermione contacted her parents and ve vere married in a Muggle ceremony that week. You all did so much to get us back together, that we vanted to show you vhat ve haff done in the last few months. Vhen I made the decision to quit Quidditch, ve began to update the farm. It is now productive again. Hermione vill be running a potion business and I vill be handling the ingredients produced by the farm. Ve are expecting our first child in the spring. Merry Christmas to you, our dear friends."
Hermione handed out presents as the house-elves set out the sumptuous dinner.
Harry made the toast that said it all. "To the most successful conspiracy ever undertaken. Merry Christmas, Mr. and Mrs. Krum."