Disclaimer: Not JK…
A/n: written for the Because of LOVE challenge! The character was Victor Krum and the quote was "Because Viktor knew that she'd come to him eventually, even if he had to wait forever for her."
Chapter 2: She came, afterall
Victor Krum sat at one of the corner tables in a non-descript restaurants in London. The purpose of his visit to the country was as yet unclear to him, he had come because he had felt like it and he didn't regret it. It had been a fruitful visit too; he had been able to re-establish several of his contacts; Fleur Weasley nee Delacour, her husband Bill Weasley and almost all the rest of the Weasleys. Victor chuckled at the look of pure stupefaction that had been Ronald Weasley's reaction to his sudden arrival. He must have feared that he'd take away Hermione from him or something. That brought another smile on his face; he'd be the first to admit that he had enjoyed dating Hermione but they had both agreed that they hadn't been for the other. She, because she had gone with him just to spite Ronald Weasley and he, because he had wanted to show her that he could get a decent date even if she declined.
Victor's anger mounted even as he thought about her mingling with something soft and terrifying, remembering her pretty, almost beautiful Asian face, her dark eyes swirling with mirth and scorn as she looked at him while hanging over Diggory's arm at the ball, and the way she had melted in his arms later in the evening. They had had a complicated relationship, rocky as a ship caught in a storm yet steady as a bamboo caught in a tornado.
The first time he had met her had been when he had been walking to the goblet to put his name in. She had given him a shy smile, one he had come to expect and disregard from females, and wished him the best of luck. Something about her, may be that contradictingly daring expression in her eyes, pulled him to look back at her one more time. And he had gotten selected, hadn't he? He had thought it her work, her witchy powers that had secured him a place that would take him to eternal glory; he should have known it'd lead him to infamy, rather ironically.
Hearing the doorbell ring, Victor looked up from his musings and there she stood, in all her five foot six inches of glory, her mane of black hair tied at the nape of her neck, her face flustered and tired. Victor knew she still hadn't recovered from the tragedies that had been thrust on her time after time after time. He pitied her, surely, but something told him it wasn't pity she needed. No, Cho Chang was too damn proud for pity, or anything as weak.
"Cho." She nodded at his one word greeting, seating herself in front of him. She was still gorgeous, even through all the layers of sorrow and anguish that lay on her face. And her eyes still challenged him, daring him non-verbally. He had admired her stubborn streak, but it had gone too far, and for longer than he had the patience to bear.
"I trust you're well, Victor? Has your stay been pleasant?" That, translated into her language meant that she wanted to know about his life these past years and wanted him gone as soon as he could manage; he wasn't bothered. He would return, surely, but she'd come with him this time. The ship wasn't setting sail without her on board.
"I was never one for formalities, Cho, and neither are you. Why don't we just cut to the chase?" She seemed startled, and one would assume she had no idea what he was talking about. But her eyes were sharp as blades, slashing with that familiar fury that he knew preceded her real emotions and hid them rather well.
"What do you want? My answer hasn't changed." She replied curtly, answering her own questions. Victor smirked, she was getting flustered.
"I think you've fooled the both of us enough, Cho. There's no need to dance around anymore. You're over Cedric, I know that; and you now know I'm not dabbling in the Dark Arts. Oh yes, I know you have been enquiring, I have sources too, you see?" He replied at her shocked expression.
"Did your sources tell you that I was fooling you too?" She asked snarkily, meaning to offend, but merely causing amusement.
"No, your eyes did that all by themselves. You keep forgetting that I can read them." She hurriedly looked away, but not before he spotted the crack in her shield; she was caving.
"It's going to cause a ruckus. The world's best Seeker going out with the dead co-competitor's ex," She muttered in a low voice. He knew she was just stalling, she never knew how to give in gracefully. It was either fight till the end or die trying with her.
"And I seem terribly bothered by that don't I? If you'd thought that, you could have declined my invitation, Cho. It was an open offer and you came. Doesn't that tell you something?"
"That I'm going against my better judgment, definitely yes. But there's nothing I can do to help it, is there?" She let out a little sarcastic laugh, the situation entertaining her greatly. Victor gave a single nod before he took her hand in his. He might be rude with her when she was adamant and refused to see the truth, but he was reared with manners and he could never forget them.
"Cho, I ask you this one last time. If the answer is in the negative this time, I have no choice but to let go, painful as it will be for me. Will you go out with me?" An eternity seemed to pass before she nodded slightly, insignificantly.
"Yes" That one word moved something in him; making all the pieces of his heart fit together rightly.
A/n: Mt first time writing Krum in any manner! Please do review!