Chapter 8: Suitor Submits to Brother
"Howdy, Molly! Oh, don't fuss; I've got it, it's no problem…." The Potters had just arrived for their weekly family brunch at the Burrow. Harry removed his coat and hung it on whatever hangar was available, for other coats were scattered everywhere.
While the kids ran off to find their cousins and play, Harry, Ginny and Molly engaged in small talk. After about 15 minutes, the doorbell rang. Harry could hear Molly answering.
"Hermione, dear! Hello, Rose, Hugo! Oh, yes, welcome…." 17-year-old Rose now rushed in, just returned from her second-to-last semester at Hogwarts. 12-year-old Hugo was hot on her heels.
"Uncle Harry!"
"Hey, there's my best princess!" Harry chortled, giving her a hug.
"Oi!" yelled a female voice from the living room.
"Calm down, Lily - you know you and Rose are tied for first!" He shook his head in bemusement. "Why does everything have to be a competition for that girl?"
"Maybe because she's the caboose behind all boys," Ginny hypothesized with a wink.
"Perhaps. And here's Hugo! Give me five, man!" Harry slapped palms with his nephew.
Then, Hermione strode in. Harry stood with a smile.
"Oh, you'll have to excuse me, Rose. You may be the princess, but your Mum is the Queen," he explained jokingly. The siblings hugged warmly.
"And what does that make me?" Ginny demanded coyly.
"The dictator," Harry called over his shoulder.
"Damn straight!" Ginny cracked up.
But Harry was no longer paying attention to his wife. Over his sister-in-law's shoulder, he saw a familiar figure.
"Viktor?"
The former Quidditch star smiled and held out a hand. "It's been too long, Harry."
"Indeed…. it has," Harry said carefully, disengaging from Hermione to shake. He eyed Hermione out of the corner of his vision. "She invite you?"
Viktor nodded. Hermione laid a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"I'll explain later."
"Don't bother, sis. I've already worked it out. I wasn't born yesterday, you know."
Just then, Molly called everyone to the table. Harry found himself awkwardly seated between Percy on one side and Viktor on the other. Between the two, he had to go with his former Tournament rival as the better conversationalist - even if he recalled Hermione once telling him that Viktor was "not particularly loquacious." From this, Harry learned that Viktor had tragically lost his wife to cancer several years ago; he and Hermione had then reconnected by happenstance while he was on an assignment as the Wizarding Ambassador for Bulgaria.
"I vould like to speak to you privately, Harry, afterwards - if that's all right vith you," Viktor requested.
Harry blinked. "Yeah, sure."
He was surprised when Viktor then gestured to the door. "Shall ve?" Apparently 'afterwards' meant 'right now'. Harry stood.
"We're just going for a walk. Be back in a minute," he announced to the family, and he followed Viktor out.
Quidditch legend and Wizarding hero walked side-by-side through the snow outside the Burrow. All was silent for a time. Viktor finally cleared his throat.
"You told Hermy-o-ninny that you had…. already vorked it out?"
Harry eyed him sideways. "All that's left is an affirmative from you. So you are dating, then?"
Viktor nodded. "A month or two." He glanced back to the house. "She thought by bringing me here I could get to know the kids and the larger family."
"And how have they been? Rose and Hugo, I mean?"
"Rose, she knows, even if her mother and I have not told her. She seems thrilled. The boy….. I don't know. But he's twelve - couldn't imagine a vorse time for some new guy to come barging in. He is very protective of Hermy-own, I can tell."
Harry nodded, ignoring the repeated botchings of Hermione's name. "Don't let it worry you. Hugo rises to the occasion more than anyone gives him credit for. When he finds out, I bet he'll take it all right. But what I want to know is…. what does this have to do with me?"
Viktor stared at him. "Vell, it just does. I remember…. during the Tournament…."
"That for some reason, you wondered whether she and I were together," Harry finished with a chuckle. "No. But I am her brother by marriage."
"Exactly! Vhich is vhy I was going to ask your permission to marry Hermione."
Smooth, Harry thought. Impeccably smooth. There's a reason this guy was a Quidditch star. Hell, he happened to get Hermione's name right that time! When the Chosen One didn't say anything right away, Viktor plowed on.
"I see how close you are vith her, and her father is no longer here to…."
Harry pursed his lips in thought. "True. But close as we are, I don't speak for her. She would never let anyone do that."
Viktor laughed. "That I can believe."
Harry thought for a long moment. If Hermione was happy, then there was really nothing for him to say. He would support her in whatever she wanted. He eyed Viktor. "You'll make her happy?"
"As much as I can," Viktor straightened himself as if it might make him look more presentable.
"Then…. you have my permission. But: there's a catch. I am going to tell you what I told Ron years ago - if you hurt her, I will hunt you down and kill you."
Viktor eyed him with respect. "I vould expect nothing less from the Vanquisher of Voldemort."
Harry let out a bark of laughter. "Never heard that one before."
Smiling, the men shook hands.
"One more thing: I would also ask Hugo's permission. It would make him feel…. important, respected. Seen as the man of the house, you know?"
Viktor nodded. "And Rose?"
"Ask her for the hell of it. If what you say is true, she'll be on board whether you ask or not."
"You care for them a lot, don't you?" Viktor inquired. "Yet, they aren't your wife or kids."
"Viktor, they're my family. And what else is family for, but to care for each other?" Harry explained. "Hermione's like my sister. I love her as a sister, and I know she feels the same way about me. It's always been like that."