Chapter Twenty-Seven

George kissed the naked witch hovering above him soundly. He cupped her cheek tenderly for a moment before tucking a stray curl behind her ear. Pressing a gentle kiss to the beads of sweat that peppered her brow, the ecstasy filled man pulled her down to rest on his bare chest.

"If I had known it'd be like that, I'd have bed you back at Hogwarts," he chuckled as he nuzzled into her soft hair.

Hermione rolled her eyes as she rotated to the side and snuggled against George's warm body, "Like I would have let you anywhere near my bed at Hogwarts."

"You'd have let me," George kissed her temple again. "I am after all dashingly handsome and highly persuasive."

Hermione snorted, "Not that persuasive."

"So you finally admit I am dashingly handsome?"

Hermione chuckled and shook her head but didn't have the energy to reply. She yawned deeply as all of the hours of sleep she had missed over the last two weeks suddenly hit her. George seemed to sense this and kissed her forehead softly once more. He detangled himself from her for a moment to lean down and pull the covers up over both them. He took special care to tuck them around Hermione first, then himself.

"Go to sleep, Love," George said gently as he wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist protectively and snuggled back down into the soft sheets. "We have an early morning of motherly smothering to deal with."

Hermione barely nodded before she fell fast asleep. George watched her chest rise and fall rhythmically until he too finally nod off to what promised to be the most blissful sleep he'd had in awhile.

… ~ … ~ …

The ceramic mug was warm against Sally's lips, but she couldn't make the heat to go any further than that. Today had started out so perfect, only to have ended in the worst way possible. She and Viktor spent the majority of the morning and afternoon decorating his home in preparation for the boys; they had even been able to convince Sally's sister and brother-in-law to come to Bulgaria tomorrow morning. It was the first Christmas in a very long time that Sally had felt as though everything was right and whole again. She hadn't felt like that since her parents died.

They finished decorating the house less than an hour ago, leaving the tree untouched so that after they picked up the boys they could all do it together. Sally couldn't remember the last time she'd been so excited to decorate a tree. Viktor was supposed to have the boys from Christmas Eve till the first of the year. Helga had told him last week, rather rudely Sally might add, that she was going to the Alps for Christmas with her boyfriend and didn't want to drag them along.

When she and Viktor went to pick the boys up they were greeted at the fireplace, not by the smiling faces of Erik and Mikhail, but the cold smirk of Helga who all but gleefully informed them both that the boys would in fact be staying with her for Christmas. And no there would not be any discussion about it. HER sons were not going to spend Christmas with 'that tramp', and they should leave before she called the auroras for trespassing. They left after that, but not before Viktor and Helga had a screaming match in Bulgarian. Sally had no idea what they were saying to each other but she was positive it wasn't nice.

"Ve vill floo Hermy-own-ninny immediately after Christmas, I vill not let her get avay vith dis!" Viktor snarled as he stomped back into the sitting room. "How dare she! How dare that vile, filthy wh…"

"This is all my fault."

Viktor whipped around so fast he was surprised he didn't hurt something.

"Vot!?" he stared open mouthed at her. Sally couldn't stop the tears as she gazed up at Viktor ashamedly. "Vhy in Merlin name vould you say such tings, Sally?"

"Because it's true, Viktor!" she yelled, slamming her mug down on the coffee table. "If I wasn't here with you, if I was not even in the picture this would not have happened. You could have had your boys with you tonight and had a proper Christmas, but because I'm here, Helga won't let you even see the boys let alone allow them to come stay with you."

"Sally, do you even listen to self?… Dis is insane talking."

"Is it? Think about it, Viktor. My reputation as a law student is hanging by a thread; your children are border line being held hostage, its Christmas Eve and we'd rather burn that tree down right now than decorate it, and it's all because I am to damn selfish to let the first decent bloke I've met in ages out of my sight for fear of you vanishing off the face of the earth like everyone else I have ever cared about!"

Viktor stared at the tear stained blonde with wide eyes and a slacked jaw. He wanted to comfort her but didn't know what to say. There were no English or Bulgarian words to express what he felt watching her cry.

"I see this all the time with other cases. I am a threat to her getting what she wants and that will make her hate me. And with that hatred will come pettiness. Pettiness will be followed by cruelty, like what she just pulled tonight, and the only two who are going to truly pay the price for it is your sons…. And it's my fault. I am so sorry."

Viktor had heard enough and was across the room in two strides. He wrapped his arms around his shaking girlfriend (not a term he'd had the courage to call her to her face yet) and just held her. He cradled her face in his hands.

"No… no mine dearest, dis is not you. Dis is Helga and her vanting to hurt me. Dis vould happen vether I date you or I date prime minister. It dos not matter. She dos not care vhere our sons spend Christmas, she only vish to use dem to hurt me, and now you be-cause you are vith me. But ve vill not let her hurt dem or us any longer. As soon as Christmas is over, ve go talk to Hermy-own-ninny. She vill fix dis."

Sally nodded shyly. If there was anyone that could fix this it was Miss Granger. Sally looked sadly over at the bare Christmas tree. Her sister and brother in law could still help decorate it, but it wouldn't be the same with out the boys. The boys' presents were upstairs in her room, wrapped and ready to go under the tree. It broke her heart a lot more than she cared to admit that she couldn't give them their gifts tomorrow. She just hoped the boys didn't have a terrible Christmas because of this whole horrible situation. Sally placed a kiss on Viktor's stubble covered cheek and gave him a soft, sad smile. Maybe she would luck out and tomorrow would be better. Because frankly it couldn't possibly get any worse…

… ~ … ~ …

Helga rubbed her temples and took another deep swig from her whiskey glass. Maybe keeping the brats from the holidays hadn't been the best plan after all. The little monsters had been whining and crying all evening since she told them they would be spending Christmas with her and not Viktor. It was grating on her last nerve. The taller one… Mishca or something like that… was complaining to her again… couldn't he leave her alone for one measly second?

"But, Mother!" he exclaimed. "It iz papa's turn to haf Erik and I tonight. Ve vere to haf Christmas vith he and Sally and New Year vith you… Dis vas plan, yes?"

Helga glared at the boy sharply for a moment but forcing a sugary smile.

"Your papa and dat Sally person did not vant you dis Christmas. Dey vished to spend it alone as couple."

Dark eyes narrowed into a glare, "You are lying. Papa alvays vants to spend time vith us…. alvays"

Helga ignored the jab. She would not be gotten one over on by a six year old… or eight year old… or however old he was. "Do you not vish to stay vith your mama for Christmas? I vould miss you and Emil very much."

"Erik."

"Vot?"

"His name is Erik!" the dark haired boy stomped his foot. Helga rolled her eyes and drank again from her glass. "Vhy must you drink all de time? It makes you smeel bad."

"Dat is no vay to speak to your mother, Mishca!"

"Mikhail! You don't evan remember our names!" he shouted. "I vant to go to Papa's! I hate it here! I hate you! I vant my papa!"

"I vant papa too!" piped up the shorter boy next to him.

"Vhy you leetal shits! How dare you!" Helga slammed her glass down on top of the kitchen counter and grabbed her oldest son roughly by his shirt collar. "Now you lesten to me! You are staying here vith me vhether you vant to or not! And dar is nothing you can do about it! Go now! To your rooms!"

Mikhail shoved his mother's hands off of him hard enough to push her back. "You can not keep us here if ve do not vish to be so! Papa said so!" he snapped before snatching up his little brother's hand. "And ve do not vish to be here anymore! Ve are going to Papa's! Come, Erik."

"You are not going anyvhere!" Helga stumbled angrily after the two boys.

"Yes, ve are."

"No you are not!"

"Yes. Ve. Are," the dark hair boy rounded on his mother. "I am not baby, Mother, I hear shouting vith you and papa earlier. You say things that are not true and you hurt Sally's feelings because you just vanted to be mean. You forget to feed us last night and today. De house elf cried vhen she found out! Erik vet his pants because you vouldn't let us leave our room vhile your stoopid boyfriend vas over all day. You are very selfish, Mother and ve don't vant to stay here vith you anymore!"

"YOU ARE NOT LEEVING!"

Whether it was the alcohol in her veins or the fury clouding her vision, Helga grabbed her wand and turned it on her two children.

Mikhail's eyes went wide and he pushed his younger brother behind him, "Erik, run!"

"IMPERIO!"

An angry red bolt of light shot from the end of her wand and hit both boys with such a force it knocked them down. Helga stood panting and angry with her arm stretched out straight. She lowered her wand and walked purposefully over to her two unconscious children on the floor.

"Get up," she snarled.

Unable to do anything else, the boys eyes opened their eyes and stood up in front of their mother.

"You vill both go to your rooms und stay there until I come and get you. You do not vant to see your papa ever again. Do you understand vhat I am saying?"

"Da, Mother," Mikhail's monotone voice answered.

"Go."

The boys turned in unison and walked quietly out of the room. As soon as the door closed Helga looked down at her shaking hand holding the wand. She had just broken the law, broken it in a way that if her actions were discovered it would be her absolute ruin. She couldn't just lift the curse now, the boys would go sprinting to Viktor and not only would she loose control of the divorce but she would most certainly face prison. So really, what choice had those brats left her with but to keep the curse on them?

Helga's eyes lit up suddenly with delight. If the boys were completely under her control now she could get them to do whatever she wanted. She could have them reject Viktor's requests for visitation. She could have them tell the judge that they never wanted to see Viktor again. Have them tell Viktor himself they never wanted to see him again. She could tell them to say things to the papers that would absolutely ruin Viktor and his whore's reputations forever. All that money and attention could be hers.

The blonde witch gave a smug smirk as she poured herself another glass of fire whiskey. Merry Christmas to her indeed.

… ~ … ~ …

George wasn't sure when he heard the screaming. All he was sure of was that somewhere near by someone was screaming like they were being killed. It took him longer than he'd care to admit to realize the screaming was coming from beside him in the bed. With his brain now fully awake and alert George threw the lamp on. He stopped for a moment in shock. Hermione was completely asleep, and yet she was thrashing on her side of the bed like someone was attacking her. Her screams were down right chilling to hear.

"STOP IT! I SWEAR I DON'T HAVE IT!"

"Hermione!" George grabbed her and shook her as hard as he dared to. "Hermione, Love wake up!"

"PLEASE DON'T HURT ME ANYMORE"

"HERMIONE!"

Hermione's eyes finally flew open, terrified brown eyes meeting worried blue ones. Her bushy hair was plastered to her forehead with sweat and tears poured down the woman's face.

"Where is she?!" Hermione demanded frantically.

"Where is who, Love?"

"I know she's here, I saw her! George, we have to get out of here!"

George stopped her from leaping out of bed, "Hermione, what in the bloody hell are you talking about? No one's here."

"But I saw her!"

"Who?"

"Bellatrix LaStrange!"

TBC

A/N: Well that was all very dramatic…. Helga makes poor life choices, Sally has guilt issues and Hermione may have some explaining to do…. Hope you guys liked it! We're iced in the house today so I figured I'd be productive :) R&R!

~Chupip