Casualties of War

As the two groups met in the middle of the atrium, Draco linked arms with Ginny and Harry.

Hermione took Alexei's hand in hers saying, "Draco, Ginny, Harry, and I had to give statements to the Quidditch Board today about Ron. It looks like he'll be in Azkaban for a very long time. The Healers at St. Mungo's found that the reason he had become so warped was because of spell damage from the last battle that had never been treated as well as the incident in the Ministry at the end of fifth year. It means that they can fix him, maybe. Unfortunately they do believe he had some of those tendencies anyway, but without the spell damage he would have kept them under control. Harry had the worst of it, I think. They had called in a Legilimens to look into Ron's mind, and Harry had to be there during that. But Ron still has to serve a term in Azkaban for the things he did because he could have asked for help when he realised he was not behaving normally. Harry is going to talk to Molly and Arthur and meet us at the Leaky Cauldron for dinner. Neville asked us all to come because he has some news for us."

"I didn't think I could face telling Mum and Dad all that. I knew Harry could do it better. How did the day at the Burrow go?" Ginny asked.

"We'll tell you all about it over dinner. Though, I think Harry may hear a bit of it when he talks to Molly and Arthur. Alexei and I had a great time together. He is helping me with all kinds of things, aren't you?"

"Yes, Uncle Draco. I met Teddy and his hair is so cool. I gave the younger kids all the colouring books and the puzzles, and I gave Teddy a kite to fly. Gran and Gramp both talked very seriously to me. They told me I was as good as another grandchild and to call them those names."

Ginny laughed and kissed him. "You are a treasure, Alexei. I'll bet Mum made extra sandwiches for you and talked to you about how Harry was always hungry, too. I just hope she takes the news about Ron without falling apart."

"I'll make sure, Gin. I'll break it gently, I promise. I will see you all at the Cauldron later," Harry said as he headed for a now empty fireplace.

"I came to a decision today," announced Alexei, "I am no longer going to call you Aunt Hermione. Papa won't care if I use Mayka or Mama, so I think I will call you Mama because we are in England and speaking English."

Hermione just tightened her grip on his hand and kissed him. She couldn't speak because emotion had completely taken her voice away.

Draco made a suggestion that everyone thought was perfect. "Why don't we drop off Alexei's backpack at your flat, have a drink and then Floo to the Cauldron?"

Hermione could only nod. They took the next empty fireplace and arrived in time to let Alexei's little owl out to hunt at night.

Ginny went to the kitchen to prepare drinks for everyone. Alexei dropped his backpack in his room. Hermione went into her bedroom to write a quick note to Viktor about Alexei's decision. Draco tried to help Ginny who shooed him back to the dining room.

"I can carry this tray perfectly well by myself. You don't need to make a fuss because I had to testify against my brother today. But if you want to do something, you can take the message from that owl on the windowsill and give him a treat. Herms might want to send a message back."

Draco opened the window and took the message tied to the bird's leg. He handed the large owl several treats and told it to wait. Then he took the message to Hermione who was staring at herself in the mirror in her room.

"Herms, are you okay? There is a message. I told the owl to wait."

"What? Oh, thanks, Draco. I am just astonished that Alexei has gotten to Mama so fast. It is kind of scary, but it makes me very happy, too." She took the parchment and read it quickly. "Oh, the message is from Minerva, sending congratulations from the entire Hogwarts staff on our engagement. Apparently, Alastor did his own version of an Irish jig when he read the Prophet. She says that the disgruntled fan girls may decide to send some hate mail my way so she is going to come by tomorrow and set up hate mail repelling Charms. You can tell the owl there is no message to go back. Thanks Draco."

He obediently told the owl it was released to return to the school. Hermione had changed clothes and Alexei had changed shirts when they appeared for their drinks. The juice Ginny had conjured for the boy was an instant hit.

"It is simple, Herms. Orange, Pineapple, and a bit of Blackcurrant. Good for him and easy to do. You had all three in the cooler, so I improvised."

Hermione drank her tea as if it were water and she was dying of thirst. Draco had opted for tea as well. Ginny joined Alexei in drinking juice. When the glasses were cleaned and put up, they Flooed to the Leaky Cauldron.

Neville Longbottom met them with the biggest smile they had ever seen on his face.

"Welcome. I am going to wait until Harry gets here to tell you all our news. Congratulations on your engagement, Hermione. Viktor is a wonderful man. Who is this?" he asked, looking at Alexei.

Hermione put her arms around Alexei and said, "Neville Longbottom, this is Alexei Karolyevitch Krum, Viktor's adopted son, and soon to be mine. Alexei, this is our good friend, Neville Longbottom."

"Oh, he's the man who destroyed the last of the Horcruxes! I am glad to meet you, sir," Alexei said, then stuck his hand out to shake Neville's.

Neville chuckled and shook the boy's hand. "He certainly has the same good manners Viktor always displayed. Nice to meet you, Alexei. Let me get you all a table."

Shortly after they were all seated in a private room, Harry returned from the Weasleys. It was easy to see that he had been crying.

"Are you all right, Harry?"

"Not really, Neville, but I will be. I have a lot to look forward to, and that makes all the difference."

"May I ask what is wrong?"

"Ron is looking at fifty years in Azkaban even if they decide it really is spell damage, considering he killed Lavender and essentially raped and sterilised that little girl. The Legilimens vomited after she was done with him, so I don't even want to know what was in his mind. If they think he was still rational, then well, he's going through the Veil."

Everyone at the table was shocked. Then, ever the voice of reason, Alexei piped up. "I'm sorry your friend is going to prison or will be executed. But if he was not in his right mind, he should have asked for help. I'm eleven. His niece is five, and he was starting to look at her funny. That isn't right. How could he find children attractive? If you made my hair long and Victoire's hair short and hid us with robes, you could barely figure out which one of us is a girl. Even if he thought that other little girl wanted what he did to her, didn't he see it was wrong when he was looking at his own niece?"

Neville smiled. "Hermione had quite a hand raising you, didn't she? You sound quite a bit like she did as a child. I didn't know your papa until he was eighteen, so I can't say the same for him. You're absolutely right. When Lavender died, heck, when he attacked his best friend, any of this should have made him ask for help. We can hope for the best, but I think our friend Ron may have died a long time ago. We just realised it now."

Harry looked so relieved at Neville's words that Ginny hugged him. Draco put his arms around both Harry and Ginny for a few minutes.

Eventually, everyone calmed down and ordered drinks and dinner. As dessert was served, Neville and Hannah came over to the table.

"We just wanted you all to know we are expecting our first child. You are the first people we have told."

Ginny and Hermione jumped up and hugged first Hannah and then Neville. Harry and Draco shook Neville's hand and then kissed Hannah on the cheek.

Everyone was uttering congratulations, until Neville started laughing; then they all were laughing. It was the happiest thing that could have happened. Harry and Draco paid the bill, shook Neville's hand again and then they all Flooed back to Hermione's flat.

Alexei's little owl was waiting patiently to get in at the window, and there was another larger owl waiting to deliver a message. Draco let both in, took the message and opened the cage for the little owl. He told the large owl to wait for a reply.

"Herms, it is a letter from Viktor! I told the owl to wait."

She took the letter and tore it open.

Beloved,

My first stop today was Durmstrang. The reporters did not want to know about the Quidditch Goodwill Ambassador trip at all, they only wanted to know when we are getting married. I almost laughed myself to death. I am sorely afraid that will be the routine for the next nine weeks. I miss you and Alexei very much.

V

"Oh, no, Viktor says the reporters only wanted to know about when we are getting married, not about the Quidditch Ambassador Goodwill trip. He must be livid. Uh oh, nine weeks; that means we only have about six weeks to get ready for your wedding, Gin. Let me think. Molly, you, me and my mum; we can do this, Gin. Tomorrow night we will all meet here at the flat and discuss what you want and keep your Mum from running over your wishes. Is that okay? I think my mum would be happy to help. Especially when I break the news that Viktor and I are getting married, too."

"Herms, you are the best. You are right, with your mum and mine it should be easy, I hope."

"First things first, Gin. Where do you want this ceremony to happen? I would be willing to bet that the Ministry will give you a large reception room because of whom you are marrying AND the fact that you are a Sept."

"I absolutely do not want a media circus, Herms. I think Harry and Draco will agree with me about that. August 23rd is a good day. Why not use the ballroom at Malfoy Manor? It is big enough for the very restricted list of wedding guests. I guess I have more ideas than I thought."

Harry and Draco were nodding their heads, agreeing with everything she said.

Ginny looked at them and asked, "Would you each make up a list of who you want to invite? And have it done by tomorrow night? It would be a big help."

Draco looked unhappy. "Gin, the folks I want to invite are your family, Viktor, Herms, Alexei, and the Longbottoms. I don't really have any other friends."

Hermione shook her head and said, "Draco, you have the entire faculty at Hogwarts to invite. Some of your old housemates aren't bad. Blaise has been working for the Ministry for a couple of years. Re-evaluate your options."

Draco's look brightened at her words, and he conjured a quill and parchment to make his list. Harry had done the same thing a couple of minutes earlier.

Within a few minutes, they both handed a reasonably lengthy list to Ginny. She waved her wand and told the lists to combine and delete duplicates.

When she was satisfied with the list, she handed it to Hermione. "You can add names, too. They have essentially listed everyone I want to invite. If you can think of anyone else, go for it."

"No, I think this is a remarkably complete list. It comes in at under three hundred names. You did it. This is progress. We have the dress, the date, the place, and the guest list. Now we need to work on what to serve at the reception, what music to play, what the cake will be, and where the three of you will go for a honeymoon," Hermione replied. "Oh, and we need this by tomorrow if we don't want Molly taking over with what she wants."

Draco responded immediately, "Why don't we make up the list and present her with a fait accompli? It would save a lot of hurt feelings and wrangling."

"Great idea. You three go off and decide this stuff. I have an eleven year old to get to bed."

"Night, Herms. Night, Alexei," the new golden trio said before Flooing off home.

"Mama, you should organise more things. You did that excellently. I will go to bed right away. Tomorrow is going to be exciting, I think. Uncle Harry talks to me like I am a grown-up."

"You are a scamp, Alexei. Get to bed. I have a letter to write."

Viktor's owl had been waiting patiently in the kitchen window while other things had been going on. When Hermione sat down at the kitchen table to write the second letter she was going to send to him, the owl hopped to the table and rubbed his head on her arm.

"I know, Danilov, I miss him so much. At least you get to go back to him."

The bird softly hooted at her in reply.

'Viktor,

The wedding for Harry and company will be the 23rd of August at Malfoy Manor. We are working out the details so that Molly Weasley will not get to take over. I miss your smile and your kisses in the morning. Hurry home to us.'

She tied that letter and her previous note to the owl's leg and opened the window for him. She ruffled his feathers before he set out.

"Take my love to him, Danilov," she called after the bird.

An answering hoot from the owl cheered her.

She dreamed that night of the Yule Ball and her first dance with Viktor. The awful scene that Ron had caused, how she had cried in Viktor's arms late that night, the bewildered look on Harry's face when she and Ron were screaming at each other, the exquisite kiss Viktor had given her as he walked her to the Gryffindor dormitory. How life had changed during and after the Triwizard Tournament. How Viktor had appeared during the Battle of Hogwarts and saved her life, not just once, but several times. He had even helped her when she and Harry went back to the Shrieking Shack to recover Snape's body, only to discover that he was still barely alive.

Viktor had used Durmstrang spells in Russian to save Snape's life. The spells weren't Dark Magic, just very, very old magic, taught only to the top students at the school. He had used the same spell on Lavender Brown later that day to heal the bites she had received from Fenrir Greyback.

Her gentle, kind, shy, wonderful Viktor, who surprised everyone because he was not the typical professional athlete.

He could be ferocious as he had been during the Battle, and yet, he had the softest heart, crying because he had not been able to save the youngest of the school defenders.

Morning found her smiling and singing to herself when Alexei came into the kitchen for breakfast. She poured him juice and set a plate of eggs in front of him.

"You are going to have to keep up with Harry today. I have an idea what he is going to show you, but I won't tell. You'll come to the office with me, and he will pick you up there."

"Yes, Mama, you look supremely happy today. I'll bet you dreamed about Papa."

"Yes, I did, scamp. About how I always knew he was the man for me, even when I wasn't much older than you are."

A short time later they Flooed into the Ministry where Arthur Weasley waved to them as he arrived. Alastor Moody was waiting outside her office. As soon as Harry got there and took Alexei away, Moody sat down and started to talk.

"Min wants to know if you want the Great Hall for your wedding. We'll decorate it just like the Yule Ball. She was over the moon when she saw the announcement. I have already talked to Filius about music. We made you a list of things we can do for the wedding."

He handed her the parchment, leaned over, kissed her forehead and left.

I have fallen through the Looking Glass, she thought.