(Sort of ) Home for the Holidays I

Disclaimer: The characters here and the world they inhabit are the creation and property of JK Rowling and her assigns.

The fall term progressed pleasantly enough. Hermione and Viktor usually sat together at meals so that he could practice his English. Under her patient tutelage, his accent receded and his grammatical forms became more proficient. He refused to use contractions, however.

"I refuse to take two perfectly good words and force them together in such a way. It is Frankenstein's monster of grammar."

Hermione smiled. "I suppose that is true, but it's so much easier to use them."

"If you say so."

Hermione was reluctant to make any more of their new friendship than it was. She found herself drawn to the vibrant wizard. Most of the staff were at least old enough to be her parents, while her parents were...well, it never paid to dwell on them. Now that she had a friend closer to her own age, Hermione realized just how lonely her life had been. Ginny summed it up neatly in a letter.

Harry and I are so glad to hear that you've made friends with someone our age. We've been so worried about you, acting older than you were. We were worried that leaving your job at the ministry and working in that castle with old professors and older ghosts would be a bad idea, but now we see that it's working out. Your letters sound more like yourself. Obviously, Viktor is good for you.

If one's real friends couldn't speak honestly, who could? Hermione quietly rolled the scroll back up and slid it into her bag, saying, "They're doing well and say hello." She didn't want say what the letter actually said. She was afraid that she would get too close and smother her friendship with Viktor.

As the term progressed, Hogsmeade Weekends came and went. Viktor came to visit Hermione on the Monday after the first one, his arms full of various items. "Is...er...It is as you say. May I place these items in the box you obtained from the Veasleys?"

Hermione pointed to the credenza behind her, where the box sat. "Help yourself. Open the lid gently. Sometimes a Whizzbang takes a little longer to diffuse."

He walked around her desk and took care of the items he had brought. "It is nearly full."

"Yes, it's always worst after the first weekend. I'll ask George to come for it this week."

Viktor stood next to her desk chair. They were quite close, and it wasn't a situation Hermione had considered when planning how to behave around him. Likewise, Viktor looked at her as if he was trying to think of something to say. Finally, he nodded and gave a slight bow. "I vill see you at dinner, yes?"

She looked up at him, wondering why she was blushing. "Yes," she answered shyly.

He walked off, and she couldn't help noticing from where she sat how very attractive he was from behind. He'd been wearing clothes like his old Durmstrang uniform, which set off his physique perfectly.

The fall progressed quite enjoyably, with just a few awkward moments when neither seemed to know what to say. Hermione's felt herself becoming lighter and feeling younger and more cheerful again. Indeed, her only trouble was that she didn't hear much from Luna.

After sending several letters asking whether she could go back to her house for the Holiday, she finally received one in return.

I'm afraid that there's also an infestation of nifflers. They had a burrow under the front of your house. We've had to tear up the brickwork, but I have an architect looking at how to fix it up when the nifflers are done. At any rate, the house is unlivable. You'd best stay put at Hogwarts.

Hermione moaned as she read the letter.

"What is it?" asked Viktor.

"My house...she's torn up the brickwork in the front to deal with some nifflers. We loved that brickwork. That's where the fireplace was."

"She says she will get an architect in the letter."

"But no one is asking my opinion! What if I hate it?"

Viktor put his hand over Hermione's. Both stopped for a moment to look from their hands back to each other's eyes. He swallowed slowly and said quietly. "If you hate it so much, you can change it back. I vill help you if yu vish it."

She realized that he must be feeling emotional to have let his accent lapse like this. "I know. I just feel so out of control. I can't even go home and see it. She's disabled the fireplace."

"For this I can help." He let go of her hand and leaned back in his chair, quite proud of himself.

"What do you mean?"

"I stay at Hogvarts ofer Holiday, too. As soon as students leave, ve go on my broom."

Hermione felt a bit nervous at that. "I'm a horrible flyer."

"I haff a sturdy broom, perfect for two. Just dress varmly."

* * * * *

On the afternoon after the Hogwarts Express left, Hermione ran through the empty hallways of the castle. She stopped for a moment. What was she feeling? It was that sense of excitement and freedom she'd had whenever she, Harry, and Ron had always had when wandering through the castle under the Invisibility Cloak.

The thought stopped her. Was she somehow being disloyal to those days? Was it wrong to feel as she did right now? She remembered something Ginny said to her. I think Ron would be glad to see you enjoying your life again. He enjoyed a good time, perhaps not as much as the twins, but he would be glad for you. No, Ron wouldn't mind.

She ran out onto the grounds and stopped. Viktor stood there, looking over his broom. She had watched him do the same with the students' equipment before he refereed the Quidditch matches. Minerva had commented that this bit of professionalism was an important lesson for the students, and quite reassuring. Poppy noted that the injuries had decreased as the players themselves started to take their equipment more seriously.

Today he was just serious, checking it for any problems and finally smiling at her. "Eferything is...vhat is the vord...prepared. Come."

He straddled the broom and then pulled her close so that as they took off she settled into his lap. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

They swooped and then soared high into the air, causing Hermione to shriek.

"Are you scared?" His breath was warm in her ear.

She shook her head and smiled. Turning, so he could see her, she said, "That was fun."

"Yes, it is."

Then that awkwardness came upon them again. Hermione licked her lips and waited expectantly. Viktor cleared his throat and looked past her. "I must concentrate on the flying."

Hermione nodded her head and turned. She suddenly realized how very close they were. They'd never touched since the day he'd rescued her from the lake during the second challenge of the Triwizard Tournament and the brief moment he'd held her in the library. They'd certainly never touched so closely.

She was very aware of him as his arms around her tightened or shifted to turn. He explained that their route would take them where they were unlikely to be seen by Muggles, but involved some odd turns in places. The few times that the weather was a little rough, she could feel the muscles in his legs as he guided the broom safely through. For some reason, she didn't feel nervous or afraid. She had absolute trust in Viktor. She knew he would take impeccable care of her.

They arrived at Hermione's house about an hour before sunset. Hermione groaned. "She's still got the monstrosity up."

Indeed, her house was covered by a bright yellow and blue circus tent. The neighbors must be laughing themselves silly over it. If the nargles were gone, though, why was it necessary?

"Is colorful," said Viktor with a voice that sounded choked.

Hermione was determined not to turn and look. If he was laughing, she would hex him, and then there would be trouble. Instead, she marched up her walkway and tried to open the tent flap. It was sealed shut.

She blew out the breath she'd been holding and took out her wand. "Alohomora!" she said.

Nothing happened.

She quickly went through every opening and unlocking spell she could think of, but nothing worked. Luna had the tent sealed tight, even to the point of being fast to the ground.

Hermione walked over to a wrought-iron chair under an oak tree and sat down dejectedly.

"Perhaps it is to keep the nifflers vhere she wants to catch them," said Viktor.

"I'm sure that's it, but I don't like that Luna is all over my house, making my decisions about how to take care of it."

"She is a Ravenclaw? Wery smart, no?"

"Oh yes, she's brilliant, but in a frightening way sometimes. She gets wild ideas and then the cat's among the garden gnomes."

"Is this a problem?"

"Well... I suppose not really, but there's always screaming and a bit of a mess to clear up when it's over."

They walked all over the property. Hermione was reassured that her herb garden had been left entirely alone. To her pleased surprise, her flower garden had been properly winterized. "Perhaps I overreacted."

They returned to the oak tree in the front garden. Hermione turned in a full circle, looking at the treetops. "She's gotten rid of all the mistletoe, just as she said. No new nargles can nest, at least."

"All but one bit." Victor stood right next to her.

"I don't see any."

He pointed up, and Hermione tilted her head to see. Just as she caught a glimpse of the one bunch of mistletoe high in the oak tree, Viktor leaned down and caught her lips with his. His kiss was soft and gentle, but hinted at something more. Before she was ready to stop, it ended. Viktor held her shoulders in his hands and stood at arms' length.

"Is too soon." His face was full of a question. Hermione hoped she was smart enough to have the right answer.

"I don't think so," she answered. She took a step back toward him and lifted her lips expectantly. As she waited, his hands lightly slid up along the curves of her shoulders and under her chin.

He kissed her again, and this time it was more. Without losing any gentleness, he pressed his lips to hers in a way that left her sure that he was very interested in her. When he ended it, she felt lightheaded and clung to his arms.

"I vas right on that day so long ago." He led her to the chair and sat her down in it.

"Right about what?" Although the evening was mild, she felt cold without his nearness.

"I nefer feel this way about another vitch. Never as I feel about Myown."

Looking up at him, the chill she had started to feel melted.

A/N: Thank you to Blue Artemis for her help with this!