(Sort of) Home for the Holidays III

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

Valentine’s day approached. Hermione received a letter from the Burrow and spent several minutes staring at it without opening it. She'd been waiting for a letter from Ron's family, and now that it was here, she dreaded it.

The letter sat on the table.

“Vot is this?”

“I believe it's a letter from Molly Weasley.”

“Do you expect bad news?”

“No, actually, it's probably an invitation to dinner. She said ages ago that she'd write me when she was able to get the whole family together.”

“And this is problem?”

“Most likely not.” Hermione laughed at herself. “I do seem to borrow trouble, don't I?”

“Am I invited?”

Hermione tilted her head. “I hope so. If the whole family is there to grill me, I'd like you to be there. You handled my father so well.”

“I go to remind father of duty toward daughter. Is how I plan to watch over our daughters.”

“Our daughters?”

“As peautiful as their mother and yust as precious.”

Hermione stared into his eyes for a moment before realizing that she was twisting Molly's letter in her hand. Happy for something to do, she finally broke the seal and scanned it. Then she groaned.

“Oh, dear. We're invited for next Sunday dinner since it's Valentine’s Day. Everyone will be there, including spouses. Here's what she says about you: 'I hear Viktor Krum is at Hogwarts this year. I hope you bring him with you. I never thanked him properly for his help during the night of Bill and Fleur's wedding.' Everyone seems to know as much about my business as I do these days. It's as if there's a conversation going on behind my back.” Hermione's eyes narrowed. “What do you know?”

“If your family talks about you, I know wery little.”

“How did you get this job, anyway?”

“Ah, that does involve Harry Potter. He tells them to offer me job last spring and I accept.”

“Why would he tell them?” Hermione asked.

* * * * *

“They asked me who would be a good Defense professor, and Viktor came to mind,” said Harry at dinner on Sunday.

For some reason, she felt the need to press her point. “But why would Viktor come to mind?”

Harry sighed and ran his hand through his hair, smoothing it down before ruffling it back up like his father.

“You do realize you're an absolute prat when you do that,” said Hermione.

He kissed her cheek. “And it's your job to keep me humble.”

Harry didn't speak for a minute or two, so she had to remind him. “Harry? Viktor's job?”

Harry looked with an embarrassed face at Viktor and then shrugged. “I'd just read a magazine article about his retirement, and I thought he might be interested.”

“What magazine?”

“Give it a rest, Hermione, and pass the butter.” Ginny's hand reached over her husband's plate. Hermione did as asked and looked at her own plate.

“And anyway, the reason we're all here is to find out about Viktor.” Ginny continued.

Several pieces of silverware clinked onto plates.

“Ginny,” said Percy.

“Don't tell me we all haven't wondered about it,” said Ginny. “What's going on? Have you two found any broom closets that the rest of us missed?”

Hermione felt heat rush to her face. “I'm not sure now is the best time...”

“Why would Aunt Hermione look for broom closets, Mum?” asked Albus.

James said, “Sometimes boys and girls go in there to kiss.”

“James!” said one the wives down the table.

Hermione could feel Viktor shaking next to her. She didn't dare look at him. After the way he acted about the ink, he must be enraged.

“Teddy said that's what all the kids do,” said James.

“Who'd want to kiss a boy?” asked Roxanne. “Don't they have cooties?”

Luna was sitting halfway down the table. Perhaps Hermione could redirect the conversation. “When will my house be ready to live in, Luna?”

Luna and Charlie had been gazing at each other. Now he nodded toward Hermione and Luna turned. “What? Oh, yes, Hermione. Your house will be ready when everything is gone that keeps you from living happily within it.”

Had Luna become even more obtuse? “What does that mean? Have you found something since the Bundimun on the back wall?”

Luna looked startled and then smiled. “Oh, yes, the Bundimun... well, there was a boggart or two in the attic, and I'm not sure what's under the floor in the study. I'm sure everything will come out fine by the end of the school year.”

Suddenly Lily Luna burst out as though she couldn't hold it any longer. “I'm NOT going to Hogwarts if it means I have to kiss boys in broom closets. That's icky.”

If anything, Viktor's shaking intensified at that, and he likewise burst out, but in a laugh. “No, Miss Potter, yu vill not do such a t'ing! I myself vill giff detention to any boy who tries.”

Lily's worried face melted into a smile. “Really?”

“On my honor,” answered Viktor.

“Which brings us back to the main point,” said George. “Are your intentions toward our Hermione honorable?”

Hermione looked at Viktor and shook her head. “You don't have to answer—”

“Vhy not? I speak to father. Now I speak to brother and rest of family. Vhen she is ready, Hermione is vitch I marry. She is only vitch for me.” Looking into his face, Hermione realized that he was slightly choked up because he felt so very much for her. She blinked hard; something was in her own eyes.

“Oh, so romantic,” sighed little Molly and Lucy together.

“Hermione, next time I ask ve vill be ready. Vhen I do, vill you agree to marry me?”

Time seemed to stop, and there was a strange sound in the room. Hermione realized it was silence and that the entire family had stopped talking. All of Weasleykind was holding its breath in anticipation of her answer.

“Yes.” She said it softly, but everyone heard it. They certainly saw the smile on Viktor's face.

The room erupted in gasps and cheers, but Hermione looked at Harry, whose face was contented. George and Bill started to chant, “Kiss her!”

Viktor looked at Molly with something very like mischief on his face. “Do ve need broom closet?”

All the adults looked toward Molly, who shook her head. Everyone laughed, and while they were thus occupied, Viktor leaned down and kissed Hermione. When he pulled away slightly, she said, “You knew just how to do that so there wouldn't be as much attention!”

“I too haff big family,” he replied as his lips came back to hers.

* * * * *

He kissed her again at the door of her rooms, and she held on to him a moment. “Viktor, why so many proposals? Why not just ask me once and be done with it?”

He pushed some of her hair away from her face. “Yu are wery smart vitch, and library is full of books.”

He kissed her again, the sort of kiss that Hermione had been starting to wonder if he ever planned to share with her. After a minute... or minutes... whenever it was that time started again... she knew without a doubt that there would be such kisses and eventually a great many other things.

“Are you saying I should look it up? Is it some sort of tradition?”

“Is good boyfriend to let yu haff the pleasure of discovering this yurself.”

With one last soft kiss, he left her there.

Thank you to Blue Artemis for all her help!