Working Things Out

Disclaimer: I've borrowed some of J.K.R.'s characters and am having a bit of fun with them. I'll return them shortly.

I'd like to thank CocoaChristy for looking this over for me.

Hermione smiled as Viktor washed dishes the Muggle way, getting most of his shirt and trousers wet in the process. "I don't think that they will notice if we used a bit of magic," she said conspiratorially, looking to see if her parents were near. She tossed down the towel she'd been drying the dishes with and flicked her wand a few times.

"Vould they be upset?" he asked.

"No, they wouldn't mind, but I've not really used much magic here...especially not in front of them, just coming of age in the Wizarding world last September and all." She grinned impishly as he looked around before flicking his wand.

"I never did like housevork," he said. He held a hand out to her. "Vould you like to go out to that sving that I saw in the back?"

"Yes," she said, stomach tingling as she placed her hand in his. When they got to the door, her father stopped them.

"Hermione, Viktor, a program is coming on the telly if you want to watch it with us?" he offered. "It may be a little boring for you, but we dentists think highly of it."

"Er... we're going to go out back before Viktor has to leave," she said, nodding towards the backdoor.

"Right," her father said. "Where will you be staying?" His wife walked up beside him. The three Grangers looked at him expectantly; none had asked this question during dinner.

"I haff not decided. I just vanted to be near Herm-own-ninny," he said, looking down at her with an odd expression. "I vant to spend time vith her... and you," he added quickly, nodding at her parents. "It has been so long since I haff been seeing you."

Hermione blushed and realized that she wanted him to stay nearby. She'd missed him so much, and she'd been surprised to see that he hadn't changed all that much in his face...his looks, his expressions...but his body was more of man's than the large boy she remembered. He still had the same walk that made her think of a duck, but it was endearing. She wondered what he thought of her, but her ponderings were interrupted by her mother's next sentence.

"Well, you can stay here with us! We wouldn't have you put up in some place when it's us you want to visit," Jane said happily. "We've a guest room upstairs next to Hermione's."

"You may need to allow us to clear it up. We've a few boxes stored in there, but we could put them in the corner," John offered.

"I vould appreciate this," Viktor said. He turned to Hermione. "I vill stay here if you vould not mind."

"No, of course not," she said, biting her lip so that she wouldn't say more in front of her parents.

"Vill your boyfriend, Veasley, be upset?" he asked suddenly.

"O-oh," she stammered. Bloody hell. I haven't been thinking of Ron. "Well, he's..."

"Are you and Ronald seeing each other?" her mother inquired.

"No, I mean... I don't know," she replied dumbly. "I mean, I guess we are a bit more than friends, but he never said... We've never made any real decision on anything definite." She swallowed thickly. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind anyway. Viktor's been a friend for years."

Her parents smiled at each other knowingly. "We'll be watching the telly. You can help him settle in if you'd like."

"Yes, use some of your magic to move the boxes for us," her father said.

"John," her mother said with a grin, swatting him on the arm.

"What? It would save us the time."

Hermione laughed and pulled Viktor out into the heated evening air. "There are no lights on back here. Did you want me to put one on, or will the moonlight do?"

"The moonlight vill be fine," he said.

She sat on the swing and moved back once he'd sat next to her. What happened next surprised her. His hand was on her cheek, and his mouth was over hers, lips brushing hers in a soft kiss. He pulled back.

"I vant to kiss you."

"I... I think you just did," she murmured.

"I vant to really kiss you," he said.

"Then do," she agreed, lifting a hand to touch his face, tracing his jaw in the dim moonlight. "Oh, Viktor, I can't believe you are here... now... I thought..."

"I know vhat you thought." He gave her no time to respond, bringing his lips back down to hers. This time his mouth was more demanding, the kiss firmer and seeking.

She parted her lips in invitation. He accepted eagerly, tongues meeting and tangling excitedly. Her hand dropped to his shoulder and tugged him closer as her other one slid around to cup the back of his head. One of his hands dropped to her waist while the other still held her face gently. When he finally ended their kiss and pressed his forehead against hers, she was breathless and thought of nothing else...aside from the need to clutch him to her.

"I missed you so much," she finally mumbled. "I didn't ever think you'd be here with me after all this time."

"I haff been thinking that I haff stayed avay too long," he said. "I vill protect you, Herm-own-ninny. Alvays."

"Don't throw your career away for me," she said suddenly. "Please don't feel that you have to put your life on hold for mine. Mr. Weasley told my father that Aurors and Order members are working together to watch over our house."

"I luff you," he said simply. "This is vhere I should be, vhere I vant to be."

She pulled back to look into his eyes. He still loved her even after she'd written to him about her feelings for Ron, even after he'd seen Ron's slight possessiveness and kiss, even though she was uncertain as to what she wanted. What did she want? She wanted to tell him that she still loved him, too, but would that be fair? She knew she did love him, but it wasn't as strongly as he loved her. And there was Ron.

Ron was finally treating her better. He fancied her and wanted her to be his girl... sort of. He hadn't made any declarations, but it was obvious that he assumed her to be his. She'd allowed him to hold and snog her some, though it had lacked the feeling that the simplest touch from Viktor gave her.

But she did love him. Sort of. It was more than fancying him, what she felt.

"I do love you, Viktor," she said cautiously, "but there are other things that you must know."

"You luff Veasley," he stated, not releasing his hold on her when she tried to pull back completely.

"I do have feelings for him," she admitted. "It could be love."

"You vill decide vhat you vant, and I vill not force you," he said, brushing his lips against her cheek and then releasing her. "It vill be hard not to touch you this vay."

"You don't have to not touch me."

"Ve vill see vhat happens."

She nodded and allowed him to pull her against his chest. They stayed that way for a long while, listening to the nocturnal sounds around them and the quiet creaking of the swing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Did he reply to your letter?" her mother asked.

Hermione nodded and gave the letter to her mother.

Hermione,

Ron

"What do I do, Mum?" Hermione asked.

"What does your heart tell you?"

Hermione sighed and plopped down onto a nearby chair. "I'd given up on having anything with Viktor. I'd always cared about him, even felt that I loved him, but as time passed, it seemed that we would never be. So... I started thinking of Ron and was utterly jealous when he had a girlfriend."

"And?" her mother prodded.

"And now that I finally have the chance to be his, I find myself wondering if it's what I really want. I'd hate to pass up a chance to be with Viktor for something that might not work out." She put her hands over her face. "When we kissed, Ron and I, it seemed that something was missing. It was all I'd wanted for a few months and yet..."

"Not at all as you'd imagined," her mother finished wisely, sitting next to her. "How does it feel when you kiss your Viktor?"

"Mum!" Hermione said, looking at her mother through her fingers, feeling her face heat up. At her mother's pointed look, she grinned and answered, "It's like I'm alive. I can feel every part of my body at once, and it makes me want to laugh and just hold him tighter."

"Do you know that I still feel that way at times when your father and I are together?"

"Really?"

Jane nodded. "Yes, definitely." After looking away for a moment, she added, "I nearly married someone else."

"What?"

"Yes, your father's cousin," she confided. "My father and his father were friends, and they were pressuring us to wed. It's how I met your father. I was confused over it. I had my family's wishes and my own." She blushed prettily. "When he pulled me aside and kissed me one day, I knew that I could never marry anyone but him. I'd never felt so alive before that moment. Life had never felt so good."

"Thanks, Mum," Hermione said, feeling as if things were clearer to her suddenly.

Being with Ron seemed to be what everyone expected: Harry and the Weasleys anyway. Too much had happened between them, what with the things he'd done and said to her. She'd rather have him as a friend rather than nothing at all. Perhaps a relationship would ruin things for the three of them. She didn't want to not have him or Harry in her life. And she wanted Viktor in her life. Where did he fit if she dated Ron?

He was stepping away from his career and had never stopped hoping that she would feel something more for him. He wanted her to be safe and would see to it that she was. Ron would do the same, but... Well, would he? She supposed he would protect her with his life, but she was uncertain he would walk away from fame and fortune just for her. In fact, it was nearly all he dreamed of at times...being wealthy and possibly well known.

It would have to be Viktor. She could rekindle things with him easily. Each night for the past week, he'd kissed her before going to his own room, leaving her wanting just one more touch, just one more kiss.

"I'm going to go out to the garden and rescue Viktor from dad. I think we need to have a talk," she said firmly, slipping the letter into her pocket.

"You do that," her mother said, smiling softly. "Tell your father I'd like to talk to him."

"All right."

She quickly made her way to where her father was explaining to Viktor about his favorite plants. She watched them for a minute before they noticed her.

After sending her father to see her mother, she took Viktor's hand and kissed its palm.

"Vait. I vas in the dirt vith it," he said, wiping his hand on his pants.

"I don't care about that," she whispered.

He caught on that something had changed. "Herm-own-ninny?"

"Ron wrote to me. He knows that I intend to bring you to the wedding," she began.

"And?"

She noted that he seemed anxious, his jaw tightening slightly as if he expected her to dismiss him.

"And I realized that he and I are better off as friends only." She smiled hopefully. "I'd like to tell him after the wedding that we shouldn't get involved, being that Dumbledore's death sort of threw us together and being that we have to finish helping Harry and not allow personal things to get between us and maybe mess things up."

"Does this mean that you vill luff only me?" he asked, a light shining in his eyes.

She nodded. "I want to try. Will you give me some time to adjust? To explain to him that he and I should only be friends?" She frowned, brow creasing. "Please don't think that I'm ashamed. I just hate to hurt him or to make him think he lost me to you. It would make things worse."

"Do not tell him that you haff decided to vant me," Viktor said.

"Well, I don't want to lie either. It's confusing."

"It vill cause more pain and maybe harm your friendship," he said. "Just let him belieff that you vant to be only friends for the reason you said. He vill understand better that way, I think."

"But I don't want to have to hide my relationship with you, and I don't want to be dishonest with my friends." She bit her lip in thought. "I suppose I don't have to tell him about anything with us right away." She hugged Viktor close, afraid the moment would pass, and she'd find that they'd not taken the step towards a real relationship.

"Ve vill be all right. I svear it."

"I am going to think about what I will say to him. We still have a couple of days. I'll write back to him and let him know." She pulled back. "Viktor, there is something that I have to tell you. I've not even fully explained it to my parents."

"Vhat is it?" he asked curiously, guiding her to the swing.

"It's something that I promised Harry I wouldn't tell anyone, and he needs my help to do this in order to defeat Voldemort."

"You vill not put yourself in danger," he stated.

"I will do what needs to be done to help Harry. I have given my word." She smiled. "To not do this would be wrong, wouldn't be me. It's what I have to do at all costs."

"Then I vill follow you and help you."

"Let me talk to Harry about this, and I'll see if he minds letting you in on it. I think that another mind and set of hands could help us." She leaned close and kissed his cheek. "Let's go in and get ready for dinner."

"All right," he agreed, voice emotional.

"What's wrong?"

"Thinking of you being in danger... I do not like it," he admitted. "Vhat if I fail you?"

"Don't think that way," she said softly. "I have a feeling that we will do this."

"Together."

"Yes."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione was surprised to see that Lavender Brown had been invited to the wedding, which was taking place on the sunny grounds of the Burrow. She nodded at the girl who coolly glanced her way momentarily before moving to stand near Ron.

"Hermione," Harry called, raising a hand in greeting. "Krum."

"Hi," she said, guiding Viktor over to her friends.

It seemed that Ginny and Harry were on speaking terms again. Ron looked indecisive for a moment, gazing from Viktor to Hermione, but he nodded in greeting and remained where he was.

"We'd hoped you'd come earlier," Ginny said, smiling happily. She looked around. "Be careful. The twins have been talking about getting with Viktor to talk on something." She extended a hand to Viktor, which he took and placed a small kiss on, causing her to blush. "Er... I wouldn't trust them too much," she warned.

"I say!" a voice said from behind. "Is that Viktor Krum?"

"Yes, it is," said another.

"Oh, no," Hermione said, looking worriedly at Viktor. "I'm sorry. I didn't think about your fame or guests bothering you."

"Yeah, Vicky's so bloody famous and all that," Ron muttered. Everyone turned to face Ron, who reddened immediately. "But he'll never be as famous as my best mate, Harry Potter, though."

In that instant, Hermione realized that she'd made the best decision of her life when she'd decided to choose Viktor. It felt even better that she'd done so before seeing Ron revert back to his immature behavior. Was that why Lavender was there? Had he made a decision of his own?

"Come on, you lot," Molly called. "It's time!"

Hermione and the others...except for Ron and Ginny, as they were part of the wedding...followed her into the crowd, choosing seats near the back. Viktor sat between Lavender and Hermione, who had Harry on her left.

"What's going on?" he whispered.

"I'm not sure," she replied. "Do you mean with Viktor or Ron?"

"Both?"

She couldn't lie to Harry. She slyly looked to Viktor to see him listening to Lavender's chatter. As quietly as she could, she told Harry, "I think that he's the one for me. I think that Ron and I are better off as friends." She bit her lip while he gazed at her, thinking of what she'd said.

He nodded slowly. "I think he's been thinking along the same lines."

A breath of relief left her. "Really?"

"Yeah, he said that maybe you and he should just be mates for now... until what we need to do is over." He widened his eyes for emphasis.

"Right. I agree." She nodded towards Lavender. "And her?"

"Mrs. Weasley sent her the invite a while back. Someone had let slip that they were... er... you know."

"Oh, all right." She nodded thoughtfully. "How did he take it? Her showing up I mean?"

"He was worried that you would be upset, but then he reasoned that you didn't seem to mind if he was upset about Viktor visiting your family." Harry shrugged. "That's when he admitted that maybe he was too young to be in a serious relationship anyway, though you are all he's wanted for a while...even when he was with her."

This made Hermione feel a little guilty. "I've given this thought, and I feel that a relationship would ultimately ruin things for us, all of us. I want us to always be friends no matter who we end up with."

Harry nodded. "Ginny and I... Well, I decided that she'd be safe enough while we're off looking for... you know."

Hermione nodded. "I needed to ask you about that." She gestured to Viktor. "Do you think he could join us? Could I clue him in?"

He frowned. "I don't know. Let's talk later. Here comes Fleur."

A quick nod of agreement and Hermione looked behind her to watch Fleur slowly walk towards Bill. She was a vision of beauty and had hypnotized all present...except for Viktor it seemed. He was looking at Hermione and had pulled her hand into his.

"One day, you vill be valking to me like this." It was more than a simple statement. He was letting her know exactly what he felt for her and that he was ready to settle down. He was four years older than she was, so it was a possibility.

Tears misted her eyes, and she smiled madly, envisioning being Viktor's bride-to-be, walking to meet him. She would be eighteen in just a couple of months, and she was already thinking of her own wedding. Didn't all girls dream of those things at some point in their lives? Her old Housemates, Lavender included, had mentioned weddings and things before. She pushed those thoughts aside. They had all the time in the world.

Ron, Ginny, and the others in the wedding party had already taken their places, but Hermione and Harry had missed it, as they'd been talking. She hoped that nobody had noticed. She didn't feel like answering any questions. It was bad enough that Harry seemed reluctant to let Viktor know about their new mission...not that she could blame him. It would be a disappointment, but she'd think of something to make it work. But later...

She simply needed to get through the wedding, talk to Ron, and finish her conversation with Harry. As far as Viktor... Well, there would be time later when they returned home to maybe advance things a little farther between them. Wasn't it about time they explored a little more? Shouldn't she show him what she was feeling? Shouldn't she allow him to do the same?

Southern's Notes: Sorry it took so long to update. That bites, I know, but I've been a busy little lass. Really.

Christy's Notes: Our Hermione is ready to take the next step. I am glad she chose Viktor. Ron is too immature for her.