Coming Together

Disclaimer: I've snatched a few of J.K.R.'s characters for a bit of fun. I shall return them shortly.

I'd like to thank CocoaChristy for giving this a read through for me.

Viktor wished that the wedding would be over. He hadn't had a moment of privacy with Hermione since the couple had taken their vows. The reception after had proved to be trying the moment he and Hermione broke away to get some drinks. Guests crowded around asking questions and even asking for his autograph. Hermione had slipped off long before to speak to Harry.

He'd always thought that if she would turn to one of her male friends for a relationship that it would be Harry, not Weasley. Many others thought so as well. However, he was not so insecure that he would worry about her now, especially since she'd confessed that she wanted a life with him. He trusted her completely.

Seeing his chance to escape from yet another well wisher, Viktor slipped out onto a path that led behind the Weasleys' home. He sat down on a bench and was instantly joined by a longhaired brunette.

"Hi," she said quietly, "we've met before. I'm Lavender Brown. Do you remember me?"

Viktor couldn't quite place her, but she seemed familiar. Of course, Hermione had told him about the girl in their letters, but he hadn't been able to put a face to the name until that moment.

"Hello," he greeted politely.

"I need to talk to you about Hermione."

"All right." He was cautious and wondered what the girl really wanted. She was no friend to Hermione and had tried intimidating her during the past school year.

"Why are you here with her? Do you want to be here, or did she ask you to come in order to make Ron jealous?"

Viktor scowled at her. "I am Herm-own-ninny's date. You should not be here asking these things."

"Because I'm right! She's wanting to seal her relationship with Ron by making him see what he'd be missing if he ended things with her!" she accused loudly, slight whinge to her voice.

"I luff Herm-own-ninny," he said heatedly, not liking this girl or her words. He stood quickly, nearly unbalancing the bench. "You vill not talk about her this vay to me."

"Oh, Viktor, you poor thing, you've been taken in by her. She's been trying to get Ron away from me all year long, and she finally succeeded when he was upset about things at Hogwarts." She stood and put a hand on his arm to keep him from walking away. "Now that he's having second thoughts, she's dangling you in front of his face to make him want to stay with her, to show her that she must be special if a rich Quidditch star wants her."

Viktor removed her hand. "If I hear you speak about Herm-own-ninny again like this, I vill become angry." He stepped back from her, lifting a hand so that she wouldn't follow. "She told me about you in letters, how you hurt her, and she told me about her feelings for Veasley. Do not think you are giving me any news that I do not know."

Angrily, the girl stalked off back towards the crowds.

"Been trying to do that all along," Ron said, stepping out from behind a nearby tree.

"She is not somevun I vould trust," he said, holding out his hand to the boy. It was grasped and shook.

They both sat down.

"So you love Hermione," Weasley said.

"Yes." Viktor had no reason to lie.

"I do, too," he said softly, looking out into the overgrown, weedy garden. "I wish I would have realized that sooner though."

"Vhat do you mean?" Viktor asked curiously.

"If I would have known what I felt was love, I would have never been with Lavender. I would have been a better person...nicer, braver...and showed her." He sighed. "Now that I know it's love, I believe it's too late." He looked at Viktor. "She doesn't look at me the same way she used to. When we kiss... there's no spark."

Not knowing what to say, Viktor remained quiet.

"When I saw you after we got off the train that day, I started thinking about things. Maybe she and I aren't meant to be, not right now anyway. Maybe we should both do a bit of living and concentrate on being friends and helping Harry." His face reddened. "You won't object to her running about with a couple of blokes, will you?"

"No, I vill not," Viktor said. He didn't let on that he knew something of what he was talking about because he knew that Hermione hadn't had the chance to explain to Weasley about her decision. Perhaps there was no need.

"Treat her well, Viktor. Harry and I... we love her and won't stand for some bloke treating her bad. You'll have us to deal with if you hurt her." He held out his hand, which Viktor grasped.

"Thank you, Ronald."

"'S all right," he replied. "I'm going to go find her and have a talk with her." He stood. "Thanks for talking to me."

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

Hermione was feeling a bit giddy. She and Ron had an excellent talk about their relationship, both deciding that friendship would suit them better. Harry hadn't wanted to include Viktor in things completely with the Horcrux searches, but he said that they could include him as much as possible and eventually clue him in on everything. Harry felt it was safer for them and Viktor to keep things private for now.

As Viktor walked Hermione to her door, her stomach began flipping about nervously. He nodded to her, pulled her hand up to his lips, and pressed a kiss upon it.

"I vill think of you tonight," he said softly. "Today vas a good day."

She clutched his hand as he moved to pull away from her. "Tonight can be good, too," she said boldly, "and you don't have to just think about me. Be with me."

His eyes widened, and he automatically looked down the hall to the stairway as if expecting her parents to appear. His gaze slowly made its way back to hers, and his free hand lifted to cup her face.

"I vill not rush you."

She could hear the slight waver in his voice. He didn't want her to feel obligated to be with him, but he did want her.

"It's been years for us, Viktor. I don't think we've rushed."

His lips pressed against hers, and he began backing her into her darkened room, deepening their kiss as he did so. Minutes later, her door had been closed and locked, Silencing Charms in place, and her hair had been pulled down to tumble about her shoulders and back wildly.

"You are so beautiful," he said after their eyes adjusted to the bright moonlight.

Emboldened, she reached behind her and began unzipping her dress. Once it was unzipped, she pushed it down from one shoulder, then the next, and finally after only a moment of uncertainty, she pushed it down towards her waist, revealing her light blue chemise. She wiggled, and it dropped to her feet where she stepped away from it and kicked off her heels. Clad only in her chemise and stockings, she awaited his approval.

Viktor reached out with shaky hands, placing one on either side of her face, slowly moving down and touching her throat, her collarbones, up and down each arm, the swells of her breasts and finally resting on her waist, pulling her closer.

"I haff luffed you for a long time and haff dreamed of this," he whispered. "This vill not be taking anything. This vill be giving myself to you for all my life."

Touched beyond words, she lifted up on her tiptoes and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. As the kiss intensified, he quickly discarded his clothing, leaving him unabashedly naked in the moonlight.

She looked at his body, purposely avoiding that part of him, and took in the sight of a well-fit man. His chest was broad, muscular, and had a fair share of hair upon it. Tentatively, she reached out and softly ran her hands over it, scraping her nails against his skin and smiling at the way it felt and the moan it elicited from him. His arms were strong and stocky. His thighs were also bulky and sturdy. And his hard...

"Oh, my," she breathed, eyes lifting to meet his.

His hands fell to her waist and tugged the silky fabric of her chemise up and over her head. He pulled it to his face and inhaled the scent of the perfume she'd sprayed upon it.

"You alvays smell so good," he said as the garment dropped to the floor. It was his turn to take in her body, eyes roaming and lingering.

His smile and the love in his eyes reassured her that he was pleased with what he saw. She nearly stepped away as he knelt down and began to pull down her stockings and knickers. She stepped out of them and was completely bare for him.

From his position on the floor, he looked up at her, desire in his dark eyes, and in that instant, she knew she'd made the right decision. She wanted Viktor to be her first lover...possibly her only lover. The love she felt for him was enough to prove how right their lovemaking was.

His lips found and kissed her stomach, tongue tipping out to taste her flesh. His fiery trail moved up between her breasts, across her throat, and to her left earlobe. He whispered, "I luff you."

"I love you," she repeated, body tingling from the sound of his voice in her ear.

He eased her back onto the bed and began the unhurried exploration of her body, tasting her flesh, gently fondling her breasts. In turn, her hands touched and caressed every part of him. When his finger slipped into her, delving into her wetness, she gasped, wanting more. She was ready. It was time.

They moved around to where Viktor was between her thighs and pressing his firm erection into her, one inch at a time, breaking through her hymen, but not painfully so. Once he was completely in, he asked, voice strained, "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "I feel full." She kissed his cheek. "Complete somehow."

He pulled out and pushed in again, a little more forcefully.

"Ah," she called out, digging her nails into his back. "Ouch."

"It vill be better. I svear it."

And before long, it was. The slight stabbing feeling was replaced by something else, a nice friction, though she couldn't exactly relax enough to completely enjoy his body, mind too full of wonder and awe of what she and he were actually doing.

When he eventually admitted that he could not last any longer, she whispered, "Please don't wait for me. My pleasure will come another time." She moved with him through his release and held him close after, kissing his sweaty brow and gliding her hands over his dampened back.

Three little words were floating through her mind continuously: We did it! We did it! We did it! Then, three other words took their place: He loves me! He loves me! He loves me! She then whispered three words to him, " I loved this."

He lifted his head. "It is not finished." He slid his hand down her body and moved aside, intending to touch her intimately. She stopped his hand.

"I'm a little sore at the moment." Hermione quickly kissed away his disappointment. "We have forever to get this right. All of our lives."

Viktor nodded and slid out of the bed to get his wand. He cast a charm that tingled through her entire body, cleaning away the evidence of their coupling. "Ve are not ready to be parents, I think." She shook her head in agreement. He then chanted a contraceptive charm, which made her pelvic area feel cold for a moment.

He crawled back into bed with her, simply holding her to him, entangling his legs in hers. After they both slept for a while, woke again, and started caressing one another, Hermione was able to relax enough for him to touch her and coax her into a small climax, leaving her body feeling boneless and open in invitation.

Of course he accepted, making them one again.

Just before dawn, after waking and kissing her, Viktor crept back to his room, not wanting her parents to notice that they'd shared a room. Hermione knew that it was a new beginning for them. Their lives were now changed forever. Grinning, she knew it was for the better. She might not yet be eighteen, but she felt strongly about the things she wanted in her life: She wanted to help Harry defeat the Dark Lord in any way she had to. She wanted to stay in her friend's lives. She wanted to sit for her N.E.W.T.s the moment she had the chance. She wanted a career. She wanted Viktor.

She was uncertain what the future held, but for now, they would face it together. Never in her life had she felt more confident about herself or secure in her future. There was no way that Voldemort could win...not with the world being so full of love, miracles, and new beginnings.

Southern's Notes: And that ends the Viktor and Hermione tale that I've tried to weave. As I said before, this was for my friend, Lorraine Bluestar, who truly enjoys this ship and has talked me into taking it for a ride. Thanks to those of you who've been following and also to those who have been kind enough to let me know what you thought.

I've purposely left this a little open. I think that everyone can decide what they'd like to happen. Does their love last? Does she eventually end up with Ron? Does Snape come into her life later? (Oops, my other ship is sliding in, eh?) Does Voldemort win? You decide. I know that I believe in happily ever after themes....

Christy's Notes: I am not a Hermione/Viktor shipper, but I loved this fic. With my happily ever after mind, I have them married, when she is older of course, and two or three little ones running around! Great job, Southern!