Krum Chronicles

Chapter 6 : Krum Manor

Both Viktor and Hermione felt the tug at their navels as they apparated and landed in a large dark red room. While the walls of the living room were opaque and cream the furniture was large and a deep blood red. The Krum family crest hung above the mantle and just below it the empty fireplace where their entrance to the Floo Network originally resided. Viktor could feel a familiar sensation begin to heat his body. He was home.

"Ivank is that you? Could you go back to the market and bring me some more pumpkin paste?" Viktor heard his mother, speaking his native tongue, the question echoed through the corridor which separated the large kitchen from the even larger living room. "Ivank did you--" she halted completely as she pushed through the red oak door which hung on silver hinged to the door frame. She looked up making eye contact with her son. Her eyes welled and she called him. "Viktor." He looked to her and smiled. Hermione knew that smile, it was the rarest of expressions. She knew he was engulfed in utter happiness when that smile slowly danced across his face. The only other time she had seen him smile like that was when they would fly around the Hogwarts grounds together during the school year.

"Mama." He replied with a heartfelt smile, and he motioned towards his mother embracing her. she hugged him back and kissed him on each cheek.

"Look at you!" She continued in their native tongue."That disgusting ship, you reek of the sea! Go upstairs, bathe and change. We are having a special dinner just for your return."

"VIKTOR!" He heard his younger brother Dagonuk call him. As Viktor turned away from his mother he felt a force slam into his leg almost knocking him off of his feet.

"Dag!" Viktor said laughing as he hugged his younger brother. He knew how much it meant to him considering that he was closest to Dag in age. "How are you?" He asked straightening his back as he regained his full balance and the boy in question pulled away from him.

"Great! Miknee' has been teaching me the motions I must make with my wand if I want to be a successful as her in the institute. Viktor looked to Hermione ready to translate what his younger brother said before he was cut off.

"It's true. Dag here has an excellent rotation and an even better flick in his wrist then I did when I began at Hogwarts." Hermione replied smoothly in Bulgarian.

"Mina?" Viktor asked confused yet honored at the same time.

"Yes?" She replied with a smile.

"Are you speaking Bulgarian?"

"Oh. Why, yes . Yes I am." Hermione quipped.

"But-but how? Just last week you didn't understand a word I or any of my shipmates were saying."

"I knew exactly what you were saying. I've been teaching myself Bulgarian since you asked me to spend the summer with you." She saw the look on his face change. "I-I hope that wasn't too forward of me. I just wanted to close the language gap. I am not fully fluent yet but Sofia was help--" Hermione's words were cut off by Viktor's lips. He kissed her passionately, overwhelmed with how honored he was that she would learn an entire language just for their relationship.

"Luff." Viktor said in English breaking away from Hermione's lips and holding her arms. "You did not haff to do that. Ve haff never had hard time knoving vat each other says."

"Yes, but I feel like I owed you this. You learned English best as you could, the least I could do was learn Bulgarian." Viktor's hands snaked down her arms and he took her hands in his kissing them both.

"Thank you Luff."

"No thank you needed Viktor." He kissed her forehead and heard his little brother make fun of he and Hermione.

"Yuck!" Dag said sticking his tongue out as though he had a bad taste in his mouth. Viktor laughed releasing Hermione and motioning towards his little brother. He grabbed him and took him upon his shoulder ran towards the sofa and dropped him. The pillows lined up on the couch seemed to have swallowed Dag but he just laughed, hopped to his feet and began to chase Viktor around the table sitting low to the floor in the center of the living room. Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and smiled. Viktor hadn't even taken his coat off yet.

"Okay, okay." Sofia said breaking her sons apart from one another. Go get washed up. Your father and brothers should be here soon."

"But mamaaaa." Both sons whined.

"Buts are for bread. Now go." Sofia said sternly looking at her sons pointing in the direction of the main stairs. Hermione understood where Viktor got his strong attitude from.

"Dah." Viktor said bowing his head to his mother. "Come love." He said in his native tongue now looking to Hermione. Hermione gladly reached out her hand and Viktor wrapped his fingers around hers. As they walked up the stairs Dag rushed past them. Hermione simply giggles when Viktor says "That boy has so much energy. Not even I had that much energy at 10 years old."

"I don't think anyone did. Except perhaps Fred and George." Viktor laughed knowing that she was referring to the red headed Weasley twins. They approached the door to his room and he knew that Hermione would not enter, not this soon in her visit anyways. Little did he know that while he was away she had stayed in his room. He opened the door to his room to see a slightly worn throw-blanket on his king sized bed. "Erm.." he said just loud enough so he could hear himself. He approached the blanket and picked it up questioning whether or not it was a fans gift (which sometimes got through the protective charms he had placed on his wing of Krum Manor in order to keep intimate gifts from crazed fans away.)

"Oh!" Hermione said realizing what Viktor was doing. She rushed forward to him and tried to grab hold of the blanket. "Thats mine." Viktor looked up to Hermione with kind eyes, realizing what it meant. "I-i've been staying here since you weren't. Didn't feel comfortable in the guest room, too lonely. At Hogwarts Lavender and Pavarti were always in the room so even though I didn't speak to them, I knew they were there. I hope you don't think that weird, that I slept here without you."

"Luff," Viktor replied in English cupping her cheek in his hand. "Is not veird, it is sweet. I haff missed you very much Mina and vish that I could haff been here so you vould not sleep alone." Hermione smiled and placed her hand lightly over Viktor's.

"I wish you were too," replying in English, "I'll get my stuff right out of here though, now that you're here i'll return to the guest room." She pulled away from him but before Hermione could retrieve her things Viktor grabbed her arm and spun her back into his warm embrace.

"You don't haff to leave luff. You could stay here. If you vant." He stated hoping that she would adhere to his request. She looked up to him and held his hand in hers.

"Let's see, if after dinner I am too tired to go to my own room." She said in his native tongue, with a smirk playing her lips. Viktor laughed lightly and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you Mina." he replied before letting her go. "I am going to shower and get changed for dinner. I'll see you downstairs?" He was trying to get accustomed with speaking to Hermione in his native.

"Mhm." She nodded, flashed him a soft smile and proceeded out of his room and down the long hall to her room to freshen up and change for dinner as well. Viktor watched her leave his room and smiled to himself.

How did I get so lucky? He thought to himself and walked into his wardrobe to choose an outfit, when he did he entered into his private bathroom and closed the door behind him.