The War of the Unwilling Hearts (Harry Potter fanfic [Viktor Krum])

Just Maybe

Viktor and I had been on friendly terms for three months. I had taken Sebastian's advice to heart and I was patient with Viktor and in return he took to recognising when I'd reached my limits with his ego. It was unreasonable for me to expect for it to vanish but it seemed that more and more he strove to do it anyway; get rid of the person he put on and just be himself. Of course, certain boundaries maintained as far as others were concerned and I learned there was nothing he could do to remedy his naturally jealous ways.

"Read this." He hands me a book from across the table in the Hogwart's library. We'd been sitting here since dinner since we'd gotten special permission. It's a book of poems so I can't help but raise an eyebrow at him. "Read." He urges. "The one on the right."

It's a poem by Walt Whitman called 'To a Stranger'.

'PASSING stranger! you do not know how longingly I look upon you, 
You must be he I was seeking, or she I was seeking, (it comes to me, as of a dream,) 
I have somewhere surely lived a life of joy with you, 
All is recall’d as we flit by each other, fluid, affectionate, chaste, matured, 
You grew up with me, were a boy with me, or a girl with me,
I ate with you, and slept with you—your body has become not yours only, nor left my body
mine
only, 
You give me the pleasure of your eyes, face, flesh, as we pass—you take of my beard,
breast,
hands, in return, 
I am not to speak to you—I am to think of you when I sit alone, or wake at night alone, 
I am to wait—I do not doubt I am to meet you again, 
I am to see to it that I do not lose you.'

I read in in my head. It takes my own words away because somehow it makes me feel guilty.

"It's beautiful." I tell him and he takes the book with a shy grin. "Viktor?" He nods. "Do you notice when people stare at you?"

"Only ven you're vith me."

"They're still looking at you."

"I always think they are looking at you."

"Oh." I say dumbly.

"Vi do you ask?" Viktor sets the book down on the table.

"When we walk together things seem tenser with everyone else." I admit.

"Does it bother you?" Viktor sits forward in his chair.

"No. I just notice."

"Good." I raise an eyebrow at him. "I want us to go to one of these Hogsmeade trips together." I nod in agreeance.

"Until then, we need to get back to the ship for class." Viktor groans.

"An hour of Karkaroff's sleepy lecturing." He lulls his head from side to side dramatically and it makes me laugh. Viktor helps me clean up my parchments and puts them neatly in my bag while I put the books in their proper places. "Have you spoken to Sebastian and your mother?" He asks tentatively.

"The baby is supposed to be here any day but neither of them will tell me anything. I'm not prying though; it's the only secret my mother's been able to keep for this long." I shrug. "They mostly fill-up their letter with questions about me and you."

"Vaht do they ask?" Viktor hands me my bag.

"Just how you're doing." I lie a little. Viktor grins knowingly and slides his hand down my arm to intertwine our fingers and it makes my heart jump. We didn't hold hands. We didn't show any of the small affections in public that we shared in private.

"How is that?" He smirks.

"It feels like my heart itself as been electrified." I gulp. He chuckles and kisses my forehead, leading my out of the library with our hands still stitched together in the most secure yet delicate of ways.