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Viktor Nikiforov, Head Boy of Hufflepuff, Quidditch Captain and Seeker, wizarding exam extraordinaire, and recent recipient of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award, nearly falls off his broom the moment he sees him.

He had been ready for a neat and nimble landing, calling to the others as practice ended. The oncoming mass of red and gold he had spotted had marked that. The Gryffindors had the pitch next, and he had meant to shout out a greeting to the other Captain as he descended. Then he had noticed him.

A boy he's never seen before in his life strolls out onto the pitch with his team. As Viktor catches his balance, his eyes glued to this boy, he suddenly notices his Prefect's badge. How? He hadn't seen him in the Prefects' carriage on the Hogwarts Express.

Except, he realizes, he had.

The Head Boy and Girl generally instruct the Prefects of their respective Houses, but within the cramped confines of the compartments near the front of the train, Viktor had nearly overlooked a very awkward fifth year in the corner. He had spared a brief thought to wonder if he had what it took to be a Prefect before turning away towards his own.

And here he is, boldly striding onto the grounds, a fierce determination blazing in his warm brown eyes. How can this be the same boy?

The Gryffindor Captain laughs as they clasp hands, shaking him playfully.

"Haven't quite got your land legs back, Nikiforov? Too much time in the air?"

Viktor winces slightly. Jean-Jacques Leroy tends to shout. Loudly. In people's ears.

"Hard work pays off," Viktor says with a wink, and Leroy laughs again. Loudly. In his ear.

"That's what I always say. And the hardest work starts now. We have a new Seeker to train, and he had better be good."

The rest of the team hoots, and their grins and nudges are directed at the boy Viktor had so stupidly tripped over his broom for. He sees the boy's ears turn red, and he smiles sort of meekly. Being a good sport when your team makes jokes at your expense is generally a sign of a promising player. Viktor can't help but smile a bit in return. Leroy jumps on this immediately, grabbing the boy and shoving him forward.

"This is Katsuki. Your newest threat!"

Viktor laughs nearly as loudly as Leroy had in an attempt to cover his oncoming panic. Katsuki is staring at him, eyes wide with awe behind his large glasses, and the sight of the color rising in his cheeks is almost too much to bear.

"Pleasure," Viktor says hastily, "I'm Nikiforov. Well, I'd better be off now. Transfiguration essays don't write themselves, you know. Although, I suppose they could. If you, er... Transfigured them. Good bye."

He leaves in a hurry, his heart pounding hard. He can feel Katsuki watching him as he goes.

*

Yuuri does his best to focus during practice. He has to prove his worth to his teammates. He has to make them see that they'd chosen the right Seeker at tryouts.

But he can't help but take a moment every so often to scream internally. He had spoken to Viktor Nikiforov. Well, actually, Viktor Nikiforov had spoken to him. Yuuri had stared at him like a dried newt, petrified and wide-eyed.

He's almost in denial that it had even happened at all. Ever since his first year, he'd been trying to get Viktor to notice him. He had failed spectacularly at this, of course. It isn't easy for anyone in particular to grab Viktor's attention, and Yuuri's halfhearted attempts had fallen flat. He had mostly admired him from afar, but he was among dozens of other starstruck students doing the same. He wasn't special. He still isn't special. Viktor had only spoken to him because he'd been introduced.

Viktor is, for lack of a less juvenile-sounding word, popular. And after years of hard work, he deserves to be. He's Head Boy. He's an excellent Captain and an even better Seeker. His O.W.L. scores were nearly unheard of, and with the amount of N.E.W.T. classes he's taking now in his seventh year, it's no wonder he has no time to spare for any of his adoring admirers. 

Yuuri has always striven to follow in his footsteps. His diligence had gotten him appointed as a Prefect, and his determination had earned him a coveted spot on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Yuuri's marks in class aren't exactly record-breaking, but when he thinks of Viktor's accomplishments, he feels a little more certain that he'll pass all his O.W.L.s this year.

But will any of that actually grab Viktor's attention? He had thought that being near him in the Prefects' compartment would at least earn him a word or two, but Viktor hadn't even seemed to spare him the slightest glance.

He'll try harder, he tells himself. He'll be a good Prefect and an even better Seeker. Not only for Viktor, but for himself.

He tries his best to smile as the others clap his shoulders or pat his back as they leave the pitch. He'd done a fine job as a Seeker, and the other teams don't stand a chance. Jean-Jacques' words, not his, of course. Yuuri is slightly terrified, but as he marches off to the Great Hall with his teammates, he feels a strange burst of courageous confidence. Yes, he'll try harder. They'll all see him shine.

*

Otabek has to pound Viktor on the back as he chokes on a mouthful of pumpkin juice. He has a strange moment of pride. He'd chosen a good Beater.

Katsuki had just walked into the Great Hall, his face so alluringly flushed and his hair so endearingly windblown that Viktor had nearly drowned in his own goblet. Otabek gives him a sidelong look of concern. At least, Viktor thinks it's concern. It's a bit hard to tell with the stony-faced boy.

Viktor scans the Gryffindor table next to his frantically. He spots Katsuki again, though he's nearly obscured by the students seated across from him. Viktor wishes he could hex them out of the way. He catches glimpses of him every now and then, but it isn't enough. Viktor feels both thrilled and miserable.

What is it about this boy that has Viktor feeling as though he's been Confunded? Must be a stealthy Gryffindor tactic, having Viktor completely and utterly distracted by perhaps the cutest Seeker alive. Foul play. Completely unfair.

He tries to imagine actually playing against him. The two of them competing for the Snitch. What would he do?

He'd win, he tells himself sternly. He hasn't worked his ass off just for some fiery-eyed upstart player to outdo him.

My newest threat, he thinks as he tries to catch sight of him again. His heart stops when he finally sees his smile. He can nearly hear his laughter.

Viktor has a feeling that Katsuki's becoming his newest threat in other things as well.

He tries to keep his best smile firmly plastered on his face as he makes his way back to the Hufflepuff common room. He's been stopped far too many times, returning greetings politely, answering Prefects' questions, and at one point guiding a lost and nearly hysterical first year towards Ravenclaw Tower. He's exhausted, and he isn't looking forward to the essays he needs to write. Not to mention the spells he hasn't practiced yet.

"Oi, Nikiforov!"

Viktor halts in the middle of his very dramatic trudging, nearly groaning at being stopped again.

"What is it now, Giacometti?"

The Slytherin Quidditch Captain grins at him wickedly. Viktor wishes he had the energy to return it.

"Can't I greet a fellow Captain? Do you really have such poor regard for our friendship?"

"I have higher regard for my exams," Viktor replies dryly, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "And my matches. And my duties. Literally everything else, then."

He doesn't quite have the energy to laugh at Christophe's mock-indignation either, and the other Captain frowns at him.

"You'll work yourself to death, Viktor. You ought to do something fun once in a while." He winks at him suggestively before making off towards the dungeons. Viktor stares after him.

"By myself?" he calls out to his retreating back. Christophe waves a hand casually over his shoulder without looking back.

"Not up to it tonight, darling!"

When Viktor sinks into one of the common room armchairs heavily, he frowns, staring at nothing in particular. He ought to head to his dormitory. He ought to grab his quill and parchment and get to work.

He ought to do something fun once in a while.

*

Yuuri steels himself for his first night patrolling the corridors. The Prefects did so in rotating shifts, and Yuuri is among those on duty tonight. He tells himself that he needs to be assertive. He needs to be respected. Yes, he can do this. No student out after curfew will be able to withstand the might of Katsuki. He hopes.

He heads down one of the corridors he's been assigned to, scanning the shadows cast by the torches on the walls. Some of the corridors are so dark that he has to cast Lumos, and he does his best to stay brave. Hogwarts is a bizarre place, even by wizarding world standards, and Yuuri has no idea what may be lurking in the shadows.

He pauses before he rounds a corner. What was that noise just now?

Something clicking?

Yes, something clicking, sounding sharply against the stone floors of the castle. But what?

All the horrifying creatures Yuuri had ever seen in books come back to haunt him as he waits, tense and terrified. But no, something so dangerous would never stray past the Forbidden Forest. He hopes.

Yuuri braces himself, taking a deep breath. He darts out, wand blinding and ready, then lowers it. His jaw lowers with it.

It's a dog.

A very large and very fluffy dog.

It pauses, and the both of them remain frozen. Staring.

It's a poodle, Yuuri thinks. Not the shaved and ridiculous sort. Just gray curling fur that looks very soft. He finally focuses on its eyes, and his heart stops.

The dog's eyes are alert and intelligent. Not the sort of expression normally seen in the average dog.  But this dog is anything but average, and its blue eyes seem so familiar. His blue eyes. They remind Yuuri of something.

Neither of them move.

"Er," Yuuri says nervously, "hello?"

Whatever strange spell that had fallen over the dog seems to have lifted, and he bounds towards him now, rearing to place his massive paws on Yuuri's chest. Yuuri nearly stumbles, but he can't help but laugh as the dog tries to lick his face.

"Where did you come from?"

The dog drops back down, wagging his tail madly. Yuuri pats his head gently, looking around what little he can see of the darkened corridor. There's nobody around to claim this dog. Who does he belong to? For some reason, he decides to ask him.

"Who do you belong to, boy?"

The dog pauses, then leaps forward to place his paws on him. Yuuri blinks, amazed.

"Me?"

The dog barks, and the sound echoes throughout the empty halls. Yuuri jumps, startled. He really ought to move along. He gives the dog a final pat on the head before continuing his patrol. He isn't entirely surprised to hear the sound of nails clicking against stone start to follow him. He glances over his shoulder, and sure enough, the poodle is right behind him, tail wagging and tongue lolling.

"Are you going to patrol with me?"

The dog barks again, and Yuuri hurries along as portraits awaken to hiss at him to be quiet.

Yuuri isn't quite sure what to do now. Aside from his new friend, his patrol has been very uneventful so far. It's nearly time for him to return. He glances at the dog happily ambling after him, frowning. What does he do with this dog?

They finally reach Gryffindor Tower, and Yuuri pauses as he faces the dog one last time. Does he shoo him away? Is there a command to tell him to leave? Does he shake his paw and bid him a good night?

The dog seems to answer that for him, licking his palm and whining softly. He promptly turns and trots away. Yuuri stares as he goes.

"My, what an interesting creature," the Fat Lady murmurs sleepily.

Yuuri can't help but agree.

*

Back in his dormitory, Viktor flops onto his bed, staring up at the canopy in a daze.

He can't believe that had just happened.

Katsuki.

He had seen Katsuki.

He had licked Katsuki.

He'll never wash his tongue again.

No, he absolutely cannot believe it.

In the many times he's done this, he's never had an experience quite like tonight.

Viktor tends to avoid students whenever he goes out. As Head Boy and Professional Troublemaker, he knows every corridor and secret passageway the castle has to offer. Well, perhaps not all. A tricky and ill-tempered mistress, this castle. No one could possibly know every secret.

But Viktor has gotten damn near close, he thinks, and he isn't the only one.

He thinks of Christophe's retreating back, his flippant wave over his shoulder.

"You ought to do something fun."

Well, Viktor thinks a little crossly, if he hadn't had to go alone, this could have been avoided. Possibly. When it's the both of them, they take extra measures to be careful.

Christophe has been a close friend of his since their first year. Upon hearing of Viktor's quickly-gained prowess in generally all things the school had to offer, he had very casually leaned towards him in class one day and had informed him that they were now rivals, and that he would crush him in all things to come. And thus their friendship had begun.

It isn't exactly easy to maintain an inter-House friendship, but it isn't as difficult when you're both Animagi.

Of course, that isn't to say that becoming so had been a breeze. After many secret meetings, much sneaking about in the library's Restricted Section, and several mysterious visits to the hospital wing, the two of them had finally done it. They had become Animagi.

Why?

Because they had felt like it.

The challenge had been thrilling, the work very hard, and Viktor had absolutely lived for it. And although being an unregistered Animagus is very much Frowned Upon And Also Illegal, for Viktor, it had meant freedom.

No duties. No practice. No essays. No frustration, no adoration, no expectations. Just blessed anonymity. Freedom.

'Ought to do something fun' had been code for Run Amok In Our Beastly Forms, and Viktor had done so, missing his companion but also a little relieved at the idea of alone time. No mischievous little blonde goat. No 'horny' jokes. Just him and his doggy thoughts.

And then Katsuki had happened.

Viktor had felt trapped in place, transfixed. But at the sound of Katsuki's voice, Viktor had lost himself in his animal mind. He can't decide if he feels embarrassed or thrilled. On one hand, he'd made an ass of himself. On the other, Katsuki's bright smile had finally been directed towards him, and his hands had been so warm. He would like for Katsuki to maybe scratch him behind the ears. He rolls over and buries his reddening face into his pillow, fighting down a groan.

Yes, Katsuki is certainly a threat. 

*

Yuuri must be dreaming.

There's no other explanation for the moments he swears he's caught Viktor Nikiforov looking at him.

He swears he had seen him watching him in the corridors one day. Yuuri had taken a moment to glance out the window, enjoying the sun's warmth and wishing he were heading outside and not to the dungeons for Potions. He'd turned back around only to see Viktor looking away from him quickly from the far end of the hall.

He swears he had seen him staring at him in the Great Hall. Yuuri had turned around in his seat to greet Yuuko as she made her way down the Hufflepuff table, and had nearly fallen off the bench, because his eyes had met Viktor's for slightly longer than Yuuri would have ever dreamed possible. Then Viktor had looked away again.

He swears he had sensed Viktor behind him just the other day.

"Katsuki."

Yuuri's heart had nearly given way. He had turned around to find Viktor much closer than he had thought, holding something up and offering it towards him before pausing.

"Ah. I thought you'd dropped your Prefect badge, but I see that you've got yours on. My mistake."

He had promptly walked away, and Yuuri had stared after him stupidly. He hadn't even gotten to say a single word.

But the day finally comes when he says not just a single word, but two entire words.

"I'm sorry!"

Viktor doesn't look very upset for someone who has just been bumped into. Far from it, actually. Yuuri had been passing by him as he and his fellow Gryffindors filed out onto the Quidditch pitch for practice, and Yuuri had been so nervous that he'd stumbled into him. Although, Yuuri had the slightest and most insane thought that Viktor had drawn a little too close on purpose.

Viktor doesn't even say a word. His hand reaches out to steady him, and then he simply winks at him as he continues towards the castle. Yuuri will never wash his uniform again.

The fact that the first match of the year is against Hufflepuff and is steadily drawing nearer hits Yuuri hard during practice. He looks at the Snitch fluttering in his hand and wonders if he really has what it takes to snatch it from under Viktor's nose.

Or maybe he's the one who'll have to snatch it from mine, Yuuri thinks, his heart beating faster as he looks down below at the pitch.

His attempt at the Wronski Feint is what had cemented his place as Gryffindor's Seeker. He hadn't quite made it close enough to the ground before pulling up out of his dive, and his feint hadn't been very convincing, in his own opinion. He had also nearly fallen off his broom. But the Captain had seen his potential.

Yuuri certainly hopes he lives up to that potential, because it'll take a lot of skill to use Viktor's signature move against him.

He thinks of this the rest of the day, and he's so lost in his daze that he nearly forgets that it's his turn to patrol the corridors again. He thinks of bright blue eyes, and suddenly the halls don't seem so dark and frightening anymore. 

*

It's dark. He pads along the corridors, head low. Careful. Noises, soft noises, scrabbling of creatures and Things. He fights not to chase. To catch.

It's dark, but he sees. He sees and he smells, deep smells, so many. He snuffles the floor, the walls, but he has to go. Go outside into the night, into the grass, into the Forest. Free.

No, he tells himself, struggling out of his animal instincts. He has to find him.

Him.

He lifts his nose high in the air. Sniffing, searching. Yes, he knows the way. He remembers.

And he finds.

His ears perk at the sound of footsteps. Clumsy human ones, scuffling and so loud. He feels himself start to shake. His tail wags before he even sees him, and he bounds towards him now. The boy.

The boy nearly drops his wand in surprise, but he looks happy.

Happy to see him. Viktor's tail wags faster.

He rises, placing massive paws on his shoulders. I will lick his face, he decides. And he does.

The boy sputters and playfully pushes him away, laughing. It's a good sound. Viktor wants to roll over. So he does. The boy scratches his belly, and he wriggles excitedly.

Play with me! he wants to tell him, but he barks and yips instead, and the boy looks shocked. Bad? He shushes him.

But he scratches behind Viktor's ears as he gets back up, and Viktor likes this very much. He licks his palms, salty and sweet. He likes it.

He likes this human very much.

He follows him obediently, though the boy has not commanded. Viktor doesn't listen to commands either way, but he will listen to this boy always.

And that's good. Is he a Good Dog? He looks at the boy and whimpers. Will he call him a Good Dog?

He pads closer, snuffling at his legs and feet as they walk. He smells good. Viktor's tail wags.

He stops suddenly, a low growl forming in his throat. The boy pauses, alarmed.

"What's wrong?"

Someone.

There's someone, he wants to tell the boy. So he shows him. They round a corner, and he hears the boy shout.

"You, there! It's past curfew. Return to your common room. Er. Please."

Viktor hangs back, in the shadows, waiting. Another human. They seem afraid, and they hurry to obey the boy's order. Viktor watches them go, and he feels proud. His boy gives good orders. He is the Leader.

The boy looks at him and smiles.

"That was great! You're really good at this, aren't you? I ought to get you a Prefect badge as well."

I have a Head Boy one, thank you very much, Viktor barks. The boy laughs and pats his head gently.

"Good boy."

Viktor freezes for half a millisecond.

Good boy!

He jumps onto the boy, vibrating madly, tail swishing, tongue licking fiercely. The boy sputters again, nearly falling. But he laughs. It's a good sound.

The boy is happy, and so Viktor is happy.

They continue, and the boy starts to speak to him. Viktor listens carefully.

"It's nice, really, having someone along. I don't suppose I'll get any answers back, but if I don't speak for too long, I think I'll go mad in these corridors."

Viktor noses his palm. I am here to listen to you, he wants to say. The boy pats him, then looks at him thoughtfully.

"I think you need a name. Right? I can't just call you 'Dog,' can I?"

The boy can call him anything. Viktor will respond.

There's a long pause. The boy seems to fidget.

"Well," he says very slowly, his face turning red, "your eyes remind me of someone. They're so blue."

Viktor tenses, silently thrumming like a live wire.

"I think I'll call you Vik. How does that sound?"

Viktor nearly explodes, hopping up on his hind legs in excitement.

Vik! he barks, I am now called Vik!

This is a good name. His boy is very smart.

Somewhere in the depths of his doggy mind, Viktor is thinking of Katsuki, and the way his face had looked as he named him.

His eyes remind the boy of someone.

"I'm Yuuri, by the way," the boy says, seemingly not embarrassed to be formally introducing himself to a dog.

Yuuri!

Viktor shakes his head, ears flopping, and Yuuri laughs and scratches behind them. Viktor wiggles, snuffling at Yuuri's robes. His nose trails lower, and he pokes it curiously between the boy's legs.

He smells like Yuuri!

Yuuri yelps a bit and pushes his head away. Viktor shrinks back. Bad?

But Yuuri keeps patting him softly as they continue along the corridors, and soon they arrive at Gryffindor Tower.

Yuuri drops to his knees to throw his arms around him. Viktor licks at his ears, whining. Is Yuuri going? He doesn't want that. Yuuri should stay.

But Viktor reins in his thoughts as he forces himself away. With one last lick at the boy's palm, Viktor trots off. He can smell Yuuri all the way down to his common room.

He spends a good amount of time screaming into his pillow back in his dormitory. No one bothers to question this. Poor Nikiforov. The stress must be getting to him.

*

The more Yuuri sees Vik, the more he sees Viktor.

Completely unrelated, of course, but still very strange. It's been a strange few weeks.

Viktor stares far more often than usual. Sometimes it takes him a moment to look away, as though no longer hiding his frank gaze. Yuuri might go so far as to call it gawking, but that's just another ridiculous fantasy of his.

He seems to pass much closer, and Yuuri finds himself bumping into him surprisingly often. Literally. They'll brush shoulders sometimes when exchanging places on the pitch. Yuuri can swear that he's doing it on purpose. 

Yuuri nearly faints when Viktor pulls him aside one day.

Yuuri exits onto the grounds, ready to spend a bit of his free time under the sun. He sees Phichit in the distance, making his way towards their usual spot by the Great Lake.

He's hardly lifted a foot in that direction before Viktor steps towards him, seemingly from nowhere.

"Katsuki! A quick word?"

Yuuri gapes at him. A word? Possibly a second word? Perhaps several? With Viktor Nikiforov? 

He nods, feeling his face go numb as Viktor smiles at him.

"Only a few days until our first match. Nervous?"

Yuuri is nervous about his own existence in general, but he nods again. This makes Viktor laugh.

"No need to be afraid! I don't bite, you know." The corner of his mouth twitches as he says this. Yuuri swallows hard.

"I-I guess, er, yes, I'm a bit nervous." He eyes dart to and from Viktor's. They're so blue. They remind him of something. But he can't think straight.

Viktor leans forward a bit, and Yuuri tries very hard not to faint.

"If you'd like," he begins in a conspiratorial whisper, "I can teach you a few things. Seeker to Seeker."

There are a lot of things Yuuri would like Viktor to teach him. But he suddenly feels a burst of proud and stubborn defiance.

"That's alright," he says, watching the shock slowly bloom on Viktor's face with his every word, "I think I can handle it on my own. I'll see you on the pitch, Nikiforov."

Viktor looks absolutely thunderstruck, and Yuuri turns quickly and walks off before his legs turn to jelly. He had just done that. He had sassed Viktor Nikiforov. He had sassed a Head Boy, a Captain, a perfect student. His head is spinning as he drops down next to Phichit and a few of his fellow Ravenclaws.

"Was that Nikiforov just now?" Phichit looks thrilled, leaning closer, eyes alight with excitement. "What did he say? Did he threaten you? Did he flirt with you? Yuuri, did you just turn down Viktor Nikiforov?

"I haven't done any of those things," Yuuri says, blushing hard. He hears someone scoff behind them.

"Someone like Katsuki, turning down Viktor Nikiforov? In his dreams."

Yuri Plisetsky sneers down at their group, looking very smug in his Quidditch gear. The Slytherins must have just ended practice. He tosses his blonde hair, his eyes piercing through Yuuri's soul like two sharpened chips of jade.

"You're late," Yuuri says.

Yuri scowls at him, dropping down onto the grass beside them. Phichit offers him a bit of his Chocolate Frog, and Yuri snatches it up eagerly.

"How was practice?"

"Eh." Yuri shrugs, speaking around a mouthful of frog. "Alright. My swing is perfect, so it's not like I need it."

Yuri is one of Slytherin's Beaters, and despite his rather small frame, Yuuri has never seen anyone wield a bat quite as fiercely. So many talented players, he thinks suddenly. Will he ever be one of them? He starts to lose himself in this thoughts, but Yuri's words snap him out of his daze.

"Found out some interesting things during practice." He smirks at Yuuri as he says this, and Yuuri has a very bad feeling about the look on his face. The group stares at him expectantly.

"I mean, I'm sure it doesn't mean anything, but Christophe may have let slip a few interesting facts about Nikiforov. Nothing important, just..." he trails off, and Yuuri can feel his hands trembling. Why does he have such a bad feeling?

"Well?" Phichit prompts impatiently. He's a bit of a gossip, that one.

"Nikiforov seems to be speaking of you quite often, Katsuki," Yuri says bluntly, the same smirk never leaving his face.

Yuuri pales, then reddens. Viktor? Speaking of him? He tries not to think of how often he'd caught the other boy staring at him from afar. No, it isn't possible.

Phichit leans forward, eyes wide.

"Tell us more!"

"There isn't much more," Yuri says with another shrug. "Just Christophe moping about 'that bastard mutt Nikiforov' abandoning him. In your favor, apparently," he adds, nodding at Yuuri.

Yuuri's mind races, trying to understand what the hell any of this means. How had Viktor abandoned anyone for him? He glances back at the castle, back at the spot in which Viktor had pulled him aside. Viktor had offered him help. Is that what this is about? Is Viktor abandoning Slytherin to root for Gryffindor instead?

It doesn't make any sense, but Yuuri still tries to wrap his head around it the entire day. In the Great Hall later that evening, he sits with his back to the Hufflepuff table, but he can feel Viktor's eyes on him.

He's incredibly relieved as he hurries out of the common room that night, his heart pounding with excitement. He's eager to see Vik, because the dog's presence soothes him. He's easy to talk to, because he's a great listener. And Yuuri has a lot to say.

And he's also got a gift for him.

Vik seems to wait for him closer and closer to Gryffindor Tower each time, as though he's learned his rotation schedule. Yuuri scratches behind his ears, feeling much better already. He can feel his anxiety melting away as they set off down the corridors.

"Vik," he tells the dog, and his head whips towards him, his tail already wagging hard. Yuuri reaches into his robes and pulls out the gift he had made him.

"I thought you might like this. I mean, it's alright if you don't. But I thought it would look nice on you."

He places a simple collar around Vik's neck.

It isn't really a collar. It's more like a necklace. And it isn't a very good one. The thin rope is actually a couple of spare quills Yuuri had attempted to Transfigure into twine. He had mostly succeeded, but a few feathers stuck out here and there. There's a very plain gold ring slipped onto it. Yuuri had tried hard to make it perfect. It had been a rusted bronze Knut laying about his dormitory, but now it shines brightly in the moonlight.

"I made it very loose, in case you don't like it and want to slip it off. I don't mind."

He realizes that he sounds sort of nervous, and he feels a bit ridiculous. He's worried that a dog might turn down his gift.

But Vik seems so happy that all he can do is whine frantically, licking his hands and jumping to place his paws on his chest. The ring glints against his fur as he does so. He seems to like it, and Yuuri is incredibly relieved that he's accepted the gift.

The night is very calm, the castle quiet and settled, and Yuuri feels free to speak his mind.

"You know," he starts, and Vik's head snaps towards him again, alert and listening, "the past few weeks have been very strange." He pauses, embarrassed, but takes a deep breath. There isn't anyone around. And he's speaking to a dog. His secret is safe.

"It's just odd, because I can swear that Viktor is looking at me very often. Or bumps into me. Or speaks to me. It's all so sudden, and it's a bit terrifying."

The dog seems twice as alert now. His keen blue eyes are fixed on him, his ears perked forward.

"Oh," Yuuri realizes suddenly, "I've never spoken about Viktor to you, have I? He's... perfect," Yuuri decides after struggling to find the right word. The dog's tail wags faster.

"Yes, he's perfect. He's Head Boy, Captain and Seeker for Hufflepuff, and his marks are among the highest this school has ever known. And he's very popular. He's kind, and he's funny, and he gets on with everyone well. Everybody loves him." Yuuri's voice is softer now, his cheeks burning as he thinks of Viktor's smile. Vik whines and licks his hand, and Yuuri pats him absently as he continues.

"He's also very, um, handsome. Very. He makes me nervous. Which is stupid. He's very handsome and he makes me very nervous, and I suppose I've got a very massive and very stupid crush on him. Which makes me nervous."

Vik seems very agitated now, making soft whuffing noises at him, and his tail is wagging so fast that it's become a gray blur. He seems almost impatient. Anxious?

"I never thought that he'd notice me. I had always thought that the years would go by, and he wouldn't notice me even once. And then he'd be gone. But now he looks at me, he speaks to me, and he seems to speak of me, according to Giacometti."

Vik's low growl startles him. Has he seen someone? But there isn't anybody around. Yuuri pats his head cautiously, and Vik melts back into his happy demeanor. Though, if Yuuri hadn't known better, he'd think that the dog seems to be sulking.

"How is it possible? And why? I mean, I'm on the Quidditch team now, so of course he'd notice me sooner or later. But he doesn't look at me the way a rival would. Isn't that weird?"

Vik says nothing. Yuuri had expected this. But there's something about the charged air around him that makes it feel as though he wants to say something.

Their patrol is as uneventful as it usually is, and before he disappears back into his common room, Yuuri crouches to hug Vik tight. The dog whines very softly.

"I won't see you again until after the match, but I'll tell you all about it, okay?" He pulls away, smiling and patting him gently. "Every time I see you, I feel a little more confident. You're my good luck charm."

Vik licks his face very sloppily, and Yuuri falls back, sputtering and nearly giggling. When the dog makes his way back into the darkness beyond the corridors, Yuuri pauses in the portrait hole to watch him. Where does Vik go, anyway?

*

Viktor sits on the edge of his bed feeling very ill. He also looks very ill.

Today is the match against Gryffindor.

Viktor doesn't feel prepared at all.

He doesn't feel prepared, because he can't focus. And he can't focus, because he's too busy thinking. Thinking of Yuuri.

He isn't sure which emotion he's experiencing more: guilt or joy.

Yuuri is already in his fifth year, and Viktor has just now noticed him? Yuuri had made it sound as though he had fallen for him the moment he first saw him. And he most likely had. He must have spent all five years watching him from afar, terrified and yearning. Pining.

Viktor feels like an ass. He thinks his month or so of pining had been too much to bear. It's nothing next to Yuuri's pain.

But now Viktor knows. He knows how Yuuri feels. Yuuri had told him, although he hadn't realized it. So what does Viktor do now? What does he say? 'I was so moved by your declaration of your undying love for me that I slobbered all over your face, and now I am here to ask for your hand' doesn't seem like something that Yuuri might believe. He'd probably die on the spot, because Viktor had spoken to him at all.

He stares down at the necklace he's clutching in his hands. He slips it on, tucking it away carefully. He can feel the cold metal of the ring against his chest, and something about it is soothing.

It's his good luck charm.

In the Great Hall, he sits among his team, staring listlessly at his uneaten breakfast. He's lost his appetite. One of the Chasers clears their throat, and his head snaps back up. Right. The match. He struggles to focus as he discusses tactics with them. He tries not to look at the Gryffindor table, but he thinks he can feel Yuuri's eyes on him.

Getting into gear, giving one last pep talk, and strolling out onto the pitch seem to go by in a blur, and Viktor is soon clasping hands with Leroy. The other Captain beams at him.

"You'd better hope your hard work has paid off, Nikiforov!"

Viktor gives him a warm smile in spite of his nerves. There's something very upfront and genuine about the Gryffindor Captain that's almost relaxing. He feels less like he's facing an enemy. But he's still facing a threat, and as the teams mount their brooms, his eyes meet Yuuri's.

He can feel the fire burning in them from here.

It's thrilling. He feels his senses sharpen. He can nearly smell him.

At the blast of the whistle, they rise. They don't break their gaze until the Quaffle is finally thrown.

Viktor's eyes are keen as they sweep the pitch. No sign of glimmering gold just yet. He rolls to dodge a Bludger that Leroy sends his way, and he can hear his booming laughter in the distance. Otabek sends it back swiftly, nearly unseating the Gryffindor Captain, and Viktor has to bite back his own laughter.

No. Focus.

He scans the pitch again, and his eyes fix on the Hufflepuff goal posts. There, right behind Sara. But she dives to guard one of the posts, and the Snitch speeds off. 

He has to jerk his broom aside to dodge yet another Bludger, and suddenly he spots Yuuri. He's just done the same, one of his own Beaters rushing to his rescue. He suddenly dives, and Viktor stares at him as he does. He has to bite back his laughter again.

Yuuri is trying to perform a Wronski Feint. Viktor's signature move. He watches the other boy quickly change course halfway through, apparently giving up once he'd noticed that Viktor hadn't fallen for it. It's cute, Viktor thinks. At least he had tried.

As they continue their frantic search, Yuuri flies close by him at some point. Their eyes meet, and Yuuri blushes hard. Viktor feels dizzy at the sight, and one of his Chasers almost barrels into him.

"Sorry, Captain!"

That's alright, I'm an idiot, Viktor thinks angrily. He needs to focus.

He freezes.

There.

Right in the center of the pitch. So obvious. Yuuri looks as though he hasn't seen it yet. Viktor flies aimlessly, keeping close watch on Yuuri as he makes his way towards the fluttering Snitch. He suddenly has to duck as both Bludgers are hit his way, and with that, his cover is blown. He can see that Yuuri has spotted the Snitch now. Viktor rights himself, searching wildly. It's gone already?

Yuuri's broom jerks so hard that Viktor is surprised he isn't thrown off, and he drops now, drops as though he were midair alone, broomless, a victim to gravity. His dive is so steep that Viktor still can't believe he hasn't fallen. Yuuri's arm reaches out with a steady certainty that's alarming. Without thinking, Viktor dives after him.

Yuuri has truly seen the Snitch this time, and Viktor is soon on his tail, shooting forward to catch it. Catch what? he thinks far too late.

There's nothing there. Nothing but the ground that rushes up to meet him.

He feels the wind knocked out of him as he crashes, rolling over until he lands on his back, dazed and bruised on the soft grass of the pitch. He gets his eyes to focus just in time to see Yuuri catch the Snitch far above him.

The stands erupt into cheers, the spectators stamping their feet and clapping, and someone begins to chant 'Gryffindor!' until the entire pitch is ringing with it. Or maybe it's just Viktor's ears ringing, and he sits up, wincing and blinking. He's back on his feet by the time both teams descend.

His team surrounds him to pat him and give words of encouragement, to see if he's injured or upset. But Viktor isn't. He laughs, and the rest follow suit, because it's just so ridiculous. Viktor Nikiforov, falling for his own feint. Falling for an upstart Gryffindor's trick.

He turns to see Yuuri nearly collapsing under the weight of his team as they cheer and shout his name. He's grinning wildly, and his eyes still have that same fire.

Yes, Viktor Nikiforov is falling for an upstart Gryffindor.

Leroy comes marching up to him to clasp hands in a sign of good sportsmanship, congratulating him on a well played match. Before Viktor can be surprised by his modesty, he brings Yuuri forward. The proud and boastful look returns to his face.

"Well, Nikiforov! I warned you, didn't I?"

Yuuri is staring at him, frozen and terrified, as though realizing that he had just duped the school's star player in front of everyone, and that said player may be a bit miffed at that. But Viktor only grins and extends a hand.

"Well played, Yuuri."

Yuuri blushes hard, eyes widening when Viktor addresses him by his first name. He clasps his hand firmly, but Viktor can still feel him tremble.

The both of them are suddenly shoved forward as both teams throw themselves at them, still high on adrenaline and shouting 'Gryffindor!' and 'Katsuki!'

Viktor looks down at Yuuri, who's much closer now. Their hands are still clasped together.

"Well played, Viktor," Yuuri says softly, and Viktor shivers. He breaks their grasp to take Yuuri's face in his hands. He can hear him breathing faster, his eyes impossibly wide, his face impossibly red. But Viktor can swear he sees his lips part slightly, and he sees his lashes flutter as he starts to close his eyes.

Viktor pulls him closer, and, in front of the entirety of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he licks Yuuri's face.

There's a stunned silence.

Yuuri's eyes snap back open, his mouth hanging open in shock. Viktor's mouth is also hanging open in shock.

He had not just done that.

But he had, and he scrambles to try and think of an excuse as to why. 

In some miraculous act of God or Merlin or Whomsoever, Leroy's laugh echoes around the pitch as he claps Viktor hard on the back.

"That's the spirit!"

He pulls aside a Hufflepuff player, apparently mistaking Viktor's idiotic compulsion as a new sort of congratulatory fad, like slapping someone's behind, and attempts to lick their face. Unfortunately, that player is Otabek, and Leroy is nearly knocked unconscious by a Beater's bat. The rest of the teams follow suit, to massive cheering on by the crowds, and Viktor would have been slightly disturbed had he not been so incredibly grateful.

He realizes that he's still holding Yuuri's face. Yuuri hasn't moved either, petrified and wide-eyed. They stare.

"Uh. Here, er, let me..." Viktor breaks the silence as well as their contact, scrambling to snatch up his cape to wipe at Yuuri's face. Yuuri sputters, snapping out of his daze.

"Sorry," Viktor says quickly, "just a spur of the moment thing. Welcome to Quidditch, we're quite wild out here."

To his extreme shock, Yuuri grins at him a little slyly.

"Perhaps I ought to win more often."

He freezes, his face reddening, as though in disbelief that he had just said that. Viktor feels his face reddening as well. He wants to say something in return, but he can't, and soon they're swept away in a sea of red and yellow and noise. Viktor can feel Yuuri's eyes on him as they part ways.

*

Yuuri receives several congratulations and heaps of praise and admiration in the days after the match. He feels as though he's not quite all there, not quite present. Lost in his thoughts.

He had done it. He had pulled off Viktor's move. He had used it against him. Successfully. He had won.

He had been licked.

He blushes hotly. What the hell had that been about? Yuuri's seen his fair share of odd sportsman behavior. Athletes can be unpredictable. But there had been something about that moment that was so strange. So familiar. But how? 

He climbs out from the portrait hole, ready for his shift. At least he had an hour or two to clear his mind. To be alone and not to worry.

Except he wouldn't be alone, and he hurries off, excited to tell Vik about the match.

To his surprise and slight concern, Vik isn't in his usual spot near Gryffindor Tower. Yuuri continues onward down his route, eyes darting to every corner, listening for clicking nails and looking for bright blue eyes.

When he finally finds them, they're much higher up, and Yuuri can't believe who they belong to.

Viktor Nikiforov steps out from the shadows.

"Yuuri."

Yuuri nearly drops his wand in shock. He nearly drops himself in shock, really.

His first insanely stupid instinct is to ask him why he's out of his common room after curfew. His eyes catch sight of his Head Boy's badge. Oh. Of course. Idiot.

His eyes catch sight of something else. A shining gold ring, threaded through by a thin strip of twine.

How?

"Yuuri," Viktor repeats, stepping towards him, "I'm happy to see you again."

Yuuri can't speak. His eyes are still on the necklace--the collar--and his jaw seems locked, unable to be budged. Viktor smiles at him warmly.

"Well? You promised me you'd tell me about the match. How was it?"

"What is this?" Yuuri finally finds his words, and his voice trembles as hard as his hands. "What does... what are you doing? What is happening?"

Viktor draws closer, and something in his eyes reminds Yuuri of...

No. Impossible.

"The past few weeks have been very strange, haven't they?" Viktor asks softly, looking down at him in a way that makes Yuuri feel weak and dizzy. Viktor tugs at his necklace gently, his smile growing wider.

"Thank you for this. You were right, it does look nice on me."

Yuuri forces himself to speak the words that he refuses to believe. His voice nearly cracks as he says them.

"Vik? Are... are you Vik? Are you an Animagus?"

Viktor grins at him, and there's such a charged and excited air about him that Yuuri nearly expects to see a tail wagging behind him.

"I can lick you again, if you need convincing."

Yuuri shakes his head, dazed. Could it really be true? Viktor... could he really be Vik? He has the necklace.

He has the eyes.

Yuuri reaches out slowly to touch his face. This seems to catch Viktor off guard, but he doesn't move away. Yuuri's fingers graze his cheek, and for just a moment, he can imagine soft fur. But it's just Viktor's hair, sleek and silver between his fingers as they move towards the back of his head. They twitch instinctively when they reach the spot behind his ear, and Viktor shudders hard. Both of their faces redden, and Yuuri tries to pull his hand back, but Viktor catches it in his own.

He presses his lips against his palm. The palm he had already kissed so many times. His eyes shine bright as they meet his.

"Yuuri Katsuki," Viktor says with a small but growing smile, "I suppose I've got a very massive and very stupid crush on you."

Yuuri moves forward without even realizing it, cupping Viktor's face in his hands as their lips meet. Viktor's are soft, the way he had always imagined them to be. His hands are firm as they grip his waist, and Viktor holds him just the way Yuuri had always dreamed he would. Yuuri deepens their kiss, then gasps softly into Viktor's mouth as he feels his tongue slide against his. Yuuri reaches to scratch him behind the ears again, and Viktor seems to quite literally melt, moaning so low that it's nearly a deep growl within his throat, and Yuuri gasps again, thrilled at the sound.

He feels himself pressed very gently against the wall, not having even noticed that he had been backed up into it. Viktor breaks their kiss, holding him close and leaning forward to press their foreheads together. Those eyes are so close that Yuuri can see his own reflected in them.

"Good boy," he breathes. He can see Viktor's pupils dilate. 

"Careful," Viktor says softly, "I think I like that just a little too much."

Yuuri laughs, and Viktor buries his face into his neck. Yuuri can feel the gold ring bump against his chest, and it makes him smile.

He really is his good luck charm.