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“Viktor!” Hermione exclaimed as her longtime friend greeted her with a kiss on both cheeks. “What are you doing here in Australia?”
“I haff come to help, Milichka,” he replied. At the confused look on her face, he added, “To locate parents.”
Hermione’s eyes widened at his words. “How? How did you even know?” Before he could respond, she said, “Don’t tell me. It was either Harry or Ron.”
Viktor grinned. “Both.”
She grinned as she shook her head. “They’re lucky I love them so much.”
"They vorry, Milichka," Viktor murmured. "As do I."
Hermione’s grin softened. “I know, Viktor.”
“Shall ve?” Viktor asked as he gestured to the map laid out on her table. “Quidditch is cancelled for another season back home, so I haff much time to help.”
Nodding her head, Hermione showed him where she had been so far in her search for her parents and where she was planning to go next. It would take the two of them nearly three months before they finally located her parents, and another two before she gave up on restoring their lost memories. In that whole time, Viktor was the perfect gentleman. It was Hermione’s heart that was making a mess of things.
The previous night, things came to a breaking point for her.
Tears were running down her cheeks as she mumbled, “I’m not good enough to return my parents’ memories. And I’m not good enough for you.”
“Vhere did idea come from?”
“I love that you’re a perfect gentleman, but you won’t even let me kiss you,” Hermione sniffled.
Viktor took one of her hands in his. "Milichka, you haff been stressed and vorried over parents. This is not time. After.”
Hermione turned and faced Viktor, a terrified expression on her face. “But what if this is never over! What if I can never return their memories?”
“Ve are just beginning,” Viktor replied, squeezing her hand. “I know you like helping others; you should become Healer.”
Her eyes lit up at his suggestion. “If I become a Healer, I might be able to find a solution to help my parents! Viktor, you’re a genius!” She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
He blushed at her words and actions. “My pleasure.”
“I’ll have to sit my N.E.W.T.s, of course, but this gives me a starting point.” The grin she sent his direction had Viktor making a decision of his own.
“Milichka?”
Hermione looked at him curiously. “Yes, Viktor?”
“You are more than good enough for me.”
Over the course of the next few months, Viktor helped Hermione to prepare for her N.E.W.T.s., it wasn’t until she finished with her last exam, and they were celebrating, that Viktor told her what he had been up to.
“I am staying,” he told her that night over dinner. “Here, in Australia.” He looked up at her. “With you, Hermione.”
She stared at him in shock. Hermione never expected those words to come out of his mouth. She had known he was working hard to improve upon his English, but she assumed it was for conversational purposes, not because of his decision to stay with her.
“But what will you do for a job? Isn’t the European league supposed to be starting back up soon?”
“Yea, but Vratsa has agreed to trade me to the Warriors,” Viktor explained.
“So you’ll have to commute to Wollongong?”
Viktor nodded.
Hermione launched herself into Viktor’s arms.
“Is it time for that kiss now?”
Grinning, Viktor nodded. “Da.”
Over the next few years, Hermione lost herself in the world of magical healing. Viktor was with her every step of the way, even going so far as to read her medical texts and journals when she was done.
When Hermione asked him about it, Viktor pointed out that there would come a time in his life where he wouldn’t be able to play anymore. That bit of forward-thinking earned Viktor another sweet, impromptu kiss from his witch.
Once Hermione became a fully qualified Healer, she joined the staff at the Australian National Hospital, where she did her final year’s rotations. Later that same year, Wendell and Monica Wilkins ceased to exist, and Jack and Sophia Granger were returned to their daughter.
Viktor had wanted to wait until she was finished with medical school to start dating, but Hermione wasn’t having it. She reminded him that the two of them had waited long enough, and that she was tired of waiting. Shortly before her parents’ memories were returned, Viktor proposed to Hermione during a quiet picnic on the balcony of their flat.
Four years later, when Viktor decided to retire, he followed in his wife’s footsteps and became a Healer. Instead of focusing on spell damage like Hermione, he didn’t stray far from the sport he loved when he became a sports injury Healer.
The voice of one of the reception witches over the intercom in the Healer room pulled Hermione and Viktor from their conversation. “Healer Krum, please report to the spell damage ward.”
“That’s me,” Hermione said as she hauled herself from her chair. “I’ll see you later, love.”
“Be careful, Mina,” Viktor whispered as his wife passed him.
“I promise.”
“Healer Krum, please report to the athletics ward,” the voice called out a second later.
“Well, looks like I’ll escort you since you’re on my way,” Viktor said as he wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulders.
The couple made their way across the Healer room to the lift. As they waited for the door to open, Viktor pulled her close and pressed a kiss against the top of her head. “I love you,” he murmured against her curls. “Both of you.”
Placing her hand against her small bump, Hermione smiled up at him. “We love you too.”
The lift doors opened, and the couple stepped inside. They enjoyed the silence of the lift as they both knew that as soon as they stepped onto their floors that they would be swept up into the madness of their wards.
“Don’t forget that we’re meeting my parents in Sydney after work as they have tickets to the orchestra tonight,” Hermione reminded Viktor just before she stepped off the lift.
“I haven’t,” Viktor replied. “I will see you at home at five.”
Hermione blew a kiss back towards her husband. “I’ll see you later, love.”
“Bye, Mina.” Viktor caught her kiss and pressed his palm against his cheek as the lift door closed between them.
At precisely five o’clock, Hermione landed in the grate of their fireplace. Viktor was waiting for her when she arrived home with a smile and her favourite song on the wireless.