Preperations

                                    

                                          


                          
Ada and Andon cried as they watched their son raise the European Cup above his head in victory. They had never been so proud of Viktor and Andon felt his chest swell knowing that his son had made history. Ada smiled softly upon Hermione, who had proved herself to be a truly nurturing woman, fitting to become the mother of Viktor's children one day.
                          
They had returned home soon after the game, sure that Viktor would visit within the next few days. However, when he burst through the door not an hour after the end of the raising of the cup, they both jumped in shock.
"Viktor, what a delightful surprise to have you here so soon!" His mother called out, kissing him on the cheek. Andon rose from the sofa, grasping his son into a firm embrace.
"Well done, son. You have done us all proud." He praised his son and Viktor thanked his father, knowing he had finally impressed his father.
                          
They all sat and Viktor was suddenly overcome with a nervousness he had not felt before.
"Mother, Father, there is something I have to discuss with you." He began the conversation, his voice as hard as steel. His mother placed her hand atop his and looked deeply into her son's eyes.
"Whatever it is son, you know you can talk to us about it." She reassured him.
"What is it, Viktor?" His father asked, sternly, wanting to help his son.
"I-I want to ask Hermione to become my wife." He admitted and Ada placed both hands over her joyous smile, feeling a tear come to her eye.
"Good boy!" Andon praised him, nodding in approval. Viktor felt the tension he had experienced in his shoulders dissipate upon his parents acceptance of his choice to propose to Hermione. Ada rushed Viktor upstairs, her long legs dragging him along quickly, excited to have an influence in her youngest son's proposal, as she had not had with her eldest.
                          
Ada rummaged through her box of precious items and found her great grandmother's diamond ring. It was a gold band, encrusted with a ring of rubies, surrounding a reasonably sized diamond. It was over one hundred years old and had been left to her, by her mother. She had not had the chance to bestow the gift unto Sergei, her eldest child, who had eloped with his wife. She was now happy that she had not given the ring to Sergei, Viktor far more deserving of the family heirloom. She pictured the ring upon Hermione's hand and beamed with happiness, knowing that it would be passed down to another generation of Krums, if she were to say yes.
                          
Viktor looked down at the ring. His Mother had always told him that it was his when he found a witch that they were happy for him to marry. It was beautiful, a true relic and it would sit perfectly upon Hermione's hand, he was sure of that. His Mother gestured for him to sit down.
"Now, Viktor, are you truly ready for this commitment? You are still young." She asked him, not wanting her ring to be lost with the breaking of a fractured relationship.
"I love her. I have never loved anyone romantically before. But when we were younger, when I visited Hogwarts, she dismissed me, treated me like any other boy. So, when she finally accepted me, I knew it was for me and not for Viktor Krum, world class seeker. Things have not changed on her part, she still treats me like Viktor Krum, the silly boy who stumbled over his words when asking her to the Yule Ball. But what I think is different this time is that I treat her like Her-my-ninny Granger, the young girl with curly hair who always had her head stuck in a book, not Her-my-knee Granger, saviour of the world. I have been able to give her what she gave me all those years ago and I want to continue giving her that safety and receiving that safety from her for the rest of our lives." Viktor took a deep breath after his speech. "Plus, we will not marry straight away. It's just I know that she will be working in England for the World Cup and I want our relationship to be serious before we spend so much time apart." Ada felt a tear roll down her cheek hearing her son speak about his love.
"You sound just like your father when he used to talk about us." She laughed. "I am grateful to be able to give you this, you deserve it far more than your brother did." She reassured him.
                          
Andon stopped his son once he saw Viktor and Ada descend the stairs.
"Now, son. Do you know what you are going to say?" He asked, placing a palm on his back.
"Yes, he does." Ada interrupted. "He has already told me and it is perfect." Viktor looked back at his mother and she nodded, a smile creeping onto her face. Viktor remembered to make a mental note of what he had said. He didn't want to prepare too much, he would simply say what he felt in the moment.
"Go and get your happiness, son." Andon cheered him on, thumping his back as Viktor left.
"Tell us how it went!" Ada called as Viktor left the house and he reassured her that he would, before apparating back to his house.
                          
"I just don't know who he is anymore." Ginny whined, looking into her mirror, her chin resting on the palm of her hand. "It's like he's bought into the idea that he is the saviour and that he can get away with anything." She mused. Hermione stood in the bathroom, combing through her hair, attempting to tame the wild curls.
"Do you think I should end it?" She asked Hermione who, up until now had merely been replying with short reassuring statements.
"No." She simply stated, whipping her head around the door of the bathroom. Ginny looked up with a confused expression. "You wouldn't be this angry at him if you didn't have feelings for him." Hermione explained herself and Ginny nodded.
"I suppose you're right." She agreed. Ginny was in a state of confusion, she hated what Harry had done and what he had said, but they had shared so many beautiful moments together, so many memories that she treasured and when she thought about it, she did love him, which was incredibly inconvenient at this time.
                          
Ginny's musings were interrupted by Hermione. She stepped out from the bathroom and into the living room, fully dressed for the gala. She wore a short flared dress with a sweetheart neckline that shone brilliant shades of burgundy and gold. Ginny was mesmerized by the shade of the dress.
"It looks like a sunset." She gawked at Hermione. This was her best enchantment yet. Her hair was soft and voluminous, her cheeks were flushed and her eyelashes were tinted black. Ginny begged her to enchant her tight green velvet dress, to which Hermione agreed.
"You go and get ready and I'll do this." She nodded to the dress.
                          
Hermione ran her wand over the dress time and time again, enchanting it with a deep blue hue, then a turquoise cast and finally a silver shimmer. The otherwise boring dress had been transformed into a peacock feather. As Hermione looked down at the dress, she wondered how the evening was going to turn out. The team would be celebrating and the Chudley Cannons would be moping, attempting not to be sore losers. She hoped Viktor wouldn't get too drunk and end up passed out as Ron had many times in their relationship. She had never seen Viktor drink any alcohol, other than the glass of wine that they had had with their steak. She hoped this meant he wasn't a large drinker. But, then again, he was the one who had made history, so who was she to judge the way in which he celebrated his victory? Ginny was ecstatic with the dress and would not stop looking at herself in the mirror. I am better than that self centered fool! Ginny thought to herself, but she daren't tell Hermione, knowing that she felt she and Harry should stay together.
                          
Viktor looked at himself in the mirror and had the strangest flashback to the moments before the Yule Ball, when he stood and stared at himself the very same way he was doing now. He picked apart his imperfections, as he had four years ago. His nose was still slightly crooked, his jaw was still sharp and he still seemed stern and mean in comparison to the men that girls fawned over. However this time he did not have a specific comparison, as he had with Cedric Diggory back then. The robes were practically identical, apart from the cape he was forced to wear for the ball. He slipped the ring box into his robes. But she loves me, just the way I am. He reminded himself and although he might have thought himself too stern and mean, she found the soft and kind in him that he could never see. His hands shook, thinking of his plan. But this was the perfect opportunity for Viktor to truly prove to himself and to Hermione that he was the man for her, and this time, he was not going to fail.