Hermione Granger Weasley and Viktor Krum

Hermione Weasley had always felt she had a happy life. She was married to one of her best friends and school days sweetheart, Ron Weasley. She had two gorgeous children with him, Rose and Hugo. Both were quite famous in the wizarding world and held high-ranking jobs in the Ministry of Magic. Hermione was in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and Ron was Deputy Head Auror under their brother-in-law, Harry Potter.

Hermione had never liked her husband's job. Sure, it was what he loved to do, and Ron's happiness meant everything to her. But being an Auror was dangerous, especially for a member of the Golden Trio. When the children were small, Hermione would lie awake all night in their empty bed, fretting over her husband's safety when he was off on missions.

Ron had never been oblivious to these worries. He always took care to hug and kiss his wife before he left on these missions, and he never shied away from talking about it with her. His theory was that things would be less worrisome once Rose and Hugo were older, at least Hogwarts age.

Now that both her children were off to Hogwarts, Hermione could see that her husband had been right. If anything did happen to Ron, she would not be alone. Her son and daughter would take care of her, as would the enormous Weasley family she had married into.

Unfortunately, Hermione could not have been prepared for that scenario actually playing out. One spring day in 2023, she received a call in her office.

"Hermione Weasley speaking. How can I help you?"

"'Mione? It's Harry. You need to get over to St. Mungo's right now! It's Ron."

Hermione did not need to be told twice. She packed quickly and left her office at a run, hollering for a secretary to take her calls for the rest of the day. She Apparated as soon as she left the lifts.

St. Mungo's was packed, as usual. Hermione quickly found her brother-in-law and best friend in the lobby. Harry led her through the first set of double doors before she could even ask where her husband was or, more importantly, how he was doing. Perhaps she did not have to. Harry had always been a horrible liar and usually showed what he was thinking or feeling easily on his face. Right now, he looked grim, and that was putting it mildly. Not a good sign.

They finally reached Ron's room. Hermione flung herself at her husband's side, and grasped his hand as if she would never let go. She vaguely heard Harry say something about him being hit with some goddamn curse, and internal bleeding.

Ron stirred soon after Hermione and Harry entered. He looked up to see his wife staring down at him and smiled.

"Hello, love." Hermione gave a watery smile in response. "I feel lousy, in case you're wondering, but you just being here makes me feel half better already." He cracked a smile as he said this, and it only broadened when he saw he had succeeded in making his wife laugh. Then, the redhead turned to Harry. "Mate, can you give us a moment alone?" Something came across Harry's face, as if he knew something Hermione did not. But, the Chosen One nodded his head and slipped out the door.

"Hermione, I need to tell you this now. Try not to lose it when I do: I'm dying. The bleeding is getting worse, according to the Healers. I'm not going to make it."

The world stopped. Hermione wanted to lower herself the remaining few feet to the floor. She started to weep, and was hardly aware of Ron wiping away her tears.

"Hey, hey, listen. Everything's going to be okay. My family will help you out a lot. My will is in our vault at Gringotts. Everything's in order; I got it done soon after I joined the department just in case." Hermione wanted to praise her husband for actually getting something complete early for once in his life, but decided to keep quiet. He continued: "I want you to know how happy you've made me. I got to live my wildest dreams with you. We have two, bloody brilliant kids who are going to do great things, and we have had each other. It's been bloody amazing." Hermione had to admit that, after more than 30 years of knowing Ron, 25 years romantically linked to him and 20 years of marriage as of last Christmas, they had had an amazing life together too. "One more thing:" Ron was saying. "Tell the kids I love them very much. Give 'em a big hug and a kiss for me. And as for you: I bloody love you. Always have, always will. And because I love you, I want you to know that I will respect any decision you make in the future. If you move on and find someone else: that's OK."

Hermione was crying harder now. Ron suddenly pulled her to him, and gave her the longest kiss she had ever had with him. It rivaled their very first. Hermione returned the affection, parting his lips with hers and sticking her tongue inside. Neither wanted to let go. At long last, they broke apart. The Healers came soon after and ushered Hermione out. As she left, Hermione whispered, "Goodbye. I love you." 6 hours later, Ronald Bilius Weasley was dead. All Hermione remembered was the Healer telling her the sad news, she collapsing with a scream of anguish and Harry barely catching her and whispering things in a fruitless attempt to sooth her.

The funeral was a morose affair. Rose and Hugo were allowed to travel home from Hogwarts to be with their mother. Rose would be starting her seventh and final year at Hogwarts that coming fall. Hugo was in fourth year.

Spring turned into summer. Hermione spent lots of time with her kids and the greater Weasley family. She made her way through the steps of grieving on her own sweet time. No one objected, and even encouraged Hermione to indulge herself and be a little selfish…in the best way. She needed this time, and everyone knew it.

All too soon, September 1st rolled around, and the kids were off to Hogwarts once again. They were 17 and 15, respectively. The house felt unusually empty as that month passed. Her 44th birthday, the first one in over three decades without her husband, came and went. Hermione could not believe it was already six months since Ron had died.

As fall continued its march and the year began to wane, Hermione found the days getting easier. She still had moments of missing her husband, but they were farther apart now, and she got through them more easily. Her friends at work must have noticed the shift, for they were now beginning to invite her to join them on the weekends. They thought she should go out now, have some fun. Hermione just brushed them aside. As much as it might be fun (and she did not have a solid excuse not to go out, with the kids in school), she felt she was not ready to take that giant a step. As in, going out and potentially dating someone.

Winter was very cold that year, so Hermione simply felt justified even more in not going out. Christmas was lively with the Weasleys, as always, but Ron's absence was clearly felt. Rose and Hugo helped their mother quite a bit. The New Year was ushered in, and the kids returned to school. Hermione's Ministry friends were once again hitting her up for girls' nights out, this time playing the New-Years-Resolution card. Hermione still resisted, even if she was becoming happier and more at peace with each passing day. Her family noticed, as Harry asked her casually how she was, as the siblings-in-law had lunch together one day during work.

"I've been great," Hermione told Harry. "I mean, I've still got my girlfriends hounding me about hanging out with them on weekends, but I'm still ok."

Harry perked up. "Hanging out? What have you told them?"

Hermione sighed exasperatedly as she recalled. "They're always saying 'You're only 44, you're still young enough to raise some bloody hell,' but I tell them I can't, what with work and the kids…"

"Hermione," Harry said, cutting her off. His mouth twitched into a smirk as he tried hard not to laugh. "I'm sorry, but your excuses are not holding water right now. Rose and Hugo are in school, being cared for by the Hogwarts faculty 24/7. And workload? Please, you're probably ahead on all your paperwork from now until summer." He noticed Hermione grow slightly red, as if she was a toddler found out, but he did not say anything. "Seriously, I have to side with your friends on this one. It's been nearly a year, and you are doing so well! Even without any dating or what not! Can you imagine how much more you would improve just by dabbling in that a little bit. Go out. Have some fun, Hermione. Ginny would say the same thing." Hermione was still pondering her brother-in-law's words long after she had returned to her office.

One weekend in early April, just over a year after Ron passed away, Hermione's friends came a-knocking once again. They were floored but still excited when Hermione accepted their offer to hang out that weekend. Jenna and Trisha were both single, so they went to the bars a lot. This weekend would be no exception for the women and their extra friend.

That Friday night, Hermione dressed in a little black dress with matching high heels. She had not worn something like that since Ron was still alive and they would go to Ministry parties. At the bar, the music was loud and the place was crowded. Hermione noticed lots of men look her way. She avoided eye contact, slightly nervous. She and Jenna and Trisha sat at the counter and ordered drinks. Soon after, three men joined them. Two engaged Jenna and Trisha in conversation, but the third remained silent. Hermione noticed there was something familiar about the quiet stranger.

The night progressed. Hermione only had two drinks, but her companions had many more. Jenna and Trisha were very out of it, so their male friends decided to hail them a cab to take them home – a proposition the girls seemed only too pleased about. Hermione could only imagine what would happen in the back of that cab as her friends staggered away. Only after they were gone did the familiar stranger speak for the first time all night.

"I am sorry, Hermy-own-ninny, but if I had said anything earlier the whole bar might have leapt for my autograph."

Hermione gasped. It was Bulgarian Quidditch star Viktor Krum! Long ago, he had gone with her to the Yule Ball when Hogwarts had hosted the Triwizard Tournament; she had been Hugo's age, maybe slightly younger. Ron had been so jealous! The memory caused her to smile.

She and Viktor continued to talk long into the night. Viktor had drink after drink, while Hermione abstained. The booze made Viktor's speech loose and he divulged things that Hermione guessed he would not have otherwise. He had married not long after the Second Wizarding War to a fine Bulgarian woman, but they had gone through an ugly divorce after five years. Hermione told of her own life freely. She did not need the booze to reveal such information; she was just being honest. She told of how she and Ron had wed and had two children together. Viktor seemed genuinely sad to hear of her husband's passing – a gesture that did not go unnoticed by Hermione and that truly touched her.

It was the wee hours of the morning, maybe 1:00. The patrons still in the bar were starting to thin, nearly all of them extremely tipsy. Viktor was no exception, especially when he threw up all over the floor. Hermione turned to the bartender and asked him what she should do. The man revealed there were rooms available for reservation upstairs and that Viktor currently occupied one. Hermione fished the key out of the Quidditch star's pocket, and proceeded to help him upstairs. She knew from experience that he could not lie down for awhile, so she stayed up with him. The pair sat on the side of the bed while Viktor continued to hurl into a wastebasket. The sight only reminded Hermione of another Ron moment: second year, when he had tried to hex Malfoy after the latter had insulted her… and failed miserably. Her future husband had spent the rest of the afternoon urping slugs into a trash bin at Hagrid's hut.

Again, Hermione could only smile. Whenever a Ron memory surfaced for her these days, a smile was her reaction – a testimony to the time that had passed and how far she had come emotionally. A year ago, she would have cried into her pillow that night. But now, she was at peace.

She then felt like she needed to use the restroom and stood up. She heard the trashbin clatter and clumps of boots as Viktor rose too. The sound made her jump; her thoughts had made her almost completely forget he was still there.

"Don't go, Hermy," Viktor slurred. Hermione turned to face him.

"Viktor, I have to use the rest-" she stopped when Viktor suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. Her breath caught when she felt her bum being squeezed. "Viktor, what are you doing?" she asked fearfully. She gasped as Viktor began to kiss her all over her face. Even as she tried to wriggle free, his lips found her skin, especially her lips. "Viktor!"

"Come and kiss me, love" Viktor begged. Hermione tried to reason with him even as he continued to kiss her.

"Viktor…mmm…you're drunk! No, no….Besides, I'm…mmm…married! I'm married!" This, of course, was no longer true, but the fear from this new experience was making Hermione's memory abandon her.

Viktor ignored her. He squeezed Hermione's bum again, and then forced her one leg to hitch up around his waist. He was now kissing Hermione on the lips relentlessly. As this happened, it dawned on Hermione that she was beholden to nothing and no one. Oh, what the bloody hell!

Hermione began to kiss Viktor back with reckless abandon. The pair, locked in a tight embrace, fell back suddenly onto the bed. Hermione let out a muffled squeal on impact. They kissed vigorously. Hermione kicked off her high heels. Their hands groped each other; Viktor unzipped Hermione's black dress and slipped her out of it, and Hermione got his pants off.

Viktor and Hermione paused here in undressing, but the lip-lock did not let up. Viktor's tongue danced across Hermione's mouth, demanding entrance. Hermione's lips parted without her brain telling it to, and in came Viktor's tongue. Both slimy organs engaged each other with increasing passion.

"Mmmmmm…." Hermione moaned as Viktor got off her bra; she followed in perfect harmony with his boxers. She was so wet, she could not stand it anymore. Fortunately, Viktor did not tease her, and soon he and his manhood were stretching and squirming inside of her.

The kiss continued, with occasional gasps for air, as both found a rhythm. Viktor thrust harder and faster at Hermione's command. Finally, with a cry both came nearly simultaneously. Their juices mixed, and then both gave one another a last, searing kiss. Quidditch star and Greatest Witch of Her Age fell asleep in each other's arms.

Hermione awoke the next morning feeling refreshed. She quickly remembered the love-making from the previous evening. Viktor was different than when she and Ron had made love, but it was a good different. Viktor suddenly appeared out of the bathroom, in only his boxers. He kissed her once and Hermione did not object.

"Hermione," he said, and she nearly gasped at the fact that he had finally pronounced her name right. "Will you go out with me?" Hermione could only laugh and soon Viktor joined in. That was a yes.

A year later, Viktor and Hermione were married. It was a beautiful ceremony. Introducing Viktor to the kids had had its challenges, but both Rose and Hugo had warmed up to him. The Weasleys would still be family, of course, and all of Hermione's siblings-in-law gave Viktor their blessing. For the men, however, this came with a warning: If you hurt her, we will kick your ass. Harry did not try and hide that he would be first in line for this job if anything of the sort occurred.

As Viktor and Hermione consummated their marriage on their honeymoon, Hermione Granger Weasley Krum thought of her first husband. He was up in heaven, she knew, looking down on her and smiling.