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

Sickening Summer

"Come on then, say 'Millie'." I urge my brothers and sister. Mom and Sebastian had gone to the market and I stayed with the babies to feed them their milk for lunch. "Say 'Millie'. It's easy." Tobias makes a funny noise and Rurik laughs. Amalia, who lays in my arms, grabs my finger and smiles her toothless smile with the rubber bottle tip still in mouth. "Guess that's it huh? The rest of your lives, you're just going to be laughing at me."

Seeing as it was already the end of summer, they were all a week more than five months old but each personality had developed quickly and Amalia was a serenity I had only know my Grandma to have with her old wise eyes. Tobias I was sure was making fun of me with his spit bubbles and gurgling as Rurik always slobbered out what I thought was a giggle.

Haki lands on the kitchen table and drops a couple letters. I give her a piece of toast and she happily flutters off with it to the back garden. There's a letter from Kila, another one from Konu, Hermione had stuffed this one a quarter inch with parchment, and the final and smallest on was from Viktor. Regrettably, we hadn't talked for a couple weeks because he was training, his oldest sister had gotten married - the groom wasn't keen on guests he didn't know personally so it was a small affair -, and I was generally busy with summer studies and helping with my siblings. His letter was merely an offering of apology and an invitation to his match against the Harpies in Wales.

"I promised I'd go." I say to Amalia. My hesitance was a direct result of our distance. I still loved Viktor but more and more it seemed unreasonable. There had been times when my letters went unanswered - I could count, on one hand how many letters I had received - and I had to read the results of his matches in the daily newspapers that Sebastian's owl delivered. This Harpies game was the first Viktor had invited me to. A couple of games ago I purchased a ticket and went without him knowing just to see him play. That day I had swallowed my pride with glasses of firewhiskey and kept my mouth shut in fear that I might spit fire at the many admiring girls who clung to him after matches and proclaimed themselves 'Missus Krum'. For weeks afterward I would look down at Viktor's ring sitting comfortably on my finger and question what it even meant. At times when I felt most betrayed by Viktor's ego I could've sworn the thing was fire.

In the beginning of summer holiday I spent a week and a half in Hawai'i with Kila, Konu, and their family. There I'd gotten a tan that left a permanent imprint on my ring finger. No matter how heavy or fiery the ring felt, I always kept it on. I supposed that could stand for something. 

I didn't have the time to read the other three letters in full so I replied to Viktor's in short and whistled for Haki.

"Take this before I talk myself out." I pet her head and she flies out of the house again. "Well, I'm a good girlfriend right?" I furrow my brows at my sister. "By Merlin, Amalia, I hope you don't grow up to be even the slightest bit of the hard, shattered fool that I am." I kiss the top of her head and set her in the moses basket on the table to warm another bottle for Rurik.

"The trouble is Amy." I say from the sink. "I can't blame anybody but myself. See, I'm an idiot. I won't let you be an idiot." I promise her.

"Some people are born idiots." Viktor's voice sends a shock through me.

"What are you doing here?" I carry the warmed bottle back to the table and take up Rurik in my arms to feed him.

"Your letter vas brief." Viktor looks put out.

"I said I'd go. What more did you want?" I sigh. "I'm busy."

"Your letters are always long."

"So you read them? Sorry for being such a winded fool." I say with pursed lips, tipping the bottle to Rurik's lips.