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

Long Time Coming

"I told you you'd get married." My grandma giggles in delight when I show her the ring Viktor gave me. She and Grandpa had come to Sweden to help take care of Amy, Rory, and Toby while I worked. I was officially was hired the morning after Viktor proposed about a week ago and I had already worked tirelessly to get things right again.

"Yeah, well I'm still not going to have a wedding." I tell her getting up to answer the tea kettle's whistle.

"Oh what a spoil sport." Grandma fusses.

"I'm too busy for a wedding. I need my brain for important things."

"Spoil sport." She insists and drops a little tea infuser into each of our cups.

"I think Viktor will agree with me." I say proudly.

"That boy would agree with you if you said it was best to take his broom." She smiles widely at me.

"Our engagement would be over if I threatened to take his broom." I raise an eyebrow at her.

"You don't believe that." We smile and break out laughing.

In truth, I couldn't imagine one thing that could even cause a hiccup in our relationship anymore. He practically lived in the manor with me now so I'd gotten used to being with him constantly. We already had a routine and rules. The kids from the camp were here until they were seventeen and of their own free will took to looking after my sister and brothers when neither Viktor nor I could be home. Now that Grandma and Grandpa were here they spoil the whole lot of them with sweets and gifts. The kids still do stuff around the house - they insist - so I'm grateful.

"Vaht is funny?" Viktor walks into the kitchen, full dressed for practice, and kisses me.

"Well, Grandma thinks we're having a wedding." I smile at her.

"Of course vee are." He smiles at her too.

"Wait, what?"

"Vee vill invite everyone. Celebrate. Have fine vine and food." Viktor smiles again.

"When did you decide we'd be parading around?" I fold my arms neatly in front of me.

"That's vaht you do." He kisses me and turns to pour himself some tea.

"That's not what I want to do." I huff.

"It vill be good. My mother and sister vill come to help you." He sits to my a left.

"You've already discussed this with your mother?!" I shout.

"Quiet, you vill vake the others." Viktor furrows his brow at me. "I did not think you vould be so upset."

"No, that's clear isn't it. No one wants to think about what I want. I figured that sort of disregard stopped at the Ministry." I shoot my grandma a look. "I think I've been wrong." I make to storm out of the kitchen but my grandma's scarily calm voice reaches my ears.

"Milena Carmen." She stands from the table. "What in Merlin's name has gotten into you?"

"Me?" I hiss. "Do you know what I've wanted since I was a little girl? Just one thing, for someone to ask me what I felt, what I needed, what I wanted. The only person who ever did that was Sebastian and now he's gone." Unexpectedly, I burst into tears. I had never been one to cry but I had never been so sad. A year after Sebastian and Mom were killed and I had never confronted it. A quick look at Viktor, now standing beside Grandma, and I could see the pain I was causing. "I never wanted to get married - ask her - but that changed when I started loving you." I tell him. "Everything changed. I'm raising my siblings, I'm fulfilling my promise to Harry, I- I was never meant to save people and here I am. I leave every morning to whatever place that needs me and I have to hear 'Yes, Miss', 'No, Miss', 'You're so kind', 'I can't wait to tell my children that I get to work with you'. They go on like I'm some sort of hero while I just want to come home and be normal. Every other Daily Prophet has an article plastered over the front page about me. They call me selfless but I just want to come back here and be the most selfish person. It feels like I'm being selfish to expect that my opinion would matter in my own life." I look at Viktor through teary eyes. "How can I make my opinion matter?"

Viktor walks toward me. At first I think he's actually angry with me but then he wraps me up tight in his arms.

"I am sorry." He whispers.

Grandma strokes the length of my spine and shushes me.

"If I had realised." She says softly. "We don't need a wedding." I sob harder into Viktor's chest.

"But you want it." I cry.

"Not if it causes this much distress." She pulls me gently from Viktor's arms and wipes my tears away. I sniff. "It was wrong of us to assume anything on your behalf." She smiles.

"I'm an awful brat aren't I?" I mumble.

"You couldn't be a brat if you tried." She lifts my chin. "You'd just end up feeling sorry about it." I smile.

"Millie! Millie!" Amalia comes running into the kitchen. I wipe my eyes quickly and kneel down to her level.

"What is it Amy?"

"Look what I found." She hands me a picture. It was of me in my flowergirl dress when my mom married the Hawaiian guy. I felt bad that I could never remember how to say his name but he graciously let me call him Leo. My long hair had been done into loose curls and a wreath of vines with little white flowers sat atop my head. my dress was white like Mom's but my sash was her favourite shade of olive green. She had told me once that it was her favourite colour because my skin was like gold and I was her greatest treasure.

"It's very nice." I smile at her, kissing her temple.

"Layanna say that when you and Viktor get married and if I'm a really good girl then I can have a pretty dress like that. She said she'll make me a crown out of the flowers she's growing so I can look as pretty as you." She smiles brightly at me with the clear blue eyes she'd gotten from Sebastian with all the serenity of my Grandma.

"Now why would you want to be as pretty as silly old me when you're already so beautiful being you." I tickle her and she laughs.

"Millie." She says as if I'm being ridiculous.

"We'll get you the prettiest of dresses." I kiss her temple again and look up at Viktor and Grandma. "I'll need a lot of help." I tell them and they grin like I've granted them something.

This won't be for me. I say to myself. All the people I love deserve a happy occasion.