Title: Knickers

Rating: PG-13

Prompt Set: 50.1

Prompt: 008. Wrong

Summary: Betting with Viktor Krum is dangerous, especially when your knickers are on the line.

“Relax,” Viktor calmed Hermione, “they vill loff you,” he gave her a reassuring kiss.

“But I don’t know that much about Bulgarian culture,” Hermione protested, “what if I do something that offends them without even knowing it? I’ve only read a few books,” she continued ranting.

“Vill quit vorrying,” Viktor grabbed her shoulders and looked at her, “my parents vill loff you.”

Viktor was playing the part of the gentleman like fiance’ and the eager son tonight. His parents, much like Hermione’s, had never met his intended and so, being proper and all, had insisted they meet her as soon as possible.

As they prepared to leave, Hermione let out a small yelp and ran back into the kitchen.

“Vhat are you doing,” Viktor called after her.

“I almost forgot the wine,” she sighed, “that’s all. I’m,” Hermione let out a deep breath, “ready.”

Viktor laughed, taking some floo powder in his hand, “remember name?”

“Krum Castle,” Hermione repeated with a smile.

“Very good. Vill see you there,” with a wink, Viktor disappeared in the green flames.

“Gah,” Hermione sighed, “You can do this,” she gave herself a pep talk, “the capital is Sofia, it’s accustomed to bring wine to the host, and no means yes and yes means no,” she recalled the meaning of head nodding. Taking a handful of floo powder, Hermione took a deep breath, closed her eyes and yelled, “Krum Castle.”

Viktor was standing by, offering his hand, “see, Loff, you are fine,” he placed a reassuring hand on her back, rubbing it in a circle.

“Mother and Father are in sitting room,” Viktor took Hermione’s hand and lead her through the foyer, up a staircase, down a rather dark corridor, and eventually ended up opening a set of double doors to a small sitting room.

“Viktor,” his mother practically yelled, “you’re here,” she spoke very enunciated, making sure to pronounce the words properly. Alexandria had known Viktor’s fiance’ only spoke English and she had insisted both she and her husband learn English as not to offend the girl. Alexandria turned to Hermione, “you must be…” she paused, thinking of the way to say her name, “Her-mine-knee,” she smiled, offering the young lady her hand to shake. She normally would be classified as a “hugger”, but Alexandria had met a few English people in her day and knew they preferred to keep to their own distance when greeting each other. She personally thought it was a rather cold way of greeting a future relative, but she was determined not to scare her future daughter-in-law like her in-laws’ had done to her.

“It’s a pleasure,” Hermione smiled and shook Alexandria’s hand. “Viktor and I picked up some wine,” she offered the bottle to Alexandria, who accepted it with a smile and sat it on the inn table.

“Please sit down,” Alexandria guestered to two chairs adjacent from hers, “Viktor, your father,” Alexandria concentrated hard on her words, “is in his study, if you vould like to go get him.”

Viktor nodded his head, turned to Hermione and smiled, “Vill be right back, my loff,” he left, leaving the doors opened.

“So,” Alexandria began, “Viktor tells me that you like to read,” she questioned.

“Oh, yes, very much so,” Hermione agreed, trying to keep her head from bobbing up and down.

“Vhat is your favorite kind of book to read,” Alexandria inquired eagerly, finally having someone who shared her love of reading.

“I’m quite fond of factual books,” Hermione began, “but I’ve also been known to read quite a bit of muggle litearture.”

“Yes,” Alexandria recalled, “Viktor mentioned you vere muggle born.”

‘Oh dear,’ Hermione thought, she figured she could at least get halfway through dinner before she desecrated some sacred Krum family value or tradition.

“I am,” Hermione answered.

“I think it is vonderful. Vill keep Viktor from growing lazy,” Alexandria commented with a smile, attempting to relieve some of the girl’s stress. “You still do some things muggle vay?”

“Oh, Heaven’s yes,” Hermione chuckled, “it helps not to take magic for granted.”

“You must be,” Hermione looked up at the older looking version of Viktor, “Herm-own-knee,” he stopped in front of her and kissed the top of her hand, “I am Antion Dimitrov Krum,” he introduced himself, bowing low.

“How do you do,” Hermione replied, with a smile, Viktor taking his seat next to Hermione.

“Vhen is dinner,” Viktor questioned.

“Never changes,” his mother laughed, “dinner vill be in twenty-five minutes,” she announced.

“Vhy don’t you show this vonderful young voman around,” Antion suggested.

“Come,” Viktor offered his hand to Hermione, “vill show you around house.”

“See you shortly,” Hermione nodded at both Mr. & Mrs. Krum and smiled.

“How do you feel so far,” Viktor inquired, pulling Hermione into a side room and wrapping his arms around her waist.

“I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong yet,” Hermione wrinkled her brow, “except there was this one moment when your mother brought up the fact I’m muggle born.”

Viktor gave Hermione a kiss, “Vill be fine. Bloodline does not matter to my family,” he offered, though Hermione didn’t entirely believe the pure blood wizard, “this is,” Viktor looked around, “spare bedroom,” he arched his eyebrow in a suggestive manner.

“No,” Hermione answered before he could even ask, “show me the rest of this place.”

“If you are good,” Viktor purred, “vill show you my room,” he opened the door, and lead Hermione down the rest of the dark hall, and took a sharp turn at the end, leading her into a massive room with a bookshelf covering an entire wall and a large bay window overlooking a garden.

“What is this,” Hermione questioned, running her fingers over the spines of the aged Cryllic books.

“Is my father’s study. Come look out vindow vith me,” Viktor pulled Hermione to the window and wrapped his hands around her waist, tracing little circles on her back.

“It’s so beautiful,” Hermione smiled up at Viktor.

“Vould like house like this,” he questioned.

“Maybe someday, though I’m quite comfortable with the flat right now,” she smiled. Hermione didn’t need a castle, quite the contrary, she didn’t like feeling like she needed a map in her own home.

“Vill now see,” Viktor grabbed Hermione and disappeared with a pop, appearing in a larger room, filled completely with books, “library.”

Hermione’s mouth stood agape, “it’s so,” she began, but Viktor grabbed her and apparated again, “Viktor,” she protested.

“This vas my room,” he announced, turning on the light to reveal a large circular room with a skylight.

“It’s nice,” Hermione mused, “can I look around or do you want to apparate somewhere again,” she ask a bit sarcastically.

“Can look around, need to get some stuff anyvays,” Viktor went to his desk and started rummaging through the drawer.

Hermione went to a shelf and picked up the little quidditch figurines of the Bulgarian International team. She smiled to herself as the minature Krum seemed to notice who she was and blew her a kiss. Sitting the miniature Viktor down, Hermione moved on to look at some framed pictures. Looking up shyly was a picture of herself who blushed then broke out into a wide smile as Viktor hugged her. Colin Creevy took the picture and Viktor must have ask for a copy. Next, Hermione found a picture of a black dog, chewing on a plastic ball.

“You never told me you had a puppy,” Hermione spoke.

“Yes,” Viktor looked up from his searching, “he vas good dog. Died of old age,” Viktor finished.

“What are you looking for,” Hermione inquired, “maybe I can help you find it?”

“Am looking for,” Viktor began but didn’t finish.

“Looking for what?”

“This,” he held up a small silver key.

“What’s it go to,” Hermione questioned, examining the key.

“Goes to,” Viktor dropped to the floor and reach under his bed, pulling out a box, “this box.”

“What’s in the box?”

“Stuff,” Viktor took the key and slipped it in his pocket and carried the box under his arm, “come, vill be late for dinner.”

“Viktor,” Hermione objected, “are you going to tell me what’s in the box or not?”

Viktor looked at Hermione and looked like he was in deep thought for a moment, “Not.”

Hermione scoffed and rolled her eyes, “maybe if you are good,” Viktor teased.

“Please?”

“Vill see,” Viktor smiled, sitting the box down on a table and pulling Hermione to his chest.

“Pretty please can I see what’s in the box,” Hermione pouted.

“Vhen ve get home, time to eat now,” Viktor lead Hermione into the dining room.

“There they are,” Antion smiled, “vas getting vorried you might have gotten lost.”

Hermione was nervous all through dinner, making sure not to use the wrong fork or spoon, careful not to drip anything on herself or the expensive looking table cloth, and she tried her very best not to break the holiest of table etiquet rules by placing her elbows on the table. Honestly, she blamed Viktor for it. She didn’t do it until he moved in and started placing his elbows on the dining room table. Hermione had learned from example.

Soon enough, Hermione and Viktor were giving their fair well greetings and were preparing themselves to floo back home.

“Go on,” Viktor instructed, “I forgot my box in parlor.”

Hermione nodded and disappeared in the green flames of the floo system.

“Viktor,” Alexandria spoke, “how did ve do? Ve did not scare her?”

“No, Mother,” Viktor responded, “she is fine. Just tired, long day.”

“Good,” Antion interrupted, “I like her. I vill be expecting to see more of the both of you.”

“Vill try,” Viktor hugged his parents, grabbed his box and flooed home.

“We’re home now,” Hermione practically tackled Viktor, “what’s in the box now?”

“Vill be upset if I tell you,” Viktor smiled, playing keep away from Hermione.

“Oh, no I won’t,” Hermione sighed, reaching for the box and finally getting it, “well, unless this is where you keep all of the knickers and such your fans send you,” Hermione suggested with a dangerous look in her eyes.

“Your knickers are only knickers I haff,” Viktor smiled, reminding Hermione that he did in fact have a pair of her green knickers that he had won on a bet he made with her in his possession.

“You had to remind me,” she replied.

“Very fond of your knickers,” Viktor kissed her, “very fond of your knickers not on you,” Viktor teased, tugging at the waist band of her black dress pants.

“No knicker removing for you, Mr. Krum” Hermione smacked his hands, “until I know what’s in this blasted box.”

“Vill make a bet vith you,” Viktor purred, “if you guess vhat is in box you can haff your knickers back and I vill give you vhat is in the box,” he licked her ear, “but if you are vrong, I get matching bra to go vith green knickers, and I keep vhat is in the box.”

Hermione stepped back from Viktor, considering her options, “Will you give me clues as to what it is,” Hermione looked up, the box positioned on her lap.

“Vill cost you,” Viktor laughed, sitting down beside her.

“How much,” Hermione questioned.

“Vill haff to think,” Viktor scratched his chin, as if he were in deep thought, “vhat do you think it is vorth?”

“Um,” Hermione pondered, then was hit with an idea, “a massage,” she questioned.

“Okay. Vill give you hint if you give me foot massage,” Viktor laughed at her face. He knew Hermione hated feet. She made to grab his foot, but he moved it, “or back rub. I like back rubs,” Viktor mused.

“Those, happen to be my specialty,” Hermione smiled, “but I want my clue first.”

“Vhat do you vant to know about vhat is inside box,” Viktor smiled at her, knowing there was no way she could possibly guess what was inside it.

“Um… what’s the first letter of the first word of the contents of the box.”

Viktor chuckled, “W.”

Hermione thought and thought and finally smiled, “I think I know what it is.”

“Vhat,” Viktor called from the kitchen.

“Is it,” Hermione began, “how many guesses do I get?”

“Three.”

“Okay,” Hermione smiled, “is it… a wand,” she questioned knowing Viktor got a knew wand after he graduated from Durmstrang.

“Two guesses,” Viktor replied with a smirk.

Hermione thought again, “Is it… oh, please tell me it’s not your supply of Wizard Monthly,” Hermione sighed, hoping her fiance’ wouldn’t own such filthy literature.

Viktor coughed, “vhat?”

“This isn’t your porn collection is it,” Hermione eyed the box suspiciously.

“I assure you,” Viktor blushed, taking the box from her, “I know not vhat porn is, but I haff no such magazine in my possession… only your knickers.”

“Um… oh! Oh! Is it… a wizard’s journal,” Hermione smiled, as Viktor’s face dropped, “It is! I win back my knickers,” she jumped up from the sofa and ran to their bedroom, reclaiming the lacy green knickers from the depths of Viktor’s night stand.

“Vill be vanting those back,” Viktor smirked, handing Hermione the key to the box, “with matching bra.”

“What,” Hermione stopped her celebration, taking the key from Viktor and opening the box, “VIKTOR DIMITROV KRUM!”

“Vhat,” he ask innocently.

“It’s,” Hermione stuttered, “it’s… a box full of wizard cards!”

“So,” Viktor smiled, taking his box of cards, “vill expect knickers and bra in night stand before I go to bed.”

“Gah,” Hermione stocked off toward their bedroom to put her knickers back with the addition of her matching green bra in Viktor’s night stand.

“Loff,” Viktor called from the living room.

“What,” she ask crossly.

“You still owe me back rub,” Viktor yawned, smiling at Hermione with a wink.