I apologize for taking so long to thank you for this wonderful fic! I absolutely loved it. I've read it twice now.
Millicent. You've given her so much character. I love her strengths and her vulnerabilities. You took JKR's superficial, dismissive description of Millicent and gave her depth. (I particularly liked the background you created for her: I wasn't one of the pursued girls in school. No one'd wanted a stocky, swotty, plain, utterly ungraceful cow on their arm or under their prick. I'd been fine with that for the most part--or at least that's what I'd told myself when I heard them moo at me as I passed them in the hall. I didn't want them anyway. I wrapped myself in the fat girl's defence: books and sarcasm and the occasional ability to squash some of them flat whenever they stepped across a line, thanks to Vince's teaching me to throw a left hook like a boy.)
And Viktor. I can smell the faint scent of cigarettes on his black wool jacket. Damn. So very sexy and masculine. Hot tempered yet sweet. I loved the chemistry between them. He just smiles at me, the corners of his eyes crinkling. I've the distinct feeling I've been cornered. I'm not entirely certain I dislike it.
Wonderful supporting characters. Millicent's Slytherin "family." Harry's clumsy (but well-intentioned) meddling. Frankie was clever and plucky and likeable. I loved the mother-daughter (and father-daughter!) interaction (A favourite part of mine was: "All right now. I don't need you buzzing around watching me dress, so make yourself useful and pour me a glass of wine." "May I have one too?" "Why the hell not." I pat Frankie's cheek. "Water it down." We both know she won't.).
I enjoyed all the little details. I could quote so many lines back. You've packed a world into 14,200 words. Thank you again.