A/N: First time writing for this ship, so hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters and ideas associated with it.
Hermione wondered why Fleur spent so much time in the library.
As far as she could tell, Fleur never really read anything. Sure, she picked up books, and sure, she flipped through the pages, but Hermione could tell she wasn't really reading them, or at least not paying attention to what she was reading. Hermione didn't even know how well Fleur could read English – maybe she was trying to improve?
Normally, Hermione wouldn't care who came to the library and who didn't, and strictly speaking, she didn't mind Fleur sitting at her table where she quietly flipped pages and sometimes played with a strand of her long hair, even though she didn't much like her, with all Fleur's complaining about the castle. What she did mind, however, was the gaggle of first and second year boys who followed her in a pack, constantly gazing at her like blind men seeing the sun for the first time. Even more annoying were the older boys were constantly whispering about her between the bookshelves, either moaning about how "hot" Fleur was or trying to pluck up the courage to ask her to the Ball.
The Ball. That was the reason why Hermione wasn't able to pay attention to her Transfiguration homework and was instead staring across the library, eyes glazed and lost in thought.
Hermione had hoped someone would have asked her to the Yule Ball by now; true, it was still a week away, but all the girls in her dorm already had dates and spent most of their time talking about the boys they were going with or else asking Hermione if she was going with Ron or Harry.
Of course, Hermione wouldn't have minded going to the ball with Ron or Harry – as friends. Or, she wouldn't have minded going with Ron until he "asked" her like he had assumed she was available and couldn't possibly have already been asked by someone else. Neither of them had dates yet, either, though Hermione was more worried about Harry showing up to the ball without a partner – he was one of the champions, after all, and he and the others opened the dance. He would look pretty sad if he didn't have a date.
Hermione was wondering if she should just tell Harry they should go as friends to save Harry the trouble of trying to find someone to ask, when a book plunked down on the table across from her. Hermione jumped, realizing she had been staring at the same page in her book for the past ten minutes without absorbing any of the information, and looked up. Fleur Delacour stood in front of the table with her hair pulled behind one shoulder and her slender fingers tapping the cover of the book she had just dropped on the table.
For a moment, Hermione waited for her to say something, and when she didn't, asked, "Er – do you need something?"
"Yes," Fleur said, taking a seat, though Hermione had not invited her to sit. "I was wondering eef you could 'elp me with somezing."
Hermione slowly put her quill down, staring at Fleur and trying to figure out why she had suddenly come over to talk to her. "Alright."
Fleur opened her book and flipped through the pages for a moment, and pushed it towards Hermione when she found the one she wanted. "I do not understand zis word zey use 'ere. I zink I know what zhe spell is, but the word zey use is different."
Hermione leaned over the table to look at what she was pointing at, and frowned slightly in thought. "It's the teleportation spell, to vanish objects and have them reappear somewhere else."
"Oh, zat is all. I 'ad zought so, but I was not sure. Merci." Fleur said, pulling her book back. She looked at Hermione for a moment, and then behind Hermione's shoulder, and her expression dissolved into heavy disdain. "Why is 'e allowed een ze school?"
Hermione twisted around to see who she was talking about and saw Peeves pulling books out of the shelves and Madam Prince running over to him with a look of wrath on her face.
"A poltergeist like 'em would never 'ave been allowed into Beauxbatons," Fleur continued, "I do not see why Dumblydorr does not expel 'em."
It seemed to Hermione that Fleur always had something bad to say about Hogwarts. She was always comparing the castle to Beauxbatons' palace, with Beauxbatons always the better school, and describing how Hogwarts could be improved – by being more like Beauxbations, Hermione would guess. "I suppose Dumbledore has his own reasons," Hermione told her stiffly when she couldn't think up a reason as to why Peeves was allowed to stay in the castle. "He lets the other ghosts in, so why not Peeves?"
"Because ze ozer ghosts do not pour ink onto people's 'eads," Fleur said haughtily, watching Peeves zoom out of the library with narrowed eyes. Hermione pressed her lips together to keep from smiling at the mental image of Peeves dumping ink into Fleur's hair.
Silence fell and Hermione waited for Fleur to get up and leave. She didn't.
"Is there something else you need?" Hermione asked, trying to not sound rude and not quite succeeding.
"Yes," Fleur said after a long moment. "I was wondering if you would like to go to zhe Yule Ball with me."
It took a moment for Hermione to process what Fleur had just said. It took an even longer moment for Hermione to close her mouth and work out what to say.
"Uh…I – I'm not – don't you already have a d-date?" Hermione spluttered finally.
Fleur shrugged, not looking at all put off by Hermione's response. "Not zet. I 'ave not asked anybody before now."
"But people have asked you," Hermione said, thinking of Ron.
"Yes, but none who I 'ave wanted to go with."
Hermione stared at her. Fleur had never spoken to her before today, and she suddenly asked her to the Ball? What shocked Hermione even more than the offer itself was that she wasn't totally against it; she didn't even like Fleur, so why even think about going with her? But she was.
"Do you not like women like zhat?" Fleur asked, breaking the silence. She still didn't look disappointed, only curious.
"Er, I – I don't know." It was true. Hermione had never really looked at anyone the way the girls in her dorm talked about, whether they were male or female. She had never been in a relationship, either. Hermione honestly didn't know who she was attracted to.
"Oh, I zee," Fleur said, nodding. "Do you already 'ave a date?"
"No."
Fleur smiled "So would you like to go with me?"
Hermione blinked, sorting her thoughts and finally asked, "Why do you want to go with me? I've never spoken to you before." Hermione couldn't help but glance around them to see if anybody was hearing their conversation. It seemed Fleur's fanclub had stayed back at her old table and were now staring at her longingly; Hermione didn't understand how Fleur could stand it, they would have driven her mad after half an hour. Nobody else was paying attention to them.
"You seem interesting, 'Ermione. I would like to get to know you better. But, of course, you do not 'ave to say yes. I would understand eef you do not wish to go with me. I do not theenk I 'ave made a very good impression on you."
"You haven't," Hermione said, and then clamped her mouth shut, but Fleur only laughed.
"Zat is understandable. Zank you for 'elping me." She closed her book and made to get up, but stopped when Hermione spoke again.
"I'll – I'll go with you, Fleur." Hermione hoped she wasn't blushing. Sure, Hermione didn't like Fleur all that much, but she didn't know her very well either. What was the worst that could happen?
Fleur turned back to her and smiled again. "You will? C'est excellent. I will meet you in front of zhe Great Hall, yes? It will be fun. I look forward to it, 'Ermione."
Hermione watched Fleur walk back to her table, her head spinning as she tried to sort out what just happened. Fleur Delacour asked her to the Yule Ball. And Hermione said yes.
Ron would never believe it.