Nobody Thought It Would

Disclaimer: JKR's Characters and settings: My Ideas (Sort of) Your time: Thanks for reading

A.N. My apologies in advance for slaughtering the French accent, it's the first time that I have tried to write a dialogue with an accent for more than one or two lines.

There she was, walking alone, making her way over to the greenhouses. Her silvery blonde hair was whipping behind her in the late November wind. The light blue school robes showing off her luscious curves. Theodore Nott, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini all stopped to stare at the Beauxbatons beauty, as she walked along; blissfully unaware of their presence. The three boys shared a predator like look as by unspoken agreement they followed her to the deserted greenhouses.

Outside the entrance to the green houses Nott grinned at his two colleagues, "Alright boys, why don't we give that haughty bitch a proper Hogwarts welcome?" All three boys began to laugh.

"After were finished her, she will have a new appreciation for snakes," Zabini added. The three boys quickly formulated their plan of attack and got ready to stealthily enter the green house.

Neville looked up from the Fanged Geranium that he was tending. He saw Fleur enter the green house and go into the section where Professor Sprout was growing a variety of orchids. Fleur waved at Neville and continued on her way. Neville was momentarily dazed as he stared after Fleur. He didn't hear the three Slytherins entering the green house.

The three boys ignored Longbottom as he worked on some strange plant. Malfoy hesitated as he looked at Fleur bent over at the waist and sniffing a delicate looking orchid. He quietly moved up behind Fleur and wrapped one hand around her mouth and the other around her slender waist. Nott grabbed her legs as Draco wrestled her to the floor. Blaise began to shed his robes and get ready for his 'fun.'

Neville heard Fleur's muffled scream and without thinking he grabbed two of the plants that he was working on. As soon as he saw the three Slytherins attacking the Beauxbaton champion, Neville's blood began to boil. He hurled the fanged geraniums in his hands at Zabini and Nott. They stopped what they were doing and desperately tried to fend off the attacking plants. Fleur was able to wrestle herself away from Malfoy.

Nott and Zabini managed to dispose of the plants and together with Malfoy pointed their wands at the foolish Gryffindor. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the Gryffindor squib come to spoil our little game. Relax boys I can take care of Longbottom with one hand tied behind my back and then we can get back to business, Malfoy crowed." He fired a curse at Neville. The scared Gryffindor barely had time to dodge the spell.

An enraged Fleur Delacour felt her body begin to change. It was a change that she had only witnessed in full blooded Veela. Her beautiful face transformed into a birds head, feathers sprouted all over her body and wings sprouted from her back. In her claws were two large fireballs. She let out a terrible shriek and flung the fire balls at two of her attackers. She gathered another fireball and threw it at the third. The startled Slytherins took off from the greenhouses as fast as they could. Blue fireballs seemed to be chasing the three snakes.

The fierce looking bird gathered another fireball in its claws as it looked at Neville. Longbottom cowered in fear. The bird tilted its head to one side and the fire in its claws was extinguished. Slowly the bird transformed back into the beautiful Beauxbatons champion. Neville quickly turned his head and blushed as he briefly glimpsed the naked form of fleur Delacour.

Sensing Neville's embarrassment, Fleur quickly donned her robes. She walked over to Neville and gently used her hands to turn Neville around. "Merci Monsieur, you saved moi from zose 'orrible boys." She kissed Neville on each check and then hugged him.

Neville felt his cheeks burn were Fleur had kissed him. "It was nothing Miss Delacour." Neville replied shyly.

"Non eet waz very, 'ow you zay, brave of you." Fleur kissed Neville on the cheek again. "My name eez Fluer."

"Neville, Neville Longbottom" He held his hand out to Fleur to give her a proper English handshake. "Please allow me to walk you back to your carriage. You should report this to Madame Maxime as soon as possible."

Neville held out his arm for Fleur to take a hold of. It was taking all of her self control not to flood the valiant young man with her allure and then bond herself to him. While making the short walk to the carriage the two new friends talked about their mutual love of Herbology.

Just as Fleur and Neville were explaining to Madame Maxime what had happened in the greenhouse, an irate Albus Dumbledore hammered on the door of the carriage.

"How dare you let that 'thing' attack my students? If she wasn't a champion, I would insist that she be expelled immediately." he raged.

Madame Maxime stood up to her full and considerable height. Her face was crimson. "You 'ave eet wrong Dumbly dore. Eet is your own students who attacked Mlle. Delacour. Zis brave boy rescued 'er."

A red faced Dumbledore regarded Neville over his half-moon spectacles. "Is that so Mr. Longbottom?"

Neville looked at the headmaster with a cold fury. "I Neville Longbottom do swear on my honour and my magic that what I am about to say is true. Yes sir; I heard a muffled scream and saw Draco with his hand over Fluer's mouth. Nott was grabbing her ankles and Blaise was trying to take off his robes. I threw some fanged geraniums at Nott and Zabini. Fleur got away and transformed. She then defended herself and me from the Slytherins.

Fleur and Madame Maxime smiled kindly at Neville. "Oui, zat is what 'appened." Fleur knew that Neville would defend her to the end of the earth. She smiled to herself as she considered how best to reward him for his loyalty.

Rather than placate Dumbledore, Neville and Fleur's version of events seemed to enrage him further. His face went from red to purple. "Thank you Longbottom, but I hardly think that a binding magical oath was necessary."

"I disagree sir; if you could accuse Fleur of attacking three wizards without even an investigation then a magical oath is exactly what was called for."

"So Dumbly dore, what eez to be done wiz zeese 'orrible boys?" Madame Maxime rumbled.

"I will speak to their head of house and ensure that they are given a detention."

Neville let out a snort.

It was Madame Maxime's turn to get mad. "Zat is an outrage Dumbly dore. Eef you wish to avoid an intenational incident zen you vill expel zem immediately. Fleur you shall inform you father immediately."

Dumbledore's face paled. He was not used to people standing up to him so vehemently. "Of course Madame Maxime, I will give the boys in question a chance to tell the truth under oath as Mr. Longbottom did. If they have lied to me then I will of course have no choice but to expel them."

"Zat eez fine with me Dumbly dore, as long as I am present and administer the oath myself."

Dumbledore's face grew even paler. He knew that Madame Maxime had seen through his attempted deception. "As you wish, Madame Maxime."

The two professors left the carriage together. Fleur rushed over to Neville and hugged him again. She kissed his face repeatedly. "Merci Neville."

A furiously blushing Neville left the Beauxbatons carriage and seemed to float on air as he walked back to the castle. When he got through the entryway the castle was already a buzz at the pending expulsions of Malfoy, Nott and Zabini. As was his custom he steered clear of the gossipers and made his way to Gryffindor tower to work on his homework.

Dumbledore found himself in a bit of a conundrum as he sat in his office and contemplated his next move. With the attempted rape of a French diplomat's daughter and Longbottom's testimony freely given under oath, not even he could save the three boys. He had gotten Severus to contact the boys' parents. Much to his frustration Madame Maxime and Professor McGonagall had contacted Fleur's father Henri Delecour and Agusta Longbottom and they would also be present at the meeting.

After a long and arduous meeting, the boys had incriminated themselves and were now being escorted by Professor Snape and their parents to the Slytherin Dungeon to collect their belongings.

At supper time the three former students and their parents marched past the great hall. Lucius Malfoy spotted Neville sitting down to dinner. He charged the young Gryffindor. "You'll pay dearly for this boy. As dearly as your parents did."

Malfoy stopped in mid-rant as he saw the wands of every single Gryffindor and Beauxbatons student pointing at him. He abruptly pivoted on his heel and walked from the great hall.

If that incident had started people talking, what happened next would leave them all speechless. The beautiful Fleur Delacour got up from the Ravenclaw table and walked over to Neville. She looked him straight in the eye, "Neville, would you go with me to zee Yule ball?"

Neville was speechless and could only nod his head – yes. Fleur sat down beside Neville and kissed him on the cheek. Nobody seemed to notice as Ron Weasley's face turned crimson. Fleur smiled at Harry and Hermione who were sitting across from her. "Bonjour 'arry, ave you got zee date for zee ball?"

Harry looked at Fleur with a nervous expression on his face. Up until this moment she had barely acknowledged the young champion. "Not yet Fleur."

Fleur infused her next words with a little of her allure. "You should ask zee beautiful girl beside you, she already eez in love with you."

Harry and Hermione both blushed at Fleur's words. Harry looked towards Hermione and in the place of his bushy haired best friend was a stunningly beautiful woman. "Hermione, would you go to the ball with me?" The words were out of his mouth before he even knew what he was saying.

Hermione made a strange shriek that sounded like "yes" and kissed a surprised Harry on the lips. The kiss was only broken by the need for air and the incessant wolf whistles from the Weasley twins.

Ron's face turned a darker shade of red. Not only had Fleur turned Ron down in a fit of laughter, she had asked Neville to the ball. Then she had the nerve to suggest that Harry take his Hermione to the ball. "You seem to be quite the matchmaker. Who do you think I should ask to the ball?" his voice was dripping with sarcasm and jealousy.

Fleur looked at Ron for a minute and then shook her head. "You are still too much of zee child to find love. However, eef you must know, zen you should ask zee blonde girl sitting alone at zee end of zee Ravenclaw table." Fleur pointed at Luna Lovegood.

After supper Neville walked Fleur back out to the carriage and made a date with her to practice dancing the next day. Harry and Hermione had been lost in each other's eyes since their kiss in the great hall; they headed off to the nearest broom closet. Ron plucked up his nerve and asked the strange Ravenclaw girl to the ball. He felt a strange burning sensation as Luna kissed his cheek.

As Ron walked with Luna to the stairway to the Ravenclaw tower, he minded less and less that his two best friends had deserted him and that Neville had a date with the girl of his dreams.