Fleur was a broken woman. She knew it, and she felt like the entire world knew it too. She was broken from the war, from her marriage, and from her secrets. The biggest and worst one of which, she couldn't tell anyone. Being a Veela, she had one mate, where it broke her, however, was that her mate didn't want to be her mate. Her mate was one Hermione Jean Granger, fiancée to a Ronald Bilius Weasley, and her roommate.
So here she was, stood in her bedroom, bracing herself mentally for what the day would surprise her with. The last step of her morning routine, ensuring her mental faculties were well prepared for venturing out to enjoy a casual breakfast with her mate and best friend Hermione. She wouldn't allow her Veela heritage to ruin a perfectly good friendship (and more importantly, drive her further from her mate). However, as she stepped out of her bedroom, she realized she had not prepared herself well enough for the sight she witnessed this morning, Hermione stood there, wrapped in the arms of her fiancée, lips locked in as tight of an embrace as their arms- to which she could almost gag- the Veela within her rearing its ugly head out of jealousy, she took a deep breath to push it back down, clearing her throat to announce the presence of another.
Ron and Hermione quickly split apart, the latter at least having the decency to look embarrassed at being caught. "Oh, um, sorry, breakfast is ready, Ron just wanted to pop 'round to share the good news. Him and Harry both passed their auror training today. Was thinking maybe we could all have some drinks later to celebrate."
"Hermione looked at Fleur expectantly as the awkward silence filled the room, "Oh, oh! yeah I wasn't expecting you to ask permission, this is as much your place as it is mine."
"Still, I don't wish for you to feel put out, I know the break up hasn't been the easiest of things to deal with and of course Ron and Ginny will be there," Hermione paused, her finger tips brushing Ron's arm as she gave him a fond look, "so will Harry and Luna and Neville though," she added on quickly.
"Hermione, you know there is no bad blood between Bill and I, if you invite him over, there won't be any tension, at least on my part."
Hermione looked visibly relieved, "Oh good, because he seemed quite excited that his little brother would become an auror."
Fleur smiled at that and took a pastry from the counter, "if that is all, then I must be getting to work," she waited for a slight nod from Hermione and took her leave, her long blonde hair flowing behind her as she stepped out the door to their small apartment. She apparated to Gringott's with a small pop.
She appeared outside the doors to the large building, guarded heavily by goblins, she strolled past them, making her way to a small doorway off to the side of the grand entrance. Pushing the door open, she couldn't help the shiver that accompanied the passage from the ornate decorations in the public spaces to the spartan décor of the employee only areas. It was a short walk down the plain hallway to her office, or rather the group offices as all the curse breakers shared a communal space, each with their own desk to store their files and such. None of them really spent a large amount of time behind the desk other than for completing paperwork but rather spent most of their time out in the field, trying to solve the enchantments that were placed on rare objects or the likes.
"Mornin' Bill," she said, placing her small bag down on her desk. The redhead whose desk sat across the aisle from her, looked up from his file and smiled, "Good morning, Fleur."
"You'll be coming for drinks tonight oui?" she couldn't help but allow the tidbit of French to slide through, though she spoke mostly English (and without an accent at that) most of the time, she couldn't help but fall back on some of her older speaking habits when she was nervous.
"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world. It's not every day your baby bro gets to be an auror now is it? But I sense that's not the problem at hand. If you want to talk about it, I'm here Fleur, I know we aren't engaged anymore, but I really think we dodge a bullet with that one didn't we?" He winked at her as he said the last part, knowing the reason she called off the wedding.
"She doesn't know yet does she?"
"No, I could never tell her either, it wouldn't be right," Fleur stated wistfully, looking down at her paperwork to hide the frown that had appeared on her face.
"Leave it to you to be worried about what's proper instead of getting the girl. There's a bunch out there that would rather have their mate rather than saving a friendship." Bill turned back to his paperwork signaling he was done with the conversation as well.