This is the strangest fic I've ever written. I'm feeling eerie and weird right now, after 'finishing'. It is sort of dedicated to DeMoKa for a belated Christmas. Sorry for the lateness – I rewrote it about 4 times.
Femslash Hermione and Fleur. Possible OOCness.
Intended to go with the song "Here Without You" by 3 Doors Down.
---------------------------------------------H.G Dreams-------------------------------------------
The Forbidden Forest enveloped Hermione as she walked inevitably within. The trees were silhouettes against a black sky, and the stars seemed far off, moving in their own circles.
The night air was cool as water against her skin. By and by the trees parted to reveal a clearing, and the small, silvery lake held within its clasp.
She was there, waist deep and naked in the still water, her back turned to Hermione. Her skin was luminescent in the moonlight. She half turned, lips parted as she pulled a pin out of her hair, which unravelled loosely.
A second later she was standing shyly before Hermione, sheathed in a white satin dress. She hesitated, before leaning in to place a lingering kiss on the side of Hermione's mouth. Hermione's arms tensed, her heart tingling strangely. She didn't move, simply enjoying the sensation of Fleur's lips pressed against her own.
Suddenly Fleur was in her sky-blue Beauxbaton uniform, waving gracefully to Hermione from the carriage as she was drawn away, up into the sky.
Hermione felt wistful and sad.
The cherry sat at the bottom of the martini as Fleur's fingers brushed the flute of the glass. She leaned toward Hermione over the table, giving her a sexy smile. She wore a slinky black dress that caught the eyes of everyone in the bar, but she acted as if she only saw Hermione's.
She reached over, and grasped Hermione's left hand gently. She began running her index finder over Hermione's palm, whilst staring into her eyes suggestively. Hermione could feel herself blushing as she captured the wandering fingers in her hand and raised them to her lips. She felt self conscious and special.
She was kneeling in the lake, naked and cold in the moonlight. The water lapped at her breasts, and she let her hands skim the surface of the water, enjoying the sensation.
The trees shivered in the night breeze.
She cusped her hands together to scoop up some water, but it spilled out of her hands.
---------------------------------------------F.D Dreams--------------------------------------------
Fleur wandered through the Beauxbaton gardens. It was Spring but the roses were still flowering. Past the edge of the garden she came strangely to the woods near her home.
Smiling, she wandered past the familiar trees. She came upon a glade where she and her family had picnics, and she saw the familiar cloth and basket laid out on the grass. Suddenly a band of pixies arrived, pulling a flustered Hermione with them.
Fleur felt an overwhelming affection at seeing her. She was wearing casual muggle clothes, and waved. The pixies were gone.
Hermione was now perched in her favorite tree, lying in a branch and reading a book. Fleur waited, wanting nothing more than to have the other girl in her arms. Hermione did not seem to notice her.
She leaned against the trunk of the tree and it was Hermione, her arms around her waist, and her face buried in Fleur's neck. She could feel Hermione's warm breath on her skin.
Her heart stilled, and she hoped that Hermione wouldn't move an inch. She wanted to be just so, forever.
Fleur let her tongue flit over the crook of Hermione's neck, as she slid on top of her. She loved the butter glow of the lamplight illuminating her lover's body, and Hermione's playful expression.
Hermione shot her a wicked smile as she tugged Fleur's fingers to her lips. She then slid the other girl's index finger in to her mouth, watching satisfactorily as the Fleur emitted a gasp.
Fleur felt warm and melted.
She stood, freezing in the thunderstorm, the hard rain hitting her skin, incessant and painful. Disoriented by the blinding flashes of lightning and booms of thunder, she staggered forward.
Fleur was completely determined.
The spiced chocolate drink poured down her throat like lava. She could taste Firewhiskey mixed in the drink, burning its way down her body. Hermione sat across from her, matching her gulp for gulp.
As she drank, instead of becoming more inebriated, the place became still and cold with clarity.
She was once again in the forest, her childhood forest. She walked, and paused at a lake that had never been there before, surreal and silver in the moonlight.
Startling, she saw a black silhouette marring the surface, a body, a girl. She had her back turned to her. The girl filled the bowl of her hands with water, but it kept slipping out. She felt every movement like a deep caress, her body arching with pleasure.
The girl turned, but she woke before she could see her face.
------------------------------------------------F.D---------------------------------------------------
Fleur woke suddenly filled with longing, fear and uncertainty. The light cerulean sky of pre-dawn stared at her blankly through her open window. The breeze caressed the lace curtains gently.
She turned over and ran a hand over Bill's arm, seeking comfort and solid reality. He woke up immediately, used to sleeping light when caring for the dragons, in case of a rampage. He turned to her alertly. Noticing no danger, he smiled and stroked her face, frowning when he saw her troubled expression.
"What's wrong, love?" he inquired, worried. She didn't speak, but looked into his eyes for a moment, before shaking her head and smiling crookedly.
"It's nothing – I just had a dream, and it was...strange...and I feel...strange," she replied.
"What was it about?"
"I...I don't remember anymore. I just feel as if I 'ave lost something, or forgotten something – that is all," she said.
"Alright then," Bill concluded, caressing her hair, "do you want to go back to sleep, then?"
"Non, non...no...I would prefer to stay awake," Fleur responded with a weak, sexy smile, "Perhaps we could make 'zis an early morning?"
Bill responded enthusiastically by kissing her, and placing his hand over her breast.
"Of course we can," he replied hurriedly, moaning as she rolled on top of him.
They had sex until the sun came up, and then some, Fleur desperately trying to shake the feeling of haunted restlessness.
(A/N: Story originally ends here. Read on for the happy ending I shoved in for the sake of Christmas)
-------------------------------------------------H.G-------------------------------------------------
Hermione woke up to Ron's snoring. The back of her neck tingled and she felt angry and upset.
Knowing that she was feeling completely irrational for no reason she could place her finger on, she simply put on her clothes and apparated to her apartment, leaving a note on the bedside table for Ron.
Dear Ron,
I'm going away for a few weeks for work. Been assigned to a case in France. Might be unavailable for a fortnight. Wish I could have told you in person, but it is really urgent and you were asleep.
Love,
Mione
She hadn't lied, exactly – there was an opening for a case in France, which was urgent. A rising dark wizard turned magical serial killer. She had declined, due to the rate of casualty being experienced on that particular case, even though her work was more of a research and logistical nature than the Aurors on the case, who seemed to be the targets.
However, the shortage of willing Ministry employees for that particular case meant that she was almost sure to be given a reassignment.
Weeks later, she simply explained that for no reason that she could pinpoint, she didn't love him anymore.
------------------------------------------------F.D---------------------------------------------------
Fleur had spent several days becoming increasingly agitated and snappish, flitting from place to place haunted some elusive, hidden feeling. She had the strangest desire to go and visit her parent's house, and at length, informed Bill of her intention to visit.
However, even then the feeling would not be shaken off, and she took to wandering the forest ceaselessly. It gave her a little comfort from the restlessness eating at her. Months passed. No longer interested, she had perfunctorily broken off her engagement with Bill.
He went back to Romania, and never said a word, or left a note. The sigh of relief from both the Weasleys and the Delacours was almost audible.
Fleur resigned herself to her probable future state of complete insanity.
------------------------------------------------H.G--------------------------------------------------
Hermione walked into the flashing neon pulse of the nightclub for no other reason than to attempt to lose herself in something other than despair.
She sat herself down at the bar and ordered an orange juice. She wasn't so far gone enough to resort to substance abuse yet, and it was better not open up the possibility.
An attractive young man sidled up and smiled winningly at her.
"Je m'apelle Jean, et toi?" He asked politely. Hermione glanced up.
"Je ne parle pas francais...je parle englais," Hermione repeated the little French she had gleamed.
"Ah, oui, oui...je suis desolee," Jean replied, and returned into the mass of bodies dancing in the centre.
She sighed, and went back to her juice. However she saw a distinctive flash of blonde hair out of the corner of her eye, and turned. They both saw each other in the same moment, and their eyes were locked on each other for a long moment. Hermione's neck tingled.
She sat immobile as Fleur made her way over to her, milky white skin and soft hair. She must have been going insane.
"Ah – 'Ermione! Fancy seeing you 'ere, all zis way from your 'ome. What could you possibly be doing 'ere?" Fleur asked incredulously.
"I...I um...I'm on Ministry business," Hermione explained lamely.
"Ahh...oui, oui. I know zis will sound strange, 'Ermione, as I know you 'ave no reason to like me, especially after Bill and I...but would you like to visit my 'ome while you are 'ere? It just suddenly feels az if a...burden 'as been lifted from me tonight when I see you," Fleur asked tentatively. It was strange, but Hermione also sensed the strange lifting of the oppressive restlessness that had been dogging her for the two months since she had been alleviated. In a daze, she agreed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was strange and thrilling and wonderful, kissing under the shady trees of Fleur's home. The birds twittered ceaselessly, as if they were gossipping about the girls. They closed their eyes and kissed perfectly, opening their mouths softly and slowly. Their tongues shifted, exploring. The world seemed to hold its breath, paused for them.
Hermione broke off, looking at Fleur in wonderment, lips parted.
"I...I had a dream about us...about this. A long time ago. It seems strange that I'm here now, in France, months later. Fulfilling it," Hermione began.
"Oui, m'amour," Fleur whispered, "I 'ad a dream also, and today I begin to feel az if I 'ave woken for the first time."
"Yes," Hermione concurred softly. They kissed then, and felt at peace.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Review or not – I don't really mind. In retrospect, I the dream sequence was good, and the rest a little shoddy. I guess I wasn't as 'into' the rest...