Installment number two! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I've already started the next chapter (I'm on a freakin' roll!!!), but I don't know how long it will take to finish it. Hopefully not too long. Anyway, enjoy!!!

Harry, Ron, and Hermione strode into the garden where numerous tables and chairs were arranged for the dinner. Dusk was upon the gatherers, and Charlie released little shining fairies to float around the area.

Mrs. Weasley, who had regained some of her composure, was tapping her foot impatiently and glaring at her watch. She glanced up, noticed the trio, and motioned for them to come over.

"Well, where's Fleur?" she snapped.

Ron and Harry looked at Hermione. Hermione stared back at them. She's your mother, Ronald!, she thought, You tell her. Ron, obviously, didn't get the message and was raising his eyebrows at Hermione.

Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron. She turned to face Mrs. Weasley. "Well, er, Mrs. Weasley...She's not exactly...fit to be out here. She can barely even breathe, she's so devastated."

It was then that all the pain that Mrs. Weasley had been suppressing over the past few hours exploded. "SHE WHAT?! I DON'T CARE!! BILL WAS HER HUSBAND, SHE OWES IT TO HIM AND TO THIS FAMILY TO MAKE AN APPEARANCE OUT HERE!"

Hermione winced and tried to reason with the emotionally distressed woman. "Mrs. Weasley, I don't think she should be out here, she's completely heartbroken. Honestly, she'd just sob very loudly and distract everyone from the dinner and their remembrance of Bill."

Molly sighed slowly, trying not to get much angrier with Hermione. "F-fine. Just try to get her to at least make an appearance out here at some point. Come, let's go sit down for dinner."

Ron turned to Hermione and smiled a small smile. "Thanks Hermione. Don't know if I could've convinced her like you did."

Hermione glared at Ron. "Just because you're too scared of your own mother." she muttered.

Ron looked offended. "I am not. You just..handle her better than I do."

After the dinner, the beautiful speeches from Charlie and Percy, and the rather amusing one from Fred and George, Hermione rose from her place at the table and set about to fix a plate for Fleur.

After piling some food on a plate, Hermione straightened her dress and strolled into the house. She knocked on the door, and after waiting for a few moments she opened it. She smiled at the sight before her. Fleur was peacefully slumbering amidst many pillows. Her long silvery-blonde hair was spread out all over, and her chest moved rhythmically up and down.

Hermione set the plate on the nightstand next to the bed and sat down next to Fleur. She sighed as she ran her fingers through Fleur's hair, wishing that she could help the older witch in some way. After a few moments Fleur's eyelids fluttered open, and she stared in confusion up at Hermione.

"Where...where am I?" she questioned sleepily.

"In Percy's bedroom. You came in here after the funeral service." Hermione said quietly.

Tears welled up in Fleur's eyes as she remembered the previous events of that day. "But 'ermione, w-what about ze dinner?"

"It's over already. You could barely breathe, let alone function, right before it started...so I told Mrs. Weasley that you should be left alone."

Fleur's eyes widened. "You told her zat? And she was okay with it?"

"Er, well, not exactly. She kind of...exploded a little bit." Hermione chuckled quietly.

Fleur smiled a little. "Well, zank you, 'ermione. I needed to rest for a while." She sat up and grasped Hermione's hand, squeezing it slightly.

Hermione smiled warmly at Fleur. "D'you think you could manage to come outside for a while? I know some of the family would like you to be there. And so would I."

"Oui, 'ermione. I zink zat I can manage zat." Fleur sighed and breathed in deeply, mentally preparing herself to go out and face everyone. She managed to keep herself together for a few moments, but all of a sudden she burst into a fresh batch of tears. "Ohhh 'ermione. I cannot live without Bill!" she sobbed into Hermione's shoulder.

Hermione wrapped her arms around Fleur and held her tight. "Oh, Fleur." Hermione sniffled, as Fleur's crying was starting to make her cry. "Just let it all out." she whispered as she squeezed Fleur. "Just let it all out."

After a few minutes of crying, Fleur pulled away from Hermione's embrace. "I am sorry about zat, 'ermione. I will try to pull myself together."

"S'okay, Fleur." Hermione smiled. "Would you like me to wait for you?"

"No, zat's alright. I'll be out in a minute." Fleur stood up. "I need to go borrow some of Molly's make-up."

"Okay." Hermione stood up and grabbed Fleur, pulling her into a fierce hug. "You'll pull through this, Fleur. You're strong. Maybe you'll never fully get over Bill's death, as he was the love of your life, but you'll learn to live with this horrible tragedy. Life will get better, I promise. It won't go back to the way it was, but it will eventually get better."

Fleur hugged Hermione back, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "You are going to make me cry again, 'ermione."

Hermione pulled back from the hug and smiled at Fleur. "I'll see you outside, Fleur."

Fleur went through Molly's make-up, crinkling her nose at the woman's choice of products. "Does zis woman 'ave any good make-up?" she asked out loud.

After a moment, Fleur closed her eyes. She let her mind transport her back through her memories.

"Bill, what do you zink I should get your mother for Christmas?" Fleur called out to her husband, who was in the next room. "I was zinking some nice make-up, as ze woman's choice of make-up is very..'ow you say...wretched."

She could hear Bill burst into laughter. "Fleur, make-up isn't a daily essential for her like it is for you. She doesn't spend a lot of money on it."

Fleur chuckled out loud as she recalled the memory. "Oh, Bill." she murmured. "Never again will I be able to speak with you. To joke with you and kiss you..." Fleur trailed off. She stared at herself in the mirror. "Compose yourself, damn you. Zese people are expecting you and zey do not want a sniveling girl out zere with zem. Pull yourself together."

"So, 'Mione, is Fleur coming?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, she's just putting on some make-up." Hermione replied as she slid back into her chair.

"She doing a bit better?" asked Harry.

Hermione considered the question. "Not really, no. But she's able to compose herself better than earlier today."

"Oh, here she comes." Ron noticed. "She, er...she looks a bit funny."

Harry and Hermione turned around. "She looks so...apathetic." Harry said.

Hermione frowned. Fleur walked through the the crowd, stopping to talk with various members of the Weasley family and friends. The expression on her face never changed from a mere blank stare.

"Finally," Mrs. Weasley grumbled. "she comes out join the family." She stood up and walked over to the French witch and began speaking animatedly with her.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron winced. They could tell from Mrs. Weasley's outrageous hand gestures that she was yelling at Fleur. "Bloody hell, I hope Mum doesn't upset her." Ron said.

Hermione's eyes never left Fleur's face. She was so sure that Fleur was, at any moment, going to burst into tears and run back into the house. Hermione was very surprised to notice that the expression on Fleur's face still didn't change. She frowned. What was Fleur playing at?

Mrs. Weasley walked past the table muttering to herself. The trio caught bits and pieces of her mutterings. "Bloody nuisance." and "Didn't give a damn about my son." were just some of what they heard.

"Ron, Harry, stay here. I'm going to go see what's the matter with Fleur."

Before Ron or Harry could make any thoughtful objections, Hermione rose from her chair, and with a worried expression she walked over to Fleur. She waited patiently until Fleur finished a conversation with Bill's uncle before she grabbed Fleur's elbow and said quietly, "Fleur, could I speak with you for a moment?"

Fleur turned to Hermione, and gave her an angry stare.

Hermione was slightly taken aback by the look Fleur was giving her, but nevertheless stood her ground. "Please, Fleur." she said softly.

Fleur relented her angry gaze and allowed herself to be led away by Hermione. Hermione led them into the house and back into Percy's room.

"What is the matter with you, Fleur?" Hermione asked breathlessly.

Fleur feigned nonchalance. "What do you mean, 'ermione?"

Hermione kind stare immediately turned into one of exasperation. "Fleur! You're acting so...callous. Why? Why are you bottling up your emotions?"

"Maybe it is 'ow I deal with zings. It is no concern of yours."

Hermione had never felt so frustrated before. "Fleur, you can't just bottle everything up, it's not healthy. And also, people are starting to think that you're a cold-hearted bitch that doesn't give a damn that Bill has died."

Fleur bit her lip and averted her eyes from Hermione's gaze. "Why do you care so much, 'ermione? Nobody else affiliated with zis family gives a damn about me."

Hermione took Fleur's hands into her own. "Of course I give a damn about you, Fleur. You're a living person with feelings, and you deserve someone who understands that. Bill understood that, and I understand it too."

Fleur stared at the ground, then met Hermione's gaze. She shifted awkwardly, then in one swift movement captured Hermione's lips and cupped her face. After a few moments Hermione moaned into the kiss, and ran her hands through Fleur's hair. Fleur pulled back slowly. Then, a look of horror was written across her face.

"Oh mon Dieu! Zis is...I am sorry...zat is to say..." after a moment of stuttering, Fleur ran from the house, leaving behind a very confused Hermione.

Hermione touched her lips and tears welled up in her eyes. Why, she thought, does she pick now to return my feelings?

Let me know what you thought.