Jk Rowling owns Harry Potter not me. I'm changing the rating to m to be safe. Thank you for following guys; please enjoy the chapter and review-lark
"I- I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, Professor," Hermione stuttered.
"You are already becoming a repeat offender, 'ermione," She smirked, leaning back in her chair and stretching languidly. "Repeat offender?" Hermione asked, uncertainly.
"Why yes, you seem constantly disrespectful in class and you have the nerve to arrive late for detention," She smirked maliciously.
"I had to find your god damned office," Hermione hissed, her patience wearing thin. "Cursing is no language for a lady," Fleur reprimanded, "And will do naught to get you out of detention."
"Well, it is exceedingly difficult to find you office, I was not aware there were even rooms in the clock tower," Hermione replied, polite tone edging with sarcasm.
"There are many things you are not aware of, 'ermione," Fleur sneered silkily.
"Of course, Professor," She ground out.
"So we return to our original predicament," Fleur smirked and leant further across the desk, "Whatever shall we do with you?"
"Ah, lines?" Hermione suggested half-heartedly.
"Lines?" Fleur chuckled, surveying the squirming student over the ridges of her knuckles, "You believe lines to be sufficient?"
Hermione swallowed, the way Fleur said it made her feel ridiculous for even suggesting the punishment; as if hanging would have been more fitting. "Yes," She replied, ashamed as her voice scaled a few notes. She was not used to feeling like this, not since Voldemort returned and she convinced herself to become stronger. "Well," Fleur sighed heavily, "I do not."
"What do you have in mind then, Professor?" Hermione asked tensely. Fleur chuckled, a low, husky sound that made Hermione feel like she was being laughed at and brought a blush to her cheeks. "I shall give you, how you say, an ultimatum?" She smirked slyly.
"What ultimatum?" Hermione queried, eyes narrowed.
"The next dueling class is tomorrow, Gryffindor and Slytherin are together," Her azure eyes flashed and her smile turned cruel, "I will pair you with Draco, and you will lose, on purpose."
"No," Hermione refused stubbornly, crossing her arms and fixing a scowl on her face. "No?" Fleur chuckled, sliding lethargically from her seat. Hermione clenched her fists against the arms of the chair; she didn't like the glint in Fleur's eyes. Her rarely active instincts were telling her that something was most definitely not right. "All right then," Fleur chuckled, circling behind Hermione and resting her palms on the girl's shoulders. "A trade perhaps, I will let your obvious lack of etiquette slide, if you tell me why it is you were crying in the hallway, the full reason."
"That is hardly appropriate," Hermione refused.
"Hmm?" Fleur chuckled, breath puffing against Hermione's ear, the younger girl could feel the heat radiating off her Professors body. She must have been leaning in very close. "Then you shall lose to Monsieur Malfoy."
"No," Hermione refused again, pride warring with dignity.
"I'm afraid there is no third option, Miss Granger," Fleur smirked, her cheek brushing against Hermione's as she leant forward. "What if I refuse on both accounts?" Hermione persisted stubbornly.
"I could make your life very miserable, 'ermione," She giggled, "And I would find great pleasure in doing so."
'That sounds like a threat, Professor," Hermione sneered, "Teacher's aren't allowed to threaten students."
"I can be a very convincing liar, 'ermione, I suggest you do not test my skills, choose one of the options given," Fleur replied languidly. She strolled back around to lean on the desk, fixing Hermione with her playful cobalt gaze. She laid a hand against Hermione cheek as her cherry lips lifted into a crimson smirk, "Do you really want to tempt me, 'ermione?"
"Tempt you? To threaten me?" Hermione blinked, she suspected she was missing something, like a large gaping hole in the bridge to safety.
"I'll ask you again, Miss Granger," Fleur repeated lazily, "Choose." Hermione glared at her, bronze meeting sapphire in a battle of wills that Hermione knew she was going to lose. "Ron and I had a fight," Hermione murmured softly, gaze fixed on Fleur's shoulder. "About, ah, well I'm not sure. It started as a conversation and suddenly we were arguing about past relationships and saying the most horrible things to each other. I called him dim and he labeled me as unlovable, noticed only for my grades."
Hermione noted Fleur's breathing was slightly accelerated and her hands clenched slightly. "But we were only really taking out our emotions on each other," She whispered, growing quieter as she spoke. "We were just venting frustration, anger, sadness, everything we've gone through in the past twelve months."
"You have been feeling overwhelmed?" Fleur guessed and Hermione couldn't guess at her tone. "Yes, and afraid," Hermione admitted, wrapping her arms around her waist to hold in the anxiety. A gentle hand rested on her knee, manicured nails resting coldly against the exposed skin. Hermione glanced up at Fleur, who was watching her with an unreadable expression. "Everybody is afraid, 'ermione," She murmured, voice gentle. Hermione watched her carefully; she wondered how long this gentle Fleur would last this time. "I know, but I shouldn't be," She murmured.
"'Ermione," Fleur sighed, free hand resting against Hermione's cheek while her left remained on the girls knee, "A Gryffindor spirit may only go so far."
"I have to keep being strong," Hermione argued, "For Ron, for Harry."
"Perhaps," Fleur shrugged and Hermione could practically see the kindness draining from her eyes. Did the veela have split personalities? If she did there was no question as to which was dominant. "I believe that will do for your punishment."
"Yes, Professor," Hermione murmured, casting her eyes down to where Fleur's hand still rested on her knee. Heat rose in Hermione's cheeks and the reaction did not escape Fleur's notice. The veela dug her nails into Hermione's skin slightly before drawing away. Hermione hurried to her feet and to the door, hand halfway to the handle when she remembered Fleur had locked it. "Unlock the door," Hermione murmured.
"I didn't detect a please in there," Fleur smirked.
"Please," Hermione added, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Now 'ermione, we may be done with detention for now, but I will not hesitate to give you another," Fleur grinned.
"For a single word out of line?" Hermione frowned.
"It is oh so easy to find reasons to punish 'ermione," Fleur smiled lopsidedly, "And you are so fun to taunt."
"That is hardly appropriate conduct," Hermione complained.
"I would be happy to reinvent your idea of inappropriate conduct, 'ermione," Fleur smirked, sashaying closer. "P-professor?" Hermione stuttered as Fleur paused before her. A slim hand slid to her waist as Fleur's blue eyes twinkled mischievously. Fleur's face hovered inches from hers, cherry lips grinning in malicious amusement. "The door in unlocked 'ermione," She teased, "Unless you wish to stay." Her hand trailed lower, long nails brushing against Hermione's hip and lower until Hermione stepped back, a deep scarlet tint to her face. "You really shouldn't joke about things like that, Professor," She gasped.
"Things like what?" Fleur smirked.
"I will see you in class, Professor," Hermione muttered, still deep red as she swung the door open. "Yes, do not give me reason to give you another detention, I may have to become more creative." Hermione scurried out the door and down the corridor, trying very hard not to see the meaning to Fleur's words.
Following Fleur
Fleur watched the girl leave, a slight smirk still gracing her lips as the door shut with a snap. She knew that she should perhaps not taunt the girl, it was hardly fair; but Fleur's empathy was far outstripped by her natural veela instinct. The veela in her wanted to peruse the girl, wanted to take her, to claim her. To mark her so obviously that no other person would ever dare come near. Hermione was what the veela craved so strongly, intelligent, strong willed and stubborn. Not to mention the sexual tension any teenager as repressed, as she was likely to have stored.
The veela wanted nothing more than to tap into that, to give the girl an outlet. Hermione wasn't there yet, wasn't close enough to letting go of her control. Fleur would persist, she would tease and taunt until the girl was nearly driven mad. Like a Venus fly trap luring in an insect, Hermione would go to Fleur. She would beg and plead until she was a wreck and then Fleur would take her. Only if she still felt like it. Often when veela hunted they lost interest in their prey once it broke. Something about Hermione told Fleur she wouldn't break, in which case, Fleur would turn her submissive. There was no such thing as a submissive veela and there was never going to be. Fleur was just going to keep pushing her in the right direction, and she was going to relish every second of it.
With Hermione
Hermione stopped outside the library, mind whirling; Fleur always messed with people, but this, this was on a whole different scale. She felt violated somehow, like she was being claimed, more like a possession than a person. She shuddered and ran a hand back through her hair as she entered the library. She felt safe amongst the books, safe and normal, like nothing had changed between first and seventh year. She wandered the shelves, spotting Harry sitting in a far corner, head buried in yet another book. Was she really like that as well? She shook it off and noted that she was in the magical creatures section of the library. Without really thinking she looked around until she found a book on the veela. Maybe it would explain Fleur's shifting moods. She took the book to the table where Harry sat and he glanced up at her as she sat down.
"I heard you and Ron got in a fight," He muttered. Hermione scowled, which had to be the first thing he said to her in days. "What's new?" She sighed.
"You shouldn't fight," Harry retorted, his attention already returning to his book.
"You should try and talk every now and then. If you did Ron and I might have something to talk about that doesn't cause a fight," She snapped and instantly regretted it. "I am doing my best with what I am given," He replied tautly.
"But we're here to help you too, Harry," She begged.
"Really?" He challenged.
"Of course, Harry," She replied instantly, though something about the light of his eyes cautioned her hastiness. "I don't see you here with me every day," He retorted.
"You've never asked," She shot back, slightly defensive.
"Why do I have to?" He muttered.
"You can hardly expect us to seek out your company these days," She replied coldly, "You pushed us away, why do you want us back?"
"Because I can't do this on my own," He forced out, looking up at her with anguished emerald eyes. "Harry," She murmured, gaze softening as she reached out for his hand. He pulled it just out of her reach and flicked his eyes back to the table, "I just don't want you to be hurt," He murmured.
"We'll stay with you Harry," She vowed.
"Thank 'mione, could I have some time to think?" He asked, attempting a smile. She returned it and stood up; anything to help him to his feet. "I'll talk to you later," She smiled and angled further into the shelves.
Hermione was hidden in the deepest recess of the library, surrounded by dusty history volumes that even she hadn't read. She sat down on the carpet as clouds of dust rose to greet her and settled on her clothes and the cover of the book she carried. She flicked it open and lit her wand as she traced the contents page with a finger. The book was not specifically on Veelas, but it held a rather large section on them. She flicked open to the behavioral page and was soon scowling at the information before her. It plainly stated that Veelas were territorial and possessive of what was there's. Once a Veela decided something or someone was there's the person was pretty much doomed. Sort of like the ultimate, infallible cock block. It also stated that they were notorious teases and that the vast majority of their relationships were purely physically based and that they moved on as soon as their lover was drained.
She flicked over the page to characteristics, ways of spotting Veela, of acting around them, of avoiding the thrall. She was lost in the page about location and cross breeding when she became aware of someone leaning over her and hot breath raising hairs on the back of her neck. "A bit of light reading, 'ermione?" An amused voice asked. "Yes, as a matter of fact if is," Hermione retorted in what she hoped was a fearless tone. Arms wrapped languidly around her waist and she was bombarded with the scent of vanilla and musk. "Cute," She laughed, breath puffing in her ear as legs stretched out on either side of her. The veela was getting comfortable, which made Hermione believe she wasn't about to be going anywhere either. "You know, 'ermione," Fleur drawled, pulling them together uncomfortably close, "There are much faster ways to learn about Veela habit and anatomy than reading a book."
Another chapter done! This paring is both hard and fun to right, and I can't help but make my version of Fleur a little cruel and a major tease. Idea's appreciated, still looking for a beta. Reviews would be loved, thanks for reading-Lark