Disclaimer: see chapter one, though I'm absolutely positive I still don't own them.

Prior to chapter 2 I wrote I'd insert Fleur's French accent if she was ever speaking English. Someone asked me to consider not doing that because it is a bit of a hassle reading it. I never really considered that before. So I've reread a few stories with Fleur having an accent on paper. It does distract somewhat but the reason for me not frenchising Fleur's English in the end have more to do with this chapter were I have Swedes talking English and later on in the story I might have Germans speaking English. Just French I might manage but not the other accents. The Swedes and Germans would probably end up with –on paper- French accents or some such.

And again, thanks a lot for the feedback people. I loved the reviews and it's really a big writing motivator.

Chapter 4

Sjaunja Nature reserve, Sweden

Hermione woke up extremely tired. Instead of refreshed from a good nights' sleep she felt completely drained. It cost nearly all her energy just to open her eyes.

She finally opened them to find Luna sitting crossed legged next to her camp bed. Catching her gaze Luna quickly put one index finger to her lips and pointed towards the end of her bed with her other hand. Automatically turning in that direction Hermione saw her very own Blibbering Humdinger curled up near her feet, sleeping peacefully. Only then did she become aware of its weight pressed against her legs.

Luna scooted closer to Hermione's bed not taking her eyes of their unexpected guest. "I am sorry I did not believe you." She whispered. "He is a marvellous looking Humdinger. According to the magical community of Spain you're very lucky when one befriends you."

If Hermione had been a bit more alert she might have heard Luna's wishful tone. Careful so she wouldn't disturb the softly snoring Humdinger, Hermione sat up to sit at the edge of her bed. The simple act of sitting seemed to exhaust her even more and the witch felt as if her body was up but her brain was still asleep on her pillow.

"Ughmp." Was her intelligent reply to Luna.

Finally the blonde girl seemed to catch on to the fact that her fellow Snorkack hunter wasn't quite with her. She also knew this wasn't how the older girl usually woke. Repeating yesterday's action she put her hand to Hermione's head again. "Hmm, still warm but that could be from sleep."

"Am fine." Hermione mumbled shaking off Luna's hand and whishing her brain would kick into gear. Her inability to fully wake wasn't the only thing that was occupying her thoughts. .All night she'd been having weird dreams and they'd all featured Harry and Fleur. She couldn't recall anything but bits and pieces and none of them made sense.

She remembered that her mother had once told her that when someone came down with a cold or fever they experienced strange dreams. As a witch she'd never gotten sick. At least not by a viral infection. The magically gifted seldom did. Something about magic made them virtually immune. However she must be coming down with something. She didn't remember everything about her dream but whey else would she be dreaming about Fleur and Harry and tropical islands.

That was about all she could recall though. This was annoying because something vague was telling her it was important that she remember. Now she became annoyed at herself. What could possibly be important about her dreams? She wasn't Sybil Trelawney.

A cup of hot coffee was placed in her hands. "Drink this. It contains a diluted dose of pepperup potion."

Hermione hadn't even noticed Luna had left and returned. She was touched by the thoughtful gesture.

"Thanks. That should help. I think I'm coming down with something." Luna nodded in understanding and watched as Hermione put the cup to her mouth and drank.

Moments later steam was blowing from her ears... Hermione coughed several times and blinked away a few tears that had formed in her eyes as she gasped. "This was a diluted potion?"

Luna didn't get a chance to answer that question as Hummer, startled awake by the commotion was flying around the sleeping compartment highly agitated. Until he caught sight of Luna. He barked in protest and he completely disappeared from sight.

"A little too late for that, she's already seen you. Your own fault too sneaking into our sleeping area." She could swear she heard a disgruntled grunt from behind her. Turning around the red, fox like animal came into view again. It hid behind her as it looked at Luna with suspicion.

"It's alright Hummer. You can't make a better friend then Luna here. She's also one of the wizarding worlds' experts on unknown species." A part of her felt silly for talking like this to it but another part was becoming convinced it understood her just fine.

"And I'd love to get to know you." Luna added. "But first we have to figure out why our Hermione here responded so strongly to such a diluted potion."

"Maybe it was stronger dose then you thought."

"I brewed and measured it myself."

The way her friend stated this she didn't think she'd made a mistake. Knowing Luna the odds of this were slim anyhow. The woman hadn't been in Ravenclaw for nothing.

"The only explanation I can think of is that your magic is weakened. Causing you to respond more violently too mild potions. You're also not feeling well. I think you should see a healer or mediwizard."

"What? Luna, don't you think that's a bit exaggerated? I'm fine now I had the pepperup potion and just because I've been a bit tired doesn't immediately mean I need to see a mediwitch." Hermione protested.

Luna nodded in agreement but said. "Right, I will talk to daddy and our guide. He's a local wizard and should be able to apparate us to the nearest healer."

"Luna!" Hermione said in protest, nearly whining. "I don't ne

"Be ready to leave in an hour. That should allow you to get dressed and have some breakfast before we go."

Luna left their sleeping area, leaving Hermione standing between their two beds in mid protest. Hummer chortled, earning him a heated glare.

Unperturbed the blibbering Humdinger decided there wasn't much he could do and made himself comfortable on the witch's camp bed again. After all a bit more sleep didn't hurt.

Belgium, near de coastal town of Nieuwpoort.

There was no way they could get back to sleep. Wide awake they'd gotten up and were now sitting side by side on the comfortable couch that came with their room. Though Harry looked like he wanted to jump up at any given moment.

"Do you think we dreamed her up?" he asked.

"Harry, my answer hasn't changed from the first two times you asked me that." Fleur settled herself a bit closer to her husband before gently answering. "No, I don't think we dreamed her up. I know I had your full attention when she showed up."

With her right hand Fleur made the gesture she always made when indicating their bond. Dream world or no, if Hermione's interruption had been just one or two seconds later not even the end of the world would have distracted them. So absorbed in their own and her partners' feelings as they were they completely lost themselves in each other.

"I'm convinced this encounter has to be related to our bond but how…? You're guess is probably as good as mine."

Fleur shrugged her shoulders helplessly. "There is simply so much about Veela magic that is unknown… even today. Tell me something Harry. Do you miss her?"

Harry frowned. "What prompted that question? Of course I do, she's my best friend."

His wife ignored his first question and continued with her own. "So you miss her as much as you miss say… the Weasley's or Lovegood or perhaps your godson Teddy?"

Harry thought his answer over for a bit and came up with a, to him, startling answer. "No, I miss her more then any of the others. There have even times during the last few days I whished she was here with us. I wanted to go over the days' events with her. The three of us together. Like we did the week after our wedding. It was… for lack of a better word… nice."

Surprise flashed through Fleur's dark blue eyes. "I felt that way too, I attributed it to the fact that you felt so relaxed, so content. Like things had finally all fallen into place for you. And maybe I'm siphoning of your feelings, but I find I miss her too. Funny how those things can go."

Harry nodded; he was glad Fleur felt this way. He didn't think many wives or lovers would have but it didn't exactly explain why Hermione had joined them in their dream did it? They seemed to be digressing.

"Fleur why did you ask?"

But his wife did not respond as a thought had occurred to her. Excitedly she turned to Harry. "Harry, at our wedding and the time before did Hermione at any time seem to be affected by us or any of the present Veela?"

Confused by the apparent change of subject Harry nonetheless answered. "No, is there a reason she should have been? They weren't using the thrall or anything were they? I didn't notice.. "

"I'd say there were over a hundred Veela family members present. All of different ages. They were partying and generally having a good time. When were all together like that we can really let go Harry. Even enjoy a drink or two. We don't have to worry about influencing people with our thrall, our magic or even our looks. We can just be. Sure controlling our powers is for the most part second nature but in such a large group you can always count on someone loosing control in one way or another."

Harry only looked more confused. "Fleur, please, what does this have to do with Hermione? I'm pretty sure she wasn't affected by any Veela."

"Exactly my point," Fleur agreed. "Harry, what is the first thing a Veela, or part Veela, learns about potential mates?"

This the green eyed wizard knew. "They are immune to Veela magic."

"Exactly." Fleur repeated. "And Hermione was immune to everyone and all."

Harry slapped his hand to his forehead. "That explains it."

Now it was Fleur's turn to be confused by Harry's change into conversation. "Why Hermione was in our dream? I don't think that is all there's too it."

"No," Harry clarified. "At our wedding, all your unbonded cousins and others, both male and female vying for Hermione's attention. Asking her to dance, bringing her drinks. I think at one point it was absolutely driving her loopy."

Fleur remembered now. At one time the younger witch had looked liked she wanted to run away from the festivities just to get some quiet time. Hermione had little to no experience dealing with all the attention she got. Her relatives must have recognised the fact that there was a potential Veela partner present and taken the opportunity that had presented itself. Fleur couldn't blame them. Had probably done so herself before she met Bill Weasley and accepted she wouldn't find her special bond like her parents had.

Harry seemed to catch up wit Fleur's train of thought and his jaw dropped slightly. "You mean someone bonded with Hermione?"

"It's the only thing that makes sense really. Why else would our magic be involving her like this? Veela magic works in ways we can't always explain. It has to be using your, or our, relation with Hermione to alert us of the fact she has bonded and we have got to find her."

"I haven't got any other explanation but somehow that doesn't feel right, even a touch far fetched." Harry said. Fleur could hear his doubt in his voice as well as feel it through their bond.

"I know," Fleur said, starting to feel just a touch frustrated at the entire situation. "but can you think of another explanation? There has to be Veela magic involved. Of that I am certain."

Her husband agreed but both fell silent trying to figure out just what exactly what was going on. Until Harry seemed to make somewhat of an intuitive leap, "You don't think she's somehow connected to us. I mean as we are."

There was now a mixture of fear, confusion an excitement in his eyes. He was afraid to be right but somehow also afraid to be wrong. Fleur stared at him. "I don't think that's possible Harry. I don't think there have ever been bonds between more then two."

Fleur's remark didn't deter him. Harry just knew he was on to something and he noted that his wife had her doubts about his conclusion but she did not seem opposed or disgusted by the idea. The only thing he got from her was a sense of urgency which was also expressed as Fleur continued.

"Either way, even if there's only a remote chance she's been 'touched' by Veela magic we have to find her as soon as possible."

"What? Why?"

"Harry," Fleur snapped impatiently as jumped up in order to get dressed, "Remember the days before we recognised our bond?"

He did remember. Thanks to Apolline the two of them had recognised their bonding rather quick. Only not as fast as their magic had started to merge. Their best guess was that they started to intertwine their magic about six to eight days before they established their full connection. Harry had been feeling quite under the weather, and had gradually become more tired. Even his magic had seemed, negatively, affected to him. Fleur had told him she'd suffered pretty much the same.

Of course that had all been resolved the moment the two of them had touched. The Veela bond required physical contact to finalise itself. If Apolline hadn't pushed her daughter into the arms of a man not her husband things would have gotten progressively worse for both of them. In case Hermione had bonded she needed to be united with her bondmates. Fleur was absolutely correct. They had to find her as soon as possible. Harry got his brain into gear.

"I think we need your parent's help. Maybe they have an explanation for all of this and if one of your cousins is looking for his or her partner they should have heard of it."

"Right, I'll get the Portkey dad provided. You pack our things."

Her husband didn't waste time and summoned his wand with the Accio spell that Hermione had thought him several years ago. It flew too his outstretched hand only to fall to the floor a few inches from where he was standing.

Cursing in annoyance Harry picked it up. Quickly he weaved the spell to pack their clothing and what not's only to conclude nothing happened. "What the fuck?"

Harry tried again. This time putting more force into his charm. This time it worked and every one of their items flew into their suitcases. Harry looked at his wand in contemplation. The packaging spell was one that called for fines, for careful spell work. It did not call for much strength.

It was yet another thing that convinced him that he was right. He then recalled Fleur's failed Portus spell when they said to their goodbyes to Hermione. Was that related too?

"Harry, everything packed and ready?"

"Yes." He pointed to the suitcases which he subsequently shrunk for easy carrying.

"Good, but before we go please get dressed. I think my parents will have an easier time dealing with this if we're both fully clothed."

Harry quickly resized the suitcases again. Fortunately his magic cooperated.

Hermione was tired, tired of Portkey travel. From France to England, from England to Sweden and now via an emergency Portkey to the Swedish version of st. Mungo's. She still felt nauseous from the worse then a roller coaster Portkey journey. But however much she was starting to get fed up with this pesky wizarding transportation device it gave her something else to think about as she was sitting on a hospital bed, her hospital bed.

'This is good.' Hermione thought, 'Focus on Portkey's, Granger. Bad bad Portkeys. No need to worry about why you're magic is deserting you. Portkeys are far less scary.'

They arrived at the Swedish equivalent of St. Mungo's in the late morning. It didn't take them long before they found a mediwitch, with the name of Freja Hansen, who spoke English. After listening to Hermione's complaints, added on by an exasperated Luna, that witch had at first smiled. "Well, Ms. Granger, it does sound like you've caught a virus. Even we magicals are sometimes victims to that. Let me just verify that though."

Of course this relieved her somewhat. She even looked pointedly at her blonde haired friend. Her expression saying, see I told you so.

The young mediwitch had performed what appeared to be a standard monitoring spell. Several colours appeared above and around Hermione. She knew those represented several things about her health and magical status but nothing beyond that. She still wasn't too worried when she saw the mediwitch frown and heard her utter another charm.

She did start to worry when the frown on the witch's face deepened considerably after this and when she cancelled the monitoring spells. When the Swedish healer excused herself because she wanted another healer's opinion she became somewhat alarmed. After the mediwitch muttered something like 'this is impossible,' before telling her patient to stay put and hurriedly leaving the examination room, scared could be a good way to describe Hermione's sudden state of mind.

She didn't have long to fret as healer Hansen returned fairly quickly with another healer who introduced himself as Jens Turblom. After his introduction he cast the same spells as his younger colleague had done earlier. His reaction was more controlled but no less surprised. When the two healers started to converse heatedly in their own tongue Hermione had enough. Hello! She was sitting right in front of them. "Could you please tell me what's going on?'

She addressed the female healer because she knew she spoke English but it was the man who answered. "My apologies, Ms. Granger," he said his voice full of concern. "but neither my colleague nor I have ever seen this before. It seems your magic is slowly, but at an ever increasing pace, leaving you."

"What?" Panic coursed through the English witch. "You must be mistaken! That's not possible."

Luna put a comforting hand on her friend's back but the older witch barely noticed.

"I'm afraid I'm not. Let me show you," the mediwizard continued mercilessly. He motioned to the mediwitch before performing another spell. This time at his fellow healer. Only one, deep green, colour appeared, fully surrounding her.

"The spell I just used allows healers to monitor someone's magical energy. As you can see from the flow of the energy it is both entering and leaving healer Hansen, as well as circling all around her. This is as it should be.

"Now, when we perform the same spell on you." Which he promptly did, cancelling the more complicated spells he'd put on her prior. "You can see the difference. Instead of flowing as it should your magic seems to stretch out and outwards."

Hermione and Luna could both see the pale green magic, almost a fog like mist. It didn't stop at the walls of the examination room. Instead it seemed to flow right through, outside."

"How...? What..?" Hermione wasn't certain what she wanted to ask until she took hold of herself. "Is there anything you can do to stop this? There must be…"

"Unfortunately, at this point we haven't got a clue. It cannot be a simple loss of magic. There are some curses and hexes that effectively Mugglefy wizards but the results of those curses are not remotely like your own additional symptoms. You say you've been tired and nauseous and feeling progressively worse."

"Maybe it is a new curse." Freja Hansen interjected. Undoubtedly the healer tried to be helpful but at that point in time she only managed to worry Hermione further. Had she been hit with some unknown curse in her past? Maybe even at the final battle and the effects of the curse were only now becoming transparent?

"Everything is possible. We cannot discount anything. We have to find out what happened but more importantly how we can stop whatever is wrong with you." Healer Jens told his patient. He waved his want over Hermione twice more, uttering charms the English witches could not make out. Looking intently at something that seemed rather vague to the others he continued. "What's got me worried the most at the moment is the accelerating speed at which this seems to develop and it seems to be affecting your entire body.

We need answers fast. My colleagues and I are going to do everything in our power to help you. First thing first, I want to admit you at the hospital here, so we can monitor you closely.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment before he continued. "I cannot be certain but please refrain from using magic. I think it will drain your magic from you even quicker."

At Hermione's affirming nod the female healer took over. "We'll have one of our assistants come and take you to one of the wards soon. You can ask her any questions you may have. She will also write down your complete medical history. Please make sure you tell her everything, no matter how irrelevant it may seem."

After the healers left Hermione finally had a chance to think. Her magic deserting her? She shuddered. She didn't even want to contemplate a life without magic and that wasn't all that was happening to her.

"I do not believe your magic is leaving you. It's just stretching thin. Luna inserted into the quiet. The Nargles have not left you at all."

That one strange word managed to penetrate Hermione's stormy thoughts. Why on Earth would Luna bring up Nargles now of all times? "N… Nargles?"

"Yes, the more magical power you the more Nargles are drawn to you. You still have as many Nargles around you as you usually have. If you had less magical energy now then you normally have they would have left you."

"and you can see these Nargles? Luna nodded earnestly. My mother and I have always been able to see them. It is an unusual magical ability…." Her voice trailed off. Hermione would not want to hear about this right now. It was true though. She had always been able to see beings nobody else could. People had rarely believed her when she said so. The fact that she, of all people, hadn't been able to see Hummer the day before had made her disbelieve her friend. That and the fact that Humdingers weren't native to this part of the world but still the shoe had been on the other foot for once…

Hermione briefly shook Luna's arm in gratitude for the fact she had momentarily managed to distract her from her problems. "Let me know when the Nargles leave will you?"

"Of course."

Two hours later found Hermione settling in a room at the Swedish wizarding hospital. Her adrenaline rush at hearing the news had run its course and she found herself tired again. The hospital bed looked very inviting and a nap seemed like the best idea of the century. Luna sat at the end of the hospital bed, quietly watching her friend settle onto it.

"Cheer up Luna. I'm positive the healers will be able to help me. Swedish healers have a very good reputation."

"Am I not the one who is supposed to cheer you up?" The small blonde witch asked with a small smile on her face.

"I forget to bring my rule book with me." Hermione countered after which she yawned. "I'll be certain to check it when we get back home."

She must have dozed off because the next thing she was aware of was mediwizard Jens and a person she hadn't been introduced to yet, standing next to her bed. Luna was standing across from them looking at the unintroduced stranger as if working out a puzzle. Hermione understood that last bit. There was something about that stranger that felt, very vaguely, familiar.

"Ms. Granger, we think we have found a possible answer. We didn't even have to look very far and we'll explain everything later but right now we need some answers from you."

His patient motioned for him to ask his questions. There was something in his demeanour that screamed urgency at her and that forestalled her from asking questions. Besides she was really to weary for lengthy conversations. Maybe she should close her eyes for a second…

"Ms. Granger!"

Hermione's eyes flew open again.

"This man here is Jonas Trad. He's somewhat of a specialist healer for the Swedish Veela community. We need to know if you have been in contact with any Veela this past month. According to him you show all the sign of a Veela bond that's not been completed. We need if you've recently been in contact with one."

A/n I hope you enjoyed this chapter. As for the question where I'm taking this story, the only thing I can say is read and find out. I do have some ideas were I want to move this story / have the characters do but nothing is set in stone so to speak.

I will say that next chapter will see the three main characters together again.