Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything else you recognize in this story.
I need to apologize for the very slow update. I have no real excuse I'm just lazy and I've had quite a bit on my mind. I really hope you enjoy this chapter and please don't hate me.
Chapter 7
The moon gave the muggle street below Fleur's window an eerie glow. Bill walked along the deserted pavement with a sure, unhurried stride. From her seat on the large window sill Fleur could see his figure slowly getting further away until he reached the junction, twisted on the spot and vanished. There was no sign that he had ever been there so Fleur made her way to the small bathroom adjacent to her room. It was only on closer inspection of her rather dishevelled appearance, in the surprisingly silent mirror, that she realised she was still wearing Bill's dragon hide jacket. She hadn't noticed before but refused to accept that it was because wearing his jacket seemed natural.
"Not you're usual style." Commented the mirror, obviously it was unable to remain silent for long. "Suits you though." Luckily Fleur was far too preoccupied in her own thoughts and didn't hex the poor mirror for speaking out of turn. She didn't shoot it one of her signature death glares, so preoccupied was she with thoughts of a certain red headed man.
She was sure she was over her silly school girl crush, after all that's all it was. She would find Bill tomorrow and return his jacket, and then she would let him know, very politely of course, that he couldn't keep coming to her rescue. It would be easy and would save her a lot of bother; of course there was the problem that the very idea made her sad. That was all normal, she told herself, you're tired and you've had a bit of a shock. She shivered involuntarily at the memory of the evening. She knew that she'd never be able to sleep now that she had begun to dwell on those memories. The way the man's polluted breath had lingered on her neck, the sound of his malice filled voice and the helplessness she had felt. It was all too much to bear so Fleur drew Bill's jacket tighter around her waist and made her way down the stairs to the almost deserted bar. She didn't particularly want to talk to anyone but she felt it would be better to sit in the warm pub than alone in her small dark room. She really needed to find a house that she could call home.
When she reached the bar there were very few people around. The old bartender Tom was cleaning glasses, a group of witches sat gossiping in the corner and a lone witch with bright bubble gum pink hair was sitting on her own drinking from a steaming flagon. There was even what appeared to be a troll sitting at one of the round tables but Fleur averted her eyes long before she could be sure.
"A butterbeer please." Fleur asked the tired looking bartender. Once she had her drink she sat on one of the tall bar stools and sighed. This certainly wasn't the life she had planned for herself since she was a young girl. That life consisted of a pretty cottage in Normandy and a job at the French ministry for magic.
"Looks like you need something stronger." Commented the woman with the pink hair good naturedly. "Long night?"
"You could say that." Fleur knew that the old her would definitely not be talking to strangers in a pub at one o'clock in the morning but a lot had changed in the past few weeks. "I prefer not to drink though."
"That's a pretty sensible thing to say considering the time and the fact you're in a bar. Girl like you should surely be at home and asleep right now." The woman said, watching Fleur critically.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Fleur was really confused and her accent seemed to be stronger now that she was tired. She yawned and almost knocked her drink off the bar when she turned to face the woman causing her to sigh heavily once again.
"You just look like a sensible person that's all and sensible people don't sit at the bar at one o'clock." Suddenly she narrowed her eyes at Fleur. "You were with Bill earlier this evening, did he ask you to pretend to be a friend of his so that he could leave by any chance. I know how much he hates it when we go to clubs lately. Oh and I'm Tonks by the way."
"I'm Fleur and no I suppose you could say Bill was helping me out." When Fleur thought back she did remember that Bill had been with friends and she felt bad for taking him away from his evening. She was about to explain that she really hadn't asked for Bill's help when Tonks spoke.
"He's a great guy isn't he, really sweet; always ready to help out a friend." Fleur's eyes narrowed, who was this woman who knew Bill. He'd never mentioned her; perhaps she was an ex-girlfriend or worse perhaps not ex at all. She certainly wouldn't put it past him to have had a girlfriend all along. Fleur realised that Tonks was expecting an answer and was now giving her a strange look.
"I suppose you could say he's charming when he wants to be. How do you know Bill, are you a good friend of his?" The latter part had slipped out before Fleur could help herself and she certainly meant it to appear so accusing. Tonks on the other hand simply shook her head and looked amused.
"I'm not his girlfriend if that's what you mean! We've been friends for a long time and we work together sometimes." She said smiling as if the idea of them having had any romantic attachment was absolutely ridiculous. "How do you know Bill, he's never mentioned you before." Fleur laughed bitterly, even more proof that she had meant nothing to him, he hadn't even told his good friends about her. Fleur knew that she was being ridiculous and she was reading too much into this but she didn't care.
"We met briefly at Hogwarts over the summer, we aren't particularly close. I barely know him." She decided not to go into any more detail and left her answer vague and dismissive. "Why are you in a pub so late anyway?" It would probably be safer to turn the conversation away from her relationship with Bill Weasley, she wasn't sure that Tonks wouldn't be reporting back to Bill next time she saw him.
"Ah… drowning my sorrows like everyone else I suppose. Men." Tonks smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Well there's a man I know but he won't even look at me." Fleur nodded, pretending to understand Tonks' problem, but to be truthful she had never been in a situation where a man hadn't noticed her. Everywhere she went men watched her passing. Except Bill of course amended Fleur, he hadn't gawped at you, or if he had he'd hidden it very well.
"I'm sure he'll come around soon. How long have you known him?" Fleur asked.
"A month or two, I'm sure he knows I like him. He thinks it would be too dangerous." Tonks explained, this time Fleur didn't have to pretend to understand and her answer was genuine for the first time.
"I've heard that one before, it's a pathetic excuse and since when do men have the right to make that decision for you." Fleur thought of Bill and the way he had almost managed to look hurt and anguished when he'd broken up with her so suddenly. "I knew this guy who said it would be for the best if he broke up with me, I'm not sure how he worked out that one but I suppose I'm better off without a man."
"Don't lose hope." Tonks said, all humour gone from her voice. "Love wins through in the end, it always does and it's all we've got left in these dangerous times."
"Why does everyone keep referring to "Dangerous times"? I don't understand." Fleur asked frustrated, did Tonks and Bill know something she didn't? Tonks looked around wearily to make sure no one was listening to their conversation then she leant forward and spoke in a low voice.
"I'll tell you this because you should know and because people will try to make you believe it's a lie." Tonks went on to recount the story of You-Know-Who's return to power at the end of the tri-wizard tournament. Living in France Fleur hadn't grown up with the same fear of the dark wizard who had terrorised Britain until one and a half decades ago. Even so she knew the story of Harry Potter, everyone did, and was surprised she hadn't heard more about this new twist in the story.
"Why don't I know more about this, I mean I've heard rumours but surely there should be more fuss? I rarely read the paper but if he's really back I'm sure I'd know." Fleur asked, voicing her confusion. Tonks rolled her eyes and looked slightly bitter.
"The ministry are refusing to accept that he's really back. They control the daily prophet and they're discrediting Dumbledore and Harry Potter. They're making them out to be mad; of course people aren't going to believe us now." Fleur could see that this was an issue which really angered Tonks.
"Harry Potter isn't mad, he saved my sisters life and I know he isn't a liar." Harry Potter had saved Gabrielle when he needn't have; there was no way she would forget that. Tonks looked impressed and also happy that Fleur believed her without asking any more questions.
"Exactly, but unfortunately not many other people seem to feel the same way. It's ridiculous. One minute he's the boy who lived, now he's a lying, attention seeking maniac. People will believe anything so long as it means they don't have to face reality." Tonks was getting angrier and angrier; suddenly her hair flashed bright red. Fleur shook her head startled, surely she hadn't drunk that much, but she couldn't see anyone around who was jinxing Tonks' hair.
"You're hair." She spluttered, completely shocked. Tonks stopped her rant and laughed uncontrollably at the obvious confusion on Fleur's face.
"I'm a metamorphmagus." When Fleur didn't look enlightened though Tonks explained that she could change her appearance at will. Fleur nodded in comprehension.
"We do not call it that in French, my English still isn't perfect." Fleur explained. Tonks glanced down at her watch and started.
"Wow it's later than I thought, I'd best get home." Tonks grabbed her bag off the floor and stood up. "It was lovely to meet you Fleur."
"Yes, it was nice." Fleur agreed, surprised that she genuinely had enjoyed their conversation. "Oh and your friend he'll come around don't dwell on that." Tonks smiled gratefully and then smiled wickedly.
"Oh and Bill will come round too." With that final remark she swept out of the pub. Fleur watched her leave shocked. How did she guess that it was Bill she had been talking about? Then suddenly realisation dawned and she banged her head on the bar, Tonks would recognise Bill's Jacket. Why hadn't she thought of that before wandering down with his jacket on?
"Can I help you miss?" Asked Tom, he didn't look at all alarmed to see a girl repeatedly banging her head against the bar. He obviously saw this kind of mad behaviour often, which only made Fleur feel slightly better. Tonks would think that she liked Bill, but that really wasn't the reason she was still wearing his jacket.
"No I think I'll be fine, if she doesn't tell him of course." Tom just looked confused at her answer and suggested se go back to her room and get some sleep.
A/N: Please, please review it means a lot to me to know that people appreciate what I write. Again I'm very sorry it took me a while to update. Next chapter should have more Bill and Fleur in it. If anyone has any ideas they would like to see in future chapters let me know, I'm open to suggestions. Thanks for reading.
