Read, review, enjoy.
Once again thanks to liidg, who is a genius by the way.
It was a first for Hermione. For first time in her life when she didn't want to go to school. She didn't want to get out of bed, she didn't want to move. All she wanted to do was lay there with her arms wrapped around Fleur. She could feel light even breaths ghosting across her skin as Fleur slept. The sun had risen by the time they pulled a part and finally rested. Hermione looked over the note in her hand once again. It had been slipped under the door as Fleur drifted off to sleep. This time it wasn't from Severus, but from Bill. He told them not to worry that he would run interference so they could enjoy their last moments together. She put the note on her bed side table and looked down at the body draped over hers.
Fleur was beautiful. Even now, covered in sweat with slow healing scratches and bite marks. Hermione watched as another claw mark sealed itself up leaving behind unspoiled skin. The veela must still be present healing the evidence of their actions. Sighing deeply she wished for another day, but knew it wouldn't happen.
"Fleur." She whispered lightly shaking the girl to wake her up. She smiled as the blonde mumbled and burrowed into her neck. "Fleur we have to get up."
"Non."
"Oui." She said with a smile on her face. "Everyone will begin to wonder where we are and Bill can only hold them off for so long."
"Let them find us." She said tightening her grip on Hermione.
"As much as I would like to see everyone's face, I think it will be bad for you and Bill."
Fleur let out an irritated growl. "Fine" she said stretching and sitting up. She turned to shoot Hermione an angry glare but found her eyes glued on newly exposed skin. A cruel thought crossed Fleur's mind and the veela began to stretch again, pushing the duvet away to show more skin. She turned to Hermione and tossed a leg over her. Lying flat on top of the girl she leaned down and gave her a good morning kiss. Playfully running her tongue along her bottom lip, she drew Hermione's hands up above her head and slowly rocked her hips back and forth. Hermione moaned and raised her hips for more friction but Fleur stopped. The blond pulled back and looked Hermione in the eyes. "Everyone will wonder where we are and as much as I would love to see their faces it would be bad for me and Bill if we were caught." With that she hopped off the girl and walked to the bathroom. Hermione stayed stunned for a second before her mind caught up and she hopped out of bed and followed Fleur to the bathroom. She had always been a supporter of water conservation.
When they made it down stairs everyone had finished breakfast and were moping around. 'Last day before school' she heard Ron mumbling as he pulled one of his books from under a sofa. She and Fleur walked into the kitchen looking for something to eat. Molly greeted them and placed two plates on the table.
"Bill said you two were talking about some issues involving the laws." The older woman made sure to avoid the word 'creature'. She was ready to stomp up the stairs and drag the two down for breakfast when Bill pulled her aside. He told her Hermione was worried about being found out and asked Fleur about her experience with the Ministry in both France and England. Molly had backed down admitting she would be no help as she never had to deal with those laws and prejudices.
"Yes, just wanted to learn as much as I can should anything happen." Hermione said sipping her tea.
The day was turning out well in Grimmauld place, thought everyone was in a somber mood this would be the last day they would all be together for nearly a year. And the set out to enjoy it.
Bill made sure to spend time with each of his younger brothers and sister. Giving the once over to the final plans for the twins joke shop and telling Ron and Ginny the secret to his success on the quidditch pitch. Fleur made rounds as well, telling everyone goodbye and even asking the twins for a few of their extra prototypes they had lying around. She still needed to get Bill back for that 'shagging' comment he made a few days prior. The boys happily handed them over and asked for a full report back once she tried them out. She also said goodbye to Ron and Harry, not getting offended when neither boy could look her in the eye for too long. Ginny said a quick goodbye as they passed in the hall, but Fleur had something special for the girl. She was Molly's only daughter and Bills only sister, even with her icy attitude towards Fleur the veela still respected her. She was just as tough, talented, and smart as her brothers and when the time came she knew the girl wouldn't hesitate to join the fight.
"Ginny, could you help me with something." She asked the girl. Ginny let out an exacerbated sigh and followed her to 'her and Bill's' room.
When they walked in Ginny saw all their bags packed and snapped "I'm not carrying all this down stairs if that's what you want."
Fleur just smiled and pulled the girl farther into the room and closed the door behind her. "I know Molly and Arthur don't want you to fight." She said walking over to a box on the bed. "But I know you will no matter what anyone tells you." Opening the box she pulled out a small simple necklace. It was silver with a charm on it, one Ginny had ever seen before. "This," Fleur began holding up the necklace to Ginny, "is the Maat. It is an Egyptian symbol representing truth, justice, morality, and balance. When Bill and I were working in Egypt we saved a group of Goblins in a cave in. As a reward they gave each of us a token from the tomb that nearly killed them. Bill picked a vase containing a body part," she said making a face of disgust along with Ginny, "which I'm sure he is giving the twins right now, and I chose this. It is heavily warded with ancient protection spell. I figured it would come in handy during the war. Now I know you are a fierce fighter, but even you must admit you are not as good as those on the Dark Lord's side. This is for you it will help keep you safe." She held the necklace out to a shocked Ginny.
"Fleur I can't."
"Yes you can and you will. I know you'll fight no matter what and this will help you." The French girl said taking Ginny's hand and placing the necklace in it. "Don't let William see it, he will know what it is and why you have it and I don't think he is above telling Molly." Ginny nodded her head while examining the necklace in her hand. She could feel the hum of magic coming from it.
"If you'll excuse me I'm going to say good bye to Hermione." With that she left Ginny alone with her new necklace/battle shield.
Fleur passed the twins who reminded her once again to write them with her review of the prototypes. She made it to Hermione's room and found the girl surrounded by a whirlwind of raw magic. She closed and warded the door before cautiously approaching her mate. Hermione had her eyes closed but she could sense her mate. The whole time she could sense her, when she was with the twins, Ron and Harry, and Ginny, she knew exactly where she was and her wolf told her to go to her and never leave her side.
"Damon is having a hard time letting you go, as am I." She said opening her eyes and taking in the beauty before her.
"It will not be forever. We will still see each other and I will be in Hogsmeade." Fleur reassured her. "If it makes you feel any better the veela has not left me alone since I woke up." Hermione smirked at that and beckoned Fleur closer. Fleur walked into open arms and kissed her mate.
"It will be hard, but I will do my best." Hermione said to her.
"That is all I ask." Fleur kissed again and they stayed in the embrace until Bill knocked on the door.
"Time to go." He said when she opened the door. "Hermione." He greeted the girl.
"Be safe Bill." Hermione told him and hugged him good bye.
"Are you not coming to see us off?" He asked.
"No, it will be easier if I don't." She told him. He nodded and turned away to give them a little privacy for one last kiss.
"Je t'aime Hermione." Fleur whispered to her.
"I love you too." Hermione said back and watched the two walk downstairs. She felt something inside her attempting to drag her forward, but she resisted the pull. She tried to calm herself by reminding herself that Fleur would be in Hogsmeade and would be training her during the year. She also reassured herself that Dumbledore would not let her stay on school grounds while there was a full moon out, even if she could control herself, and she was sure the towns people wouldn't get close enough to the shrieking shack to tell screams of pain and suffering from those of lust.
A few minutes later Harry and Ron came up to her room to let her know Bill and Fleur had left and to discuss their last day of freedom before returning to Hogwarts.
::;;;::;;;::;;;::;;;::;;;::;;;::;;;::
"Are you sure it was her Greyback?" the man hissed at him.
"Yes my lord. She is still alive." The werewolf answered and flinched at his own admission.
"You told us she was dead, that you killed her." In a deadly calm hiss.
"I was more than positive I had my lord. I nearly tore her head off. The traitor Snape must have saved her."
"Do not blame the traitor for your incompetence!" Voldemort voice exploded.
"Sorry my lord."
"Tell me Greyback, you said you bit her, do you think she has been changed?"
"I am not sure my lord. When I encountered her she was not entirely human nor was she fully transformed. I have never come across one like her."
"Interesting." Came the wheezing hiss of Voldemort said. "Tell me about her."
"She was strange my lord. Like I said I did not feel either a whole human or wolf presence within her. It was as if she was both and neither at the same time. She began to transform, but then stopped."
"Stopped?"
"Yes, like she just halted the process. Her magic was strong and I could sense the raw magic that comes about when one changes, but it stayed with her, almost as if trying to meld with her own magic."
"This is very interesting indeed."
"M-mm-my lord?" a scared stuttering voice came from the corner. Voldemort turned his mutated face to his 'faithful' servant.
"What is it Wormtail." He shouted at the broken man.
"M-m-my lord if she was been bitten why not just turn her over to the Ministry. They will expel her from Hogwarts and take her wand. There will be nothing Dumbledore can do to save her and the boy will lose an important ally."
"You truly are a stupid man." Voldemort hissed at him. "There is something more going on with this girl and I want to know what before I kill her. She may be more useful now than ever, and if she is not then we shall tip off the Ministry and kill her when they dump her in the muggle world." He turned his eyes back to Greyback. "She was your mistake now you watch her. Tell me if anything…curious happens with her." He waved his hand and Fenrir bowed out of the room.
"This will be interesting." Voldemort mumbled to himself watching Fenrir leave through a window. "Wormtail, call Lucius to join me and tell him to bring the boy, I have a mission."
::;;;::;;;::;;;::;;;::;;;::;;;::;;;::;;;::
"Do you have everything?" Molly asked for the hundredth time.
"Yes." The four returning students answered her.
"Good. Well then, where off." Molly, Arthur, the twins, Remus and Tonks lead the four out of Grimmauld place and down the road to a set of cars sent by the ministry to escort them to Kingscross.
The ride was long as they were driven around in circles for fear of being followed. Hermione made a comment about how stupid this was as everyone knew they would end up at Platform 9 ¾ anyway. The Ministry officials didn't take kindly to this and the rest of the trip was spent in a tense silence.
Once at the station they were dropped off at the entrance and left to fend for themselves. Molly and Arthur positioned themselves on either side of Harry and Ron while the twins sandwiched Hermione and Ginny, not that Hermione needed protecting George commented.
The odd looking group moved quickly through the station and halted at the entrance. Looking around to make sure the muggles weren't paying attention they set off in pairs; Molly and Harry, Arthur and Ron, Fred and Ginny, and lastly Hermione and George. The platform was full of students and the usual chaos that surrounds boarding the train. Looking around they spotted many familiar faces and quite a bit of new ones. Hermione waved at the Patil twins as they boarded the train a few carts down. As they left her sight she was met with that of Draco and his mother. Narcissa was straightening his robes when he caught sight of Hermione. She could have sworn fear passed his eyes before he turned away.
'Perhaps' she thought to herself 'Fenrir hasn't told them I'm still alive.'
Molly and Arthur wasted no more time, they said their final goodbyes and ushered the children onto the train.
The four found an empty compartment and waved bye to the Weasleys'. The final whistle sounded and a few seconds later they could feel the train jerk and begin to move.
::;;;::;;;::;;;::;;;::;;;::;;;::
The scenery passed at a steady pace; muggle London, flat fields, rolling hills, the same as last year and the year before and the year before, but this time it didn't hold the same majesty as years past. The farther the train moved from London the stronger the pull Hermione felt. She knew what it was and she had expected it. She felt desperate. She needed, above all else, to return to Fleur. Remus had spoken with her about what to expect. It would be nothing like the longing she felt during their brief times apart, this would be much worse. Fleur knew what to expect from her veela but Hermione could only go off what Remus had read in books and heard in passing. He desperately loved Tonks, but he knew their love was not that of mates. What Fleur and Hermione had was on a level few outside veelas would ever experience. It's said that some creatures go mad from being apart from their mate for too long and some even die. While these are stories Dumbledore did reinforce the shack and had Severus learn a few spells used by aurors to take down rouge werewolves. 'By any means necessary' were his words to Severus and Hermione agreed. She would not kill or turn a classmate and they were to stop her should she lose herself.
"Sweets?" came the voice of the old trolly maiden breaking Hermione from her depressing train of thoughts.
The other three put in orders for their favorits and paid.
"Anything for you dearie?" she asked Hermione sending her a warm smile.
"No thank you."
"Alright then, if you change your mind I'll be in the front car." she sent a smile and continued down the cart.
"Are you feeling alright Hermione?" Harry asked taking a good look at his friend. She was slumped against the window, stairing out at the changing grounds. She reminded Harry of the first time he saw Remus in third year, not nearly as disheveled, but there was something there, a sadness, a tiredness, that he couldn't explain. He wondered if all werewolves were like this, or just those fighting a war.
"I'm fine, just tired. I spent most of the night going through my check list, making sure I had everything I needed." She lied easily. The boys made fun of her every year for her early preparation and sure enough the lie was accepted as truth. They changed the subject to the coming school year. The news had gotten out that a DADA teacher had not been found in time and the responsibility had been spilt between two other teachers, bets were being taken on who it would be. Hermione didn't tell them that she knew. She didn't want to deal with all their complaining when they found out it was McGonagall and Snape, and that Snape would be teaching the older students while McGonagall took the first thru third years, forth years being split between the two. The ministry had tried to have one of theirs fill the position but Dumbledore declined the offer and quickly covered the class.
Once they left England a violent pain ripped through Hermione and she nearly cried out, instead a sharp gasp escaped. She was too far from Fleur, she couldn't feel her any more, couldn't sense her. Damon clawed at her and she felt as though he really was clawing his way out of her body. The pain was all she focused on, she didn't hear Ron Harry and Ginny calling out to her. She had to get him under control before something happened. Standing she quickly pulled her bag down from the storage overhead and began digging through it. Ron had pulled the shades and locked the door so no one would walk in. The three stood and watched Hermione dig desperately through books, quills, parchment, and a host of other items. They had stopped asking her what was wrong and just watched her gasp out in pain. She was going pale and she began to sweat. A small wave of raw magic hit them and they drew their wands, but they had no idea what they would do with them.
Finally finding it she pulled out a small bag the clinked with glass vials. She dumped the contents on the seat and sifted through them finding the right one and downing it. She feel back against the window and slid to the floor taking deep calming breaths.
"Hermione?" a scared voice registered with her.
Looking up she saw Ginny Ron and Harry slightly shaking and wide eyed. Taking a shuddering breath she moved up to the bench and began placing the vials back in her bag.
"I'm sorry. Remus told me that might happen."
"And what did just happen?" Ginny asked.
"It's a werewolf thing. Most are lone wolves, but a few, myself included, have a deep bond with their families and view them as a pack. Remus told me when I left that I might experience a longing to go back home to them, he also said sometimes a violent reaction can happen and Severus brewed me something to help stop that. I should have taken it earlier, but I thought I could fight it." Placing everything back in her bag she set it on the floor next to her feet and looked up at her friends. Ginny and Harry had relaxed enough to drop their wands. "I'm sorry" she choked out as lump had formed in her throat and fought back tears. She could have lost control for the first time on a train full of her friends and peers. She felt tears rolling down her face and Harry and Ginny sandwiched her in a tight hug before the first tear hit the floor.
"It's okay Hermione." Harry told her.
"I should have been more careful."
"And you will be from now on, we'll make sure of that." Ginny said to her. The three sat on the bench, holding tight to one another calming their nerves.
Ron sat the bench opposite them, wand still grasped tightly in his hand. She wasn't the same. He had fooled himself into thinking that this…situation wasn't as bad as it seemed. At the alley she fought to protect them, she told them that she never fully transformed. He believed she had everything under control. Now she had just proved him wrong.