A/N: Hi all, sorry for the delay! I have been suffering with an awful case of writer's block and lack of motivation. I'm working a lot more and whenever I am home I am just horribly drained of energy. But I have finally pieced together something- hope you enjoy this chapter. Please R&R!
Hermione stood outside the crumbling castle, shaking despite the relatively warm weather. Now that the war was over it was as if every emotion she had been muting during her travels was hitting her at full force. Anger at Bill, guilt at what she had done to her parents, a deep devastation for the lives lost at the war, horror at seeing the bodies of children slain by Death Eaters, a strong deep connection to Fleur… Hermione shook her head, leaning over and resting her hands on her knees to gulp in the fresh air. Her thoughts were swimming so fast she felt sick.
She felt wild, ruled by her now-free emotions. She stood up again and walked back into the Great Hall where Harry, Ron and Ginny were waiting, eyes wide with concern.
"Hermione, bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed weakly.
"Hermione, was all that true?" Ginny asked, looking equally shell shocked.
"'Mione, are you okay?" Harry said, putting a hand on her shoulder and examining her wild expression with concern.
Hermione ignored them all, her eyes focused well behind them to the sheet of platinum blonde-silver hair. Fleur was encased in a deep hug from Bill Weasley. Hermione expected to feel another surge of anger but she felt a violent, sickening twist of her stomach. Bill was her husband, it was up to Fleur whether she forgave him or not—not Hermione.
"'Mione?" Harry repeated, squeezing her shoulder.
"I have to go find my parents," Hermione said in a voice that didn't quite sound like her own. She turned abruptly and walked back out of the castle, walking all the way to Hogsmeade before apparating away with a loud pop.
[Six months later]
Harry was sitting down to lunch at the Burrow when he heard the crack of someone apparating outside. He paid it no attention, the Weasleys came and went frequently. He bit into his sandwich across from Ron who was eating glumly in unison.
It had been six months but Ron was still morose over the loss of his brother and Hermione's abrupt exit. Hermione had simply walked out of Hogwarts that day and never returned, not even sending an owl to let them know where she was or how she was doing.
Ginny padded down the stairs and joined the boys at the table. George wouldn't be up for another few hours. He was still gripped by a deep depression and struggled to get out of bed before the mid afternoon.
"Look who it is!" Molly chirped as she scuttled in. The boys and Ginny didn't even look up. There were constant comings and goings at the Burrow as the Weasley family and their friends worked to rebuild their lives post-war.
"Harry? Ron?" a familiar voice called out and the boys' heads snapped up immediately.
"'Mione!" they both bellowed before racing over to hug their friend, nearly bowling her over in their eagerness.
Once they had got over the emotional reunion, Hermione settled herself at the table with the others. She was quite tan now, a result of her long stay in Australia.
"It took a long time to undo the memory spells I had cast on them," Hermione said with a frown, still a little guilty over what she had done to her parents, "But when I finally succeeded, they informed me that they would actually quite like to stay in Australia so I stayed with them for a few more months."
"We've been rotating between clean ups and memorials," Ron said, a frown as he thought of the numerous lives lost that they had memorialized over the past six months, "But mostly we have been here at the Burrow. We're all still trying to get back to normal I 'spose."
The group spent the rest of the afternoon catching up before the evening came. With a crack Arthur Weasley arrived back. Ministry workers were already back at work, as a lot of follow up was required after the war.
"Ah! Hermione!" he exclaimed, wrapping Hermione in a deep hug. The girl was like a second daughter to him, "Please do stay! You can take Bill's room!"
"Bill's not here?" Hermione asked carefully, trying to keep her tone neutral.
"He's at Shell Cottage," Arthur said breezing into the kitchen to kiss Molly on the cheek. Hermione felt her stomach sink at the mention of Bill and Fleur's marital property.
"Don't think he'd be showing his face round here with you here anyway, 'Mione," Ginny said with a smirk, "After all you did call him out on being a right prat… Dunno if he should thank you or hate you after you ended his marriage."
"Why would he thank me?" Hermione said, ignoring the rush of joy at hearing that Bill and Fleur's marriage was no more.
"Well, now he's holed up with his former mistress," Ginny said with a scowl, obviously not a fan of Tonks cheating on Lupin.
"Now, Ginerva!" Molly chastised, "Your brother might have made some mistakes, but he is still family. I daresay him and Nymphadora suit each other perfectly, more so than he and Fleur ever did!"
"He was a prat," Ginny retorted.
"It was a blessing in disguise," Molly said diplomatically to Hermione, before busying herself with dinner.
"So, Mr. Weasley, how are things at the Ministry?" Hermione asked, diplomatically changing the subject before the temperamental Weasleys began to clash. Arthur sighed and mopped his balding head.
"Not great, Hermione," he said, sounding suddenly exhausted, "You-Know-Who might be gone, but there sure are a lot of his followers to round up still…"
Hermione shook her head sympathetically. Arthur cleared his throat and loosened his tie.
"Not to mention the constant streams of information flooding the office… Blimey, today we even had a report from a young wizard claiming to have seen Bellatrix Lestrange walking past his garden!"
At Arthur's words, Molly dropped her wand. The pot she was levitating above the stove clattered loudly as it fell and spilt its contents over the kitchen.
"Sorry love," Arthur said sadly, whipping his own wand to clean up the mess that had emerged.
There was a dull thudding and George emerged at the bottom of the stairs, sloping morosely in to the living areas.
"Georgey, my boy!" Arthur said loudly, changing his tone to falsely cheery one. He strode over and bundled George into a big bear hug. George remained with his hands at his sides, stoney faced. He appeared almost catatonic.
Dinner was a serious affair, George's depression hanging heavily over the table as he pushed his food around his plate aimlessly. After dinner he remained around the table, lifeless as the group spent the evening fruitlessly trying to bring back his liveliness with jokes and conversation.
When Hermione finally retired to Bill's old room, she guiltily felt a kind of relief at finally being free from George's presence. He reminded her too much of everything they had lost in the war.
She changed and lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling in the dark. She moved her mind to more positive topics. Fleur had left Bill. Fleur was presumably single? Hermione's stomach twisted. Surely someone like Fleur would not remain single for long. She let her mind wander to whether Fleur had been in this room before, if she had slept in this bed before. She remembered the arousal of Fleur pressed against her at night, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist. Now, even six months later, she could remember the exact feel and smell of Fleur falling asleep in her arms. Her heart ached. She tossed and turned a little before getting comfortable in the queen bed. Her eyes began to grow heavy and she started to feel the floating feeling of beginning to doze…
All of a sudden, a searing pain ripped through her forearm and she gasped with the pain, clutching at it. The faint scarred outline of 'mudblood' was burning again. For months after the war, it hadn't bothered her at all. But since returning to England, it was flaring up more and more. She had researched cursed cuts as much as she could, but had struggled to find anything that would explain the random bursts of agony rippling through her. She frowned, gritting her teeth until the pain passed, then allowed herself to relax and fall into darkness.
The next morning, Molly organized for the group to go to Diagon Alley. Hermione had been immersed in Australian muggle life for the last six months so had run out of wizarding supplies and cash. George, she figured, could benefit from being woken up before midday and taken out into the world for a dose of normalcy.
Molly ushered them all to a portkey Arthur had organized in a paddock not far from the Burrow. Ginny, Harry, Ron, Hermione and George followed after her like chicks trailing behind a mother hen. Soon they all felt the familiar jerk behind their navels and were pulled into the bustling atmosphere of Diagon Alley.
Hermione was immediately transfixed. She hadn't been to Diagon Alley since walking through as Bellatrix on their way to the bank heist. So much had changed in half a year. Shops were open again, the crowds were moving with an easiness and happiness, most of the graffiti had gone. She did notice, however, that there were still some remnants of Voldemort's uprising. Fresh pureblood-supremacist graffiti was scrawled on the odd wall and Florean's ice cream parlour was still boarded up. She bit her lip, hoping he was still in hiding rather than hadn't survived the war.
Understandably, the goblins at Gringotts raised quite a riot when the Golden Trio attempted to enter their bank. In the end, and with considerable negotiation, they were allowed in after surrendering their wands at the door. Hermione had to laugh as they left, it was definitely going to be eventful withdrawing from her vault from now on. As the Golden Trio walked out of the bank with Ginny they saw Molly with an arm around George, squeezing him sadly. The teens exchanged pained looks with each other.
Ron ambled up to his brother, throwing an arm easily around George's shoulder. Over the war he had shot up even more, his shoulders broadening and his body filling out, resulting in him almost towering over George.
"How 'bout we go for one of your favourite burgers Georgey?" Ron said softly and George nodded blankly. The group walked down to a Diagon Alley eatery that had always been a favourite of Fred and George's. Molly dabbed at a small tear in the corner of her eye when she hoped George wasn't looking. The place brought back simultaneously happy and sad emotions.
They found a nice table near a window and sat down to chat aimlessly and watch passersby through the window. George looked sadly down at the menu, prodding a finger at the dancing cartoons on it. Hermione turned her attention from the throngs of people outside the window to George, her heart breaking for him. When it became too painful to watch him in his grief anymore, her deep brown eyes moved to roam over the other tables in the eatery. Her breath caught suddenly in her throat as her eyes fell on a sheet of long silver-blonde hair across the room. Could it be?
Hermione stood suddenly at the table, her chair pushed out behind her. Five pairs of eyes turned to look at her curiously.
"Bathroom," Hermione mumbled distractedly, and her companions returned their gazes to the window and each other.
She hurried across the room, almost tripping over her own feet, her heart beating so hard it was almost in her throat when suddenly…
"'Ermione?" a gentle melodic voice called out. All the air rushed out of Hermione's lungs as she was met with an intense cerulean gaze.
"Fleur?" Hermione said dreamily. The Frenchwoman was sitting alone at a table, picking at a salad. She waved a hand for Hermione to join her.
"You are back in the country?" Fleur asked, cocking her head to one side. Hermione's heart melted at how adorable the stunning blonde witch looked.
"Well, yeah, Fleur," Hermione joked, "It does appear that way, doesn't it?"
Fleur laughed in her beautiful melodic way and shoved Hermione playfully in the shoulder.
"Hush, Hermione, I have barely seen you for thirty seconds and you are already cutting me with your harsh words!" Fleur said, feigning offense. Hermione laughed.
"Yes, my parents settled in Australia so I prolonged my stay there before coming back… It was a truly beautiful place to clear my mind, Fleur," Hermione smiled, remembering the vast beaches she had become a fixture at over the previous six months.
"Mn, meanwhile I have abandoned my usual seaside haunt," Fleur said quietly, returning to her plate, "I assume you have heard about me and Bill."
"Fleur, he never deserved you. A woman like you deserves someone that will be loyal to them, who will love them tirelessly and be there for them no matter what," Hermione blurted with unexpected passion. She blushed slightly as the words gushed out of her. It was as if everything that had been playing on her mind for so long had forced itself right out of her mouth.
There was a small silence as a smile began to curve the corners of Fleur's mouth.
"Hermione, would you care to clear your mind in the decidedly un-beautiful scenery of wizarding bars tonight?" Fleur asked with a grin, showing her perfect white teeth.
"I'll have to ask," Hermione smiled back, rising from the table again. Fleur put down her fork and stood up too, following Hermione as she walked back to her table.
The Weasleys and Harry looked up in surprise as Hermione returned with Fleur at her side, but nonetheless greeted their former in-law with enthusiasm. After all, it wasn't her fault what had happened with Bill.
"Mrs. Weasley, Fleur invited me out tonight so I was wondering if it was okay if I came back a little later tonight?" Hermione asked hopefully. Molly, used to her brood of misbehaving children, looked suspicious.
"You aren't about to break into some more wine, are you Hermione?" she asked sternly. Hermione blushed, remembering the time so long ago when they had all been caught drinking wine on the Weasley's lawn before Bill and Fleur's wedding. At this, George looked up, colour in his face for once.
"I could do with a drink and a night out," he said, a faint spark of his old liveliness in his eyes. Molly looked like she didn't know whether to fall out of her chair with shock or burst into tears.
"Well!" she said, struggling to keep her composure, "Why don't you all enjoy a well deserved night out!"
Now it was Ron and Ginny's turn to look like they were about to fall out of their chairs with shock. But they didn't need telling twice.
"Y-yeah! Course!" Ron said, almost as if he didn't trust the situation.
"Bon," Fleur said, flashing a radiant smile, "Well, come and find me when you are done with your day out in town, I will be at home nearby."
Hermione conjured a scrap of parchment and a pencil and Fleur jotted down the address of her flat before nodding at the table.
"I will see you all later," Fleur smiled, before turning to Hermione and kissing her lightly on both cheeks. Hermione's face flared a fire engine red. Damn those French customs.