HAH, you didn't see this coming. So yes, I got inspired by your reviews and decided I wouldn't make you wait another hundred years before this one is posted.
This is what you get when you review so faithfully:P For a while there I thought you guys had forgotten about me when didn't send any review notices (well it didn't send anything to my e-mail, at least it usually informs me that I've posted a new chapter, which I think is kind of unnecessary notice since I'm the one who posted the chapter) But then I felt optimistic and decided to check the review page and saw the reviews. DAMN YOU yes. and their support centre does not work, at least it didn't work for me so I couldn't go and bitch about this matter. But it seems alright now so…
and the disclaimer: I do not own the characters, they belong to J.K.Rowling.
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The two spent the last days of Christmas Break tightly together. Most of the time was spent in Fleur's room with cups of hot chocolate and a blanket around them while watching the snowflakes falling from the enchanted sky. The Invisibility Cloak was now for the time being left in Hermione's custody; enabling her nightly visits. Hermione couldn't think of a period in her life she would have been happier than this. However the school was about to get started again and that meant less free-time to spend with each other. As the last day of holidays came too quickly, the girls had locked themselves in Fleur's room with a warm blanket and endless supply of hot chocolate.
"So we only have time to see each other in the weekends, then?" Hermione sighed, after a long conversation of how they would use their free-time.
"We should do all of ze 'omework during ze week, so we don't need to worry about zat in ze weekend. Zat doesn't mean we can't speak to each other," Fleur said while resting her head on Hermione's shoulder.
"Why don't we study together in the library couple days a week, that'd make it easier, wouldn't it?"
"Oui, it would." Fleur raised her head and leant in to plant a kiss on Hermione's lips.
Few hours later Hermione was walking along the snowy path back to the castle with a wide smile on her face.
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The days went past and they had started out a habit of slipping notes to while passing by each other in the corridors or the Great Hall during lunch. Fleur was feeling more anxious every day because of the Second task. She was loaded with work and practice for the coming trial. January changed to February in no time; 10th of February Fleur received another note of Hermione, feeling a bit confused, since they had already set date for their next library meeting. The three words written on the paper made her smile widely.
Be My Valentine
Fleur fumbled her bag for a spare bit of parchment and her quill and wrote "Oui". She also scribbled a little heart in the corner. She turned around to catch up with Hermione who had already disappeared behind the corner. Seeing her accompanied by Harry and Ron, she quickly made up an excuse so she could interrupt them without evoking any suspicions in Ron.
"Excuse moi, mademoiselle Granger. I think you dropped zis just a moment ago," Fleur said politely while suppressing the smile she was wearing seconds ago.
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The actual Valentine's Day was spent in Fleur's room again. Fleur would have wanted to go to Hogsmeade, but Hermione disagreed with this by saying it'd be too obvious if they would be seen together. Fleur didn't mind spending the day indoors, but she still felt a little bit bothered by this decision.
"Are you ashamed of me?" she asked after a moment of silence.
"What--- no! Why would I be?" Hermione asked with a slight alarmed tone.
"Zen why don't you want to go to 'ogsmeade with me? Are you afraid someone would find out about us?"
"It's not like that. Or maybe it is, I don't know. I'm just not ready yet to out myself to the whole school, if you know what I mean? But this has nothing to do with you, I would want the whole world to know you're mine if I wasn't such a coward," Hermione said cautiously, she didn't really want to start a fight over this matter.
"So I'm yours zen?" Fleur teased, feeling relatively better than she had heard Hermione say that. Hermione blushed.
"Y-yes. I mean… if you'd like to be," she said shyly.
"Does zat mean you're mine too?" Fleur asked and brushed the tip of Hermione's nose with her finger.
"Yes, I suppose it does."
"Well, I'm all yours, zen."
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It was the dawn of the day Fleur had been so nervous about. She hadn't slept too well and was feeling a bit cranky by the time of breakfast. What made her sulkier was the fact that she couldn't see Hermione anywhere. She waited for 20 minutes without even touching her breakfast, just constantly glancing at the Gryffindor table. She couldn't see Harry or Ron either. She really felt like in need of some encouraging words from Hermione. Even a simple "Good luck!" would have helped, but she didn't get even a glimpse of her before the task was starting and the Champions gathered together. She couldn't locate her even in the audience, and she double-checked.
"Merde! You chose the wrong day to let me down, 'ermione," Fleur muttered under her breath. She also couldn't help worrying if something had happened to her. Moments later she found out why Hermione was missing. How did they know? was the first thought that poured into her mind, only to be erased seconds later when Madame Maxime told her who she really was supposed to get from the watery depths. Harry rushed towards the lake, badly late. But if Hermione is not mine to save, is she really that important to Harry? She had only a little time to think about this when it was time to go underwater already. She performed the Bubble-Head spell she had practiced and dived under the surface.
After being defeated by Grindylows Fleur felt even sulkier than she had before the task had started. She was worried about her little sister Gabrielle and of course, Hermione. She was still wondering who the one that was supposed to save her was. She tried to search for Ron in the audience, if he was in the audience that would mean Hermione really was Harry's to find and save. After a long search without any results, she felt a tinge of jealousy realizing that it was Krum who would be saving her. The judges really don't have a clue, do they? Fleur thought to herself, chuckling. Minutes seemed like hours when Fleur was waiting for someone to resurface under the water. When someone finally did, Fleur jumped up to her feet to see which one of the champions it was. When she noticed it was only the pretty boy with the Asian girl that had annoyed her in the breakfast table at Christmas, her heart sank. What seemed like another hour to Fleur, another finally surfaced and Fleur was happy to see it was Hermione… with Krum. She felt jealousy taking over her again. Krum and Hermione were guided soon to accompany the lonely-looking Fleur. Fleur tried to force herself to smile when Hermione approached her.
"Are you ok? You have bruises and cuts all over you. Where's Gabrielle?" Hermione asked with worried tone.
"I got attacked by ze Grindylows," Fleur explained, looking utterly defeated. Hermione gave her a sympathetic smile. Fleur was just about to ask Hermione whether she was feeling ok, when Krum interrupted them.
"Herm-o-ninny, kan I talk to you?" he said pulling her aside. Fleur felt annoyed by this course of action. She let out a self-satisfied chuckle when Harry popped out of the water and Hermione's attention was suddenly stolen away from him. Fleur noticed her little sister with Harry and Ron and hurried to see what was going on. When she realized Harry had saved her sister, she felt like she needed to thank him somehow. Fleur knew just saying "thank you" would have been enough but she was still bitter about Krum, so to Hermione's annoyance she kissed Harry on the cheeks. She glanced at Hermione, but she didn't react in any way. So she kissed Ron too, even though there was no reason to do so. This apparently worked better to make Hermione jealous in return, or rather, furious more like.
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Half an hour later, Hermione had grabbed Fleur with her to the edge of the forest where they couldn't be heard.
"What was that all about?" Hermione asked furiously.
"What was what all about? You're ze one who ignored me, left me alone so you could flirt with ze Durmstrang boy!" Fleur shouted, feeling hurt and angry the same time. Tears were starting to form in the corners of her eyes.
"I was not flirting with him! You kissed Ron, and you knew how I would… you did that on purpose," she answered with slightly disappointed tone.
"So what if I did? I 'ad every right to feel 'urt." Tears were already falling down Fleur's cheeks.
"Don't blame this on me! You're completely missing out my point!" Hermione shouted out loud. "If you're angry about failing the task, don't take it out on me!"
Fleur helplessly stood there without saying anything just gaping her mouth, forming silent words. She couldn't stand the situation any longer so she dashed out of the scene and ran all the way back to the carriage. Only when she was in her room she let herself burst into tears. Took her a while to gather her thoughts, she tried to think about what happened from Hermione's point of view. Hermione, who had been underwater, who really didn't get a chance to wish her good luck. When she came to the surface, she couldn't have understood why Fleur was so angry. Everything just started to take clearer form in Fleur's head. When she realized she had been acting like an idiot she stormed out of her room thinking she might still catch Hermione if she ran fast. To her surprise, immediately when she stepped out of the carriage, Hermione was standing few feet ahead of her. Fleur walked to her, without saying anything she embraced Hermione and held her tightly. Hermione had clearly understood the situation, she was equally holding on tightly. Fleur was sobbing against her shoulder.
"I'm sorry I said such stupid things to you, I bet you've had a rough day," Hermione whispered to Fleur's ear.
"Non, 'ermione, I should be sorry, not you."
"Shush, you silly girl and kiss me already," Hermione said playfully. Fleur failed to suppress a chuckle and did as she was told. She broke the kiss after a while.
"I love you, 'ermione."
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Review, pwetty pweeeaaase :3
And I have to warn you, that the next chapter will be the last. It might be divided to two parts (a & b again) but I'll see about that when I start writing it.
If you want, I might consider writing a sort of sequel to this, set in the time of HBP. I might write that, I'm not making any promises. And I surely won't start writing it right away. Or any other sort of future update to their lives later on. But I don't promise anything . it's just an idea.
Anyways, look forward to the last chapter in the near future. :D Should I set a deadline so I could actually get it done? Nah, I don't write well under pressure. Near future. That's a promise. :P