Author: Lash_Larue
Title: "Not Fate" Chapter Ten of 28
Pairing: none now, Fleur Delacour and Hermione Granger are featured
Rating: R
Summary: Dream a little dream of…
Warnings: Angsty, non-epilog compliant, a bit of girlsex (surprise!)
Word Count: 1600
Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling
"Not Fate"
Chapter Ten
Time passed swiftly for Fleur and Hermione, as time always does when one is happy. They soon fell into a comfortable routine, working together on Fleur's seminar or their upcoming term plans, collaborating on meals and housework, and in general getting along very well indeed. They sometimes went all day without exchanging more than a few words, but it was never awkward. Hermione had been concerned that daily contact with Fleur would prove painful, but the opposite was true. She took so much joy in simply being with her and sharing the simple things of living with her that she was happy and usually fulfilled.
Hermione's love for Fleur deepened, even as she became more convinced than ever that Fleur only saw her as a friend. That was no small thing Hermione acknowledged, for real friends were much harder to find than lovers. A fact brought home to them fairly often as one or the other and sometimes both of them were approached by hopeful prospective partners.
They had perfected their mutually supportive means of rejecting these advances, much to Hermione's delight and relief. She knew full well that if Fleur took someone to her bed that she would fall completely apart. The general opinion came to be that the two women staying in the lovely house on the little hill were a couple. Hermione knew this, and delighted in it, and perhaps against her best interests she allowed herself to fall into the same way of thinking.
It was hard not to, Fleur's pleasure at being with Hermione was obvious, they touched often, tidying one another's hair, arranging clothing, or simply holding hands as they strolled the beach. It was only alone in her bed at night that Hermione felt any lack. But now she had any number of things that smelled like Fleur, and she had even stopped feeling awkward about burying her face in the sweater that Fleur had borrowed from her as she made solitary love in the privacy of her bed when the need was on her.
Not perfect, but more than she had hoped for, realistically, and more than she had ever had, she realized now.
"Only two weeks left," Hermione said with a touch of gloom over breakfast.
"Then we must make the most of them," Fleur replied decisively. "Truly, Hermione, this has been the best month I can remember. Being with you is a balm to my spirit, I- I must try and explain."
Hermione sat silent, waiting, trying not to hope too much.
"You expect nothing of me, good or bad. You do not judge, you do not assume, you do not presume. You care for me and allow me to care for you without pressing for more."
Hermione choked back a sob at that confirmation of the limits of their relationship.
"I have never experienced a relationship like ours; you are as dear to me as my sister."
"Sister, oh God, there it is," Hermione thought. Fortunately the tears that welled up in Hermione's eyes were matched by those in Fleur's. It was, after all, quite an emotional moment.
"Thank you, Hermione my dearest friend. You are healing my heart." Fleur reached across the table and took one of Hermione's hands in both of hers, pressing the palm to her face and then kissing it tenderly. "Now then, I think we should go for a swim to lighten the mood a bit, n'est ce pas?"
"A marvelous idea," Hermione said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. "A little more salt water won't harm the sea," she thought.
But she could not long be sad in Fleur's company, and her laughter was genuine when Fleur neatly dunked her in the warm water. The specter of being separated from Fleur was looming, but she resolutely ignored it.
She did however begin listening to a certain song at night, using the earbuds so as not to disturb Fleur. She had to prepare. She was grateful for the durability of the little mp3 player, for she suspected that even a cd would wear out eventually. Today, however, was not yet gone; she had nearly two weeks of today left.
xxxx
"Would you mind if Gabrielle joined us?" Fleur asked Hermione.
"Of course not, this is her house, Fleur."
"But it is your time here. Gabrielle thinks that with you here, perhaps things will be different enough that she will not be so sad. We have never before been here with anyone other than one or both of our parents, you see. And Gabrielle likes you very much," she explained.
"Certainly, I'd love to see her again; I don't think I've seen her since my lamentable wedding."
Hermione was of course torn, it meant that her time alone with Fleur was ending sooner, but perhaps it would be a good thing, something to help wean her before she had to leave Fleur altogether.
"Thank you, I shall let her know it is all right to come," Fleur paused on her way to the fireplace and kissed Hermione's forehead. "You are utterly marvelous; I love you, my dearest friend."
Once again Hermione took what she could get, but it stung a bit.
Gabrielle's arrival did indeed prove distracting; the younger Delacour was a fountain of energy and enthusiasm. She insisted on showing Hermione her secret and special places on the island, and her joy in sharing them proved impossible to resist. Hermione found herself enjoying her company quite a bit, even though she missed the quiet times with Fleur.
Sometimes they went out all together, sometimes Fleur and Gabrielle went out, or Gabrielle and Hermione. Rarely were Hermione and Fleur alone that last week, and that was proving beneficial for Hermione.
Perhaps the fact that the sisters were so alike in appearance helped. The biggest difference physically was that Gabrielle's hair was cut quite short. But her personality was completely different. Gabrielle was an enormous amount of fun, fun of the rowdy sort, usually.
She was also very effective in discouraging unwanted attention, and after the second would-be boyfriend had slunk away, they were no longer bothered.
"Gabrielle much prefers women," Fleur confided during one of their rare times alone together, "I am a little dismayed by how large a swath she has cut. But it is in the nature of Veela, we are a passionate race, I am afraid."
"I wish," Hermione thought, "what's wrong with me, then?"
But in the next instant Fleur embraced her and kissed her cheek exuberantly.
"Thank you for being so nice to her, I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to see her enjoying this place again. I feared that she would never return."
"It's not difficult," Hermione told her when she had composed herself, "I like her."
"We are a family now, non?" Fleur exclaimed joyfully.
"We surely are," Hermione agreed. "Let's go for a swim, it's our last chance. My time is up tomorrow."
"Bon," Fleur said as she rose from the couch, "I must have this last opportunity to dunk you and get you all wet!"
"Easily done," Hermione thought as she too rose and went to change.
Not even the knowledge that she had to leave the next day could put a damper on their fun, though; they nearly drowned each other several times, and Fleur was so giddy with joy that she kissed Hermione right on the lips, albeit briefly.
Hermione felt as if she had been struck by lightning.
Gabrielle joined them, and it was a very happy trio that headed back to the house to rinse off before dinner.
Fleur and Gabrielle had fixed many of their favorite dishes, and Hermione used her potions expertise to whip up elaborate tropical drinks that would have done any tiki bar in the world proud. They stayed up late and went to bed tipsy.
But alone in her room, the leaving weighed heavily on Hermione, and she opened her window, set up her mp3 player, and lay down on top of the sheets. The usual wind was absent that night, so Hermione rose and cracked her door ajar, hoping to encourage a breeze. In a few more minutes she was in that place that is neither awake nor asleep, and the song was working its usual bittersweet magic on her as her hands roamed.
She did not feel the weight settle on her bed, and for a moment she was unaware that the hand on her breast was not her own. The dream was better than ever, she thought, and then Fleur's familiar and beloved scent washed over her. The soft hand was replaced by softer lips, and Hermione moaned in ecstasy when her taut nipple was drawn in between them. Her legs opened languidly when the soft hand slid down past her belly, and she whimpered as the delicate fingers softly parted her lips, caressing her easily and fanning the embers to flame.
She fisted her hands in the sheets when the slender finger slipped inside her, and she rose to meet it eagerly, clutching it fiercely within her. It was a night of dreams come true, and her back arched as she panted and begged.
"More," she pleaded, "more," a second finger joined the first, and Hermione squeezed them tightly as she trembled on the verge of orgasm, "harder - harder – yes, oh yes!"
A soft mouth found hers, and at last she had her real kiss, and it was splendid. She eagerly welcomed the tongue into her mouth, and threaded her fingers into the silver hair. The quite short silver hair.
Her eyes snapped open, and she squirmed furiously to get away, winding up against the headboard clutching her pillow to herself and trembling.
"What is wrong? Did I hurt you?" Gabrielle asked in confusion.
"No, I mean…oh, God…" Hermione's voice trailed off, and Gabrielle ghosted from the room.
A/N: Yes, I know this situation is cliché. In any case, it's addressed next chapter.