AN: I know, I know. It's been forever. Sort of. Forgiveness?
By the time Hermione managed to suppress her guilt enough to fall into a fitful sleep, it was two in the morning. The curtains were drawn around her bed and she had placed a silencing charm on them so the others would think she was sleeping soundly. Before the uneasy oblivion claimed her mind, she had laid in bed, fully awake and dressed, tears pouring down her cheeks until there weren't any more to be shed.
She awoke from her slumber an hour later, drenched in sweat. She could feel herself burning. When she put her hand to her mouth in an attempt to keep her dinner down as she raced to the bathroom, her skin was icy to the touch.
She made it just in time to the toilet before her stomach let loose. Mercifully, she had managed to pull her hair back far enough for it to be out of harms way.
When there was nothing more to expel from her stomach, she collapsed onto the floor, coughing and gasping for air. In a far corner of her mind, she vaguely heard herself think: You feel so guilty you've made yourself sick.
I deserve it, was the reply.
She flushed the toilet and cleaned herself up, unable to think about anything but tomorrow. She went back to bed, dreading the thought of the coming day.
----
Fleur went to class that day, believing everything to be normal. When she got to Charms, however, the seat across the room from her was empty. This was unusual; Hermione was the one who always got to class before Fleur did. She fought the small bit of unease in her stomach, telling herself that her girlfriend was simply running late.
When class started minutes later, Hermione still had not shown up. Her uneasiness grew. This time she reasoned that she was held up by a teacher somewhere, asking a question or something equally trivial. Any minute now, she'll walk through the door…
But the door never opened. Hermione never came to class.
Claire noticed her friend's distress and followed her gaze across the room to the empty seat. She scribbled something on a piece of parchment and passed it to Fleur.
It read: I'm sure she's fine. She'll probably be at lunch-you can see her then.
Fleur wrote back: You're probably right. I'm sure it's nothing.
Her words betrayed how she felt. When class was finally over she raced out, eager to get to the Great Hall so she could quench the unrest taking hold in her stomach.
Outside the Hall she slowed, catching her breath. It was silly, really. There was no reason for her to be worried over Hermione's not being in class. But Fleur couldn't help but worry. She waited, though it was an acute form of torture, for Claire to come. She needed emotional support for this; she didn't know why. She saw Claire coming down the stairs slowly. She stood, watching, feeling the seconds go by as though they were each a separate eternity separating her and Hermione. Then Claire was standing next to her, looking at her worriedly.
"Ready?" Claire asked, noting Fleur's obvious anxiety. She shut her eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled heavily. Opening her eyes, she nodded.
Together they walked into the Great Hall. Both sets of eyes scanned the Gryffindor table. Fleur turned away first, fighting the turmoil inside her. She wasn't there, either. Head held high, she continued walking to the Ravenclaw table, where she sat next to a group of other Beauxbatons girls. Claire followed.
Fleur forced herself to take an active part in the conversation. She knew most of the girls she sat with, as they were all in the same grade level. Claire sat silently, reacting but never really contributing. She watched Fleur, concerned for her friend. When the other girls had to leave for class, it left Fleur and Claire alone.
Fleur quieted immediately, suddenly very interested in playing with her lunch. She kept her back to the other tables. She never touched her food, other than to move it around lamely with her fork. Claire knew that something was making the blonde uneasy about today-she just didn't know what or how to help handle it.
"Fleur…" she began.
"Oui?" was the curt reply.
"I know something's wrong. What is it?" She leaned in, eyes conveying her concern.
"I…Je ne sais pas. But somezing is wrong today, I just know it. She is not 'ere, and she should be. It just feels wrong. I do not like it." Fleur was having trouble with her words, as though there were none for the emotions she was feeling. Claire's heart hurt for her friend. She looked around, and came to a decision.
"Come. I just saw that 'arry Potter and the red'ead walk by. Maybe they will know where she is." She took hold of Fleur's elbow and physically lifted her, dragging her along the aisle between the tables. Fleur didn't fight, and eventually she passed Claire in her attempt to get to the boys.
They caught up to them in the courtyard. There were several other groups of students hanging around.
"'arry, may I ask you somezing?" Fleur asked, having stopped them to talk.
Ron stood there, gaping at the two girls, as Harry looked between them, unsure. "Um, yeah, I guess so."
"Good." She pulled him away from Ron, leaving Claire with him. He continued to gaze after Fleur. This was just as well, since Claire wasn't really thrilled with having to be stuck with him while their friends chatted.
To anyone else in the courtyard, it would look like the two Champions were discussing something about the Tournament; why else would the two be talking? Fleur looked around nervously, afraid of being overheard. Harry looked around also, more confused than anything else.
"'arry, 'ave you seen 'ermione today? She was not in Charms class, and I'm worried." The look in her eyes was enough to confirm that she was telling the truth.
Suddenly the night before popped into Harry's head: Hermione rushing into the common room, followed by the confession of what she had done. His thoughts showed on his face, as Fleur asked, "What's wrong?"
"Hm?" He shook his head to clear it. "Oh, nothing. No, I haven't seen her today. I thought she was with you?"
She bit her lower lip, looking around again. She was very anxious now, more so than before. Harry was debating telling her what had happened, but decided against it. This wasn't his fight, nor was it his place to be telling secrets. Though it didn't seem like Hermione to avoid this…
"Maybe she's in the common room. Ron and I were just heading up; you can come too, if you like."
She looked at him, a little less worry on her face. "Oui, merci." Harry started to move away, back towards Ron and Claire. Fleur had a sudden thought. "'arry-You know?"
He turned back, eyebrows raised. "Know?…Oh, yes. I know."
She moved closer to him, whispering, "And you are okay wiz zis?"
He looked a little uncomfortable, but said, "Yeah, its alright."
She smiled softly, resisting the urge to hug him. She stepped back and said, "Lead ze way."
The four set off for the Gryffindor common room. Harry led the way, with Fleur and Claire in the middle, and Ron rounding off the back. He was still speechless, though he had managed to stop drooling. At the portrait, Harry whispered the password and he and Ron went inside. Fleur and Claire waited in the corridor, for any of the three to come back out, though of course Fleur hoped for Hermione.
Fleur paced. The minutes ticked by and no one came out of the portrait hole. Claire watched her make a circle over and over again. It was starting to get on her nerves when the portrait swung aside. Fleur stopped and turned, hope written plainly on her features. Her face fell when she saw that it was only Harry.
He looked at her apologetically and said, "She isn't feeling well. She can't come see you right now."
A look of relief swept across her face, followed by determination. "Zen I will just go and see 'er." She stepped forward and made to get past Harry. He put his arm across the closed portrait.
He looked even sorrier as he explained, "I really don't think she wants to see you now." When he realized how bad that sounded, he added, "Besides, non-Gryffindors aren't allowed in the common room."
Fleur looked puzzled and hurt. "Why wouldn't she want to see me?"
Harry thought quickly, "Um, because she doesn't want to get you sick. She'll be fine tomorrow, she said. Ron and I will take her to Madame Pomfrey."
Fleur looked from Claire, who had a skeptical look on her face, and back to Harry. "Zen I will 'elp you take 'er."
Harry looked uncomfortable again. "Er, no, that's alright. We've got her."
Claire didn't like the look of this. Something was definitely off. She hated having to say, "Fleur, we've got to go. Our class starts in two minutes." She needed to get Fleur out of there, now. The feeling of something big being off pressed itself down onto Claire's shoulders.
The blonde turned to her, disbelief on her face. How could Claire think of class when Hermione was sick? But, she conceded, her friend was right. She turned back to Harry. "We 'ave to go. Please, tell 'er to feel better. From me."
He nodded. "I will."
The girls left, and he returned to the common room. Harry truly felt sorry for Fleur. It was obvious she cared very much for Hermione. He just wasn't sure how she'd react once she found out…
Hermione was wrapped in a blanket on one of the couches in the common room, a book in her lap. She was pale. She had a fever, but her skin was still icy to the touch. She looked up at him as he entered. Ron had gone up to the dormitories, leaving the two of them alone.
"What did she say?" Her voice wasn't as strong as it should've been.
"She said 'Feel better.' And she meant it." He sat in one of the chairs next to her.
Hermione's head flopped onto the pillow underneath her head. "Oh Harry, what am I going to do?" she moaned.
He looked around the common room, thinking. Nothing came to him. "I have no idea, Hermione."
----
Fleur went to class, the panic somewhat abated. Hermione was sick; that was all. Still, she couldn't help feeling a little…uneasy. The way Harry was acting didn't seem normal. Admittedly, she didn't know him very well, but it still seemed odd. She tried her best to focus, and to not worry about the growing sense of wrongness in her world…
Reviews help kill the writers block... -cough- But seriously, let me know what you think.
