Fleur, for the first time in weeks, slept peacefully in her lover's arms, feeling safe, feeling loved, she dreamed happy dreams, excited for what the new day had in store. She awoke, stretching momentarily then rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she slowly extracted herself from Hermione's embrace, going to make breakfast for them both.
She smiled down at the brunette, still sound asleep, clutching at the covers, trying to hold on to what warmth remained. Fleur dressed quietly, smiling softly with the realization that over the past few weeks her belongings had slowly migrated their way to Hermione's room, only her clothes that she rarely wore were left in her room. In fact, Hermione's room was beginning to feel more like her own than hers did currently.
Fleur padded softly down the hallway towards the kitchen, planning what she was going to make for breakfast, she decided on making a couple of ham and cheese omelettes and began setting out ingredients when Hermione entered the room wearing only a robe, her frizzy brown hair going wild with sleep.
She yawned and wearily began going through the motions to make coffee before Fleur ushered her towards the kitchen table, "Sit, sit! I'll make the coffee." She quickly kissed her on the cheek before gently pushing her off towards the table.
Hermione had only been sitting for a second when there was a knock at the front door, which she got up to get, still not completely awake yet. Fleur, meanwhile, looked questioningly at the door, not expecting any visitors this morning. She could hear Hermione greet the newcomer and froze, "Hi Ron."
Fleur focused wholeheartedly on the omelettes in front of her, trying not to let her tension show, she carefully flipped the eggs, and upon hearing footsteps entering the kitchen, she asked "Do you want an omelette too Ron?"
"Nah, I already ate this mornin', thanks though," He began to shuffle through the cabinets, busying himself with pouring a coffee. Hermione then poured herself a cup and left the kitchen to go get ready for the day.
"So," Ron started awkwardly, leaning back against the counter, his coffee in hand, refusing to look at Fleur, "Hermione told me last night, you know, that she's your mate."
"Yeah." She didn't want to say much, she wasn't sure how much he knew, or rather what it was that Hermione had told him. There was a sinking feeling in her stomach.
Ron scratched the back of his head nervously before he spoke again, his voice soft this time, "I'm not mad, just so you know. It's not your fault."
Fleur couldn't control her surprise at that, she was secretly wondering what it was that Hermione had said to have him be as understanding about the situation.
"She told me that's why you've been acting differently of late, that your Veela blood is making you do what she says and you'll get sick if you don't."
Fleur had to suppress the urge to correct him, biting her tongue sharply, she ignored the taste of blood. Hermione had reentered the room, now dressed and ready for work. Fleur handed her a plate with a perfectly cooked omelette on it and was rewarded with a kiss on the cheek.
Fleur noticed Ron eyeing her carefully before he picked up his mug and sat at the table across from Hermione. They ate in relative silence, unsure of how to progress, though the tension between them seemed to go largely unnoticed by Hermione. The young witch, upon finishing her meal, placed her plate in the sink and gave Fleur a quick kiss.
"I'll be home late tonight, don't wait up for me." She bounded over to Ron, and took his hand as they both apparated.
Fleur, confused by their actions, stood in shock in the middle of the kitchen until she too realized she would be late for work if she didn't leave soon.
She apparated to work, a steaming mug of coffee in hand. Bill looked up from his desk and greeted her, a wide smile on his face. "Someone's almost late! Does that mean something happened?" He rounded the desk and made his way to her side, not waiting for an answer.
Fleur shook her head, "I cannot believe you would ask me that!"
He playfully slapped her arm, "Fleur, you know I have no filter. Now, spill!" The two of them began to make their way down to the bowels of Gringott's, getting back to work on solving the mystery vault. Fleur clutched a thick tome in her hands while Bill steered the cart rather ungracefully.
"I don't know, Bill, she picked out her wedding dress yesterday and then, after we talked, she said she needed to give us a chance and left. Ron stopped by this morning and said he knew what had happened, and he seemed okay with it. But I never pictured Ron as being okay with such things."
"Hmm," Bill responded contemplatively, "He's not normally calm, always had a quick temper, do you think she told him the truth?"
"He said he knew that she was my mate, but then he mentioned something about I'd get sick if I don't do what she wants, it was weird and I'm not sure where he got that from."
"That's not the truth though is it?"
Fleur decided not to answer that, instead flipping through the thick book, trying to find the right section as they arrived at their destination. Bill hopped out of the cart, grabbing his canvas messenger bag and slinging it over his shoulder.
They walked in amicable silence towards the giant door in front of them, still amazed at how it had gone unnoticed for so long. Fleur studied the designs etched into it, flipping through her book trying to find similar characters and their meaning hoping to discover its message while Bill pulled out a notebook and charcoal, making a quick etching of the door and its shapes.
He then pulled out his wand and began to test various spells, starting with the most basic through the more complex ones, many strange colors and shapes poured out of his wand, but none of them made a difference on the door.
Finally, he gave her a coy smile and walked up to the door, attempting to simply push it open. It didn't budge.
"Eh, well, it was worth a try." He chuckled and watched Fleur who was now sitting in the dirt, her book resting on the ground in front of her, she was hunched over it, making notes in her own notebook. Bill crouched down in front of her, "Got anything yet?"
"Hmm?" She paused in her work, looking up at him, "Oh no, nothing yet, well, maybe."
She flipped back through her work, "See this here, it's got this bit, but if you ignore that tail over there, it's almost the same. And throughout history, its been shown that characters get easier to write compared to previously, more simplified. Which could translate then that 'There are pixel lines in Portugal.' Yeah, I've got nothing."
Bill couldn't hold back a laugh at the translation Fleur gave, before she shoved him back into the dirt. When he finally recovered himself and picked himself up off the ground, he looked at Fleur "Let's get out of here, it's about dinner time."
"What? Already? Surely not." She checked the time, and packed up her stuff, following Bill back to the mine cart to leave, her mind still focused on the inscription.
AN: that quote is courtesy of Google Translate. its a real quote, I will reveal later, but from what I found its attributed to Buddha so...if anyone wants to try and figure out what it was originally, have fun.
