AN: Sorry for the long wait and short little chapter, I'm working on a lot of stories right now and try to give each on equal time and length, but I might start posting shorter chapters for all my fics. Not too sure yet. Anyways, here is an update finally and please ignore any typos or errors I will get them corrected soon. And thanks so much to all my readers who have stuck through this lull and for everyone who has reviewed and favorited my stories :D
Chapter 14: Control
"I can't believe we are playing Hufflepuff instead of Slytherin." Ron fumed as Hermione rolled her eyes and continued eating her breakfast. "It just…it isn't fair! All because of that git's, 'injury', they can't play. Bollocks."
"Well, at least Hufflepuff should be an easy win." Harry shrugged as he poked at the food on his plate. "It'd be nice if the weather would hold up though."
Hermione just nodded as she looked over her shoulder at Fleur who was sitting idly at the Slytherin table. She was reading a book that the brunette had translated, and her brow was furrowed in thought. The Gryffindor smiled softly, until dark blue orbs glanced up and found her brown eyes. The girl's cheeks caught fire before turning around, missing the smirk that grew on Fleur's lips.
"All right, Hermione?" Ginny nudged her gently, a knowing grin on her face as Hermione cleared her throat. "You look a bit flushed."
"I'm fine." She answered as she turned back to the conversation at hand. "You really think you'll be able to beat Hufflepuff so easily?" Hermione wasn't interested in quidditch in the least, but she had to get rid of the blush tinging her cheeks.
That got Ginny involved, who was more than happy to chime in with the boys, and gladly for Hermione's sake she glanced over her shoulder and saw that Fleur was gone. Hermione finished her breakfast and bid good bye to her friends, planning on heading to the library until the quidditch match.
The stroll to the library was well known by the brunette. She'd memorized almost every possible route in her first year and could practically get there without looking. But today, regardless of her knowledge, she decided to take the long way.
The walk was quiet as she finally reached the large wooden doors to the library. As usual on a Saturday morning, the library was practically empty. Just a few students that were getting their work done for Monday, or studying for a test.
Hermione didn't really pay much attention to who was in the library, heading to the nearest empty table and pulling out her books. It didn't take long for her to block out everything and focus on her work, that was of course, until she heard someone clearing their throat.
"Ginny, I don't have time to-" Brown eyes glanced up and was met with amused, dark blue orbs.
"Don't have time for what?" Fleur asked as she sat down across from the Gryffindor and quirked an eyebrow.
"F-Fleur!" The brunette blushed as she cleared her throat and averted her eyes back down to her work. "S-sorry, I um, I thought you were-"
"Ginny." The Veela answered with a small smile. "I'm aware." There was a momentary silence that Hermione filled with the sounds of her quill scratching along the parchment before Fleur spoke again. "So, are you not going to the quidditch game?"
Hermione stopped writing as she glanced up at Fleur with an eyebrow raised. "Do I look like the type that would go to a quidditch match in this weather?"
"I've seen you at most of the games, Granger." The Slytherin chuckled as she sat back and folded her arms over her chest. "Don't tell me a bit of rain and cold would keep you from supporting your best friend?"
"Are you trying to make me feel guilty?" Hermione queried as tilted her head and Fleur grinned with a shrug.
"Well, I was going to go watch, since whoever wins this game goes to the finals." The Prefect glanced down nonchalantly at her nails before continuing. "I was going to ask you to go, but you look pretty enthralled with your homework."
The Gryffindor paused for a moment and felt a flutter in her stomach. Her cheeks began to warm as she cleared her throat and shook her head. Hermione heard the scratch of the chair against the floor and looked up to see Fleur straightening her robes.
"I suppose I could take a break." The younger girl muttered as she tried not to notice the smile on Fleur's lips. "Just, give me a minute to get my stuff together and grab my heavy robes."
"Of course." Fleur answered as Hermione stood and headed towards the exit. The blonde followed quietly as they ascended the stairs to the seventh floor.
"So, how have you been, Fleur?"
The blonde was trying hard to ignore her reactions that were building in her body as they walked together. Even though she'd gotten control of herself, she still felt her heart beat increase being in such close vicinity of the brunette. Still, she wouldn't let that break her composure, regardless of Hermione already knowing how she affected the Veela.
"Fine," She didn't mean for her answer to be so short and cleared her throat as they reached the Fat Lady portrait. "I, erm, have been trying to translate more of the book. So far, I've learned that Veela's are somewhat related to nymphs."
"That…sort of explains a lot." Hermione muttered as she spoke the password and the portrait door swung open. Fleur raised an eyebrow as the brunette stepped through and paused. "Are you coming in?"
"Am I allowed to?" Fleur tilted her head slightly and Hermione just shrugged.
"Stay out here then." The brunette continued into the common room as Fleur stood outside, glancing around slightly before huffing and following the girl through the portrait door. Hermione glanced over her shoulder and smiled softly. "I'll only be a moment."
"Right." Fleur answered as she looked around the room that was decked out in reds and golds. A fire was burning jubilantly in the grate as the Slytherin moved and sat rigidly on the sofa. It seemed over plush and she shifted uncomfortably.
"So I told Padma that she should just forget about Seamus," A voice said cheerily as Fleur stood swiftly and faced the stairs where Hermione had disappeared. A red headed girl, obviously related to the Weasleys and an Indian girl came down, arms linked and chatting loudly. "With his luck, she'd probably get blown up if they ended up dating."
The two girls stopped in their tracks when they noticed Fleur and the Prefect tensed as stood there awkwardly in the girls' gaze. A heavy silence fell over the room as they watched each other until the red head finally spoke.
"Fleur Delacour?"
"Yes." The two Gryffindors glanced at each other before the Weasley eased up and offered her hand.
"Ginny Weasley." Fleur glanced down at her hand before her eyes darted back up into caramel orbs. "It's a pleasure to officially meet you."
"A pleasure." The blonde replied as she gently grasped Ginny's hand and shook it. The girl next to Ginny seemed awe struck and her mouth hung open slightly as Fleur quirked an eyebrow at the younger girl.
"Come on, Parvati," Ginny said with a chuckled as she guided her housemate towards the portrait. "Let's get down to the pitch before all the good seats are taken."
"Aren't you wondering why I'm here?" Fleur asked curiously as her brow furrow in confusion.
"I assume you're here with Hermione." The Weasley smiled over her shoulder slyly as she stepped through the doorway. "I mean, why else would you be here?"
Fleur opened her mouth to argue, but Hermione decided to make her presence known as she came trotting down the stairs, heavy robe over her shoulders and scarf wrapped around her neck. Heat began to build in the blonde's cheeks as she frowned and glanced back at Ginny who was still smiling before making her exit. A sigh escaped Fleur's lips as she shook her head and rubbed her temples.
"All right?" The brunette asked as she stood next to the taller girl and tilted her head slightly. "No one gave you a hard time or anything, did they?"
"Not at all." Fleur replied as she glanced down at the Gryffindor and her anxiety began to melt away. "Shall we?" She flourished her arm, signaling for Hermione to move first.
"Charming." Hermione teased as she walked ahead and Fleur smiled as she followed.
x—x
It was much colder than Fleur had anticipated, and much louder. How could she not remember how obnoxious quidditch fans were? Why had she asked Hermione to a quidditch match? Her blue eyes glanced down through the rain and cold to see Hermione shivering, yet cheering on her friend though her shouts of support were lost on the harsh wind that whipped around them.
"Come on, Harry!" Hermione had her gloved hands cupped around her mouth as Harry and the Hufflepuff Seeker flew past them. "Please be careful."
"I'm sure he'll be fine." Fleur said loudly over the rain and wind. "He's one of the best flyers I've seen at his age." Hermione just nodded as the worried expression on her face failed to disperse.
Fleur fought with the idea of inviting the younger girl closer to share warmth, but the very idea made her mind race with apprehension. She'd never made a romantic gesture before to anyone, let alone a girl who seemed to make every nerve in her body jump to attention. Her blue eyes glanced down at the brunette once more and noticed her lips beginning to pale.
"Come here." Fleur muttered as she awkwardly wrapped her arm around Hermione's shoulders, pulling her against her side and trying hard to keep the blush from creeping down her neck. She stared hard forward as the brunette relaxed in her half embrace and leaned against the taller girl.
"Th-thank you." Hermione murmured as she cleared her throat and spoke a little louder. "I'm freezing. I didn't know it would be this cold."
"I noticed." The blonde's voice wavered more than she liked, but it made her answer less frigid than the weather as Hermione continued to watch while Harry shot straight up after the Snitch. "Looks like Harry's seen something."
The Hufflepuff Seeker wasn't far behind the boy and soon they both disappeared into the misty clouds above the pitch. There were gasps and cheers as the Seekers climbed up, until Fleur saw something dark in her peripherals. Her grip inadvertently tightened on Hermione's shoulders as she saw the Dementors begin to soar up after Harry and the other player.
"What are they doing here?!" Fleur hissed as she pulled Hermione closer and clenched her jaw. Her initial run in with the creatures lingered heavily in her mind every time she saw one, but they seemed to have an affinity for Harry.
"I thought they weren't allowed on school grounds." The brunette breathed as she watched the shades disappear into the clouds. "I hope Harry will be all right."
Suddenly, snow began to fall in place of rain and Fleur exhaled a cloud of fog. The blonde tightened her scarf around her neck before glancing down at Hermione who was huddled into her side. If it would've been under different circumstances, the blonde might've been happy.
"Look!" Someone in the stands shouted as other onlookers screamed. Fleur looked up to see a figure tumbling through the air rapidly, Dementors shooting down after him.
"It's Harry!" Hermione screamed as she lurched forward to grab the railing around the stands. Fleur's eyes narrowed as she watched Harry get closer to the ground.
"Ah!" Fleur cried as a sharp pain flashed behind her eyes and her hands came up to grab the sides of her head. Her vision blurred as she furrowed her brow and watched Harry's descent slow before he was gently laid on pitch. Another stab of pain, as if someone were throwing rocks at her temples.
A high pitched whine rang harshly in her ears as Fleur cried out again, falling to her knees as the white hot paint seeped through her entire skull. Everything became distorted. She knew Hermione was speaking, but her words came out muffled and broken in Fleur's ears. Her eyes saw the brunette's worried eyes and tried to focus.
"I don't want to send her away! She's my daughter!"
She felt gloved hands overlap hers and felt her face against something warm. Her eyes tried to focus again, seeing only wavy locks and scratchy wool in her line of sight. A hand moved slowly to the back of her head, holding her there gently as they held her tight.
When the stabbing subsided, leaving only throbbing aches in its wake, Fleur finally focused long enough to realize that Hermione was holding her. The blonde's breathing was still labored, but the pain was weakened and she inhaled deeply, taking in Hermione's natural scent.
"Fleur?" Hermione's voice was soft in the Slytherin's ears as her senses began returning to normal. "Are you ok?"
"I…think so." Her answer sounded more like a question than a reply as she felt the patter of rain on her head once more. "I'm not sure what happened."
"We should get you to the hospital wing." The brunette spoke as she pulled away and let her hands slide down to Fleur's shoulders. "You're paler than normal."
Fleur just nodded as she stood to her full height and shook her head. She looked out over the pitch to see several professor's surrounding Harry's unconscious body. The Dementors were still hovering overhead, far overhead, but Fleur could still feel their presence. Regardless of their distance to the part-Veela, Fleur still shuddered before feeling Hermione gently grab her head. The blonde blinked, her focus torn away from the shades above and down to the girl next to her.
"Come on, Fleur." Hermione gently tugged her towards the exit to the stands. "There's nothing I can do for Harry right now and I'm sure they'll be taking him to the hospital to recuperate."
"Did…" The Prefect paused slightly as they descended the stairs and headed towards the school. "Did you hear anything earlier? A woman?"
"Well there was lots of screaming as Harry fell." Hermione replied as her brow furrowed in thought. "But nothing out of the ordinary in that situation."
"Oh, I must've been imagining it." Fleur's gaze fell to the ground as they walked, their hands still clasped together and for the first time, her senses stayed in check. She almost felt normal.
"Harry seemed prone to the effects of the Dementors." The brunette continued quietly as she glanced up at Fleur's fallen expression. "Perhaps you are too?"
"It seems that way." The Veela sighed as she brought her free hand up to rub her forehead.
"I wonder if it has anything to do with your Veela heritage." The Gryffindor muttered, more to herself than Fleur as they finally reached the stone steps that led up to the quad. "You are more susceptible to the emotions of others. Maybe you pick up on the souls of the Dementors' victims."
"You know more about being Veela than I do." Fleur chuckled as they trudged up the stairs. Hermione giggled quietly as she took a step and slipped on the slick stone.
Fleur reacted swiftly and caught Hermione around the waist with her arm. She widened her stance to stabilize both of them before pulling the brunette closer to keep her steady. A small gasp escaped the Gryffindor's lips as her eyes locked with Fleur's deep blue eyes. The blonde swallowed hard as she blinked a few times and felt the buzz on her skin with Hermione so close.
The haze was creeping into Fleur's vision as she inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the rain and Hermione was engulfing her. She let out a slow, shaky breath as the air around her warmed. Before she could stop herself, she leaned down and softly brushed her lips against Hermione's, feeling the girl tense for a moment.
Fleur pulled Hermione closer as she began to lose herself in the gentle press of lips, feeling the brunette's hands grasp at her robes. Every sound was muted as a warmth flooded Fleur's body, blocking out the wind and the rain. As long as the moment seemed to last, it was only a second before Hermione tensed again and pushed away from the blonde.
"I-I'm sorry." Hermione whispered as she brought her hand to her lips and a deep red blush was tinging her cheeks. Fleur's vision cleared as she blinked and her mouth opened to reply. "I have to go."
"Hermione!" Fleur called as the brunette turned and fled without another word. "I'm sorry!" She called again as Hermione disappeared into the castle.
Fleur stared for a minute where Hermione had been and shook her head, sitting down on the soaking stone step and cradling her head in her hands. Why had she done that? What had possessed her to kiss Hermione? Her blue eyes closed as she rested her arms on her knees and her forehead on her forearms. The rain resounding in her ears louder than ever.