Hey Everyone...
I was waiting patiently for midnight to roll around. I have something to do for work, and I want to get it over an down with instead of having to worry about and then try to sleep.
I could have ended this story on this chapter. Maybe I should have. Maybe All I need is an epilogue. Ill think about it.
Dont kill me, or maim me. This is what happens when things just feel right.
Enjoy,
snow
Poppy ~ Eternal Sleep, Oblivion
"I would rather be eradicated proving I love you and could never harm you than live with your words on my heart," Hermione whispered.
.
.
.
"No!" Fleur screamed as Narcissa dropped her lover on the pitch. Narcissa was there with the girl. She clutched her to her chest.
"How did you get her back?" Dumbledore asked.
"I didn't like the set up and followed Miss Granger into the maze. They didn't know they were being followed by me, and I reached out for the girl as they reached the cup at the same time," Narcissa cradled a screaming Fleur in her arms.
"I have to get her to the infirmary," Narcissa said as she thought about their plan, the plan that Hermione destroyed. Damn girl!
"Where is Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked and Narcissa went pale, and Fleur cried as she clutched to Narcissa.
"I could only reach Miss Delacour as she fought," Narcissa swallowed. "The Dark Lord," She whispered, and Dumbledore pulled back.
"She was fighting him?" he whispered and looked around frantically. Fleur was trying to scrabble out of Narcissa's arms. Saying over and over, accusing Narcissa in her arms in a crazed repetition.
You left her. You left her. You left her.
Narcissa's heart shattered every single time she heard her little lover say those words, speak them like a crazed mantra. Narcissa pulled Fleur tightly into her arms as she tried to soothe her and then looked to Dumbledore and he nodded his permission to take her to the infirmary. Narcissa popped herself and Fleur to Poppy. The medi-witch looked around.
"Where is she?" Poppy asked as she looked at Narcissa.
Narcissa placed Fleur on the bed and Poppy listened to the girl. Over and over… you left her. Poppy pushed a pendent on her robes. McGonagall popped to the infirmary. Poppy watched as Narcissa took care of Fleur. Her face was a sheet of marble. No expression, not even the look in her eyes spoke of what had happened. Narcissa forced her to drink a calming drought. After Fleur fought against her Fleur's adrenaline flowed from her body. Narcissa could finally work on her shoulder.
"Episkey," Narcissa whispered and waved her wand then Fleur groaned as her shoulder popped back into her joint.
Fleur watched Narcissa. She never looked at Fleur. She never lifted her eyes. She worked on her diligently as if she was fulfilling Voldemort's order to heal her. She worked with cold, clinical precision. Narcissa ran a diagnostic and then accioed a pain potion and essence of murlap.
"You killed her," Fleur said as she watched Narcissa. Nothing, not even a flinch, not even a shift in her gaze.
"If you didn't say what you did, she would not have sacrificed herself for us. You killed her," Fleur said in a monotone. She wanted to see something, she wanted to know her lover cared, gave a shit they just lost half of their heart.
"I want to go back," Fleur said as she began to get up, "Take me back," She gritted as a small spike of pain jerked in her shoulder. Narcissa placed a hand on her shoulder, the one that was injured and forced Fleur back onto the bed.
"She doesn't deserve to die alone!" Fleur yelled at her then her eyes over flowed, "Please send me back, take me to her, please," Fleur said weakly with eyes welling with tears knowing full well Narcissa gave her a tranquilizer of some sort.
"Look at me!" Fleur cried out, and finally Narcissa met Fleur's gaze. Narcissa jerked her eyes from Fleur's. Too much, too soon. She lost her heart as Fleur looked into her eyes full of blame. The woman on that bed ripped her still beating organ from her chest with that look. Then she crushed it with the force of a giant when she looked into Narcissa's eyes with tortured agony. Her chest seized and then she clenched her jaw as a stabbing ache ripped through her veins.
Narcissa stood, looked to Poppy and McGonagall. The healer was stricken as if the life had been sucked from her, and Minerva had her arms around her comforting the woman. Narcissa popped back to the pitch to see to the other champions. It was frantic. Screaming came from the stands as a body lay there motionless. Narcissa ran to Hermione.
No. No. No.
Her hands shook as she ran a diagnostic and her heart fell. She was gone. She was really gone. No. She reached down to the girl and slowly pulled her to her body. She held the girl in her arms.
"You feel for her," Narcissa heard the voice behind her and placed Hermione on the ground. The Polyjuiced Moody stood behind her with his wand in his hand.
"Alastor, what is the meaning of this?" Dumbledore asked.
"He isn't Auror Moody," Narcissa gritted and then Moody silent cast rapid fire spells toward Narcissa. She blocked with all she had. She would kill him, take the air from his lungs, and halt the beating of his blackened heart.
"What?" Dumbledore asked as he pointed his wand at his old friend after he cast shield charms around the stands protecting the onlookers who were stupid enough to stay. Then Dumbledore saw the twitch, and the animal-like lick of his lips.
"Who are you?" Dumbledore asked taking Moody's gaze from Narcissa and then the man smiled. No one saw the blade as if it were teleported through space as it hit its mark.
Narcissa cast her cutting curse, and the impostors arm fell to the ground, but not before a blade sank into her chest. Narcissa let a tear fall from her eye as she lifted her hand to the knife protruding from her chest. She didn't realize her shield dwindled to nothing as she shoved her magic into her spells, not giving a damn how the outcome ended as long as he was dead. She slowly slipped to the ground as the world around her zeroed in like tunnel vision. She eased further down to the ground to lay before Hermione and then reached out for her to place her hand to Hermione's cheek.
She heard a pop, then another as the arena broke out into even more chaos. Narcissa only watched Hermione's face. Her hand on her little witch's cheek. Her thumb caressed her swollen and darkening cheekbone. She couldn't move, she didn't have the will or the energy to fight as Hermione was pulled from the ground and popped away. Narcissa closed her eyes as she was taken away.
"She has lost a lot of blood."
"Well fix it, please I can't lose her."
"Let me work Miss Delacour," Narcissa knew that snarl. She opened her eyes and Fleur was there. She reached up to the girl's cheek with a weak hand.
"Don't leave me, please. I love you please," Fleur begged of Narcissa. Narcissa tried to shake her head but only moved mere millimetres.
"Herm…" Narcissa croaked out asking about the girl. Fleur's tears fell over her eyes and then Narcissa closed her own. Then Fleur shook her hand. She opened her eyes once more.
"Live," Narcissa rasped. A wail, then the cries of the anguished and then…. black.
July 24th
It was one full month since her world stopped making sense to her. She went back to France with no idea how she was still standing. Her lovers, they were gone. She went catatonic for three days. Shock, Poppy said but Fleur knew it was her heart. It was broken it was only beating because of her lovers last words… live.
When Fleur finally moved to put her feet on the infirmary stone floors it was Poppy that walked Fleur to the Carriage. Her soul was ripped from her body, just as Fleur's had been, and Fleur had to wonder at the depth of her relationship to Hermione.
"She sacrificed herself for us."
If was the first thing Fleur said in days and then she looked to the healer and watched as she swallowed, and tears slipped down her cheeks. Poppy nodded.
"I will tell you, and not any other. Minerva and I were going to tell Hermione of where she came from," Poppy confessed then looked to Black Lake, "She is my Granddaughter. There was an accident. I lost my husband, and son. Daniel was found, by a fluke, as Hermione got her Hogwarts letter. It was by the grace of the gods that Hermione has magic, let alone such powerful magic seeing as Daniel was a squib," Poppy whipped her eyes, "We were going to tell her as soon as this was over with," Poppy swallowed and looked to Fleur.
"I can believe that she sacrificed herself for she is a McGonagall. My husband was Minerva's brother," Poppy found that as soon as she started, she found she could not stop. Fleur reached out to Poppy and pulled her into a hug.
"I would have loved calling you family," Fleur whispered, and Poppy clutched her tighter.
"Me too Little Veela, me too," Poppy broke from the embrace but couldn't look at Fleur, "Write me girl, I will always reply," Poppy extended that branch of family, "She may not be here with us, but that does not mean your bond was any less than what it was," Poppy nodded to Fleur. Fleur nodded and then the healer turned and walked from the carriage.
For one full month she wrote to Hermione's grandmother. For one full month she walked the halls of her home as her mother doted upon her or grew so frantic with worry she called for drastic measures. Apolline sent her to be with her grandmother as soon as she walked through the gates of the Delacour ancestral estate. Fleur had no will to fight. She spent time grieving, connecting with her Veela. She found the Veela in her was even more broken than she was.
Her grandmother told Fleur that she had the will of iron to be standing before her after losing her two mates. Fleur only nodded. Her grandmother sent her back to Apolline stating that there is nothing that can be done.
Letters from Harry and Luna made her smile from time to time. She even received one from Draco that stated he had never seen his mother so undeniably happy in his life and if she needed, he would be honored to develop a correspondence. That letter hurt the most. Letters from Minerva McGonagall revealed a lot just as Poppy's letters did. They were a constant infusion of positivity and love into her grey world. She would get letters from Andromeda from time to time, but they were inquiring. She would always respond with the generic line placating her friends and family. She invited her to tea, but she denied her, saying she would rather stay in France.
Andromeda was never going to give up on the Veela, stating she was technically a sister-in-law and she was there for her. She understood losing a spouse. Fleur finally said yes to the woman when she told her that Minerva, and Poppy would make the trip to France for tea. Fleur sighed. All of these people cared, wanted to show her they loved her, supported her.
It was July 24th when she took the provided portkey and activated it. The nauseating sensation of being thrown about time and space hit her hard. She knew she was weak, and looked like hell, but she tried for these wonderful people. She landed on the grass before a mansion. She looked about, and saw a perfectly manicured lawn, a road of gravel for carriages to drop off guests. Fleur held her wand. Ever since the tournament she was in a constant state of vigilance. The door opened.
Andromeda smiled and walked to Fleur in a pair of white capris, and a pale green blouse, barefoot and beautiful. Minerva followed with her regular emerald robes, and Poppy walked with her hand in Minerva's as she walked to her in a casual sundress. They looked to her. Fleur swallowed as she walked toward these beautiful souls. They approached her slowly as they came to a group hug not wanting to startle her. They embraced her. Held her rocked her, loved her. They finally broke from one another. Looking into the other's eyes connections solidified. Andromeda reached out and cupped her chin.
"You look tired, sweet one," Andromeda's eyes softened, and Fleur's eyes filled with tears. Andromeda pulled her to her, and Fleur buried her face into her neck.
"You, for a moment, it was in your eyes, you reminded me of Narcissa," Fleur whispered against Andromeda's neck. Andromeda clutched her tightly.
"It would be delightful if you can unhand our mate."
Fleur tensed, she froze and stopped breathing.
"No," Fleur gasped, "I can't take this anymore. I must be hearing things," Fleur whispered.
"Maybe our mate prefers my sister more than us."
Fleur's head snapped up. Andromeda winced at the popping of Fleur's neck at the action. Andromeda opened her arms and moved from Fleur's embrace, but Fleur never took her hand from Andromeda's arm. Fleur looked forward toward the door eyes wide, mouth wobbling, chest clenching. Hermione stood with her hand in Narcissa's. They looked worn, tired, but undeniably alive.