AN: Sorry I have, once again, taken an eternity to update this fic D: Things have been hectic, but I'm glad I was able to write another chapter for you guys. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get everything I wanted into this one unless I made another ridiculously long chapter haha and I'm trying to avoid that. Anyways, you guys are going to get some answers, finally :D I didn't have much song inspiration for this one except for "the rains of castamere" and some dark piano music. Anyways, sorry again for the delay! Hope you guys like the newest installment :D
RenBiscuits: Yesss, I loved having the new order pop in! It felt fitting for the younger generation to finally take over where the last order left off so it was super fun writing that part. I had that little one liner planned out for Hermione for so effin long! I was stoked to finally write it :D
Kia4216: I was looking forward to using that spell on Hermione in this :D I think it will become more clear what she was hit with in this chapter :)
ceMR: You know how I love my angst. You gotta take it to the tippy top and then crank it up a couple more notches haha The mask and everything will definitely be revealed this chapter. Every chapter from here on is pretty much gonna explain what has been going on the entire time. Mainly this chapter though. Thanks for the review as always haha I love that you came back to clarify the guest was you so I could properly respond. I do so enjoy those moments :)
siddharth1998m: ahahaha a snap to the neck would have been dope! I found something very poetic in Hermione killing Bellatrix with the knife that almost killed her though. Justice! Beautiful, gory justice :3
HachiRawr: I love writing action. It's not always the easiest to write, because you want everyone to have a good understanding of what the eff is going on, but it's a fun challenge :)
kpop1392as: lmao i literally couldn't resist throwing in "the end" to mess with you guys haha I may be cruel, but i'm not THAT cruel to end things there. I have to get my sick kicks somewhere though :3 Thank you so much for the review! I'm so glad you liked the chapter! It was a pretty loaded one and not easy to write, but I'm glad we have finally gotten here.
Kndvll: I solemnly swear I will reward you all with fluff after everything I have put you guys through haha It's not here yet, but it's oh so close. So close I can taste it
Pam C: Haha if covid didn't take you out, I will surely finish the job with my angst (enter evil laugh here) I'm so glad you liked the chapter and sorry I had to put you through all that D: You know I like to make you all suffer before I give you the good stuff. I greatly enjoyed having Hermione outwit Bellatrix and be the badass I've always wanted her to be :D P.S. I'm glad you're okay too! It's been mad times we've been living in and it's nice to know you are all well :)
Nameless Reader: First of all, love the eminem opening. You're the real MVP. Now, I feel like i missed an opportunity to mark the story as complete for all of a day just to further mess with you guys! Damnit! haha I'm stoked you loved the poetic justice of Hermione killing Bellatrix with her own dagger. I've had that planned for sooooooo effin long. I think since before I finished cruel. It's been torture wanting to write that out, but having to get there first lol I'm not good at writing ahead, because my stories can often change as they go just to keep you guys on your toes. If too many people guess things, I will absolutely change stuff around haha Hopefully you didn't hold your breath for two months. I mean, if you did and survived, then kudos. I would kill for that lung capacity haha Anyways, thank you as always for your incredibly thoughtful reviews. I really appreciate it. After a while, crocodile. (Did i pass the vibe check? Is that what you kids call it? haha)
WildNight: Ahhh, thank you :D
LookingAtYouKid: Countess of Cliffhangers . . . that has a nice ring to it. Maybe I need to change my screen name haha I'll give you as many answers as I can without spoiling, because a lot is revealed in this chapter. The ambush was planned on Hermione's part, buuuuuut she didn't expect for Bellatrix to be involved. Everything went south af. She didn't anticipate being that outnumbered and obviously didn't think she'd lose the effin coin haha Draco was always a suspect, but they didn't have anything concrete until the wands. He was definitely working behind the scenes the entire time. As for Baby and Veronique meeting in azkaban . . . haha wow, what a relationship that would be XD Who do you reckon would be more toxic? lmao As always, thank you so much for leaving such thoughtful reviews. They are so greatly appreciated. Also, super honored you reread cruel and tbt. I'm lowkey looking forward to rereading both when all of this is finished. It's been so long since i've read cruel that it won't even feel like I wrote it haha
Craztef: Crazy is my middle name haha Sorry for the delay in the update, but it's finally here!
jenniferGrangerDelacour ¡Estoy tan contento de que hayas disfrutado el último capítulo! Muchas gracias por la reseña
wkgreen: Thank you, i thought that fake out was well executed myself haha I was waiting for a million flames, which I definitely would have deserved, but you all have such a great sense of humor :) Hermione definitely should have included Fleur in on her plans, but she's a stubborn little shit haha
pappa: I think i waited two months this time. See!? Growth. Improvement haha sorry for the long wait again
SigneG: I'm ninety percent evil haha I do pity Angelique too. Baby girl has got it rough af
ParaGlee: We'll see if they make it (enter evil laugh here). Nah, i'm not THAT cruel lol Ahhhh, i'm so honored you reread cruel! What a rollercoaster that was and I cant' wait to reread everything once I finish this fic. It will be nice to read beginning to end :) Thanks, as always for you're kind reviews and super nice compliments. I really appreciate it and thanks for sticking with this story for so long. It's been quite the journey :)
zerodawn22: ahahahah I can literally imagine your "AH!" as you read 'the end' hahaha IMAGINE! I would have to change my identity and start a new life if I ended the fic like that. Thanks for the review pal :)
Guest: There were multiple guest reviews so I can't respond to you all, but thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. I seriously adore it and can't thank you guys enough for sticking with this story for so long and leaving your thoughts :)
French
'thoughts'
Chapter 21: The Truth
"Angelique!"
Fleur heard herself screaming, but didn't recognize the voice as her own. It was as if the awful sound was coming from someone else. It didn't even feel like she was inhabiting her own body. It felt like she was hovering above everything. A helpless spectator.
There was a high pitch sound ringing in Fleur's ears as a wave of nausea washed over her. Trembling hands frantically pushed on every weeping wound covering the prodigy's body. They moved constantly from one cut to the next, unsure of which one to settle on.
Put pressure on the wound. That's what you're supposed to do to stop the bleeding. So why wasn't it working?
No matter where she pressed, it did nothing. Instead, the warm liquid seeped through the cracks of her quivering fingers. The thick substance coated her skin and embedded itself beneath her fingernails. It showed no signs of slowing. Hermione's usually tan
complexion was rapidly paling. She was losing her.
"'Ermione." Fleur choked out, brushing strands of damp brown hair out of the war hero's face, a trail of red following her movement on the prodigy's forehead. "'Stay wiz me." She pushed her face into Hermione's neck, clinging tightly to the librarian's lifeless form. "Please." She pleaded as her body started shaking, wracking itself with sobs.
Footsteps pounded into the dirt before Fleur felt hands pulling at her shoulders. She clung tighter to her ex in response, refusing to let go of the fatally wounded witch.
"Fleur!" Angelique's voice was stern, yet laced with panic as she attempted to pry the heiress from the brunette. "I can't 'elp 'er if you don't let 'er go!"
The voice broke through Fleur's haze as she finally relinquished her death grip. The healer scrambled to Hermione's side, her wand moving in intricate movements over the librarian's body, while Fleur held her in her lap.
A series of healing spells left the tip of Angelique's wand. Fleur almost let out a breath of relief when the skin sewed itself back together. The bleeding stopped.
Then the wounds reopened of their own accord.
"Merde." Angelique grumbled, attempting another healing spell that had the same result.
"What are you doing?" Bright blue watched helplessly as the wounds closed and reopened multiple times. Her heart beat erratically in her chest as terror ran rampant in her body. "'Elp 'er!"
"I'm trying!" The healer snapped back, glowing gold meeting neon blue. "I need space!"
"I'm not leaving 'er."
"Mione." Ginny's cracked voice interrupted the argument.
Fleur looked up to see dark green eyes filling with tears at the sight of her best friend covered in a horrific amount of blood. She looked around to discover all of Hermione's friends surrounding her with a solemn look on their faces.
"I can't make it stop." Angelique cried out. "We need to get 'er to a 'ospital."
Ginny was the first to snap out of her stupor, stubbornly trying to blink her tears away. Someone had to take control. "Find the bloody coin!"
The new order scrambled in the dirt, looking for Hermione's coin while the death eaters laid on the ground, constricted by ropes, snickering.
"Fleur." Harry spoke softly, gently pulling Fleur away from the brunette. "We need to give her space."
Fleur numbly pulled herself to her feet while Baby's awful laugh filled the eerie silence. Even Draco was smirking at his ex-rival. They may have lost Bellatrix, but the other side lost someone just as important.
"Seems the mudblood finally learned her place." Draco sneered.
Neon eyes flickered over to the Slytherin. Something frightful had tightly wound itself inside of Fleur while she held Hermione in her arms. It constricted around her lungs, making it almost impossible to breathe. It made the walls seem to close in around her and turned everything blurry.
All Fleur could see now was that smug look on Draco's face. That mischievous twinkle in his eyes she thought to be playful. Now, she knew better. It was something far more sinister than that. This was what he wanted all along.
She felt that invisible wire stretch the longer she gazed at him. It wrapped around her insides, squeezing until they became something twisted. Then it finally snapped.
Without a thought, she marched over to her ex-partner and straddled the bound man. She watched from above as her hands moved of their own accord and wrapped around that thin treacherous throat. Then they started to squeeze much like the wire had inside of her.
Gurgling noises left the blonde death eater as he tried to buck her off, but she was as helpless as him to stop what was happening. She would not relinquish her hold, not even when her hands slipped from the wet blood that still coated her palms. Instead, she tightened her grip.
She gritted her teeth while the thin man fruitlessly increased his efforts to free himself. His face was turning red, those silver eyes bulging out of his skill while tears spilled down her cheeks. It was only fair for her to share her feeling of hopelessness with the man she once called her partner.
Afterall, this was all his fault. He betrayed her. Lied at every turn. Led Hermione right to Bellatrix Lestrange like a lamb to the slaughter.
He needed to pay. Someone had to. Bellatrix was already dead, but there was still life in the traitor and Fleur was hellbent on suffocating what little there was left in him.
"Fleur!" Harry pulled at her arms, but she refused to let go. "Stop!"
"Non!" She shouted, shrugging him off while glaring down at the little rat.
The raven-haired man wrapped his arms around her middle, using all of his strength to pull her off. He clung to her tightly from behind while Fleur thrashed in his hold.
"Let me go!" Fleur screeched as she scratched at his arms, her eyes zeroing in on the red handprints left on Draco's neck. "I'm going to kill 'im!"
"No!" Harry shook his head against her back. "This isn't you."
"Found it." Luna held up the coin, moving quickly over to Hermione and Angelique. "Fleur." She spoke as soothingly as possible, looking up to the veela with those soft, sad blue eyes. "Come. You go with Angelique and Hermione. She needs you more than you need your revenge."
Fleur's eyes flickered to the brunette barely breathing, a new wave of nausea taking over her at the sight.
"Go. We'll handle Malfoy and the rest." Harry spoke as he released the veela who immediately went back to her ex as if she hadn't almost killed Draco Malfoy.
/
The second they appeared in the hospital, it was all a flurry of white cloth, frenzied hands, and wands. Fleur quietly stood by Hermione while Angelique spoke so quickly, she couldn't make out what she was saying. Then there was a lot of shouting and barking out orders.
Fleur was almost immediately pushed out of the room as nurses rushed in with potions. The last thing she saw was at least five medi-witches and wizards huddled around the prodigy before a curtain was closed in her face.
All she could do was numbly stand in the hallway, a lump wedged in her throat. It should be her in there. Not Hermione.
She should have been faster. She should have dropped Baby when she had the chance earlier instead of getting fixated on Draco. She should have known from the beginning that something was amiss. A part of her did, but she hadn't pieced the puzzle together in time.
Now, Hermione was in St. Mungos fighting for her life. It was all her fault. Hermione might not make it and she was to blame.
"Stop it." Angelique interrupted her thoughts with a frown, but there was a strange kindness shining in her soft brown eyes.
"Stop what?" Fleur idly recognized herself responding.
A gentle hand rested on her shoulder, leading her to a chair while the healer crouched in front of her. "Stop blaming yourself."
"But I-"
"Non." Angelique shook her head. "There is nothing you could have done differently. You are not at fault for this. You did everything you could." She paused for a moment, looking down while blonde bangs obstructed her eyes. "We all did."
"Will she make it?"
The question hung in the air. The longer it went unanswered, the more uneasy Fleur felt. Angelique was supposed to be a good healer. St. Mungos was the best hospital in all of the wizarding world. There had to be hope.
Angelique placed a hand on Fleur's knee, unable to make eye contact as tears stung her eyes. She couldn't lie to Fleur. She had no idea what Hermione had been hit with. She used every spell she knew to heal the war hero, but nothing worked. She wasn't sure if she would ever see that smile she adored ever again.
"I don't know . . ."
/
It was half an hour later when the most unexpected person breezed by the two veela sitting in the waiting room. A flurry of black just about sprinted past the two seemingly lifeless women.
It took a moment for Fleur to recognize the person entering Hermione's room. That crooked nose and deep scowl was still etched onto the older man's face. It was the potions professor from Hogwarts that made everyone's life miserable. What could he be doing in Hermione's room?
Another ten minutes later, he emerged from the room with an even deeper scowl on his face. Fleur couldn't tell if that was a good or bad thing.
"Thought I was done with those three after they left Hogwarts." Snape grumbled irritably to himself as he made for the exit.
Fleur was about to question him when one of the medi-wizards exited the room, wiping blood off his hands with a heavy sigh. The two veela promptly jumped to their feet to interrogate the man.
"'Ow is she? Is she-"
"She's just fine now." The man replied with a tired smile. "She still needs some blood replenishing potions and lots of rest so her other wounds can properly heal, but we're out of the woods. Thank Merlin Severus came when he did. We almost-" He stopped himself, thinking better of finishing that thought. "Well, let's just be grateful she's still with us."
"Can we see 'er?" Angelique asked the question before Fleur could.
"She needs time to rest. We will let you visit when she's awake and well enough for company." Dark brown eyes raked Fleur up and down, taking in the dry blood covering her. "Perhaps you should go get yourself changed and rested too. It seems you had quite the day."
"Non, I-"
"Go." Angelique squeezed Fleur's hand. "I'll stay and if she wakes up, I'll send a patronus."
Fleur narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the healer. She opened her mouth to argue, but was cut off once more.
"I promise." Angelique put on a calm, reassuring smile. "Maybe you can grab some fresh clozes for her too. I'm sure 'Ermione will appreciate it when she wakes up."
"Fine." Fleur frowned. "But I'm going to be back in five minutes."
"Take your-"
Before Angelique could tell the heiress to take her time to pull herself together, Fleur swiftly left the hospital and apparated back to their hotel.
/
Once she was in her room, Fleur made quick work of discarding her sullied clothes and moving into the bathroom. She was about to pass the mirror when she saw someone in it she didn't recognize. Herself.
Blood caked the tips of her blonde strands, her chest, her legs, and all of her hands. She felt sick at the sight, everything coming back in a blur. She didn't have time to think about the things that had occurred until this moment.
She had been in survival mode and now that she wasn't, everything came rushing back. The adrenaline had evaporated. Now, all she was left with were horrifying memories.
Streams of green rushed past her, yells of panic echoed in her ears so loudly she wanted to cover them, and then Hermione was struck down right before her eyes. Then came the blood. So much blood. No one should be capable of losing that much and be able to survive.
She looked down to her hands still covered in the awful liquid. She remembered wrapping these hands around a slim throat. Next came the desperate, bulging silver eyes looking up at her in horror.
Even when her hands slipped, she did not loosen her hold. Not even when it looked like Draco was pleading for his life although he was incapable of speaking. She was going to kill him. Every part of her wanted to. What was she thinking? She didn't think she was capable of . . . that.
All of a sudden, the substance covering her felt heavy and suffocating. She felt tainted and dirty. She needed it off and now.
She wanted to vomit as she rushed into the shower to try to wash the sticky liquid off. The water was clear for all of a moment until it turned a light shade of red. It washed down her body, to her feet, and down the drain as she furiously scrubbed at herself wherever she saw crimson.
Tears spilled down her face when she couldn't seem to get it off of her. Her body was turning a different shade of red from how hot the water was. Her skin was turning raw from her rough treatment.
She started to sink to the floor when the sound of the bathroom door creaking open alerted her to someone else's presence.
"Merde." Angelique sighed as she looked into the shower to see Fleur with her head in her hands.
"What are you doing here!? Hermione-"
"Ginny, Harry, and everyone else are there now." The healer frowned as she stepped into the shower with no regard for her own clothing and sat down next to the broken veela. "I came to check on you . . ."
"Why are-"
"Because it's what Hermione would want." Angelique interrupted, grabbing the loofa from Fleur's hands. "Let me help you."
"It won't come off." Fleur pitifully mumbled out as the other veela gently started scrubbing.
"It will." Angelique patiently replied, putting on the most compassionate smile she could muster.
Fleur watched as the other blonde grabbed one of her hands and started to lather the skin. Angelique didn't have any real reason to be nice to her, yet here she was soaking her clothing and chipping away at the stains on her body. She didn't know what to say about the random act of kindness except, "Thank you."
/
After the two were all cleaned up and put on fresh clothes, Angelique even brushed out the curse breaker's hair. She was careful and slow with her movements while Fleur sat in front of the vanity and stared blankly in the mirror.
"You know . . ." Fleur spoke, her voice sounding far away to her own ears. "I almost killed him. Draco, I mean."
Angelique rolled her eyes as she tussled with a particularly difficult knot in Fleur's hair. "No, you didn't."
"I-"
"Fleur," the healer let out an exasperated breath. "You were upset. Rightfully so too. If I wasn't busy healing Hermione, I probably would have done the same thing. We all wanted to. You would have stopped on your own, I'm sure."
"I don't think I-"
"Don't get caught up thinking about what might have happened. The little traitor deserved far worse than what you gave him. It was hard enough being around him, knowing he was probably up to no good. Honestly, I deserve some kind of award for my flawless acting."
Fleur frowned at the comment. The reminder that everyone else knew so much more than she did. She had just been a pawn the entire time. "So you knew all along."
"No one fully knew everything. It was . . ." Angelique paused her ministrations. "Complicated."
The frown turned into a scowl on Fleur's countenance at yet another vague answer. "Well, why don't you enlighten me?"
Angelique groaned at the stubborn woman's prodding. She didn't understand anything at all. "Even if I wanted to, I physically can't. Only Hermione can."
Fleur's brow knit together as she mulled over the healer's words. "You . . . did an unbreakable vow? Who-"
"I really can't say and nothing will change that." Angelique tsked when Fleur moved. "Now, stay still."
Fleur let out a huff as she slumped back in the seat. She needed answers. She would be so bold as to say she was owed them at this point. Unfortunately, it seemed she wouldn't get them from anyone except her unconscious ex.
/
After they were presentable, the two veela made their way into the prodigy's room. Fleur looked forlornly at the bed, the sheets still disheveled from the night before. It had been less than twenty-four hours since their impromptu reconciliation, but it felt like a lifetime ago.
Her fingertips traced a pattern on the wood of the vanity where it had all started. They dug into the grooves of the worn object until they skittered to a stop. A piece of paper she had missed in her haste that morning stuck out. There was only one word written on the front of the folded parchment in neat cursive.
Fleur.
Her heart hammered in her chest as she picked it up. Hermione must have written it before she attempted her little vanishing act. What could be in the note? Did she even want to read it?
The decision to open it was made for Fleur when two objects tumbled out of the center of the paper, startling the veela.
Her brow knit together as she picked up a small vial filled with what looked to be glowing blue liquid. It was meant for a pensive or something of the sort by the looks of it. Were these the answers she was looking for?
As she turned the vial around in her fingertips, she shifted her gaze to the silver bracelet she had seen Hermione wearing quite regularly. Why was this left here?
"What's that?" Angelique asked, curiously looking over the curse breaker's shoulder. When she caught sight of what Fleur was holding, she really wished she hadn't asked or bothered to look. She could easily guess what the note entailed. "Oh."
"Sorry, I can-"
"No." Angelique shook her head as she took a step back, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I'll give you a moment. It looks personal."
Before Fleur could protest, the healer had already left the room with a quiet click of the door. Now, she was left alone with a note she wasn't sure she wanted to unfold, but desperately wanted to at the same time. She deserved some sort of explanation.
With much more care than she thought she could possess in this moment, she unfolded the note that was completely filled with small handwriting she knew to belong to Hermione.
'If you're reading this, I'm assuming things didn't go according to plan. I suppose nothing really has. I know you must be cross with me.'
"That's an understatement." Fleur scoffed to herself before she continued.
'I'm sorry. It was never supposed to be like this. You were never supposed to get involved, but I'm oddly happy you did. I wish I had more time to tell you everything, but I hope you understand that everything I did was to keep you safe. It's the only thing that matters. If I didn't make it, I hope you know it wasn't anyone's fault but my own. I made my choices. I knew what I was getting myself into. You didn't and that was unfair to you.'
Fleur's throat bobbed as she felt tears well up in her eyes. She blinked them back the best she could, stealing a breath as she read on.
'Merlin, I have so much to say, but not nearly enough time or parchment so I'm leaving you this vial that will show you everything. All you need to do is uncork the vial and inhale the scent. As for the bracelet . . . well, use the spell reditio. The rest should be self explanatory. I love you, Fleur. Please don't ever forget that.'
Fleur somehow managed to keep it together as she read the note and was about to uncork the vial when she heard a light scratching coming from the vanity. She looked down to see Midas with the bracelet in his webbed paws, pulling it towards his pouch.
"Non." Fleur frowned, snatching the shiny object from the little critter who looked to be pouting at the action. "You are not as clever as you zink."
If Fleur didn't know any better, she would think the niffler was glaring at her as she brought the jewelry up to eye level. She looked at it queerly before she grabbed her wand and mumbled, "reditio."
Bright blue watched as the chains in the bracelet started to elongate and thin out. It hung between her fingers as one red and one blue jewel formed in what looked like a hollow heart shaped by vines.
There was a painful tug in Fleur's chest when it dawned on her. The necklace almost slipped from her fingers when she realized it was the one she had given to Hermione at Hogwarts. The one that she had kept for six months after not hearing from her ex. The one she carelessly discarded when she assumed Hermione had moved on.
Hermione had plucked it from the rubbish bin. She carried it for two years, transformed it into something else entirely, but wore it every day. At least every day she had seen her. Hermione had never forgotten about or discarded her as she had suspected. She had kept a piece of her this entire time.
That thought alone finally caused a lone tear to slip down her cheek as she pulled the precious jewelry to her chest. She felt just as guilty as when she first found out that Hermione had been meeting Viktor that day to find an engagement ring for Ginny.
How did she miss all of these signs?
Her teary eyes drifted down to the bottle in her other hand. 'I guess zere is only one way to find out.'
With a shaky exhale, she uncorked the vial. Smoke drifted out of the glass object, the liquid in it evaporating and drifting up to her nose. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, the scent of parchment and lavender invading her senses before she felt as if she was spinning.
When the dizzying feeling stopped, she opened her eyes to find herself in that cafe again. Hermione was laughing along with Viktor and then she saw herself walk in and pause.
She stood in the middle of their past selves, looking back and forth helplessly. She could see the shock written clearly on Hermione's face and the betrayal swimming in her own eyes. The moment was short, but when she was actually living it, it seemed to stretch for a lifetime. She wanted to grab her younger self and stop her from running out the door, but she was just a useless spectator.
As expected, she ran out of the cafe, but this time she looked to Hermione. She looked stunned, frozen to the spot. Then she was rushing out of the cafe after the veela.
Fleur followed close behind and watched as her past self apparated while Hermione stood over the rubbish bin. She could now clearly see the agony shining in those amber eyes as she looked forlornly at the necklace. She looked exactly how Fleur did at that moment, only she had run away before she could see how the interaction impacted Hermione.
Fleur wanted to reach out as Hermione grabbed the necklace from the rubbish bin, but before she could touch her ex, she was spinning again.
Now, she was in what she assumed to be Harry's house. Harry, Ron, Ginny, Luna, Viktor, Neville, and Angelique were sitting at the table, each one looking unhappy with the brunette.
"Isn't it enough we created the new order 'Mione?" Ron frowned.
Hermione shook her head with a sigh. "No."
"I don't get it." Ron grumbled. "You always complained about Harry and I getting into trouble all the time. You said you wanted a normal life. This isn't-"
"It's not really your decision, is it?" Hermione snapped back irritably.
"Hermione." Harry stepped in as diplomatically as he could given the situation. "We just don't understand. What you're doing is dangerous."
"It's bloody stupid." Ginny glared over at her friend who just rolled her eyes in return.
"It's not as dangerous as you think." Hermione mumbled, slouching in her seat. "It's mainly research. I wouldn't be in the field as much as you and Ron are. They need a mind like mine and I'm not getting much mental exercise in the bookstore department."
"First of all, you will definitely be in the field just as much as them.. Everyone knows little about the department, but knows that it's a mad area to get involved in so don't try to sugarcoat this." Ginny growled. "Why are you even doing this? There are plenty of other ways to get 'mental exercise.'"
"I need more and it sounds interesting." Hermione sighed as she sat back. "I've just felt . . . empty. I want to atone for what I did." Hermione looked off to the side when she saw the looks of pity she received.
"You don't need to-"
"I know." Hermione cut off the chaser with a sad smile. "But I think it will help. I don't want to just be a celebrity. I want to help people and make new discoveries. Save more lives than I've taken."
"Speaking of celebrities." Ron chimed in again. "How do you even plan to be a . . . you know . . . when you're in the spotlight just as much as Harry?"
"Actually." Angelique jumped in with a sly smile. "It will be ze perfect cover. Who would ever suspect a vain celebrity of being a, well, you know."
"You approve of this?" Ginny scowled over at the healer.
"Absolutely not." Angelique shook her head before looking over to Hermione. "'Owever, she is 'er own person. If zis will give you purpose again, zen I will 'elp."
Fleur had to look away at the smile Anglique gave Hermione who returned it in kind. She had no idea what the group was talking about, but it didn't seem to matter, because next thing she knew, she was spinning again.
This time she was in a rainy alleyway, the sound of feet pounding onto the wet pavement filling her ears. Someone dressed in a black robe with a golden mask covering their face from the nose up was chasing some pale figure.
The man held a strange object in his hand, but had no wand. He looked desperate as he searched for an exit when they reached a dead end. The hooded person smiled to themselves, a smile Fleur knew well. The woman waved her wand, about to do a binding spell when the man, in a last ditch effort, lunged and tackled her to the ground.
The two tussled around, the slim woman throwing an elbow to his jaw to send him tumbling to the side. She went for her wand when he was off her, but right as she grabbed the wood, the skinny man jumped on her back. While she busied herself with getting him off of her, he managed to pull down her hood and rip the mask from her face.
The brunette threw her head back, causing a loud crack to emit from the wizard's crooked nose. He fell onto his back, hands trying to stop the blood from spurting. When the woman got up and faced him, green eyes widened. All too suddenly, he realized who had been chasing him.
"Hermione Granger?"
A scowl overtook the prodigy's face as she hit him with a binding curse. He struggled in his hold while she calmly approached and stood over him. Her eyes were cold as she pointed the wand at his head.
"Obliviate."
Fleur was reeling as everything started to slowly come together. Hermione. The girl she met at Hogwarts. The one who wanted nothing to do with danger. The one who wanted to live a simple life and open a book shop, the woman she thought soaked in the limelight.
Hermione Granger. The Hermione Granger. She's a-
Everything suddenly started to make sense to the curse breaker as she started spinning again. That's why Hermione was so quick. It explained why she had become so lethal in the two years they were apart. This was why Hermione had been put on their assignment.
The next place Fleur found herself in looked like it was an office in the ministry. Hermione was walking next to Harry who held a file in his hands with a frown.
"This doesn't look good, 'Mione." He mumbled, flipping through the pages. "This time turner could take them as far back as they need to go. There are no limitations on it. Even more troubling is, they suspect Malfoy to be a spy for the other side and he's been put on the case. We also think Greyback is behind all of this. It's a lot to take on. You would be doing two things at once. Investigating Malfoy and trying to get to the time turner."
"Is he the only one on the case?" Hermione asked, seemingly unbothered by this information.
Harry paused for a moment, contemplating if he should tell her the truth or not. In the end, he went with the lie. "Yes."
Next thing Fleur knew, she was in that awful bar Hermione brought her to the first day. She saw that Russian girl arguing with the Gryffindor, pushing Hermione's shoulders. This time, she noticed the piece of paper being pushed into Hermione's jacket pocket.
Then she was on a familiar dock. While Hermione and Angelique embraced, she zeroed in on the brunette slipping the key into the healer's jeans.
Finally, Fleur was back in that room, away from Hermione's memories. It all made sense now. Everything. Why Hermione kept her at arm's length. Why she was so adamant that she get taken off the case. This is what she had been hiding all along.
Hermione Granger is an unspeakable.
AN: Man, a lot was packed into this chapter. Fleur went off the deep end a bit there, which I think was pretty justified and understandable considering everything that happened. Now, the truth that Hermione is an unspeakable. I know in the book and such unspeakables are usually people that just work in the department of mysteries, but I saw them more as the CIA. As I was planning this fic, I envisioned Hermione as more of a 007 character and Fleur as Indiana Jones. I mean, who wouldn't want that trope? Oh, and that reveal with the bracelet. I've wanted to share that for so long! Do you guys have any idea how hard it has been keeping all of this information to myself!? Dobby is finally a free elf :D Haha, as always, I would absolutely love to hear your guys' thoughts on this chaotic chapter
Oh and if you guys want to join an 18 and up Harry Potter femslash discord, here is the link. Just delete the spaces :)
discord. gg / d4wgtA5jrA