Now, I have originally posted this on AO3, but I figured that I should also post it here for anyone that hasn't heard of it yet. I'll be putting up all the chapters that I currently have posted over there, and then I'll be updating the both of them at the same pace. I don't have a specific schedule for when I'll update since I'm pretty busy, but it typically takes a couple weeks for a new chapter.

I hope you enjoy!


The sound of waves crashing ashore was not unfamiliar to the young Hermione. They did have beaches in Britain, but the waves here were different. They sparkled brightly in the morning sun and captured Hermione's eye in a way that the dull and drab British beaches never could. The French beaches were swarming with people, both residents and tourists, rather than shards of broken seashells and the occasional dead fish that washed up on the British shore.

If Hermione hadn't already spent much of her vacation on the beach, she would have been tempted to spend part of the day down on the shore. The first day the Granger family spent in France involved a trip to the beach, though Hermione spent most of her time soaking up the sun on her shoulders and back as she watched a crab scuttle back and forth through the surf.

Today, the Granger family was taking a nice stroll along the beach of Nice, France. They were on their way to the Musee d'Art et d'Histoire Palais Massena, and had decided to walk rather than to bike or drive. Taking in the sights was their main objective, though Hermione would say that they were more lost than they were taking in the sights. As they walked, Hermione's father stared down at a map in his hands, and could occasionally be seen rotating it in numerous directions and turning his head in the opposite direction, as if doing either of those would aid him in figuring out where they were going.

"Darling," said Hermione's mother in a patronizing voice, "you're not going to be able to decipher what that map says – it's in French. Why don't we stop and I ask for directions?"

Mr. Granger grumbled to himself. "I'm fairly certain I know where we are now." He looked up from the map to take in his surroundings. "No, that's not right…"

Hermione shook her head. She and her mother took the map from her father. "Stay right here and I'll go ask for directions," said Mrs. Granger.

There was a roadside stand nearby with three blonde ladies browsing its wares. Mrs. Granger and Hermione approached.

"Bonsoir, um, je suis désolé," started Mrs. Granger. "Tu parles anglais?"

First, the eldest of the blondes turned around, and it was clear that she was the mother of the other two. Hermione and her mother were met with polite smiles from the three, though the youngest girl, who looked to be about six, seemed to be smiling more at the poor French than in greeting. The other girl caught Hermione's interest, as she was more around her age. The girl had long, flowing blonde hair that hung all the way down to the middle of her back. Her eyes were a bright blue, much like the clear skies of France, and her smile was lined with perfect white teeth that any dentist would be eager to witness. She was taller than Hermione, though that was a fairly common occurrence that Hermione was beginning to notice.

"Bonsoir!" greeted the blonde woman. "Oui, I speak English, as does Fleur, my eldest." She gestured at the girl Hermione had been studying. "My name is Apolline, and this is my youngest, Gabrielle."

"My name is Jean, and this is my daughter Hermione," stated Mrs. Granger. "My husband is David, but he's busy sulking at the moment." Her comment was met with laughs from Apolline and Fleur. Apolline stepped forward and greeted the two with the customary cheek kisses.

"Now, is something the matter?" asked Apolline.

"We've gotten a bit lost, and we would like directions to the Musee d'Art et d'Histoire," Hermione chipped in.

Fleur's eyes lit up at the name of the museum. "Zat ees my favorite mooseum!" Her English dissolved into rapid French as she chattered something off to Apolline that was far too fast for either Hermione or Jean to catch.

Apolline laughed at her daughter. "Fleur would like to know if we could escort you there, and perhaps join you as you peruse the museum as well?" Apolline translated.

"We would be delighted!" Jean answered. Within a few minutes, Jean and David were following after Apolline and making polite conversation while Hermione, Fleur, and Gabrielle brought up the rear.

"Je m'app – pardon. My name ees Fleur, eet ees nice to meet you, 'Ermione," said Fleur, introducing herself to Hermione again. The blonde girl reached a hand out to Hermione.

Hermione shook her hand and smiled politely. "Hullo, Fleur. It's quite kind of you and your family to show us to the museum."

"Non, eet ees no problem, really," Fleur said, waving a hand to dismiss the kind gesture. "I'm certain we would 'ave gone to ze mooseum later today. I love 'istory, after all."

Hermione perked up at that. She too had a love of history, particularly having to do with the history of various wizards and witches, though she couldn't tell Fleur that. What if she was a muggle? She'd be brought in to the ministry and punished for breaking the Statute of Secrecy, and she would never get to see them again.

"What's your favorite part to learn about?" Hermione asked.

"Ze révolution française," Fleur excitedly responded with no hesitation. "I wrote a – 'ow do you Eenglish say – report on eet when I was younger. Eet ees fascinating to me."

Hermione smiled at her response, and missed the knowing look that her parents gave the three girls. She believed that they would be very fast and very good friends.

Over the course of the next three days, the Granger family was dragged all around Nice by the Delacour family. Fleur and Hermione were quick to befriend each other. They were both intelligent, bookworms, and extremely studious. The two of them loved history, though Fleur seemed significantly more interested in galleon ships and pirate lore than Hermione ever could be. Hermione surmised it had something to do with living near the French Riviera with all the ships docked there.

However, through all the hanging around Fleur and her family, the more she began to suspect that they weren't as normal as they seemed. Fleur and Gabrielle walked with such grace that they seemed to float alongside Hermione, and they turned the heads of many men as they passed. Hermione knew that they were incredibly pretty, even Gabrielle at her young age, but something seemed…otherworldly about the female Delacours.

Today, the Grangers and Delacours were down on the beach one final time before the Grangers left for Britain in the morning. At this point, Hermione's skin was several shades darker than it would ever get while she was in Britain. She had several new freckles on her shoulders and cheeks, and she had gotten used to the feeling of the warm sand between her toes.

Fleur was dressed in a flowy white shirt and shorts that left most of her long legs exposed. She was taking advantage of the shorts by wading into the surf to study the fish that would dart between her legs.

"'Ermione!" Fleur called excitedly. She turned back to see Hermione look up from where she was helping Gabrielle dig out a moat for her sand castle. "Come look at ze poisson!"

Hermione stood, brushed sand off her knees, and went to join Fleur. Small fish with shimmering blue scales leisurely swam around Hermione's ankles.

"Oh! They're much prettier than the fish you might see back home," said Hermione with wonder in her eyes.

"I believe zat zere are plenty of pretty feesh een Britain," Fleur softly replied. When Hermione tore her gaze from the fish below, she caught Fleur sending her a sly wink. Hermione's cheeks grew heated and she was certain her face was as bright as a stop light. "So, 'Ermione, where did you say zat you went to school?"

Hermione was glad for the change in the conversation. "Um, a boarding school up in Scotland."

The conversation circled around academics for a while, then changed to Fleur explaining just what exactly bouillabaisse was, and then onto other topics such as how many pets they had and what their friends were like. Hermione could've sworn she saw Fleur's eyes widen when she said Harry's name, but she was soon distracted by Fleur's laugh when she followed that up by claiming that Harry and Ron were a couple of dunderheads.

All too soon, it was time for the Grangers to depart to their hotel for the night. Apolline was saying her farewells to Jean and David while cradling an exhausted Gabrielle to her chest. Fleur pulled something from the back pocket of her hands.

"'Ere." She handed Hermione a thin, silvery chain with a small, matching silver flower pendant on it. The necklace seemed to be rather warm to the touch.

Hermione gasped. "Fleur, it's beautiful! But…I can't keep this. I don't have anything for you."

"S'il te plaît, 'Ermione. Keep eet. To remind you of me," Fleur said softly. She smiled shyly, and leaned forward.

"Merci, Fleur." Hermione clasped the necklace around her neck with Fleur's help. "It was nice meeting you and your lovely family."

Fleur smiled widely. "De rien. I 'ope to see you again someday." Her fingers lightly brushed a stray hair out of Hermione's face, and she then ghosted her lips against Hermione's cheek. "A bientôt."

And then she was gone, leaving a red-faced Hermione behind in her wake.