AN: Hey guys, sorry it's been a while since I updated this fic. I had intended to update it a lot quicker, but I've been enjoying summer too much. Hopefully, you guys have as well :) Turn Back Time is obviously on hold until I finish this fic, but this only has one chapter left after these three. Normally, I would just throw 15,000 words at you guys, but I've decided to split this chapter up into three so it's a bit easier to take a break if it's needed. Also, I've clearly put all three up right away, because it would feel wrong to withhold these from you guys :)

kpop1392as: Ahhh, thank you so much! :D

Phooenicis: Yesss, I'm such a sucker for jealous/protective Fleur. I've adored writing her character for this fic. Also, it turns out I'm also a whore for volleyball Fleur haha

andrewpine: hopefully not lol

Pam C: Honestly, you only have yourself to blame at this point for having faith in me *enter evil laugh here* We all know I'm going to default to angst. I'm a mere slave to my impulses haha I always enjoy your reviews and I'm so glad you're enjoying this fic! I've made up for being awful to you that last chapter with three chapters in a row though :)

anasbell305: Thank you! I enjoy writing their interactions a lot. Feels like it writes itself honestly

ztrange: Thank you so much for the review! Fleurmione is a super fun pairing to write. I'm glad you're enjoying the fic :)

alphine: Yay! I'm so happy you like the fic! I rather enjoy writing it :D

MsCarmichael: Thank you so much for the kind words :)

Chapter 3: I'll miss you

Hermione sighed to herself as she walked down the hallway, squeezing past the students that blocked her way to the exit. It had been a week since she received the flower and little apology, yet Hermione and Fleur didn't really talk. The most they would exchange was a tentative smile in the hallway or a casual wave when Hermione came over. Other than that, there wasn't a lot of interaction.

She felt disappointed that they hadn't properly talked and if things kept going this way, they never would. That being said, she didn't make any real attempt to talk to the athlete either. She wasn't sure what to even say. What could she say?

Was she supposed to break down and tell Fleur she missed her? That she longed for that teasing smile and playful banter? It was out of the question.

They were facing an impossible situation and both seemed to be of the same mind. Space would be for the best, even if it was painful. Pining over something they could never have was too much. They would have to find a way to be around each other eventually, but for now, this was the solution.

Hermione grimaced at the thought while she gazed down at the floor, not paying close attention to her surroundings. That proved to be a fatal mistake when she ran into someone and stumbled back.

"Watch it." A familiar voice snapped while Hermione looked up to see long blonde strands.

Fleur turned around to scowl at the person who carelessly bumped into her back, but upon seeing those doe eyes, her gaze immediately softened and turned apologetic.

"Sorry." Hermione mumbled, turning her head to avoid that look. She cursed her never ending bad luck when it came to the senior. They were supposed to be avoiding each other and this was the exact opposite of that.

"No, it's-"

Before Fleur could finish her sentence, Hermione was already speed walking away.

'Wait.' Fleur started moving before she could fully register what she was doing. She knew she should let Hermione go. Logically, she really did know this, but seeing the brunette like that made her chest ache.

Those words had been the first ones Fleur had spoken to the bookworm in a week. She didn't want Hermione to think she truly irritated her, especially since her outburst the week before. They couldn't really leave things like this. Could they?

"'Ermione!" Fleur called out as she picked up her pace to a light jog to catch up to the other girl.

Hermione felt her heart jump into her throat when she heard that velvety voice yell for her. It was as if her body had a mind of its own. She urged her feet to move forward, but they were cemented to the ground the second Fleur said her name.

Her pulse quickened as she hesitantly turned around to see Fleur's hair a slight mess from the little jog. A nervous smile was plastered on that stupid perfect face, turning Hermione's knees to jello.

"Yes?" Hermione was proud she at least found her voice to speak with Fleur so close and breaking their unspoken agreement. They weren't supposed to be doing this. It completely went against their silent arrangement. They both knew it.

"I uh . . ." Fleur suddenly seemed unsure of herself as she stuttered on what she wanted to say. All she had to do was apologize. She was more articulate than this. So why was she at a loss for words? Surely, it had nothing to do with that adorably confused look on Hermione's face. It couldn't be that easy to make her hands shake, right?

Hermione's brow started to crinkle when Fleur just stood there silently, fists clenched at her sides. "Fleur? Is everything okay?"

Fleur snapped out of whatever daze she was in when Hermione said her name with concern laced in her words. Right. She was supposed to properly apologize. She just had to spit it out.

"I just wanted to say sorry."

"It's okay." Hermione looked off to the side as she hugged her books closer to her chest. "You didn't know it was me."

"No, not for that." Fleur shook her head before she thought better of what she said. "Well, actually, yes. I apologize for what just happened, but . . ." Fleur rubbed her arm awkwardly as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

This was harder than she thought it would be. She felt ashamed for lashing out at Hermione after the game. It was hard to approach her sister's best friend and tell her in person. She had no real explanation to give Hermione for why she did what she did. Well, she did, but there was no way she could tell the nerdy girl.

"I wanted to properly apologize for what I said after the game." She finally continued with a frown. "I should have never . . I didn't mean . . ." Fleur fumbled on her apology while Hermione stood there completely still and wide eyed.

"It's fine." Hermione waved off the blonde, hoping to end the interaction as soon as possible. She didn't know how much more of the adorable timid Fleur she could take before she completely melted on the spot. She had never seen Fleur so nervous before. It made her stomach do somersaults and left her feeling weak. It wasn't fair and was completely dangerous. "Don't worry-"

"It's not fine." Fleur shook her head, stepping closer to the junior who almost jumped at the action. "I-"

Before Fleur could continue, a familiar muscular arm was thrown around her shoulder. She tensed at the action and Hermione did too when the blonde boy made his appearance.

"There you are." Chase grinned, giving Fleur a wet kiss on her cheek.

"Right . . ." Hermione muttered, taking a step back, and looking down to the ground as reality came crashing down around her.

Of course Fleur was back together with Chase. Why wouldn't she be? They were a perfect physical match for each other. Chase was so handsome and Hermione was well . . . herself. She was just Fleur's little sister's best friend. Nerdy, know-it-all Granger.

Hermione suddenly felt sick, unable to look back up to the French girl as she turned around. What was she thinking? She should have never stopped to talk to Fleur. It was a fatal mistake and now she was paying for it.

"Well . . ." Hermione licked her lips. "I have to go."

"Wait." Fleur moved forward, but Hermione was already out of reach.

"Congratulations on the game." Hermione spoke over her shoulder before she left Fleur with her clingy boyfriend. However, the statement didn't sound congratulatory. It sounded bitter and sad.

Fleur felt the feeling of disappointment and regret wash over her, much like the night before.

Of course, her coach ended up letting her play in the championship game. It would have been a mistake for him not to and everyone knew it. He couldn't afford to bench his best player.

Leading up to the final match, Fleur did her best to push out thoughts of the younger girl and the hesitant smile she received the day after she dropped off the rose. She couldn't afford to lose her focus again when she had a big game riding on her. At least, that's what she kept telling herself up until last night.

During warm ups, she chanced a look up to the stands, secretly hoping to see a certain someone. She searched from left to right, then right to left, playing her own game of 'where is Hermione Granger?' Unfortunately, she couldn't find those amber eyes and cute smile.

When she saw her little sister and parents getting situated in the stands, she felt a spark of hope that Hermione would be with her best friend, but it was quickly snuffed out. Her heart sank when Gabrielle didn't leave room for Hermione like she usually did.

It was hard to put on a fake smile and wave up at her family when Gabrille gave her the usual thumbs up. Despite her stubborn mantra of she had to stay focused, she had foolishly wished Hermione might show up to watch her win her last game. That silly fantasy wouldn't be happening though. She wasn't coming.

'Merde.' Fleur inwardly cursed as she ran a hand through her hair, bringing herself back to the present. She finally got a chance to talk to Hermione and of course, Chase showed up to ruin it. She blew it. Again.

"What's up with her?" Chase asked with a raised eyebrow as Fleur slipped out from under his arm.

"We were in the middle of something important." Fleur mumbled forlornly as she walked back to her friends in defeat.

/

The two never did get to talk or resolve their conflict after that day. Before either of them knew it, a couple of months had come and gone and the only exchange between them was uncomfortable smiles. Other than that, Hermione avoided Fleur. It made things easier.

Well, that is until graduation came around and Fleur was preparing to leave.

It was on another one of those rainy days when Hermione walked past the elder Delacour's room and for once the door was ajar. The sight of Fleur placing her possessions into big brown boxes was enough to make the brunette pause in her steps. The sight made her heart drop into her stomach and made everything so much more real.

She was very aware that Fleur would be leaving soon. The bags under her eyes were proof of the sleepless nights she spent tossing and turning over that fact. Every day brought her closer to the day Fleur would really be gone.

Sure, the college was only a couple of hours away, but it might as well be across the country. She probably wouldn't visit often. She was certain Fleur would be busy with studies, parties, and whatever college students do. She would easily forget about her sister's best friend.

That thought was what made Hermione stir the most in bed. Fleur would forget her as if she never even existed. As if there hadn't been something brewing between them and they hadn't almost kissed. Well, with how things had been the last couple of months, maybe she already had.

"So, you're really leaving."

Fleur whipped around at the sound of Hermione's voice flitting into her room while Hermione inwardly panicked. She definitely didn't mean to say that out loud and certainly didn't mean to sound so pitiful.

"Yeah . . ." Fleur muttered as she straightened herself out.

She hadn't talked to Hermione in what felt like years, but had in reality, only been a couple of months. It was torture seeing the younger girl all the time, but unable to say anything she wanted. It was cruel for the thing she wanted to be so close, but so far out of reach.

Now, here Hermione Granger was. In the flesh. Standing in her doorway awkwardly while she was preparing to leave. She honestly didn't know when she would see the brunette again. Even though it shouldn't, that realization was what bothered her the most about leaving.

She should be worried about how she would be without her parents constantly doting on her or her little sister pestering her. Although she would miss her family and her friends, they weren't the ones that made her heart feel like it was being run through a shredder. It was the girl who left her with so many questions and doubts running through her mind.

Would Hermione be okay with her gone? She knew her sister had grown up to be a firecracker and could handle her own, but what if someone thought they could bully the nerdy girl just because she was gone? What if another boy stood her up? Who would ensure he had a black eye? Worst of all, what if Hermione completely forgot about her? What if that's what she wanted?

That last thought is what lingered the most. It made her feel sick and almost pushed her to act impulsively. She would see Hermione walking by in her house or the hallway and all she wanted to do was grab her. To finally lay everything on the table. To kiss her.

That wasn't an option.

Instead, she kept her distance like Hermione clearly wanted her to do. Even though it hurt, she would respect the junior's wishes.

Hermione's gaze drifted down to the creamy carpet as she nodded her head solemnly in place of verbally saying something. She didn't trust herself to. Not when there were too many dangerous things on the tip of her tongue.

She was going to miss Fleur Delaour. Hell, Fleur hadn't even left yet and she already did. Now that she found herself in this situation, she didn't know how she could escape without accidentally telling her how she felt.

Honestly, she couldn't believe she had spoken in the first place. She should have just kept walking to Gabrielle's room, but now she had locked herself into something she didn't know how to get out of.

She felt like she was in a twisted game of tug of war with herself. One side was pulling her towards Gabrielle's room while the other was pulling her towards Fleur who was looking like a lost puppy.

'Bloody hell! Why does she have to look at me like that?' Hermione inwardly groaned while Fleur headed towards her.

Hermione could feel her heartbeat accelerate as it always did when Fleur was close. It was pounding in her ears when Fleur was only a couple inches away and said, "excuse me. I have to squeeze by."

'What?'

"Oh." Hermione wasn't just taken aback by Fleur throwing away a chance to tease her, but by her forlorn tone. It wasn't like the blonde to act like this. "Sorry." Hermione stepped out of the way while Fleur went towards the stairs.

She felt panicked, her heart rate quickening the further Fleur got away. The blonde was slipping through her fingers. She had to decide what she was going to do. Right now.

"Fleur."

The senior paused a little too quickly in her steps, a hopeful gleam in those vibrant blue eyes when she turned around. "Yes?"

"I . . ." Hermione nervously fidgeted on the spot. She hadn't planned on what to say next. Her only goal was to stop Fleur from walking away.

"What is it?" Fleur bit down on her lower lip as she stepped closer. Was it happening? Was Hermione trying to tell her what she wanted to hear?

"I-I . . ." Hermione stuttered when Fleur approached. She was failing miserably.

"Hermione!" Gabrielle popped her head out of her room with a wide smile. "What are you doing? I want to start the movie."

"You should go." Fleur sighed, retreating back towards the stairs. Whatever silly notion she had of what could maybe be happening right now was completely shattered when her sister called for the bookworm.

"I'm just saying goodbye to Fleur." Hermione called over her shoulder, her chest aching as Fleur went to leave. "Good luck at college." She called out while Fleur nodded her head. "I'll miss you." Hermione spoke quietly enough that Gabrielle wouldn't hear her, but Fleur definitely did.

The blonde's ears perked at the sad tone and statement. She turned to see the brunette, but Hermione was already retreating into her sister's room. It was too late. Once more, the moment had passed in the blink of an eye.

The day Fleur left, Hermione didn't even get to see her. However, when she went home, she found a white rose on her doorstep once more with a little note attached.

With trembling fingers, she picked up the flower and twisted it to look at the small note written in neat cursive that just said, 'I'll miss you too.'

AN: So, I never intended for all of this to be written here so it does come off as a bit of a filler, but I realized I need to at least show them both handling Fleur leaving. I almost just skipped it all, but I still think it was necessary :) Hope you guys enjoyed part 1 of the update!