HOLY COW! This chapter put me over 1 million published words! Squeeee! Thats... wow. Thanks for reading everyone. You a guys rock!

Enjoy,
Snow

Rose (Christmas)-Tranquilize My Anxiety, Anxiety

Fleur and Hermione… Last meals.

Breakfast was a flurry of excitement. Hermione was almost overwhelmed by the sounds and frantic energy. She looked to the staff table and saw the regulars sitting there, but almost every set of eyes landed on her. They stopped their conversations then began speaking once more. Hermione winced at the behaviors of her professors. She sat at the Gryffindor table and opened a book. She reached out absently with a fork and speared a piece of sliced banana and began her breakfast. She tried, she really did, but everything tasted like sawdust in her mouth. Her nervousness made it near impossible for her to eat, and if she took too much, she felt her stomach flip. Someone bumped her elbow and she looked over.

"Hey, Hermione, I know this is morbid, but do you really want to spend your possible last meal on earth reading a book?" Harry asked and she lifted her eyes from the pages and looked to Ron, Ginny and Harry. She smiled softly and snapped the covers closed.

"I suppose not," Hermione said settling in, and she felt better bringing smiles to the ones closest to her. She missed then dearly. Ron and Harry were joking around then he assumed dopey grin stretch across his lips and a glazed look settled over his eyes as he looked over her shoulder. Harry looked up and then looked at Hermione with a grin. Hermione followed everyone's eyesight and looked up.

"Might I interest you in breakfast on the grounds?" Fleur asked.

"You can interest me into anything anywhere," Ron said. Apparently, his filter was broken. Ginny blinked and then elbowed her brother, but it wasn't working. Ginny grabbed his chin and made him look at her.

"Oy, what the bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed. Hermione chuckled and looked to Harry. He hugged her and nodded. Ginny cocked her head and shrugged. Hermione stood up and looked into Fleur's eyes.

"Please lead the way," Hermione said as she clutched her book in her left hand to her side. Fleur's eyes lit up and walked to the Great Hall doors. Once outside, it was a slightly overcast day, and Hermione took a breath. It was there, faint, but she could smell the rain on the breeze. Fleur took them to the left, and then she sat on a hill overlooking the grounds setting a small pack in the grass. Hermione followed. Fleur then simply handed Hermione a banana and hunk of French bread. Then she pulled out a thermos of tea with two portable cups. She pulled the bread from Hermione and split it in half, and Hermione did the same with the banana.

"I am not very hungry this morning," Fleur confessed as she took and nibbled on the bread and then took a small bite of the banana.

"I admit eating felt like trying to swallow sawdust in there. It was stifling," Hermione said softly. Fleur nodded and Hermione sighed. They looked out over the green grounds.

"I think you would like France," Fleur said from nowhere.

"I do actually. We took vacations in France from time to time," then Hermione looked to Fleur, "It is beautiful," then Hermione looked back over the emerald grounds.

"Hermione, I wanted to thank you for the note you left in the book. It was helpful. I don't know how helpful it will be when I face the dragon but know this, I am grateful," Fleur reached for Hermione's hand, and Hermione looked down to their clasped fingers. Hermione nodded and squeezed Fleur's hand, then they let go of each other.

"Try to be safe, Fleur. I like you, and would not want to see you hurt," Hermione said and didn't hear the soft intake of Fleur's breath and then the catch as if she stopped breathing.

Fleur didn't know how to take Hermione's words. Were they a confession, a declaration of love or attraction, or was it simply, and in Fleur's opinion equally as wonderful, a declaration of friendship? No matter how Hermione meant it, she would cherish the girls trust. Hermione sighed and shut her eyes then leaned back onto the grass. Fleur noticed the banana was gone but most of the bread remained.

"Are you unwell?" Fleur asked as she reached for the bread that lay on Hermione's stomach to get rid of the waste. But Hermione stayed her hand.

"I was saving it for later," Hermione opened her eyes squinting up into Fleur's face, "I seem to get queasy if I eat too much at one time this morning," Hermione admitted. She will talk to Narcissa about this development later and have her check her over when she finished breakfast with Fleur. Fleur smiled and then laydown looking up at the sky watching them gradually get darker and heavier by the second.

"Maybe its psychological but every cloud I see looks like a lizard or dragon," Hermione mused.

"Maybe et iz, but I will let you in on a little secret, if you were not nervous right now, I would wonder if you are even human," Fleur chuckled beside her. Hermione turned her head just as Fleur looked Hermione's way, Hermione lifted an eyebrow in question. Fleur sat up with a sigh.

"You seem to have taken this whole tournament with grace and poise. You have been a topic of conversation many times in our carriage in the evenings. They have many questions about you," Fleur explained.

"What questions are asked the most?" Hermione asked as she closed her eyes. There was a long pause.

"Many wonder how you cheated the age line, were many others are wondering who wants you dead," Fleur said gravely. Hermione sat up and huffed and stood. Fleur shot to her feet.

Hermione began to walk back to the castle as Fleur raced to catch up and grabbed Hermione's bicep. It was the wrong thing to do. Hermione cast a blocking hex out of reflex. It was one she found yesterday. It was like conjuring a wall of air between her and an enemy and using that wall to shove them back. It shouldn't hurt or stun, but it certainly threw Fleur back several feet.

"Hermione! Wait, Please!" Fleur yelled, and then Hermione found her feet not moving, she looked back to Fleur with anger in her eyes. Fleur levitated Hermione easily to a private alcove in a small empty courtyard.

"How dare you use magic on me!" Hermione growled as Fleur sat her down and then looked back standing in front of Hermione.

"How dare I? You used magic on me first, and you just ran from me. You wouldn't let me speak," Fleur growled back.

"You are just like everyone else," Hermione shot to Fleur and Fleur recoiled at the venom in Hermione's voice. Hermione saw the opening as Fleur looked stricken. "You think I am a cheater, a liar, and fraud. An attention seeking whore. Why not? My own house mates think that of me, why not a challenger in the same tournament trying to manipulate me?" Hermione spat as she tried to fight the spell she was under.

Then Hermione stopped, eyes flew wide, and she calmed. Everything was quiet, and still. All she could hear was the wind moaning through the small maze-like courtyard as it began to slowly pick up with the oncoming storm. Fleur did too many things in the span of a moment. She dispelled her charm leaving Hermione to move or to flee, and then Fleur fell to her knees and took Hermione to her. She embraced the girl tightly and Hermione, wide eyed froze.

"Stop, please stop," whispered Fleur in her ear as she settled between Hermione's knees and pulled Hermione ever closer to her, enveloping her in warmth, and… and lemon zest. Hermione closed her eyes and against her better judgement melted into Fleur, inhaled her scent of lavender and lemons, strange yet fresh combination. Hermione's hands slipped up Fleur's back and held her to her, and as soon as Fleur felt Hermione's hands on her back, she clutched Hermione tighter. Hermione held Fleur firmly as well, confused, but feeling her heart lift.

"I do not think of you like that. I will not do that to you," Fleur said, and Hermione clenched her eyes closed and her hands folded into fists on Fleur's back. "The girls do not think of you like that either when I told them that you are an honest and caring girl. Beauxbatons is behind you Hermione. Just as if they are behind me," Fleur spoke into Hermione's ear. Hermione shook her head back and forth.

"I am sorry," Hermione whispered into Fleur's ear and Hermione felt the girl shiver at the sensation of her breath on her ear.

"I only wanted to share a meal with a wonderful girl who went out of her way to help me stay safe before I am to go into this challenge and possibly…" Fleur's voice caught. Hermione heard her sniff and placed her hands on Fleur's shoulders and pushed her away. She found a crying Fleur. Beaten down by expectations, and Hermione's harsh words.

"You seem to be so strong, and has a plan, and can walk it like a clear path laid in forest. I am a Champion, a damn Senior at Beauxbatons, and yet you make me feel like a first year," Fleur confided with another sniff. Hermione lifted her hands to Fleur's cheeks then used her thumbs to swipe away the flowing tears. Hermione knew this would make the woman look into her eyes, and when she did Fleur's hand snaked up to Hermione's wrist and caressed the pulse point there.

"I am terrified," whispered Hermione looking straight into Fleur's eyes, "I am terrified I will die in a matter of hours, but for some reason that doesn't even compare to the thought of you thinking I was a cheat," Hermione slowly let her hands fall to Fleur's arms and she helped guide the young woman beside her.

"I would never think that, not after everything I have seen from you, and learned about you," Fleur said as she looked to the stones at their feet. Hermione stood, and Fleur's eyes went large thinking Hermione was running from her, but Hermione looked down on her, and held her hand.

"Its going to rain soon, let's get you to your carriage, and I'll get to the castle," Fleur nodded and took Hermione's hand. She never let it go. Something deep inside of her never wanted to relinquish Hermione's hand. When they got to the carriage, Hermione spun Fleur and both young women came in a crashing embrace. Holding on tightly, wishing the best, hoping for the best. Hermione let go of Fleur and nodded to the door.

"I will see you this afternoon," Hermione said, and Fleur nodded.

Hermione turned and walked from the carriage and felt like she was missing something. She snapped her fingers.

"Accio book and pack," Hermione thought, and it took a few moments, but the book and Fleur's pack came to her. She looked at their picnic pack and sighed. Sometimes she was such a prat. She sighed and began walking to the castle. She walked the corridors, on high alert, wand in hand. Everyone who saw her made a path for her. She would not be taken advantage of the morning of a fatal challenge. NO! She made it to the infirmary, and she saw Madame Pomfrey treating a boy with a sprained ankle.

"S-sorry, I wasn't expecting the staircase to move," the boy said, and Hermione shook her head in pity. Poor firsty. First years always had the most difficult time on the stair well. Hermione waited on a stool and listened to the woman, and her diagnosis, treatment so on and so forth. Sometimes just watching Madame Pomfrey was one of the most educational aspects of her apprenticeship. Hermione turned to a rustle from behind a curtain. A girl twisted her ankle and busted a rib or two when she fell with the boy.

"You will have to stay with us…"

"But what about the tournament? I want to show support," the girl argued.

"You can show support by getting healthy," Narcissa argued with the girl and then the girl saw Hermione and her eyes grew the size of saucers.

"I'm on your side Hermione, GO!" the girl cheered. Hermione smiled and walked to the girl and sat down next to her.

"I would not want you to hurt yourself further just to see a trial. There are three, you can skip one," Hermione reasoned. The girl seemed to think and then Hermione pushed forward. She noticed the girl was a Hufflepuff.

"How about I see I survive this challenge for you," Hermione spoke her empty challenge. Hermione survived only for Hermione, but it seemed like the girl need a little more incentive to stay, "Maybe if I had a reason to win, I will do better," Hermione saw the girl smile. It was like fishing… hook, line and sinker. Narcissa watched the interaction and almost smiled. Then the girl turned to Narcissa.

"Ill stay Lady Malfoy," the girl said softly with a slight blush. Narcissa nodded and then told the girl what she would have to do and the treatment. Hermione even paled when she talked about resetting some of her ankle. Evidently this girl had it worse than the boy. Hermione went to the cabinets and got the potions for Narcissa and then went to Madame Pomfrey and had a potion in her hand for the boys swelling. Both women worked seamlessly. Hermione looked around and wondered if she really needed to be there. She walked to her book and the pack, picked them up, and then reached the door and was about to pull the massive door open.

"Miss Granger, is there something we can help you with?" Narcissa Malfoy's voice floated over her and settled around her like a warm blanket. Hermione sighed and turned to meet the woman's gaze.

"Yes, I would like to talk to you about some side effects of a slightly depleted magic core," Hermione said and Pomfrey's head shot up and looked to Narcissa, but Narcissa guided Hermione to an open bed. She cast a diagnostic. Hermione read it, and she sighed.

"I'm about to go into a challenge, with a core that is not optimum, how do you suppose we fix that?" Hermione asked and Narcissa turned around and cast a muffalito spell, and Poppy got to work on Hermione. When all was said and done Poppy shoved so many potions down Hermione's gullet, she felt them slosh in her gut. Then drowsiness took over.

"Hermione," a soft voice was heard through the haze.

"Hermione," a bit closer and a hand in hers. Hermione gripped it she understood, "You will rest here until it is time," the voice of velvet said as fingers slid over her forehead soothing her hair. Hermione nodded slightly and then let her body succumb to the potions.

Narcissa

As soon as Hermione said depleted core and side effects, she internally felt dread wash over her. When she and Pomfrey finished with Hermione, Narcissa sat by the young woman's bedside. She had found herself by her side watching her in an infirmary bed far too often. She had begun to accept a pull to the girl. Strange that it would this way the cosmos would draw her to another wayward soul such as hers. Constantly misunderstood, mislabeled, mistreated, but utterly human, bendable and breakable.

No, with Hermione, she felt a bit of her heart slip into place and then click like a recently found puzzle piece. She refused to admit it aloud. She was not like that. She was not a predator, who feasted on the flesh of the young, but to say she did not feel something for Hermione, that wasn't motherly, was a lie. She wished this year would fly by quickly. She couldn't be around the girl without almost embarrassing herself. She almost scoffed at herself. She held Hermione too close in that dark cavern as she … 'took her.' Even she rolled her eyes at the linguistic faux pa.

As Narcissa watched over Hermione she could not begin to fathom the possibilities in just a mere few hours. The girl she began to claim a part of her but in those few hours, no matter the twisted puzzle of her heart she will be dead or alive. She could not help but wonder how Lucius and the other Death Eaters in the crowd would get the girl to die and it look like an accident. She will keep her eye out but look as if she was nothing more than a spectator to a train wreck.

"She will be fine," Poppy said as she took a seat next to Narcissa.

"Yes, I believe so, but this is very unfortunate the day of a trial in a Triwizard tournament," Narcissa said as she looked at Hermione. Narcissa saw out of the corner of her eye wand movements, and the wand movements happened between the kids behind them and between Hermione and the medi-witches. Narcissa saw the in-depth silencing spell and wondered what the secrecy was about.

"Do you have something to tell me about Hermione and yourself?" Poppy asked looking at Narcissa.

"No, you know I took her as a dark arts apprentice. You know how demanding that can be, especially when she doesn't seem to quit," Narcissa defended and then looked to Poppy.

"No, Narcissa. I mean do you have something to tell me in the nature of your relationship with the girl?" Poppy asked going for the kill. Narcissa turned cold as ice. Never letting the woman see how much the question phased her.

"I will not do as you are suggesting to another student, let alone a child," Narcissa bit back.

"Hmm, you do realize it did not have to be taken as a sexual relationship, right?" Poppy asked and Narcissa looked to her with flashing blue eyes. Poppy raised her hands as she felt Magic begin to flood their bubble. Sometimes she forgot she worked with the wife of a possible Death Eater, and a witch prone to darker arts.

"I merely meant that she is special Narcissa, and if there is something special, friendship, favorite student, I don't know what kind of bond, I would like to know," Poppy said.

"Why?" Narcissa asked in a clipped tone.

"Because then I can gauge the emotional aspect of their healing," Poppy nudged Narcissa's chair with her toe, "You know healing is on three fronts, the physical, the emotional, and the mental. Hermione is phenomenally logical, to the point of blocking or compartmentalizing events and repressing them, her emotions however fuel her when her logical brain will not. By the way, that is not often, but when she does let emotions run her life, look out," Poppy chuckled remembering the story from first years with wizard chest and potions, and devils snare.

"She is the only reason why Ron Weasley and Harry Potter are alive," Poppy said and Narcissa inwardly cringed. The Dark Lord knew of this. That why he wants her dead.

"So Narcissa, tread lightly with her emotions. Logic works better with this one," Poppy said and then waved her wand and dispelled the privacy ward. Narcissa looked back to Hermione. She became to close, but for the life of her she could not pull away.

Later

Hermione woke, and Madame Pomfrey smiled down to her. She looked around looking for Narcissa.

"She is setting up the tent near the challenge, just in case," Pomfrey supplied seeing Hermione's discomfort and questing eyes.

"I don't care at the moment," Hermione said as she grasped her head, "Why is it throbbing?" Hermione asked as she sat up and held her temple with her fingertips.

"You are simply in need of some food and water," Pomfrey gave Hermine a thin broth with a few vegetables and a large glass of water.

"Do you have a banana?" Hermione asked as she sucked down the broth and then scooped up the vegetables. She didn't know she was so hungry. Pomfrey came back with an apple.

"Will this do?"

"Yeah, I wanted the potassium from a banana, but apples are just fine. A good vitamin ratio," Hermione looked at the healer and she looked at her like she had a horn growing from her forehead.

"I mean…" Hermione began.

"No, No, its ok, I understand muggle elements and certain vitamins. They help with restoration and healing. You are right a banana would be ideal right now, would you like me to get you one?" Poppy asked and Hermione smiled and bit into the apple proving she was happy with the fruit she had. Poppy smiled.

"Hermione, you must know this is dangerous," Poppy supplied and then looked away as if she wanted to say something but could not. Hermione reached out.

"I have fire charms and it's the first thing I will cast as well as a strong protego to take the brunt of force," Hermione said, and the woman looked up to her and smiled relieved.

"You know, thank Merlin," she said.

"Honestly, the info was leaked, we all know," Hermione chuckled and Pomfrey only smiled. Maybe the casualties won't be so bad.

A House elf popped beside Madame Pomfrey and Hermione and deposited an outfit for Hermione. Hermione looked to Madame Pomfrey and she reached for the material. It was Maroon and Black with a small Hogwarts crest over her left breast side. Hermione looked up into Madame Pomfrey's eyes.

"It's time isn't it?" the girl asked, and the woman only patted her hand and waved her wand pulling the privacy screen about her.

When Hermione was fully dressed in her tournament uniform, she looked in the mirror and swallowed. She could only keep thinking that this was real, and she was in for a world of hurt. She looked over to the bed with the girl in in it and nodded, sighed, and steeled her resolve. She will survive this for herself, for Fleur, for Harry, and for this little girl right here. Hermione thought for a moment to the letter last night. It flashed in her mind. She smiled. She would survive this for Narcissa as well. Hermione slipped her robes over her tournament suit. She didn't need them staring if she could help it. She looked one more time to Madame Pomphrey and nodded. The medi-witch waved.

"I will be there soon," She informed, and Hermione smiled. She felt better having the witch there.

As Hermione began to walk to corridors toward the arena a house elf met her mid-way. It was the same house elf as before who never gave her a name. She began to walk with him.

"I might die, please let me know your name," Hermione asked, and the elf's ears fell slightly.

"You see miss, I am not a normal house elf. I am a free elf. And I can think and learn and read for me, so for myself I choose to give you my name but be careful with my name. Once heard I am obligated and forced to go to you," he informed.

"So, it is one last tie to servitude?" Hermione asked as he led her to where she needed to be.

"Yes," he said and then looked up, "I have watched you. You will not abuse me or my name. I give you permission to call on me when you need help. My name is Blake," he said, and Hermione looked down. She strutted forward after him.

"Unusual name for a house elf," she commented.

"I am not a house elf and I never was. I was a shadow elf," Blake said.

"What does that entail?" Hermione asked.

"I watch from the shadows, get information, and if I need to, I will eliminate," Blake supplied.

"So, you are like an elf ninja… wicked. Why are you with me?" She asked.

"I was assigned to you by McGonagall to keep you safe," he explained then Hermione's thoughts kicked into high gear.

"You are one of her personal elves, aren't you?" Hermione whispered loudly. The little elf stopped and looked at her hard, and intelligent.

"I am free, I work for Lady Minerva. She asked me to watch over you because of your trials. I took a job as a free house elf with peripheral assignments, as a reward for saving her life. You are one of my peripheral assignments."

"Ergo protector and spy, and bodyguard," Hermione finished for him. He simply nodded.

"Blake, it was nice to meet you. I am happy to know you name before this business," she said as she became nervous seeing a colosseum of sorts.

"Ill be there when you need me Miss," the elf seemed to try to find out what else to call her, "Miss Hermione," he said, and this made her smile. She hated a shortened version of her name unless it was the house elves giving her one and delighted in hearing this elf calling her by her full name.

"I will not betray your trust in this trial. I will either succeed or fail. Thank you, little friend," she said as she walked to the tent. She took a deep breath as she looked around

The First challenge of the Triwizard tournament. She was too nervous to feint.