Hey every one,
I just want to say this chapter, in my opinion , is not my best. I dont really like it but I wasn't sure how to fix it. This are getting weird, and Hermione is a bit twisted, but i think she is tired of everything. Fleur is like her knight and shining armor and Narcissa is the frost on wild blueberries. Its just nuts.
Gladiolus ~ You pierce my heart
Draco Malfoy sat in the astronomy tower and looked out over the grounds. When people were not in class, they would usually vacate the tower, except for a very select few brooders. He was included in this elite, as was Granger the Mudblood, his mother, and of course the batty Headmaster himself. Sometimes he would spot a cat, and a very interesting looking panther in the shadows, but Draco always left animals alone. He never spoke freely in front of them. He wasn't stupid. He was an animagus himself as was his mother. His father… well he never got around to it.
It all happened that very first day he went to Barnabus the Barmy's portrait. He met his mother, but she was changed. She arrived early. And paced, and when he came along, she stopped. She stood in the corner hands folded before her, picture perfect, grace like arctic glacial ice. He stood next to her and faced any oncoming traffic. She placed a notice me not spell over the two. And he looked to her as she sighed.
"What happened?" he asked. Her gaze was far, distance wasn't even a measurement. This farness was measured in lengths of one's heart, and how far that heart can go before it is unraveled into madness.
"She woke," Narcissa said and then sideways looked at Draco. She unclasped her hands and reached for one of his. "She said not a word as I hovered over her, and she called upon a house elf, and had a conversation with him behind wards I could not break. This house elf was even clever enough to ward her mouth so I could not read her lips. She took one more look at me, and then vanished with the house elf," Narcissa sighed and clutched Draco's hand once.
He felt out of his league with this information. He was talking to his mother about loving a classmate of his. He had to cringe at the thought. She was a Mudblood to boot. What in the hell was his mother doing falling in love with a girl his age, illegal mind you if anything physical happened, and then the girl was an abomination being a mudblood? Well, the mudblood aspect was according to his father. But still Watching Granger get impaled, slung around, and then walked on her own feet toward the tent, blood trailing behind her…. He often wondered if he could do that himself. He shook his head. No, he didn't like heroics or pain.
His mother shifted, and let go of his hand, and then Hermione and the French champion came to the portrait. Hermione thought and paced as she was supposed to then immediately snapped her head toward them when the room of requirement opened. Draco was caught in the gaze of the witch who could end him, and he knew it, Hermione was ferocious. Then Fleur clasped her arm and she calmed and went into the room.
Narcissa made to follow and so did Draco. Narcissa made it through the portrait, Draco ended up in an Incarcerous. Hit the ground Hard. His face hit the floor and Narcissa was next to him healing him. He spat blood. Everyone looked around, but two witches looked to the other. It wasn't their cavern. It was a pleasant reading room, fire included with a table for tea set for three. Hermione sighed, now four. Hermione limped to the table and Fleur held the chair for her. Hermione smiled and thanked the Frenchwoman kindly and then the pair looked to Narcissa and Draco.
Hermione waved her wand silently freeing Draco form his ropes.
"Draco was not invited to this gathering, Lady Malfoy," Hermione stated as she took a sip of her tea. Narcissa narrowed her eyes at Hermione and Hermione glared right back. "Fine then, Draco I think you need to know your mother is part…" She never got to finish as Narcissa wandlessly cast a silencing spell. Fleur, amused, cleared it with a finite incantatum, "Thank you she is part Veela, that makes you Veela, and beast. Not a pureblood prince your fucking ass seems to prance around with," Hermione paused, glaring at Narcissa.
"Mother?" Draco asked, and then Narcissa took him by the hand, and guided him to the table. Hermione cocked her head and opened her month but Narcissa lifted a hand. Hermione waited out of respect for her… mentor. She admitted the taste was like gritty dirt in her mouth now that she knew the truth.
"My Dragon, a long time ago a Veela bedded a Black," Narcissa began but Hermione knew this was half through. She wasn't sure how, but a half truth was a half lie so she sighed heavily and glared at Narcissa, "Fine, she married a Black, anyways, I have Veela blood my Dragon. I am not…" Narcissa swallowed as her son clutched her hand.
"Purity is overrated," then he looked to Hermione and Fleur, "But I still hate you," Draco said off the cuff. Fleur growled and went to throttle to boy, but Hermione stayed the Veela.
"I hate you as well you entitled twat," Hermione said and smiled as everyone in the room cringed at her obscenity. But Hermione looked at Narcissa and then sighed.
"Do you wish him to be here for this?" Hermione asked giving Narcissa a chance, an outlet. Narcissa thought, she looked at Draco.
"What you find out here will change everything. Can you keep that secret?" She asked and he nodded. Then she immediately stormed his mind. It was dizzying, and uncomfortable, and he felt like spewing forth the contents of his stomach. Narcissa saw his secrets. A lot of them were very interesting.
"We need to work on your Occlemency," Then Narcissa looked up unthreateningly, and bore into Hermione's. Books, books, and more book. She tore down the vale, shelves of books, shelves upon shelves. She growled and tore it down, magazines, pictures, then muggle movies. She tore every one of them down until she was tired of tearing down barriers. She let go of Hermione. She sat back.
"I believe we require advanced Occlumency for you." Narcissa looked her straight in the eyes, "We will rip you apart," Narcissa smiled as she thought of Severus wanting nothing more than to split this girls mind open like a melon. It was a twisted spark of hers, but she wished her witch to be safe. Who else to keep her safe than the ultimate betweener.
Hermione looked to Draco and the boy looked to her.
"Thank you for taking me back to the infirmary. So, things required my attention," Hermione stated as both women looked on her both in pride, and then in sorrow. They put her there. "Draco for this, I will not be a common Gryffindor git, and you will not be a Slytherin snake. We will be protecting something fundamentally altering," Hermione looked between Fleur, and Narcissa, "We will be protecting our hearts, our lives and our souls," Hermione began, and it was then too many small things happened at one time.
Fleur gasped and held her hand to her perfect 'O' of a mouth, Narcissa's breath seized, and Draco stopped …. Everything. Hermione snapped between his eyes and he nodded, he was still there.
"Draco, this will get personal, do you wish to stay?" Hermione asked.
"My mother's secrets are my own as mine are hers. I will protect them with everything I have," Draco said casually then Hermione leaned over. She couldn't help it. His eyes connected with hers.
"If you betray us, I will flay you alive, cast a replenishing charm, and flay you once every day for the rest of your miserable, racist, demented life," Hermione gritted.
Two things happened. Fleur looked excited. Fleur had loved Hermione before, but seeing this slightly darker side of her mate, even though she had yet to claim her she knew Hermione was her destined, she felt her blood spike and jet through her veins, and her head become light with Hermione's own dominance. Narcissa, however, was of two minds. Protect her son, and then the spike of warmth that corralled between her legs. Hermione's voice, her actions, and her decisiveness left her in a pit of liquid golden arousal mixed with shame for she should be protecting her son. Luckily for Draco protectiveness won above a good romp in the sheets… or a lifetime of love… or an eternity of sharing one's heart. Narcissa shook herself. Looked at both witches. Hermione was menacing, while Fleur was…. Well Fleur was covetous.
"Narcissa, He needs to leave," Fleur said softly but the tone was there. Draco looked to his mother. Narcissa sighed. But Hermione spoke.
"Fleur and I are your mother's magical, and Veela mates, hence I'm your intended stepmom. Do you want to stay around now for this conversation?" Hermione asked. Draco stood immediately. Looked down to his mother. For some reason he knew he was leaving her without an ally, but Granger being his stepmom… ew.
Before he felt it was his mother's soft-spoken voice.
"You did not have to do that," Narcissa said.
"You have no idea what your son has done to me. So, a little mental scarring is well worth the years of pain he has caused me," Hermione said to his mother. He looked back. His mother had inadvertently moved her chair closer to the three, so it wasn't 1 on 2 but more of a conversation. He saw the way she flited glances at the Blonde, then to Hermione. Draco shook his head. He left, and never spoke to any of them.
Now he found himself in the astronomy tower, the panther edged over. He ignored it. He trusted it, but it was still Hogwarts where anything would happen, and we would not want to turn up like moaning Myrtle of the Astronomy Tower. He let himself settle with the thundersleet. Yeah, it was a thing he found out from… wait for it… Hermione.
When he thought about the girl, he could not help but think one messed up thing.
She was Perfect for his mother.
He rubbed his face and then there was a nudge on his side and then he looked. The panther looked on him as …. He looked, she sat down. He risked a moment and placed his hand on her back and stroked down her silken form.
"Too many things my shadow friend. I am afraid of too many things. They have happened, they will happen, and," Draco stopped, he caught himself and looked at his wand, "and they will continue to happen," He whispered as he looked out over the grounds with sleet falling but the phenomenon of thunder and lightning booming overhead. One such strike of lightning flashed in the middle of the paddock. He looked and the panther was gone. But who was to come up the stairs? Granger.
He adopted a stern look as he looked out. He noticed she limped less, and she no longer used her cane. She still grasped her right fist. Yet they stayed like that. Silent, and wondering. Yet it was not either of them that broke their silence. They both turned.
"You have a lot to learn about bloodlines little sorcerers," Laughed a throaty, yet familiar laugh that Hermione knew so well. Hermione eased back while Draco stayed on edge, wand slowly coming to the side. Hermione caught his wrist and he snapped his eyes to her, then she looked.
"Draco, Hermione, why are you up her after curfew?" Madame Pomfrey asked looking out over the grounds.
"Best view for a show, Madame," Hermione replied with a mischievous smirk on her lips.
"Draco?" the matron asked and then he stood.
"I do not have to tell you why I came to think… healer," he sneered and began to storm off.
"Too much of your father means not enough of your mothers understanding," Poppy simply iterated to the young man. He paused, listened, nodded then went downstairs. Hermione was left to the tower.
"Now my little apprentice, I have you know I had to work hard to track your Barmy butt down so I can give you this," Poppy said with a smile. Hermione took it and looked at the large jar of … she unscrewed the top and gagged.. Foul smelling paste. She placed it to the side and looked out over the grounds.
"Hermione, that is a dragon spike infused healing potion and all you can do is nod and look over the grounds?" Poppy asked confused but pushing the girl.
"I would risk a shoulder injury a thousand time to make two wonderful witches smile for the rest of their lives. Live contentedly, not a care in the world, never missing … well… me. I never thought I would be tied this way and as I think about it, and the end of the year… it's a forsaken element fate had either never count upon, or is using us for a larger plan," Hermione sighed and stood taking the jar with her, "I feel like fate is like Dumbledore on coke. All ramped up, sometimes with a destination, sometimes just to be, with no mind of how fatal it is being for those involved," Hermione whispered.
"Why fatal?" Poppy asked worrying her apprentice was suicidal, but Hermione looked down.
"Don't ask me how, but your restricted section has a few books on Veela bonds," Hermione then looked out, "No matter how small the bond, if it is broken, you deteriorate. With a triad, if one refused, the other two will live as half a soul, slowly, over time, regretting, hating, and wishing death to the other in the relationship," Hermione whispered her facts and Poppy's eyes grew large.
"You found these in our restricted section?" Poppy asked.
"Yes, but I have been there before. I was never able to read those books until now. I think it has to do with the Veela blood, and its bond mates," Hermione slowly turned to Poppy.
"So, how do I use this foul-smelling paste," Hermione asked with a wider smile. Poppy only smiled and showed her how to apply is. It was nothing more than a simple once over like a triple antibiotic crème, but Hermione sat and breathed through the almost painful sensation of the wound finally sewing itself back together again. What hurt the most was that it was two wounds, entry and exit wounds. It could have been over, but the duel wounds took the breath from her lungs and Hermione dropped to her knees.
Below her before Poppy could see to Hermione the carriage door flew open. Blonde hair flew from the carriage and ran to the castle. Poppy sighed. She took her to the Grande Stair well. Fleur skittered to a halt. Poppy beckoned Fleur to come, and then told her of where Hermione's quarters were and to not mind the wall if she was in contact with Hermione.
Fleur moved quickly after casting a feather weight charm, she lifted her English girl in her arms, and she walked briskly in the direction Pomfrey told her. She was near manic… and then she turned, she gulped as she stuck out a foot and it vanished. She pulled it back.
Hermione groaned and her breathing hitched.
Fleur flew through the barrier, and then to the wall. The portrait took in Hermione's form and then admitted them, but immediately there was a house elf. An ominous little man. She sighed. Her family had these types at well.
"Shadow elf, please help me, which is hers," as she looked between the rooms.
"Obviously the one unoccupied," the elf snipped, but Fleur looked down on him. He was of no use. Began to walk to the right door and then he ah-ah-ah-ed and she turned to the left door. She was in Hermione's quarters. She knew it by the parchments to the left and the books amassed to the right of them. Fleur lay Hermione down. She looked her over.
She could not describe the sensation that caused her to explode out in the night. All of a sudden, her shoulder seared as if impaled. She looked to her arms, and nothing was there, just a tingling warmth. She pulled on clothes, then threw herself out into the storm with one thought on her mind. Hermione. When she found her, she was at the staircases, and Fleur was happy to see her, then the Medi-witch gave her over. Perplexed Fleur took Hermione and followed directions. Now she was here in Hermione's quarters and she knew not what to do.
A hand. Warm, smooth. Fleur sat shocked still as that hand reached for her. Then the other lifted slowly up. Fleur watched every movement. Her breathing hitched when fingers glided into her hair, clutched her locks firmly then kneaded her scalp, then Hermione's arms, and hands brought her down. Hermione then opened her eyes.
"Ma Chere," Fleur breathed heavily, "If you do not let me go, I will not be held accountable for my actions," the Veela warned. Hermione loosened her grip but did not pull her hands from Fleur's head and neck.
"What do you want Fleur?" Hermione asked, her voice throaty from pain. Fleur closed her eyes and breathed in as she collected. She tried to block out the voices inside of her, growling, screaming to take the witch in from of her, below her.
She opened Her eyes and met Hermione's. They were sympathetic and loving. Completely older than her meager 15 years. Yet Fleur was drawn to them. This was the side of the Veela she hated. To take, to claim, to conquer her mate. Then again, Hermione would never stand for that being an advocate for equality.
"I want…" Fleur clenched her eyes shut, still in Hermione's quasi embrace. She felt hands in her hair and arms unwilling to let her go. Her Veela and her human side wanted to take the little witch, her beastly heart almost succeeded, but her head, and her soul stayed her actions, but not her truth.
"I want everything," Fleur finally replied as she opened her eyes. She saw Hermione gasp. She felt the little witch in her arms tense up.
"Your Veela eyes are magnificent," Hermione said and calmed as she said so, but it was Fleur's turn to tense. She jerked from Hermione as if bitten. She covered her face with her hands and willed herself to take control. But hands, soft hands tried to pry away Fleur's hands from her eyes.
Finally, with both of Fleur's hands encased in Hermione's, and Fleur's looking down as they faced each other, but Fleur did not open her eyes.
"Will you hurt me?" asked Hermione and Fleur shook her head.
"Do you... do you …?" Hermione couldn't complete the question. Being physical with this wonderful young woman had crossed Hermione's mind but she could not verbalize it. Hearing Hermione stammer was all it took for the young Veela too look at her. Hermione smiled but her heart sped up. Her eyes were like a star bursts of aqua blue and ice blue colors, etched In a black like kohl. She never knew eyes could look like this, look so … enchanting.
"I do," Fleur said, confirming something Hermione was feeling but unsure of what exactly it was, and as Fleur tilted forward, Hermione knew to move to the side. Offer her throat to the beast before her. Lips upon her throat, and then finally Fleur sank into the column of her throat. But…. But…
"A hickey? Really?" Hermione asked indignantly but smiling all the while. Fleur smiled. She could never explain the pull she had to Narcissa, and she could never explain that she knew Hermione was not ready for that, to be bonded with a Veela, be bonded with a Veela that will leave her at the end of the year. No, never would she subject Hermione to such a fate. Fleur's blood ran cold. Now she sounded like Narcissa.
"It's late, sleep with me you damned Veela, but keep it above the clothes," Hermione said, and Fleur only smiled. Inside and out, she was finding peace with her lot in the unfortunate situation, and part of her knows Hermione is too. It was as if the girl knew Fleur could not take her, claim her, love her the way Fleur wished to love the girl. When Fleur curled and arm around Hermione's waist she sighed, content with only this for as long as she could have it.
Across Space...
Narcissa was in bed with Lucius. As was their once a quarterly union. She felt a visceral pinch in her chest, and her heart give way as he was inside of her. When she finished, she realized her thoughts were not of her husband. He grinned as he felt her release when they came together. She smiled back to her husband trying to keep up to good Pureblood wife act, even though she felt a piece of her soul slip away.
Later looking out a window, cleaned and in her own room Narcissa thought on her acts this evening. Could she keep up this… farce forever? Leaving Hermione and Fleur? Suddenly a searing stab shot through her shoulder. She dropped her teacup as her hands scurried over her clothes to rip them from her skin. Tears blurred her sight. When her hand finally ripped at the top of her dressing gown, she gasped as she saw her skin was pale, smooth, and blemish free. Her breathing grew more and more frantic, and it was then she felt a ghost of an embrace. Strong loving arms surrounding her a cocoon of warmth. Then she swallowed as she felt ghost of a touch upon her throat as if a phantom kiss was placed right above her pulse.
After a while she felt it in her heart. It was enough to double her over, and in that moment, she knew her witches were together. They were… TOGETHER. Narcissa sat in an armchair thinking of the two witches, she called her own… Together. Yes, she told Fleur to make Hermione Happy, but gods, she didn't mean right this damn moment…. Did she? Maybe she was blowing things out of proportion, Maybe she was wrong. Maybe she was feeling what she wished she could from then and for all eternity. She shifted and watched the storm creep in.
Fleur's words danced up on her thought. 'I do not envy a woman with two mates,' and yet Narcissa let it go. To who was Fleur really talking about? Was if Herself, or was it Hermione?
After all she did to distance herself… did it matter?
No… it did not. She would train Hermione. After that she was done.
End of story.
Maybe.
Hopefully.