Upon arriving on the sandy white beach, outside of Shell Cottage, Hermione found herself been dragged into the excited embrace of Fleur Weasley.

"Oh Hermione, we thought you weren't coming Cherie," the French woman said, kissing both of Hermione's cheeks.

"Sorry I'm late," she replied, Fleur smiled.

"No worries, we still have time to get you ready," the part veela commented, eying her critically, Hermione thought she probably looked a mess, she'd cried a lot over the past few hours and had found herself apparating all over the United Kingdom throughout the day, her hair was bushier than it had been in years, and she was sweaty as well.

"Ready for what," she asked as Fleur dragged her inside the cottage, Hermione couldn't help but smile as her eyes landed on Bill, bouncing a giggling Dominique at the small table in the cottage's kitchen.

"Non, I will not ruin the surprise," the blonde told her with a grin.

"Hermione, just on time, Fleur was getting worried," he greeted.

"She's getting so big," she smiled, reaching out to tickle the nine months old's toes.

"That she is," he agreed.

"She's an angel," Fleur told her, smiling fondly at her husband and child.

"That she is, nothing like Victoire was at this age, she never stopped crying," he commented, Hermione nodded knowingly, nothing seemed to stop their oldest from crying when she had been a baby, she was glad they were having a better time with there second child.

"Where is Victoire," she asked as usually the small blonde could be found clinging to her mothers' knees.

"She's with mum," Bill told her, Hermione nodded.

"Enough chitter-chatting, come, I need to work my magic and turn you into a princess for your date tonight," Fleur commented, flouncing dramatically out of the kitchen, with a giggle, Hermione followed the witch up the small staircase to her and Bill's bedroom.

"The bath is already drawn, go have a soak," the blonde told her, gesturing to the ensuite bathroom, Hermione did as instructed, entering the room, a wall of floral sweetness hitting her, Hermione smiled at the aroma of jasmine, violets and a hint of vanilla that emitted from the filled bubbly tub, the scent was one of her favourites as it reminded her of the wildflowers in her parents' garden. Candles and wildflowers were placed around the room and soft soothing music played from a wireless radio in the far corner. It was perfect.

Hermione shed her clothes and submerged herself in the hot, steamy, bubbly water, sighing in contentment as it calmed her stiff muscles; she wasn't used to been so active, a soothing bath was much needed after the busy day she'd had so far.

"Hermione, may I come in," Fleur asked with a gentle knock on the closed bathroom door.

"Sure," she called out, she wasn't fussed about Fleur seeing her body, the older witch had seen it before when she had been at her most vulnerable after she had escaped from Malfoy Manor, besides the bubbles were so dense, she wouldn't be able to see anything below her shoulders anyway.

"I have some special products for your hair, can I wash it," Fleur asked as she took a seat on the edge of the bath near her head, Hermione nodded and soon her eyes were drifting closed as Fleur's gentle fingers made their way through her tangled curls, massaging a coconut scented shampoo into her hair and scalp.

"This is nice," Hermione smiled.

"You have to look your best for tonight," Fleur commented as her fingers untangled knots that had formed in her long strands.

"Everyone keeps going on about this surprise, I wish I knew what it was," she told her friend as the older woman rinsed her hair and applied a lychee scented conditioner to it.

"Some surprises are worth the wait," Fleur mentioned.

"I suppose, but I can't help wondering why so elaborate, the quest is fun, but it's only an anniversary, he didn't have to do anything special for it," she told Fleur.

"And the moral of that is – 'Oh, 'tis love, 'tis love, that makes the world go round!'" Fleur commented, Hermione grinned.

"So you're the Duchess," she asked.

"Hopefully a nicer one than the one in the book, I'd never beat a baby," Fleur told her as she set her hair in a pile on the top of her head.

"Did Fred make everyone read the book," she asked.

"It was strongly suggested that we should read it yes, but I'd already read it as a child, my mother loves muggle literature and thought their fairy tales were nicer than the wizarding ones," Fleur commented.

"They really are, or at least the modern Disney ones are, some of the more traditional ones by people like the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen and Marie Leprince de Beaumont are rather disturbing," she said.

"Oui," Fleur agreed, handing her a louver and a tub of sugar scrub.

"The conditioner needs to soak into your hair, dehair yourself as needed and scrub your skin, Dominique needs feeding, I'll be back in twenty minutes to paint your nails and do your hair and makeup," Fleur told her, as she stood and exited the bathroom. Hermione followed the older woman's instructions, she had already shaved that morning in her shower so instead she scrubbed at her skin with the sweet, scented lavender sugar scrub and relaxed back in the tub, waiting for the older witch to return.

"I tell you now, it was a man who said breast is best, Hermione, they never had milk teeth chewing on their nipples," Fleur said as she flounced back into the room twenty minutes later, Hermione winced in sympathy for the older woman, as Fleur began rinsing the conditioner from her hair.

"Perfect, so smooth," the older woman commented, her fingers running smoothly through the length of her hair.

"Where did you get the shampoo and conditioner," she asked, as she stepped out of the bath, wrapping a fluffy robe around herself, she then ran her own fingers through her hair, it had never felt so soft and silky before.

"Fred invented it for you," Fleur told her, Hermione smiled, he always said her curls were perfect, but she complained often about the tangled birds nest it could turn into, he'd created something to smooth it out, every time she thought there was no way she could love her boyfriend more he did something to surprise her and made her fall in love with him all over again.

"I can't wait to thank him," she said, Fleur grinned at her.

"Come, we have much more to do," the blonde told her, leading her back through to the bedroom. For the next hour Hermione found herself at the French witches' mercy, her hair was dried into smooth bouncing curls that were clipped back by small diamante flower clips and she had minimal makeup, her lips a dusty rose, her eyes shimmering slightly in the sun that shone through the window. Fleur spent her time giving her a manicure and pedicure, leaving her with rose painted nails which had a fine shimmery glitter effect to them. The older witch well and truly succeeded in making her feel like a princess, she'd been dressed in an iridescent pearl sheen dress that floated down to her knees, the top of the dress was off her shoulders and fitted, showing off her curves. She'd been accessorised with silver accessories and jewellery and Hermione felt like she'd stepped out of a fairy-tale as she twisted in the mirror, her dress twinkling, casting shades of pale blue and pink around the room.

"Wow," she breathed as she looked at herself.

"Parfaite, Fred will love it," Fleur smiled warmly.

"Thank you so much Fleur," she said turning to hug the older witch.

"Non, you will not wrinkle that dress," Fleur said, stepping away.

"Ladies, it's time for Hermione to be on her way," Bill's voice sounded from outside the closed bedroom door.

"Bill, she is ready," Fleur said as she opened the door.

"Mione, you look beautiful," Bill told her seriously.

"Thank you," she replied.

"A true princess," Fleur commented.

"Alice wasn't a princess," Hermione told the couple.

"Fred wanted you to have the fairy-tale experience and as such, you are his princess," Bill commented.

"So is he dressed as a prince somewhere," she asked.

"Not quite," Fleur laughed musically.

"You'll see when you get to him," Bill smiled amused.

"So where exactly am I meeting him," she asked.

"That's not for us to tell you, there's one more stop to make before you meet with Fred," Fleur smiled.

"It's getting late," Hermione commented, though the summer sun still shone out the window, it must be at least eight in the evening by now.

"The next is but a short stop, a gift for you if you will," Bill said.

"Then Freddie will be waiting for a romantic rendezvous," Fleur told her.

"So what's my clue," she asked.

"No clue just a destination, go to the ministry Hermione, there three people are waiting with a gift for you," Bill smiled.

"But it's a Saturday, nobody will be there this late today," she said.

"Trust me they are," Fleur smiled.

"Okay, I'll see you later then, thank you again for the makeover, for what it's worth I don't think of you as a Duchess, today you've been my fairy godmother Fleur," she smiled, with a pop she was gone, arriving at one of the smaller entrances of the ministry, she didn't feel like stepping inside a toilet in her current outfit, a normal door was much safer and hygienic thank you very much.