AN: It's been so long since I've written that I've completely forgotten how I start these things. I'm sorry for the long absence, but I really wasn't feeling writing and have never been a fan of pushing things out for the sake of updating. That being said, I'm very happy to finally be back into it and able to provide a new chapter. This was initially supposed to be the last chapter, but it was getting insanely long so I had to cut it up. I was going to make a joke in the AN about discontinuing this story, but I didn't have it in me to do it. Anyways, the only musical inspiration I got for this was Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish. I hope there are some people who still want to see how this story goes and enjoy the update, even if my writing is a bit rusty :)
Chapter 6: Growth
You're dead to me.
That's the text Hermione woke up to on her phone the next morning from Gabrielle. That, and an awful headache that persistently pounded in the back of her head while sunlight streaming through the windows probed at her eyes.
"Shit." She mumbled to herself, throwing an arm over her eyes.
Gabrielle knew. She didn't have to elaborate on why Hermione was dead to her. She could put two and two together. Fleur or someone else that saw them had said something to her best friend. She knew this would happen. People her age loved to gossip and word traveled faster than the speed of light in her school.
Despite her dreadful hangover, she wanted to text the french girl back or run over to explain herself. What was there to explain though? She broke the number one rule in almost every friendship. Don't mess around with your friend's siblings.
She also knew Gabrielle all too well. Talking to the girl right now would get her nowhere. She was clearly pissed off if she didn't even go on a tirade. Her heart ached at the thought of someone she had been close to since she was a child hating her. Gabrielle was like a sister to her and now she could very well be cut off for good.
Hermione had already cried when she got home and now she was either too dehydrated or cried out to shed another tear. She had seen this coming from a mile away.
She had tried to stay away from Fleur the best she could, but it proved to be useless. Fleur was like a magnet that Hermione was inexplicably drawn to. Well, everyone was, she supposed. She's Fleur Delacour. Charismatic, sweet, confident, smart, and gorgeous. Anyone would be lucky to be caught in her orbit. Anyone except Hermione.
Fleur was the one thing she couldn't have. Like Icarus, she flew too close to the sun and now she lost the one friend she ever had.
Her throat constricted as she choked back a sob. She knew better and she still betrayed Gabrielle. Gabrielle who would probably never talk to her again or invite her over for a scary movie when it rains.
There would be no more sleepovers. No more late night talks when the world felt like it was dead and it was just the two of them. No more jokes over ice cream at their favorite parlor. No more anything.
Losing Gabrielle wasn't the only thing that filled her with despair. She didn't just lose her best friend, but Fleur too. Fleur, who she couldn't stop thinking about even now.
Her lips still tingled from the makeout session the night before. Even through her haze, she remembered that soft but firm touch that elicited goosebumps even now on her skin. It was as if she was haunted by those lips and fingertips. These were things she wasn't supposed to seek out or think about, but even with her best friend livid with her, it still plagued her mind.
She groaned when she found herself fantasizing about soft blue eyes glossed over, tussled golden strands, flushed cheeks, and swollen lips. "Bloody hell."
This was not what she was supposed to be doing. She was supposed to be figuring out how to make things right with her best friend. She could try to write it off as a drunken mistake, but that felt wrong to do to Fleur, because it was the furthest thing from the truth. Saying that would cheapen what happened. So, the question remained. What was she going to do?
/
Further down the street, Fleur was rudely woken to the sound of a vacuum in the hallway right outside her door. Bleary blue eyes glared at the door before she grumbled something unintelligible and covered her head with her pillow to block out the sound.
It proved to be effective until the sound of the vacuum was replaced by something worse. Music. Music so loud that the thin barrier of the wall and a fluffy pillow couldn't hope to block it out.
A growl left Fleur's lips as she pulled the pillow from her head and sat up in bed. "I'm going to kill her."
A scowl was firmly planted on her face as stomped down the steps. She was already in a sour mood from the events the night before and the nasty hangover she was attempting to sleep off. A task that would be impossible since it seemed like her younger sister was hellbent on making her miserable.
"Look who is finally up." Gabrielle spoke over her shoulder when Fleur abruptly turned off the music. She grabbed cups and empty beer bottles and tossed them into a trash bag in her hand, seemingly unbothered.
Fleur crossed her arms, glaring at the back of her sibling's head. "I wonder what could have possibly woken me up."
Gabrielle turned around, her back straight with a dangerous, icy look in those sapphire eyes. "It's noon, Fleur. It's not like I'm cleaning at the ass crack of dawn."
"If you think that by waking me up, that that means I'm going to help you clean, then you-"
"Oh, don't worry." Gabrielle put on a fake sweet smile. "I'm not expecting anything from you. You must be exhausted after the night you had . . ."
Fleur raised a questioning eyebrow. What was her sister getting at? "What-"
"With MY BEST FRIEND!" She threw a plastic cup that didn't quite reach the older girl, but unfortunately still had some liquid in it that splashed onto the very hungover French girl.
Fleur's heart plummeted into her stomach, her face paling when she realized Gabrielle knew about what happened the night before, but how?
"H-how did you-"
"Did you really think I wouldn't find out!?" Gabrielle shouted. "Adam's friend saw you! How could you!?"
'Shit.' Fleur inwardly cursed. That drunken idiot that stumbled into the bathroom must have been one of Gabrielle's boyfriend's friends and opened his mouth about their disheveled state. Word really did travel fast.
She had hoped to avoid this conversation until she was able to talk to Hermione first or at the very least recover from her hangover. She and the brunette clearly had a lot to discuss before she spoke on her behalf.
Her sister was known to be a tad dramatic, which she supposed was fitting for someone who was going to be a drama major. She was going to make this entire situation about herself even though it has little to nothing to do with her.
This was about her and Hermione, who also wasn't going to be easy to talk to. She had a habit of running away when things started becoming a little too real. She sat in her room drinking after Hermione left, trying to come up with a plan to approach the brunette, but her mind kept wandering back to how Hermione felt and the sounds she made when she touched her so she didn't get very far with her plan.
"Well!?" Gabrielle spoke again when Fleur didn't say anything. "What do you have to say for yourself!?"
Fleur sighed as she rubbed her temples. "This really isn't any of your business, Gabrielle."
"None of my business?" Gabrielle scoffed. "My best friend and my sister betrayed me!"
"If you want to be mad at anyone, be mad at me." Fleur squared her shoulders, glaring back at her sister. "I'm the one who followed Hermione into the bathroom and-"
"Wait, wait, wait." Gabrielle waved her hand. "The bathroom? There's more to the story than that little kiss? What happened there!?"
Fleur's face dropped, her heart thudding in her chest when she realized perhaps Gabrielle didn't know as much as she thought she did. She was talking about the shotgun, not what happened after. She had made an already volatile situation, infinitely worse.
"Nothing." She answered a little too quickly.
"Bullshit." Gabrielle sneered as she threw down the trash bag and approached her sibling. "Did you two-"
"No! She ran off before-"
"Oh my god!" Gabrielle cried out causing Fleur to flinch at the loud tone. She really should just shut her mouth at this point, because she was digging herself deeper into this hole. "You two almost . . . FLEUR! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
Fleur at least had the good sense to run when the younger girl started charging towards her. She jumped over a chair that was laying on the ground, sprinting towards the stairs to retreat to the safety of her bedroom until her sibling cooled off, but Gabrielle had somehow become freakishly fast in the year she had been gone.
'Did Gabrielle get bit by a radioactive spider while I was away or am I just slow from this god awful hangover?' Fleur thought to herself as she skidded to a stop when Gabrielle cut off her route to the stairs.
She thought better of escaping to her room and headed for the back door instead with the slightly shorter girl hot on her trail. The loud crash of their mother's favorite vase could be heard behind her as Gabrielle bumped into its pedestal in her rage.
"I'm blaming that on you!"
"Like hell you are!" Fleur yelled over her shoulder.
Gabrielle got a grip on the athlete's arm, but the other girl was quick to yank it out of her grip and changed direction once again, sprinting to get around the kitchen table to keep something between her and the fuming drama major.
They ran around the table a couple of times, Gabrielle trying to change direction to catch the wiley athlete, but Fleur's reflexes were better and turned on her heel every time Gabrielle thought she had her.
Eventually, they stood on opposite sides of the table. Fleur faked left, but Gabrielle stood in place, only subtly moving. Gabrielle made a move to run after Fleur again, but the older girl held up a finger in warning, causing Gabrielle to pause, while she panted.
"Gabrielle." She tried to sound as firm and menacing as she could. "I will end you."
With a growl, Gabrielle clambered across the table, throwing herself on top of her sibling that let out a shriek when she was taken to the ground.
Fleur was pinned for all of one second before she twisted her hips and gained the upper hand. She swiftly pinned Gabrielle's hands to the ground before she could scratch her eyes out.
She tried to catch her breath while Gabrielle struggled in her hold, not making her job easier.
"Get off me!"
"Not until you calm down!" Fleur yelled back.
"Fuck you!" Gabrielle spat in French.
"You only have yourself to blame for this." Fleur smirked as she made a hawking noise to make Gabrielle believe she was collecting spit in her mouth to drizzle onto her sister's face.
"Ew! Fleur!" Gabrielle cried, trying to move her face away.
"Give up then!"
"No!" Gabrielle stubbornly replied. "She's MY best friend." She looked up to her sister with a glare. "You could have anyone you want! Why did it have to be her!?"
"Why does it matter!?" Fleur shot back testily.
"I met her first!"
"That's ridiculous!" Fleur scowled. "We met her at the same time. The only reason I left her alone was because I felt bad for you." She sneered. She really wasn't in the mood for her sister's theatrics. She had held back her feelings for Hermione just for her sister's sake for far too long and she was tired of being nice about it. "You were too shy to talk to anyone else."
Gabrielle stilled, returning Fleur's icy glare. "You really can be such a bitch sometimes."
"And you can be such a spoiled brat! I shouldn't have to tiptoe around your feelings." She pushed down on her sister's wrists to emphasize her point. "This isn't fair to me or 'Ermione. This shouldn't be a big deal, but of course you react this way. You're being childish!"
Gabrielle let out a huff. "Says the girl who almost spit on me."
"I'm being serious." Fleur growled. "What's the problem? Do you like her or something?"
"You don't understand and you never will." Gabrielle mumbled, looking off to the side.
Fleur let out a groan of frustration. "Then help me understand, because I've spent years trying to, but I don't get it."
Tears brimmed Gabrielle's eyes as she looked back to her fuming sibling, the truth slipping from her lips. "She was the one thing I had that you didn't."
Fleur couldn't refrain from rolling her eyes at that statement. "'Ermione isn't an object that you can own."
"I know that, you idiot." Gabrielle spat. "But you get everything. Everyone wants to be your friend, everyone obsesses over every little thing you do, even mom and dad. Hermione was the one person that didn't fall over herself for you and actually wanted to be my friend. Not yours."
Fleur frowned at her sister's admission. "That's not fair . . ."
"What's not fair is people pretending to be nice to me just to get close to you. Now, it turns out my best friend is the same as everyone else."
Fleur let out a sigh, loosening her hold. "You know that's not true. I'm sorry people did that, but you know 'Ermione would never do that. She cares about you."
Gabrielle let out an incredulous scoff. "Right."
Fleur couldn't help glowering at her sister's childish response. "If you think that's true for even a second, then maybe you're the bad friend in this situation."
A dangerous fire lit in the petite blonde's eyes at that statement. "What?"
"I've liked 'Ermione since we were kids, but you were always so protective of her. I don't know if she has felt the same or for how long, because of you." Fleur spat bitterly. "She has been nothing but loyal to you. You could reciprocate just a little bit of that loyalty, but instead you turn on her."
"If she was as loyal as you say she is, she wouldn't . . . wait . . ." Gabrielle blinked dumbly, Fleur's words just now registering in her brain. "You've had a crush on Hermione since we were kids?"
Fleur sighed. "Who's the idiot now?"
"I thought-"
Fleur raised an eyebrow as she loosened her hold a little more. "That I was just trying to hook up with her?"
"Well . . ."
"Gee, thanks. Glad you think so highly of me." Fleur scoffed. "Unfortunately for me, it wasn't just a hookup."
"How . . .?" Gabrielle grimaced as if the thought of the two together was gross. "Why . . .?"
Fleur glared down at her sister. "You're not helping the situation with that face, Gabrielle."
"Well, how am I supposed to feel about this!? My best friend and my sister . . ."
"This LITERALLY has nothing to do with you." Fleur groaned as she finally let go of her sister and rolled to lay on her back next to her. "I shouldn't have to justify anything to you."
Gabrielle glared at her sibling out of the corner of her eye. "This is a lot to wrap my head around. You guys should have told me."
"Oh?" Fleur laughed mirthlessly. "And how would you have reacted? You don't exactly take things like this well." She waved her hand in the direction of the shattered vase on the ground.
"Okay, you might have a point there." They sat in silence for a moment after, both lost in their own thoughts until the petite blonde broke the quiet surrounding them. "So . . . what now?"
Fleur seemed to contemplate her answer before sitting up and shrugging. "I really don't know. I suppose it's up to you at this point." She mumbled as she got to her feet. "At the very least . . ." She let out a sigh. "Make up with 'Ermione, because I'm sure you've already sent a mean text to her. Whatever you said, you know she didn't deserve it and you didn't mean it. You're important to her and she's important to you."
Gabrielle nodded even though Fleur couldn't see her as she headed towards the stairs, pausing at the bottom step with her hand on the rail.
"And Gabrielle?" Fleur looked over her shoulder.
"Hmm?" Gabrielle absentmindedly responded.
"I don't plan to take 'Ermione away from you. She's your best friend and I wouldn't try to take that from either of you. That being said . . ." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm not backing off this time."
/
Hours later, Hermione was sulking on the couch, half watching whatever crappy reality show was on tv with a blanket wrapped around her body. The hangover was starting to wear off, but guilt still wracked her body. More often than not, she looked at her phone, waiting for a notification from her friend that wouldn't come, rather than watch what was on tv.
She was currently doing just that when there was a loud knock on her door. The abrupt noise made her jump and look over her shoulder warily. Her parents were at work, her best friend was pissed at her, and no one else ever came over so who could it possibly be?
She begrudgingly got up when the knocking persisted, wrapping the blanket tighter around her body as she shuffled to the door. She looked through the peephole to see if perhaps it was just the mailman, but when she saw her fuming best friend standing there impatiently instead, her heart plummeted into her stomach.
She nervously stood there for a moment, unsure if she should open the door. She had expected a call or a string of angry texts before Gabrielle would show her face. Nothing good could come from this and now she wasn't so sure she was ready to speak to the drama major, but then she heard that familiar voice.
"I know you're there Hermione." Gabrielle grumbled. "Open up. We need to talk."
Hermione gulped uneasily before shakily turning the doorknob and removing the only obstacle between her and the french girl with her fists clenched.
"Listen, I can explain Gabby, I-" Hermione started to frantically apologize, her eyes darting from her friend's eyes to her fists, when she was cut off.
"How long?" Gabrielle asked with a clenched jaw.
"H-how long?"
Piercing sapphires looked at Hermione from behind blonde bangs. "How long have you had feelings for my sister?"
Hermione reached a new level of panic. Gabrielle was doing away with pleasantries and getting straight to the point. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to answer that question or even if she should. Did she really want to know how long she has liked her older sister? To be honest, she didn't know the answer herself.
Since they were fifteen? Maybe before then? She couldn't pinpoint the exact moment she developed feelings for Fleur. Was it when they were kids? She had no idea how to answer and if Gabrielle's tapping foot was anything to go by, she was becoming more impatient by the second so she went with the truth.
"I don't know." She mumbled, looking off to the side, rubbing her arm. "Three years, probably longer. Definitely longer. Maybe?" She cringed at her own indecisive answer.
Gabrielle was silent long enough after the response that Hermione hesitantly shifted her eyes back to the girl who looked like a statue. She was stiff as a board and had an indiscernible expression on her face, her fists clenching so tight, her knuckles were turning white.
'She's going to punch me.' Hermione thought to herself with a grimace. 'My best friend or ex-best friend now, is going to punch me in the face and I'm going to deserve it.'
She braced herself for impact when the other girl subtly moved. Her eyes closed in anticipation and her body tensed when something unexpected came from Gabrielle's mouth.
"I'm sorry."
Hermione hesitantly opened her eyes, confused at the words spoken by her childhood friend and lack of impact. "Excuse me?"
Blue eyes rolled as clenched fists loosened in favor of crossing in front of Gabrielle's chest. "I said I'm sorry. Please don't make me keep saying it."
Hermione furrowed her brow, looking at the drama major as if she grew a second head. "You're sorry? I'm the one who-"
"Yes, I know." Gabrielle sighed as she waved her hand dismissively and pushed past the nerdy girl to go inside. She hardly needed an invitation to enter her second home. "I don't need to know the play by play. I really don't want to know anymore than I need to."
"Oh, yeah, of course." Hermione nodded her head as she closed the door and followed Gabrielle into the living room.
"I just wish you had told me." Gabrielle mumbled, looking down. "You're supposed to be my best friend."
Hermione swiftly moved in front of her friend, taking her hands in her own. "I am and there was nothing to tell. I was confused and . . ." Hermione licked her lips nervously. "Nothing had ever happened before and it . . ." Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat, looking off to the side with a sick feeling filling her gut. "It won't happen again. I promise."
Gabrielle huffed, pushing Hermione's hands away. "Don't be stupid."
"What?" Hermione stepped forward, a new wave of confusion washing over her.
Gabrielle took in a deep breath, releasing it while running a hand through her hair. Doing this felt like pulling her own teeth. The wound was still fresh, but Fleur had made her see a shred of reason.
She didn't want to be unfair to her sister and friend. Even if the thought of them together currently made her cringe and maybe always would. It was just an odd thought that had never occurred to her before today.
"I don't want to be the reason why you and Fleur are unhappy."
That sick feeling intensified when Hermione thought her worst fears were coming true. Gabrielle was ending their friendship that she thought was unshakable. Everything she had was going to be gone in the blink of an eye.
"I don't want to lose you as a friend." Hermione frowned, trying to reason with the french girl. "I promise, I won't ever betray your trust again. I'll never see Fleur ag-"
Gabrielle held up her hand, signaling for the other girl to stop talking. "You're not losing me Hermione, so relax. Just listen, because I won't repeat myself." She gave the perplexed brunette a stern look. "This will be the first and last time I get involved in your relationship with Fleur. If we want to maintain our friendship, it will probably be better this way. I don't want to be put in the middle of any fights. I don't want you crying to me or her either. Anything that happens between you two is exactly that. Between you two."
Hermione felt her heart accelerate in her chest at what the blonde could possibly be saying, a feeling of hope welling up despite the severe look Gabrielle was giving her. There was no way she could be accepting any type of relationship her and Fleur could have, could she? Did she really get to keep Gabrielle and have Fleur as well?
"Gabby . . ." She mumbled. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying, you moron," Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "That this is the closest you will get to me saying that you have my blessing."
Amber eyes widened, a smile threatening to take over her face. "You're saying . . ."
"Yes." Gabrielle nodded her head, plopping down on the couch, deciding to finish ripping off the bandaid. "I overreacted. You're not dead to me." She looked over the back of the couch with a raised eyebrow. "Unless you hurt my sister. If you do that, I will have to kick your ass for real and you will be demoted from best friend to . . ." She rubbed her chin, seemingly deep in thought. "Maybe just an acquaintance."
"I . . . You . . ." Hermione's mouth hung open dumbly while a laugh slipped from Gabrielle's mouth. She may be kind of grossed out by the whole situation, but the look on Hermione's face was comical. "You don't have to do this Gabby. I understand if-"
"Yes, I do." Gabrielle sighed, the anger she held onto slowly slipping away at Hermione offering to give up her own happiness just for the sake of their friendship. Hermione Granger really was loyal to her, through and through. "I see, even now, you haven't betrayed me. Just make sure you still have time for me."
"I'll always have time for you." Hermione moved and sat down next to her friend with a soft smile. "You're my best friend. You will always come first."
Gabrielle seemed pleased with that answer, nodding her head, her own grin widening. "Good. Now, go."
Hermione tilted her head. "Go where?"
Another laugh slipped from Gabrielle's lips. "Go to Fleur. I don't know why you're still sitting here."
Hermione floundered, her heart rate picking up at the thought of the older blonde. "But-"
"Go on before Fleur starts getting all grumpy again." Gabrielle shooed Hermione away, standing up to leave her to her own devices. "I have a sneaking suspicion you had something to do with her random shitty moods in high school and I don't want to relive almost having my head torn off every day."
"What do I say, what do I-" Gabrielle gave Hermione a warning look that made the brunette shut her mouth. "Right. You have nothing to do with this. I'll take care of it."
Gabrielle smirked, heading for the front door. "You better."
"Gabrielle." Hermione called out when the drama major grabbed the handle.
Gabrielle found herself in the same situation she had been in with her sister with the British girl now. "Hmm?"
"I don't deserve you." Hermione grinned.
"No one does." Gabrielle smiled cheekily. As she was leaving, she called over her shoulder. "I expect ice cream on you later with absolutely zero details about what happens with my annoying sister."
"Ice cream will be on me forever after this." Hermione beamed before giddily running up the stairs.
"It better be." Gabrielle shook her head as she headed out. She had swallowed her pride and did her part. The rest was up to Fleur and Hermione.
AN: Gabrielle really went through the five stages of grief in this chapter haha The last chapter is well on it's way, but needs a lot of heavy editing and revising so hopefully this will hold everyone over until I finish that up. Thank you for reading and feel free to leave your thoughts if you feel inclined to do so. They're always appreciated :)