Chapter 15
Fleur awoke early on Friday morning to the sound of a small house elf scattering about the girl's dormitory. Fleur raised one eyelid and saw the small elf in a pink sweater, rushing to pick up dirty laundry and such. Fleur figured she wouldn't want to be disturbed so she pretended to be asleep still.
When the elf left Fleur sat up yawning in her bed, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She saw Hermione fast asleep with a Charles Dickens novel placed firmly on her chest. Fleur smiled and flung her long legs over her bed and got up. She snuck up to Hermione and placed the book on her dresser, then pulled the blanket over Hermione.
Wood jumped out of his bed and immediately threw on some clothes. He grabbed his broom that leaned on his bedpost and stormed out of the room. He was still so angry from last night. Percy was such a pompous windbag in his opinion. Why would he ever admit anything to Percy? Even if these feelings he was having towards Fleur were romantic, he wasn't about to tell anyone.
Wood sighed to himself and walked out into the common room. He sat on one of the over exaggerated chairs and tied up his shoe laces. He started to grumble to himself about how his feelings were not anything related to a crush. Yes Fleur was kind, generous, athletic, smart, and extremely beautiful to the human eye…Wood shook his head and stood.
"Vhat are you doing up zis early?" Fleur suddenly asked with a yawn.
Wood shifted his eyes towards her and looked her up and down. She wore a sleepy grin and her hair was tussled around her face. She didn't seem like that Goddess Ron had been talking about, but at that moment she seemed perfect all the same.
"I was just going to go flying. I couldn't sleep…" Wood quickly spat out.
"Oh perfect, may I join you?" Fleur asked exhilarated.
"Uh…maybe that…well sure." Wood answered indecisively.
"Great, I vill be back in five minutes."
Wood heaved his chest and slouched back against the chair.
Fleur and Wood walked out into the break of dawn. The sun had just finished rising and a red glow still misted above the ground. Fleur smiled and glanced over at Wood, and was surprised to find that he was already looking back at her.
"It'z… beautiful… no?" Fleur asked shyly.
"Yes it is. Uh Fleur can I ask you something about Percy?"
"Uh of course."
Wood placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her towards him gently. Fleur caught her breath for a moment as their eyes met. Wood looked down at her and suddenly forgot what he was going to say.
"I…uh…"Wood stuttered.
"Yes?' Fleur asked, looking up at him.
Wood could feel his heart racing a million miles an hour. He let his hands slip down her arms until they reached her elbows. Fleur wasn't trying to pull away, but seemed almost to move a little bit closer to him. Wood began to lean down, while staring at Fleur's pouty lips.
"Hey Wood!" A girl's voice broke their moment.
Fleur and Wood scuttled apart and Fleur started to nervously bite at her lower lip, as Wood ruffled his hair. The girl was making her way towards them with a broad smile slapped on her face. Her dirty blonde hair swayed and her brown eyes glimmered as she reached them.
"I thought I might find you out here." The girl spoke.
"Yeah, uh Katie have you met our new chaser yet?" Wood asked, trying to break the tension.
"No, don't believe I have." Katie smiled at both of them.
"This is Fleur Delacour, Fleur this is Katie Bell." Wood introduced them.
"Nice to meet you." Fleur said softly.
"You too…uh want to go practice Wood?" Katie asked while looking at Fleur like she had just committed a crime.
"Sounds good, hey you want to join us Fleur?" Wood questioned.
"She looks tired, let's go." Katie quickly responded for Fleur.
Fleur looked confusedly at Katie then knocked her hands softly against the wood of her broom.
"Yeah, I'll just go back upstairs." Fleur gave in and waved them off.
Wood looked at her with disbelief; it seemed he knew that tone in her voice. Fleur gave a half-smile and before Wood got the chance to confront her, he was being pulled off by Katie.
"Yes, it was great fun. It was the first time I didn't lose my head over her. I think I'm getting better, perhaps smoother?" Ron chattered confidently.
"Sure Ron." Harry returned with a little roll of his eyes.
As soon as he had woken up Ron had nothing else to talk about except for his night in the kitchens, and how he had been so lucky to be joined by Fleur. At that moment Harry was relieved to see Fleur and Hermione entering the Great Hall. Hermione dashed over and sat next to Harry, while Fleur slowly joined them and took a seat across from Ron.
"Why such a drag in your step Fleur?" Ron asked.
"Oh nothing, just a little tired." Fleur lied.
Percy entered and briskly joined the group. He sat next to Fleur, who greeted him with a smile and in return Percy put an arm around her shoulders. Ron spit out a mouthful of toast as he saw the sudden movement in his brother.
"Oh Ron don't be so rude." Percy corrected him.
"Me? You're the dirty Wanker!" Ron yelled and jumped up from the table.
Fleur opened her mouth to stop Ron, but he was already headed towards the staircase. Percy shook his head and took a quick bite of his bacon. Fleur looked over at him and elbowed him softly in the side.
"What is it dear?' Percy asked.
"I zink we should go talk to him. He iz obviously hurt."
"Oh he'll be fine."
"Well if you von't, I vill go." Fleur commanded and started to push herself out of her seat.
"No, no, I'll go. Just wait here." Percy said comfortingly and got up from the table.
As soon as Percy was out of ear shot Harry began to fill Fleur in and how Ron had spoken of nothing but her since he left his bed. Fleur's eyes dropped and she frowned and then pushed her plate aside. She crossed her arms over the table and buried her face. This day was not what it had seemed to be.
Ron threw his pillow aside and flopped on his bed. Percy waltzed in and sat on the very edge of the mattress and straightened himself up.
"Ron, I am sorry you feel so strongly for Fleur. But she had agreed to accompany me to dinner this evening." Percy spoke like a dictionary.
"You know I like her Percy, why did you do it? Ron asked accusatively.
"Ron you only like her for the way she looks, I like her because she is smart and witty."
"That's not true! For your information we talked for hours last night and I find it hard to believe a sweet intentioned girl like that wants to date an ass like you!" Ron shot back.
"How dare you speak to me like that!"
"Oh no, I spoke ill of a prefect!" Ron faked astonishment.
"You'll regret that remark when you are in detention." Percy said defiantly.
"Percy don't!" Fleur suddenly burst into the room.
"Fleur?" They both wondered aloud at the same time.
"What are you doing in the boy's section of the dormitories?" Percy asked.
"I vanted to make zure you veren't being too hard on Ron, I see I have come at the right time then."
Ron raised his eyebrows and averted his eyes to Percy who seemed to be in quite a bit of shock. Ron suppressed the grin that was forming on his lips.
"Percy if you are going to choose to be a prefect over a brother, I don't zink I can go out vith you. Ron vhy don't ve go back downstairs. You hardly finished your meal." Fleur confirmed.
Ron slid off his bed and offered his arm to Fleur, which she accepted. They turned around and walked swiftly out of the room. Ron turned back one last time to stick his tongue out at Percy before they disappeared from his field of vision. Percy hunched his shoulders and sighed. He never knew the right thing to say.
