Author's POV
Fleur Delacour was donning a light blue dress that brought out the colour of her eyes. She was currently having a lunch date with Bill Weasley in a restaurant in London. The atmosphere of the dining was pleasant, the food was tasty and the wine was delicious, everything spelt on romantic.
However, Fleur had not really paid attention to the atmosphere or the food. She did not really care about how people in the surrounding perceived her and Bill when they looked at them. Her mind had been elsewhere, specifically to a letter she had received earlier that day. She did not really focus on what Bill had been saying until something caught her attention.
"Wait! What did you say?" She stopped eating, put down her cutleries and dabbed her lips with a napkin. Her body straightened as she looked at Bill in shock.
"Both my little brother and sister will be getting out of St. Mungo's tomorrow," Bill said in a happy tone.
"No, no, before that."
"Which part?" Bill furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
"The part where Hermione went to the Department of Mysteries but didn't come back?" Fleur's voice was laced with worry.
"Oh, yes. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna, all followed Harry to the Department of Mysteries. They had a battle with the Death Eaters there before He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named arrived and fought with Professor Dumbledore. Eventually, the fight ended and the kids were saved by the Order members, and they were brought to the hospital to rest. But apparently, Hermione went missing and no one knows anything about it until they arrived at the hospital." Bill said in a whisper, not wanting other patrons to hear the conversation.
"Hermione is missing and no one knows anything?!" Fleur said as her veela range inside.
Fleur tried to still her rage and her hands were clutching her purse tightly that her knuckles turned white. She felt her Veela was going berserk inside her but she did not want to cause a scene, so she stood up and looked at Bill with stern eyes before she strode out of the establishment.
Fleur walked as fast she could in her heels, wanting to get away from the busy streets but she did not know where to go to, so she just walked and tried to avoid bumping into anyone. Her heart was beating hard and she felt so angry and worried at the same time — angry at how people could just ignore Hermione being missing; worry at her whereabouts and her condition.
"Fleur, wait!" Bill managed to catch up and grabbed her hand, stopping Fleur in her track. "Hermione is missing and no one knows anything?!" Fleur tried to still her rage and her hands were clutching her purse tightly that her knuckles turned white. She felt her Veela was going berserk inside her but she did not want to cause a scene, so she stood up and looked at Bill with stern eyes before she strode out of the establishment.
Fleur walked as fast she could in her heels, wanting to get away from the busy streets but she did not know where to go to, so she just walked and tried to avoid bumping into anyone. Her heart was beating hard and she felt so angry and worried at the same time — angry at how people could just ignore Hermione being missing; worry at her whereabouts and her condition. "Fleur, wait!" Bill managed to catch up and grabbed her hand, stopping Fleur in her track.
"What?!" Fleur turned around and her eyes were red and puffy. She did not realize that she had been crying while she walked, no wonder her vision was blurry.
Bill was completely baffled at seeing the tears, but he also saw the emotions swimming in the dark blue eyes so he pulled her to walk with him. "Come with me," he said.
They arrived at a nearby park and sat down on a bench, in the shade under a tree. Fleur had started sobbing and Bill had no idea why, although he gave her space and time until Fleur was able to let her feelings go.
"What's on your mind, Fleur?" His tone was low and he looked at her worriedly.
"I don't know…" She replied meekly.
"Something must have been bothering you because you weren't really paying attention to me today. Please tell me what's on your mind, Fleur. What have you been keeping deep inside your heart to make you so broken like this? You can trust me; I won't tell a single soul." Bill was looking straight into her eyes and Fleur could see the kindness and compassion in him.
Fleur took her time to calm down and breathed deeply. She did not know what to tell him, where to even start. She did not know how much she should tell him or how he would take on her confessions. However, this man was Bill Weasley. The same Bill who had been patient with her and had always tried to cheer her up. She knew she could trust him. "Have you—" Her voice croaked, she cleared her throat and tried again.
"Have you ever felt like there's a hole inside you, that your soul feels hollow, and your heart feels empty? Despite the happiness and love coming from the people surrounding you — your family, friends or lover — there is still this emptiness that you just can't shake off." Fleur's voice was above a whisper as she looked at the greeneries surrounding them, her eyes seeing but nothing she saw was registered in her mind.
Bill seemed to ponder on the questions for a while before he shook his head. "I can't say I have ever felt that way before. Is that how you have been feeling?" He asked her and watched as Fleur slowly nodded her head. Her eyes head tilted low while her fingers were fidgeting on her lap.
"Elaborate please, Fleur. Explain to me so that I can understand." Fleur looked agitated so he took her hands and squeezed them to deliver some courage. He was not a Gryffindor for nothing.
"Since I was small, people have been dotting on me, mostly because of who I am — a part-Veela. I have received love from family and friends, and the boys just wouldn't leave me in peace.
However, despite all the attention, I can still feel lonely sometimes. There are times where I feel nothing — I'm not happy but not sad either, I just feel empty. I searched and asked people about it, but not much information I was able to get.
One day, my Grand-Maman told me that what I have been feeling may be related to me having a soulmate. In our Veela culture, mates and bonds are quite common, but a soulmate is different and very rare. The connection one has with their soulmate is not only a very special connection but is also powerful, doesn't matter whether you're a Veela or any other beings." Fleur said as he tried to understand the words had said.
Bill nodded his head with understanding. "Have you found your soulmate yet? Or have encountered him?" He figured that he would not be the soulmate she was talking about since he had never felt that way to her. He loved Fleur, but he never felt the loss she mentioned.
"I believe I had, yes. However, we were separated because of my selfishness. I'm not even sure if she realized about this soulmate thing, but I told her that I left her because I needed to find some answers." Fleur emphasized on the gender and smiled awkwardly as Bill gave a soft squeeze on her hand.
Something clicked in Bill's mind, and he suddenly gasped aloud and looked at Fleur with his mouth hanging. "It's her, isn't it? Hermione Granger? She's your soulmate?"
He remembered the incident outside of Gringotts, where he saw Hermione broke down on the ground and Fleur was worried sick about the girl. He noticed the look of guilt on Fleur's face and how she was in a dilemma whether to stay with him or to run after the younger witch but then chose the latter. He remembered Fleur coming back with her face wet with tears, and she looked like her world had just crumbled apart. Bill wondered how stupid he had been to have never noticed this.
Fleur tucked a stray hair behind her ears and nodded weakly. "When I first met her after the first few nights during the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts, I found her alone sitting near the Black Lake. It was nearing midnight and I was surprised to see a girl so brave at breaking the school's curfew rule. I went closer to her and saw a book on her lap, but she wasn't reading it. Maybe she was sleeping because she had her eyes closed, but her brows furrowed like she was deep in her thoughts.
I remembered that night, the sky was clear with only a few white clouds could be seen. The lake was calm and the wind was blowing gently. It was beautiful and perfect — tranquility. I stared at her and she still had not realized my presence.
She was beautiful and calm, like the perfect combination of a witch and an angel if you can imagine. I have never felt as mesmerized. When she finally noticed me, our eyes connected and there was a tug in my heart. My Veela inside me was excited to know her, to be near her.
We met once or twice a week to just, talked and got to know each other. Hermione's a bright person and can speak many languages, which she learned them all by herself. She's charming and polite but can be sly and naughty. I wasn't able to stop myself from falling for her. I thought that she could be the person I was looking for since, for the first time, I feel like my soul is complete."
Bill was transfixed with listening to the story and wanted to hear more. "I bet you told her your feelings?" He grinned at her.
Fleur shook her head. "Not really, I did not. For weeks, I had been wondering why she was always alone. I never saw her talked to anyone, and no one cared about her, as if she had no friends and no one wants to befriend her.
On the night of Yule Ball, I saw her coming into the hall alone with no companion. I wished I could have asked her to be my partner for the night, but I was afraid of the society's rejection and of breaking any of Hogwarts' custom or tradition.
She was beautiful in her red dress which made her looked matured than her age. I watched her throughout the night but no one approached her, and they kept giving her side-eyes instead. But she ignored them and beautifully showed herself with pride. I only managed to ask her why she had been treated that way when we met later that night."
Fleur paused as she recalled the conversation, she had with Hermione that night. Bill wanted to wait patiently but could not stop himself from asking, "what did she say?"
Fleur hesitated before she heard herself saying, "it's not my place to tell you this, Bill. But as it seems, I feel like I needed someone I can trust to share what I'm feeling. Can I trust you on this? Can you swear to never reveal about everything I say to anyone?"
Fleur looked and sounded so vulnerable that Bill wanted nothing more than to honour the trust. He squeezed her hands as he nodded enthusiastically, swearing that he would never betray her trust and whatever secrets she shared, he will bring it to his grave.
"Thank you, Bill." Fleur smiled gratefully at him before she turned towards the sky. "This was what Hermione told me, and she was speaking with so much honesty in her eyes that I didn't doubt anything she said.
During her first year at Hogwarts, there was this one Gryffindor boy who liked to mock her because she had corrected his pronunciation in the class. She ignored him because she said it wasn't the first-time people had made fun of her, although she had cried silent tears when he said that "no one wants to be her friend".
However, one night the boy followed her secretly and approached her while she was alone. He had apologized to her and she believed it as he looked sincere in his apologies. Hermione forgave him and they became friends, eventually with his best friend too, whom he can't keep a secret from.
They met in private during the whole school year, most of the time she would help them with their studies. By the end of their first year, she had trusted the boys and opened up to them, sharing with them the tragedies that had befallen her life and her adopted parents. In the summer, after she had sold her late parents' house, she went to live with the boy's family because she had nowhere else to go to.
Hermione had no other friends because the Slytherins viewed her as a disgrace to their House — considering her "filthy Mudblood" status — and would always pick a fight with her. While the Ravenclaws were envious at her broad knowledge, and the Hufflepuffs didn't want to be cast aside if they associated with her, no one wanted to befriend her. Of course, no need to ask about the Gryffindors because they are mortal enemies to the Slytherins, right?" Fleur paused and saw that Bill had his brows furrowed in concentration as he nodded once.
"Anyway, came the second year school term, Hermione thought that she and the two boys could remain as friends but eventually she found out the real reason the boy wanted to befriend her in the first place. He had suddenly confessed his feelings to her, but she had politely rejected him by telling the truth about her inability to have any romantic feelings towards the male species after the horrible experiences she had gone through.
The boy did not take the rejection very well and forced himself upon her. She tried valiantly to defend herself, accidentally turned him into a weasel and passed him to Professor McGonagall, while readily accepted for any punishment due on her action. A few days later, there began rumours about her being an impure girl, a murderer of her parents, and that she slept with the professors to get full marks in the exam. While the last one was absurd, she knew only one person would twist her secrets and told other people about them."
Fleur did not realize that Bill had a rage sparked in his eyes while his fists clenched at his side as she continued on, "came the third year, there were more rumours spread about her, and she had been called names all the time — a dyke, a heartbreaker, playgirl, and many more.
Hermione knew not how someone had seen her kissing with a woman, but she knew only one person would hold so much grudge on her to lit up the rumours and made them worse because he had never stopped trying to harass her any chance he got.
So now she had no one in her life; an orphan with only books as her companion. She had endured the bullying because she said that they were nothing compared to the torments she had received in life prior to Hogwarts."
Bill gasped and jumped from the bench as he took in Fleur's words. He stared in disbelief as he clearly knew who was this Gryffindor's boy who had made Hermione's life in Hogwarts turned hell since their second year.
Bill remembered the summer when Hermione stayed at The Burrows, he had returned from work to spend some holiday time with his family before he had to go back to Egypt. Ron had introduced Hermione to their family and Bill found that Hermione was a cute and a happy-go-lucky girl who easily became friends with his other siblings, despite their differences in blood status and House. She was polite and friendly — nothing like a typical Slytherin student was — and his parents had even treated Hermione as if she was their own child too.
However, she no longer visited their house any time after that, and Ron and Ginny were no longer saying anything good about Hermione. Instead, they kept bad-mouthing her all the time, which was weird to Bill. All this time, he did not know that Ron was actually harboring feelings towards the girl and turned out nasty because things did not go his way. And Ginny, she was always closed to her brother that she would believe anything and everything he said.
Bill did not register the fact that he was clenching his fists very tightly until he felt soft hands squeezing his. He took deep breaths to calm down and took his seat back next to the blonde witch.
"Forgive me, Fleur. I just remembered all the things that Ron and Ginny have been saying about Hermione, and I'm really sorry. I wish I could apologize on their behalf, but even that will not be enough for you and especially for Hermione." Bill looked crestfallen as he sunk into the seat, cradling his head in his hands.
"I know it's not my place to forgive but it's okay, Bill. Just please promise me that you will not speak about this to anyone. I want to honour Hermione's trust in me, and I hope she will know that she can trust the people that have my trust." Fleur smiled at him gratefully.
"I promise. I swear on Merlin's name, I will put my life on honoring your trust." He paused for a few seconds before he said, "what happened after that night?"
Fleur smiled as she recalled more on her memory with the young witch. "We became closer from that night on and my eyes were always following her whenever I saw her. I introduced her to my sister and my friends, and Hermione was always so kind and charming with them. I became jealous when some of my friends were getting closer to her, making me realized that I wanted Hermione for myself."
Fleur watched irritatingly as Naera was sitting very close to Hermione, almost like she was sitting on her lap as they were talking in hush whispers. Her irritation grew as she saw the blush creeping up on Hermione's neck and face. When she could not take it anymore so she stomped her way towards the pair.
"Hermione, mind if I have your time and attention, please?" Fleur tried to ask in the sweetest voice she could muster but failed as her irritation was quite palpable through the look in her eyes.
Hermione startled and quickly jumped from her seat as she stuttered out, "y-yes, wa-what is it, Fleur?"
"Well, this was fun. Don't forget to find me later, Hermione." Naera chuckled as she stood up and not-so-subtly aggravated Fleur more as she pecked Hermione on her cheek before she left, and Fleur didn't miss the wink that Naera threw in her direction.
Fleur's face had become red with fury and she looked menacingly at Hermione. "Tch! Come with me!" She turned around and walked away, not looking to see if Hermione was following her or not.
Hermione hastily tried to catch up to the blonde witch and they walked in silence until they were inside Fleur's room. Fleur wa quite scary when she looked pissed off and Hermione did not want to be at the end of her angry stick, but she could not deny how hot Fleur looked when she was this mad.
Fleur locked the door, quickly cast the silencing spell and tuck her wand away before she turned towards Hermione. She stalked in her way and her eyes turned predatorily as she got closer towards the brunette, who was then trapped between her and the door.
"Tell me, Hermione. I noticed that you have been spending more time with my friends lately, especially with Naera. Do you have anything to tell me?" Fleur asks as the jealousy creep out of her.
Hermione furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "You have nice friends…?" 'What the hell did I do wrong?'
Fleur inched closer and put her hands on both Hermione's sides. "Do you like any of them? Do you like Naera, Hermione?" She asks.
Hermione smiled goofily as she answered, "of course! Because they are your friends, they are nice and they are also important people to you."
Fleur was taken aback by the sincerity in Hermione's words, and truthfully, her heart swoon once again at seeing Hermione's smile. She felt her anger and jealousy slipped away as her eyes switched between looking in Hermione's honest brown eyes and her cute pink lips. Subconsciously, her body moved closer until she felt their breaths tangled with each other, and she wetted her lips
Hermione stayed rooted on the ground as she caught the sweet perfume coming from the French girl. She took in Fleur's beauty from the close distance — straight silvery-blonde hair fluttered in the wind, Fleur's smooth fair skin and dark blue eyes and Fleur's pouty lips — and her heart beat faster as she saw a tongue protruded to wet the lips. She knew she had felt a dee attraction to the Veela the moment her eyes landed on Fleur as she had 'danced' her way in through the entrance of the Great Hall.
Fleur watched as a blush rose from Hermione's neck to cover her face, and their eyes locked with each other. Fleur could no longer deny her desire of wanting to be close to Hermione, she slowly closed their distance and gave the chance for the brunette to back away. But then she saw the brunette closed her eyes and their lips finally, finally met in heaven.
Oh, how heavenly it felt like to finally be able to kiss Hermione. She had been wanting to kiss the girl for weeks, since the Yule Ball night but did not want Hermione to think that she kissed her out of pity. She had fallen for the girl since the first night they met near the Black Lake.
Sparks flew behind their closed eyes as they deepened the kiss. Fleur could feel the Veela inside her was dancing around in joy, and her heart beat impossibly faster against her ribs. She tilted her head and the kiss deepened as their lips moved languidly, until she was suddenly turned around and pressed against the locked door.
Hermione had switched their position and pressed herself against Fleur's tantalizing body. She heard Fleur's gasped and took the opportunity to slip her tongue inside. "Oh! Mmm..." Fleur's moans sent delicious shivers through her spine and warmed the lower part of her body.
Fleur was feeling heady from the heated kisses so she pulled her head away and leaned against the heavy door. She did not realize that her hands were clutching tight on Hermione's back and her right leg had been pulled up to Hermione's waist, their bodies meshed together in a very, very good way.
'What had just happened?' She panted heavily.
She slowly lowered her foot to the floor and tried to regain her footing, but not without noticing the slick wetness between her legs. Her eyes went wide and her face was red with embarrassment as she became aware of how much her body wanted and craved for Hermione's touch. She looked at the girl who had her hands on her waist, protecting her from falling down to the floor. Hermione's brown eyes contained so much warmth and care, and Fleur dared say she saw love in those eyes.
'How could I not fall for you, Hermione? My knight, my princess charming.'
"Are you alright, Fleur? I'm sorry, was that too much?" Hermione's voice was gentle and caring as her hand softly caressed the blonde's cheek. She waited patiently for Fleur to regain her bearing.
Fleur shook her head and leaned into the touch; a soft smile plastered on her lips. Suddenly, Hermione pulled away from her and created a small distance between them, and Fleur had already missed the contact.
"I shouldn't have done that; I shouldn't have crossed the line. Shit, why did I do this again? Please forgive me, Fleur." Hermione said as she looks hurt.
Fleur was shocked at the vulnerability in Hermione's voice, and the sight of the girl shattered her heart.
Hermione's body trembled and she was clutching on her arms, while her mouth kept muttering a swear word repeatedly, "shit, shit shit shit shit!"
"Hermione?" Fleur's soft voice brought the said girl back to the present.
Hermione looked at Fleur and saw worry and concern in the dark blue eyes. She shook her head, and with hands still clutching on her arms, she softly whispered, "I'm sorry, Fleur," before she moved away. She unlocked the door and hurriedly left the clueless and speechless French girl alone in the room.
"I didn't see Hermione anymore for a week after that. Or more like, Hermione had been hiding from me. I didn't see her in the dining hall, and she no longer came to our usual hanging port near the Black Lake. I didn't know what was going on but I can' forget the pain, the heartbreak that I saw in her eyes."
Bill sat in silence as his mind was trying to work out the possible reasons why Hermione had acted that way. "Do you think she was scarred from the rumours that spread about her? Maybe she was afraid that you were going to reject her too just when she finally had found someone she likes?"
Fleur sighed but did not answer his questions. "A few days before Valentine's Day, I saw her in the library. She was sitting alone in the corner while I went there to do some research for the second task of the tournament. I took that chance to be bold, so I told her that I have feelings for her and wanted to be more than friends. I wouldn't ask her about the previous incident if she wasn't ready to talk about it, but I ask her to be my Valentine and to meet me in Hogsmeade on that day. I didn't even wait for her to reply before I left."
February 14th arrived, and Fleur was in the middle of getting ready. She donned a light grey dress while Naera was helping with her hair, which was pulled into a bun. Fleur was glad when Naera had outright told her the truth about her closeness with Hermione. Unknowingly, her friends had noticed her feelings and attractions towards Hermione, so they wanted to make her jealous in order for Fleur to realize and admit to her feelings.
"Go and get her, okay?" Naera said with a smile after she had done with Fleur's hair.
Fleur nodded and beamed as she looked at her friend from the mirror's reflection. She went out of the room and was surprised when all of her friends — including her sister — were cheering on her. She smiled abashedly and made a retort, "stop it, girls! You make me feel like I'm getting married." It did not work as their cheers became louder instead.
A knock sounded from outside the carrier and Naera went to open the door, only to meet with Hermione who was standing in pair of black slacks, a white button up and a black vest. Her usual bushy brunette hair was tamed in a low ponytail that was draped on her right shoulder. All in all, Hermione looked charming and her smile only made everyone in the carrier swoon over her.
Hermione gasped as her eyes fell into the one and only beauty who managed to capture her attention since the first night the Beauxbatons ladies arrived at Hogwarts. Her heart seemed to pick up on its pace as she watched Fleur walked closer towards her alongside her sister, Gabrielle.
"Please take care of my sister, Hermione. Make sure to bring her back by curfew!" Gabrielle playfully said as she handed her sister over to Hermione.
"You heard the lady," Fleur chimed in and threw a wink at Hermione.
Hermione held up Gabrielle's hand and kissed on her knuckles, making the little girl gasped and her cheeks flushed red. "Of course, Milady. Your sister will be in safe hands." The other girls were cheering and whistling in the background and Hermione threw a wink in their direction before she turned around to greet Fleur.
Hermione gulped and stood frozen as she took in Fleur's beauty, and she almost forgot what she had intended to do. "Hi, Fleur You look stunning!" Hermione was blushing as she bowed and held Fleur's hand then kissed on her knuckles. She moved her right hand to hide behind Fleur's ear and in the blink of an eye, the hand retreated but with a single white lily in her grasp. "A flower that suits the lady." She gave the flower to Fleur with a sheepish smile.
Fleur could have sworn that she almost melted and fainted there and then at Hermione's chivalry, but she tried to keep her composure calm. "Thank you, Hermione. You look good too. Very, how should I say, gentlewoman?"
Hermione smiled embarrassingly ask, "you like?" Fleur nodded and closed their distance to whisper in Hermione's ear, "I love it. In fact, I can't wait to rip them off and have my way with you."
Hermione shuddered at the breathy voice near her, heat consumed all over her being and she was sure that there were steam coming out of her ears. Fleur pulled away and Hermione could see the smirk on her face as she knew how much the blonde witch's words affected her.
The cheers and whistles on the background brought Hermione back to reality and she cleared her throat to cool herself down. "Shall we go?" She offered her arm which Fleur promptly took and they walked away from the Beauxbatons' carriage.
"Wait, I thought you told her to meet you in Hogsmeade?" Bill's voice interrupted as Fleur was retelling her memory, minus al the embarrassing details.
"I did. However, the day before Valentine's day, she sent me a letter and requested to change the plan. She wanted to pick me up and brought me somewhere private, instead of us meeting in Hogsmeade where there were going to be other people."
Where did you guys go?" Fleur chuckled at Bill's enthusiasm in hearing their love story.
"Nowhere in particular. We stayed in Hogwarts but I didn't know where she brought me. It's a spacious room on the seventh floor, I think, can't remember which wing exactly. It was a very cozy room, with a fireplace, a sofa, dining table, and even a bed." Fleur said she blushed at the memory.
"Bed, huh?" Bill smirked as he saw Fleur's face turned red.