As soon as she left the carriage she found a place behind a tree where she could remove the cloak without being seen, then was on her way to the castle as casually as she could. By the time she reached the castle it was pretty much lunch time, so many people were there.
She was about to enter the hall when a hand grabbed her arm and she squealed ready to defend herself but froze when she saw who it was. "Harry! You scared me half to death!"
"We need to talk" Was all he said as he started to drag her to a secluded place.
Hermione tried to pry her arm free from his tight grip but he only let her go when he stopped before turning towards his friend.
"Don't you have something to tell me?"
"I'm so sorry I didn't give your cloak back earlier I…" She was cut off by the boy who lived.
"I don't care about the cloak! You spent the whole night in the middle of our grounds" She opened her mouth but once again couldn't speak. "I know what's right on top of this spot right now! Beauxbaton's carriage!"
"Harry maybe you should take a deep breath…"
"What was so important that you had to sneak into their carriage?" The boy who lived knew that it had something big if Hermione was ready to disobey the rules on her own.
"How did you see my name among all the others?" Seeing the look on her friend's face she spoke again. "I mean…I…Fleur and I had…" She was getting pissed at her friend cutting her off again and again.
"You spent the night with Fleur?!"
"Yes, I didn't mean to but…"
"Did she pressure you to do anything?" He took a step closer to her as he was getting even angrier.
"What?! No! How could you even think that?!"
"Hermione, the way she watches you when you're not looking…"He gave her a meaningful look.
The both jumped as they heard an unexpected voice "Like she wants to eat you" Hermione blushed hard as she closed her eyes for a second, Laetitia smirking face didn't help. Harry shifted his body so he was standing between the two girls, facing the unknown Beauxbaton' student.
"How did you find us?" Asked a very defensive Harry, they were behind a statue, a place few Hogwarts students knew existed, so for a foreign student…he thought it would have been impossible.
"I have my ways" Was all Laetitia was willing to say, not that she could tell them the truth. Hermione was covered by her best friend pheromone, easy to track down with her sense of smell. "So…what are you two doing in that dark corner?" She dropped her smirk as she asked that, she was giving a pointed look at the younger brunette.
"Nothing" Replied both Gryffindors at the same time.
Laetitia frowned at that "Fleur is my best friend and if you're not serious about your relationship you should not lead her on"
Harry's jaw dropped "You and Fleur?!"
Hermione winced "I…we're not technically official yet"
Laetitia bit her tongue to not growl out loud. "How dare you?!" Then she started to speak French, really fast.
"Laetitia stop! We didn't really talk about what we were…"
"Therefore you think you can go behind her back with wonder boy here" The Beauxbaton' student pointed at Harry as she spoke.
"For the…nothing is going on between Harry and I! We are just friends!"
The boy who lived was more interested in only part of what was going on. "Wait! You actually have a thing going on with Fleur Delacour?!"
Hermione rolled her eyes at her friend. "Yes"
"Did you borrow my cloak so you could…you know?" He couldn't say the words to Hermione.
"That was your cloak! Can I borrow it sometime?" Laetitia instantly turned nice as she was very interested.
Harry ignored the taller girl. "Hermione? What exactly were you doing last night?"
"Nothing! I just had to talk to Fleur so I snuck in"
"And spent the night" Added Harry with a raised eyebrow.
"I was completely innocent, we just slept"
"Sure, that's why you were wearing her clothes and…giant hickey" Laetitia pointed to her own neck as she said the last part.
Hermione blushed hard and instinctively put her hand on her neck before she remembered seeing herself in a bathroom mirror this morning. She groaned and closed her eyes for a second before she glared at the older girl. "Don't you ever stop?!"
"Why would I?" Innocently asked Laetitia.
Harry cleared his throat, and gave a look at the taller girl before talking to his friend. "Hermione, I want you to know that…whatever it is you can always talk to me. And…that it doesn't matter to me if you…prefer girls or whatever" He was uncomfortable as he voiced it, even more because he knew the French girl was intruding, frowning at him.
Hermione flung her arms around Harry, speaking as she hugged him. "Thank you" She stayed there a little longer before letting go and taking a step back. "It means a lot. I didn't tell anyone yet…so could you?"
"Of course" He nodded.
Laetitia was frowning as she was watching that exchange. Not really understanding what was going on. Where she came from there was nothing wrong with being gay, even centuries ago. They could have children, the biggest problem was to know which family name to keep, since it was what mattered, heritage and legacy. Although she had heard that the British people were more…restrained. She barely knew anything about the muggle world so she was left in the dark, but very aware that they were having a moment. She had enough. "So…are we going to get lunch?"
"You are free to go without us" Told her Hermione.
"No. Fleur won't be able to make it and...I want to see how people react when I take a seat at your table"
Hermione groaned again. "Why do I get the feeling that I don't really have a choice?"
"Because you don't" Said Laetitia as she grabbed the smaller girl's arm and started to walk towards the great hall.
Harry groaned as she walked on the other side of Hermione. "So just to be clear, you didn't use my cloak to have sex?"
"Harry!"
"Please Hermione, I'll never be able to look at it without thinking about…it"
Hermione rolled her eyes but still told him "We didn't have sex, we just…snogged before going to sleep"
Laetitia snorted and Hermione was a little offended. "I swear nothing happened! How can I convince you?"
"You shouldn't care so much about what other people think. And I know nothing happened. I know Fleur. People judge her and think they know the kind if girl she is"
Harry cleared his throat and squirmed a little looking at the ceiling. The little brunette glared at him. "She is a flaming…virgin"
Harry's eyes grew wide as his jaw dropped. They had stopped walking, Hermione couldn't help but say. "She seems so confident, so…experienced" The Gryffindor was replaying every interaction she had with the Veela in her mind and frowned. Could she really be?
Laetitia took a step closer to the younger and looked at her from head to toe "Compared to your English girls sure…you seem so…what's the word? ...Uptight"
Hermione was a little offended, even if that was not the first time someone called her that. "You are not lying. Fleur is really…a…"
"A tease" Both girls turned to a bright red Harry who seemed very uncomfortable under their gaze. He didn't mean to say it out loud.
Laetitia froze for a second before laughing out loud, she grabbed one arm of each Gryffindor and pulled them behind her, to the food! The girl couldn't stop giggling while the other two were awkward. To the point that she had to pull them down after she sat down, one on each side of her. People were already gossiping. She could hear some of them and giggled some more.
She suddenly stopped when she saw a beautiful red head arrive at the table.
"Hey Hermione. I didn't see you this morning"
The brunette mumbled something, only the word library was understandable, whether it was on purpose or not.
"Bonjour beautiful. Could I get the name of that pretty girl?" Laetitia was speaking with a very thick French accent that she didn't usually have. She was standing straighter and had a small smile on her lips.
"Maybe you should introduce yourself first"
"Laetitia. Enchantée"
"Ginny"
Another red head a little to the left said something through his mouthful that no one understood. The older girl glanced at Hermione who explained "That's her brother, Ron"
"Glad to know you only share a physical resemblance" Said Laetitia and smiled at the other girl who blushed under that attention.
Hermione elbowed the other girl hard in the ribs. "Enough. She is just fourteen"
"I'm not doing anything. I'm just being nice" She smiled again at Ginny who blushed even harder as Hermione groaned. "Are all French girls tease?"
"Of course not. There are all kinds of women in every country"
"And you are?"
"I'm not a tease. The word you'd use would be…hussy?"
Ron spit out his food. Hermione was getting used to the other girl who seemed to like to annoy or shock others. She rolled her eyes but couldn't help the pink on her cheeks.
"You do realize you just insulted yourself, right?"
"Not really, it's not my fault you English people's words always have a bad connotation when it comes to people who enjoy life and all it has to offer" Laetitia winked at Hermione.
"No…We…don't. You could have use epicurean or hedonist"
"True, but then I wanted to use a word even people like him could understand" She pointed at the red head who had once again his mouth full. He spoke through the food something that sounded like: What is that supposed to mean. Very muffled.
"Though I have to give it to Fleur. Beauty and brain, such a turn on" Teased the French girl with a smile.
Hermione couldn't help herself and blushed hard. She knew she wasn't a beauty; maybe that was why everytime someone told her so, she couldn't help but react like that. Tongue tied and slightly embarrassed. It felt right and wrong at the same time. She had a new feeling with it too, this was the first time, she couldn't help but think about Fleur. Like she was the only one she wanted to hear these words from. She had all these conflicting feelings, she felt so awkward she looked down at her plate to hide her face.
Hermione raised her head suddenly when she heard the girl next to her howl in pain.
"Aw aw aw aw Fleur stop it!"
The part Veela was standing behind them, pulling Laetitia's ear. "What did you do to Hermione?" Her eyes seem to glow a brilliant shade of blue, like the eyes Hermione had seen on her in the dark.
"Nothing! Nothing! I swear!"
"Then why is…" Fleur stopped mid-sentence as she felt a hand on the top of hers.
Hermione had grabbed the hand that was pulling Laetitia's ear. The blonde didn't offer any resistance and let go.
"Are you okay? You are shaking? What happened with Madame Maxime?" Asked worriedly the muggle-born.
Fleur tightened her hold on Hermione's hand as she realized it was true, she was a little shaky. She couldn't help it as she walked in and saw her friend speak and Hermione's reaction, something inside burned, it wanted to attack and defend her…friend? Girlfriend? Mate?
"No don't worry. I'm just hungry" Fleur smiled to reassure the younger girl.
"Then come. Sit and eat with us." The Gryffindor pulled on her hand.
"Don't you want to talk?"
"You need to eat something obviously. We'll have time to talk after lunch. Sit" Hermione slid to the side to make some place and looked at Laetitia who had barely stopped rubbing her ear as she slid away too, making enough room for the blonde.
Fleur sat down as people looked and gossiped. Hermione let go of her hand to let her eat but Fleur wouldn't let her, she intertwined their fingers under the table and gave her a smile. The Veela didn't pay attention to the red head gawking at her, mouth full and opened. She was truly hungry as she raised her fork to her mouth someone hit her arm and the food fell back into her plate. She glared to her right. Laetitia was glaring back at her. "Stop pulling my ear eve time you are mad at me"
"You told me hitting you with a rolled newspaper was offensive" Teased the part Veela as Laetitia upper lip raised slightly in a silent snarl.
Fleur was distracted as she heard Hermione's voice "For Merlin's sake Ron close your mouth! I can't eat with that kind of visual!"
After the first fifteen minutes of gossip and staring lunch went smoothly. Both Hermione and Fleur didn't expect the level of comfort they would get from just holding each other hand, but as soon as it was time to leave, the Gryffindor let go as she got up.
Fleur closed and opened her hand a few time as she was following the younger girl.
The walked in silence for a while, until they reached a quiet spot under a tree by the lake. Fleur started to fidget for a moment but looked down as she realized what she was doing and put her hand behind her back. "So…do you want to talk about it?"
A part of her was hoping for a no, on the other side she was eager to share even more about herself with Hermione. Explain what it meant to her. Maybe even call her…hers.
"Sorry" Said the smaller girl "I'm processing and turning things around in my mind"
"I know. You make that…face when you do. It's cute" Commented Fleur with a smile on her lips and instantly Hermione turned bright red.
"Don't…don't say things like that when I'm trying to think"
"Why?" Fleur smirked, feeling a bit more confident at the reaction she could get from the British girl.
"You know why. When you do that my mind goes off track"
Fleur looked down as she explained. "I'm a little nervous and I…know I tend to try to distract people when that happens"
"Is there something to be nervous about?"
"Not for you. It's just…what I'm about to say could be seen as…big. I don't want to scare you away"
"Fleur, one of my best friends is Harry Potter. Voldemort couldn't scare me away from someone I care about"
"Okay then. You heard what Laetitia said…you being my mate"
"I read something about Veela's mates, it's one of the few things wizards seem to know about them"
"Something they think they know" Drawled the blonde, to which Hermione lifted an eyebrow. "I mean, some wizards saw or heard a few things then reached their own conclusions, after that other wrote and theorized on these conclusions"
Hermione knew it wasn't the time to object about books. "Why didn't you correct them?"
"We have rules about that. Like wizards have rules about muggles, about what they can and cannot know. This is pretty much the same, the Veela counsel made it so a very long time ago"
"Does that mean you're not allowed to tell me anything?"
"No. Actually I'm obligated to inform you about mates. Before mating with non-Veelas, we are required to explain what it actually means" Fleur moved her head to the side as she said that, remembering what her grandmother had told her about a misunderstanding that turned into a full European war during the 1650's.
"What happens if I tell other people about Veela secrets?"
"People tends to disappear, lose their mind or memory. As for you, it depends if you agree to mate, you'll have to live solely on Veela territory, otherwise it's the first option for you too"
"Are you serious?"
"Yes. And if someone talk about it, added to the confinement they find a way to punish them, a very unique way, like for you…they'd probably curse you so that every book you'd touch would spontaneously combust"
Hermione had turned deadly pale at the last part. "No need to say more. I wouldn't have said anything to begin with"
"I told you it could seem scary, but I had to warn you about the possible consequences of revealing any Veela secret"
"Consider me thoroughly warned" Nodded the younger girl.
"Hermione…" Fleur reached out and lay her hand on the Gryffindor's forearm. She felt a little better with the physical contact and relaxed that Hermione didn't pull away. "This is just part of our Veela laws…"
"I know. Don't worry, I can keep a secret. It's just…not the kind of talk I was expecting"
"I thought it would better to do the scary part first. I like to finish on a good high note" Smirked the blonde as she caressed down the brunette's arm until she held her hand in her own. "Veela live a life following their instincts. There is a duality within us, I guess like human but more profound between our reflections, our minds and our instincts, urges, even emotions sometimes. Which is why Veela recognize their life mate pretty fast, it doesn't have to think about variable, if you are the one for us well…we have to…have you…" Trailed off Fleur as her eyes started to shine.
Hermione tightened her grip on Fleur's hand that she was holding. "Fleur?"
"Sorry" She cleared her throat.
"I'm not sure how I feel about you trailing off on the 'have you' part"
"When I say have you I don't mean…own you…I mean…I…want you to willingly become my mate, mend our souls together into one beautiful entity. You'd be mine because you'd be part of me, as I'd be yours"
Hermione couldn't help, she smile as she watched the Veela get a little dreamy but she had to ask because she was kind of overwhelmed already. "Isn't it…fast? I mean, mating is like getting married right?"
"I apologize, I was getting carried away. You should know that when I was a small child I wanted to have the fairytale love story that Veela could get and I was told that I could never have it because I wasn't really a Veela, my blood was too diluted. Then I met you and it seems you… you are to one who slowly awoke the Veela within me"
"And now you want to marry me" Commented the younger girl.
"Marry is definitely not the right word. I want you to become my mate. I want to have a relationship with you that would allow us to grow closer and closer until our bond is complete. People don't mate just like that" Fleur snapped her fingers "We have a ceremony at some point, but the mating begins when you agree to it, then over the years our souls bond together until it's complete"
"We could just keep going like we are?"
"Forward yes. If that's what you want"
"So you'd be my…girlfriend?"
"From a human standard yes"
"Then what does it change?"
"You have to be aware that when that bond grow stronger for me it does for you too. It's not a whim, if we build something together it can't easily be broken. If you feel that we should remain friends the sooner the better"
"I…don't Veelas die without their mate?"
"If the bond reach a certain point and you were to cut all ties with me then…it could be a possibility. I will always need you in my life to be happy. Always. Even if as just friends. I wouldn't…die if you were to cut it short now"
"Do I have to make that choice now? Isn't there a point of no return?"
"Sex" Simply stated the blonde.
Hermione blushed hard. "What?"
"The point of no return would be sex. Veela are sexual creatures and we react to pheromone. Once we are entwined like that…I couldn't stand for anyone else to…touch you like that…or to simply lose you" Fleur actually shuddered as she thought about it.
Hermione nodded as she did her best to process all this. "I just can't help but wonder. Do you actually like me? Hermione? Or is it…your Veela?"
Fleur let go so she could put her hand on the smaller girl's cheeks, making sure she was looking into her eyes. "It's all me. I yearn to be close to you but …it's you. I like the different face you can make depending on what you are thinking about. I like that you always get ink on your hands, or that you are so caring about other. That you can go on and on about a book or anything you find interesting. I like your hair and the way it moves. I like that you can be stubborn but will always listen even if you don't agree. It's all you. I truly l…like…you"
They looked at each other in the eyes for a few seconds before they lunged and kissed hard. Hermione slowly pushing back the Beauxbaton' student until her back hit the tree. She pulled away suddenly when she heard cat calls.
The Gryffindor realized what she had just done. She had just…pretty much made out with her girlfriend in a very public place. Three Hufflepuff's boys were pointing at them, probably the ones who whistled. So much for keeping it discreet for a while, the whole school would know in no time. Hell the whole three schools would. She was starting to hyperventilate.
Fleur was rubbing her arm as she was talking to her. "It's okay Hermione. Deep breaths. In and out. That's right"
"They're all… they're going to…"
"Be jealous because you are going out with the hottest woman ever" Said Fleur with a smug smile to which Hermione glared, at least she tried. "How can you be so calm?"
"I'm just happy. And now everyone gets to know you are my…girlfriend?"
Hermione could only nod at this point and Fleur gave her a peck on the lips before turning towards the boys and shouting "Quit being rude to my girlfriend!"
Hermione slapped her shoulder but kept on smiling.
They spent the rest of the afternoon under that tree. Fleur sitting against the tree with Hermione sitting between her legs leaning against her front.
"That position is getting uncomfortable" Whine Fleur as she squirmed.
"That's the one you chose" Commented the brunette without looking up from her book.
"No. I wanted to take a nap with my head on your thighs"
"I already apologized"
"Well I still can't believe you hit me with your book"
This time Hermione rolled her eyes before looking over her shoulder "I didn't hit you. I put it down on your head, it was too heavy for me to keep on holding it up"
"You say it like it was an okay thing to do"
"I thought you were asleep"
Fleur's mouth dropped open after that argument. "Hermione! That book weights a ton!"
"No it doesn't"
"Maybe not to your standards, but on my head it felt like it did"
Hermione sighed, closed her book, put it on the side before shifting until she was kneeling between Fleur's legs. She leaned down and kissed the blonde.
"There" Only said Hermione.
"Is this the way you are going to apologize to me?" The Gryffindor simply kissed her again. "It's not going to work every time" Another kiss. "Hermione" Whined the blonde, to be kissed yet again. "Fine" Growled the blonde.
Hermione squealed as she was pushed back until she was on her back, the Beauxbaton' champion straddling her with a victorious grin. The blonde leaned down on her hands, one on each side of the Gryffindor's head.
The younger girl barely got her bearing back before she was being kissed hard. Hermione couldn't help but whimper, Fleur took the opportunity to slip her tongue into the other girl's mouth.
Hermione felt like everything was spinning, she was losing her grasp on everything around her, there was only that intoxicating smell that was Fleur, soft blonde hair, whimpers and breathless whispers. She always felt so in control, she liked feeling in control but when she was with Fleur she was freewheeling, it was both scary and exhilarating. She needed more, hesitantly she slowly raised her hand to grasp Fleur's hips, her shirt had ridden up and she made contact with her soft skin. It was so warm, she caressed it with her fingertips, without really realizing what she was craving, her hands made their way higher and higher until she reached fabric.
Fleur gasped as she pulled back from the kiss. "Maybe…maybe we should…slow down a little"
Pulling back her hands like she had been burned. She felt like she was suffocating. Hermione looked away, she was crashing down and it felt terrible. Was she being rejected? She had the urge to push the blonde away and run.
She felt warm fingers on cheeks pulling until they were looking into each other eyes again.
"I'm not…it's not…" She mumbled something in French before taking a deep breath. "It's okay. I'm not mad. It just feel like we are going a little too fast"
"Sorry" Was all Hermione could say, her throat tightening.
"I loved it Hermione. I really did. However…I know I don't seem like it but…I've never…no one has ever touched me there. Well, once, but that doesn't really counts, he ended up with my hand print on his face"
"I…" The Gryffindor felt like a fool, she still couldn't speak. She felt lost and couldn't help but stare at Fleur's eyes, electric blue with slit pupils, big black slit pupils. "Your eyes…"
Fleur closed them as she took another deep breath. "I've never felt anything like this Hermione. Kissing, touching anyone never felt this right"
"I had never kissed anyone before you" Let out Hermione. Fleur leaned down again to give her a peck.
"You have to understand. This is all very overwhelming for me. I'm learning how to deal with a new side of me, the Veela part, because of it…" Fleur took a deep breath once more. "I can smell you…your arousal. Merlin. Right now I want nothing more than to disappear under your skirt tear off anything between me and…I want to taste you and lick you until you can't orgasm anymore" Fleur was looking at her like a prey. Hermione closed her eyes for a moment as she felt her cheeks burn. Embarrassed that her girlfriend could actually smell her, turned on by what she was hearing and even more embarrassed because she was probably smelling even stronger after that. That visual. She couldn't stop herself, she licked her lips. It's like she could still feel Fleur.
"This is why I have to stop. I can't…the line is so blurred. I don't know which part of me is in control, and whenever we move forward I want to be sure I'm me" Fleur was looking into Hermione's eyes looking for something. A sign. The brunette knew she had to say something. She opened and closed her mouth a few times before she could make a sound.
"I thought I did something wrong"
"No. No. That was really not it. Quite the opposite" Fleur tried to reassure her young mate with a smile.
"I know…I can be self-conscious sometimes. I don't feel…very confident. That's why I love books so much. Knowledge kind of boosts me. I'm sure of what I read. I can rely on it, lean on it and…with you I'm completely out of my depth" It wasn't easy for her to admit what she felt was a weakness, she knew she was getting better, more confident, part of it thanks to Harry and their adventures. He had taught her not to care so much about what the world could think or say about you. She was still working on it. "I'm scared I'm going to do something that would mess it all up"
Fleur smiled again as she leaned down, laying on top of the smaller girl, putting her hand in the crook of the brunette's neck. "I have the same fear you know. Like it's too good to be true"
They stopped talking for a minute, Hermione raised a hand and started to caress Fleur's hair from her temple to the back of her neck. She opened her mouth to ask if it was okay for her to do so but didn't have to. The blonde was purring against her. "I crave your touch so much" Commented the veela.
They spent at least half an hour in that position, drawing comfort from each other. "We have to agree to always talk about things we are not sure, or that bother us. To always listen to the other and not run"
"I wasn't going to run" Hermione was offended, more so because she knew it was a lie. Was she that obvious?
"I do. I tend to run away when I'm mad" They left it at that, Hermione hummed in response.
Suddenly Fleur sat up, looking around. "I feel…it's weird I feel a presence"
There was a movement in the water. They both looked at the lake when Hermione stated. "It's probably just the squid"
"Squid?"
"Yes, Hogwarts giant squid"
Fleur looked like a gleeful child as she got up and ran closer to the water. Hermione groaned as she rolled around, on her stomach she watched her girlfriend get as close to the water as she could without getting herself wet, trying to see something.
The Gryffindor knew the moment was over, she got up and joined the blonde.
"Why didn't you tell me you had a giant squid on the grounds?"
"I didn't think you'd be this…enthusiastic. This is just a squid"
"A giant squid you said! These are so cool. I thought the lake was fresh water, I didn't know it was a salted one" Hermione gave her a look so she explained "There is no giant squid into fresh water. And the lake has to be so deep too!"
Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the blonde as she said "Brackish"
"Pardon?"
"The water. It's not as salted as a sea or an ocean. The black lake is very special…some would call it magical" Teased the brunette.
Fleur glared at her teasing mate "Ha ha. Very funny"
"Seriously. I know it's deeper than any lake is and filled with magical creatures. I know that other than the squid there are grindylows and merpeople. There are probably more. It's technically a lake but it can be connected to other water bodies, which is how Durmstrang actually arrived. Fleur?"
The Beauxbaton's champion was staring at the lake, deep in thought. This couldn't be? She should have known instantly! Her grandmother had told her so many stories, including about Sirens…
She quickly grabbed Hermione, kissed her hard. "I'm sorry but I really have to go" She kissed her again before turning and starting to walk as poised as always towards her school's carriage.
Hermione was left dumbfound by Fleur's departure, and that kiss.