The very next day, Saturday, Fleur was surprised to see Hermione in Hogsmeade.
For once the Beauxbatons champion had free time and has asked her mate if she wanted to make a date out of it. Hermione had politely declined, before excusing herself.
Fleur was surprised, then hurt, as she spotted the bushy haired girl step out of Gladrags Wizardwear, cloak off and thrown over her shoulder. She was as beautiful as ever laughing as she stepped out, followed by Ron and Harry.
Fleur had grabbed Laetitia's arm to drag her behind the nearest building's corner so they wouldn't be seen by the three Gryffindors as they watched.
"Oh! What are you doing?" Had complained Laetitia.
"Hermione is here with her friends, however she told me she couldn't go out with me because she had something very important, she couldn't get out of."
"So she lies and your solution is to spy on her?"
"I'm worried about what this mean, I need to know." Argued Fleur.
"How long do you intend to stalk her for?"
"Until I understand what's going on? Why would she lie?"
"All afternoon then. Don't you think that's a little over the top?" Asked Laetitia. Fleur gave her a look. "Nevermind. You don't need me for this." Laetitia stepping into the street to be brought back instantly by her friend.
"Ouf! Fleur be reasonable, I will not stalk your girlfriend."
"How about you accompany me while I…make some enquiries about Hermione's whereabouts?"
Laetitia groaned; she didn't want to spend the rest of her day doing this. She grabbed her friend by the shoulders. "Fleur. I am the one telling you this. If you want to know what this is about, ask her."
Fleur pointed in the three Gryffindor's direction. "She obviously didn't want to spent time with me, she went as far as to lie about it. What if I ask and she tells me…?" She trailed off but from the sad far away look in her eyes Laetitia knew where Fleur's mind just went. "Don't be ridiculous! She is as crazy about you as you are about her!" Exclaimed Laetitia.
"Yet instead of going out with me she is right there, smiling with her stupid best friends."
"That sounded very mature." Said Laetitia, as they started walking. This was how she found herself stalking Hermione while arguing with Fleur about it.
They made their way up the High Street, past Dervish and Banges, and out towards the edge of the village. The winding lane leading them out into the wild countryside around Hogsmeade made things easier for the two French girls would could hide at every turn, which really helped when the cottages became sparse. They seemed to be heading towards the mountain in whose shadow Hogsmeade lay; Laetitia hoped they wouldn't have to climb it; Fleur was definitely wearing the wrong shoes and she didn't want to add that complain to the list of the day.
The golden trio finally stopped in front of a bar, where they were greeted by a shaggy black dog. Laetitia rolled her eyes as she said. "Great now they are following a dog while we are following them. Let's just hope no one is following us."
"On the bright side it's a beautiful day, how many of those do you get here? Two a year. Beautiful day to get dumped." Complained Fleur.
"She won't dump you, though you'll have some serious explaining to do about being a creepy stalker. You might have to grovel."
"How much do think?" Asked the Veela.
"I'm not sure, that depends on how far we'll end up going, but you definitely owe me."
"I was talking about Hermione, and you know it."
"Ten seconds ago she was dumping you, make up your mind. And I want food!" Stated Laetitia.
When they reached the rocky foot of the mountain, the ground was covered with boulders and rocks, so they had to transfigure Fleur's pumps into mountain boots, then the rest of her clothes since it didn't go well together anymore. Jeans and a small top.
For half an hour they climbed, staying slightly to the side so they could hide behind trees. This was not an ordinary dog, Laetitia could smell it, and it was obvious as it kept on looking back at the others to make sure they were following, or that they were not being followed.
They faced a problem at the end of their little trip, the dog, then the three Gryffindors, had disappeared into a narrow fissure in the rock.
"What do you want to do now?" Asked Laetitia.
"We can't go in. We have no idea what's on the other side, how far they are, if they'd see us..."
"Right. Let's go back to Hogwarts, I'm starving." Laetitia turned around as she spoke.
"We've made it all the way here. We can't stop now." Argued Fleur, and Laetitia looked behind her shoulder.
"Yes, we can. Your girlfriend is into something shady she is not ready to tell you about. We'd better step back, you know, respect her boundaries."
"What if it was Ginny?"
"I'd pretend not to know anything until she'd be ready to speak about it. Not that I'd know anything, because I wouldn't stalk her."
"Maybe it's a Veela thing."
"Don't hide behind that. I see no creature that can't go beyond her basic instincts, I see my friend, Fleur who I know has some issues. Don't be that person who says it's in your nature. We make our own choices. I mean if I was to attack someone it would be my own damn fault, I wouldn't blame it on my wolf. It's there, but I'm the one in control."
"Fine. I want to know what's going on inside that cave."
"Then go right in." Said Laetitia.
"I can't, you saw how they had to bend and twist to get in, it was like it was better for the dog…" As Fleur trailed off a light went on in her eyes while she stared at her friend.
"No."
"Come on Laetitia!"
"You know they could walk out any moment and find us arguing."
"All the more reason for you to change quick. You'll be able to easily get in, discreetly. It doesn't matter if it's dark, or if they are far, or quiet. Your heightened senses will get it everything."
"I'm not a dog! I'm way bigger than that mutt!"
"And more beautiful I know." Added Fleur as she rolled her eyes. They've had that argument before.
"Why don't you change?" Asked Laetitia.
"You've seen me, I'm way too big to fit in that hole." Fleur stopped, expecting a response, but when she saw a smirk appear on her friend's lips. "Laetitia!"
The lycan in question raised her hands above her shoulder in surrender. "I have nothing to add to that."
Fleur groaned. "You are a perv."
"That all depends on your definition of perv. How about we talk about that on our way back?" Laetitia pointed towards the castle with her thumb.
"Fine. I'll give you my father's lemon pie meringue recipe." Gave in Fleur.
Laetitia's eyes became glassy for a second. "You give me your word?"
"I promise."
"You win. Turn around." Laetitia swiftly took off her clothes. Changing into them was unpractical, painful and a waste. She rolled them into a ball before turning into her wolf.
Fleur took them from between her teeth. "It would be easier if you'd open your mind link with me." Laetitia huffed; her friend knew it was not something she would do with someone outside her wolf pack. She discreetly slipped into the cave. She didn't walk right in, instead she stopped in the entrance, just enough to see and hear the people in the cave. She laid down to make herself as small as possible, in this position her tail was barely inside the cave.
Fleur knew she probably could have crawled inside that tunnel, but she was aware, that was she to be seen she'd get recognize instantly. Laetitia in her wolf form could been seen and remain incognito.
Fleur would have liked to think that she was a patient person, would have liked. She knew how to act calm and collected, she could be patient, but she was discovering that she wasn't when it came to some things, like knowing what her girlfriend might hide from her. She knew it was bad.
Part of it was gnawing at her while she was pacing outside that cave. What could she have done wrong? Why wouldn't Hermione tell her the truth? How sincere was Hermione with her? What was going on?
She was pacing back and forth, glancing at the tip of Laetitia's tail she could still see. She felt a little guilty for dragging her friend into this. That and she knew her father wouldn't be happy; he was very secretive about his recipes.
Fleur turned back once more and huffed. How long as it been?
She walked to the cave's entrance, she leaned, trying to hear anything. She went down on her knees, hands on the stones at her shoulder's height, and she leaned in even more, her face inside. Nothing.
"Anything?" Finally whispered Fleur. A furry tail hit her in the face, Fleur huffed in surprise as she lost her balance and fell, landing on her hands and butt. She coughed slightly at the dust she had raised in the air, before a very loud sneeze was heard, coming from right inside the cave. Her eyes grew wide, then watched a furry behind slowly crawl backward.
Fleur did the only thing she thought of, she ran for cover, Laetitia would join her soon enough, she was sure of it.
Laetitia's eyes had quickly adjusted to the cave's darkness. She understood this was bigger than she had anticipated. The dog had turned into a man, a very famous and wanted man, Sirius Black, who seemed very friendly to the three Gryffindors.
Laetitia watched as Hermione petted a Hippogriff, she briefly wondered if she had a fetish for birdlike creature. She had to admit, she was starving and was sometimes distracted by the smell, they had brought chicken for the fugitive. She should have brought chicken.
It didn't help her that their conversation was kind of boring, she didn't really care about their Ministry of Magic, some man named Crouch and gossip about his house elf, or former house elf. Whatever. It seemed to be somehow linked to what had happened at the Quidditch World Cup. Laetitia was still annoyed by her friend who she could still hear pacing outside, then she heard her pester her. "Anything?" She could feel she was close so she switched her tail, she hoped she hit something good. Her left ear turned back as she heard a loud noise. Dust rose in the air, she tried to resist, raised her head, there was no use, she sneezed, loud and clear, it echoed in that cave.
The people she had been spying on suddenly turned to her. Sirius Black had immediately raised his wand; Ron took a step behind Harry; Hermione took a step forward as she put her hand on Sirius' arm. "Don't."
"It's just a wolf." Commented Harry.
"There is no wolf in Scotland." Stated a suspicious Sirius who wouldn't lower his wand.
Hermione moved in front of them, back to Laetitia, who was crawling backward as fast as she could. "I know. I know that particular beast. I'll take care of it."
"It's fine, it's gone." Said Ron.
"I need to…just…I'll be right back. Trust me." Said Hermione as she was walking backward then right out the cave. She blinked a few times while her eyes adjusted to the light. There was no one here, no one she could see. "I know you are here Fleur."
Hermione waited a few seconds. "Don't make me ask twice."
Fleur emerged from the tree line. She would have looked very dignified if it wasn't for the twig and leaves in her hair. "How did you know it was I?" Asked the blonde.
"Where is your other half?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Denied Fleur, hiding the clothes she had in her hands behind her back as best as she could. She knew they were busted…
"Laetitia?! Yes, I know you are a Lycan."
A huge black wolf stepped out from behind a big rock, pretty much on top of the cave.
"If I may ask, how did you know it was us? I mean, how did you know it was Laetitia?" Asked Fleur. "I read." Was Hermione's explanation, to which Fleur rolled her eyes. Of course.
"Professor Snape had us do a thorough paper on Lycanthropy, he was more interested by werewolves, but Lycans were included. Happy? Now what the hell are you two doing here?!"
Laetitia raised her head towards Fleur, in a move that was clearly putting the blame on her friend.
"Well you see…I might have gotten a little paranoid when I saw the golden trio hanging out happily in Hogsmeade when you told me you couldn't go out with me because you had something very important to do that you couldn't get out of." Fleur managed to sound accusatory when she was the one on the spot.
Hermione's jaw dropped. "You…! I told you the truth! The fact that I'm doing it with Harry and Ron doesn't change a thing. You have to respect me, and the fact that I might not divulge every little thing about my…everything to you!" She didn't give Fleur the time to respond before she lowered her eyes to Laetitia. "As for you, if you say anything about what you might have heard or seen in that cave, I'll tell everyone, more particularly Ginny, that I saw you galivanting naked in the woods."
Laetitia argued the only way she could in that form, through a series of whining and vocalizations.
"I don't care if it was her idea. I didn't see Fleur in here, so I hope she doesn't know and won't know." Kept on going Hermione. Fleur screamed in her mind that she wanted to know, but knew better than to voice it then.
Laetitia argued some more, yipping.
"I won't hesitated to take a page out of Appoline's book and pull on your ears." Threatened Hermione. She knew this was Laetitia, and she wouldn't admit it at that moment, but she was a beautiful wolf, and she had that irrational wish to touch her, pet her. She was so fluffy.
Laetitia lowered her ears, as flat as she could against her head as she took a step behind Fleur.
"I can't believe you two can manage to argue even when one of you can't actually speak." Commented Fleur.
"I might even prefer her like that." Said Hermione. Laetitia showed her teeth, growled, before taking her clothes between her jaws and strutting away. Hermione watched her disappear behind some trees, then crossed her arms as she glared at her girlfriend." I can't believe you followed me."
"What else was I supposed to do?"
"Trust me!"
Fleur clenched her jaws and looked away. "I'm sorry."
Hermione sighed. "You have to accept that I might not tell you everything, even less wherever I go and with whom."
"Of course I'm not asking you to! I just…I saw you!"
"I didn't say I wasn't leaving Hogwarts, I just told you I couldn't spend the day with you. I'm doing something important for and with my best friends." Argued Hermione.
"Which include taking shady trips into a mountain."
"Yes, today it does."
Fleur crossed her arms; she knew she was in the wrong and she didn't like it. She let her emotions get the best of her. She knew she had some insecurities when it came to Hermione she couldn't seem to get rid of.
The stronger their bond got the stronger she felt the urge to seal it, the more terrified she was of losing it. "I really am sorry. I don't know what else to tell you."
"Maybe that you'll never do it again?" Offered Hermione.
Fleur opened her mouth, ready to say the words, but they wouldn't come out. She didn't want to lie and she knew it wasn't impossible that she'd follow her mate if she was worried about something, anything. She could feel Hermione's clear anger and frustration.
"How about this, starting now I won't tell you what I'll do or where I'll be. Not my classes, nor who I'm with, or anything else. I'll spend as much time with you as usual, but in between I'll leave you in the dark."
Fleur's arms fell to her side. "You…! That's…!" She knew she couldn't say all the things she felt like saying. It felt wrong being cut off from Hermione's life outside their interactions. She liked to know what she was doing at any moment. She knew as she thought about it, it was bad, very bad. She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I really am, and I'll try to do better."
"I guess it's safe to come back." Said Laetitia as she joined them in her human form.
"It is, but you are still in the dog house." Hermione pointed her finger in her direction as she finished.
Laetitia's jaw dropped open for a second. "That's rude!"
"You spied on me!" Countered Hermione.
"She promised her father's lemon meringue pie recipe!" Laetitia defended herself.
"What?" Hermione was actually surprised.
"Listen I'm starving and this pie…"Laetitia licked her lips"… is orgasmic. Like you wouldn't believe."
Hermione turned back to Fleur. "Whenever I'll visit your family promise me, they won't make that pie, for it has been ruined, I don't think I could…eat it without thinking about her…" She cleared her throat; she gave Fleur a look to make her point.
"Whenever…" Fleur paused, this was an important part of that sentence for her. Hermione was projecting herself in their common future, visiting her clan. "…you'll be with my family in France, I promise they won't make that pie. You'll eat whatever you'll want to."
"And we all know what she'll want to eat." Laetitia eyebrows went up and down, in a suggestive manner, her eyes going from Hermione to Fleur. Hermione groaned; the smirk on Laetitia's face dropped when Fleur slapped her shoulder. "Oh come on! We all know…" The rest of Laetitia's words were muffled as Fleur had put her hand on her mouth.
"I think we should go." Said Fleur without really paying attention to her friend, she had eyes only for her mate.
"Thank you. I'll see you later, we're not done here yet." Hermione looked over her shoulder at the cave's entrance and could only see darkness. She wondered if the boy's curiosity got the best of them.
Fleur wanted to ask when Hermione would be done, when she'd see her again... She didn't. She really wanted to work on that part of herself. What would her apologies be worth if she just kept on repeating her action?
Fleur lowered her arm; Laetitia had taken a step back anyway. Hermione watched them turn and start to make their way down the mountain.
"Finally! I have a roasted chicken waiting for me." Laetitia paused before telling Fleur. "Come on, I know you can go faster."
It was lunch time on Sunday when Hermione came in with Harry and Ron, she slumped down on the Gryffindor table's long bench with a sigh.
Fleur, who was already sitting next to Laetitia asked: "Are you okay?"
"Yes. No. You were right."
Ron spoke intelligibly through is mouthful. Hermione gave him a look, mixed between disgust and irritation. "Not you! Fleur." She paused. "I should have asked house elves more about themselves, maybe not moved as fast as I did regarding their station."
"What did you do?" Asked Laetitia.
Ron swallowed noisily before he answered for his friend. "She got us kicked out of the kitchen this morning, that's what she did."
"This wasn't…" Ron cut Hermione off. "You went on a rant to house elves about wages, holidays and proper clothes!"
Harry gave Hermione a look of his own. "Dobby even asked you to keep him out of this."
"Fine! I admit, I can be a little pushy." Exclaimed Hermione. Laetitia snort turned into a cough under the Gryffindor glare. "That's a word for it, I suppose." Said the French girl.
"Laetitia. Please don't." Said Fleur.
"What? You know as well I as I do it's true. She can get very bossy, annoyingly so."
"Even if it was the case, I kind of like it when she gets like that." Fleur gave Hermione a look, making her mate blush.
"Do tell! Does she jump you…" She was cut off by Ron, dropping his fork loudly into his plate. "Stop!" He grunted before pushing his plate away. "I think I lost my appetite."
Ginny joined them at that moment. "You have to tell me how to do that. At home it's everyone for themselves when it comes to food. Mom put the plates down and then…"
"I was just asking Fleur about what she found so homoerotic about Hermione being bossy." Explained Laetitia.
Ginny looked around at the people she joined. Hermione was bright red while looking down at her food, trying to look nonchalant by pushing her food around. Fleur had a small pink hue to her cheeks but otherwise seemed as poised as ever. Ron was looking up at the ceiling while his left knee kept bouncing under the table and Harry had turned away to speak with Seamus.
"You know what." She got back up. "I just remembered I had something to discuss with Luna." And she was gone.
Laetitia watched her walk away until she was sitting at the Ravenclaw table. "Should I be worried about this Luna? They've grown closer recently."
"I think they're going to be good friends." Said Hermione.
"And even if it's more, isn't it good for her to experiment with someone her own age. Learn new things." Fleur was mocking her friend, she remembered Laetitia saying something similar once to another Beauxbatons' student complaining about an on and off boyfriend seeing someone else, well it was more along the lines of, 'it might be good if he learns new things, then he'll be more experienced and you'll be more satisfied with your sex life'. It had gone as well as it did then, Laetitia looked like she was about to throttle Fleur.
"That's it." Ron quickly stood up, grabbed some food and walked away, not before giving a dirty look at both French girls.
Changing topic completely Fleur asked. "What did you tell them about what happened in the mountain? About our furry friend?"
"Nothing really. Harry is very much absorbed by his own life and Ron is Ron."
"What about the furry friend?" Asked Laetitia.
"She just told us she didn't say anything." Said Fleur, but Hermione knew Laetitia was speaking about Sirius, whom she obviously didn't mention to Fleur, as promised.
"She is…talking about a man you didn't see, in the cave." Explained Hermione.
Laetitia nodded. "Yes, very hairy man."
"And he respects people's boundaries. He trusts me, I think." Finished Hermione.
Hermione was in great mood on this Monday morning, the previous day had been great she had spent most of it with Fleur, lounging around the lake, disappearing in the shade from time to time for a good snog. Even helping Ron and Harry to finish their homework on a Sunday evening didn't dampen her good mood. She was just happy to start this new school week.
Fleur greeted her with a small kiss before she sat down next to her.
When the post owls arrived, Hermione looked up eagerly.
"Percy won't have had time to answer yet." Said Ron. "We only sent Hedwig yesterday."
"No, it's not that," said Hermione. "I've taken out a new subscription to the Daily Prophet, I'm getting sick of finding everything out from the Slytherins."
"Good thinking!" Said Harry, also looking up at the owls. "Hey, Hermione, I think you're in luck…" A grey owl was soaring down towards Hermione.
"It hasn't got a newspaper, though," she said, looking disappointed. "It's…" But to her bewilderment, the grey owl landed in front of her plate, closely followed by four barn owls, a brown owl and a tawny.
"How many subscriptions did you take out? Asked Harry, he moved but Fleur was faster, she seized Hermione's goblet before it was knocked over by the cluster of owls, all of whom were jostling close to Hermione, trying to deliver their own letter first.
Fleur hissed. "Order!" The owls froze for a second, all looking at the blonde. "Or I won't hesitate to transform some of you into mouses." Then there was a strange line of owl right in the middle of the table settings.
"What on earth?" Hermione said, taking the letter from the grey owl, opening it and starting to read. "Oh, really!" she spluttered, going rather red.
"What's up?" Ron was curious.
"It's…oh, how ridiculous…" She thrust the letter at Harry who saw that it was not handwritten, but composed from pasted letters that seemed to have been cut out of the Daily Prophet.
You are a WickEd giRL. HaRRy PottEr desErves BetteR. gO Bak wherE you cAME from mUggle.
"They are all like it!" Said Hermione desperately, opening one letter after another. "Harry Potter can do much better than the likes of you…""You deserve to be boiled in frog-spawn…Ouch!"
She had opened the last envelope, and Fleur instantly smelled a strong odor, somehting like petrol. She immediately stood up, taking a step back while grabbing Hermione by the middle, but the damage had already been done. A yellowish green liquid had gushed over her hands, which began to erupt in large yellow boils.
"Undiluted Bubotuber pus!" Exclaimed Ron, picking up the envelope gingerly and sniffing it.
"Ow! Ow!" Kept on repeating Hermione, tears starting in her eyes as she tried to rub it off her hands with a napkin. Fleur poured her glass of water over Hermione's hands to wash it off but Hermione's fingers were now so thickly covered in painful sored that it looked as though she was wearing a pair of thick, knobby gloves.
Fleur didn't think twice, she squatted until her shoulder was right in the middle of Hermione's stomach and lifted her. She swiftly made her way out the Great Hall, carrying Hermione on her right shoulder, holding her tight, both to make she wouldn't fall and to reassure herself as they went to the hospital wing.
"I warned her!" Said Ron, as the girls disappeared from view. " I warned her not to annoy Rita Skeeter! Look at this one…" He read out one of the letters Hermione had left behind. "I read in Witch Weekly about how you are playing Harry Potter false and that boy has had enough hardship and I will be sending you a curse by the next post as soon as I can find a big enough envelope." He paused and looked around. "Blimey, she'd better watch out for herself."
"I don't suppose there is a return address on any of these?" Asked Laetitia.