They'd been startled to hear the commotion that had erupted from Hermione's bedroom late into the evening.
They're bookwormish friend had decided to tuck in fairly early after the sleep deprivation she'd endured in her fruitless search, and so they'd bid her goodnight and had settled in for a rousing game of wizard's chess by the fireplace in the parlor.
Both in good spirits about their good fortune in partners but still nonetheless concerned for Hermione's chosen partner.
Pouring themselves a bit of firewhisky each they'd tucked into their game before a sudden shout was heard and they rushed in the direction of their friend's room.
What awaited them was a Auror, a tall man with blonde pulled back hair, standing in the entryway of their friend's room. Parchment in hand and a disheveled Hermione who'd been startled from her slumber.
Wand at the ready Harry asked, "What is this? Why are you in my house?"
The Auror calmly looked over the two men before stating, "I apologize for the late arrival and the nature of this intrusion, but Miss Granger has been summed to appear before her chosen partner,"
"Excuse me? At this hour?" Hermione asked looking between the Auror and her two friends who held their wands in their hands.
Nodding at the witches question the Auror continued, "Yes and I do apologize for the lateness of the hour but it would seem your chosen partner has decided to violate the nature of your union by attempting to elope with a Mister William Weasley," he hands the parchment in hand to the befuddled witch who takes it in earnest and quickly unfurls it to read.
This causes both Harry and Ron to look at the Auror in alarm. So it would seem that Bill and Fleur had made an attempt to flee the spell.
"So what? Am I supposed to let you take me to get hitched in the dead of night?" Hermione asks incredulously as she looks up from the parchment in hand.
"Exactly that Miss Granger, the ministry has found Mister Weasley and Miss Delacour a liability and is taking the appropriate measures to ensure your unions are upheld," the Auror replies as Hermione can do little else but look at him and then to her friends.
"And if she doesn't want to go with you?" Ron asks as he steps forward, wand in hand.
"Then she submits herself to a wand snapping and her magical core reduced to no more than that of a squibs," the Auror states. Ron flinches at the words and lowers his wand in an instant.
"Wouldn't that be counterintuitive to what the ministry is trying to accomplish?" Hermione counters.
"On the contrary, you would still be able to produce wizarding children but would not be able to perform magic yourself," the Auror replies without pause.
Hermione looks on at the Auror for a minute or two before sighing and getting up from her bed.
"Lets just get this over with,"
The Auror nods and extends his hand out for the witch to take, she walks forward and takes ahold of his arm. The Auror turns to look at Ron and Harry once more, nods as a simple farewell and apparates away a moment later.
"Bloody hell," Ron states, breaking the silence.
"I don't think Hermione's going to be coming back," Harry wonders aloud as Ron nods in agreement.
With any luck their friend would make through this ordeal in one piece
— xxxx —
They'd taken the time to settle back into their game not long after their friend had been taken, both settling into an uncomfortable silence as they thought of their friend and the ordeal she was enduring.
They played late into the night as they lightly sipped on their firewhiskey, neither wanting to head to bed in case their friend came back to them, worry was the silent agreement between both men as they startled at the sudden pop around quarter to 3 in the morning.
What greeted them was the sobbing form of their friend, as she held herself arms around her form. This caused both men to jump in alarm and take the quick steps forward to gather their friend in their arms.
The young woman sobbed as she felt the strong arms of her friends engulf her, both men holding her as she allowed the sobs to wrack through her body, as she allowed the turmoil to release itself into the open.
"You're safe Mione," Ron murmured into his friend as he and Harry hold her to them.
They stay awhile like that until the witch's sobs begin to subside and the light sound of hic-ups are heard about the parlor.
Neither man say a word as they wait for their friend.
The young woman clears her throat as she wipes at her tear streaked face with the sleeve of her night shirt.
"T-They made me sleep with Fleur," Hermione states as she takes a step back from her friends, both young men nod at her words, they'd all been made aware of the parameters of the unions.
"It was awful, and violating, and I just wanted it to be over," Hermione goes on to say as she wills the tears down as they threaten to form once more at the corners of her eyes.
"I tried to be nice about it and she just wouldn't stop insulting me, even scratched at my back," Hermione goes on as both men stare at her, faces showing concern for their friend's state.
"Where did they take you Mione?" Harry asks.
"To my home in London," Hermione responds, both men nod in understanding they'd been to Hermione's childhood home while the witch had been doing her endless research, she lived in a nice area of London.
Asking the unspoken question Ron asked, "Did you at least use protection?" this earns him a smack from Harry.
"Oh merlin, no! I did not, I-I wasn't even thinking, it all happened so fast," Hermione replied, face going from distraught to panic. How could she bring a child into all of this if her seed quickened within Fleur. She couldn't! Not like this! Regardless of the laws wishes, she couldn't bring herself to do it.
"It's alright, most couples don't conceive on the first go," Ron tries to offer in an attempt to fix his error. He should not have asked his distraught friend a question that would agitate her further.
"Exactly, it sometimes takes years," Harry agreed, trying to calm the witch down.
"But what if I do get her pregnant, I-I can't bring a child into this union, not like this," Hermione rambles as she panics, her friends reach forward each placing a hand on her shoulders.
"You won't," Ron tries to reassure.
"She and Bill have been trying for a babe since the war ended, mum told us," Ron goes on, and told them she had, the Weasley matriarch had been near in hysterics as she had regaled them with that fair bit of news over dinner one evening, unmarried and bedded, the scandal of it all! She'd been down right distraught.
This earned him another smack from Harry.
The raven haired wizard could only give his friend an alarmed look that said 'shut up!' as the red-head rubbed his sore arm.
However much to both men's surprise this seemed to do the trick in calming their friend down somewhat.
Right of course there could be no possible way she'd gotten Fleur pregnant on the first try.
Nope, not a one.
Taking a calming breath the witch looks at her two friends, "I think I'd like to go to bed if that's alright"
Both men nod and help lead their friend back to her bedroom, if only for the last night they were probably to spend under one roof. For on the morrow she would have to go back to her home and face the veela that awaited, face Fleur.
- xxxx -
The rays of daylight filter through your open window as you feel it bathe your body in its radiance, you startle awake at the first vestiges of light as they hit you.
Body aches from the previous night's activities, you involuntarily shudder as you remember Fleur's nails raking down your back. Her insults, your marriage.
Marriage
The word makes you sick to your stomach, should it even be called that?
You'd rather prefer to call it anything else but, for it was no more than a farce.
This entire situation felt corrupted, polluted, violating.
You'd been forced to give up so much during the war, what more could destiny take from you.
What more could you take?
You roll over to your side and fumble your way to a sitting position.
Same clothes you left your room in the night before.
Same clothes that you'd lost the last vestiges of your innocence in.
You'll need to burn these.
But first you needed some food in you and so you stumble to your feet and make your way out of your room and down the stairs leading to the kitchen.
You don't bother to try to fix whatever state of disarray your hair is in, brush your teeth or even splash some water on your face.
You don't feel much like doing anything, but getting a piece of toast and perhaps some tea.
What greets you is Ron and Harry moving about, getting breakfast ready.
Pancakes, eggs and bacon by the looks of it.
The boys notice you as you make your way into the kitchen, and Harry moves to herd you to a nearby chair.
"Have a seat Mione, we're almost done,"
You don't bother objecting to it and allow yourself to take a seat and watch your friends move around the kitchen, platting the last of the food and placing it on the table.
Chocolate chip pancakes, eggs and bacon with a nice bit of tea.
Only once everything is placed on the table do they take a seat on opposite sides of you and begin tucking into their meal.
You take a moment to take it in.
Would this be the last the three of you would be like this?
You knew what needed to be done, you'd need to pack your things and fully move them back to your home.
The home you'd grown up in.
Where you'd shattered your family and lost your innocence.
"Mione?" Ron's voice filters through your thoughts and brings you back to your seated position at the kitchen of Grimmauld place.
"Hmm?" you ask as you set about scoping some eggs and bacon onto your plate.
"Any thoughts on what you'll do today?" your red-headed friend asks as you.
You grip your fork tightly as you mull over your options.
'Run' is what you want to say but what you will actually do is, "Suppose I'll go back to my parent's home and try to get things sorted," you respond as you scoop some eggs onto your fork and into your mouth.
"I suppose you'll be moving out then?" Ron asks once more and you wince, while Harry smacks him on the arm.
"A-Ah I mean if you want to?" Ron tries to cover his blunder as Harry shakes his head.
"You don't have to move out any time soon," Harry states as he side eyes your blushing red-headed friend.
You sigh at the dilemma you've found yourself in.
"No, you're right Ron, I will need to move out and sort myself back home, try to make the best of all of this," you respond and your friends visibly relax a tad from their previous treading, like they'd been too afraid to broach the subject with you.
"Ron and I can go with you if you'd like?" Harry offers and you shake your head.
"Thank you, but I think this is something I have to manage on my own," you respond,both boys looking at you with uncertainty.
Right. You hadn't exactly come back in a sorted state the night previous. Of course they'd be hesitant of you tackling this particular 'monster' on your own.
You push these thoughts and your looming move to the back of your mind as you tuck into your meal, ignoring the looks of concern the boys shoot your way as you do so.
- xxxx -
"Right that's the last of it," Ron exclaims as he wipes his brow, after a few hours of packing and an extendable charm or two, the entirety of your belongings were neatly packed and sorted into two medium sized luggages.
You offer grateful smiles at your two friends as you take in your now empty room.
This room had brought you much solace after the war.
It was your safe space.
You sigh and pull your friends to you in one last hug before you leave.
Your boys wrap their arms around you as the three of you hug for what is probably the last time, the last time you'd all be living at Grimmauld Place.
"You can come here if you need a place to get away," Harry assures you as you grip them all the tighter.
You take a step back and smile back at him in turn.
"I should get going," you say the boys pull away from you fully and the three of you make your way down to the floo in the parlor.
"You're sure you want to go back today?" Ron asks as he and Harry hand you your luggages.
You mutter a quick "reducio" and shrink both to small miniatures and place them into your left jean pocket, you'd opted for a simple look for the day, jeans, sneakers and a plaid button up in the gryffindor colors.
"I need to make sure Fleur doesn't wreck my house," you say with a chuckle, both boys chuckle in turn and wish you luck.
You turn to the floo and take a hold of a handful of floo powder before walking into the fireplace and shout "16 Heathgate, London!"
In a blink of the eye you appear within the modest living room of your childhood home.
You take careful steps out of the floo and are surprised to see that nothing has been moved.
The same furniture you'd seen the night previous.
The same color scheme, you sigh and make your way through the house and up the stairs leading to your bedroom.
Rather the bedroom where you'd been made to consummate your new union, but you do not enter, opting to enter one of the other rooms down the hall, the room you'd inhabited when your parents' memories hadn't been wiped.
The bed was just as you'd left it and so you set about tucking away your shrunken belongings, taking the next several hours to make sure everything is accounted for.
No sooner do you finish putting away the last of your things than do you hear a sudden pop and a slew of curse words in french.
"Putain de merde!,"
You take in a deep breath to calm yourself before making your way towards the direction of the noise, making your way down the stairs you're greeted by the sight of an agitated Fleur Delacour if the red on her cheeks are anything to go by.
You wait at the entrance to the living room and don't dare tread closer as you watch the blonde witch mutter to herself.
You take in her appearance, a nice pair of black form fitting pants and a white blouse that looks like it's come out of the latest issue of vogue.
Of course, how could you forget that your new spouse was the most drop dead gorgeous woman to ever walk the earth, you mentally facepalm as the memories of the night previous filter in, and you remember how she treated you. Your back still spots a dull ache from where her nails raked across your skin and you shudder.
"And just where 'ave you been!?" Fleur's clipped tone startles you from your recollection and you snap to attention.
"Not that it matters, but I was at Grimmauld place," you respond, squaring your shoulders and crossing your arms in front of you as you lean against the entryway.
"You went to Grimmauld place!? After you'd 'ad your way wiz me, you just up and left!" she shouts back at you.
"Had my way with you? I wasn't the one who grabbed me and stated 'might as well get some pleasure out of this' ," you retort unwinding your arms and making air quotes to emphasize the words spoken the night previous.
You scoff for good measure and that seems to make the blonde witch snap for it catches you off guard when the resounding feel of a slap hits you square across your left cheek, you stagger before the bubbling anger you've been feeling spills out and you stand your ground, and turn to face the enraged veela.
"You. will. Not. Do. That. Again," you state with a finality and edge to your words as you stare down the older witch.
She does not buckle under your glare in turn and matches your gaze with her own glare.
"You do not understand what it feels like," she bites out as she folds her arms in front of herself.
"Oh I don't, do I? I only went through a bloody war, lost my parents, was left with scars that won't heal and now I've been made to marry someone who's been nothing but biting towards me as if this is all my doing? You think I want to be married to you! Like you're some prize," you retort as you feel the throbbing of your left cheek.
"And you are!? You are not ze man I wanted to marry! You are not William! You never will be!" Fleur shouts at you.
This does make you pause, its true you will never be the man she wanted to marry, frankly you wouldn't want to be. You're perfectly fine with who you are but you can't help but think on her words, she had had someone she'd wanted to marry. You hadn't, and that does make you sympathize with her but you do not back down. Not after the slap she'd delivered to your face.
"Then go to him! What's stopping you!" you shout back, as soon you say the words however you almost wish you hadn't as you watch her facade start to drop and her lips begin to tremble. You watch as she starts to crumble and a few tears begin to fall.
"I tried! I tried last night after you and the aurors 'ad left! I even tried zis morning and afternoon! But I cannot apparate or physically get near 'im!" she shouts at you as she takes a few steps back and takes a seat on one of the couches. She brings her hands to her face to cover her weeping eyes as you stare at her sudden change in demeanor.
"Right, the official last night did mention a restraining order spell," you mutter as you watch Fleur begin to sob in earnest.
"I did not want zis," she mutters as she tries to subside her sobs in an effort to compose herself.
"Well neither did I, but here we are," you state matter of factly.
"Do you 'ave to be so rude?" she bites out with a bit less bite than before.
Your cheek still stings and you will your own temper down.
You take a minute to calm yourself before speaking once more, "Look I know this isn't the most ideal of situations, but we can at least agree to be civil towards each other,"
She looks at you with an unreadable expression before stating, "I do not want to be friends,"
"Fine by me," you retort as you turn to make your exit, you take a couple of steps before pausing, "Take the master bedroom I've taken one of the other rooms,"
You don't allow Fleur to respond as you continue on your way to the stairs and up to your old room.
You do not stop until you've clicked your door shut and locked.
Only then do you release a heavy sigh and allow yourself to fall back onto your old bed.
It couldn't get any worse than this.
- xxxx -
You awaken to the sound of birds chirping outside your open window, the sun barely starting to rise in the horizon.
You'd opted for an early night the day before, figuring a full night's rest would help clear your mind of the turmoil it'd had inflicted upon it.
To no avail, as you can't help but think on the day previous.
Your argument with Fleur.
Her tears.
Your attempt to extend a hand of civility.
Her outright rejecting friendship of any sort.
Which was fine with you, she could stay angry all she wanted. It wouldn't fix your situation any faster so she could stew all she'd like.
You debate staying in bed or getting an early start to your day, for a few minutes, before opting for the latter and rolling up and out of bed.
An early start would probably be for the best, as you probably didn't have any food in the kitchen, right, you'd probably want to go to the market before Fleur woke up.
Bloody princess.
And so without further delay you set about getting ready for the day, first with a quick shower and brush. You opt for a pair of simple blue jeans, a white v-neck shirt and a green hoodie you'd picked up a couple of weeks prior while on an outing with Harry and Ron.
It wasn't the fancy clothing that Fleur was used to wearing but it was good enough for you and so she'd have to get used to it if she had any issues with your choice of dress.
Taking a moment to ready yourself, you slip on your trainers and make your way out of your room, down the stairs and out the front door. Taking the precaution to swipe the keys that you asume Fleur must have placed on the key holder by the door.
The morning is chilly and the air is crisp, you take a moment to take it all in. The neighborhood hadn't changed much and the familiarity of the undisturbed suburbia brings you comfort, a place touched yet untouched by the war.
Gone were your parents, but everything else remained.
The same light posts, same shrubbery, neighbors etc.
It brings you an odd sense of security in its own special way as you make your way down the next few blocks to the local Sainsbury's.
You take a shopping cart and make your way through the aisles, making quick work of adding things into your cart: bread, jam, fruits, milk, sausages, chicken, steak, vegetables, spices, pg-tips (tea-bags), sugar, flour etc.
Only once you're satisfied and your cart is full to bursting do you make your way to a checkout till to pay.
As if sensing your preference for a quick and effortless checkout the lady at the till runs your items through, of which you are grateful for as you take your wallet out of your back pocket and take the necessary bills out to pay for your items.
Taking a hold of your bags of purchased groceries you make your way out of the store and into the cold of the morning.
The bags are quite heavy, too much to simply haul them at their normal weight back to your home, so you walk a little ways away from the market and cast a wandless featherweight charm.
Charm in place you grip your bags and make your way back to your house, a quiet walk for the most part as you walk the steps up to your front door, set your bags down and rustle around for your keys.
Keys in hand you insert them into the door knob and turn it, making sure to do so gently so as not to wake up Fleur.
You'd rather as stress free a day as you could manage.
Door opens, you bend down to take a hold of your bags and set about putting them away as quietly as you can.
Your fridge is empty with the necessary electricity running through it. And so you set about putting away your perishables.
The endeavor takes you roughly 45 minutes as you put away the last of the groceries, all except for the flour, eggs, milk and baking powder.
It was around breakfast time and so you might as well make something for yourself before you set about your day.
You look around your kitchen for the necessary pan and bowls before finding the items and setting about your cooking.
It doesn't take you long to make your crumpets and boil up some water for some tea, nor does it take you a long time to finish your meal. Making sure to leave a plate for Fleur.
You figure it couldn't hurt, the least you could do is be civil.
You clean up your mess, putting the food items used back in their respective places and the pan and utensils used in their places before you set about your day.
You haven't properly been in your old home in a long while.
Not since before the war and your fruitless search for your parents.
The old memories start to bring tears to the corners of your eyes but you will them away.
You had pressing matters to attend to, much less allow yourself to break down in the middle of your family home where your 'happy wife' could walk in on you at any moment.
And so you make your way to the house and into the garage.
Might as well sort things out to pass the time.
You'd visit Harry and Ron later in the day.
No doubt they'd be having a better time of it with their respective soon to be spouses.
And so you set about sorting out the various items within your old family garage.
Taking care to set aside things to throw out, old books, newspaper clippings etc.
Really things that should have been thrown away long ago, but had somehow found themselves still among your possessions.
This takes up most of your day, as you find yourself having to leave the safety of the garage for the reprieve of a hot shower.
Your muscles ache but in a good way as you make your way through the house, you pass the kitchen on your way up the stairs for good measure, and find that the plate you set out is gone.
Guess Fleur did take up your offer of breakfast.
You don't pay thoughts of Fleur any further mind as you make your way up the stairs and to your room.
Later that night as you find yourself tucked well inside your bed do you allow yourself to dwell on thoughts of the irate veela sleeping down the hall.
Suppose you could just go about ignoring each other for now.
She afterall had made it abundantly clear that she wanted nothing to do with you.
You weren't her Bill Weasley.
You'd tried to extend a hand of friendship and she'd thrown it back in your face.
Horrid first night aside, she could at least try to be civil.
And as it would appear she even had a bloody restraining spell placed on her.
So it'd be unlikely that she'd be able to see Bill until the ministry lifted it.
You sigh at the thought.
She'd be bloody insufferable until then.
She'd also be unlikely to be able to attend the subsequent Weasley weddings to come.
Bill would most probably be in attendance and since it was a no brainer who Molly would rather be there, it was unlikely that Fleur would be able to attend as your plus one.
You sigh in relief at that.
At least you'd get some reprieve from her.
You'd be able to be happy for your best mates and watch as they stepped into this new journey with their wives.
At least they'd been matched with friendly people.
You shudder at your lot in life and will yourself to slumber.
The stress of the future to come weighing you into sleep.
- xxxx-
And so your days tick by in a monotonous rhythm.
Wake up, shower, get dressed, make yourself something edible, set about a chore to do around the house, visit Harry and Ron, come back home in the dead of night, shower, back to bed.
And so on and so forth.
You'd brush paths with Fleur on some days, acknowledge each other and go about your day.
Some days you'd spend all day out of the house, preoccupied with helping Harry and Ron get their homes available for their respective partners.
Or helping Mrs Weasley about the burrow, with 6 weddings to plan Mrs Weasley had been a busy woman and she'd appreciated the help you'd offered.
Had actually hugged you and told you to come by anytime, no doubt she'd heard about your situation with Fleur from either Ron or Bill.
In all total honesty you were glad for the work, anything to stay out of your house and away from Fleur.
The few times you did encounter each other she'd either acknowledge you or ignore that she even saw you all together.
Which did grate on your nerves but you'd rather not get into it with her in order to get about your day, she could be a prissy princess all she wanted.
You were fine with staying away and out of whatever she preoccupied herself with doing.
Most probably work.
But you weren't about to spend any time thinking about it.
The day of Harry and Ginny's wedding started off like any other day.
You showered, got ready in a nice red dress you'd found in the back of your closet and set about making yourself a cup of coffee before apparating to the burrow.
As you took your last sip of coffee did you find yourself surprised to see Fleur walk into the kitchen.
Hair immaculate and dressed in an elegantly made navy blue dress that looked like it came out of a vogue cover.
"Where are 'ou headed?" she asks before you can even make to leave.
You bite down the 'none of your business' that threatens to come out before responding, "Burrow, its Harry and Ginny's scheduled wedding,"
Her eyes go wide for a moment before she nods and sets about pouring herself a cup of coffee from the coffee maker nearby.
A present from Harry, given to you a few days prior, he'd told you the Dursley's had always gifted coffee makers as wedding presents whenever they'd been invited to one, figured you could use with a bit of muggle technology to spruce up your home.
You'd chuckled at the thoughtfulness of his present and set it up.
Setting your cup in the sink you chance a look at the blonde veela, she had an odd sense about her you couldn't quite place, but one you weren't curious enough to pry into.
"I'll be back late," you say, she doesn't acknowledge your statement and you turn and apparate away.
You breathe a sigh of relief when you appear right outside of the burrow.
A welcome sight indeed.
At least people here didn't scoff when you entered a room.
No.
They most certainly did not.