A/N: Hi all- Guess who's back on their bullshit? Love your reviews, they keep me motivated and cheer me up during this crazy ass time we are living in. Work is still busy as hell but I'm hoping to have the next chapter out faster than this one took me.
Note: when characters are speaking French, the words will be in bold. If it is Hermione's thoughts or notes in her notebook, it will be in italics.
Chapter 2.
Hermione scribbled in her notebook, making quick observations. She was in her History of Magic class, but was already well ahead of the class despite it being so early in the school year. As such, it was the perfect place to write up her morning findings from her research.
She had read that Veela held a strong dislike for rats. Hermione, emboldened by her encouraging findings so far, had encouraged Fred and George Weasley to release a few rats in the hallways as the Beauxbatons delegation were heading to their classes after breakfast. The impish twins hadn't taken much convincing, already planning on pranking the pretty French girls anyway.
Unfortunately, the results were inconclusive. The girls around Fleur had been so frantic and hysterical, Hermione had barely been able to see if Fleur herself was reacting. She appeared disgusted and uncomfortable at the appearance of the rats, but Hermione wasn't sure if that exactly confirmed a strong dislike. Besides, if Hermione really thought about it—lots of humans held a strong dislike for rats anyway.
It was all a bit of a wash.
She had a new plan though. Under the likes and dislikes, the book went on to explain that Veela actually had quite a developed sense of smell, at least when it came to some scents. Hermione had already acquired a small vial of lavender scented perfume, courtesy of Neville who had over-ordered when arranging for a birthday present for his grandmother.
But Hermione knew she couldn't put the lavender perfume on just anyone, or it would be like the rat experiment. There was no point dousing Ron in lavender perfume when she wouldn't be able to tell if Fleur would be acting disgusted with him because of the lavender or because he was, well, Ron.
No… Hermione had to pick someone that Fleur usually liked being close to.
Hermione's mind immediately turned to the flock of beautiful girls that surrounded Fleur wherever she went. Given the coldness of the castle, Fleur was almost always cosied up to one or more of the girls.
The class wrapped up and Hermione looked around to see some of her classmates waking up from poorly hidden naps. Ron's hair was standing up on all angles like he had just got up from bed. Harry looked like he had a bit of drool on his lip. Hermione never understood how students couldn't keep awake in this class! Yes, Professor Binns had a bit of a monotonous way of speaking—but he was a freakin' ghost! Besides, the various wars and establishments of Magical communities was totally fascinating.
Hermione slung her bag on her shoulder, following the throng of students as they filed out of the classroom grateful and into the corridors.
Hermione's stomach was growling; she was very much ready for lunch.
Her thoughts of food were quickly interrupted as a flurry of powder-blue uniforms glided past the Gryffindors. Hermione quickly noticed it was Fleur and her friends. Now was her chance.
Hermione pushed her way through her fellow Gryffindors, making sure she was closest to the Beauxbatons girls as they approached the entrance to the Great Hall. She fished in her satchel, taking out the small vial of perfume. She produced her wand. She happened to know a spell that would help her accurately get Fleur's friends. She unstoppered the perfume, tapping the vial with her wand and muttering the necessary words. She watched, fascinated, as small droplets of the perfume flew out of the vial and through the crowds. Hermione muttered again carefully, waving her wand in the direction of the Beauxbatons girls.
She wasn't sure if the small droplets had successfully landed on their targets, but she had tried her best. She put the vial back in her satchel, calmly entering the Great Hall and making a beeline for the Gryffindor table. She wanted to get a good seat so she could observe Fleur properly.
She sat down between Harry and Ginny, not even listening to either as she set her eyes on the Ravenclaw table. She fished out her notebook and quill, ready to take diligent notes.
Fleur was already beginning to walk at a distance from her friends now, her nose scrunched and a look of disgust across her delicate features. The girls settled in at the Ravenclaw table, gesturing for Fleur to come and sit with them.
Fleur looked at them, shaking her head.
Fascinating. Hermione scrawled her notes rapidly. Fleur hadn't even sat down with them!
She wondered what was going to happen now. Would Fleur even sit at the Ravenclaw table? Or were her senses so sharp she needed to move even further away?
As she looked up from her note-taking, Hermione froze—her breath catching in her throat. Fleur was looking directly at her.
'Does she somehow know what I'm doing?' Hermione thought with horror. She hadn't read anything about Veela being able to read minds, but was thoroughly unnerved.
Fleur slowly began to walk towards Hermione, gliding like she was on a runway.
"What's Delacour up to?" Ginny muttered to Hermione.
Fleur strutted right over to Hermione, looking down at the brunette. Hermione slammed her notebook shut, not wanting Fleur to see anything that she had written in there.
"Er, hello," Hermione greeted, unnerved by the intense gaze of the Beauxbatons Champion.
"'Ermione, correct?" Fleur asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Ah, yeah," Hermione answered tersely. Fleur really wasn't sure of her name after she introduced herself to the blonde just a few days ago? Merlin… This girl…
"'Arry, can you move down?" Fleur asked Harry, "I will sit wiz you and 'Ermione for lunch today."
Ron was shooting absolute daggers down the table at Harry right now. Hermione could tell it was just further igniting his jealousy of The Boy Who Lived.
"Er, okay," Harry replied, shuffling down the bench seats.
Fleur delicately climbed in, sitting herself elegantly between Harry and Hermione.
Fleur looked at the food with disdain, shivering a little.
"Is the food 'ere always so 'eavy?" Fleur sighed.
Hermione watched with interest as Fleur proceeded to pick out pieces of fruit and nuts out from what was on offer at the table. It was like it was right out of the textbook on Veela.
Hermione was relaxing now, figuring that Fleur had just chosen to sit by her as she was a familiar face at a table far enough away from the lavender scent of her friends.
"Do you prefer to graze on lighter things than have hearty meals?" Hermione asked Fleur.
Fleur looked at her curiously.
"Oui," Fleur replied, before popping a cashew into her mouth, "I've never been one for zese set timings of large meals. I would razzer eat a little when I am… 'ow you say? Snacky?"
"When you're just a little peckish?" Hermione offered.
Fleur cocked her head to one side, smiling.
Hermione was suddenly struck by the full beauty of the part-Veela. The full pout of her lips, the creaminess of her skin, the silkiness of her long mane of hair, the brightness of her azure eyes…
"Ze British 'ave such cute phrases and words," Fleur said finally, "Peckish. Like a bird, non?"
Hermione felt her stomach flip. Merlin… Fleur Delacour could actually be… Cute!
Before Hermione could really analyse what she was feeling, Fleur had turned to Harry on her other side.
"Are you ready for ze First Task, 'Arry?" Fleur asked.
Harry paled, shaking his head a little.
"Nah… It's hard to prepare for what we don't know… Isn't it?" Harry replied, "I mean… We still don't know when it will even be."
Fleur looked around confidentially before lowering her voice.
"Madame Maxime says we will find out in ze next few days," Fleur informed Harry, "And zat once zey tell us, we will only 'ave a few days to prepare. Even when zey tell us ze date and time of ze First Task, zey are still not going to tell us what we are facing."
"That seems bloody unfair!" Harry replied, "How can we prepare for what we don't know?"
Fleur shrugged.
"It is ze nature of ze competition, non?" Fleur replied, putting another cashew into her mouth.
Hermione was surprised. She hadn't thought that Fleur was the type of competitor who would give Harry the benefit of sharing what she knew about the timing of the First Task. Perhaps Fleur wasn't quite as cold as Hermione had initially thought.
Fleur shivered again. Hermione felt a little bad then, depriving Fleur of her usual friends to cuddle up to. It was the Veela's nature to increase physical proximity when in this environment.
As Hermione mulled over her guilt, Fleur shuffled closer to her, her toned thigh pressed flush against Hermione's own leg. Their shoulders were touching and Hermione could feel the blonde trembling with the cold.
Fleur seemed oblivious to any awkwardness of their close physical proximity, continuing to snack away on the food in front of her.
Hermione felt like her stomach was suddenly too unstable to manage her own lunch. It felt like it was doing acrobatics.
Why was she reacting so strongly to Fleur? Was it her thrall? Hermione knew now from her book that it only affected men, but she felt a warmth and thrill at Fleur being pressed so close to her.
'You can't feel a Veela thrall, but you still find them attractive…' a sinister little voice deep within Hermione teased, 'You know what that means?'
Hermione closed her eyes tightly. She shook her head slightly.
'It means you find them attractive purely because they're gorgeous women…' the voice continued, 'Which means… You're not straight, Hermione Granger. You're a nerd. You're frizzy-haired and bucktoothed. You're Muggleborn… And now you're gay on top of that.'
Horrified, Hermione's eyes snapped open again and she involuntarily gasped.
"Are you okay?" Ginny asked from beside her.
Fleur's azure eyes were on Hermione again. It was making it all far too unbearable.
"Yeah… I-I-I… I have to go," Hermione stammered. She pushed her food away from her and grabbed her satchel. Hermione practically leapt out of her seat, speeding out of the Great Hall before Harry or Ginny could question her further.
As soon as she got out of the Hall, she leaned against the stone wall, panting.
No.
She could push this out of her mind.
She would focus on her studies. Her research. Harry and the Tournament. There was plenty going on in her life that she could think about. Anything was better to think about instead of this.
It was a couple of days later and Hermione was at lunch in the Great Hall. She was staring intently at the Ravenclaw table.
Fleur was cuddled up with another one of her friends this morning. It was a raven-haired girl who was almost as gorgeous as the part-Veela herself. The girl had an arm tightly around Fleur's shoulders. Fleur was resting her head on the pretty girl's shoulder, a slight smile on her face.
Hermione hadn't run any more experiments on Fleur since the blonde had sat so closely to her at lunch.
But as she watched Fleur nestled closely with her pretty friend, she suddenly felt her stomach twist uncomfortably. Maybe it was time for another experiment.
She pulled the Veela textbook roughly out of her satchel, wrenching it to a page almost at random.
"Witch hazel has a strong affect on Veela…"
Well. Hermione just so happened to know that powdered witch hazel was in her potions kit. She had bought the extended kit when filling her stationery list that year. Now it was finally paying off.
People were beginning to finish their lunch and rise to head out of the Great Hall. Hermione watched Fleur and her friends glide elegantly across the Hall, numerous eyes on them. Hermione noticed with distaste that the little finger of Fleur's hand was interlinked with the little finger of the girl she had just been cuddling with at the table.
"Want to head out?" Hermione asked Ron beside her. She fished frantically through her bag.
"Uh, sure," Ron agreed, grabbing an extra drumstick for the road.
Hermione headed off at a speedy pace. Ron, even with his lanky limbs, had to hurry to catch up with her.
"Gods, why are you in such a rush?" Ron asked, biting his drumstick.
"No reason," Hermione replied innocently.
They had caught up to the Beauxbatons girls in the crowded hallway. Hermione, discreetly, lifted her hand. In it she had a handful of witch hazel powder. She blew as hard as she could, watching as it clouded and spread in the air of the hallway.
"What was that?" Ron asked, confused.
"Nothing," Hermione replied quickly.
The Beauxbatons girls stopped walking. Hermione couldn't tell what they were saying, but they seemed to be asking Fleur if she was okay.
Hermione glimpsed the blonde amongst the fussing schoolgirls. Her hair seemed even more silvery than usual.
"Oh God," Ron groaned.
Hermione turned to look at her redheaded friend. His eyes were glazed and he had wrenched his school robes shut. Confused, Hermione looked around the hallway.
The boys all appeared to be acting strangely. Neville was bright red and holding a Herbology textbook in front of his crotch. Several boys were doing the same, or holding their robes awkwardly like Ron. All appeared to have glazed over eyes.
The thrall… It must have increased it somehow.
Hermione turned to look back at the Beauxbatons girls. Fleur was in her eyeline now and looked distressed, her bright blue eyes taking in the reactions of the boys around her.
Perhaps Hermione had made an error in conducting this experiment so rashly.
Everyone around her looked so thoroughly uncomfortable.
"Jesus!"
Hermione looked and saw Graham Montague from Slytherin walking forward, his pants clearly tented at the front.
She had definitely made an error.
"Delacour," Montague grunted, reaching forward for Fleur.
Fleur moved backwards, avoiding his reach. He stepped forward again, trying to paw at the blonde's svelte body.
"Non!" Fleur insisted, her voice sounding stressed.
"Go on a date with me?" a boy called out from the hallway.
This seemed to encourage other boys, Hogwarts and Durmstrang alike. A number began to call out requests to Fleur—some of them far less appropriate than others.
Fleur's alarm peaked and she pushed through the crowd, storming off down the hallway. The occasional boy reached for her but she shoved them away roughly each time. She left her friends behind in her wake. The French girls all looked surprised and baffled, talking amongst themselves once Fleur had stormed off.
Hermione felt a twinge of guilt. After all, it was her stupid experiment that had supercharged Fleur's thrall.
"Ron… I've gotta go to the library," Hermione lied, pushing through the crowd and heading off in the direction that Fleur had gone.
She only had to follow the trail of dazed and awkward boys, soon finding Fleur blocked from a staircase. A cluster of Slytherin boys were aggressively asking Fleur out.
"I am not interested," Fleur was saying flatly.
"But—"
"She said she's not interested," Hermione interrupted, coming up beside Fleur. The Slytherins all glared at her, Crabbe and Malfoy amongst them.
"Stop trying to cock-block, Granger," Malfoy spat.
"And here I was thinking you couldn't get slimier," Hermione retorted. She took Fleur by the elbow, pulling the blonde away from the Slytherins and around a corner. She knew from sneaking around with Harry and Ron that there was a hidden tunnel just around the corner. She ducked behind the tapestry that hid it, pulling the shocked blonde with her.
Hermione leant against the cool stone wall of the tunnel, exhaling heavily. Fleur faced her, eying her curiously. Her hair was definitely more silvery and her eyes seemed more blue, almost glowing in the dim light.
"'Ermione, right?" Fleur asked.
Hermione felt her annoyance at the blonde swiftly return.
"Yes, it's Hermione Granger," Hermione replied. Really?! She had met Fleur a few times now and yet the blonde still couldn't remember her name?! Hermione felt her sympathy for the Frenchwoman ebb.
"Merci, 'Ermione," Fleur replied politely, "I do not quite understand what 'appened."
"It, er, seemed like your thrall was quite strong there," Hermione replied, trying to keep the guilt out of her voice.
Fleur eyed her with suspicion. Hermione had a horrible moment of wondering if Fleur could see straight through her. But then Fleur cocked her head to one side adorably, looking puzzled.
"'Ow do you know about zat?" Fleur asked.
"I like Magical Creatures," Hermione shrugged, "That and Rita Skeeter reported on your Grandmother being a Veela when covering the weighing of the wands."
"Zat 'orrible woman," Fleur growled before looking a little forlorn, "Alzough now I suppose even more people will zink of me as a creature. I just do not understand… My zrall is never zat strong! I can usually reel it in a little, too."
"Can you?" Hermione asked, fascinated, "I didn't know Veela could control the intensity of their thrall."
She made a mental note to add that fact when she was writing up her findings.
Fleur cocked her head to one side again, watching Hermione curiously. Her beauty was even more breathtaking up close. Hermione could almost count each one of her long, dark eyelashes. Her lips looked so plump and soft. She was slightly taller than Hermione, but maybe that was the heels that she always seemed to wear.
"You really are interested in Magical Creatures," Fleur surmised. She smiled slightly, "Is it you 'oo set up ze 'Ogwarts society for Elvish rights?"
"S.P.E.W., yes," Hermione replied, grinning, "I can't believe you've heard of it!"
"I am part creature, non?" Fleur shrugged, "It is ze kind of zing I notice."
"Hey, uh, if you get sick of the boys around here bothering you, I have a great place for studying down the back left hand side of the Hogwarts Library. You can always join me there for a break," Hermione offered.
She wasn't sure why she had offered.
Maybe it was because Fleur seemed a lot nicer in this encounter than she usually did.
Maybe it was because it would give her increased access to the part-Veela, making it easier for her to study her more.
Yes, it was probably that.
"Merci, 'Ermione," Fleur smiled gracefully, "Per'aps I shall."
Hermione felt herself smiling back.
"Er, well…" Hermione began, trailing off awkwardly.
Fleur sighed.
"I can feel ze zrall 'as subsided now," Fleur said, relief in her voice, "Zank you for 'elping me out. I really appreciate it, 'Ermione."
She stepped close to Hermione, entirely into her personal space. Hermione couldn't help but notice how nice Fleur smelt. She wondered if that was a Veela thing or just Fleur's good taste in perfume.
Fleur leaned in, kissing Hermione softly on one cheek, then again on the other cheek.
"Au revoir, 'Ermione," Fleur murmured softly.
And then she was gone. She slipped gracefully out of the hidden tunnel and back into the hallways of Hogwarts, leaving Hermione standing rigidly in the tunnel.
"Wow," Hermione murmured.
She slipped out of the hidden tunnel herself, heading off to the library almost in a daze. She had lost all interest in tracking down Ron or Harry for the remainder of her lunch break. Instead, she sat down in her favourite spot to study.
She pulled out her notebook, beginning to note down everything she had learnt from the day.
'Veela can control their thrall, reeling it in if they want. Powdered witch hazel resulted in the part-Veela subject involuntarily increasing her thrall, losing control over it. Human boys nearby experienced extreme reactions to the thrall.'
Hermione decided to finish off her notes with some general observations.
'The part-Veela subject seems pleasant in a one on one encounter. She is more beautiful than the Veela textbook described. Her face is extremely pretty. Her voice is soft and velvety. Her body is very slight but still has curves. Smells extremely nice.'
Pleased with her scientific findings, Hermione closed her notebook. She had learnt a lot that day.
Hermione was sitting alone in the Gryffindor Common Room late that night, thinking about her encounter with Fleur. She was leafing through her notebook, reviewing the notes she had made on the part-Veela.
She was interrupted from her thoughts as Harry clambered in through the portrait hole. He looked extremely rattled. He was very pale and kept running a shaky hand through his messy spikes of black hair.
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked.
"Not really," Harry replied absently, coming to pace in front of Hermione.
"What's going on?" Hermione asked.
"They've told us. The First Task is in a week." Harry said, running his hand through his hair yet again, "What am I gonna do, Hermione? I have no clue how to prepare? How do you prepare for what you don't know?"
"Oh, Harry," Hermione replied, "I can help you."
The poor boy looked absolutely terrified. Harry was acting as if they had just told him he was going to be publically executed in a week's time. That's probably how he felt it would go…
"Thanks," Harry said shakily.
He covered his face with both his hands for a moment, seeming to wallow in the reality of the situation. He sighed heavily before lowering his hands again.
"Don't panic," Hermione advised him, "There are plenty of broad things we can cover that would protect you in a wide range of situations! Some good defensive spells, some good offensive spells… Perhaps some unlocking charms too? There might be a puzzle element to it."
"You know who among us is the best at strategy and puzzles," Harry said glumly, coming to sit beside Hermione.
Hermione's mind turned back to Ron's skill in Second Year when they'd had to play a terrifying life sized game of Wizarding Chess.
"Harry… We'll figure something out," Hermione said in a tone she hoped was reassuring, "You're not on your own with this."
Harry just shrugged noncommittally before sloping up the staircase to the boys' dormitory tiredly.
Hermione closed her notebook. She felt like she had been letting herself get distracted by her extra-curricular research. She needed to start spending some quality time in the library looking up solutions for Harry.
The next evening, Hermione sat in the depths of the Hogwarts library. She was making good on her promise to Harry.
The whole day, everyone had been buzzing about the First Task. To make things worse, Rita Skeeter had done a large write-up of all the Champions. Her write up of Harry was embarrassing to say the least.
Hermione cast a disgusted look at the folded Daily Prophet on her desk. She'd incorrectly stated Harry was eleven, said he'd cried and whimpered through the entire interview, and depicted him as terrified. Well, he was terrified, Hermione supposed… But that was besides the point. Skeeter didn't know that.
She supposed at least the others had received poor write ups too. Viktor had been written up in a way that strongly hinted he was a Death Eater, something Hermione suspected had less to do with his actual leanings and more to do with his role of preventing the Scottish Quidditch team from reaching World Cup Finals. It was truly laughable considering the Durmstrang Headmaster Karkaroff was a former Death Eater—yet not an allegation had been cast at him in the piece.
Fleur hadn't got off lightly either. Skeeter had had a field day with her Veela heritage. She suggested that Fleur had used her creature wiles to get selected (how the thrall could work on a goblet was beyond Hermione). She'd also clearly been tipped off on the incident the previous day with Fleur's out of control thrall. She detailed it unflatteringly, posing the question to readers whether students were safe at a school with a part-creature. She further queried whether Fleur had an unfair advantage over the others in the competition. Hermione couldn't even read to the end of that one.
Cedric's write up was the only one that wasn't too bad. Although Skeeter had suggested that Cedric's father's Ministry connections might give him an advantage, she had actually described him a fairly positive way.
Hermione sighed, turning back to her textbook. She felt anxious green eyes on her.
Harry had been sitting at the table with her for most of the night. He'd barely been able to concentrate on a thing himself. Instead, he was posing constant questions to Hermione about what the First Task could entail.
It was proving less than helpful, breaking Hermione's own concentration frequently. She'd only managed to jot down half a dozen spells that might be helpful for Harry.
"Harry, maybe you should take a break?" Hermione said with a sigh, "Go talk to the guys in the Common Room?"
"Ron's in there," Harry frowned, "Maybe I'll take my broom out for a bit. An evening fly might clear my head."
"Good idea," Hermione smiled. She couldn't quite tell the boy outright that his anxious fidgeting was driving her crazy.
Harry swiped some books carelessly into his backpack before slinging it on. He shot Hermione a weak smile, looking like he wanted to say something, before turning and leaving the library.
Hermione sighed with relief, returning to her textbook on shielding charms. Whatever Harry faced, a good shielding charm would surely help.
She began to diligently copy down a mid-level one that didn't seem like it would be too difficult to learn.
Hermione felt soothed by the silence in the library now. This corner was her sanctuary, hidden amongst large bookshelves and far away from the other tables. Now Harry was gone, it was back to being quiet. Hermione smiled slightly at the sound of her quill scratching the parchment.
Perfect.
She flipped the page of the book, eyes lighting up at a summoning spell. Now that could be helpful for an unknown challenge.
She began to copy it down.
Hermione heard one of the chairs scrape back at the table and sighed. She hadn't even heard Harry clomping back over to the table.
"Harry, I've got this—" Hermione began, looking up from her notes.
Her breath caught in her throat at the beautiful girl gracefully sitting in the chair across from her.
"'Ermione, oui?" Fleur asked, cocking her head to one side.
Hermione suppressed a growl.
Fleur really didn't know her name yet?!
"Yep," Hermione replied tersely, "Hermione Granger."
Fleur smiled sweetly at her. She seemed to be warming up to her, regardless of knowing her name.
"You said I could join you in zis area of ze library," Fleur reminded her, "To keep away from ze boys."
"Oh, right," Hermione replied absently. She wished she had brought her Veela notebook. It would have been a perfect night for making some more observations on Fleur.
No. She was here for Harry. She had to concentrate.
Hermione reluctantly dropped her eyes to the textbook in front of her. It was hard not to stare at the pretty blonde across from her.
Fleur took out some of her own books, spreading them out on the other side of the table.
"Zank you for inviting me to study 'ere," Fleur said, "Ze boys can get a bit much sometimes and I 'ave to prepare for ze First Task."
"Oh… Right…" Hermione replied. She wasn't sure why she was suddenly at a loss for words with the blonde. She was never at a loss for words.
There was a clipping of heels and another Beauxbatons girl emerged from the bookshelves. Hermione recognised her as the dark-haired girl that Fleur often linked little fingers with while walking in the halls. One of her favourites for cuddling with against the cold. Hermione felt her stomach twist with a feeling she didn't quite recognise.
"Fleur, there you are," the girl greeted in French.
Hermione wondered if they knew she could understand French. Her parents had taken her to France for a couple of holidays and she had insisted on taking French classes for the occasion.
"Bonsoir, Julie," Fleur greeted silkily, smiling at the dark-haired girl. Julie leaned in, kissing Fleur on each cheek.
"I have been looking for you everywhere!" Julie told Fleur, sinking into the chair beside Fleur.
Hermione found herself looking at the dark-haired girl. She was very pretty. Hermione chewed on the inside of her lip, watching the exchange.
Fleur looked up, casting her a curious look.
"Ah, 'Ermione, zis is my friend Julie," Fleur explained to Hermione.
Hermione nodded, dropping her gaze back to her textbook. She was determined to get this summoning spell copied down.
"It is so cold in here," Fleur whined adorably. Hermione hid her smile. It was considerably warmer in the library compared to other parts of Hogwarts. Fleur really was sensitive to the cold. She would have to add that observation to her notebook when she got back to the dormitory.
"Cuddle up then," Julie sighed with a smile in her voice.
Hermione heard chairs shuffling as Fleur moved to be closer to Julie.
"You act as if it is such a chore for you," Fleur retorted.
Again, Hermione wondered if they knew she could understand them quite well.
"Well, it is hardly a chore to have such a stunning girl in my arms so regularly," Julie replied flirtily.
Hermione almost snapped her quill in surprise. They definitely didn't know she could understand them.
"You are such a flirt," Fleur replied with a light chuckle.
"I can't help it, you know it is always such fun when we play," Julie replied.
Hermione felt her face heating up a little bit. She felt like a weird kind of voyeur overhearing them speak so freely and playfully with each other.
The chair beside her drew backwards and Hermione was startled to see a small mini-Fleur drop into the seat beside her.
"Uh, hi?" Hermione greeted, surprised.
"'Ello," the small Fleur greeted.
Fleur turned her attentions away from Julie, smiling at the small blonde beside Hermione.
"Zis is my little sister, Gabrielle," Fleur explained, "She is only seven, but was allowed to accompany Beauxbatons for the tournament."
Julie was playing with Fleur's silky hair as she spoke. Hermione felt the odd feeling within her intensify. Julie leaned in, muttering something inaudible in Fleur's ear.
"Hello, Gabrielle," Hermione introduced herself to the small girl, wrenching her attention away from the teens across from her, "I am Hermione Granger."
Gabrielle extended a small hand. Hermione smiled warmly, shaking her hand. What an oddly formal little girl.
"Nice to meet you, 'Ermione," Gabrielle replied, "Are zere kids' books in zis library?"
"There are!" Hermione replied brightly, "There are books of almost every type you can think of in this library. Can you believe that?"
"Even Dark Magic?" Gabrielle gasped, her little mouth forming an 'o' of shock.
Hermione chuckled.
"Yes, though those are carefully guarded in the Restricted Section," Hermione informed Gabrielle, "So no naughty students can get their hands on those without special permission and supervision."
Gabrielle's eyes were wide as she listened to Hermione with interest. Hermione glanced up to see Fleur beaming as she watched the exchange, her bright blue eyes sparkling with good humour.
"Could you please show me ze kids' books?" Gabrielle asked politely, once her initial shock had faded.
"Sure," Hermione answered with a grin, "Follow me."
She got up and led the child through the tall and dusty rows of bookshelves that formed something of a maze in the Hogwarts Library. She'd spent so much of her time here over her years at Hogwarts that she knew the location of books by heart.
As soon as they reached the shelf with children's fiction, Gabrielle excitedly began rifling through the covers. Hermione suppressed a smile.
"You're an avid reader, huh?" Hermione asked.
Gabrielle stopped momentarily, looking up at Hermione with big blue innocent eyes.
"What does avid mean?" Gabrielle asked curiously. She cocked her head to one side adorably, reminding Hermione of her older sister.
"Eager," Hermione explained, smiling warmly.
Gabrielle nodded vigorously.
"I usually get stuck in ze carriage during ze day," Gabrielle explained as she turned back to the books, "I 'ave a tutor in ze carriage, but apart from zat I am left to myself. Zere are no ozzer kids my age. I do not mind zough, I love to read."
"Fleur doesn't spend time with you?" Hermione asked, quirking an eyebrow. She hadn't read anything on Veela and family yet.
"She does," Gabrielle replied, pulling a book out, frowning at the cover, and putting it back, "But she is so busy wiz school and 'omework and training and ze Tournament… So she usually 'as to find time between zat."
"I see," Hermione replied, shuffling her feet, "Must be nice spending time with her when she is free, though."
"Oui!" Gabrielle chirped, "We tell each ozzer almost everyzing! She even mentioned you, 'Ermione!"
"She doesn't even know my name," Hermione scoffed in disbelief at the child, "She asks me if it is Hermione every time we meet."
Gabrielle giggled. Her voice sounded like a delicate tinkling.
"She zinks she is pronouncing it wrong," Gabrielle confided in Hermione, "Ze 'H' is so difficult."
"Oh!" Hermione replied, her mind digesting this new fact. She immediately began to rethink previous interactions in a new light.
"I want to read zis one!" Gabrielle exclaimed, holding up a book with a princess on the cover.
"Nice choice," Hermione replied in a quieter tone, "But you shouldn't talk too loudly or Madame Pince will tell you off."
Gabrielle gasped dramatically, her eyes widening again. Hermione couldn't help but chuckle. Gabrielle was such an adorable child. She gestured for Gabrielle to follow her, winding through the large bookshelves again. They turned into a small alley between shelves where they could see the table at the end.
Hermione froze.
They were still a way away from the table, but Hermione could quite clearly see what was happening. Fleur's legs were draped over Julie's lap. Julie's hand was deep in Fleur's silky hair and she was leaning in. They looked like they were having quite an intimate conversation. But what had stopped Hermione's legs from working was that Julie was intermittently dipping in and kissing Fleur on the lips throughout their conversation.
"Ugh!" Gabrielle exclaimed childishly beside her.
"Er, do they usually do that?" Hermione asked the small child. Gabrielle scrunched up her face and stuck her tongue out.
"Sometimes," Gabrielle replied, "So icky. At least Julie is cleaner zan some of ze boys Fleur 'as kissed in ze past—Yuck!"
"Yeah, kissing can be kind of gross," Hermione chuckled at Gabrielle's reaction, despite her shock, "So are Julie and Fleur… More than friends?"
"Non," Gabrielle shrugged dismissively, "Fleur said zey are just friends but zat sometimes zey like to play togezzer."
Hermione almost choked at that response, sure that Gabrielle was unaware of the double meaning of the words. Gabrielle grabbed her hand, pulling her back towards the table.
Hermione's head, always full of some train of thought or another, was now positively swirling. She was overwhelmed at all this new information about Fleur. That she had been nervous about getting Hermione's name wrong, that Julie and her clearly had a very close friendship… It was all so much Hermione felt like her stomach was in knots.
Fleur and Julie stopped their kissing as Hermione and Gabrielle returned to the table. Fleur swung her legs off Julie's lap, turning back to face the table. She smiled at Gabrielle.
"Did you find a nice book, Gabrielle?" Fleur asked warmly.
"Oui! 'Ermione showed me a giant shelf full of kids' books!" Gabrielle replied excitedly. She turned her chosen book around to show Fleur the cover.
"You love zose princess books," Fleur chuckled lightly, beaming at her sister.
Gabrielle smiled back, before opening the book and settling in to reading quietly. Fleur watched her with a warm smile for a while, before attentively turning to her own books and papers.
Hermione watched Julie out of the corner of her eye. The dark-haired woman flipped open a copy of Witch Weekly and leafed through it idly. She was being entirely quiet, but Hermione still wished that Julie would just leave.
Somewhat sulkily, although she didn't quite know why, Hermione returned to her own book. The summoning spell… She had to copy this down correctly for Harry. No more getting distracted by her curiosity of Veela.
Hermione copied it down, as well as a handful of other good general Charms. She was working slower than she usually did, glancing up every now and again to look at Fleur.
Fleur seemed so relaxed it really changed her entire appearance. Whenever Hermione usually saw her surrounded by people, she always appeared so stiff and haughty. Now, however, she just looked serene and elegant. Hermione admired the way her hair tumbled just so as she read. Her handwriting looked to be elegant and looping cursive, her quill held loosely in her perfectly manicured hand.
Hermione was pulled from her thoughts by a tug at her sleeve. Gabrielle was looking up at her with sparkling big eyes.
"The princess in the book is half fairy!" Gabrielle told Hermione excitedly.
"Oh, er, that's exciting," Hermione replied with a polite smile.
Gabrielle beamed at her.
"Princesses in stories are never part-Creature," Gabrielle informed Hermione, turning back to her book.
Hermione felt her heart swell for the small child then. She wondered how lonely it must be as a part-Creature. Too human to fit in with Creatures, too Creature to fit in with humans. Never really coming across others like yourself often.
Gabrielle happily went back to her book as Hermione looked over at Fleur again. She wondered yet again if she was crossing a line with her research on the part-Veela. Could thirst for knowledge be a bad thing?
Hermione shook her head, willing herself to keep her concentration for Harry. Enough thinking about Veela.
She continued taking notes for some time, until she was sure she had a good cluster of spells for her best friend.
She didn't realise how much time had passed until Gabrielle began to yawn widely beside her.
"Oh, Gabrielle, it is past your bedtime!" Fleur exclaimed, looking at her watch.
"I want to stay up," Gabrielle protested petulantly.
"Non, you must go back to the Carriage," Fleur sighed, "A shame, I still have so much work to get done…"
"Surely Gabrielle will be fine walking down one hallway and crossing the lawn to the Carriage?" Hermione asked. She wasn't sure why, but she was a little reluctant for Fleur to leave.
"Absolutely not," Fleur snapped abruptly, her eyes flashing. Hermione was surprised.
"I can take her back to the Carriage," Julie interrupted, closing her magazine, "I'm bored anyway."
"Would you really?" Fleur smiled, "I'm just so far behind on my work because of Tournament preparations."
"Of course, Fleur," Julie responded, standing up, "Come on, little lady!"
"Don't call me that," Gabrielle replied, frowning. She appeared to be getting a little cranky. Julie laughed good-naturedly.
"Gabrielle, pack your things away," Fleur directed gently.
Gabrielle sighed dramatically, putting the book in her little backpack and slinging it on her shoulders. Hermione smiled at how adorable she was.
"Zank you for showing me ze kids' books, 'Ermione," Gabrielle smiled politely.
"No problem," Hermione replied warmly, "I'll see you around, Gabrielle. It was nice to meet you."
Gabrielle beamed, coming to stand at the end of the table. Julie came to stand by her, a hand on her shoulder. The dark-haired girl leaned in close to Fleur for a moment.
"Maybe you could stay with me tonight. You seem stressed… I can help you relax a little?" Julie asked in a low voice. But Hermione caught her words. She wondered if Julie meant them to sound as suggestive as they seemed when spoken in French.
Hermione felt her jaw tensing. Julie had been nothing but polite, and seemingly nice to Fleur. But something about the girl just set Hermione on edge.
"I'll be fine," Fleur smiled at her friend, "Thanks for taking Gabrielle back."
"No problem," Julie replied, pecking Fleur on the cheek.
"Julieeeee," Gabrielle whined, "Stop playing with Fleur and take me to the Carriage!"
Julie and Fleur both chuckled. Julie waved politely at Hermione before ushering the small little mini-Fleur out of the library.
Hermione felt a little awkward suddenly on her own with Fleur.
"I am sorry for snapping before," Fleur said quietly, "Gabrielle's zrall is starting to come in already. I do not like 'er moving around ze castle unaccompanied."
"Already?!" Hermione yelped, "She is a child!"
"Oui, it develops during childhood," Fleur's face darkened, "Gabrielle is still too innocent to know ze affect it 'as on men. For now, it merely draws zem in and makes zem notice 'er presence. Ze sexual desire does not come until teens. But zat does not mean zat some men do not 'ave bad intentions when it comes to children zat draw zeir attention."
Hermione felt a horrible shiver down her spine. Predators existed in the Muggle world too. She remembered the creepy men that sometimes hung around outside kids' schools and the way parents and teachers warned children about them. Not to accept any treats from people they didn't know, not to get in a car with strangers… Her skin crawled at the thought of Gabrielle unintentionally drawing in people like that.
"I'm sorry," Hermione replied hollowly, "It seems unfair for her to bear more risk than other children."
Fleur shrugged.
"Part of being a Veela is always being gazed upon by boys and men," Fleur replied neutrally, "I just do not want her to lose 'er innocence too early because of it."
Is that what happened to you? Hermione died to ask. But she kept quiet, not wanting to be rude.
Fleur returned her intense gaze to her books, continuing to work on her studies.
Hermione, in turn, returned to her work for Harry. She decided it might be helpful to draw up a timetable of when they could practice some of these spells together. She knew Harry's class schedule as well as she knew her own. It wouldn't be hard to find times they could meet up.
When Hermione had finished sketching that out, she began loosely planning what spells they could cover in what session. She loved some good organising. She was sure Harry would call her a lunatic for being so obsessively prepared—but hey, he would thank her when he pulled through the First Task alive.
Hermione heard a slight growling of Fleur's stomach across the table. Dinner that night had been exceptionally heavy—a full red meat and potatoes kind of offering. Fleur mustn't have been able to stomach much.
"Er, I have some strawberries in my bag if you're hungry," Hermione offered. Truthfully, she had obtained them from the kitchen earlier in the day when she had been weighing up another research expedition. She supposed just giving them to Fleur for the sake of it may cheer up the stressed blonde, even if it didn't provide Hermione with any particular findings for her research.
"I love strawberries," Fleur grinned.
Hermione hid her knowing smile, fishing around in her bag for the strawberries. She had barely got them out of her bag when Fleur rushed to sit beside her.
Hermione didn't even need to offer them again. Fleur dived in immediately, happily eating them with relish.
Hermione felt herself blush as Fleur shuffled her chair over and nestled into her. She kept plucking strawberries from the small container in Hermione's lap, devouring them hungrily. It was like the olives; Fleur was so content with her food that she was comfortably nestling in to Hermione against the cold. It really seemed to lower Fleur's guard.
"So… Uh… How are you going with preparing for the Tournament?" Hermione asked, suddenly a little flustered.
Fleur let out a small contented moan as she bit into another strawberry, smiling happily. She turned her bright blue eyes to look at Hermione.
"I am going okay," Fleur replied with a shrug, "As okay as one can be when preparing for ze unknown."
"Aren't you scared?" Hermione asked, surprised, "People have literally died in this competition before."
"Legends never die," Fleur said playfully, smiling cockily.
Merlin, this woman.
Fleur was such a mixture of things. So ridiculous, so mysterious, so unattainable. Hermione frowned at the last thought. She didn't want to attain Fleur.
"Such an ego," Hermione slipped out the comment by accident, but it caused Fleur to chuckle.
"Some people like an ego on a woman," Fleur countered.
Hermione had to disagree with that notion. The number of times she had been called bossy or a know-it-all for being self-assured certainly spoke to the contrary.
"You seem in better spirits," Hermione commented, changing the subject, "You seemed quite stressed before."
Hermione pointedly left out that she had understood Julie's French perfectly when she had stated how stressed Fleur was.
Fleur shrugged.
"I feel cheered up," Fleur said, grabbing another strawberry. She nestled closer into Hermione's side. Hermione could feel Fleur's body flush against the side of hers. It was very overwhelming.
She wasn't sure what the appropriate etiquette was here. Put an arm around Fleur's shoulders like her friends often did when she cuddled up to them?
"You are good company, you know," Fleur added, "And I do not say zat lightly to people."
"Don't you?" Hermione said, raising an eyebrow, "You seem to have so many close friends."
"Mmn, but I 'ave decided zat you are much better company zan zem," Fleur said happily, polishing off yet another strawberry.
Hermione was a little floored. Fleur had warmed up to her so much already! Was it just the olives and strawberries? If so, that was major for her research on part-Veela. An ice queen like Fleur suddenly taking a liking to her so much after simple treats? That finding could be major in the academic world of Magical Creatures.
"Really?" Hermione asked, trying to hide her extreme interest.
"Really," Fleur replied with a coy smile.
"Even better company than Julie?" Hermione asked. She wasn't quite sure why she had asked that. It was a bit of stupid question really, and didn't help her with her research at all.
An unreadable expression rippled over Fleur's delicate facial features as her eyes seemed to gain intensity. Fleur looked at her intently for a moment, before pulling a smile on her face.
"Ah, well… She does not provide me wiz olives or strawberries," Fleur replied jokingly.
Hermione pondered all this for a moment. As much as she enjoyed spending time with Fleur and observing her, she was incredibly eager to write down all she had discovered in the evening. The last thing she wanted to do was forget a single detail.
"I should go," Hermione said suddenly. She withdrew herself from the cuddly Veela. Her stomach felt like it did a funny kind of wobble as Fleur made a little noise of protest at the loss in touch.
Hermione packed up her books and papers, trying not to overthink things. Instead she focussed on the findings she would be writing up in her notebook. She was feeling good. She'd come through for Harry and she'd still managed to make progress on her research.
"Hmm, I suppose I will stay and continue my study on my own," Fleur said with a small frown.
"We can study together another time," Hermione offered, feeling a little bad all of a sudden. Fleur surprised Hermione by beaming again.
"I would like zat," Fleur replied. She stood up, kissing Hermione quickly on both cheeks.
Hermione felt her cheeks blush. She still wasn't quite used to the French custom.
"Er, goodnight," Hermione muttered. She turned on her heel, marching out of the library.
She was eager to get to the Gryffindor dormitories, looking forward to jotting down her findings and to showing Harry the plan for his preparations.
When she got to the Common Room, Harry still wasn't back, so she took the opportunity to grab her notebook from her room. She settled herself in by the fireplace to fill in her findings while she waited for him.
'Part-Veela find their thrall developing in childhood. It starts as a pure pull of attention from males, before developing into the full attraction in their teens.
Confirmed part-Veela love strawberries. Subject displayed raised mood and increased connection to researcher.'
"Man, you spend so much time writing in that notebook," Ron commented, chucking a Quaffle back and forth lazily with Dean on a couch nearby.
"Yeah," Hermione replied distractedly.
'Close friendships/relationships
Subject displayed physical intimacy with a close friend. Unclear if this is typical of Veela friendships, Veela dating, or relationships.
Note close friend was also female. It raises the question: Do Veela exhibit same-sex attraction? If there are no male Veela, and if mating with a human male produces a part-blooded offspring—does this mean that full-blooded Veela are somehow produced by two mated female Veela?'
Hermione tapped the feather of her quill against her lip. She hadn't meant to write down anything about Julie and Fleur. But she just couldn't get it out of her mind. But now it had started her on a whole other track. Did Veela reproduce in same-sex pairings? Did they mate in same-sex pairings? Was… Was Fleur attracted to women?
Hermione bit down on her lip, feeling her stomach squirm. The cruel little voice in her head was mocking her, reminding her of her own attraction to women.
No.
Hermione needed to focus on her projects. Not on herself.
"Where is Harry?" Hermione asked, shutting her notebook, "It seems awfully late for him to still be flying."
"Probably signing autographs," Ron muttered darkly, though he suddenly looked a little concerned.
"What?" Hermione asked, looking at the redhead suspiciously, "What do you know?"
"Nothing," Ron said quickly, before shuffling awkwardly in his seat, "Just… I might have prompted Hagrid to talk to him."
"Ron!" Hermione sighed, exasperated, "When is this stupid feud going to end? Harry needs our support right now. More than ever! He didn't put his name in the Goblet for Pete's sake."
Ron frowned.
"Yeah right," Ron retorted, "But anyway… It was out of support. I might think he's an absolute prat, but I don't want the guy to die."
Hermione opened her mouth to ask more, but Harry himself climbed in the portrait hole.
Right on cue, Ron shot him a scowl and got up, storming to the boys' dormitory. Dean shrugged, picking up the abandoned Quaffle and following Ron.
Harry was pale. He came and threw himself into the couch beside Hermione.
"You okay?" Hermione asked, leaning forward.
"Dragons," Harry croaked.
Hermione felt her stomach drop in horror.
"Sorry… What?" Hermione asked.
"Th-the First Task is bloody Dragons," Harry stammered, paling further.