A/N: Hey all! Another chapter hot off the press for y'all! In this chapter we see Hermione deal with and bounce back from the trainwreck of last chapter.

Maaaan, I am loving all the Fleurmione fics out there right now! If you're considering writing your own- go for it! They're a cute pairing and I love reading fics about them. Currently obsessed with 'We Choose Our Own' by trinitynix and 'If I Could Turn Back Time' by Perpetual Nonsense as ongoing fics. The absolute BEST one-shot right now is 'Accepting' by lipeviez, oh my God that made me feel all the feels... SUCH good writing.

Let me know any other good recs in a PM or comment :)

As always, your reviews are my lifeblood :D

Hermione stepped outside, the breeze chilling her due to her wet hair and face. She was in a state of shock.

She couldn't believe so many things could happen in the space of a few days.

She trudged slowly in the direction of the Three Broomsticks, knowing she would likely find Harry and Ron there.

'Fleur thought we were on a date…'

Hermione didn't notice any of the fellow students excitedly swishing past her, innocently enjoying the first Hogsmeade outing of the year.

'I can't believe I told her about the research…'

Hermione kicked a loose pebble on the cobbled streets. It did nothing to ease the anxiety and frustration within her.

She kept picturing the look on Fleur's face when she told her. Mostly outrage, of course. But Hermione had definitely seen hurt in her eyes. That was what really got her.

Hermione trudged into the Three Broomsticks. Sure enough, there was a shock of red hair and spiky black hair sitting by a window. Hermione listlessly walked over to them and sat down at a table.

"Hey—Who pissed in your butterbeer?" Ron asked, taking in the look on Hermione's face.

"Gross," Hermione replied darkly. She leaned on her arms on the table.

"Why are you all wet?" Harry asked, noticing Hermione's curls were dripping onto the table.

The doors of the Three Broomsticks burst open. Hermione silently hoped it would be Fleur so she could have another chance at explaining herself.

Unfortunately, Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson strutted in, smirking amongst themselves as they saw Hermione by the window.

"Hey Granger," Pansy called out, "Don't feel too bad about your date! After all, she still got you wet in the end!"

Malfoy cracked up, hi-fiving Pansy.

Hermione scowled, turning her gaze away from the Slytherins and their jeering.

"Hermione," Harry said cautiously, as if he were defusing a bomb, "Er… Did something happen?"

"Did the Slytherins do something to you?" Ron asked, cracking his knuckles, "Because I'm more than happy to go hex Malfoy for you."

"No…" Hermione replied morosely, looking down at the table, "Fleur did. Or, rather, I did something to her. Now she's mad at me."

"Fleur?" Ron asked, looking mystified, "Fleur Delacour? I thought she only sat beside you a couple of times at mealtimes."

"I've seen her a few times outside of that," Hermione admitted, her jaw tensing.

"Yeah? What does that have to do with Malfoy and Parkinson?" Harry asked, "Or how you got all wet… And what did they mean by 'date'?"

Hermione swallowed heavily. Here it was… She had only just started working out her sexuality herself and now was about to announce it to her two closest friends. She braced herself for gasps and wide eyes.

"I'm gay," Hermione said quietly.

"Yeah… What does that have to do with how you got soaked in water?" Ron asked. He crinkled his nose, "It is just water, right?"

"Yes, Ron," Hermione snapped waspishly, "You two don't have anything else to say about the fact I like girls?"

"Should we?" Harry asked, furrowing his brows. He looked like he was trying to work out what Hermione was getting at.

Hermione sighed. Neither of them really seemed to care. They hadn't so much as batted an eyelid at her news.

"Fleur threw the water at me," Hermione admitted, "She… She thought we were on a date until I told her otherwise."

"What?!" Ron yelped. Hermione snapped at him to keep his voice down.

"Er, sorry," Ron muttered, lowering his voice, "Just… Fleur bloody Delacour! Are you mental?! Why would you tell her it wasn't a date? Does she still want a date? I could step in if you aren't keen… I mean it is the decent thing to do…"

"Oh stop it," Hermione interrupted Ron before he could start drooling over the blonde again, "I didn't realise it was. I ended up getting close to her because I was testing theories about Veela and part-Veela. She ended up being a little drawn in because I tested a few theories about things Veela like. She thought I was drawing her in because I was trying to date her…"

"Oh, Hermione," Harry groaned, slapping a hand on his forehead and dragging it down his face, "How many times do Ron, Ginny and I have to tell you… Nobody wants to be a part of one of your research projects! Let alone without knowing they were!"

"Yes, well, I see that now," Hermione replied tersely, looking down at the table.

"I can't bloody believe this," Ron commented, shaking his head, "What happened on the date then?"

"Well, she mentioned that she had broken things off with Julie because of things between us and our date… I kind of… I didn't know it was a date! So I told her I didn't realise that was what she thought… Then I came clean about all the research," Hermione told the boys miserably.

"You what?!" Ron exclaimed.

"Shush!" Hermione hissed at Ron. His voice carried so easily. She supposed it hardly mattered. Enough people had heard the altercation between her and Fleur at Madam Puddifoot's.

"I can't believe you bloody told her," Ron said, shaking his head, "You have to be the only person in the world that fancies women who would intentionally bomb a date with Fleur Delacour."

"I had to be honest with her!" Hermione retorted.

"Maybe it isn't as bad as it seems," Harry interrupted diplomatically.

"She yelled at me to stay away from her and her sister," Hermione said in a deadpan tone, "And threw water over me. Plus, a heap of people saw the entire thing. Everyone will know by the end of the day."

Harry inhaled through gritted teeth, cringing on Hermione's behalf.

"Not great," Harry admitted, "But the party to celebrate the First Task is tonight. I'm sure plenty will happen there that will make everyone forget all about it."

"That's a good point," Ron agreed, "Fred and George said they have a bunch of surprises up their sleeves for the evening. Plus, it sounds like most of the Fourth Years and upwards are going to be there!"

"No offense, but I'm hardly in the mood to go to a party," Hermione scowled, noticing from afar that Pansy and Malfoy were laughing at her again.

"I think it's just what you need," Ron insisted, "What are you gonna do otherwise? Sit in the library and mope over how badly you screwed things up with Fleur?"

Ron had her there. That was exactly what she would probably do.

"Fine."

Hermione, as depressed as she was, decided she should at least put a slight effort into her appearance for a party that was partly celebrating her best friend.

She had showered, brushed her hair and donned a fresh outfit. She wore tight black jeans, black Converse, a white tee and a washed out blue denim jacket. Her curls were a little more tamed than usual, framing her face nicely. She forced a smile at her reflection.

'Almost as if I didn't screw up everything mere hours ago,' Hermione thought to herself sourly.

Still, maybe she could forget about it for a few hours. If she knew Fred and George, they were likely to pack the party full of distractions.

Hermione headed down to the common room, where Ron was berating Ginny about how tight her skirt was.

"You'll make people look at… Your… Body!" Ron said awkwardly, the tips of his ears red.

"Good, I hope they do," Ginny shrugged.

"You're only bloody fourteen!" Ron spluttered.

"And you're not my mum," Ginny replied, "Oh, Hermione is here. Great, let's go."

Ron frowned, conceding the argument, but obviously not happy about it.

Ginny was wearing a tight denim skirt and strappy top. Harry and Ron were dressed almost identically, in plain blue jeans and plain tees.

Hermione was already feeling a little more like herself, a slight Weasley tiff making her feel right at home.

The small group headed off, meeting Luna Lovegood in the hallway before heading off to the Room of Requirement.

Fred and George had sent out clear instructions to all the interested students of how to get there and how to get in.

It was simple enough, and soon the group were in.

Despite being relatively early in the evening, the large room was already quite crowded. It was large space, with tables laden in snacks and drinks as well as a space to dance. Couches and chairs were dotted around the edges of the room.

There were Triwizard decorations haphazardly around the room. Dark black and scarlet posters with Durmstrang's crest and Krum's face on them. Silver posters accented in powder blue that had Fleur's pretty face beaming out of them. Scarlet and gold posters with Harry's face and the Gryffindor lion on them. Finally, black and yellow posters with a Hufflepuff badger and Cedric's face on them.

Hermione tried not to look at the ones with Fleur on them, smiling warmly out at the party-goers.

There were large speakers pumping out a Weird Sisters record and the room was buzzing with excitement and conversation. Hermione could already see a Ravenclaw girl passionately kissing a Durmstrang boy in one corner of the room.

Fred and George appeared before the small group.

"Baby bro and baby sis!" Fred grinned, ruffling Ron and Ginny's hair with each hand.

"Hey!" Ron and Ginny protested.

"Isn't it a bit past your bedtime?" George teased, a playful smile on his face.

"Lay off," Ron groaned, miffed at the teasing of his older brothers.

"We're just messing with you," Fred said with a wink.

"Gotta keep you humble," George concurred, "Help yourself to the tables. We have everything you could possibly want: pizza, roast beef… Heck, even salmon blinis for the foreign lot."

"Pus whatever you could possibly want to drink," Fred added coyly, "Butterbeer, pumpkin juice… Firewhisky, Chudley Ale, wine…"

"Right, so not even trying to play by the rules," Hermione replied flatly.

The twins chuckled.

"Oh, Hermione," George laughed, "What about this party made you think it was school-approved in the first place? Why don't you loosen up for once?"

Hermione frowned, but the twins were soon gone, off to greet some more new arrivals.

Ron led the group over to a table, predictably grabbing some of the food on offer. Harry scanned the room, looking for Gryffindors or other friendly faces.

"So, Hermione," Ginny said, pulling Hermione slightly to one side, "We, ah… Heard what happened earlier today."

Hermione grimaced.

"No offense, but the whole point of me coming out tonight was to take my mind off that," Hermione replied, gritting her teeth.

"Hermione," Luna said dreamily, "We all have misunderstandings… We all like girls…"

"Do we?" Ginny interrupted, looking at Luna curiously.

"But people get over misunderstandings," Luna continued, "She is upset for now but she will not be upset forever."

"I hope you're right," Hermione replied.

The party picked up a little after that. More Gryffindors arrived and Hermione found herself, begrudgingly, having an okay time. Seamus Finnegan quickly got himself too drunk, accidentally setting his own sleeve on fire somehow.

Hermione had stuck to butterbeer, given its almost non-existent alcohol content. Her friends, however, had tried a number of different drinks. It was their first party and they were all excited.

Ginny, turning out to be quite a party girl, dragged a reluctant Harry, Ron and Hermione to the dance-floor later in the night. Hermione, despite herself, found herself smiling at the silly dance moves of her friends and bopping along a little bit herself. She didn't even mind that the party was breaking school rules.

The Room of Requirement was bursting with students now. The other schools were all in attendance and most of Hogwarts from Fourth Year upwards had shown up for the occasion. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits.

Hermione ducked off the dancefloor to get herself another chilled butterbeer. Ginny followed her.

"So, feeling better?" Ginny asked.

"A little," Hermione admitted, selecting a bottle and opening it, "I'm still not thrilled the whole school heard about it all, though."

"Hey, you heard Luna—We all have misunderstandings with people," Ginny replied, "And apparently we all like girls."

Ginny shot a look at Luna on the dancefloor, still dancing with Harry and Ron. Hermione crossed her arms, a knowing smile on her face.

"You seem a little curious about Luna's sexuality," Hermione surmised.

Ginny blushed a little.

"Er, maybe a little," Ginny said dismissively, "We've just never really talked about it before!"

"No time like the present?" Hermione suggested, arching an eyebrow.

Ginny looked back at Luna, then back at Hermione. She nodded vaguely before walking back to the dance-floor to join the others. Hermione watched her, amused, wondering what would transpire between Luna and Ginny.

"Granger," a snarky voice sounded in Hermione's ear, "Surprised to see you out and about after your disastrous date."

Hermione scowled, turning to see Pansy Parkinson nursing a red wine beside her. The initial embarrassment of the tea house debacle had faded a little, in part due to the realisation that more people than her seemed to be working out their sexuality too. It suddenly didn't seem like a big deal anymore. Especially considering Ron and Harry hadn't even been fazed by it.

"What do you want, Parkinson?" Hermione sighed, "I don't care that people know I like girls."

Pansy scoffed.

"Who doesn't?" Pansy sneered, "That isn't what made it so entertaining."

"Seriously?" Hermione asked, her eyes widening slightly.

Merlin, just how many people at Hogwarts weren't straight?!

"You struck out so fantastically, so publicly, with the hottest girl to grace these halls," Pansy cackled, "Not only that—you ran a goddamn research project on her?!"

Hermione scowled. Her night was starting to take a turn, it seemed.

"Yeah, well, we all make mistakes," Hermione growled. She hardly needed Pansy rubbing salt in her wounds.

"It seems your one has pushed her to move on," Pansy sneered, nodding across the room, "She's off cosying up to other French girls while you still can't even work out your feelings."

Through the crowd, Hermione could see Fleur had arrived in a cluster of Beauxbatons girls. She was standing close beside Julie, their pinkies interlinked.

It does seem like they've made up, Hermione thought sourly to herself.

"Do you want something, Parkinson?" Hermione asked waspishly, "Or are you just jealous?"

Pansy had a naturally smug looking face, but right now it was positively glowing. She had facial features that really didn't suit how truly dreadful she was—a cute little nose and big brown eyes. She had short chin-length black hair that stylishly fell around her face. Her lips were painted with blood red lipstick. If she wasn't such a terrible person, she could almost be considered attractive.

However, she frowned at Hermione's comment.

"I don't date animals," Pansy sniffed, turning her face away from Hermione.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"You just said she was the hottest girl to grace these halls," Hermione pointed out.

Pansy glared at her.

"Just because I have standards, doesn't mean I'm blind," Pansy glared. Her upper hand in the conversation seemed to be slipping.

"Sounds like you're the one that can't work out their own feelings," Hermione shot back, smirking, "Must be so hard being a bigot."

"H-hey," Pansy spluttered, "You're the one that made a fool of yourself today!"

Hermione shrugged, walking away from the Slytherin girl. She felt a weight off her shoulders. Going to the party had been a good idea. As painful as it was to see Fleur with her friends, it had made her feel slightly better about her embarrassing display in Madam Puddifoot's.

She was on her way back to her friends when they rushed over to her first.

"Fred and George just told us the professors have found out about the party," Ron informed Hermione, "We should get out now before they bust everyone."

Hermione's eyes drifted over to the Beauxbatons girls on the other side of the room. Fleur was obliviously talking with her friends, Julie close beside her.

Hermione wanted to warn her, but she couldn't help but remember Fleur's angry request to stay away from her and Gabrielle.

Hermione bit her lip, turning to her friends. She nodded.

They were glad of the heads up from Fred and George, as they could just start to hear panic break out as they were slipping out of the room.

Around the very first corner, Harry halted and spread out his arms to stop the others from proceeding.

"Filch!" Harry hissed.

The group took off at pace in the opposite direction, heading down a long hallway and ducking around a corner.

"Don't worry," Harry grinned, producing the Marauder's Map from his pocket.

"Thank Merlin," Ron sighed with relief.

Harry unfolded it and activated it. Luna and Ginny peered over the map.

"What the?!" Ginny yelped, "Why are there so many professors out over a tiny little party?!"

"We could go to the Astronomy Tower?" Ron suggested, stabbing at the map with a finger, "Nobody in the way of that. Then we just hide out til it all blows over!"

With no other options presenting themselves, and no Invisibility Cloak, the group agreed.

Hermione leaned against the stone wall in the Astronomy Tower, gazing up at the stars.

'This would be a perfect place to take a girl on a date,' Hermione thought idly, before frowning, 'If only I'd realised that Fleur thought we were going on a date earlier.'

"You okay, 'Mione?" Ron asked, passing her a bottle of wine.

Harry, Ron, Luna, Ginny and Hermione had sat down in the Astronomy Tower to wait out the post-party fallout. Harry had the Marauder's Map splayed out on the ground between them, so they could watch the chaos of Professors catching students out from afar. Ginny, it turned out, had swiped a bottle of red wine on her way out of the party. They were passing it around the circle while they waited.

Hermione, who had avoided taking a sip until now, took a deep drink from the bottle.

Ron grinned at her, his lips and teeth stained by the red wine.

"It's been a hell of a week," Hermione said with a sigh.

"That it has…" Ron replied, looking up at the stars, "Harry fought a dragon, you went on a date with Fleur Delacour… Blimey. Sounds like a weird dream I would have."

"I wish I'd known it was a bloody date," Hermione cursed, her tongue loosened by the wine. It tasted bitter. She'd only ever tried a sip of wine before from her father's glass at home.

"It wouldn't have changed the fact that you'd researched her, 'Mione," Harry said cautiously. Hermione passed the bottle to the raven-haired boy.

He swigged from the bottle.

"I thought she was this horribly icy mean girl!" Hermione complained, "But she's actually so sweet, guys. You should see her with her baby sister! She is so adorable and protective. Not to mention her performance in the First Task! So complex, so amazing! She's beauty, brains and charm."

Ginny giggled, taking the bottle of wine from Harry.

"You have it bad, Hermione," Ginny replied.

"Hermione, we are merely a month into the school year," Luna said dreamily, "You have plenty of time to make things right again."

"You're right," Hermione said, perking up, "You make a good point, Luna!"

"Don't I always?" Luna replied, crinkling her brow. The group giggled.

"Speaking of people having it bad for a girl," Ginny said, changing the subject, "Don't think I didn't notice how much you've been staring at Cho Chang, Harry!"

"What!" Ron exclaimed, "That Ravenclaw girl?"

Harry blushed.

The next morning, most of the Hogwarts student population seemed to be suffering from hangovers.

Hermione took the opportunity to go to the library, relishing that it was even more empty than usual.

When she had got up, her dormitory was full of dozing girls and people rushing to throw up in the bathrooms. But it was a relief. Everyone was so fixated with their hangovers and the events of the party the previous night that nobody was talking about her incident at Madam Puddifoot's. Not even Lavender or Parvati, the House gossips, had anything to say.

When not complaining about their hangovers, they had been excitedly gossiping over who had hooked up with who the previous night.

Hermione, for once, had smiled at their gossiping ways, before heading out for the day.

Now, Hermione was running her fingertips along the spines of the books. There was still months until the Second Task, but she was eager to help Harry figure out the mystery of the egg. They had opened it late the previous night, when they had finally got back from the Astronomy Tower to the Gryffindor Common Room.

The Common Room had filled up with a horrific screaming, screeching noise. They'd all had to cover their ears and beg Harry to close it again.

It was beyond curious.

Hermione was sure that there was an answer somewhere in the library. Assuming they hadn't removed all the useful books like they had with the dragons.

Hermione roamed idly down another aisle, inhaling the smell of books. It was strange, she was sure, but she loved the smell of books. All that knowledge, all that hidden information, all the imagination and facts of the world hidden away.

Hermione turned down another aisle, halting in her steps.

Ahead of her was a small silvery-blonde girl.

"Gabrielle?" Hermione asked.

The small girl turned around, her face lighting up as she saw Hermione.

"'Ermione!" Gabrielle squealed, running over to hug Hermione.

Hermione felt a little awkward, worried that Fleur would emerge from behind a bookshelf at any moment. It would likely make her even angrier at Hermione, thwarting any chance at fixing things.

"Are you here alone?" Hermione asked cautiously.

Gabrielle released Hermione from the tight hug, looking up at her and nodding energetically.

"Oui," Gabrielle replied, "Everyone in ze Beauxbatons felt sick or 'ad a sore 'ead zis morning. It was so boring. I wanted to read more princess books!"

"So you took yourself to the library?" Hermione asked, surprised.

Gabrielle nodded. A child after her own heart.

"I 'ave already found two books I really want to read," Gabrielle informed Hermione happily.

"Does anyone know you are here?" Hermione asked, a little concerned.

Gabrielle shook her head no.

"If I 'ad told zem, zey wouldn't 'ave let me come 'ere on my own," Gabrielle said, pouting a little.

She really was an adorable child.

"Oookay," Hermione said, sighing, "Well, lets get you back to the Carriage before people start to worry about you."

"But not wizzout ze books?" Gabrielle asked, her eyes pleading.

Hermione smiled warmly.

"Of course not," Hermione grinned, "I'm not a monster."

Gabrielle giggled. Hermione helped her put the books in her backpack and sling it back on her back.

Hermione led the small girl out of the library.

"It can get a little scary walking around zis school alone," Gabrielle admitted, "Ze staircases move!"

"Yes, they can do that," Hermione replied with a smile, "You have to time it right. There are also some trick steps too. You know, you can find out all about it in a book called Hogwarts: A History."

"You're so nice, 'Ermione," Gabrielle smiled, pulling at the straps of her backpack, "What 'appened between you and Fleur? She said she doesn't want us talking to you anymore."

"I made a mistake," Hermione said, her mood falling, "Quite a bad mistake. I hurt your sister and broke her trust. But believe me when I say I didn't mean to. I'd do anything to make it up to her."

Gabrielle's little face scrunched up as she considered Hermione's words.

"Like ze time I broke into Fleur's room and read 'er journal?" Gabrielle asked, looking up at Hermione innocently.

"Something like that," Hermione sighed, "So now she doesn't trust if I was doing things because I actually liked her or because of… That."

"Fleur doesn't trust people easily," Gabrielle informed Hermione as they reached the Entrance Hall.

Hermione recalled the strange moment when Fleur had asked her not to treat her badly. It suddenly made more sense now she knew that the blonde had thought they were beginning to go on dates.

Their footsteps echoed in the Entrance Hall, eerie for this time of the morning. Peeking in the open doors of the Great Hall, Hermione could see that there was only a handful of students in there eating breakfast, all of them First and Second Years.

Gabrielle dallied a little, peeking in the door too. Hermione put her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder.

"Come on," Hermione encouraged with a smile, "We don't want people noticing you're gone and getting a big fright."

"When will we be able to 'ang out again, 'Ermione?" Gabrielle asked, letting Hermione lead her away from the Great Hall and out the front doors of Hogwarts.

Hermione frowned.

"When I find out a way to make it up to your sister," Hermione replied, "I miss hanging out with you guys too."

"I don't care what you did," Gabrielle told Hermione petulantly, "I forgive you, 'Ermione."

Hermione smiled slightly.

"I appreciate it, Gabrielle," Hermione said, inwardly relieved that at least one Delacour was willing to look past her transgressions, "Say… Did Fleur get in any trouble last night?"

Hermione had been worried that Fleur had been caught by professors like so many of the students leaving the party had been. Her and her group of friends had been wearing their high heels as per usual, which surely would have made it harder to get away in a rush.

Gabrielle smiled widely.

"Non! Fleur, Julie and Rochelle 'id out in zis cool 'idden tunnel be'ind a tapestry until it was clear for zem to 'ead back," Gabrielle informed Hermione, "'Ow crazy is zat! I want to read 'Ogwarts: A 'Istory and find out about some cool 'idden tunnels and shortcuts!"

Hermione smiled widely, knowing that she was the one that had shown Fleur where that exact hidden tunnel was, the time that Fleur's thrall had been out of control. At least she had helped Fleur out in some way, even if it was indirectly.

She reached the Carriage with Gabrielle, turning to the small girl.

"Okay, here we are," Hermione said, "You'd better head on in."

"Thanks, 'Ermione," Gabrielle said brightly, hugging Hermione tightly, "I can't wait for you and Fleur to make up."

"Me neither, Gabrielle," Hermione said, smiling slightly.