On Teenagers & Love

a story by anamatics

part three - the fog

Chapter Six - On Bonding


Draco Malfoy, Hermione has to admit, probably is up to something. She talks Harry, Ron and Ginny around and around in circles over it, but she's not above admitting that there could be a very good reason that Malfoy was having a private meeting in such an establishment. She supposes with his father in jail technically he is the head of household and he probably has to handle his father's business arrangements. Hermione can't imagine what it's like for anyone to have their father shut up in jail, even if he is a truly awful person like Lucius Malfoy and she almost - almost feels sorry for Draco.

She goes back and forth from the Burrow to Fleur's flat for the final week of the holidays and tires not to think too hard about what they'd overheard at that ghastly shop. She has other things on her mind, however. The ring is in her pocket and she's got half a mind to just put it down beside Fleur's dinner one evening after she returns to Catterlily Place for the evening. Mrs. Weasley is grateful, Hermione thinks that she has one less mouth to feed and Hermione wants to spend as much time with Fleur before she goes back to school. She knows that hosting all those guests has to be something of a strain on the Weasley's already precarious financial situation.

She stares down at the ouroboros on the box one evening as she waits for the water she's put on for pasta to boil. It circles slowly, the runes around it dancing in the half light of Fleur's kitchen at twilight. Hermione reads them almost reverently and grows so lost in them that she barely hears Fleur come in.

Fleur's bag falls to the floor as she takes in the sight of Hermione standing next to a nearly-boiling pot of water on the stove and the box in her hands. "'ermione," Fleur says, shock clearly evident in her voice. "Qu'est-ce que dans vos mains?"

Hermione looks up and forces a smile onto her face. She feels very out of sorts, all of a sudden, and more than a little anxious. "This is the promise, isn't it?" She looks down at the box in her hands. "To bond with you?" Hermione bites her lip as Fleur's eyes widen and she hurriedly adds, "I know that you told me that we'd probably inadvertently started this process a long time ago – when you gave me this." She touches her necklace that's hanging loose around her neck. The shirt she's wearing today is low cut enough as it is, it's one of the new ones that her mother bought her when they'd gone out shopping and Hermione cannot help but wonder if it's truly an appropriate thing to wear at school.

The line of Fleur's jaw seems to harden and Hermione isn't really sure but she thinks she starts to see a change in Fleur. Her features go all avian for an instant and Hermione swallows before holding out the box, ouroboros and all. "I know that I should respond in kind."

Fleur crosses to the stove and turns it off before she turns to face Hermione. Her expression is unreadable, her eyes seem far off and distant and Hermione doesn't know what it means. She likes to think of herself as fairly observant, good at reading people even, but she stares into Fleur's eyes and there is nothing. "Zis… Ce n'est pas quelque chose à faire sans réflexion, you are young. 'ow do you know zat I am ze one for you?"

The ouroboros spins slowly on the box and Hermione holds it out again. "I know," she says in a small-sounding voice. She doesn't feel like a Gryffindor right now, and this is the most adult thing she's ever done in her life. Hermione swallows, "You are though. You are the one. I think you always have been."

"You would be in toup - too much – danger," Fleur cautions, but her fingers are closed around the box and Hermione's own trembling ones.

"I think I'm in that danger anyway," Hermione replies with a wry smile.

"'e would know you, zey all would. Zey would know what you 'ave done," Fleur's eyes seem to light up then, and her fingers tighten around the box. "If this is alright wiz you..."

"Fleur, I would have said yes, had you asked me properly then," Hermione insists and doesn't find herself wondering at all if she's telling the truth. She knows that she is and she is suddenly full of that same feeling of fear. They've become so close, and they're so completely and utterly gone for each other that it's terrifying at times. Hermione cannot think of what it would be like to be without Fleur, and she hopes she never has to entertain the idea. She takes a deep breath and continues, "And I want to give you this as my own promise in return. I've got to go away again. Who knows what will happen in even a month's time."

Fleur seems to weigh this for a moment before she nods curtly and releases her hold on Hermione's hand. Hermione pushes the box into her outstretched fingers, feeling strangely confident all of a sudden. "Zen I say yes."

"Oh, really?" Hermione can feel a smile erupt across her face that is so wide that she almost winces as Fleur stares at the box. Her lips move silently as she reads the runes and traces the ouroboros with her finger.

"Ze soul of ze world?" Fleur asks.

"It never ends," Hermione explains quietly.

Fleur opens the box and takes the ring out and holds it in her palm. "Zis, it is your promise?"

"Yes."

The ring shimmers as it adjusts itself and shrinks to the size that will fit Fleur's finger. Fleur takes it and holds it to the light. "You 'ave done well, zis is flawless," she holds the ring out to Hermione. "Will you put it on?"

Hermione knows that there are words that she is supposed to say in this moment, but she cannot think of them. Her mind is completely blank as she takes the ring from Fleur and feels how warm it is in her hand. It's reacting to her magic, to Fleur's magic as well, probably. Hermione closes her eyes and slides it onto Fleur's ring finger, knowing that this is sealing herself to a future that has no bounds.


AN: I struggled with this part a lot, because they are so young. Still, I think it works. Many thanks to auburn who made the cover image as part of the tumblr fleurmione secret santa! thanks again, you're amazing. :)