They went through the wizarding bar and entered the magical alley, now they weren't holding one another but were closer than before. Both girls entered the café and decided to use the secluded area they had for client's reunions. As they entered the room, they both drew their wands out and with some flicks soundproofed the area. With another flick, Hermione and Fleur enlarged the notes they had made about the battles they had been into and some reports from their comrades. Fleur heard a knock on the door and opened it.

"Oui?" She said to a house elf.

"Miss Delacour it's a pleasure to have you here again!"

"Thank you, Jilpy! 'ow 'ave you been?"

"Great! I'm being paid and well treated here…" Fleur smiled and nodded, she had arranged that job for her. Since she saw the house elf abandoned on one of the few Death Eaters houses she had been in along the week. Jilpy looked past Fleur and saw Hermione watching the exchange closely and smiling. "Forgive my intromission, I see you are in official business. The usual, Miss?"

"Yes, Jilpy, please. 'Ermione, what would you like to drink?"

"Oh, a Mexican Hot Cocoa, please!" The elf nodded and went to the kitchen and Fleur closed the door. "A hired House Elf? How wonderful! You always come here?"

"Oui. Jilpy was zee property of one of zee many death eaters arrested after zee last battle and was abandoned in zee 'ouse. We found 'er while we were restricting zee access to zem until we give clearance from dark magic. I managed to convince zee owner 'ere to employ 'er as she wanted to work and 'ere we are…" Fleur was really proud of it. And to her joy, Hermione beamed at her and gave her a hug.

"That is really brilliant!" They heard a knock once again. The protections they had put in the room kept the house elf from apparating inside. Hermione pulled back to open the door and Fleur almost whined from the lack of contact. "Thank you, Jilpy!"

"You are the Miss Granger Dobby talks about all the time!" The house elf said looking at her after handling the hot beverages.

"Oh?"

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" The house elf bowed to her. Hermione smiled and mirrored the action, having learned much about their culture since she tried founding SPEW. Her actions made the elf smile. "The cups are enchanted so they will be refilled with a touch of your wands, despite the protective spells. I made sure to protect the link to the kitchen too, don't worry." Jilpy bowed again and got back to work.

"That was lovely!" Hermione smiled, closing the door and carefully taking a sip of her hot cocoa.

Hermione sat across from Fleur and they began to work. Turns out that Kingsley wanted full reports since the Triwizard Tournament. From the DA, reports since its foundation. They both spent good four hours studying the reports they had. Hermione had written reports of the first year of the DA and had asked Harry, Ginny and Luna to do the same. The minister suggested that she choose another two to write the reports besides Harry and herself and requested a report from every member present at the ministry battle. After the battle, he said three reports would be sufficient. Fleur had some reports of her comrades and a few of her own. They both had silently agreed that each would revise the others work. Looking at the clock, Fleur startled.

"I believe we should stop now… Eet's getting late." She said. Hermione looked at her a little confused than to the clock.

"Yes, we should get going…"

"'ungry?" Fleur decided to make a move. But convinced herself it wasn't a date. Before Hermione could answer, Fleur's stomach growled. "Apparently coffee eesn't enough for me…" She added, blushing a little. Merlin! She was indeed a blushing pudding near the younger woman.

"I'd love to. I believe Harry won't complain… Ginny is home today, so you can figure…" She conjured her patronus and sent it to harry in order to let him know about the plans. A few minutes later, they were leaving the cafe and a patronous hind approached them, and its message was whispered in Hermione's ear. Fleur pretended she hadn't noticed the other woman's face get bright red and begun walking again as the animal vanished.

"'arry?"

"No… Ginny. Her patronus used to be a horse but changed since they began dating, I believe. Harrys is a stag… She says hi and thank you, by the way."

Fleur nodded. She had read about patronuses while in school and remembered reading something about its corporeal forms and how they could change to match the mate's. She knew the two Gryffindors were mates and that information only confirmed it.

"Oh, that mating isn't something exclusive for the veelas then?" Hermione asked, when Fleur shared her thoughts about the couple.

"Non. Zee mating ees simply a soul choosing someone to love forever. For zee veelas eets stronger, obviously, but eet exists to everyone. Full veelas are able to see zee strings linking each person easier. I can only see a faint glow when I see mated people." Hermione was looking at the veela, absorbing every ounce of knowledge she could. Fleur smiled at her as they crossed eyes. "Where would you like to eat?"

"I believe we could eat at muggle London, it's friday and every single restaurant here will be full. And I really hate the attention…"

"I know just zee place. I'll side apparate with you zere." Fleur took the brunette's hand after she agreed and they both vanished from the street with a low pop.


The confusion was obvious on Hermione's face as she took in her surroundings.

"Fleur?"

"Oui?"

"Why are we in your flat?"

"You said you didn't want strangers' attention and I felt like cooking." Fleur smiled and moved to the kitchen, motioning to Hermione to follow her.

Hermione damned herself for not being able to keep a sleeping Fleur from her mind as she caught a glimpse of the blonde's couch. And followed her to the kitchen.

"Do you need any help?"

"Non, I 'ave all under control. Just sit over zere and get comfortable." Fleur said, smiling at her and motioning to one of the high benches by the kitchen counter. With a flick of her wand, Fleur made a glass of water cautiously land in front of her.

"What are you making?" Hermione curiously asked a moment later.

"Risotto aux champignons. I hope you like it."

"I love mushrooms!" They smiled at each other and Fleur got back to preparing the food.

Only a minute later Hermione caught herself staring at Fleur's butt. She shook her head and tried to keep her eyes from the blonde, knowing she would stare again if she looked at Fleur. Soon the brunette was once again starring at the older woman and unconsciously started to wander how it would feel to touch Fleur in the way she really wanted.

"'Ermione, 'ow do you like your steak?" The blonde asked without looking at her. Hermione deeply blushed as she heard her call her name.

"Uh, Medium to rare…"

"Ok." A few moments later, Fleur got out of the kitchen and cleared the table so they could have dinner and retrieved a bottle of wine from a nearby room. That being done, she entered the kitchen once again and served them. Holding both plates, Fleur went back to the table and pulled a chair for Hermione. The brunette couldn't help but stare at the blonde the whole time and was under the impression she was swaying more than she used to. That thought was quickly dismissed by Hermione. Why would she do that, anyway? The brunette sat and Fleur graciously moved to sit before her. They quietly ate both minds wandering. As Hermione finished, she made sure to praise Fleur for her cooking ability. They spent some time chatting than Hermione begun to grow tired and decided to leave. She had noticed that Fleur was too and insisted that they should get some rest. Hermione got back home silently determined not to tell neither Harry nor Ginny about the dinner she shared with Fleur. The house was actually silent and she got to her room praying that her friends would not hear her. That night, Hermione tossed and turned as every time she closed her eyes she saw the blonde swaying and imagined being able to touch her and kiss those French lips. The next day she was ambushed by Ginny, who entered her room as soon as she heard Hermione getting to her bathroom.

"Soooo?!" The redhead asked excitedly.

"So?"

"How did it go? You know you owe me the details! I told you everything about my first date with Harry… Come one!"

"You gave me the details of your own free will. Besides, nothing happened. Also, not a date!" Hermione felt her face get hot.

"And that's why you are blushing?" Laughed Ginny with a raised eyebrow.

"Really, nothing happened! It's just that…" Ginny now had her brows almost reaching her hair line. "I observed her the whole night and that kind of turned me on. And, uhm, I can't stop myself from picturing myself kissing and holding her!" Hermione said the last part with a sigh.

"Seriously? That's it?"

"I'm not really used to it, Gin. I figure I never really liked any boy, it seems I didn't really think about girls enough because of school and those two trouble makers…"

"'Mione, that's quite normal! Everyone does that when are attracted to someone." Hermione sat on her bed, trying to calm herself, and Ginny sat by her hugging her. "Anyway, breakfast is ready and Harry is also curious about your night but I'm sure he won't ask anything. Let's go." The redhead squeezed the other woman's arm and moved to the door.

Hermione hoped these feeling would go away after a day or two, to no avail. Every time she saw the blonde walking in front of her, her imagination filled her head with sensations and pictures of her kisses. She gave up trying to control it two weeks later, when she got home from their meeting feeling hot and quite aroused for simply looking at the older woman.

About a month later, Hermione felt like she was getting better at ignoring her thoughts towards Fleur and was looking forward and dreading going to her last year in Hogwarts. Not seeing the blonde every day would help controlling herself but she was completely sure she would madly miss being able to talk to her every day and being near her. With all that mixed feelings, Hermione sat on her desk, locked on her room and begun writing in hope to make some sense. "I must be completely mental." She said, reading what she had just wrote. Another month passed and she was home after a tiring day of work. She and Harry had got back an hour ago and none had gathered the courage to go change nor to make something they could eat. They had taken off their shoes and instantly sat side by side on the couch looking nowhere. The fireplace lighted up and Ginny appeared.

"Mom sent food. Apparently, Ron saw you two leaving and told her, she made you some food so you wouldn't need to cook. I managed to convince her to let me bring it…" The redhead said, carrying the food to the kitchen and casting a warming charm on it. Coming back to the living room, she noticed none of them had moved. "Hey!" She said, making both snap back to reality. "There's food. But you two better go change!" They nodded and got to their rooms. Once back down, Hermione and Harry properly greeted the redhead.

"I never thought administrative work would drain me this much." Hermione sighed.

"I know, Tonks is making me work madly quick so I don't have much to do while in Hogwarts."

"Wait, you two will work while in school? How will that even work?" Ginny asked.

"No idea. Evangeline is also making me work more than ever… I figure they are negotiating with professor McGonagall." The three had eaten and now Hermione was laying on the couch while Harry sat with his girlfriend's head in his lap, the girl was mirroring her friend's position. Hermione remembered the note she received from Fleur, excusing herself from the meeting they were supposed to have that day, given it was Friday, because she would have to work late. She realized she hadn't replied her and conjured her patronus to send her apologies. Once the otter got outside the room, she got up, deciding she could call it a night.

"It's Friday, isn't it?" Harry asked Ginny, who nodded. "'Mione, don't you have a meeting with Fleur?"

"She said she would have to work late tonight."

"Now that I think about it, I didn't see neither her or Bill at work today. Apparently, someone else taught the auror trainees today."

"Yes, she said something about having to secure a few more death eater's houses."

"Oh…"

"Good night you two. I'm so tired I think I'll pass out the minute I get to bed." Hermione said, getting upstairs. "Remember to cast a silencing spell this time for fuck sake!" She shouted from her bedroom door.

"Yes, ma'am! And good night!" Ginny answered giggling as Harry's face turned bright red.


A/N: Hello again! So, Hermione catching up not only with her feelings but with her needs... I hope you liked it! Next chapter will be long (I guess), Wednesday brings some news and partying!

Thanks for reading! Please review!

;3