In less than half an hour, the portrait that gave access to the hall opened and a very worried headmistress barged in, followed closely by Madam Pomfrey. Minerva McGonagall only slowed down when she saw the group sitting down, still calming themselves.

"I'm glad you are okay." She said, relive was clear on her stern face. "Fleur told me about the nightmares and screams and said it was related to what occurred on the Malfoy Manor…" She trailed off, looking worriedly at Hermione and Luna. "I understand its personal but I was hoping I could help…"

Hermione nodded, she was about to begin explaining when Fleur talked. "Minerva, eef eet's not too much to ask, I'd like to not 'ear zee story again." The lioness looked at her girlfriend as she said it and held her hand.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Fleur," Ginny added. They both had pain stamped on their faces. The professor nodded, her shoulders fell a little.

"You can read our reports," Hermione said, after looking at the other two in order to get their permission.

"That should work," Minerva answered.

She felt Fleur shuffle and summon the three pieces of parchment. Hermione organized them so the first was Luna's followed by hers and Harry's. The man had written quite a long report. After handling them to her favorite teacher, she snuggled back into Fleur's embrace. She noticed the others looking to the professor kind of waiting for a reaction. The headmistress looked up from the parchment a moment later, exasperated, a looked to the young blonde. She saw the girl shrugging. It wasn't long the woman in front of them had given up on trying to keep her stern expression. She seemed to be struggling to keep her tears at bay. After finishing the first parchment, she passed it to Madam Pomfrey after making sure they were okay with it. She managed to seat when she was midway through the Ravenclaw's report. The nurse had followed her suit. When she read the name on the top of the next paper, she looked up again. This time she looked at Hermione, at her arm and back at Hermione. The lioness only managed to hold the eye contact. She gasped when she reached the near end of the parchment, the brunette knew she had reached the moment that the mad witch sculpted her arm. Remembering, her arm throbbed and she winced lowly. She looked around to make sure none of the others had heard her as she felt the veela's embrace tighten. The soothing patterns began once more. When she looked at the blonde holding her she saw nothing but care. Well, there were other things but she wasn't really ready to name it. Fleur kissed her and then glanced at her silently asking her if she was okay. She glanced at her arm but nodded nonetheless, hoping the blonde would catch the silent hint. Not that there was something she could do. In a moment, she felt the hurt on her arm relinquish a bit just as the veela softly held her arm. She looked at her girlfriend questioningly. Fleur shook her head.

"Later." She said in a whisper only Hermione could hear.

When the brunette refocused on the teacher, she was halfway through Harry's report and her's was with the nurse. She remembered the madwoman above her once again when the mediwitch mirrored the headmistress' reaction. Once more her forearm ached but before anything else, Fleur reached it and the pain got better. The Headmistress finished reading and immediately went towards Hermione.

"How haven't I seen it, Miss Granger?" She sounded almost offended.

"Concealment Charm, professor." She answered in a small voice.

"Miss Delacour…"

"She didn't know, headmistress. No one did. Except for Luna, Harry, and Ron." She broke the teacher off.

"It was her scar," Harry said.

"And we actually thought it was simply a scar," Luna added.

Madam Pomfrey approached, worried. The bandages were soaked in blood, the red tint was showing already in the more external layer. "We should change those." The animagus gave space so the nurse could work and stood nearby. As soon as the bandages vanished, Hermione could read the word carved on her in a deep red. She heard the room stop breathing and felt a small change in Fleur's demeanor as soon as Pomfrey cleaned the scar and revealed more clearly the word on her forearm. She looked to her girlfriend, she caught sight of her orange orbs fixed on the scar and automatically started caressing her thigh in order to calm her down. The veela looked at her in the eyes and she saw the anger fade with the orange orbs.

"Any idea of why it reopened?" The headmistress was obviously worried.

"My best guess is that one of the courses Bellatrix placed on the blade was something to make it open every time I thought about the moment she carved me." She felt the blonde flinch and kept caressing her.

"That would be my guess too. Now I'm terribly sorry for making you think about this terrible moment but, I'm curious. How did you manage to be here and fight after so many…" She trailed off, "and no medical care?"

"After the battle on the ministry, I figured that there should exist a something to aid the nerves recovery after the cruciatus course. I researched for part of the next year."

"That's a highly advanced potion." The nurse interjected.

"Yes. After I found the specific potion, I started to try to brew it. Professor Slughorn helped me a little. Right after Dumbledore's death, when I realized we would have to flee, I decided to prepare myself so I brewed quite a few potions and stocked them. I was under the impression we would need it. After Dobby got us out of the manor, I blacked out. I was actually lucky Luna was there. The boys were frantic, she managed to make me wake up even suffering from the nerve wrack. When I woke up I immediately asked for the potion so I could really move. Only a couple of weeks of treatment after the recovery was concluded and my stock was almost gone." Hermione fell in silence."As for the wound, I found a spell to keep the traumatic events away from my memory until brought back by the counter-spell. I performed on the four of us…" The headmistress looked at her, impressed, mirroring the nurse. "I had a bunch of books with me… Especially about healing" They nodded.

"When we say we wouldn't be alive if not for her there are still people that don't believe us," Harry said, solemnly. All of them chuckled.

"I'll have a mediwizard from St. Mungo's coming here to look at your forearm. Poppy, could you check them? They must be sore and…"

"The nerves must have remembered the trauma." The nurse completed Minerva and began working. Hermione saw her cast a diagnostic spell first on her and then on Luna. "I believe that there is still some damage from… Well, the torture you endured." She glanced at all of them, apologetically. "Ideally, I'd have you two in the Hospital Wing, but I'm aware Miss Delacour would insist on staying there the whole time as would Miss Weasley and Mr. Potter. So I'm going to entrust Miss Delacour and Miss Weasley with instructions to take care of you two." The two witches nodded. "I'll come back by the end of the weekend to see how you are doing. Mr. Potter, you too have some potions to take given the events." He nodded.

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey." They all said. Then the mediwitch went off to organize the potions and instructions.

"Now, about the sleeping arrangements…" The headmistress started only to interrupted by a worried Ginny.

"With all due respect professor, I think Fleur should…"

"Miss Weasley, first hear what I have to say. You will be impressed to find out what I'll say." The Headmistress said sternly.

"Sorry…"

"I'm sure you will want to stay here until Hermione gets better, Fleur." Hermione felt the blonde agree. She figured McGonagall wasn't talking about the weekend. "You have my permission to do so." The older lioness gave Hermione a small smile. "Given the circumstances, I would like to give you the next week off and allow you to stay at home." They all stayed quiet, being free from classes would be good but they weren't in the mood for celebrations. And they all felt like the headmistress had something else to say. "But I believe Poppy would probably kill me if I allow you to go out of her reach. And as much as I'd like to say I'm unbiased, I'm too much of a Gryffindor and I'd like very much to see the Quidditch team win the House Cup this year." She added with a small smile. "So you four are dismissed from classes but will have to stay at Hogwarts. Your homework will be brought to you. Fleur, I'll make sure to let the staff know why you are here and grant you a free pass through the castle. Now, if you excuse me, I'll reach the hospital about the mediwizard." She smiled at them and left.

When they were alone, they all sighed.

"I think Minerva really likes us." Luna was the first to talk. She did so with a small giggle.

"Right? I think I never heard of something like that being done here. Nor of McGonagall dismissing students from class if they aren't like, dying." Ginny smiled.

They were all laughing at Ginny's observation when Dobby appeared with a low pop.

"Madam Pomfrey asked Dobby to bring this to you." He held out two large boxes and one slightly smaller in a pile. Hermione couldn't the elf's face. In an instant, the boxes were placed on the coffee table after Harry hurried to help him. "Madam Pomfrey said the boxes are labeled and that if you have any doubts to call her through one of the house elves or by patronus." He bowed after they thanked them and vanished with another pop.


Fleur kissed Hermione's forehead and opened the box labeled with her girlfriend's name. To do so she had to let go of the brunette, something her inner veela wasn't really fond of. Picking the parchment carefully placed above the vials, she quickly got back to her previous position. She saw the brunette yawn as soon as she sat back.

"Sleepy?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"Kind of. Going through these memories is more draining than I thought it would…" The lioness answered at earnest.

"Just let me go zrough zee instructions zen we go upstairs." She said softly. The brunette nodded.

She noticed they were quite simple. The nurse made sure to be specific and direct. There were three different potions that Hermione would have to take, one to treat the remaining nerve damage, one to ease pain and another to help her with the psychological trauma. Before she could stand, Dobby appeared once again.

"The headmistress sent Dobby to inform you that the mediwitch she requested to examine Hermione's wound will come tomorrow afternoon. She will come through the headmistress fireplace and she will accompany her here." He said, glancing worriedly at Hermione.

"Thank you." The lioness smiled at him. "I'll be alright, Dobby."

"If you need anything, just call Dobby. He will come right away." The elf said, to all of them before disappearing.

"Let's go up," Hermione said, stifling a yawn. Fleur nodded.

"I think I could use a nap too…" Luna said, to Harry and Ginny who nodded. The blonde Ravenclaw stood, being followed by the two Gryffindors. "You don't need to come…" She said in a small voice.

"Uhm, I don't believe you will get rid of us so easily," Harry said, smiling.

Ginny hummed in accordance. "And I have to make sure you take the right potions on the right time, so you are stuck with us."

They all went to their rooms.

After they reached the bedroom, Hermione sat on the bed tiredly.

"So, I thought I was immune to your thrall..." she said, looking Fleur in the eye.

The blonde stood quietly and tried to read the brunette's eyes. She obviously saw tiredness but as she searched deeper she also saw raw curiosity and eagerness (which she immediately connected to the fact that the girl loved to learn) and she chose not to the hint of fear she saw just under all this. She was under the impression the girl was afraid to sleep. Sadness flooded inside her. No one should ever see the horrors that girl had, let alone at that early age. She wanted do protect Hermione at any price. Noticing a brow beginning to arch, she smiled. The lioness really had little patience.

"Sorry, got lost in your eyes..." The sappiness made the brunette blush slightly but she kept her brow arched. Fleur sighed, knowing she had no scape, and placed the box of vials on the table nearby. "Before I explain zis, I need you to remember what you read about mated veelas."

"Your father wrote in the book that mated veelas shared a strong bond and that they are connected not only through their bodies but their full beings, their souls." Fleur nodded. The next part of the explanation was almost a secret kept only to the veelas and sometimes to their human mates. "He didn't say much about that. I guessed it was some sort of a secret."

"Eet ees. At least for common knowledge." She smiled. "But I risk saying zat you are not exactly common..." Fleur moved from where she stood and sat beside Hermione, facing her. "Fully bounded mates, as papa says, are connected." She knew she was repeating what the brunette said and before the girl could complain about it, she continued. "What 'e does not say ees 'ow deep zis connection ees. Zose mates are so deeply connected zat even eet zey are miles away from one another zey can share emotions and sometimes even zoughts." She paused, letting this information sink into Hermione.

"But..."

"What eet 'as to do with what you asked?" the brunette nodded. "After I finish explaining you will understand." or not, she added mentally. She didn't fully understand herself. But maybe Hermione's brilliant mind could help her come with an explanation. "Mostly, zat connection ees deeper when zee mates are both veela. But, in some cases, eet 'appens with veela/wizard mates. Usually, zee connection between veelas ees conscious, zey are able to reach each other as zey will. When zee mate ees 'uman, eet ees usually onesided and commonly caused by distress. Zee veela feels what zee mate does eef zee sentiment ees deep or eef zeir life ees in danger." She waited for a little again, knowing that this much information could take a while to be assimilated. "Eef zee veela in case ees a 'alfbreed or simply isn't fully veela, eet ees even 'arder to 'ave eet. Yesterday, I woke up in zee middle of zee night. I felt my veela stirring, agitated. I instantly knew zat you weren't well." She paused yet again, but this time hoping that the brunette wouldn't freak out.

"But we still haven't... We are not fully bounded." The confusion was clear in her face but Fleur didn't know much more about it.

"Oui. We aren't. Zat's something I might need to ask grandmére about. Well, not long after I woke up Ginny went to fetch me. As I got 'ere, you were... Screaming, again. So I tried to soothe you. You see after zee veela find zeir mate, zey develop a few different treats so zey are able to connect with zee mate in a better way. One of zem ees a soothing thrall. But zat one specifically only works after zee bounding. After waking up zee way I did, I 'oped it would work or at least 'elp. " Hermione slowly nodded. "I'll talk to maman and see eef I can find something out." She added in a small voice and began to stand.

"Fleur?"

"Yes?"

"Where are you going?" She was standing next to the bed, moving from it.

"Write to maman."

"Uhm. It can wait. Appoline can wait." She was looking in her eyes, hazelnut into dark blue. "I need to sleep and I want you by my side." Fleur saw fear clearly flash in her eyes and nodded even before she finished speaking.

"I'll get zee potions, zen." She watched Hermione get under the blankets out of the corner of her eyes while she sorted the vials. She checked the correct order that she should take them and got back to the lioness. Fleur smiled at her girlfriend as she saw the girl yawn. "You need to take zose before you sleep." She said for what they were as the lioness took them, sensing she would like to know.

"Thanks, babe," Hermione said sleepily.

She left the empty vials on the bedside table and lay on her back beside Hermione. The lioness tiredly snuggled closer to her and closed her eyes after kissing her and settled on her shoulder. Fleur stayed awake holding the brunette into her drawing senseless patterns on her back.

The blonde was deeply shocked. She knew the trio and Luna had been in the Malfoy mansion and knew part of the story. All the order members knew as Snape reported it to them. She was sure they had some kind of trauma after that time she arrived at the living room and they were all slightly in shock. But she never imagined that the brunette had been carved. She winced at the mere thought of the word and upon imagining the mad witch straddling her in order to carve her arm. She would gladly revive that crazy bitch in order to kill her again, if possible. Fleur had her eyes fixed on the ceiling, trying to calm herself. Her right arm carefully near Hermione's wounded arm (which lay on her stomach, the brunette holding her closer lightly) and caressing it. She focused on the lioness' calm breathing and finally managed to calm herself. Moving carefully, she faced her so she could hold her even closer. She drifted asleep a few minutes later, Hermione's heartbeat soothing her as a lullaby.


A/N: Hey! What did you think? Soft Fleur, an almost broken Hermione... Seriously, I love this couple!

So, my pre-written chapters are gone... I'll post once a week now... (sorry)

Please review!

Thanks for reading!

;3 Luv yah

see you soon...

For those who live in the areas affected by all those disasters, I hope you are alright and safe...

PS: pu7o: Uh, that's one of the deaths I simply can't handle. So, yes he died on the books and films but not in this story bc I don't want him to die. LOL

wk: I thought you had given up on me! =(

PPS: Oh, right, my other story is up. So go read it (I managed to keep it shortish) hope you like, please review it!

PPPS: If you feel like sending me requests suggestions or prompts, feel free to reach me by PM or email me: celticdaughterfics (gmail)