Fleur was hopping out of the broom when she heard their spectators reach the end of the stand's stairs.
"I hope you had fun playing today, Gin…" She heard Luna teasing voice (it wasn't really common for her, but it came from time to time), "because, from what I gathered from 'Mione's expressions, I don't think she will ever let Fleur mount a broom again."
The veela raised an eyebrow at her girlfriend, deciding to tease her a bit. "So you don't trust my 'abilities on a broom, Belle?" Hermione (who until then had a sheepish smile plastered on her face) narrowed her eyes at her a bit, then smirked.
"Oh, I do. Believe me, I do. I know how stubborn you can be when doing something you decided to do. I'm sorry if my terrible best friends ruined the game to me…"
"Oi!" Harry reacted as Ginny said: "Hey!"
"Well, you two have to admit that you have both been injured quite a few times over the years you play…" Luna noted, giggling.
"But she hates flying! That's why she doesn't like the game!" Harry mumbled.
Fleur took notice of the group of younger Gryffindors chuckling from behind Hermione and Luna. And smiled at how amused they seemed to be by this friendly banter.
"She was literally clutching her wand, Harry. As if fearing Fleur would suddenly fall from her broom." Luna said with a smile playing on her mouth.
"Which does sound like something Harry would do…" Ginny laughed.
"No fair!" Harry mumbled.
"You did fall from your broom quite a few times, Harry…" Hermione smiled at him. "But you did too, Gin. As did Ron."
Fleur stood between Harry and Ginny simply observing the four friends tease each other. It was good to see how they were indeed better, the past week made them relax quite a bit. Even she had relaxed.
"But most of mine were due to someone trying to kill me…" Harry argued. (Fleur heard the younger pride gasp lowly, that was probably the first time they heard any mention of Harry's deeds from his own mouth) "Quirrel first, then dementors…" He raised two fingers, trying to count the falls. "Dragon-"
"Show-off. You didn't fall during the first task." Ginny smirked, crossing her arms. "You are saying this because they are here." She motioned to the younger group that was (obviously) listening closely.
"It did try to kill me…" He mumbled again.
"Eet was protecting eet's eggs. Zee dragon would 'ave tried to kill anyone who approached, 'arry." Fleur intervened. "Mine tried to kill me too, remember?"
"You put it to sleep, Fleur." The blonde grinned at Hermione's phrase.
"That was quite impressive, I might say." Ginny smiled at the veela
"I almost caught on fire, 'ermione."
"It snored." The lioness smiled at her with her eyebrow raised, looking unimpressed. The younger Gryffindors laughed at this.
"Whatever," She muttered but moved to give the brunette a peck on the lips. "You are ruining my reputation." She whispered playfully.
"What reputation?" Hermione countered, giving her a peck on the cheek before taking off in the direction of the castle. Harry chose that moment to collect the brooms and go lock them up in the locker-room. Fleur sped after her as soon as she gave him his broom back. She could hear the brunette's laugh. She chased after her girlfriend laughing at her antics.
The group reached the Great Hall laughing, Hermione slightly breathless.
"A little rusty, 'Mione?" Harry joked as they calmly walked to their usual spot at the Gryffindor table.
"Guess so…" The lioness laughed, as she leaned on Fleur.
Ginny, Luna, and Harry rounded the table so they could sit across from them. The younger Gryffindors had bid them farewell as soon as they entered the castle. After dinner, they were expected at the Hospital wing to see how they were going with the treatment. Fleur kissed the side of Hermione's head as they walked there. The brunette smiled at her and lightly squeezed her arm that was around her waist. Harry knocked on the door before opening it. They entered the room, the smell of a few healing potions was obvious to Fleur but she knew it wasn't at all clear to the others. She had always been able to smell a bit more then most so she was used to this smell at any healing place.
"I'll be there in a minute!" They heard Madam Pomfrey say from her office. The healer obviously had a calm afternoon as no student was on the premises. Luna moved to the nearest bed and sat there, knowing that would be the first thing the healer would ask them to do. Hermione followed her suit and hopped on the bed next to the blonde. Fleur located herself in between Hermione's legs and let herself be embraced by her. Luna was in front of them being flanked by Harry and Ginny (each had a hand on her leg, clearly trying to calm her a little). They talked a bit while waiting.
"Why is the potion smell so strong here if there's no one being treated now?" Hermione asked the group.
"Uh, 'Mione, there's no strong smell here…" Ginny answered after sniffing the air a bit. Harry and Luna simply nodded.
Fleur calmly turned on the brunette's arms.
"Can you describe what you are smelling?" She asked with a small smile. She saw the realization come to Hermione as soon as they crossed eyes.
The lioness nodded before taking a deep breath. "I'd say the room smells like three different potions… Healing potions." She said after a bit. "Uhh, it's bitter and sweet at the same time. Salty too." Fleur smiled widely at her and pecked her lips. "Sleeping Draught, Antiseptic potion and Burn-healing paste?" The lioness added after thinking a little. Fleur nodded after taking her time to identify the potions.
"I zink so…" After pecking her cheek, she turned to face their dumbfounded friends.
"That is the usual smell around here when we have patients." Madam Pomfrey had reached them while she was focused on the brunette.
Fleur smiled at the older witch and focused on the others. "We'll explain later…" She felt Hermione nod behind her. The healer began the checkup on both girls as soon as they laid on the beds.
"Narcissa asked me to keep her posted, she couldn't come tonight. She says Draco is currently trying to locate Miss Lestrange's notebooks and the blade."
"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey." Hermione smiled.
"Well, I obviously would prefer to keep you two under rest for some more time but I know you are well taken care of and you probably decided you have rested enough." The healer continues after nodding. "You still have to take the potions as they help to stabilize the after-effects of the curse, and I still want to see you twice before the end of next week. You are good to go back to your normal activities." She added. "I'm really happy to see you two are doing better. Miss Granger, any discomfort with your arm? Narcissa said you should let her know immediately if something changes regarding your arm."
"No. It's pretty much the same. It doesn't bleed anymore thanks to the potion but still hurts a bit." Hermione shrugged and looked at her arm (the bandages and scar were under a Concealment Charm).
They left the Hospital wing in a lighter mood, Hermione, Ginny and Luna happy to be able to get back to school work (Harry not so much).
"Uh, what was that about the smell?" Ginny asked quietly leaving unspoken that if they weren't comfortable explaining they could simply change the subject. Fleur was really happy that Hermione's friends were far from prying people and were absolutely respectful of her heritage.
The brunette looked at her as if asking for permission to talk. She smiled and hugged the woman, trying to remember what they had told them. She was certain Ginny was aware they were mates, but apart from it, she wasn't sure they said something else. But they were still walking on the corridors and as far as she was aware, those walls could listen (quite literally, given the high number of paintings).
"Uh…" Hermione began bringing her back to the moments. "We should get to our the common room first…"
"Oh! Sure…" Ginny smiled softly.
As they entered the room, Hermione called Dobby and asked him if he could bring them something to drink, he left excitedly and came back a few minutes later with their hot beverages of choice.
"Thank you, Dobby!" Hermione smiled at him.
"Dobby, we will need some privacy for now…" Fleur began. "I trust you understand I can't 'ave anyone other zen zem 'earing."
"Dobby will let the other elves that they are not to come here today." He smiled at the couple. "And if the Misses need Dobby, just step outside and call Dobby." With that, he vanished.
"Uhm…" Harry looked at them quizzically.
"'e knows zat some zings are better kept away from prying eyes… As a magical creature, 'e knows some of us are more restrict about who can know about certain zings. Like us veelas… When I asked for privacy, 'e caught on with zee subject." Fleur tried to explain. The other three seemed to have accepted as they sat quietly, obviously recognizing how serious the next subject was. Hermione moved quickly, Fleur saw her conjuring a patronus and send it to McGonagall (she guessed). They waited a second and a cat patronus came back with a short word of agreement. Fleur blocked the floo access to the fireplace with a quick spell. With a quick glance at each other, veela and lioness started to protect the room to make sure no one could hear them in any way or have access to anything said there. Their friends watched them working together as if they had known each other since birth. Harry and Ginny watching awestruck and Luna smiling widely. Fleur watched them from the corner of her eyes measuring their reactions. She knew she could trust them and knew the Ravenclaw had a better grasp on her culture and might be able to help the other two understanding everything she said. She knew that even having read about it more deeply then Luna, Hermione would have some difficulty explaining because she was experiencing everything (it could get deeper than the other couple could grasp at first). The couple sat in front of their friends somewhat nervous.
"Why don't you explain the mating thing?" Luna suggested, noticing they had no idea of how to begin. The redhead and raven-haired nodded.
Hermione took a deep breath, taking the lead. Fleur felt the confidence emanating from her and smiled, knowing the younger woman felt like knowing enough to be able to explain it to her friends. The brunette unconsciously relaxed and leaned a little on her.
"Right. Ok. I know you already know a bit about it but I'll go over it again so we are actually able to explain everything." The older lioness began, their friends nodding, "The veela culture is very particular about a series of things, they have a specific way to see the world and every exchange happening around them. Their understanding of relationships is probably the most simple and yet most complicated aspect of their culture that relates to Humans, magic or not. Although it's unusual for veelas to relate with Muggles. As far as I understand, that knowledge comes from their ancestors." Fleur nodded with pride, that being the first time she saw Hermione speak about something she knew she was capable of making others understand. "Veelas are able to see the threads that connect us to each other. Especially when it's related to love, romantic love specifically. So they have a special understanding of it. When they say mates, they talk about those threads. My guess is that as they have a deeper perception of it, they also are more deeply affected. Usually, the concept of mating is used when there's a veela involved, but it is actually present to everyone. In a less deep grasp, obviously. Everyone is capable of having a mate, as conceptually it could be resumed as soul juncture. A person's soul recognizes another's as 'the one' when they are ready, what explains what happened between Fleur and me. Sometimes the human soul recognizes two other souls, so a few humans have two mates at the same time…" Fleur saw Luna's eyes widen with what she read as hope. She noticed Hermione was smirking and was sure the other woman had said that intentionally. "To humans, it could be described as a deep love, sometimes it goes as far as dying for each other but the threads between humans aren't as strong as the ones involving a veela. Veelas are deeply connected to their souls, their magical core being based on their feelings. It is only logical that the way they connect souls is deeper. Most of the studies about veela are right when they say that mated veela are incapable of living long after their mate is dead. When they mate, they merge souls, profoundly, to the point of being referred as one. When a mate dies, it is described as deep soul fracture, the other mate is left basically with only part of a soul." Hermione now was passionately talking, gesticulating with one of her hands (the other placed securely on Fleur's). Ginny, Luna, and Harry were absolutely enraptured by her, all of them grimaced at the last part and glanced at Fleur.
She squeezed the lioness' hand to indicate she wanted to talk, after feeling a light squeeze back, she smiled and began talking. "Anyone zat 'as veela blood ees related to zeir mates zat way." She felt the need to confirm what she was sure they already knew. "When we find our mates outside zee veela culture, zee connection can affect zem in various levels. Eet ees still more profound zan zee common connection between 'umans, necessarily, but ees usually less zan between two veela. But eet depends on 'ow zey accept zee mating and zee veela. As you know, zee mating ees sealed when zey 'ave sex. Poetically, eet ees zee moment zat both get rid of all zat ees not zem, any disguise zey 'ave to zee rest of zee world. Zee climax ees zat moment. Eet connects both souls and merges zem." She was smiling at the thought. Hermione took the hand she was holding and softly kissed it. "After zee mating, eef zey are both veela, zey usually can reach each other and communicate, one always knows 'ow zee other ees feeling. Eef one of zem ees 'uman, zee veela mate ees always capable of doing so but usually zee 'uman part doesn't. But eet depends on 'ow devoted zee 'uman ees to zeir connection. After mating, zee veela develops some specific kinds of thrall, zat affects only zeir mate even eef zey are also veela. Eet's usually to stabilize zee other, to calm zee other for example. Zanks to zat connection, zee veela ees able to feel when zeir mate ees distressed or in danger." Fleur saw Ginny's eyes widen.
"You can know if the other is distressed or anxious?" The redhead repeated. Fleur could practically see the engines turning in her head, coming to the conclusion she was expecting from the ginger. "But I thought you and 'Mione hadn't…" She eyed her best friend suspiciously.
"We didn't!" Hermione was quick to answer, straightening herself immediately. She nudged Fleur lightly. "You really had to explain it in that order?" Fleur simply laughed and kissed the lioness' head.
"Uh… What am I loosing here?" Harry asked, looking at the three girls. Luna eyed them too.
"Last Friday, when I went to Fleur's, she was already awake and before I could say anything, she asked what happened. I was a little freaked out because her eyes were different, completely orange and kind of glowing. I kind of didn't realize it was her, at first. But she seemed to be aware that something happened." Ginny explained, making the scarred men look at them in shock and Luna to snicker.
"We are not mated. Not yet, anyway…" Hermione said firmly.
"Everything I said usually 'appens after the mating process, as I already said. But just as sometimes zee 'uman mate ees capable of connecting with zee veela zee same way a veela would, sometimes eet can 'appen before."
"The thing is: it's absolutely rare," Hermione added, leaning on Fleur once again. "Actually, there are exactly six reported occurrences of it in the last thousand years in continental Europe."
"And each ees absolutely unique, but still, all zat occurrences 'appened between full or part veelas. Never a 'uman was involved." Fleur added. "We only know zis because we reached my family as soon as we noticed zose uncommon 'appenings. What Grandmére sent us was zeir research about eet. But since eet apparently never 'appened before and zee cases we know of are unique, we 'ave absolutely no idea of what might 'appen before and after zee mating."
"That's AWESOME!" Luna reacted as she noticed they had stopped talking. Hermione snickered at Luna's reaction. Harry and Ginny seemed to be absolutely shocked.
"Until now, we identified that awareness from Friday which goes both ways, by the way, the thrall thing, that Fleur used on me while we were talking to McGonagall," Hermione added. "And now, that smell thing…"
"A few highly connected 'uman mates are able to evolve zeir senses to match the veela's," Fleur explained. "But it's also extremely rare."
"Wow!" was the only thing Ginny seemingly was able to say. After a couple of minutes, Harry's expression went from 'in shock' to 'absolutely fucking happy'. He leaned on the couch and beamed at them, Fleur could see how happy he was for them. A few seconds later, Ginny shot up and hugged them both. "I…" She began to say to Fleur as she hugged her. "I'm sorry."
"What for?" She asked, confused.
"I should have…" The redhead was crying now.
"Gin?" Hermione got closer as soon as she saw her friend on the verge of sobbing.
"I'm sorry. You shouldn't have had to be worried about my reaction to you liking Fleur. I…"
"Hey…" Harry approached them with Luna, worried. "There was no way for you to know…"
"But I should have known how 'Mione felt about her!"
"Gin, breathe." Hermione made the redhead look at her. "Even I didn't know. Harry lived with me for almost a year, we were away. He noticed because he was closer at the time. Then I isolated myself with Mom and Dad, you had almost no contact with me. When I realized, you were the first I told. Harry made me realize it, to be honest…"
"But Luna…"
"To be honest, I only knew about Fleur's end. I noticed how she was always near and how she fought with us during the last battle and how she basically never left 'Mione's side and when she did, Hermione never left her sight." Luna said, caressing Ginny's back. Fleur felt her cheeks burn when she felt Hermione's eyes bore in her face, with a smirk. Ginny managed to calm down, she was still hugging her, Hermione was at their side, hugging both; Harry and Luna on their other side both caressing Ginny's back, the man kissing the side of her head.
"Calm down, woman!" Hermione laughed. "No harm was done! We are all here… And you gave her a chance as soon as I told you."
"I zink eet was actually my food zat changed 'er mind!" Fleur said, making them all laugh.
"Absolutely possible!" "Weasleys!" "Hey! It was a fucking amazing dinner!" Harry, Luna, and Ginny said. Hermione swatted her arm lightly.
A/N: Hey guys! Yeah, you can kill me if needed... Sorry, really...
Please review, I'm always pleased to learn what you think!
;3
See Yah!
PS: Wk: I'm glad you are enjoying it!
Tori: Welcome back!
PPS: If you feel like sending me requests suggestions or prompts, feel free to reach me by PM or email me: celticdaughterfics (gmail)
