The next day, Fleur woke up a bit sad. Well, that's an understatement. She only had one more night sleeping by Hermione's side, she was sure she would have some difficulty to really rest without her. She stayed there, holding her and made no movement to disentangle their legs, she watched the lioness sleep, her calm breaths and felt her chest raising calmly. With a sigh, she felt the brunette snuggle more into her and smiled. A couple of minutes later, she felt her stir.
"Good morning, ma Reine" she whispered, kissing her shoulder softly. She knew the younger woman was already awake. Hermione had the habit of waking up rather quickly, probably something she acquired during the war. She wished she could erase that year from her life, protect her from so much hurt. But she knew only after all that she had found her. Their souls were wise, she was sure they would probably break if they had found each other before.
"'Morning, babe…" Hermione mumbled, turning to see her face. They smiled at each other, the sleeping faces only making them even more beautiful in their opinion. Fleur leaned in and kissed her softly, holding her close.
"'ungry?" She asked, knowing the answer. Hermione had hidden her face on her shoulder, she was absolutely sure the lioness was sniffing her neck and smiled. She nudged the brunette's ear with her nose. "uhm?"
"Yeah. But I really want to stay here. You're comfy."
"You'll get grumpy in 'alf an 'our and will ask me why I 'avent fed you or got you your morning dosage of caffeine yet."
"No, I won't."
"Oui. You will. Let's go 'ave breakfast and zen we can 'ead back 'ere and 'old each other zee rest of zee day." She spoke softly. "Or we can stay out and 'old each other by zee lake." She felt her smile against her neck.
"Okay." They slowly disentangled themselves and changed to head down.
As they reached the living room, what seemed to be an official paper from the ministry flew in from the fireplace. It landed on the coffee table and unfolded itself. They both went to see what it was. Fleur's name was obvious on the first line and Hermione decided not to read and wait the other woman decide if she should read it.
"WHAT?!" Fleur exclaimed as soon as she finished reading. She was fuming.
The fireplace glowed green and the eldest Weasley stepped in, very disheveled. "Shit! It got here before me…"
"What zee fuck, William?" Hermione reached Fleur as soon as she noticed how distraught she was and started drawing small patterns on her waist. She could see Fleur's nails lengthening, clearly not a good sign. She took the official paper from her hands, deciding she should know what was it that made the French woman so angry.
"Shit."
"What's happening?" Ginny asked the other three residents reached the end of the stairs, obviously having just wakened up. "Bill?"
The older man ignored his sister as to make sure the veela wouldn't charge for him. "Fleur, we received a hunch, I instructed the team to only keep watch on him, from a reasonable distance. I knew you wanted to be the one to catch him. The leader of the team apparently decided that he could use the glory. The man escaped after their poor job trying to get near him."
"Zat ees exactly what I could read 'ere, William!" Fleur spat at him. "Why didn't you go?" She sighed after breathing deeply a few moments. Hermione hoped she was helping by simply holding her, she didn't know what else to do. The silence stretched a bit more, Hermione used that moment to look at Harry and Ginny to mouth 'Malfoy' after making sure they would be able to understand. The surprised/scared looks on their faces told her they had understood.
"I'm sorry Fleur. We will find him again."
"Bill." She glared. From the way the man flinched, he was met with orange orbs.
"I thought he could follow orders. It was simple, keep watch on him." Bill sighed, looking pained. "We had an arrest to make simultaneously. Tonks personally asked me to do it. She couldn't go."
"Who?"
"Fleur…"
"Who, William?"
"Ronald." He sighed.
"WHAT?" "Ron?" "Branleur!" "Oh fuck…" Ginny, Harry, Fleur, and Hermione exclaimed at the same time.
"Since when is he able to follow any instruction?" Luna said calmly. They all looked at her at the same time.
Hermione snickered, it was true. But she made sure to keep the veela from moving as soon as the shock of hearing his name wore off. She embraced Fleur, slipping a hand under the hem of her shirt, certain that the skin contact would make her calm down faster. Feeling her sigh and relax a little, Hermione looked into her eyes. The anger was still there but was getting controlled.
"Was anyone hurt?" She asked, breaking eye contact. She could see Fleur was worried but too angry to ask without shouting.
"No. Malfoy simply disapparated as soon as he noticed their presence."
She heard Ginny release the breath she was holding. "What an idiot!" The redhead exclaimed.
"I spent the rest of the night making sure they would be punished."
Fleur sighed once more, holding the bridge of her nose. "Bill, please make sure to keep your brother from my face. I'm not sure I'll be able not to rip 'im into pieces eef I see 'im."
"I suspended him. He'll not be back until a month from now."
"I suggest you still keep them apart even them," Ginny commented quietly. Bill looked at her curiously. "'Mione told Fleur what Ron said about Hermione…"
"Oh…" The older Weasley grimaced but nodded.
"'e shouldn't even be still in zee force, Bill. You know eet. 'e disobeyed a direct order." Fleur observed, locking eyes with him. "I know we don't 'ave many people. 'onestly eet ees zee only reason I'm not questioning your decision about 'im"
"Sure. I should go now. I still have to visit mom and explain to her what happened as he will spend two days arrested." Bill smiled, hugging his friend and Hermione. "I'm really sorry for not thinking it through." Fleur nodded. He moved to hug the other three, who were still standing by the staircase. As he neared the fireplace, he looked again at the veela. "I'm sorry for ruining your morning, Fleur."
"Eet's not your fault, Bill. I'm sorry for screaming at you."
"Completely understandable, dear"
As he vanished from the room, Fleur hugged Hermione back and she felt the veela truly relax. "I'm sorry I woke you up…" She said to the other three, a weak smile on her face.
"No problem. We were supposed to wake up soon anyway…" She looked at the clock on the wall. "Were you heading to breakfast?" they nodded. "I presume we are too, now…" She added with a small smile. "You wait a couple of minutes? We'll just change…" She said after looking at Harry and Luna.
"Sure," Hermione answered, already dragging Fleur to the couch to wait. The three climbing the stairs back to their room. She held Fleur, making sure the blonde was calm. Looking at her eyes she saw cerulean orbs. "You know you can't kill Ronald. Just keep him out of any important mission or make him be constantly stuck with paperwork. I don't want you getting into trouble because of that bastard."
"I know, mon Reine. Eet's just zat…"
"That you could have caught him if it wasn't for his stubbornness. I know. But you will get him." She assured the blonde. "And honestly I would love to help." She added a beat later.
"Help with what?" Harry entered the room in time to hear her last phrase.
"Catching Malfoy." She answered bluntly.
She saw Fleur smile as she said she wanted to help, but the veela's smile only grew as she heard Harry reaction. "Count me in." He said, solemnly.
"I don't know what, but me too," Ginny said as she reached the floor, Luna in tool nodding. "Assuming it has something to do with the recent events."
"You are not trained…" Fleur began to say.
"Oh, please, Fleur. You know better than anyone how the four of us are absolutely more capable of helping you than your little trainees. If anything, you can train us." Ginny said, smiling.
"When exactly?" Fleur asked with a raised brow.
"We could train on weekends. You know we will be ready pretty fast."
"You need to talk to Minerva," Fleur said, smirking. "And your bosses."
"Good, I'm actually tired of all the paperwork," Harry said, making them laugh.
"I was thinking about transferring after graduating anyway…"
They went to the Great Hall with a lighter mood. Hermione sighed the moment her tea reached her tongue, earning a chuckle from Fleur. But the French obviously had to hold back a moan after taking a sip from her cup (it had appeared in front of her as soon as she sat down).
"French coffee?" Hermione asked, snickering.
"Oui." Fleur smiled at her. "You never tried eet after all…" She added, offering the cup.
Hermione took a sip and closed her eyes. "Okay. You win. It's indeed better." She said, taking another sip.
"'ey! Zat ees mine!" The French complained, although laughing.
"Sharing is caring, Fleur!"
"You 'ave your tea! Give me back my coffee!" The blonde whined mock glaring her girlfriend.
Hermione gave the cup back to Fleur, laughing, and kissed her cheek after seeing the French smile sweetly at her beverage. As she returned her attention to her plate, a cup appeared next to the one full of tea. "Thank you, Dobby." She said after sipping it. "I got one too, now!" She celebrated then noticed her friends in front of her laughing.
"Golden! This was definitely the best bicker ever!" Ginny laughed.
"I never heard Fleur whining…" Harry said, after a small fit.
"Shut up. You will work for me." Fleur glared at them.
"It was cute, babe," Hermione said kissing her cheek.
"So, what are you planning to do today? You were obviously planning to have an early breakfast today which blew up, also obviously…" Ginny asked
"Cuddling" Hermione answered honestly and smiling.
"PG?" Harry asked with a raised brow, smirking.
"We were planning on going back to the living room or going to the lake." Hermione offered, ignoring Harry. "You are actually invited."
"We could play something?" Luna suggested.
"It could be a muggle board game…" Harry offered.
"Then we could go out later?" Ginny said, smiling and making Hermione know she wanted to suggest it all along.
"Sure. Where to?" Fleur answered.
"Could it be some bar at muggle London? I don't feel like enduring all the fuss we get when we go anywhere magical…" Hermione asked, already predicting going to a wizarding bar and having the night ending earlier thanks to people not minding their own business.
"Yeah. I guess you are right…" Harry agreed.
"We spend the day playing board games and then go out later? I'm down to it." Ginny grinned as the other four nodded in agreement.
"We should talk to Professor McGonagall then…" Hermione said, looking at the professors' table and seeing the teacher there. "I'll talk to her, just a moment." When she got back, she smiled "She said we can go and asked us to meet her tomorrow afternoon as I asked for some time to discuss our training plans…" They all nodded and headed to their living quarters.
Following Harry's idea of introducing the three girls a muggle game, Hermione flooed into their apartment and came back carrying a box she thought all of them would enjoy playing. She found them waiting for her after cleaning the center table, sitting on the floor around it.
"What you got, 'Mione?" Harry asked. She knew he didn't have a board gaming childhood and saw how hyped he was.
"Jenga." She beamed at the look of confusion on the other's face. "It was actually one of my favorite games growing up and is pretty simple… I hope you like it." She sat between Fleur and Ginny, the only place left and busied herself organizing the tower of wood blocks. "Every woman for herself…" She explained the bases of the game and Harry, saying he had seen Dudley play it one with his friends, helped playing once against her to make sure they had understood. "No magic allowed." Ginny and Fleur groaned.
"Agreed! It would be far too easy otherwise!" Luna said, beaming.
They began playing, Ginny making the tower fall 3 turns after.
"Stupid game…" She mumbled.
"Sour looser!" Fleur laughed, earning a glare from the redhead.
The veela lost the next game.
"Awn, babe! You are still learning!" Hermione said with a baby voice, seeing the small pout she was displaying. She laughed at the glare she received.
"Come on, Fleur! At least it lasted more than 3 turns…" Harry mocked, laughing after being shoved by his girlfriend.
"This game is really good, Hermione! Thanks for teaching us…" Luna said, smiling at the brunette.
"Sure! One more?" She asked after looking at the clock. "Then we go down to lunch?"
"Yup!"
"I'm gonna win this thing!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Gin, everyone that doesn't make the tower go down win…" Hermione rolled her eyes at her best friend need to win every game.
"Whatever!" The redhead mumbled.
An hour and a half later, it was Harry's turn. The longest match until then.
"GO, BABE!" Ginny shouted, out of nowhere. He jumped slightly but it was enough to take the whole tower down. She jumped, laughing and ran out of the room, being followed by an annoyed Harry (Hermione knew he was more amused than anything) shouting she was a cheater and that he would have done it if she hadn't scared him.
The other three followed their laughter/shouting into the Great Hall, absolutely amused by their antics and laughing at the other students confused and creeped out expressions. They sat at their usual spot, Luna made a point sitting in between the two of them. Harry glaring an amused (and still laughing) Ginny.
"No fair," Harry mumbled.
"Aawn! Sorry, babe… I was cheering for you…" Laughed the redhead, hiding behind their Ravenclaw friend.
"Hey!" Moire greeted them eyeing the bickering couple. "What happened?"
"Hi, Moire!" Hermione smiled at the girl and at her friends standing behind her. "Oh, nothing. We were playing a game and Gin scared Harry so he would lose…"
"Oh… What game?" The girl smiled curiously, still watching the couple.
"Jenga," Fleur answered, smiling at her and motioning her to sit with them.
"OOOOOH! It's one of my favorites!" Her eyes shined. She looked at her friends and motioned them to get closer.
"Could they be more alike?" Luna whispered to Fleur, smiling at them. The other blonde shook her head.
"Wanna play with us after lunch?" The veela asked her girlfriend's duplicate, making the girl beam and nod.
"Can…"
"Sure! The more the merrier!" Hermione answered guessing her next question. "Do you know the game?" She asked the rest of the younger group and proceeded to explain.
"Why don't we engorge it?" Ginny asked after the other lioness finished explaining. They were eating dessert and Hermione was leaning on Fleur slightly, the redhead and Harry having forgotten their bickering.
"You can't even win it on normal size without cheating…" Harry snickered, making the group laugh. He used Luna to deflect Ginny as she reached to smack him.
"Stop using Lun as a shield, Harry!" Ginny complained. "Jumpy looser!" She added rolling her eyes.
"Stop bickering, you two!" Luna complained. They fell silent. The rest of the group laughed and Hermione exchanged a knowing look with Fleur.
They went back to the small living room, talking animatedly. Fleur and Ginny moved the furniture to make sure they would have enough space to play it while Hermione and Luna engorged the wood blocks and made them lighter then they would be.
A couple of hours later they were in their second match. They had decided to split into two teams, that way the game would flow better. Teagan suggested the groups to be young/older which earned a "Who are you calling old, little girl?" from Ginny and a fit of laughter from the "older group" at her scared face. "Sorry… Too easy. Let's do it!"
About three hours later, Blake could be found buried under a pile of fallen wood pieces.
"I'm ok!" He shouted, making everyone laugh. Hermione moved to help him get up.
"We should get ready…" Ginny said to Fleur, looking at the clock after controlling her laughter.
Hearing Ginny, Moire looked at the clock. "I need to finish my potions essay…"
"Yeah, I have homework to do too…" Blake said, sadly.
"Let's go then…" Teagan said. "Thanks for inviting us! It was really fun…"
"Sure, Te. You are always welcome." Hermione smiled at her. They said goodbye and left the living room, going to the Gryffindor common room.
"Te? Hermione Granger nicknamed me?" She heard the younger brunette whisper to Moire in awe as they went through the passage.
"I don't know about you, but I'd prefer getting ready at the loft…" Ginny said after the painting closed.
"Oui. More options back 'ome…" Fleur agreed. "Luna, want to get ready with me? Hermione probably wants to make 'er outfit a surprise to me…" She smiled cheekily at her girlfriend.
"Yeah… Just let me get something to wear…"
"Or I can lend you something… I'm sure you will find something you like in my closet…" Fleur suggested, smiling. Luna nodded. "We meet in two 'ours at mine and 'ave dinner zen 'ead out?"
"Deal!" "Sure!" "Delacour's food!" Harry, Hermione, and Ginny said simultaneously, making Fleur laugh. They left after saying a short goodbye each group to their respective destiny.
"No funny business!" Hermione shouted as she entered her bedroom.
"NO FUN!" "OK…" Ginny and Harry answered. Followed by an "OW!" from Harry.
"Just be ready in two." She said, loudly. "SILENCING SPELL, PLEASE!" She added quickly and heard a groan and snickering from the other room.
"Of course, Miss Granger!" Ginny answered laughing then the adjacent room went absolutely silent. Hermione sighed, they would be late.
A/N: Hey guys! I can't help but make Ron look bad. Obviously, I don't really like him. I hope you enjoyed the chapter...
I'm posting a short Clexa story I wrote as a birthday gift for my best friend so if you are into Clexa, please go read it and review! (apparently is pretty good...) And it's not so short as it was me writing...
Please review, I'm always pleased to learn what you think!
;3
See Yah!
PS: Wk: ;)
Crossbones01: Thanks!
PPS: If you feel like sending me requests suggestions or prompts, feel free to reach me by PM or email me: celticdaughterfics (gmail)
