Hermione smiled as she saw her trio of friends leave the apartment.

"They are cute together, aren't they?" She said now looking at her girlfriend.

"Oui. But we are more." The French answered while hugging her.

"I might have to agree to that…" The lioness kissed her but pulled away quickly, "before I forget, I should get these to the flat." Fleur nodded, despite the pout on her lips. "You know it will take just a moment." Hermione smiled, kissing the pout and disapparating. She moved quickly when she appeared inside her and Harry's flat, accioing a vase, casting Aguamenti to fill it up and a cooling spell on the water, as flowers supposedly had a longer lifespan if kept on cool water. She placed the flower vase on the table and left.

"Zat was quick indeed…" Fleur said when she was again in her arms.

"I had a great motivation to be quick." Hermione smiled as pecked the other's cheek.

"Uhmm…" the blonde grinned, moving herself and the lioness to the couch. She laid down, with the younger woman over her giggling. "What do you want to do, ma Reine?"

"Definitely stay here." Hermione nuzzled her girlfriend's neck, making the French woman moan quietly. She felt the blonde tighten her hold on her when she began placing open-mouthed kisses along her neck and onto her jaw until she reached her mouth. They both moaned as they deepened the kiss. They stayed like that until one of their stomachs growled (maybe it was both of them) and Fleur carried the brunette to her captive bench by the counter and began cooking. "Not that I mind, but you know I can walk right?" Hermione teased.

"Oui," The blonde winked at her, smiling. "Wine?"

"Oui," Hermione answered easily. She could see the cerulean eyes' pupils dilate before they changed into orange ones. The blonde summoned a bottle of wine and two glasses before she walked to the brunette and kissed her deeply and senseless. She felt the loss of the veela's lips too quickly and whined before she could regain control of herself. Fleur smirked.

The blonde made them both a light dinner, something Hermione appreciated very much and happily showed it to Fleur by kissing her silly when they sat back on the couch to cuddle and read. A few hours later, a first yawn made them both smile and without a word, move to get ready to bed. They slept facing each other, smiling into the other's warmth.

"Bonjour, ma belle…" Hermione heard as she stirred, making her smile.

"G'morning, babe…" She mumbled back, moving more into the other woman's warmth.

"Eet's almost noon, mon Ange"

"So?"

"I believe you were zee one suggesting zat our friends came 'er for lunch…" Fleur whispered, kissing her temple.

"Right…" Hermione rolled so she was facing the ceiling. "You know, I'm not usually this lazy. That's your fault, but I'm really not complaining." She laughed, getting up and being followed by the veela, who pinned her against the nearest wall.

"I bet I can keep you awake too," The blonde said in a whisper, blowing softly in her ear and effectively making her shiver. Fleur kissed her deeply, tearing a loud moan from her. The blonde smirked and let go, leaving a leg-weaken Hermione in her wake. Breathing deeply and rolling her eyes at her girlfriend's antics, the brunette got ready for the day.

She followed Fleur to the kitchen as the blonde readied herself quicker, being awake for longer than her. Hermione sat, watching her veela cut some fresh fruits for them and sipping the coffee the blonde had poured her as soon as she reached the room.

"This coffee is different," she commented after tasting it a few times.

"Oui, zis one maman sent me after I complained about British coffee… Eets from a family producteur near 'ome."

"It's surprisingly better than the other…"

"I can send some to Dobby…"

"No, I rather only drink this with you," Hermione smiled, winking.

They ate the sliced fruit, stealing kisses from one another occasionally, then Fleur went back to the kitchen to begin lunch.

"'ermione?" Fleur called from the kitchen while the brunette was reading a french spellbook (translated, thank you very much) while laying on the couch.

"Yes, Love?" Hermione got up and walked to the other room.

"Could you please open a wine bottle to let eet breathe?"

"Sure," she took one bottle (obviously not the ones intended only for the two of them) from the wine cellar and showed to Fleur. "This one?"

"Oui"

She opened it, leaving the bottle by the wall on the counter and fixed the table for the five of them. She abandoned the book she was reading in order to watch the blonde work, she admired the older woman for not doing the work with magic and she could see the blonde enjoyed cooking. That was something that stunned her since she got to know her better, a pure magical person such as Fleur (she might not be pureblood but she didn't have muggles in the closest family) doing most of her daily tasks the muggle way. It actually made her feel even more at home if she was, to be honest with herself. She smiled watching how expertly the veela divided her attention between every step of the meal. An hour later, Fleur turned the stove off and not ten minutes later the doorbell rang. Hermione smiled at the blonde as she got up to get the door.

"Hey!" She greeted her friends, seeing Harry hugging Luna from behind and Ginny holding her hand happily.

"Hullo…" Ginny said after they were inside and the other two greeted Hermione. "I hope we're not too late…"

"Non, you are just in time!" Fleur smiled at them while levitating wine glasses towards them. "Wine?" They all accepted.

The small talk was cut short when Fleur ushered them to the table, not wanting to serve the food cold. She placed the dish on the table and smiled.

"So, what is it?" Ginny asked as they served themselves. "Looks like shepherd's pie…"

"You could say eet's zee French version… Eets Hachis Parmentier."

They ate in silence except for enthusiastic praises to Fleur's cooking abilities.

"I wish we had your expertise while we were camping…" Harry said as he finished his second serving.

"Oh, that would have been amazing!" Hermione agreed, they all knew he was referencing to the period they spent Horcrux hunting. "Much less canned meals…"

"That's when you didn't decide to cook…" Harry teased, grimacing.

"Oh shush! I tried once or twice."

"Yeah, one of them you almost burned the place."

"Always talking about that…" Hermione rolled her eyes and saw Fleur laugh at their banter.

"I'm not sure I would be capable of making any of zee dishes you ate until now on a camping stove…"

"Well, I am glad you are dating 'Mione and we get to eat your food." Ginny grinned at the blonde who simply agreed with her.

"So, how was your date?" Hermione smiled, her gaze going from Ginny to Harry to Luna and them going back to the redhead, all of them blushing.

"Zat good uh?" Fleur laughed.

Luna gushed about the date, telling them how completely sweet Ginny and Harry had been. The two of them blushed even more while the younger blonde talked. Hermione was happy for them. The group decided to go to the movies together and set out. By the end of the night, the group parted. The trio going to the flat and then to Hogwarts, while Fleur and Hermione stayed in the blonde's apartment. The silence that hovered between them was anything but uncomfortable as they knew how saddened they were for having to part ways even if it wasn't for too long. Hermione loved the school but having to be away from Fleur wasn't at all the best thing that happened to her. They lost track of time in each other's arms, standing in the middle of the living room.

"I hate this." She mumbled against Fleur's shoulder.

"I know, chéri. But soon zee winter 'olidays will be 'ere and we won't part from each other at all." Fleur smiled into her temple, kissing it.

"Oh, the holidays!" Fleur chuckled at the brunette's excitement. "We need to plan it, babe!"

"Oui… We need to stay some time with your parents, at zee burrow as I'm sure Molly will invite us and zere's France…" The blonde smiled as the lioness nodded. "And I was 'oping you would be willing to get some time away, only zee two of us."

"I'd love to, Love."

"We can zroughly plan everything later?" The brunette nodded. "You should get going, ma Reine. You need a good night of sleep to begin zee week well…"

"You are right. But I'm sure I'll not have such a good night as you won't be with me…" Hermione smiled sweetly. "I know you need a good night too…"

"Wouldn't be bad. Bill and I will be joining zee searches at zee Manor tomorrow. Eet's taking too long for zem to find zat knife and I want to get your arm 'ealed."

"I know, you'll find it sooner or later… I really should go. I love you, Fleur…" Hermione pulled the blonde into a deep kiss and then left.

It was Wednesday when Hermione was greeted by her grinning girlfriend when arriving back at her living quarters after dinner.

"To what do we owe the honour?" Ginny teased as she, Luna and Harry followed Hermione into the room. Hermione was happily hugging her girlfriend.

"I 'ave great news…" Fleur smiled at the others and then looked at Hermione. "We found zee knife."

"I told you you'd find it!" Hermione smiled, kissing Fleur's cheek.

"Narcissa ees analyzing eet…" Fleur smiled, still holding Hermione.

They stayed together until Fleur yawned and the lioness insisted that she should go home and get some sleep.


The veela had already decided she would help with the search and went to the Ministry to talk to Tonks, then head there. Apparently, the head of the department decided the same thing, as she was waiting for her at the office.

"I'd say you were thinking about me…" Tonks smirked.

"Oui…"

"Oh, Hermione won't be pleased." The metamorphmagus laughed.

"You wish" Fleur smirked.

"So, I was waiting for you and Bill." Her boss returned to her work mode. "Little cousin sent me a request for you. It seems the team reached a few rooms Draco knows are cursed and he thinks it would be better if you two went there to help. What did you want to talk about?"

"The same zing but I didn't know about Draco."

"Impatient much?" Tonks smiled. "I get it. Look, you and Bill go. I'll train the babies until you guys find it. Oh, the manor only allows non Malfoys inside while there's one there. Draco has direct instructions for only staying there during the day, no overworking."

Fleur entered the Manor with confidence, being greeted by the whole team, it was the beginning of the third day of her working with Draco and the search team. She was determined to find the blade today. The blondes and Bill had met, out of the mansion, after-hours to analyze the rooms they still had to go through and try to guess where it could be. The team was gathered in the living room, she walked in followed by Bill and they greeted them. Draco popped into existence by her side as she and Bill faced the aurors. He had been there since before dawn, ordering the House-elves to make food for everyone as his mother couldn't enter the house. The team was divided into two groups, each headed by Bill and her. Draco was expected to go between both, to help to identify the objects they would find, all of them were wearing protective clothing as always to make sure none would be affected by any magic in there. About midday, the team was gathered and the elves served lunch. They resumed the work, the room Fleur headed then was strongly protected by an endless amount of spells and curses. The witch performed a complicated spell, something she had learned from her grandmère, that helped in identifying the speller of the curses through her veela. She had been doing that since the beginning of the day (she had just remembered the spell, to be honest). Having fought with Bellatrix made her familiar with her magic and her veela identified it as soon as she cast the spell. She smirked. It was there. Fleur sent a patronus to Bill requesting him to get there with his team. It all happened in less than five minutes and she noticed her group looked confused as to what was happening. When the redhead appeared there, the elves apparated them there, she smiled at him and Draco, who had been helping him.

"I believe zee knife ees in zere." She affirmed, making both men look confused and the aurors even more. "Zee room reeks of 'er magic." They nodded but seemed still confused. Fleur smirked and added in a whisper to both men: "Veela trick. I just remembered eet existed."

Fleur and Bill worked together with the awards, it took more than half an hour for them to open the door. The blonde was growing impatient but knew they had to do it the right way. The following three hours were spent with them scavenging the room but finally one of the aurors found it, in its holster. Another one found what seemed to be a journal.

"She probably wrote everything there, mom said she had the costume of registering her inventions. And that matches the description mom gave me… She said that's all she needs." Draco said, looking horrified at both items.

Fleur dismissed the aurors and sighed relieved. "Let's get zem to 'er." She placed the knife and journal inside a protected box and smiled at the two men by her side. "Draco, 'ave you tried to go to a mind 'ealer? Zey might be able to 'elp with your memories. I'm sure 'aving to live with zem and be forced to carry zee mark didn't do good to you."

"Surprisingly, I haven't. I guess I keep thinking I deserve this."

"You don't, kid," Bill said looking worried.

"Thanks" the blonde man whispered pained. "Thanks for caring…"

"Of course," Fleur said as she and Bill held his shoulders.

Nodding, Draco disapparated from the manor with them. They appeared at St Mungo's Hospital's apparition point and hurried to find Narcissa.

"Mom!" Draco said loudly, catching the woman's attention. She ran to him and begun checking him for injuries. "I'm just fine, mom. No scratches, no burns or anything."

Fleur chuckled at the sight, making the woman look at her and notice he wasn't alone. By looking at Fleur she understood. "You found it." They simply nodded, proudly.

"The blade and the journey as per request." The young Slytherin beamed at his mother. "Now, if you excuse me, I'll follow Delacour's suggestion and find me a mind healer." He left, leaving Narcissa slightly confused.

"I noticed 'ow 'e looked at zee blades and some of zee other objects at zee manor and asked 'im about zee treatment…"

"I didn't think about it."

"Exactly what 'e told me." Fleur noticed how guilty the older witch looked, "Eet's not your fault, Narcissa eet was out of your 'ands. 'e will be fine."

"I guess I need to get one too…" The woman sighed. "Uhm, I'll begin analyzing these right away. I expect to be done by Saturday, the diary will help. She had the habit of taking note of all her experiences. What will take longer will be figuring out the counter-spells and potions, the list of what she used might be ready tomorrow morning. After hearing it's about Miss Granger the director of the hospital made sure to select the best healers for the task." She smiled.

"Thank you, Narcissa." Fleur smiled back before the healer scurried away and she and Bill walked back to the apparition point.

The blonde appeared home and looked at the clock, calculating how much time she had before her girlfriend headed back to her quarters (only enough to change). She hurried and flooed to the castle. The woman had time only to sit when she heard the portrait open. Fleur saw Hermione's expression transform from almost completely drained to absolutely happy.

"To what do we owe the honour?" Ginny teased as she, Luna and Harry followed Hermione into the room. Fleur had hurriedly rushed to hold Hermione

"I 'ave great news…" Fleur smiled at the others and then looked at her girlfriend. "We found zee knife."

"I told you you'd find it!" Hermione smiled, kissing Fleur's cheek.

"Narcissa ees analyzing eet…" Fleur felt her heart flutter with the kiss (she was used to it now, it happened whenever they were together and the lioness showed affection) "She says zat until Saturday she will 'ave everything figured out." They stayed together (the blonde eventually getting something to eat from Dobby) until Fleur yawned and the lioness insisted that she should go home and get some sleep. "See you Friday?"

"Obviously." Hermione rolled her eye, laughing. "Even if we didn't have to work…"

"Uhm" Fleur kissed the lioness deeply and laughed at how she sought her lips after she pulled away (she earned a mock glare at this). "Goodnight, mon Coeur…"

"Night, Love." They kissed again then Fleur stepped into the fireplace and went back home.

The French woman spent the rest of the week at the manor, still helping with the curses as the division wanted to get the place all checked as soon as possible. Draco filed a request to close the building magically as he had no intentions to move back there (too many memories, Fleur guessed) and it would be done as soon as the house was cleaned up. They finished the job that Friday, the manor was locked already and Fleur was tired. That's an understatement, she was fucking drained. They used magic to speed up the process of cleaning and Fleur had been working since dawn. She went home, changed and flooed to the castle. The blonde smiled at the sight of her girlfriend sitting on the couch, talking to her friends while waiting for her. She waved a greeting and dropped herself by Hermione's side not very graciously. She felt herself melt into the lioness body as she hugged her.

"Hey" the brunette whispered, "you ok?"

"I'm just tired." The blonde offered, knowing her girlfriend was worried. "I've been working since dawn today to finish cleaning zat Putain de manoir so eet could be locked. I guess eet drained me…"

"So you finished with the mansion." Hermione kissed the top of her head and Fleur swooned at how caring it felt. She nodded, feeling herself melting even more as the lioness began drawing patterns on her side.

"Hey, we are heading to the Great Hall, okay?" Ginny said, softly.

"I'm sorry I didn't greet you properly…"

"Don't worry, we get the drained thing…" Harry smiled. Luna caressed her shoulder wordlessly and Fleur smiled at her.

"I guess we could skip work today. We are almost finished anyway…" Hermione made Fleur lay her head on her lap. "You hungry?" The blonde nodded. She heard the lioness calling Dobby and asking him for their food. After eating, Fleur moved so she was facing Hermione and rested her forehead on the brunette's shoulder. "You are really tired aren't you?" She nodded, looking at her girlfriend. "I guess we could go to bed earlier…" She guided her upstairs. Fleur felt so drained that she almost simply dropped face down on the bed but Hermione made her go through her nightly routine, even helping her with her pyjamas (the lioness blushed the whole time, making Fleur chuckle a little). Once they were both ready, Hermione guided the blonde to the bed.

"Uh, I must be really lucky, getting in bed with you…" Fleur chuckled.

"Shush, silly french woman." Hermione rolled her eyes. "And yes, you are." She beamed. Fleur got under the covers and waited for the lioness to join her before turning around and letting herself be held by the brunette.


A/N: Hello my dear readers! It's me, your friendly neighbour Celtic!

So, Fleur found the knife! Exhausted Fleur is one of my favourites! Quite a bit of Fluff...

Please review, I'm always pleased to learn what you think!

;3

See Yah!

PS: tlc125: Thanks for reading... Welcome back!

Pappa: Thanks for reading!

Galligar: Well, some new words here... Thanks for reading... Welcome!

Wk: I'm actually incapable to see their interaction any different from that... Thanks for reading!

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